BUTTERFLY : SHINOBU KOCHO (PART ONE)

Part 1: Chapter 26; A Third Time

Fast forward an entire month later, when the spring weather began to vanish and the dry summer months began to come into the fray,

Sakusa Kari had still not waken up.

He remained rested in his bed, peacefully dozing off with that same scowl etched into his visage.

Shinobu rarely left his side, continuing to wonder just when he would wake up. Of course, she left to clean, get dressed, and train, but any free time she did have was dedicated to writing in her journal and caring for the crimson-haired Hashira.

But where had they gone, now that the Nagasaki Wisteria House had gone up in flames?

It was funny, really.

It was funny that even though he was knocked unconscious and dropped an utter bombshell before falling back asleep, Sakusa still managed to find a way to protect her.

Everyone was exhausted, to say the least.

It was very telling that the one with the most energy was the civilian who suffered a head cut and a fractured rib was the one with the most energy.

Even Yae's conservative gun-slinging fighting style consumed a fair bit of stamina, though that was also down to having to evade and constantly keep her distance from the demon possessing Sakusa's body.

They had nowhere to go, nowhere to recover. Shinobu's mansion was at least a week and a half away, while Yae had lost her home when her father died. Any Wisteria House in the vicinity would be at least a day's walk away, and with Umiki still asleep, Yae and Sadao normal humans without the heightened stamina of a Hashira, and Shinobu still feeling the effects of the fight six days ago with Razel, walking anywhere was completely out of the picture.

The flames refused to die down in the house, meaning that nobody could even try and reenter to find anything to salvage. All they were able to retrieve were Shinobu's needleblade, on-hand medical kit, and Yae's personal belongings, rifle, clothes and all.

No food, no water, no essentials. Nothing.

So, the butterfly and hunter girl decided to bring the couple away from the flames and huddle them up against the wall of the courtyard with the spare clothes they did have, and try and come up with a plan to get out of their mess.

Sitting down besides the unconscious Sakusa in the courtyard (since neither girl had the energy to move a 100kg ogre that just tried to kill them less than an hour ago), Yae and Shinobu began to think.

"Miss Kocho," Yae spoke up first, "How are your injuries? You were thrown around a little bit and took a beating from Mister Kari, so I was just thinking that you might need to rest a bit, you know?"

"No, no," Shinobu shook her head in dismissal, waving off the remark, "I'm alright, I promise~"

That was a lie. I am in excruciating pain. My limbs are dead, I feel like death, my stab wound is killing me.

"E-Erm, alright then."

Yae let out a long sigh, glancing worryingly over at the couple they put up against a wall, and then down at the unconscious man to her left. "So," She said, "I'm the only somewhat healthy person here, aren't I?"

Shinobu nodded, well aware that she was still suffering. "Mh, I guess you are." She muttered in a soft, glum tone.

A silence began to take over, neither girl really had anything they could say to each other. They didn't really want to start planning, but did recognize that it was necessary to get the couple, and Sakusa, somewhere where they can rest peacefully.