#different path

Maria had never looked back, not once Rei was there, and Ryuichi. . . He’d just been glad to have them again - and too shocked by Rei looking out of Zero’s face, Rei, who he’d thought was gone forever - and had been all too willing to leave behind the work he’d been drafted into under Dr Hallemeier. Ryuichi stepped back into the main hall of the church; Rei was barring the doors and Maria stood by a window nearby. ‟Empty.” Ryuichi called, then wavered on his feet at the blinding pain rolling through him; he shouldn’t have tried that. ‟Ryuichi!” Rei’s voice was clear and carrying, smooth. ‟Those are broken then. I wondered.” Ryuichi said faintly, pressing his arm tighter to his side as he gasped for breath.

What damage had been done. He’d been sickened enough by the things he read in neat, impersonal reports as part of the team maintaining the GHOST squad - actually seeing what was left. . . It had begun when Rei came back to them. When Ryuichi had finally eked enough freedom to leave the Hallemeier Institute, even briefly; to visit Maria again. She had nearly died that day, perhaps they both had, before Rei- Rei had saved them both, appearing out of nowhere, then simply spirited them away.

They were safe, Ryuichi thought, even as the whine of an engine grew louder; somewhere nearby but out of sight. He glanced at Rei - he would be the one to best judge if they were or not, if. . . Rei was calm, but that told him nothing - even now Rei’s mind and memories were his own again, locked within his steel-reinforced skull where they belonged, Rei was ever icily composed. He signalled for them to go on, however, and Ryuichi followed Maria inside, staggering a little before he caught his balance, bracing one hand on the doorframe. The little church seemed to have been abandoned, and given some of the things they had passed by, Ryuichi didn’t like to consider why. He kept one arm pinned closer against his side, trying not to think about the searing pain in his ribs, as he slowly paced towards the back of the building - checking that it was truly empty, checking what else might have been left.

@sourtomatola

@sourtomatola

@sourtomatola

This one was fun to make.