A scream pierced the hazy evening. She recognized that voice. “Nishihara-chan!”
Aoi sprinted toward the sound. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, ignoring the others’ desperate cries for her to slow down. But she couldn’t afford to.
Momoka was in danger. She was in pain. There was even the chance she could die.
The cries grew louder and more desperate. Momoka must have been in so much pain. Aoi had to hurry.
“Behind the house!” Kiyoko cried. “In the rose garden!”
All of a sudden, the screams stopped. The world grew eerily silent.
Aoi ran faster, pushing herself harder than she’d ever run before. She jumped over the small garden gate and skidded to a stop, her eyes wide. Two figures stood amongst the white rose bushes, staring down at a body collapsed on the gazebo floor. The same gazebo where Kiyoko and Aoi once had tea. Aoi recognized two of the figures, but one was a stranger.
Momoka lay on the wooden platform, the white beams stained red by her suffering. There was a gash across her face, and more red stains on her brown and pink uniform hinted at more lashes across her body. Aoi knew exactly what weapon would cause wounds like that.
Asagi and a blonde boy grinned down at her with twisted glee. It was hard to even process what they’d done.
“Nishihara-chan,” Aoi whimpered.
It wasn’t long before the others caught up. They were tense and breathless. Mostly, they were frightened, just like Aoi.
Aoi lifted her gaze slowly from Momoka’s still form to Asagi’s cold stare. So she was the traitor. She betrayed the Linked. She pretended to be Momoka’s friend just to stab her in the back.
Aoi couldn’t understand why.
“Tachibana-chan . . . What have you done?” Tears stung her eyes.
Asagi’s laughter tinkled like music in the quiet garden. She actually had the gall to laugh at a time like this. Her words were even worse.
“That’s really cute. You actually thought I was your friend,” she said. “There are greater powers out there, Arisawa-san, powers worth serving. And it’s a lot more powerful than friendship. Our boss even has the power to destroy the gems and disband your little group. He’s already started with your little friend Makoto and, now, Nishihara-san.”
The strange boy next to her gave a short chuckle. Aoi turned, truly seeing him for the first time. He had dyed blonde hair pulled into a ponytail and amber eyes. He wore the junior high school’s uniform—a pale brown vest over matching slacks with a white button-up and pink tie—though it looked more fitting on Momoka than him. He hardly looked like a junior high boy. Around his forearms were two amber-colored gauntlets.
He smirked and put a hand on Asagi’s shoulder. “My sister was just acting as a spy. Guess she never introduced me, though, huh?” He jerked a thumb at his chest. “Name’s Daisuke.”
That voice. Aoi had met this boy before. “You’re the one who tried to mug Momoka last April!”
“Me and my friends planned on more than that, actually. We were gonna kill her. But, whatever. Better late than never.”
Aoi didn’t understand much. She didn’t understand why friends would betray each other or how anyone could hurt the innocent. She didn’t understand their reasons, but she did understand how she felt. She was angry.
Asagi had lied to them. She intentionally hurt Momoka. She wanted to destroy the Light Linked. And now Aoi had to protect Momoka. There was no other option.
For a moment, Aoi felt like she was floating. She was temporarily blinded by a blue flash of light, but she knew what was going on this time. The Change Link.
Other colors of light flashed around her. Red. White. Green. Aoi knew what happened without looking. Momoka wasn’t just her friend. She was Tatsuo’s friend. And Kiyoko’s. And Touya’s. They were all determined to save her.
Tatsuo was dressed in onyx armor. His sword was too long and heavy to hold in one hand. He gripped it tightly in both, holding a similar stance she’d seen before when he’d spar with his bokken. Aoi knew exactly what he was—a black knight.
Kiyoko’s clothes were made of paper, detailed with ornate letters and beautiful pictures. She held an open book in one hand and a feathered pen in the other. She was a mix of an old-fashioned poet and a magical girl.
Touya now wore a waistcoat and tie. A scarf draped over his shoulders, tied to a scale at the end on either side. He held a scythe in hands. He must have been some sort of modern day Libra.
Aoi stood in front of them all, clad like a protagonist of some cyberspace game.
But this was no game. This was real life.
And they’d preformed the Change Link to avenge Momoka.
Aoi was angry—angry at the Tachibana siblings for hurting Momoka, angry at Kiyoko for not warning them about the enemy sooner, and angry at herself for letting this happen.
But she could be useful now. She could make up for this.
“Midorikawa-senpai, Akabori-senpai, take the boy,” she ordered. “Shiroyama-senpai, you’re with me.”
Aoi knew the boys could take Daisuke and his gauntlets easily enough. She wasn’t so sure about herself and Kiyoko. Asagi was strong, and neither of she nor her enemy knew what Kiyoko could do.
“Senpai,” Aoi watched Asagi carefully as she addressed Kiyoko. “Can you fight?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I just need you to trust me. Attack!”
Just trust her? Sure, Kiyoko must have had her reasons, but this was too risky of a situation to go on blind trust. Aoi didn’t have time to think it through, though. She had to trust her.
Aoi flew at Asagi at full speed. Asagi whipped her ribbon at Aoi. She flinched, ready for the cut’s burn, but wasn’t hurt. Asagi hadn’t touched her at all.
A brick wall now stood between the two. Kiyoko’s doing, no doubt.
“Thanks!” Aoi flew over the wall.
She dove at Asagi. A shield appeared before her, but Aoi didn’t stop. She’d trust Kiyoko. She’d be safe. Just before the distance was fully closed, the shield vanished.
This is it, Aoi thought.
Her rings tingled around her wrists with electric anticipation. She took her right ring in hand and moved to throw it.
Just before the ring could escape her grasp, Asagi whipped her golden cloth. It wrapped itself around Aoi’s neck, digging into her exposed skin. Asagi yanked on her whip, and Aoi crashed to the ground.
Aoi couldn’t breathe. She pulled at the fabric and gasped for breath. “Shiro . . . ya . . . ma . . .”
“Arisawa!” Tatsuo shouted from somewhere across the garden, but his voice was muffled by the crashing of metal against metal. He had his own battle to fight.
Asagi grinned a wide, toothy grin at her. She was enjoying this—seeing Aoi trapped like a fly in a spider’s web. The world started to blur, and black spots danced in the corners of Aoi’s vision.
“That’s enough!” Kiyoko called. A pair of scissors popped into life before Aoi and cut the cloth. It vanished from Asagi’s grip, but it would return soon enough.
Aoi gasped and coughed as air flooded her lungs. Her legs felt like lead. She could hardly move, every nerve in her body focused on the burning in her lungs. But she couldn’t take her time and drink the air in greedily. Asagi still had to be stopped.
Touya jumped between Asagi and Aoi, twirling his long scythe around him. He was well-disciplined with his weapon, but before he could strike Daisuke crashed into the side of him, pulling him back into the boys’ fight.
Aoi tried to get to her feet, but they wouldn’t support her. She collapsed back to the ground again. I can’t let the Dark Linked win.
Mulan appeared at her side. “Aoi-chan, you need to get up.”
“I can’t!”
Asagi flung her whip at Aoi again, but a shield popped up around Aoi, blocking the hit.
“Arisawa-san, come on!” Kiyoko circled Asagi, sweat on her brow. “I can’t hold her off forever.”
Mu
lan pulled Aoi to her feet, supporting her. “Your strength is inside. Find it.”
The spirit vanished, but Aoi did not fall back to the ground. Aoi took a deep, icy breath. The rings vanished from her wrists and reappeared in her hands. Mulan was right. She turned to Asagi.
“No more! This is it, Tachibana-chan!”
Asagi yelled, “As if you could hit me!”
Her voice was raw. She threw one ring at Asagi, then the other. “For Nishihara-chan,” she barely coughed out as she fell to her knees.
Asagi tried to dance out of the way, but then her back pressed against a wall. Kiyoko had boxed her in. The blonde let out a cry as Aoi’s rings struck her and sparked, electrocuting her unconscious.
The walls went down, and Asagi with them. Aoi’s rings vanished, and her old clothes returned.
They’d done it. They beat Asagi. But the fighting wasn’t over yet.
One of Daisuke’s gauntlets was missing, but he was doing plenty of damage with the other. Both Tatsuo and Touya were heavily bruised, Touya bleeding from a split lip. Tatsuo’s injuries from their earlier fight were catching up with him. Aoi could tell his movements were slowing, his sword looking heavier in his hands.
Aoi wanted to help the boys. Really, she did. But her whole body shook and trembled. She lay down in the warm dirt. Her breath was labored. Tears stung her eyes. She’d actually hurt not one, but three, people today, even if it had been in defense of herself and her friends. Friends . . . Wasn’t Asagi supposed to be a friend? Why had it come to this?
Kiyoko rushed to Aoi’s side and knelt beside her.
“Senpai,” Aoi whispered.
“What is it?”
“Help the boys, okay? I can’t even summon my weapons now.”
“I will. Just get some rest. We’ll take care of things from here.” The silver-haired girl took off across the garden, in the direction of the metallic clangs.
Mulan was at Aoi’s side again. “You did great, Aoi-san. You’re a true warrior.”
Aoi smiled faintly. “Is Nishihara-chan okay?”
The spirit’s brows knit together as Mulan glanced at Momoka, still lying in the gazebo. “I don’t know.” She disappeared, popping out of existence at Aoi’s side and reappearing beside Momoka. She was back with Aoi in a blink.
“She’s breathing,” Mulan assured her. “She’s hurt badly though.”
“But she’ll be okay, right?”
Aoi never heard the answer. All she could do was welcome the darkness that took over her vision.
Chapter 30
Aoi opened her eyes slowly. Her body ached, so she didn’t dare move from the bed. No reason to make herself hurt worse.
“Good morning,” a familiar voice said. “You sleep okay?”
Aoi gave a weary smile. “Senpai,” she said softly, smiling at him.
Tatsuo’s face was clean, as were his clothes and bandages. His intense stare softened when she met his eyes, and he let out a small sigh of relief. Tatsuo. Her dearest friend, perhaps more. No, he was definitely more than that. He was a strong warrior, a protective ally, and much more. She was grateful she’d gone after him last night. She might not have survived otherwise. The same went for him. “I did. Thanks for asking. Where . . . am I? The hospital?”
She was in a small, cream-colored room, lying on a soft bed. Morning light streamed in from the window, with the blinds pushed away. She was no longer in her torn uniform, but clad in an oversized white shirt and pants. Bandages covered every wound except her neck, which felt sticky to the touch. Some kind of herbal ointment coated what she was sure were dark bruises.
Tatsuo gave a soft chuckle. “No, the Shiroyama estate. They’ve got a real set up in here.”
The Shiroyama had so much—a medical facility, a library, a shrine. Funny how the rich are. Aoi was too tired to question it.
“Wanna sit up?”
She nodded and he propped her up against pillows. “Are you okay?” she asked.
He shrugged. “A little beat up,” he replied. “Ain’t too bad. I’ve had worse.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Hey, I gotta be okay. Someone’s gotta keep you safe.” His eyes darkened as he looked at the bruises on her neck.
“Thanks. That means a lot.” She took his hand, trying to distract him. “How are the others?”
He glanced away. “They’re just fine.”
“Even Nishihara-chan?” Momoka looked near dead when Aoi last saw her.
Tatsuo didn’t say a word. He just shoved his hands in his pockets as he turned his attention to the floor.
“Is she dead?”
He shook his head. “No. She’s breathing.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“She hasn’t woken up.”
Aoi felt the breath rush out of her. “What do you mean?”
She had to wake up. Everyone else was okay. So why not Momoka?
“She’s hurt—bad,” he mumbled. His words dripped with guilt. He must have blamed himself just like Aoi did.
“I want to see her.” She tried to get out of bed, but every movement sent a wave of pain through her. “I might need a little help though,” she said with a nervous laugh.
He just rolled his eyes at her. “Arisawa, you need to rest,” he insisted. “You ain’t ever been hurt this bad.”
He was right. Her throat still stung. It burned when she spoke, and the pain was twofold if she so much as tried to touch the ointment covering her exposed neck.
That didn’t matter. Aoi had to check on Momoka. She had to be okay. “I have to get up.”
“Aoi—”
“Please.” She blushed a little at his informal use of her name, but she didn’t want to correct him. It felt . . . kinda nice, having him say her name.
He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came. He couldn’t argue. Not with her. After a moment, he groaned in frustration. “Fine, fine. I’ll carry you.”
She shook her head. “I can walk.”
“You can hardly sit up.”
“I’m going to walk to Nishihara-chan’s room.” She’d made up her mind already. Tatsuo couldn’t talk her out of this.
He knew it too, since he stopped fighting. “Fine. Just let me help you.”
He helped Aoi to her feet and steadied her. She leaned on him and let him lead her to Momoka’s room.
It was a pale cream color, just like hers was. But it seemed dead somehow. Pink flowers in a vase watched over the occupant of the room—Momoka.
Aoi pulled away from Tatsuo’s side and knelt by the bedside. Momoka lay there peacefully, as if she was just sleeping. But the bandages and IV reminded Aoi of the truth. She looked almost as dead as the room itself.
Tears stung Aoi’s eyes. She should have known better. She never should have run after Tatsuo. Not without Momoka. She should have been able to keep everyone safe. It was her fault everyone had split up like they had.
“Stop. There’s no point in blaming yourself,” Mulan told her. She took form next to Aoi to give her support. More than that, she gave her a shoulder to cry on.
“It’s my fault,” she sobbed. “It’s my fault.”
“But it’s not. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
But Mulan was wrong. She didn’t know how Aoi felt. She didn’t know Aoi’s reasons for blaming herself.
Tatsuo gently touched her shoulder. Blue hues looked up at him. “Don’t sit on the floor,” he mumbled. He dragged a chair over and helped Aoi into it.
Aoi took Momoka’s hand in both of hers. There wasn’t much she could do now, but she had to do something. She would stay here until Momoka woke up.
“Just like me, huh?”
Aoi looked up. “Senpai?”
“You sat there just like then when I got all busted up. You didn’t move until I woke up.”
The corners of her mouth turned upwards. She remembered that. “I guess so.”
He hesitated. “But you don’t know when the kid’s wakin’ up. Or if she even
will.”
Aoi shook her head. “She will. And I’ll be here when she does.” If Momoka was here all alone, she might be scared or panic. Aoi wouldn’t let that happen.
Tatsuo kneeled down and put a hand on her knee. “Hey, about what I said earlier . . .”
“Yeah?”
“I meant to say that I . . .” He hesitated.
“Go on.”
Maroon eyes met sky blue ones. “From this moment on, I’ll protect you with my life. That’s a man’s word!”
That wasn’t at all what she thought he was going to say. It was a little disappointing, but it was enough. He had her back. He cared about her. That was more than enough.
Aoi took things day by day, but it felt more like a blur than anything. The Shiroyama family had offered their home as an extended medical facility for Momoka, and everyone agreed that Irokara’s hospital would ask too many questions. It was still September, so Aoi couldn’t exactly avoid school. But she was always at the Shiroyama estate outside of class. Aoi did her homework at Momoka’s bedside, sometimes holding the girl’s hand in hers. Other times, she’d read a book or two to Momoka to pass the time, giving Momoka something to listen to if she could hear anything in her coma.
She spent every day by Momoka’s side. Some days, Tatsuo would pull a chair into the room and act like a guard—the girls were still both too weak or traumatized to fight, or even try to train. Other days, he took to the streets of Irokara with Kiyoko and Touya, trying to track down wherever the Dark Linked were hiding. They couldn’t face them at school. It was too risky. But if he could just find where they hid, at least that would be some progress.
The routine passed the time, but it wasn’t enough to wake Momoka.
Sometimes, Momoka would have visitors. Usually it was one of the Linked, coming to check in on them. Usually it was Tatsuo. Other times it was Aoi’s father. It was the first time their relationship was really strained. He was heartbroken that she’d gotten so hurt without first warning him of her intent. She thought he was overreacting now, demanding that she return by nightfall each night. Sometimes it wasn’t her father that visited, but Momoka’s. That was even worse.
Linked: The War of the Gems - Book 1 Page 28
