Sunrise with You (+minor update)
7000 words and counting⌠this little passion post definitely set me back more than Iâd like to admit. But then again, Iâve never really felt this passionate about writing in a while. I have a number of people to thank obviously. Like the devs at LifeWonders for making such a world where these kinds of fanfics are possible. And you, dear readers for giving me a platform to share these cheesy stories and for indulging me so much. Seriously, you guys are the best! And I think itâs about time we let that one guy out of his cellâŚÂ
~With the endless game finally at an end, and the past behind you everything felt⌠fresh. Everyone in your life was no longer bound by the rules of any game and could live as they wanted. Even the wall that closed you all in no longer stood in your way. Weirdly enough you couldnât sleep so you had stayed awake staying off at the night horizon. The Tokyo skyline seemed to go on forever with no boundaries to hold you. Just what did lie out there in the world? It was all so exciting. But then, the door to the roof opened and you turned to findâŚ
~âOh, Summoner. Itâs unusual to see you out this late.â You explained you had trouble sleeping. Tomorrow was a big day after all. âIt will be indeed. Even now the heavenâs give me a sense of peaceâŚâ He murmured. The two of you remained stargazing for an immeasurable amount of time, but you knew sunrise was only a little while away now. You then started to ramble a bit. You didnât know why but you wanted to clear the air as much as possible. You also expressed how much of a relief it was knowing you finally have a place to call home⌠âI understand the sentiment. To be quite honest, the world beyond those walls always felt⌠alien in a sense. Just how far does it stretch? Where does it end? If anything, these horizons only seem to grow with each passing momentâŚâ You muttered his name, unsure of how to comfort him. âLately, Iâve been considering something⌠Lord Arsalan would always desire me to make a decision of my own but for a long time it felt impossible. Could one such as myself really yearn for a life beyond penance? A torture specialist really living a life of his own?â
~You finally told him that regardless of his past he was still Zabaniyya and every decision was for himself. Even divinity allowed those with their own wills determine their own fate, after all. âYes, you may be right. And I believe I finally did something about it.â You asked what he was going to do. âThatâs⌠well, remember that day we vowed to one another? Even though it was fake the idea never quite left my mind. What if we were to one day pledge ourselves to one another and just⌠run away? Be reborn in our own way. Would a life like that be truly acceptable?â For what it was worth you told him it was his decision to decide that. âI see⌠I feel Iâm understanding his teachings after all.â But since he brought it up, now might be a good time to finally ask⌠you asked him to hold out his hand as you placed an important keepsake in his hand.
~âThis isâŚ!â He held Salâs ring, the same ring he entrusted to you when everything was over. Since it was powerless he teased you to give it to someone special. Those words couldnât ring more true now. âIâm⌠Iâm speechless.â Was all the fallen angel could say. âOr rather⌠Iâm still afraid to accept this.â You finally just came out and said that you wanted to be by his side and to make a future together for a change. But only if Zabaniyya desired it. He was silent in contemplation for a moment. As the sun rose Zabaniyya pulled you closer to his side and held your hand in his. âPerhaps this is too good to be true, and perhaps I am indulging myself like I did all that time ago. But this once, it no longer matters to me. I feel⌠genuine happiness knowing you are right here with me. And just as you pledge to me, I swear my oath and gratitude to you. This body, this heart and soul of mine- loves you with every ounce of my being.â
~âYouâre still up?â You confirmed it for him and he joined you on the roof. âI couldnât really sleep either. I tried jogging a bit but that barely did anything.â Gunzo sighed. âI thought maybe I might get tired looking up at the sky instead.â You told him you had a similar idea. âWell, I guess two great minds do think alike.â You sat with Gunzo staring up at the stars and the horizon. You were up for quite a bit, unsure of how much time passed but you enjoyed it. You made sure to tell him that. âOh, same here. I like doing these sorts of things when itâs just us. Um⌠what do you think itâs like? Out there I mean.â You told him you werenât quite sure, and that all you could say for certain was that it was big. âThatâs a relief⌠I canât quite wrap my head beyond the idea that thereâs a whole world yet to be seen. Itâs⌠scary⌠Iâve grown up here after all, itâs where I met all my friends too. I canât just leave so easily.â You agreed it was scary to step out into somewhere unknown.
~Gunzo laughed. âThe others would probably just laugh at us for being scared, right? Itâs over something so simple tooâŚâ You did remind him the world could expand an eternity. âDonât remind me. But, weirdly enough⌠I wonder what they do in other places? Do others play rugby? Do they take it as seriously as me? Where do I even start?â Gunzo shook his head. âNo, I⌠I have to finish school here at least. Then I can worry about studying abroad like my seniors. Or maybe Iâll get a job⌠ugh, this is so hardâŚâ You reminded him to take everything at his own pace and that rushing himself would get him nowhere. âYouâre right⌠Iâm glad Iâve got you here. I think Iâd be pulling my own hair out right now if⌠n-no forget I said anything.â You took a moment to think and finally decided to give him that.
~âA-A ring!? Hold on, what are you-!?â You told him to hold onto it as a promise ring, and you confessed then and there. You might have broken Gunzo then and there as he simply couldnât comprehend the magnitude of your statements. âIs⌠Is this a jokeâŚâ He asked before you confirmed itâs the real deal. It was then that all of his emotions came up at once and he pulled you into a tight hug. The embrace was very tight, but loving and genuine. âPlease⌠Please tell me you arenât jokingâŚ!â You reconfirmed it for him and used the L word to seal the deal. As the sun began to rose he started crying a bit in your arms. âHaving you⌠knowing you⌠heck, LOVING you was the one thing I always felt sure about in a long time! I⌠I need you to keep me balanced otherwise Iâd always forget certain things, be rather clumsy still and get ready to be apologized to a lot! Iâm⌠Iâm sorry for needing you!â
~âHey.â The oni greeted you with a warm smile. You asked what he was doing up so late. âWell, I just finally finished a project I was doing with the rest of my guildmates. I let the others go on ahead to bed, just couldnât sleep, ya know?â Takemaru walked to your side. âMind if I stargaze with you a while? I just need some airâŚâ You nodded and proceeded to look up at the sky. Each star seemed to immaculately twinkle tonight but somehow it felt familiar. âHeh, itâs crazy. Itâs like no matter where we go, the sky is always the same. It just expands forever. No matter how far from home I am, I always feel like I can get back somehow just by starinâ at the stars.â Takemaru chuckled a bit to himself and crossed his arms. âStill, the past few years have been great. But Iâll be leavinâ again soon, I want to study abroad and learn about all different types aâ architecture. Maybe Iâll get some inspiration for the home I want to make for myself.â You told him that sounded hard but not impossible. âHeh, maybe. But I do know one thing. I want to build my home right here.â
~You were a bit surprised at that. âCâmon itâs not that surprisinâ. My friends are all here, along with all the people who were nice enough to a guy like me, even youâŚâ He trailed off. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts so you asked him what was on his mind. âHmm⌠I was just thinkinâ about the future. This place really is like a new home to me. I couldnât just leave it behind so easily. You especially made sure aâ that. Thanks.â His face reddened a bit but he kept a comforting smile on his face. You thanked him for giving you the chance in the first place. It was a nice change to be on the giving end for once. ââŚUh, t-thereâs one last thingâŚâ He fumbled with his words a bit. Without saying much else he held out his hand to you and in it was a wooden ring. âI-I want you to have this. J-Just as a keepsake of sorts, i-itâs not anything official but⌠it would mean a lot if you kept it.â You were shocked to say the least as you took the ring from him. It was even your size. âJust promise me youâll wear it as often as possible, even if it breaks Iâll come back and fix it right up!â You smiled and told him to take it easy. In fact you were a bit embarrassed since he beat you to it as you handed him a ring of your own.
~All Takemaru could do was stare at it with utter shock. He trembled as he stared at it, the Oniâs face turning a whole new shade of red. âY-You seriousâŚ?â You nodded and told him he was someone who mattered to you a whole lot. You couldnât just let him leave without telling him how you felt. Takemaru winced with that statement and before you knew it you were pulled into a tight embrace where he stroked the back of your head gently as the sun began to rise. âI love ya too. No, I love ya so much. I promise to come back to ya as often as possible. I canât wait to start our lives together. Do you like kids? How many kids should we have? Oh, and our home is gonna need lots and lots of pets and- well, letâs take it slow for now, âkay?â
~âHey there.â Moritaka greeted you. âAnother night under the stars togetherâŚâ He said as he joined you. âSorry if this sounds sudden, but do you have any plans for the future now that weâre free?â You told him you had a few ideas and said you wouldnât mind hearing any of his. âWell, first I intend to finish my studies in Tokyo. I see no need to rush out like the others do to be quite honest. But after thatâs all done I wish to broaden my skills around the world. I want to see new things and places. Tokyo has given me so much, I canât wait to see how much stronger I can become beyond the walls.â He explained with genuine excitement. âIf I meet more people and test my skills against new foes, then I can definitely grow out of being filialâŚâ You told him that it was an admirable goal. âThank you.â
~âBut first, I have to make sure I have all I can from here first. After all, thereâs still so much in Tokyo I have yet to see and experience. But thanks to you and all our friends Iâm not worried. At least, not anymore.â You told him that he helped you feel bolder after spending so much time together, and how dependable he is. âS-Stop, youâre making me flustered again⌠a-actually, I donât mind this time. In fact, itâs rather nice to get a compliment such as that from you. Thank you.â Moritakaâs face went from embarrassment to a more somber one. âThere is one worry I have though⌠Iâm afraid that in my pursuit for a future, I may leave those I care about behind. I donât want to do that⌠I wish you- ⌠you all could stay by my side.â You may not be able to speak for the others, but there was one thing you knew for sure as you handed Moritaka a precious keepsake, the ring Salomon entrusted to you to give to someone you cherished.
~Moritaka was stunned. âW-Wait, me!?â He was shocked, furiously flustered and downright confused. âSurely you of all people could give this to someone else!â You told him it was your decision to make and that this was what you wanted. âI donât understand you sometimesâŚâ He sighed while smiling. âThank you my fr-â Moritaka shook his head. âThank you, my beloved. Yes, thatâs right. My beloved. I never realized before but, this was probably what I wanted⌠I was just to afraid to say itâŚâ You gave Moritaka a pat on the head and brushed your hand against his cheek fur. While you rubbed his cheek he brought his hand to yours as the sun began to rise. âThis joy I have⌠did you know it all along? Or perhaps someone is watching over us⌠letâs see the world together, side by side. My feelings for you ever grow deeper, my beloved.â
~âYou should be resting, itâs quite late.â He told you. You tried explaining you couldnât really sleep and wanted to get some air. âFair enough. If youâll excuse me Iâll get back on my patrol.â Patrol, this late? âYes, even with our victory, peace is still relatively young. Not to mention any remnants out for your head.â While he had a point, you donât think theyâd be a problem anytime soon. âBetter safe than sorry.â Well since he was going to be up now might be a good a time as any to stargaze. âWhat part of patrol do you not understand? Oh, never mind. Fine, Iâll indulge you a little.â He blushed as he conceited to your request. âPerhaps there wonât be any issues if I stay for a few minutes.â And you both did just that, watching the sky and feeling that night breeze brush right by.
~âWhen was the last time I saw the sky like this? It mustâve been⌠that night beforeâŚâ He pondered aloud. You asked him if heâs still thinking of âherâ. âYeah⌠ah! Forgive me, that was rather insensitive of me⌠you seem all prepared for tomorrow and Iâve still got my head in the past. I know she would disapprove of such talk as well.â You didnât mind the talk since it was something important to Shino, it wasnât something that could be forgotten so easily. âMaybe not, but⌠there is one way I think itâs been made possible.â Just what would that be? âBeing close to you, of course.â It must have been because of him seeing her inside of you somewhere. âNo, not that. At least, not anymore. For a while she was the one Iâve been longing to see ever since that day I failed. I desired to apologize and repent for my failure. She was the one I longed to see most. If I had been reborn then surely she mustâve⌠But I quickly realized how fruitless of an endeavor that was to even begin with, especially now that I know who it was Iâve been searching for all this time.â Oh? âDonât make me say itâŚâ His ears drooped as he blushed visibly under his fur and turned away. You told him you wanted him to say it, while presenting him with a ring
~Shino stared in shock at Salâs ring. âT-This isnât right⌠Iâm just a lowly beast! Why would you want to make their mistakeâŚ?â You asked him if he thought this whole thing was a mistake. âN-No I didnât⌠ughâŚâ He smiled and finally turned to face you as the sun rose. âI did say Iâd indulge you a bit. B-But please donât make this a regular occurrence.â He took your hand with the ring in both of his and looked straight at you with a serious expression. âI promise to never fail you, no matter what may come. I wish to keep this dream going just a bit longer, maybe even the rest of our lives. I know with you⌠the pain in my chest truly leaves. Thatâs why I am swearing to you, here and now. Not as a beast or as an image of someone else, but as the one you see before you. Please accept me, my beloved.â
~âW-What are you doing out so late? Shouldnât you be getting your rest?â What about him, shouldnât he be resting too? âA-About that⌠It seems Leib somehow talked me into finishing all of the previous work againâŚâ You made a snide comment about Leibâs work ethic and bad practices as Jambavanâs expense. âI-Itâs really not like that. Leib has definitely been putting a lot more effort into work as of late, but I think itâs so he can spend his days of freedom slacking. Then again he constantly worries about me nowadays. Iâm not quite sure how to handle that on top of the work I was already doing.â Comments aside, you asked Jambavan to rest with you a while. âSure, I was taking a break anyway I would appreciate the company.â
~You and Jambavan admired the vast sky together and just let the moment take you away. âEven after everything, itâs hard to imagine itâs all coming to an end⌠It feels like only yesterday I was running around tirelessly helping my guildmates and Alice, that now that I have the freedom to truly choose what I want to do for a change that⌠Iâm downright scared.â You asked him if he truly had no plans for the future. âN-No itâs not that⌠the truth is, I wish to help as many as I can. And the only way I feel I can do that is if I become a well-versed doctor. To do that, Iâd need to seek study outside of Tokyo. Which means Iâd have to leave everyone whoâd be staying here for a while. Alice, my guildmates, youâŚâ You told him you understood, but it was clear the decision broke your heart a little. It was all for the sake of pursuing his dreams. âThereâs⌠something else too⌠since Iâm leaving Iâve got no use in hiding it anymore. I⌠Iâve absolutely fallen for you.â Jambavan told you boldly. âSometimes I lie awake wondering if Iâm going mad thinking about you. Youâve become someone⌠irreplaceable to me. One that canât just fit as a friend in my eyes, but something more. I just felt you needed to know that before I left. Thatâs allâŚâ Jambavanâs words surprised you, but made you incredibly happy all the same as you now had no reservations about giving it to him.
~âA-A ring!?â Jambavan gasped with shock. âI-I hope youâre not just throwing that thing around⌠wait, itâs⌠for me?â You nodded. âYouâre seriousâŚâ His eyes began to water as the sun began to rise. He couldnât contain his emotions anymore and Jambavan reached for you and pulled you into a tight embrace. âItâs⌠itâs such a wonderful gift! I love you so much! I just⌠I hope youâll be alright if I leaveâŚâ You told him youâll be supporting him every step of the way. âI-In that case I⌠I hope you donât mind me being a bit more bull headed from now on! Of course Iâll be supporting you too in whatever you want to do. Thank you for showing me I can stand on my own two feet for a changeâŚâ
~Hati walked onto the roof and practically ignored you as he came to stargaze. You commented on the gentle breeze and clear sky. He didnât seem particularly interested in speaking. So you tried shifting the topic to how late he was. Even then he still remained silent, staring up at the sky. You were starting to get a little frustrated with his silence. Still nothing. Fine then, if he was going to act that way you may as well up and leave. âWait.â He said, while now looking down at his feet. âI donât want you to go.â Then why wonât he speak to you. He hesitated. âBecause I canâtâŚâ What did he mean by that?
~âEvery night the thought of the moon drives me mad until I see it and puts me at ease. For a while, itâs all I could think to do. I thought it would work this time but⌠it seems as though I canâtâŚâ Was something driving him mad. âYes. At first I thought it was my beloved Gabriel. While he still has my heart hostage with her music and compassion, I donât think thatâs whatâs driving me mad anymore.â He seemed sad. âI⌠I think youâre the one driving me insaneâŚâ W-What? âThe way you smile, the way youâre always putting others first, the way your skin is so soft, the way you smell- the way you⌠well, just the way you are hasnât been able to escape my mind! Is this a new kind of love!? I thought the moon would calm me down but you⌠you just have to keep being you and never letting me have a moment of sanity! Just whatâs wrong with you!?â He snapped. âWhy did you have to go and make me love you!?â He now turned to you. âI donât want to hurt you⌠I⌠Iâm scaredâŚâ His feelings werenât something you could control, but maybe there was a way you could put his fears at ease⌠with thisâŚ
~âWhat are you saying!?â Hati asked with confusion. âWerenât you listening, why do you-â You told him you had fallen for him too. In fact hearing that those thoughts drove you mad filled you with joy rather than messed you up. It was weird but⌠you wanted him to have you for a while but were always afraid youâd play second fiddle to his moon. âAh⌠Iâm⌠Iâm sorryâŚâ He said with a deep breath. âI love you too much to ever want anything bad to happen to you. Which is why we canât⌠if Gabriel is my moon, then you are undoubtedly the sun that gives me light to my life⌠will youâŚâ The sun began to rise. âWill you still have me even if I were to hurt you?â You told him that would never happen, but your feelings are the same. Instead of words, Hati pulled you into a gentle embrace and closed his eyes, finally seeming to calm down. âThank you, I⌠I donât know what Iâd do if you werenât⌠you.â
~âOh Junior, youâre still up?â Kurogane addressed you as he joined you on the roof. âIâm guessing you couldnât get to sleep either. Itâs alright, I wonât tell anyone youâre up here.â You asked what brought him up here. âMe? WellâŚâ He turned to the sky. âI do this sometimes. Reach for the stars and space is the final frontier after all, right? To me, it feels like the end goal that gets closer each day. Plus I just like the way the stars twinkle on nights like this. With a view like this, do you blame me?â You guessed not and you both began to ponder what space was like, from zero gravity to the constantly shifting temperature. You were a little scared of it but that only seemed to spur Kurogane further into going to space and conquer your fears.
~It made you wonder what he intended to do after everything the Crafters were repairing was all done. âWhat Iâd do? Huh⌠I never slowed down to think about that. I guess Iâd need to enroll into a college somewhere. I could just apply somewhere here in Tokyo and leave later. Actually, as much as I want to I donât think I can ever reach spaceâŚâ But why not? âYou remember how I lost my arm in an incident a long time ago? Well, what if they donât want me heading up there because Iâm technically missing an arm. It probably wouldnât be the safest plan.â You told him that defeatist nature wasnât his style, and his prosthetic looked just like the real deal. âOh, Iâm not giving up. Even if I canât make it to space, I want to be a part of a team that can get people there. With that at least I think I can say my dreams have been accomplished.â Well you told him you had faith heâd make it to space no matter what. No one could stand in his way, especially if he keeps training his mind and body. âRight! Thank you, I feel even more fired up now! Is your optimism something that comes this easy? I wonder if we could find a way to channel thatâŚâ You were a bit nervous at that suggestion. âD-Donât take it literally!â Kurogane laughed nervously. âIâm just⌠glad I have you is all.â You were glad too, and you wanted your senior to know that, especially with how reliable he was.
~You handed Salâs ring to Kurogane. âThis⌠Why?â Well, you rely on your senior. Especially now more than ever now that you both have a future to craft. âI seeâŚâ He smiled. Kurogane wrapped an arm around you as the sun began to rise. âIn the end thatâs what I want. I donât ever want you to feel like thereâs nothing we canât overcome, Junior! With my ingenuity and your drive thereâs nothing beyond our reach! Not even the stars!â
~âOh, Bro- ermâŚâ Daisuke stopped what he was saying as he came up to you. âIâŚâ he cleared his throat. âI couldnât help but notice your restless nature earlier, so I decided it might be a good idea to check on you. Then you went and disappearedâŚâ You apologized for disappearing suddenly but you really wanted to see the stars in the sky. âAh, yeahâŚâ He said, realizing that the stars were out in full view tonight. âTonight really is prettyâŚâ You two didnât speak for some time as you grew lost in the sight. âStaring up at these make me really worried sometimesâŚâ Worried, how? âThat one day the real stars are gonna get forgotten and left behind. Not just the ones up there, but the whole reason I became a wrestler in the first place. Will his actions be forgotten? And would I ever be able to inspire others the way he inspired me?â It sounds like heâs been wrestling with these thoughts for a while. âYeah, I- hey wait a minute! Are you making fun of me!?â Not particularly but you couldnât resist the joke. He just made it too easy sometimes.
~âUgh, youâre the worst sometimesâŚâ He laughed. âThen again, I guess thatâs why we make such a great team. You help me when Iâm being too dramatic and I thank you for it. Really, Brother- uhâŚâ You asked him what was wrong since he seemed to be holding back. âLately, Iâve been wondering if calling you my soul brother is the right thing or not. Itâs not because I think you and I arenât still like that⌠we are, itâs just⌠weâve seen so much together and âBrotherâ feels out of place now⌠but, what is this feelingâŚ?â You pondered it yourself and asked him to explain a bit more. âW-Well, whenever weâre close m-my chest pounds like itâs about to burst. Standing next to you gives me more confidence as myself rather than as Taurus Mask⌠and⌠I just donât want to lose you⌠I canât⌠I donât understand⌠No, I do understand. It⌠It scares meâŚâ You smiled and told him that was entirely natural as you handed him your keepsake.
~âWait, what is this?â He asked with genuine surprise. You told him you wanted nothing more than to be his partner both on and off the ring. That standing by his side has given you new feelings too, and most of all⌠he was your star that gave you hope again. He was absolutely speechless. You were worried you broke him in some way until he shook it off. âNo, I wonâtâŚâ He grunted. âI wonât freak out again! I need to keep on being your star after all! You need to keep looking up to me and I donât want to lose that trust youâve put in me. Daisuke got as close as he could to you and held your hand all the while the sun began to rise. âFrom now on, weâre a tag team duo! Iâll keep the solo flying to a minimum, just for you. Not just because Iâm your star, but well⌠youâre MY star too.â
~Having his minions open the door for him, Tsathoggua stepped out. He stretched and yawned as though he had just woken up from a trademark nap. âEh? What are you doing up so early?â You quickly spun this around and told him he was just up too late. âNot really. When you play MMOâs sometimes you just have to be ready for the long haul, so Iâve trained myself to be up as late or early as possible. But, I guess I canât do that anymoreâŚâ He seemed downtrodden by this fact and you asked him why he looked so upset. âHakumen says that with the walls around town gone, weâre gonna start getting more and more guests at the Casino. And with such a large number of guests coming she said she might make me start working. Can you believe it!?â Well, it wasnât that far fetched necessarily⌠âSeriously, me!? Do I look like the host type to you!?â You did tell him he was still courteous to whoever visited him and that no matter what he always went out of his way for you. âW-Well⌠I tend to make exceptions⌠Guess I got no choice now, sadly. I might as well try getting in a slightly better shape⌠you think they make any good fitness games?â The two of you pondered video game ideas while under the gentle gaze of the stars.
~Which reminded you to ask how Tsath felt about the walls. âThereâs tons of games I can get express delivered now.â He put plainly. âIâve always wanted to try the games they have overseas, cuz while we have plenty of good ones over here there have been rumors saying the games in the west are so different. I want to play em all.â An⌠admirable goal if nothing else. ââŚThanksâŚâ He murmured while looking away bashfully. You noticed his distress and asked him what was wrong. He remained silent about it for a moment before finally answering with another question. ââŚHow many co-op games do you think have been made?â The question confused you, but with so many people in Tokyo alone there had to have been a good number. âThatâs⌠good. Maybe⌠we could play some of them together sometime? If you have the time for it that isâŚâ You said his name, completely taken off guard  with the question. âAaaaaaahâŚâ He groaned out. âNo amount of Visual Novels have prepared me for thisâŚ! Not even the hardest difficulty quests made me this nervous! Are there seriously no guides for this kind of stuff!?â He cursed to himself. You were starting to get an idea and realized what he was trying to say. So as a response you handed him a precious treasure.
~âA-A ring already!?â He gasped in shock. âH-Hold on, I donât think Iâm quite the guy for that stuff so fast! And- oh? A⌠A promise ring?â Tsathoggua seemed to relax at your explanation. âThat makes more sense, ehe⌠um. C-Can I⌠hold your hand? I⌠I donât think I know how to right nowâŚâ You took Tsathâs hand in yours as the sun came up and you both finally looked up at it together. âIs this⌠what you call a good ending? Or maybe itâs the start of the sequel? Either way, Iâm glad itâs with you.â
Someone who deserves more credit
~âW-Why are you so surprised!? Donât give me that look!â Li Cho barked at you. âGimme a bit a credit, will ya!?â You apologized and asked why he came up to the roof. âI-It helps me think. I didnât think youâd be the type to be so suspicious.â He huffed and you sighed. You told him to give you some credit and offered a spot with you to stargaze. âSure. Iâll scare that loneliness away for ya!â You played along and pretended to be afraid of the man-eating tiger scaring away people. âH-Hey!â He snapped, face blushing furiously. âI can be super scary for real! Donât joke about those thingsâŚâ He seemed more embarrassed than angry so you agreed to keep the teasing to a minimum. âThanks. Actually, now that I have an audience what say I serenade you with some of my lovely words, hmm~?â You responded dryly by saying just reading them would be enough. âHeh, is my musical talent too much for you to handle then?â What musical talent? âThatâs just cold!â After getting all the snarky remarks out of each others system, he did read you poetry that he wrote himself and with the atmosphere you couldnât help but be swept away by the imagery.
~Once he had finished indulging himself by showing off his poetry, he took a deep breath. âS-So, it was awesome⌠right?â You told him it was very good. âJust good, eh?â He chuckled. âYâknow, I did write all these before the walls around us came crumblinâ down. So maybe thatâs why they donât sound as good? But, thatâs just me making up excuses and not fixing the damn thingsâŚâ You told him there was no rush now that you all werenât operating on a time crunch anymore. âS-Sure, but I still gotta take care of student council work alongside my studies. So itâs definitely gonna be hard to find the time right now.â You reassured him that youâd both be able to make it work. âHeh, I guess.â It then hit him. âWait, us?â Thatâs when you dropped the facade and handed him the ring.
~âY-Youâre just messinâ with me right? P-Please say youâre just playinâ around!â He seemed panicked. âThereâs no way I can do this!â You asked if this wasnât what he wanted. âO-Of course I want it!â Li Cho replied. âThereâs just⌠no way youâd ever want a beast like meâŚâ His tough guy act seemed to crack just a bit. âThereâs no telling when Iâm prone to snap or lose myself completely. I⌠I donât want to hurt you if that happensâŚâ Then what was stopping him from not doing it? âEh?â He was still him under all that fur. No amount of appearances could change what was inside. âInside, huh?â He pondered this for a moment. âI get it⌠Fine then.â Li Cho pulled you close to him and nuzzled your neck as the morning light came to view. You told him that Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom. âHeh⌠since when did ya become such a poetry buffâŚ? Did you really memorize that just for me? Maybe⌠Maybe I wonât lose myself if I have you there⌠I want to rewrite our lives.â
~âMy Hero, youâve done it.â Kamui praised you as he quickly joined you on the roof. âNot only have you completed your own goals of saving all your friends, youâve also torn down all the walls between the people and have found a way for so many to connect.â You said while that was true there was still a lot you wouldnât know. Would the rest of the world be so accepting of everyone from Tokyo? Besides, it was only thanks to everyone working together that you accomplished these things. âVery true, indeed. However, you are the individual responsible for bringing such individuals together. That alone is worthy of some praise. Iâm proud to have you as my Hero.â You asked him to dial back the praise since you were starting to get flustered. âMy apologies. Itâs just⌠youâve done what many others considered to be impossible. That alone has my admiration and joy.â You thanked him again but still couldnât shake your flustered emotions. As a way to relax Kamui agreed to watch the stars with you, which was certainly relaxing.
~After a while, Kamui seemed lost in thoughts. His look went from glad to pensive. You took notice and asked him what was wrong. âWhile I am glad that we have reached such a point in time, I canât help but feel a little⌠lost.â He admitted. âWith so many content, is there even a reason to call you my Hero now? Is there a purpose for a Heroâs sheath if there is no longer any Hero? If not, then where does one such as myself go? Iâve dedicated my whole existence to raising a Hero properly that I have not realized if I had succeeded⌠whatâs left? Can I even continue, knowing that my own selfish pursuit ended so many lives?â You were afraid that you didnât have all those answers for him. Those were things heâd need to solve on his own. âIâm well aware. But still, I feel fulfilled all the same. I have you to thank for finally satiating my insatiable driveâŚâ While you didnât have many answers for Kamui, you did have one important question to ask. You handed him something that helped you through the darker times and asked if heâd be willing to stay by your side. As more than a sheath⌠as HorkeuKamui, the wolf that snatched your heart.
~âYour heartâŚâ Kamui paused for a moment. He smiled realizing what the situation meant. âI see⌠yes, your heart. With you⌠I am willing to make such an important oath. Not only will I treasure your heartâŚâ The wolf pulled you into a gentle embrace and gently stroked your hair as the sun began to rise, signifying the start of something wonderful. âI will safeguard it with my life. Not only that, but I also wish to entrust you with my own. After all, I have nothing but boundless love for you⌠My Dear.â
~âThere you are, my friend.â Wakan Tanka greeted you with relief. You returned his greeting and asked if he had been searching for you. âYes, actually. I couldnât help but notice how restless youâve been as of late so I wanted to make sure you were alright. Iâm glad that youâre okay, guess my worry was just overreacting.â You thanked him for his concern. âYes, but⌠itâs weird. Why was I so upset in the first place? Maybe I just wanted to look at the sky againâŚâ You asked him if the stars at night helped him relax. âAt first, they made me sad⌠but now, I donât have a reason to be sad anymore. Would you mind if I saw them with you again?â You told him youâd love that and both watched the stars, reminiscent of that time on the beachâŚ
~âSo⌠this is the end of the road for the game in Tokyo⌠or rather, itâs the start of a new path for everyone to takeâŚâ He pondered aloud. âSeeing everyone talking about the future with such hope makes me happy. Really happy, even. Is it even allowed to be this happy for your friends?â You told him you saw nothing wrong with such joy. âI would agree, but⌠I canât help but feel sad⌠knowing that everyoneâs ready to move on and leave behind the place that brought us together in the first place. Would they remember all of the good times we had, or just the bad ones?â There wasnât a guarantee that all the memories would be happy, but you can give him comfort by offering the idea that the happy ones would win out. âI think youâre right.â He seemed a bit sullen still. âFor a long while, I would remember the sky in my world. I always thought it was beautiful and made everyone glad they saw it. All but them. They would stare at the sky with such sadness in their eyes, and I couldnât help but feel sad too⌠but, looking at the sky now. Maybe it wasnât sadness⌠maybe it was their own happiness that made them cry?â There was no way to know for sure now. âYeah. That person is no longer with us. Instead I have someone who brings me both immense joy and sorrow.â Really, who? âYou, of course.â He put bluntly. You were shocked by Wakanâs bold claim. âYou make me feel more things I would never have hoped to dream. I donât understand all these feelings you give me⌠One moment Iâm sad about you, but then you go and make me extremely happy. Then all I can think about is being next to you and⌠I just turn into a mess of feelings!â You just told him thatâs how love works as you handed him a sign of your love.
~âLoveâŚâ Wakan asked. âIs that really all there is? A word so simple could have such a chaotic feeling?â You nodded. ââŚHey, can I see your hand for a moment?â You gave him your hand as he clasped it with both of his, with him now wearing the ring you gave him and his warm smile making the rising sun shine that much brighter. âI promise from now on that neither road we walk will be lonely. I promise to share this burden and blessing of life that we live. And I also promise⌠to show you just what my love is capable of doing. I promise to you that it can open a path where we can both be equals, side by side in the same direction. Only⌠if youâll let me walk beside you til we pass on to the nextâŚâ
~Weirdly, no one came through the door. You could have sworn you heard something. âGeez Master, do none of your friends really care about us!?â You jumped in surprise as Salomon now stood beside you. You quickly asked what he was doing here. âMaster, how come youâre always so mean to me!?â You didnât mean it like that! You thought that he mightâve⌠âI told you Iâd always be with you! I donât wanna leave you, Master!â Salomon cried. âI was scared⌠but, it was almost like taking a nap⌠I think? I dunno any more than you do! I just⌠Iâm happy to be able to see you again.â You shared in that sentiment and wondered when the last time you two had spent a night together like this. âToo long!â
~âBut seriously, does no one care about you this late?â You told him that wasnât it. âOh? Ooh, Master. You sly fox. Perhaps youâve strung together one too many hearts instead of no one at all?â You couldnât deny the number of people captivated by you, but you were positive there was more to it. âSure, sure. Though you try to keep cool, deep down I know how passionate you truly are. I always knew one wouldnât be enough. Youâre just too wild.â You asked him to stop or someone might hear. âHeh, I knowâŚâ He gave you a cheeky grin. âYou just make the cutest expressions sometimes, Master. I couldnât help but tease you a little~.â Despite all the teasing, you did miss him. You felt it was an appropriate time to give that backâŚ
~âOh, this?â He pondered. âIt⌠Itâs worthless to either of us honestly. I let you keep it as a way to remember me. But now that Iâm here it almost seems wastedâŚâ Not entirely. You could use it to make an everlasting vow to trust in Sal more from now on. And⌠and to promise to keep him close. You donât want him going anywhere without you from now on. âOh MasterâŚâ The sun began to rise as Sal brought his head to rest on his arm and smiled at you mid air. âSometimes you take even me by surprise. Still, thatâs what I like so much about you. All that there is to do is ask: Where to next?â