Lower Ranks

The meeting.

3 days passed, today's the meeting. The meeting's are where you go and discuss about issues, current ones, and possibly some new ones. I sit down and patiently wait to be called "wow...even after 13 years of going to these meetings, I'm still amazed on how beautiful the grand hall looks." I look around, as many people pass by, all different ranks. Then...someone who seems important passes by, the aura he gave off is what caught me, it felt so strong and yet so fearful..who was he? I take a good look at him, dark skin with hazel eyes and brown hair. He wore a crimson red jacket, with golden pins holding his hair together. He glanced over to me and I froze, afraid to even breathe "SHIT, was I staring at him too much?! God how creepy I must be..." I looks down at the floor, embarrassed and ashamed of myself. I could still feel his eyes pressed against me, like he despised me. Then after a while I felt a small tap on my shoulder, look up and see a lady in a suit and she says "Ethan Vansqu? The meetings starting and you've been called." She smiles warmly at me, before turning and leaving back to her desk. I get up and turn to see if the man had left, and he was gone. I start walking to the meeting room and once I get inside I sit down. I look up and see Reina, Matthew, Trina, Yamato and Sylvie. I signed "The meeting has started, I thank you all for coming." And forced a smile upon myself, even though I wanted to just leave and mourn the death of Ichiro...we bowed our heads to pray, but we excused Sylvie and Matthew for personal reason....

~Flashback to Ichiro's POV from chapter 1~

I see Ethan, attempt to shoot the creatures head off. I yell at him completely forgetting he's deaf "ETHAN MOVE!!!!" In no time to think I push Ethan out of the way only to get slashed cross the chest and stomach "ACK- F-FUCKK!!!" I try and ignore the pain and aim my gun at the creatures heart only to nearly miss and it run off, I fall to the ground, coughing up blood and now feeling weak and exhausted, my injuries hurt like burning flames have been set ablaze inside me, slowly burning me from the inside. I reach towards Ethan just trying to make sure he's alright, if he's okay, if he's even alive...my hands feel numb and cold. "E-Ethan....." he's all I can think about at the moment, the only reason I'm forcing myself to stay alive. I'd do anything to stay by his side..."Ethan..please be alright.." I blink and open my eyes only to see Ethan get up and scream, before running towards me, he's shaking and crying but begging me to stay alive, even for a moment, just a minute, even a second. Then I feel the weight and pressure of bandages, tightening around my wounds. "E-Ethan....n-not to.." I can barely even speak, my words are so quiet. Like a whisper. "GET ME SOME MORE BANDAGES!!" Is all I see Ethan signing to his teammates "....N-No...he can't...he has to go..the building will collapse..." I force myself to push him off and sign "GET OUT OF HERE." go Ethan, please. I yell at his team to get him the hell out of here. It's blurry but next moment I see Ethan reaching out to me, trying to get ahold of me, I look at him, knowing I will die today. And I give him a warm smile. "..Farewell. Please, forgive me for not confessing to you sooner.." the adrenaline kicks in and I try and get up, I can barely stand but I try and get over to the exit, just to even see him one last time....but I'm too weak and in pain to even get slowly I see ash pour all around and slowly the building collapsed. I closed my eyes preparing myself for the most painful death, but...I didn't feel the weight of the building collapsing onto me, I carefully open my eyes but my wounds hurt..too much to even move. So I keep my eyes shut, so suddenly I hear some quiet footsteps "People? 7-8 of them..." I stay still barely able to move or even speak I stay quiet, I assume it's my best chance of staying alive to see him again. I feel people poke and examine my wounds, I hold back even on making a sound, before feeling the wounds getting disinfected, hurts like a bitch due to the wounds being so deep. "..." I feel someone pick me up, very carefully, they are much bigger then me. I feel so small compared to them..they carry me somewhere else "Where are we going?! S-Shit safety-" I feel a needle poke my arm and I slowly begin to feel even more weaker, numb, almost like I'm falling into a long slumber. "No....no...please.." Everything goes dark, and quiet.

~Ethan's POV~

Once we finish praying, I slowly lift my head up and force myself to smile once again. And signed "The meeting has now officially begun." We sit there and discuss the current issues, more importantly. The sighting of our greatest fear.