Night Hunters

Chapter Eleven: Towards the End

"To be human is to be a monster, and the act of being a monster makes you truly human." - Kuroko Tamaki

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The infirmary caught quite a bit of attention two days after the Crown Prince was rescued, and when Sakurai had finally cleared the redhead for visitors.

Tamaki was amongst the first visitors, naturally. Shigehiro, Haizaki and even Nijimura were with her. The latter was really supposed to stick to strict bed rest for a month at least; due to having his bones re-broken and set properly just the day before. But like most of the members of the Royal Guard, Nijimura had been stubborn.

Having been used to the stubbornness of the former Royal Guard members, Sakurai had given up on trying to get Nijimura to stay in bed when the prince is finally ready to receive visitors.

The brunette doctor had enough problems getting Tamaki, Haizaki and even Shigehiro to stay in bed when they were injured that nothing short of tying them down to the bed would make them stay where they are. Sakurai had finally given Nijimura a pair of crutches that Mitobe had crafted, telling the former Royal Guard Captain sternly that he'd best not undo all his work, or it'll be another week of bed rest for him.

Thus, the infirmary got quite a bit of attention that day, though with the red curtain covering the entrance of the infirmary, no one could see what is going on inside, and Tamaki had basically restricted everyone from even venturing near it.

Imayoshi had taken over temporary command whilst Tamaki is with the prince, instructing the rest at base to perform patrol or even guard duty whilst Miyaji and Kimura were sent with Hyuuga and Riko to one of the other bases on Tamaki's behalf to request for some weapons. And with the number of weapons that Tamaki had been requesting, Hyuuga and Riko both have a feeling that the civil war might soon be coming to an end, and that they might be making their final stand soon.

"It's really difficult to believe that he is the real prince—the rightful heir." Kagami was telling Takao quietly as he prepared the ingredients for lunch slowly, with Takao, Mitobe and even Koganei as his helpers for the day. For once, the atmosphere surrounding the base isn't tense like how it had been for the past several months ever since their first confrontation with one of the Generation of Miracles. "The rightful king."

Koganei nodded absent-mindedly whilst peeling some potatoes with the knife that he had with him. It is almost a miracle that he didn't accidentally chop off his fingers whilst doing so. "Otsubo-san is right. He is really a good man." Koganei remarked, glancing over at the red curtain covering the entrance of the infirmary as he did so, wondering for the umpteenth time that day—along with every other, just what they are currently discussing inside. "It makes me feel that everything will turn out fine in the end."

"He has that charisma." Takao shrugged, having been the only one amongst the four males to actually meet the real Crown Prince, and know him as the man that he is. After all, up until two days ago, apart from Tamaki and a few of them, nearly all the rebels have assumed that the Red King is the real Crown Prince, and not an impersonator. "The Prince. That's why everyone follows him." He murmured absent-mindedly, slicing the carrots into equal sized pieces, recalling his own vow to the Crown Prince when he had first finished his training beneath Midorima and Tamaki, and had joined the Royal Guard under Midorima's command not long after that. "That's why Tamaki, Shige and all the others swore when they were young to protect and serve him until their deaths. To them, he is their master. Their Prince. Their King. Their Lord." Takao glanced at the other three. "They will follow no other." He told them solemnly. "He has never treated any of his followers as dirt. No matter who it had been, the Prince had always treated them as equals. He is a good man. That's why everyone loves him."