Keep Fighting

𓊈卍 𝟕𝟖 卍𓊉

After finishing up the plan Nakano and Inui had conducted, they parted ways when the sun rose. Today is the day of the battle, and the stakes are high.

If this wasn't anxiety inducing enough, Izana had called Nakano to meet him under an underpass. He didn't tell her what for, but here she is, waiting for him.

She leans against the concrete wall, until she hears a set of footsteps echoing her way. She pushes herself off, and turns to the sound.

Izana approaches her, the same forced looking smile on his face. "I hope you're well rested, my imouto."

"I am, Onii-sama," she responds.

He pats her head and bends down slightly to meet her height. "That's good. We're going to destroy Toman today. I hope you're ready."

"Yes, Onii-sama."

He starts walking, and she follows him. "We're on the edge of our dark world. Underground Japan will be ours. How does that sound to you?"

Nakano thinks over her response before speaking. "I have no right to power or opinion. I am your servant, Onii-sama."

Izana stops in his tracks and turns to her. He grabs her shoulder and forces her to look at him. "You're the Princess of Tenjiku and its Second Commander. This world will become yours as well. All you have to do is stay by my side."

"Is this your will, Onii-sama?"

"Yes. So, you will rule beside me." He smiles at her, this time, warmer than she's used to. "Doesn't that sound good?" Nakano only nods. "This world has been so cruel to us. So we must return the favour. You understand. You want revenge as much as I do."

"I only want to stay by your side, Onii-sama." She whispers that truth, but Izana is able to hear this. His eyes widen for a moment, and Nakano looks away. "Forgive me, I've overstepped-"

"No." Izana's expression softens. "You're the only one who understands what I've been through. Our lives are so alike. We've suffered in the same way. We were meant to meet."

Nakano's heart clenches. 'We should've met a long time ago. If only I had...'

Izana gives her another smile before he starts walking again. "Why don't I introduce someone who was important to me?"

'Was?' Nakano internally questions this, but nods and goes along with it.

As they make their way to their bikes, Nakano is lost in her own mind, lingering on Izana's behaviour. 'Was Kakucho right? Does Izana really see me as something more than a servant? Does he really see me as his sister?' This thought gives her mixed feelings of warmth and heartache. 'Why did it have to be like this..? Izana, I promise I'll help you. Just please hear me out...'

━─━─━━─━「卍」━━─━─━─━

Izana took Nakano on his motorcycle, and he drove them to Tokyo. This concerned Nakano a bit, as she was praying that they don't run into any Toman members before the battle starts.

Thankfully, they reach their destination without a fuss. The cemetery.

As the two make their way down rows of tombstones, some paths become more familiar to Nakano. 'I feel like I've been down here before...'

They then turn into a row of tombstones, and stop at a stone that says: Sano family grave. 'I see. So he's here for Shinichiro-san.'

"Shinichiro-sama," he opens, which strikes another familiar chord in her. "I've brought someone with me today."