Shiemi’s POV:
I feel the reassuring hand of Koko’s on mine, and I only nodded, pressing the herbs against the girl’s wound. “Something’s happening inside her. It- Nee, get me something for poison please.” I command, my voice filled with a little more confidence. I start to concentrate, and then start to slowly plunge my hand into her stomach from the hole in her body, resisting the urge to gag, or to look away from the blood pulsing out of her abdomen again.
“Oh my God,” Koko gulps down bile as she looks away, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. Konkemaru did not look over to her stomach; his eyes were locked on hers as he held her hand over her tail. Her chest heaved up and down painfully, each beat of her heart weakening. She was on death’s door, so close to death yet so far away that she could see through to the other world.
“S-Stay with me, Hoshimi-san.” I whisper, and close my eyes, and gasp in pain when I rip out a flaming piece of metal. The flames atop the chip of metal was black and full of venom; one touch of it would doom you. “Nee-chan! Please get the poison herbs!” I demand, starting to cough. “E-Everyone, cover your nose and mouth! Don’t breath into the gasses!” I state, choking down the air around me. I did not care if I was going to get hurt- or even die- all I wanted to do was protect Hoshimi- Yukio’s sister; Nat’s sister; Rin’s sister. She was precious to all of them, I could not let her get hurt. I was not as precious as she was to them, and I understood that. So, I will protect her, and make sure that she receives the love she needs.
“B-But what about you?!” Koko squeaks, her voice muffled by her tie wrapped around her mouth and nose. I only shake my head, and smile as I start to push the herbs against her wound, smiling as it starts to close up; the process was slow, sure, but at least she was getting better.
“Don’t worry about me.” I chided, a soft, sweet smile on my face. “I want to protect my friend. That’s why I came to become an Exorcist. I have to protect the people I love. And I love Hoshimi. She is precious to everyone.” I cough, looking down at my fingertips, of which I had gripped the metal with. They were blackening, the skin peeling and claws bloomed from the reddening skin. Hallucinations. “Get her to the infirmary, quickly!” I command, starting to cough more as I wrap my hand in a bandage.
“But what about you?! S-Shiemi, your arm!” Koko gasped, about to touch it; but I quickly pulled it away from her.
“D-Don’t touch it, please!” I whimper, feeling my fingers and hand start to grow numb. Koko gives me a surprised look, clearly worried of my behavior change. She nods, starting to run with Hoshimi in her arms, Konkemaru trailing behind her. I start to see my vision dance with black spots, and then I see Rin’s figure running to mine as I fall to the side. The venom had gone to my shoulder, to my neck. It was still spreading. Soon, it would reach my heart.
Then I would be dead.
Yukio’s POV:
I trudged along with Rin, Nat and Bon, my eyes not able to meet Nat’s. How could she forgive me, when I was willing to shoot her? Of course she would. Of course she would. She’s Nat; she’s Natsuki Hatome, the shy and timid and weird and overprotective and overly selfless girl that had a broken past. Of course that Nat would do that. The light dimmed, but shined even brighter upon us as we got closer, pain searing through the left side of my head.
“Close your eyes!!” Rin shouted, and grabbed onto my hand, his eyes squinted shut. “Nat!! Where’s Nat?!” He bellowed, searching with his hands. We could hear a faint sound muffled, and so we turned to the source, stretching our free hands out.
“Calm down! I have her, she’s with me.” Bon’s voice rang through, causing us to sigh in relief, stopping. “Anyways, why’re you worrying so much? I’ve got her, she’s with me.” He grumbles, the girl close to him, cradled against his chest. “I’ll carry her.” He states with a finality in his voice, picking the brunette up with a soft grunt. Squeaking, Nat only huffed, looking at us pleadingly. Rin immediately took her from his arms, dusting her off.
“Jeez, you startle her right after she comes outta Gehenna!” Rin snorted, holding her close to him. Nat seemed to have a slightly happy, but also some deep grief at the mention of the name of the Demon world. “She’s ours, you have to prove your worth of deflowering our pure baby girl!” Rin shouts, then holds her even closer as she yelps and starts to squeal, trying to get out of his grip.
“Get your head out of- Shiemi!!” She cries out, stumbling to the girl who was laying on her side. Rin seemed even more worried, his expression serious and his eyes wide.
“Shiemi!! Shiemi, wake up!” He cried, shaking the unconscious girl’s shoulders. She didn’t move; her head lolled around as she held her arm. Nat started to sob, golden light coming from her hands as she started to wrap vines around her arm to her shoulder, ripping off the sleeve.
“Shi-chan...Shi-chan, dai-jou-bu...I-I’m here to help…” She stuttered, her eyes tearing up all over again as Nee only started to fade. “Nee-chan, no!!” She cried, reaching out for the familiar. “S-Shi-chan…” She whimpered, her fingers trembling as she concentrated, the vines breaking and showing healed skin. Nat bandaged it quickly, pressing her ear against the blonde’s chest, then letting out a soft, utterly broken wail.
The girl was dead.
Shiemi was dead.
And they were going to pay.
