35 To The Fallen

We Gather here today to remember the lives of those who were lost in Estrea's merciless attack 2 months ago. Today we mourn the deaths of some of this city's greatest officers many of which were killed in their valiant battle with the shades. We remember the lives of the innocent people whom Estrea focused his onslaught towards. Tonight, we wish the students of Ranland University that were killed in Kelvin's ambush good luck and safe travel into their next lives. I hope that the families of these great men and women can find peace moving forward and always remember that the affected will never forget and passed will never be forgotten. Thank you all for attending this funeral today.

Yasu stepped down from the podium so the quire could sing the hymn of passing. When he returned to the group he looked for his little sister and Hera but couldn't find them. He decided to stay for the hymn for a bit longer and then head off to find his best friend and help her through these depressing events.

Grandma: Going somewhere?

Yasu: Wha- oh I was just gonna he-

Grandma: Hera?

Yasu: Yeah.

Grandma: You respond with yes like a proper young man.

Yasu: Yes Ma'am, I apologize.

Grandma: Oh come on Yasu. You really think I'd say something like that to you now?

Yasu: Sorry, I just didn't know if-

Grandma: Listen to me Yasu and listen well.

Yasu: Ugh erm ye-yes ma'am. What is it?

Grandma: I want to see you smile again. I want to see that precious little smile that you used to have running from ear to ear when you were just a youngster.

These words seem to cut deep into Yasu as he looks away towards the quire, full of people he has bad blood with and feel the same for him.

Yasu: I'll always respect and love you grandma. I'll do whatever I can to help you when you can't do it on your own anymore but, that is something that I can't do anymore. Not by choice anyway.

Grandma: I'm sorry Yasu, I know your dad was tough on you. Way tougher than we were on him but he wanted the best for you.

Yasu: Did he? Did he really mean all that stuff he said to me then? Would he really have killed Kiyoshi if he sided with Ryker?

Grandma: I don't think he would kill someone over that. Your dad was a harsh man, believe me Yasu when I tell you I know. I wish he hadn't said and done all that to you, you were such a nice kid and you had so much potential. You were a perfect little boy.

Yasu thought back to a day so long ago, a day he wished he'd never lived. He looked around for Hera to come and save him from this conversation but she never appeared. Searching for a way to escape, Yasu sees a photo of somebody he wanted to hate so badly, they made him so angry that he could kill them. But just thinking about this person made him feel more and more annoyed.

Yasu: Grandma?

Grandma: Yes?

Yasu: Can you do me a really big favor?

Grandma: of course.

Yasu: Please don't ever call me perfect again. Too many people can't hear someone say that to them, please don't say it to me.

Grandma: Are you ok youngin?

Yasu looks back at his grandma with a half held together smile. Hiding behind that smile was a boy with nowhere to run, not even to his own home.

Grandma: Ah, I see what's wrong now. I'll be here if you ever need me youngin, specially if you ever find yourself fighting the Cultist's again, your ol' granny will be here ready to beat some suckers into the ground.

Yasu: Thanks grandma.

Grandma: Alright now Yasu, you go find Hera and make sure she's doing ok.

Yasu: Got it. Thanks

Some Time Later. . .

Hera! Yasu shouted as he walked the cemetery's path looking for his friend but to no avail. He never even found a clue of where she could be; he walked down the foreign path alone.

A distant feeling of Melancholy seemed as if it were slowly creeping up upon the young boy. Yasu tried to whisk away this feeling as he walked but the more he tried to resist it, the more power it held over him. The father down the path he walked this morbid feeling of regret began to brew in the background as well.

Yasu: stop.

Yasu asked the person he thought was causing this to stop but he saw nor heard anyone. Then again, he hadn't taken his eyes off of the ground in front of him for almost 10 minutes now.

Yasu: Stop it! Whoever is doing this, you need to stop it NOW!

No response from the trees nor the wind, Yasu was truly alone in this cemetery all by himself with nothing but his own wishes and regrets.

Yasu: Why won't this feeling just fuck off! I didn't do anything wrong did I? All I did was try to defeat the shades right? What did I do to deserve this?

Yasu started in a low and tame voice as he questioned the whole group of no one around him, but some part of Yasu seemed to be wanting to continue his journey down this path of sadness and despair.

Yasu: Why can't I just live a normal-ish life huh? Wha-

Something caught the eye of Sir Kenshi, a sight he wished he hadn't been cursed to see. He looked to the right to see a black metal fence and a small orange sign on the gate leading inward.

"Look inward when a problem arises to harm you, only then can you find the way to save yourself"

Yasu read the sign thoroughly, over and over until he seemed to be satisfied with the signs' very detailed color shading all around the edges. He searched the edges of the sign with a purposeful yet blank gaze as he set his ever more painful eyes upon the bottom right corner where it read

Yasu: Itsuka Yuuta?