There Was a War

Loss

There was a war.

The way Ninomiya Rui saw it, it was all his fault. His foolish endeavors had led to the downfall of humanity-- but that was fine, wasn't it? By 2019, the human race was well on its way to destroying the Earth, though he didn't see how this alternative was any better.

The Earth was going to die.

That was his fault, too, though in ways less clear than the war. Hospitals were overflowing with people in comas, victim to the battles across countries. There were no longer nations, only people. Isn't this what he had wanted? The love and partnership between humans was stronger than ever, united against a single force.

The rebellion had risen, led by no other than Rui's own pride and joy, his life's work, Sosai X.

That was undeniably his fault.

Her ideas of a revolution were much different than his. Millions had died already, millions more would undoubtedly join them, and it was all his fault.

The Gatchaman had lost their strong-willed nature along with Hajime. She had died only months before, just weeks after OD. Days later, Utsutsu tried to take her own life. Jo was in the hospital, having lost a leg in recent attacks. Although he planned to return as soon as he got treatment, that was unlikely to be soon. So Paiman, Rui, and Sugane sat in their base, silently mulling over courses of action. It had been a year since the war had begun and they were no longer strong.
"If JJ-sama would come back..." Paiman mumbled hoarsely.
"Yeah... Jo would say something like... 'the way I see it, there's no reason to continure being Gatchaman at all,'" Sugane added thoughtfully, "I guess I'd have to agree with him."
"Disband the Gatchaman?" Paiman barely seemed shocked, as if he had been thinking of the possibility for a while, himself, "That's out of the question. We're the only hope of the world." He didn't seem too convinced of what he was saying.
"We haven't done anything in this past year," Rui added quietly, "Do you think they'd be satisfied if we disbanded?"
"Probably not. One of us would have to die, first," Paiman shot a pointed look at Rui that he knew he deserved.
"You believe the war would be over if I died?"
"No! No, that's not... Rui, you have a way with words, maybe you can talk to X about this..." Sugane glared at Paiman, "She must still feel something for you, right?"
"I don't know, I haven't seen her since she stepped up as leader of the rebellion," he hung his head.
"Can you at least try to contact her?"
"I can try," he nodded, standing. There was no use in continuing the tension. He took the elevator up and began to return to his home. He would contact X. It was the least he could do to apologize.