I sat down onto the couch inside The Executioners' apartment room, covering my Fragmented eye with my hand. The pain was long gone but I didn't want to risk reopening my eye until I learnt how to control this "Fragment". Or even head home or go to school for that matter.
"What the hell happened?" Shimi looked at us with a concerned face, as if a horrible horror was shown to her. Running up to us as I looked up at her. I could feel my ears flattening against my head, my tail motionless as he lay back, trying to rest as best as I could.
"He got attacked by a Kechī and became a Fragmented." Motatsū told the other Executioners, looking back at me with a calm expression, as if this had happened before. "It's still early, school should end in about a couple of hours. In that time, we'll help Shirō control his Fragment." He says with the same tone, but a bit of hopefulness was added. "We should have more than enough time."
I get up, lowering my hand from my face as Ketsueki walks up to me. "I'll offer some help." He says enthusiastically, his head turning to me as he wore a bright smile. "We can also teach the wolf boy how to use that Hyōmei!"
"I—"
"No if's, and's, or but's Kurose!" Ketsueki immediately snapped at me. I just gave him a blank stare, in all honesty: I'm really getting annoyed.
"Ketsu, mind calming do-" Kaguro attempted to speak, but met an immediate cut-off.
"No! Our new member needs all of the help he can—"
"Have you EVER considered shutting the hell up?" I muttered, but made it so Ketsueki could hear me. I lifted my head at him.
"Uh-"
"I don't WANT your help. For All-Father's sake, I don't want this damn life. I should be at school, actually getting one but no, I'm stuck here with a bunch of hoodlum morons who can't make an impact on the world." I raise my voice slightly. I really want to make it clear I don't even want to be a part of this group.
"Shirō. . ." Motatsū mutters.
"No. You of all people, their damn leader, should-"
"Be grateful, will you?" Motatsū snapped back at me, making me swallow. He began showing a new side that made me quiet myself.
"Huh?"
"I let you join our group because you're unique, and now knowing how the Kechī affected your life, I gave you a chance to get your revenge. Shit, you are even getting paid a good amount of cash to just go outside and head to some random place in the state of Tochi. If you want to let your brother's killer go on and continue eating others and consuming their Enogu then that's YOUR choice."
"You speak of my brother like that, and I'll give you a reason why I-"
Immediately, one of Motatsū's Hyōmei, that same revolver, met my head. My heart skips a beat as I couldn't even breath, all I did was witness.
"Or what? You're outnumbered and you're allowed to leave, let your Fragment cause issues. You can't just get it surgically removed, it's an Enogu-based infection. And if you did, you'd send that infection off to someone else - maybe even to a normal Terrarian, who'd die from the Kechī's still-lingering Enogu. We're your only form of assistance because we care. We want to help people, that's what The Executioners were banded together for."
"I don't WANT to help others! I couldn't even give a shit about those around me!! All that mattered to me was Akarui, and he's dead because of my inability to save!"
"What would he say?" Motatsū lowered his gun, staring at me with a disappointed stare.
"Huh?"
"Would he follow you and disregard Terrarian, Eclipsed, and Anima life just because his brother does? Or would he do the opposite, help those in-need not because he probably cares or that it's the best thing to do, but because this world needs it." Motatsū spoke in a softer, calm voice.
"You fight because you want to get revenge, because it benefits you. You're granted money, places to explore, and more. We fight not because it benefits us, but because we're people who understand others are being killed everyday by monsters from a still unknown area. Consider that."
"I—. . ." I didn't know what to say, my mind was left blank.
"Grow up, boy. When it comes to this world, the only thing we have is our colors. Colors that can grant defense for those who aren't able to fight."
I thought, all I am fighting for is Rui's death, and I want to ensure I kill the being that murdered him. But, he's right. There's people that need help, other people that need safety. I've disregarded other students at school because they're a distraction to me and to my goals, but this is different. At any point during this job, I can die. I nearly did earlier today and this Fragment is a reminder of it.
I slowly raise my hand to my left cheek, tracing my nails upon it. My eye weakens as I open up the other, but. . . Everything was normal.
"Huh?"
"It seems the Fragment isn't active." Ketsukei mutters, much quieter than he was.
"Usually Fragments are extremely unstable once someone acquires one, or well, their first Fragment." Motatsū says, sitting down on a chair next to the couch.
"First Fragment?" I asked quietly, curious. My ears perked to the side as my tail was motionless.
"It's always possible to acquire a secondary Fragment, but those with one should already be accustomed to turning off and on their Fragments." Motatsū mentioned. His face was a bit less solemn, getting up from the seat.
"It's about 9:15 AM, we have a lot of time to spend to help you control your Fragment." says Motatsū, looking at Ketsueki and Hikaru.
"I assume you two are helping them while I and the rest check for any other Kechī sightings?"
"Yes." Hikaru nodded.
Me, Hikaru and Ketsueki walked out of the motel room, walking behind the building and onto the pale, green grass. Hikaru laid her back against the back of the motel's exterior as Ketsueki and I stood before each other. I conjured The Canvas, streams of Black and White Enogu stringing and forming my Hyōmei.
"I finally get to see what your Hyōmei is capable of, Kurose." Ketsueki exulted, reaching his hand out as streams of Crimson and Black Enogu were taken from the environment, forming together his Hyōmei. Two scissors with bloodied accents conjoined together in the shape of a sword. The main color was black with some stripes of white on the left blade, the right blade was an inversion.
"Hm." I silently breathed out, raising The Canvas as I watched Ketsueki perform a Micare. In a split moment, he had detached the blades from each other and dragged black and white streams out of my forearm.
"-?!"
"This is what my Hyōmei can do." Ketsueki says, grinning as he swung the scissor blade forward, cutting the black and white strand. In that moment, I felt The Canvas vibrate, as if it tried to tell me something. He immediately leapt away from Ketsueki, only for him to perform Micare to flank my side and swing one blade at me, which I, in amateurish fashion, guarded against.
"My Hyōmei, Hasami, has the ability to take strands of Enogu out of someone's soul once struck. By taking a strand and cutting it, I can cut the potency and reserves left in someone - Even Enogu being used by them currently, like a Hyōmei." He informed me and as he did, he shoved me away with his elbow.
I skid across grass, my breath still as I felt The Canvas vibrate more, creating a sound akin to a crying screech.
"See? It's crying, Kurose." He mocks, pointing one of his scissor blades at me.
"Crying? It's just a weapon, how can it—"
"Wrong." He cuts me off.
"-?"
He walked forward, connecting the scissor blades together as he used his wrist to carry Hasami over his shoulder.
"A Practitioner's best friend is their Hyōmei. Usually weaker Practitioners have a soulless Hyōmei - but, through development, it'll gain its soul like all of the rest. You were one of the lucky few born with innately large sums of Enogu, considering you aren't even sweating from two strings being cut. Even higher grade Kechī whimper at that point." He braggingly divulged, standing idly. His eyes began to radiate a brighter glow, surging a crimson red whilst Hasami also radiated the same color.
Practitioner? Practitioner?!
"I'm not a Practitioner." My voice came out on its own, sharp and aggressive. My tail swishes to the side as I clench the hilt of The Canvas tightly. I felt a sudden surge of strength, rage, and sorrow fill my heart. Strength drawn from my Enogu. Rage drawn from Ketsueki's assumption I'm a Practitioner. And sorrow from my inability to save my brother from a Kechī.
"You might as well be at this point. If you even remember; a Practitioner is one who studies the foundation of Enogu. The essence of magical energy that empowers our souls and our Hyōmei." He reinforms what I've already been told.
I remained silent myself, he was right. In this week alone I've been learning how to manipulate my Enogu and how to wield a Hyōmei, but only to kill the Kechi who murdered Rui.
"You and The Canvas are out of sync, Shirō. Heavily out of sync." He says with a more straightened, neutral face. Spinning Hasami around his wrist recklessly. "Synchronization with your Hyōmei when it has its own Lumena is vital to growing stronger." He informs as he dashed forward. He reels his hand back as he grabs the round, conjoined hilt of Hasami, thrusting forward as I lift The Canvas up. 'Clank!!' Upon impact, I had been blown back about an entire meter from Ketsueki. But, what was Lumena? I stopped thinking about it after a few seconds.
"How?! The Canvas is just a tool, a tool that I summoned to help me get revenge!!" I shouted, but I remembered what I had said the night from a week ago. '. .A canvas for those whom you killed to paint on with their uneasiness and pain! And a canvas for my brother to paint his soul and love for me on! Even if that means defying the future I've planned ahead. I'll do anything for my brother's sake, even after death.' Right, a canvas, a tool. I ignored the crying and screeching from The Canvas, throwing myself forward as I manifested streams of white Enogu.
"No color? Not even black?" He bewilderingly asked, widening his eyes. As I swung down, I left a small impact on the floor as I watched my colorless Enogu run rampant, soon having the center area be filled with black Enogu. As I studied my power resonating around the blade, I took it up and swung sideways, swinging off the Enogu as a projectile. This was met with an immediate defense: Ketsueki lifts Hasami up, guarding as my Enogu did push him back, giving me enough to to run towards him. As the white and black Enogu dissipate, he winds up a kick, spinning his Hyōmei around his wrist.
"—!" My focus was drawn to his leg, quickly using The Canvas to defend my lower area, precisely shielding my shins and ankles. However, my head was smacked with the flatside of the conjoined Hasami.
"Heh, should pay more attention - better yet, listen to The Canvas." He teased, smirking as he disconnected both parts of Hasami. Leaping back as he lands on the motel's walls. He stumbled back as I felt The Canvas vibrate in my grasp, I tried to keep all focus on Ketsueki, who had gently kicked off of the walls and began running toward me. The grass flew upwards as his outstanding speed far surpassed a Terrarian athlete.
'Pay us heed, O' wielder of us. . .'
A voice rang out, as The Canvas stopped vibrating, it suddenly erupted in Enogu.
"What the. . ." I mutter, half-attention was focused on the pools of Enogu flying from my Hyōmei, which surprised Ketsueki. I reel the blade back as I swung forward. Ketsueki immediately dashed back, throwing one of Hasami's halves upwards to knock my Hyōmei up.
"Huh?-" A gasp escaped my mouth as The Canvas escaped my hands, exploding in a large burst of Enogu.
"Shit!" Ketsueki covered his face as the air ruptured. The loud explosion had alerted the others in the motel room, and Hikaru (who was busy on her phone) looked up with some worry. The surge of unstable Enogu resonated through the air, which caused me to be blown back onto my behind, a grunt escaping from my lips.
"His Hyōmei. . . exploded." Hikaru said in a blend of amazement, shock, and worry. She immediately ran up to me as I got back up. Ketsueki (who had unsummoned Hasami.) helped me up as thankfully, my glasses didn't break, which I made sure to check.
"Hm?" Ketsueki curiously breathed out.
"What?"
"I get your glasses may have gotten a bit unadjusted to the explosion. . . But, shouldn't you have checked on the others?" Ketsueki asked, he took off his beanie and shot me an odd glare. His almost platinum blonde hair, which was trimmed and he even had some hairlines swayed backwards, with one at the top curved forward, swayed gently.
"They aren't my problem, they're yours." I responded, which I believe I was right. I'm only taking advantage of their gang to avenge my brother. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Tsk-" Ketsueki sucks his tooth. "-be more considerate of the people around you, Shirō. What if the glass window broke and cut someone?" He asked.
"Like I said, not my problem." I repeated. I don't know why this didn't get through his thick skull.
"Kurose, listen—" Hikaru started "One day, what if this behavior of yours is what brings you down and none of us can help you?"
"It hasn't now, plus, this is all nothing more but a distraction to my academics. I hate this. I hate using Enogu. I'm only tolerating it so I can avenge my brot-"
"You're always talking about your brother!" Ketsueki sternly says. "This isn't about him, he's already dead. He can't be saved, but we can save those who are being preyed on by the Kechī daily and not let them go through what your brother had to go through!" He grabbed the fur collar of my coat.
Always on about my brother? I have a REASON to be, don't I. . .? No, I do. I must. He's the reason I'm striving this path to avenge him.
"Don't talk like you knew who Rui was! The Kechī took away the only person important to me, and you think I can't just get that out of my head?! I have lived in agony because that guiding light left me!" I shouted back.
"I'm not! But you need to get him out of your head and move on. It's been years, Shirō. He won't even know, he's gone." His words struck like lightning. He was gone, but I was gonna avenge his disappearance. Right?
Suddenly—
"Uh, sorry to interrupt your bromancing, but y'all gotta see this!" Motatsū shouted from the motel window, with some concern. Ketsueki lets go of me and all three of us head back to the motel room, looking at the TV.
"Reporting live from downtown Ōgenkawa, more monster sightings have been spotted - but are being quickly slain by two shaded figures. Until more information develops, we cannot determine who this may be." Came from the TV. The image, despite it being a bit blurry, I could notice a tail from one of them. A white one and similar to my own.
A white wolf? Like me and Rui?
"This could be related to your family, Kurose." Motatsū commented, turning his head towards me as he paused the TV. "Plus, there's Kechī activity down there, so it'd be a way to learn how to use your Fragment and your Hyōmei. But. . . We'll need to wait."
"Why?" I asked. Couldn't I summon it again?
"You see, when a Hyōmei explodes, it's typically done through being out of sync with it which makes it unstable. If too unstable, it'll explode in varying radiuses. Your lucky Ketsueki had managed to knock it up into the air." He answers. So, Ketsueki wasn't lying. . . Do Hyōmei really have souls? Is The Canvas truly a person like Ketsueki said? This thought lingers in my head.
"Okay, I'll wait as long as I need to." I responded.
Whoever this was, they must have ties with my family.