Rememberance

Chapter 14

Akutagawa felt his eyes widen, and he slowly looked over to Atsushi. Atsushi had gone completely still and Francis stood over him, looking down with feigned pity.

"I looked into your personal records, and your childhood seems quite rough..." Francis remarked. Atsushi didn't move an inch.

"On that day, when your headmaster hit you, made you cry, and broke your ribs, he told you..."

***

PUNCH!

"OI! Do you know who the hell you're going against!?"

The headmaster kicked Atsushi's small body again, drawing blood. Atsushi pathetically cried out as he struggled to break free from the chains that held him in place. As more tears fell down his face, the headmaster kicked him in the leg.

"You don't have the right to cry! Only those who have strength earn that right! So shut up!" the headmaster kicked Atsushi once more in the face, knocking him out.

***

No...why did he bring that up now....?

Atsushi slowly sat up and stared up at Francis, too shocked to get any words out of his mouth. His throat felt dry, and his heart was pounding far too loud. He could feel Akutagawa staring at him from behind as well, which didn't make him feel any more comfortable.

"Lost your drive...?" Francis mocked, looking at Atsushi, who didn't respond. He sat there, his eyes wide and full of absolute despair, not caring as Francis was about to land a finishing blow. Akutagawa watched, confused and unsure on what to do next.

Whatever. Just let that stupid weretiger finally die and then I can finish Francis off myse-

No. Save him.

Huh...?

Before he even realized what he was doing, Akutagawa stood up, grabbed Atsushi with Rashomon, and began running away.

"Where do you think you're going!?" Francis yelled. Akutagawa ignored this and began running faster, jumping off a railing down into the floor below.

***

T-that's right...

Atsushi lay on the floor, trembling and barely able to get up. He felt blood pouring out of him, but couldn't do anything about it. He...had failed. Was it too late to make a comeback...?

I-I'm weak...I can't do anything right...if I disappeared off the face of this Earth...it wouldn't matter...

Francis raised his foot, about to finish Atsushi off, and he closed his eyes, accepting defeat.

He...he beat me. Defeat means death...

Just before Francis brought his foot down, Atsushi felt something grab him from the collar and pull him away. He turned around to see Akutagawa standing behind him, Rashomon blades bursting out of his coat. Before he could react, Francis stomped down, only to miss Atsushi, who felt himself being dragged away.

"Where do you think you're going!?" Francis shouted, to which Akutagawa ignored.

Akutagawa leapt off the railing beside them and they free-fell down to a floor below, leaving

Francis behind. Akutagawa landed on his feet in the lower floor, and let go of Atsushi, who fell on his stomach. Atsushi quickly got up to catch his breath.