Unwanted Elements

Chapter Twenty-Four

"We can't go back in!" Choromatsu complained, and Todomatsu narrowed his eyes.

"Do you want Hatabou to die, then?" Todomatsu remarked, and Choromatsu looked down to the dirt in defeat. "No, but-" he began, but was silenced by Osomatsu. "I'm beginning to think this is the only way," he mused aloud.

"Alright, alright. Suppose Hatabou ISN'T in there. What's the point of going in there? What if he saved himself?" Choromatsu mused, and that did seem plausible. "Well, then, we need to lure Ryuu out," Todomatsu smirked. "Are you fucking insane?! He'll kill us! We got Jyushimatsu, we can leave now!" Choromatsu squawked. "Wait, Choromatsu," Karamatsu stood, leaving Choromatsu annoyedly looking up at him.

"The murders will continue if we leave him be. Totty's onto something," he reasoned, and Choromatsu just visibly rolled his eyes. "I hate to say it, but Karamatsu's right," I added, no wanting to believe I was standing up for Shittymatsu for once. Choromatsu sighed. "Yep, you've all gone mad," he grumbled. "Choromatsu." Osomatsu grumbled.

"Well, if you're gonna go in, be careful. Only two of us can go though," he said. "Eh? Why only two, niisan?" Jyushimatsu asked. "I think that's all that the temple could handle. Besides, some of us need to stay here in case something goes wrong. Mom and Dad would be confused as to why we never came home. We need some to stay back in case the two don't make it alive," Choromatsu explained, and I hated how reasonable it was, and Todomatsu seemed to agree with me.

"Well, I'll go in, since it's my idea, and... Ichimatsu-niisan can come with me!" he said, pressing a finger into his palm. I let out an indignant snort. "Eh? Why!" I screeched, and Todomatsu's blue eyes met mine. "I just explained why, niisan," he replied, his eyes narrowing. I glared back at him. "But, we're not gonna get in because, shocker, the entrance's blocked!" I rebutted, and Jyushimatsu leapt up at the sentence as it left my lips. "Leave it to me!" he declared.

He ran to the entrance, shoving his back to large remnants of rock, and surprisingly rolled them off without as much as a sweat. As he did, Todomatsu turned to me. "Ryuu's in there, and Hatabou's maybe there, too. Are you ready to go in, Ichimatsu-niisan?" he asked me, an adamant expression within those blue eyes of his.

What I wanted to say was no, I was not ready to go in. I didn't want to go back whatsoever. Horrors lay within, and I just wished Jyushimatsu had stayed home the other day. We wouldn't have gone through this mess if he had. But, alas, the past is the past, and the future is the future. The present is also absolute shit.

Jyushimatsu returned to us, and our other brothers stood as well. Todomatsu began to stride towards the temple's entrance. "Wait," Choromatsu stopped him, and we both turned to face him. He nodded his head. "Good luck. You're gonna need it to drag Ryuu out," Choromatsu deadpanned, and Osomatsu scoffed. "Ya insulted his plan and now you're wishing him luck?!" he snorted. 

Choromatsu stared blankly back. "Low blow, Chorofappyski, low blow," Osomatsu clicked his tongue.  Choromatsu stared back, his eyebrows furrowed in anger. Todomatsu motioned for me to follow him as we trod back into the entrance, into the darkness again. We scurried in silence for a while before Todomatsu grumbled. "I shoulda asked Osomatsu-niisan to come with us, it's way too dark," he commented, and I nodded in the pitch darkness. The only signs we knew how the other was beside us was by the sound of our footsteps and breathing.

The waterfall roared to life in the darkness, and we knew well enough to run across the rickety bridge and under the drenching curtain as fast as possible. Like the first time, the rapids were chilly, and parted for my brother as he passed. "Seriously, what the fuck. Why did the water decide I'm a princes-" he commented, and shut himself up at the word choice.

"PRINCE," he declared, and that was the end of that. We trudged on, awaiting the fluorescent to illuminate our passage once more. "So, do you think this is the end?" Todomatsu nudged me, and I felt my stomach lurch. "I... I don't know. It's been... an interesting day, to really say the least," I finally replied after a moment of silence.