Night Hunters

Chapter Six: Existence

"Everyone is just waiting for death, if you just think about it. Some just have longer to wait than others." - Kuroko Tamaki

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Takao looked extremely solemn as he listened to what Tamaki had to tell him during their graveyard shift for guard duty that night—two days after the teal haired girl had met with the green head.

It had been a meeting known to very few. In fact, apart from Tamaki, only Takao, Shigehiro and Haizaki were aware of Tamaki's meeting with Midorima.

"He really said that?" Takao asked, turning to look at Tamaki in the eye.

Tamaki nodded, seated on one of the crates by the entrance of the manhole that leads down to the sewers. She looked exhausted, and Takao seriously can't blame her, with everything that had happened for the past few months.

"You know Midorima-kun." Tamaki said tiredly. "He's stubborn to the point of obstinate. I've given him that same choice two years ago to leave the Royal Guard. At that time, he gave me the same answer too. Furthermore, as cruel as it sounds, you know that what he'd said is true too." She looked at Takao. "The Royal Guard has a bad name and reputation amongst the common citizens now. Our name has been dragged through the mud, with what the other commanders have done and committed all in the name of the Red King for the past four or so years. Hell, I've done some pretty bad things myself too when I was still with the Royal Guard during the reign of the Red King." Tamaki admitted, intertwining her fingers together with each other. "If we win this war, the common citizens will kill them. That will be the fate that awaits them should we win."

Takao closed his eyes briefly. "I know that," he said quietly. "But Shin-chan... He isn't really a bad person. He wouldn't have begged you to save us if he is. He's..." Takao struggled with his words. "There's nothing wrong with valuing your own life. All of us learned that lesson when we were still with the Royal Guard. So why does he seem to want to die that badly?" He asked in desperation.

Tamaki said nothing for several moments, leaning her head back against the wall behind her, staring up at the ceiling of the sewers for several moments without saying anything. "It's funny if you think about it," she said at last. "None of us have ever really feared death. After all, everyone has to die one day. Everyone is just waiting for death, if you just think about it. Some just have longer to wait than others." She looked at Takao. "I can understand to a certain extent what is currently going through Shin's head. It's probably guilt. And he isn't like you or me. He had never once acted and done the things that he wants to do. All along... Even throughout our time in the Academy, he had always been a stickler for rules. I've never really understood that part either." Tamaki admitted. "Probably..." She closed her eyes briefly. "No..." She shook her head. "Never mind."

"What?" Takao was confused.

"Really..." Tamaki murmured, tilting her head backwards to look at the ceiling. "Why do humans even live?" She wondered. "Why do we even fight?" She sighed. "Life really doesn't hurt until you think about just how much things have changed, who you've lost along the way, and just how much of it was your fault." She smiled sadly. "And yet... Why am I the only one amongst us five who can fulfil our promise from back then?" She nearly whispered.

Takao was silent for a long time. "I don't really understand it either," he said at last. "But I do know that I owe Shin-chan and you my life. I understand how fragile life and death could be—better than anyone else. But it's also because human lives are so fragile and tiny and insignificant that we work so hard to live them to the fullest with the time that we've got." Takao sighed, looking at Tamaki. "I don't understand why the other commanders are acting the way they did, but I do know that it's wrong. Everyone in Teiko fears them now—particularly the common citizens. They used to be so loved and respected." He whispered. "What has happened? What changed them?"