Blades of Despair

-Chapter Eighty-Three-

Recovery

The doctor, known to his organisation as simply 'Marble,' had been very shocked to hear that there were survivors, and even more shocked to hear that they had found Pastel's body. There was of course a significant sense of grief that came with that shock, but Marble did not dwell on it long.

That had been many weeks ago, and now Marble was sitting at his desk, pondering the four patients that were now recovering in his care. He adjusted his large, round spectacles that magnified his blue eyes that sparkled with wisdom, and ran a hand through his wispy, greying hair. Four young adults, all around nineteen years of age. Two boys and two girls. According to what the Lioness had told him while he had been dressing her wounds, these students had somehow survived a large gas explosion, while simultaneously taking down three Shadows including Kinji Ishotaru. Marble hadn't believed her, but then she showed him the three corpses that they'd recovered excluding that of Pastel's, and Marble felt the weight of an elephant lift from his shoulders. Their first step to beating the Blades had been taken, and they had these mystery students to thank.

However, Marble didn't have long to celebrate, because now there was a new conundrum. He and the Lioness had been tasked with identifying the students for whom he was now caring. He had observed the four of them for a while, and while he could make guesses, one student in particular had caught his attention. The shorter of the two boys, characterised by almost ardent red hair with a partially faded dark streak of dyed ebony. Marble did not have a single idea as to who he could be, but he somehow seemed the most familiar. Marble couldn't quite shake the feeling that he had met this boy before, but the feeling was more akin to recognition than remembrance.

Incidentally, this same boy was the first to begin to stir from their unconsciousness. He had sustained the least injuries and had been the easiest to treat. To begin with, the boy would only wake up for a maximum of a few seconds, but eventually his body's autonomy began to return.

Then, his eyes opened. Disoriented, he blinked multiple times as the bright hospital lights shone entered his vision. Able to move slightly, despite the fatigue that he was undoubtedly recovering from, he lifted his head.

"You're finally awake," the doctor said, walking towards him. The boy's eyes darted in Marble's direction, but his head did not move. His eyes were dark and analytical, despite the evident tiredness. Marble felt like he was being observed in the same way he had been observing the boy and his recovery - meticulously. The boy opened his mouth to speak, but the only sound that came was a dry, raspy sound. "Don't push yourself," Marble told him sternly, "you're still waking up." Marble walked over the boy's bed, deciding to help him take in his surroundings by adjusting the height of his headrest. There was a clicking sound and the upper half of the bed rose. The boy watched Marble silently.

Marble then reached out to a glass of water he had poured and held it up to the boy's lips. The boy greedily drank, water dribbling from the corners of his mouth. Once he had finished, the boy managed to utter a single word.

"Thanks."

Marble nodded, not caring for the thanks. He put down the glass and picked up the clipboard and pen he had also prepared in anticipation of the students' waking.

"I'm going to ask you a couple of questions," Marble spoke slowly. "Can you tell me your name and age, please?" The boy waited a couple of seconds before responding.

"Miyagawa Hitomaru. Nineteen."

Marble nearly dropped his pen. Did this boy just say his name was 'Hitomaru'? Impossible. Marble collected himself quickly and coughed to hide his surprise, but when he looked at the boy's eyes, he knew that he had noticed.