Touching Bond | Hanako-Kun

7

"Alright, this is the last one," Nene mumbled as she lowered the last limb into the designated area, allowing the gate to open. 

"Water?" Kou asked as they all entered a dark realm, giving off a brand new vibe of the boundary they stood within. Emiko began to grow scared as Nene's lips quivered. 

As they all glanced ahead of them, a creature was sitting in a chair, only the shadow of it appearing.

"Why thank you." A woman's voiced peered through the empty silences. The four glanced towards a woman with blonde hair and fox ears kept to the side of her head, her dress being a white and red kimono. "This body is quite different from the rest!" Her expression was full of happiness, a gleam of hope twinkled in her eyes. 

The woman kissed her finger and blew air towards the figure sitting in the chair. Suddenly, a yellow glow flamed within the object. It rose onto its deformed legs, falling apart instantly. Each piece of the limb broke apart, some falling off the ledge of the bridge covered with water. 

"He wasn't perfect. My Misaki wasn't perfect!" she babbled on, ranting about how they all failed their mission. 

"No. 2, why are you freaking out?" Hanako cocked his head to the side in confusion. As the woman turned her body, a large pair of scissors appeared in her grasp. Her eyes were finally visible, the orangish-pink eyes glared into Emiko's.

"Why, is she l-looking at me?" Emiko asked, taking a step back as Hanako and Kou stepped forward. 

"I'll protect you," Hanako exclaimed, squinting towards the woman.

"You failed!" she shouted once more.

"We need to break her Yorishiro," Kou mentioned to Hanako, both boys keeping their eyes on the woman. 

"Right, the Yorishiro!" Emiko blurted, turning her head towards Nene. "We need to find it." When Emiko watched Nene, the girl's eyes were worried and full of fear. Emiko raised a brow, looking in the same direction as her.

"Emiko, it's students." Nene's words were quiet, it was as if she couldn't speak. Emiko's fear was replaced with hate and anger.

"You devil!" Emiko blurted, marching past the boys who stood on guard. 

"Emi, wait!" Hanako reached for her hand, but it was no use, she stepped too far. Emiko paused in front of the large scissors. "How dare you hurt them!" When Emiko blurted, a flashback hit her mind.

"Mom?" Emiko called out, seeing her mother stand above two bodies. 

"You." her mother grumbled, flipping a large knife in her hand. "It's your fault, your fault!" Her shouts sunk into Emiko's mind. All the little girl could do was constantly repeat that same phrase. 

"I didn't-"

"It's your fault!" Her mother dashed forward, but out of nowhere, Emiko ducked, reaching up towards her mother's hands and grabbing the knife. Her mother tripped over her little body as Emiko gripping onto the knife.

"Mom, stop!" she shouted, warm tears streaming down her face. 

"It's your fault!" Her mother started to run towards her once more. Without thinking, Emiko raised the knife in self-defense, closing her eyes.

"It's your fault!" Emiko blurted towards the blonde in front of her. The scissors closed and opened. 

"Excuse me? I didn't hurt anyone!" No. 2 shouted, dashing forward with her scissors. 

Emiko ducked, dodging the attack. She leaped forward, grasping the blonde woman's legs in place. Hanako and Kou ran forward, causing wounds to No. 2. 

"You fools!" she blurted, Emiko felt a kick to the face from the woman, feeling her nose ache. Emiko gripped onto her nose, noticing blood leak from it. She shuffled her feet back, seeing the blood and remembering the same flashback as before.

"It's your fault!" 

The same shouts from her mother. 

'I saw the bodies. My dad and brother...'

A tear fell down her cheek, thinking of the blood she witnessed back then and currently. She kept shuffling back, feeling water soak her clothes. 

"Wait, Emiko!" Nene started to run towards her position, but her mind blocked her out. Emiko couldn't hear anyone. 

'Blood. It's my fault? Wait, no. Snap out of it!'

Emiko looked up, feeling her left hand slip off the edge. She turned her head, noticing her body slowly lean back. It was as if her life slowed down. She heard the voices of her friends call out to her, Nene reaching her hand out towards her friend. Emiko felt her body slip past the ledge, her reaching her hand out for Nene, but as it came close, they couldn't seem to make contact. 

"Nene!" Emiko shouted as her vision became dark. Nene holding out her hand was the last thing she saw.