Return of the Fallen Volume 2 Chapter 34
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch34
“Mei, will you attack me, yes or no?”
Mei stomped and scratched at the ground in frustration, causing fissures to spread out on the ground in every direction like a spider’s web. Mei repeatedly flapped her wings in anger, threatening to blow everyone away before screeching out, tearing the air around them. However, no matter how much she thrashed about, still, she did not attack.
Kazuki could feel a certain amount of bloodlust emanating from Mei but she wouldn’t attack. Kazuki realized why, though. It wasn’t because she wouldn’t hurt him but instead because he held her mother hostage.
In a case where a predator could rip you to shreds but can’t climb the tree you’re in to get to you, a rational person would remain in the tree. Kazuki, however…
Doing the unthinkable at this moment, Kazuki tossed Tsura, his only card, aside. Without a hostage, Mei could freely act upon him. Mei’s large head tilted in confusion momentarily.
“I released your mother, with her beside you, I can no longer cause her harm, what will you do now?”
Kazuki was gambling right now. He felt that Mei had not yet been corrupted and had a chance to be molded into someone besides a cold-blooded killer. If she attacked him now, now that her mother was safe and out of harm’s way, it would mean that she still wishes for revenge. That, of course, is a natural thing to want. However, Kazuki was banking on her feelings towards her own mother.
Kazuki had said that Tsura was now safe, now that she was by her side but that wasn’t necessarily the case. Technically speaking enemies were all around her. Mei had to decide at this moment what was more important to her. protecting her mother or attacking Kazuki for revenge.
To ask a child to choose correctly in this scenario was already a stretch and Kazuki knew that. This whole situation though was not meant to be a perfect test but Kazuki would use it as a basis of where Mei was at mentally.
No matter what choice Mei made now, Kazuki had thought of what he would do with her.
Right now, he waited for Mei’s next move, though his wait didn’t last long at all.
Mei’s large eyes were solely focused on him. Her neck stretched upward and she exposed row after row of her dagger-like teeth. Taking a single step forward she was now within range of Kazuki. Seeing this though Kazuki remained perfectly calm and still. Whatever move she made, Kazuki was prepared to retreat or dodge depending on Mei.
Tsura slowly sat up and saw how enraged Mei was.
(Mei.)
Kazuki and Mei stared at one another for what seemed like minutes but in actuality was only a few seconds.
“Well, what is it gonna be?”
The feathers on Mei’s body started to stand on end. Kazuki had really pushed it. Opening her mouth wide, Mei dove her head down towards Kazuki’s body, preparing to bite through it in one fell swoop. Releasing a powerful screech the world around them grew quiet.
The wind was still raging around everyone so no one could jump in to help.
Asuna screamed at the top of her lungs but her voice was silenced by Mei’s screech. She wanted to do something, anything, but she was powerless.
(If I teleport, as soon as I reappear my body will get blown off the side of this cliff. What do I do?)
Sound returned to the world around them once more but Asuna was far too late. Mei was already upon Kazuki and only another second or so and Kazuki would be bitten in two.
Kazuki sighed inwardly.
(So this is her choice. It seems she cannot be allowed to leave this place after all.)
Before Mei had made her move Kazuki had already filled his legs with ki and was preparing to dodge out of the way. Before he did so, a loud shout rang through the air.
“MEI! NOO!”
Tsura’s voice boomed and Mei froze on the spot. Turning back to her mother, Tsura opened her arms and said.
“Come.”
The feathers on Mei’s body visibly trembled before Mei leaped toward her mother. As she was falling in the air, Mei’s body began to change back more rapidly than before. Kazuki was told by Atoh that to transform back took around 10 seconds or so but Mei had done it in less than 2. Soon she fell into her mother’s arms, once more a child.
Large tears began to fall from both mother and daughter.
“Momma, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
Tsura just continued to hug her daughter. Pulling a spare dress from her tooth, she covered her daughter and held her, stroking her back gently.
(So she can transform to and fro in less than 2 seconds. Maybe because she’s a King Mangshi.)
Kazuki was more interested in her transformations, rather than the touching moment that was taking place in front of him.
The raging wind finally ceased and Asuna and Sam ran over. Asuna to Kazuki’s side and Sam to Kimi.
Mei and Tsura, neither of them were in the mood to stop Sam from reaching Kimi.
Asuna ran up to Kazuki and delivered and began to hit him repeatedly as she yelled at him.
“You fucking idiot, dumbass, moron! What were you thinking? Why did you do all that?”
Sam, on the other hand, was having a completely different reunion. Kimi was just now rubbing her back in pain. After Mei had tossed her and Danny away, they had hit the wall behind them. Well, actually Danny had crashed into the wall and Kimi had crashed into him. Rubbing her aching back she complained.
“Dammit, Danny, how can your body be so hard? What’s the matter with you?”
Danny rolled his eyes.
“Are you serious. You’re not the one who crashed into the wall face first, I am. On top of that, your fat ass came flying at my back. If anyone has the right to complain it’s me.”
Danny twisted his back and stretched like a cat, causing a series of loud pops to ring out.
*Pop pop pop crack*
Kimi was about to argue with Danny some more but then two feet appeared in her line of sight. Looking up Sam was standing above her, a complicated emotion in his eyes.
“Sam, I…”
Before she could say more than two words, Sam fell to his knees and embraced her tightly. Feeling these large strong arms wrap around her brought waves of emotion one after another. Her body grew warm and tears welled up at the corner of her eyes.
Sam could only utter one word.
“Kimi.”
It was only her name yet it was filled with many thoughts that Sam had trouble expressing yet Kimi understood it perfectly.
“It’s OK, I’m fine.”
Danny’s eyes rolled once more.
(These two dumbasses.)
Standing up slowly Danny brushed the dust from his clothes, being cautious not to bump or reinjure his already broken arm and hand. He had been lucky that that hadn’t already happened when he was tossed into the cliff wall like a bag of trash.
*Ahem*
“This reunion of yours is quite touching and all, but we still have a serious matter that needs to be dealt with.”
Sam and Kimi simultaneously flashed Danny a snake-like glare, however, he was right.
Sam and Danny both stood up. Kimi tried to but found her legs had grown wobbly. After being kidnapped and held as a hostage, she thought she might be eaten or something else. Seeing Kazuki and Mei’s exchange, although not much happened, Kimi thought everything was all over. She and Danny were both extremely tired and couldn’t sleep at all being stuck in a cave with literal monsters and so they remained exhausted. This all built up and now that Sam was here all the tension was seemingly cut. This caused the built-up emotion and exhaustion to finally take over and she could no longer stand.
Kimi and Sam shared a look and Sam with no hesitation simply picked Kimi up in a princess carry and walked to Kazuki’s side.
After a few minutes, everyone finally calmed down. Kazuki stood there with a black eye from Asuna. Up till that point, Asuna had really been laying into him. After she gave him a black eye, though, he almost snapped. Still, after taking a deep breath he remained calm and his words caused her to freeze in fear.
“You know, a person that hits someone just because they don’t like what they do or disagrees with them will never get a boyfriend. At least I know I would never be with a girl who hits me.”
These words caused Asuna’s hands to fall lifelessly by her side with a blank expression on her face. Even after Kimi came over via Sam and tried to talk to her, Asuna couldn’t respond.
Tsura looked at Kazuki and felt horrible. She wanted to stop Sam from simply taking her hostages but felt she had to comfort her daughter at that moment no matter what.
“So, you plan to take us back.”
All eyes focused on Kazuki.
“I do.”
Tsura clenched a fist but after only a second or so she released it.
*Haaa*
“So my daughter will never be free.”
Tsura gently rubbed Mei’s head and sobbed.
“I’m so sorry baby, mama can’t keep her promise. I’m sorry.”
Mei cried harder and harder into her mom’s chest.
Everyone felt pitiful for the mother and daughter but they knew and understood the potential risk. Still, Asuna and Kimi couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. Asuna gently grabbed the side of Kazuki’s shirt and tugged.
“Ryuta isn’t there something we can do? How can we be the ones to decide whether they stay or go, it isn’t right.”
“It’s far too late for that Asuna. Once we got involved, we got all the way involved. Will you take responsibility for what happens down the road? No, they have to stay.”
Tsura grit her teeth.
“Ryuta, when are you taking us back?”
“Right now.”
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