Sting

"Hey," Sumire's low murmur blended in with the serene waves brushing against the sand of the beach. Her head turned itself after drying up in the sun to face her brother who did the same. "Will you promise me something?"

"What is it?" Ryo's calming voice could be barely heard through the ambiance of the soothing beach.

"Promise me that no matter how dark the future looks, you'll always be there," Sumire stated. Her bright jeweled eyes were close to erupting in tears, yet she commended and strengthened herself to cope through it all after reminding herself of who she was. "You were stuck once because of your past. I don't want that happening again, not after everything we've been through so far."

Ryo exhaled through his nose and pulled his hoodie up, revealing his feathery black hair nearly smoking in the hot sun. The fact was that he was in a better place, even though there were still faults that he had made. Ryo hadn't fully redeemed himself, he thought. He thought of his promise as a way to continue a hidden deal to push himself even further to clear his name. He turned his head to face his sister and nodded.

"Okay," He said. "I promise."

"Aaaaaand...?"

"And what?" Ryo asked.

"Promise me you'll cook me something later-" Sumire began with a high-pitched voice that resembled a child begging for candy.

"Stop." Ryo sarcastically said, leaning forward and wiping the sand off of his back.

"Hey, I cooked you dumplings and brought milk tea! The least you could do is-" Sumire trailed off as she sensed a buzzing sensation in her short pocket. Ryo watched her as she took out her smartphone and tapped on the screen, unrecognizing the caller's identity and number on her ocean shore wallpaper. She raised an eyebrow and cut a sharp look at Ryo. "468," She said, indicating the number's area code. "That's a number from an emergency facility."

"Rose Accel?" Ryo asked. "Go ahead and answer it."

"I am, I am," Sumire said, pressing her smartphone against her ear. "Hello?" There was a slight pause. "Yes, this is Sumire," She continued.

Ryo witnessed Sumire's face turn from neutral suspicion into a woman who had been inflicted with severe paranoia. Her eyes abnormally widened as she turned her face sluggishly toward her brother, who had no greater clue of the situation. "Yeah?" Her voice was frail. "Okay, stay there. Don't-" Her voice cut off abruptly. "No, don't let those people in. Don't let - I'm coming. Okay. I'll be there soon. Thank you." She lifted her smartphone off of her ear and turned to Ryo again.

"What's with that face?" Ryo asked.

Sumire held her breath as her chest clenched in tightness. "April's awake." She feebly voiced out.

Those two words sent chills down Ryo's spine. His total paradise and relaxation from the beach trip had drastically metamorphosed into pure desperation, uncertainty, and worry. A storm of questions riddled Ryo's unstable mind. What would he say to her? What would she say back? How would she react after she realized that Ryo failed to save her? The inevitability of Ryo and April eventually facing each other once again after these abnormal circumstances stung Ryo in the heart. His palms began to perspire. His forehead began heating up. He could not bear to witness their reunion, but he knew that it was nonetheless inevitable.

"We have to go there right now," Sumire insisted, snatching her picnic basket and wiping the sand off of her clothes. "She's got, visitors."

"People from Sunlight?" Ryo asked.

"The doctor would have checked them in if it was," Sumire stated. "These are other people that don't belong there. She's in danger."

"Shit," Ryo mouthed, pulling himself up and snatching the basket from Sumire's hands. He hurried over toward the grassy range where Sumire's motorcycle parked. His heart pounded, believing that he could save April once again; properly this time. "Then we have to move right now!"

"Ryo, wait!" Sumire shouted, dashing in front of Ryo with the keys in her hand. "I know the fastest route! Let me drive."

Sumire and Ryo leaped on the Yoshimura motorcycle. Both of them latched on their motorcycle helmets; Sumire's, in particular, remained with the cat ears. Ryo held Sumire's shoulder as the engine revved and sped through a single-lane street. Gusts of constant wind brushed against the siblings' beach clothing, which was hardly the perfect attire to wear when speeding on a motorcycle. Sumire swerved the vehicle down the exit to the highway and concentrated on cutting through the moderate traffic.

Ryo was fixated on devising his first sentence after stumbling upon April. But, if she was in danger, then Ryo had to prepare for combat. He knew from the past before Genesis fell, that the memory fragment in his possession had a peculiar visionary effect beside April's bedside. The fragment caused a chain reaction with Ryo's mind that resonated with his consciousness, and his vision created a clue within the Genesis laboratory that he eventually invaded.

Another ring came through Sumire's cellphone in the back pocket of her jeans. Ryo answered it for her by connecting it through his nanosuit's neural interface.

"Sumire, can you hear me?" Sophie's voice rang loud and clear. "Are you there?"

"It's me," Ryo voiced through the winds. "Sumire's driving with me behind her. Is this about April?"

"No, well... yeah, it is," Sophie said. "Star's been acting up recently because of it. We're on our way to the hospital right now. Are you?"

"Yeah, we are," Ryo said. "Keep Star away from the hospital rooms. There might be someone there that's putting April's life at risk."

"Okay," Sophie replied. Ryo heard Star babbling in her car as ambient noise. "I'll be there soon. Shouldn't be too far now. You two be safe, okay?"

"Got it," Ryo said. "See you soon."

After cutting across more traffic, Sumire and Ryo eventually ended up at the Virgo District hospital. Ryo turned his head toward the Italian pizzeria where the rest of Sunlight ate after celebrating April's survival. Now that April might have been in danger again, Ryo urged himself to finally protect her with his life.

Sumire parked the motorcycle in front of the hospital. Ryo was the first to rush in with his nanosuit equipped, pressing against his chest to increase his speed and stamina. Hospital staff and patients watched him sprint through the first floor. Loose hospital paperwork, decorative plants, and thick curtains swayed in the wind draft that Ryo made as he rushed forward.

All nervous eyes were set on him as he slapped his hand on the elevator button. After he realized that it would take too long, Ryo ignored it and rushed up the closest set of stairs.

Several hospital staff and patients cried out as Ryo passed through them. After reaching the floor where April's hospital room was, Ryo deactivated his nanosuit and slipped through the double doors without permission from other staff members. He anticipated danger and hovered his hand over his chest as he entered April's room.

The doctor who nurtured April back to health was not present. None of the danger that the doctor had presented through the phone call was present either. Instead, the hospital wing was a ghost town. He held his breath as he collided into the entrance of April's room with his palm still over his chest. His voice faltered, and his chest pulsated in anxiety.

The breeze from the open windows swayed the floral curtains and freshly cut flowers, colliding with Ryo's nostrils. The ringing in his ears locked the joints in his feet and his five senses in place. Before he could even sense a hint of danger, Ryo lost himself in the exact moment.

April stood near the open window with a single crutch underneath her left arm. From behind, her charming elongated long blonde hair was cut into a low bob about the length up to half of her neck. Her violet knitted sweater was a piece of clothing that she normally would not adorn herself in. Her petite and slender figure was bulky in her puffy clothing that barely resembled how she appeared five months ago.

She slowly turned her light head to meet her eyes with Ryo's. As soon as Ryo saw her, there was something immensely wrong with her presence. Her green eyes were lifeless empty husks that lost their color. But even so, April's eyes gleamed in the light as she connected her eyes with his. Both of them stood still, looking deeply into each other without a word as the wind brushed the curtains and flowers inside the room. Ryo remained still with his mouth half-open, unsure of what to say.

But he did want to speak. He took a single step forward with his hand ready to reach out at her. "April-"

"Creep." April's soft and gentle voice was replaced with pure hostile malice.

"W-What...?" Ryo voiced out.

"You heard me," April said, lifting her chin as her crutch moved to the side. "Creep."

"April...?" Ryo's worried and concerned voice faltered as he approached April. "Are you mad at me?"

"What are you talking about?" April asked with a cold tone. "I don't even know you."

Ryo's heart snapped in half. What? What did she just say? No. This couldn't be. She's fucking with me, Ryo thought. Her anger is off the charts and it's perpetuating to an insane degree. This cannot be real right now. The person in front of Ryo was not April. He rejected this. He rejected everything that she stood for in the past. Musical artist, mind reader, holy angel. That identity has vanished completely, and it was nowhere to be seen.

Not even her eyes.

"You..." Ryo could not speak.

"Why are you even in my room?" April asked.

"I-" Ryo's voice stopped itself.

A gust of wind brushed behind Ryo and April. Three unknown individuals stood by the hospital room with their heads slightly peeking inside. Ryo turned around. Two males, one short and one tall stood beside the female in the center of the pack.

The short individual resembled a little boy who appeared no older than ten, adorned in an augmented neon-lit suit that brought out his slim figure. He had short brown hair and orchid-colored eyes. He had a calming expression on his face that expressed the mystery behind his gaze.

The taller male, one who wore a black suit, smirked at Ryo and April for an amusingly unknown purpose. The man's had a large black dragon tattoo etched on the side of his left cheek, and a massive scar above his right eye. His teeth revealed themselves as he chuckled at the sight of the two.

In the center, the slender female crossed her arms together with a grin on her face. She had a two-toned black and white short hairstyle with ends cut neck length. She wore a neck-plunging chrome-colored top with black jeans, revealed the insides of her moderately sized breasts. She glared at Ryo with a sniveling face that hinted she was a force to be reckoned with.

"What..." Ryo's voice lowered itself as he examined the three by the door. "What did you do to her?"

The trio by the door exchanged glances with each other and chuckled at Ryo's reaction.

Ryo rushed toward the trio as he pressed his hand on his chest. He had just lost April once again, and he was willing to sacrifice the rest of his sanity to discover the truth and punish the ones responsibly. "I said, what the hell did you do to her!?" Ryo shouted.

"Enough!" A familiar voice stopped Ryo in his tracks. The trio parted aside as Rose Accel made her way inside the hospital room. She utilized a single cane to stumble inside the room, wearing the same busty "I'll kill you" strapped tank top and dark sangria tight jeans combination. She stood beside the door with both of her hands on her cane, watching Ryo and April diligently.

"Rose Accel, what the hell is going on here?!" Ryo shouted. "Who are these people? What the hell did they do to April?"

"Shut up and give us the girl, man." The tattooed male's gritty voice made Ryo think he was Yakuza related for how uncouthly mannered he was.

April pushed herself back against the opened window with a disgusted expression smeared on her face. She dropped her crutch to the floor and pressed both of her sweaty hands against the edge of the frame. Ryo dashed back to defend her from Rose Accel and the three unknown individuals chuckling at his bravery.

"Ooh, brave little boy," The female said, looking at the tattooed man with a curious expression. "Reminds me of when you were little, J."

"I don't know what the hell is going on here," Ryo began, veins pulsating in anger and confusion. "But if you want her, you'll have to kill me first!"

"Stop being dramatic, kid." The tattooed male said, scratching the back of his head. He reached for an unknown object behind his back and pointed it at Ryo. "But have it your way."

A tranquilizer dart aimed at Ryo's chest fired and soared towards him. Through instinct, Ryo dodged it. Yet he inadvertently made his situation worse, as the dart struck April's chest. April slumped to the ground, and Ryo caught her in his arms. He had enough. He was about to lose her again for no reason, and no answers were provided to him as to why.

"Bullseye." The tattooed man said.

"Nighty night..." The female's dreamy voice added.

Rose Accel took another step forward as the tattooed man followed. Ryo activated his nanosuit in response to their illogical attack and placed April back on her hospital bed. Before he could charge forward, an unknown hooded figure leaped onto the open window behind Ryo and yanked him out. He clutched onto Ryo's neck in a tight hold and plummeted out of the top floor of the hospital. Ryo activated his ignition boosters and soared through the air as the figure held on.

After the two had vanished from sight, the tattooed man seized April and leaned her over his shoulder in a soldier-carrying position. The female in the center removed the dart from her chest and placed it in her back compartment. Rose Accel nodded at the trio, and they dispersed from the scene.

Ryo and the unknown figure continued soaring through Virgo District. They passed by multiple roads and tall buildings, quickly maneuvering through them as Ryo struggled to release the figure's grip on him. The figure's strategy was to steer Ryo around toward a specified location away from the hospital, and in such a manner, it worked. He was able to control Ryo's ignition booster and direction by pushing and pulling him as they soared through the air.

The two of them collapsed in the middle of a busy shopping plaza, and many civilians shockingly dispersed the scene. Ryo deactivated his nanosuit and tackled the hooded figure, shoving them against a nearby wall. Before he assaulted the figure for their arbitrary and abhorrent act of pushing him away from saving April, the figure removed his hood and held his hands up in the air as an act of surrender.

"Really feisty today, aren't you?" Akai's voice rang loud and clear, and it was certainly not the voice Ryo wanted to hear in his current state.

Ryo clenched his teeth and lunged forward at Akai. "I'm fucking done with you!" He shouted, shoving him back against the wall and tousling his grip against his hoodie. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Akai closed his eyes and struggled to hold in his laughter. He spat out air and saliva cackling at Ryo's aggressive behavior while continuing to hold it in.

"What the hell's so funny, huh!?" Ryo continued to pressure him. "You think this is a joke? Don't fuck with me right now! I'm going to kill you! April's back in that hospital getting kidnapped! Stop laughing!"

"I can't help it! You being so mad at me is kinda cute!" Akai laughed.

"I'm warning you, goddamn it! I'm going back there right now!" Ryo said, removing his grip on Akai's hooded sweater collar. He rushed back into the moving crowd minding their own business when another familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

"She's already gone," Natia's voice came abruptly next to Ryo near the wall. Her back rested against it with her leg propping up to support her weight. A pair of sunglasses docked on her head and casual yellow clothing were enough for Ryo to realize that there was something peculiar happening. Both Natia and Akai were dressed in clothing completely unlike their style. "Unless you'd like to go back to an empty room, be my guest."

"Now, now, Natia," Akai said, dusting his sweater off. "Let the poor boy rush to his girlfriend like a knight in shining armor."

Ryo regained his breath, placing his hands on his knees and wheezing his worries out of his chest. "Why do I have a feeling you two knew this was going to happen to her?" He asked.

"Because we did, dumbass," Natia said, kicking herself off of the wall. "And you intervening only made it worse. Now you look like a complete psychopath."

"I look like a complete psychopath!?" Ryo shouted, pointing at Akai. "He's the one that dragged me down off of a ten-story hospital building! And those people that tried to take April-"

"Was all part of Rosie's plan," Akai finished, approaching Ryo and shaking his shoulder with his hand. "Why don't you come with us, Ryo? I'll be happy to explain everything over a nice relaxing smoothie. I'm kind of in the mood for something elegant, like creamy mango, or strawberry breeze..."

"Get your hands off of me, damn it," Ryo shouted, swiping Akai's hand off of him. "Just because we ate out one night when I was feeling weak doesn't mean you're buddy-buddy with me. I still won't forget after what you did to me before."

"Ooh, harsh!" Akai laughed aloud. "Sensitive baby raging Ryo! After all those drinks too?"

"I don't give a-"

"Hey, shut the fuck up, both of you!" Natia roared at the top of her lungs. "If you think I want to work with either of you two, both of you can kiss my ass. Now let's hurry up and get to some place so Ryo can stop making a fucking scene!" She shouted, snatching both Ryo and Akai's ears and dragging them inside the nearest shopping mall.

Akai snickered and looked at Ryo. "Says the one making the scene..." He muttered.