Shattering Humanity-Chapter 144: "Until Then, Stay Safe."

Katsu is having his same usual nightmare. His parents are being lifted by the hand of a giant Iceman.

He calmly watches as his parents are lifted and as they pass the chest of the giant alien, Katsu with his left Anjell Eye and green right eye doesn’t flinch when there is a *CRUNCH!* then blood pours down to the icy feet of the giant Iceman.

His vision pans from the blood puddle, up the lower icy body, passes the hard cold torso, and Katsu’s face finally shows emotion once his eyes land on the face of his parents killer within this specific nightmare.

Saku’s head is on the giant alien’s body and with the blood of Katsu’s parents on his face, Saku swallows his "food" and smiles at Katsu down below.

The "nightmare version" of Saku reaches down and at first, the icy hand looks as if it is about to grab Katsu. The 5 ice appendages ignore him and extends past him.

That’s when Katsu’s face starts to express real horror and fear of not being in control of the situation, even within his own head.

There is a sickening *SQUISH* heard of the hand crushing a human body to mush behind him.

Katsu slowly turns around, following the forearm of the nightmare beast. Katsu’s eyes start to fill with tears and he lets out a blood curdling scream.

From the top of the closed fist, is Shelly’s head, her body being the source of the horrifying squishing noise. The ice fist closes tighter and Shelly’s eyes pop out of her head and the nightmare Saku flicks his clenched fist, making the dead Shelly’s head easily pop off her crushed body and roll to Katsu’s feet.

Katsu, back to his innocent self, hyperventilates as Shelly’s severed head talks to him.

Nightmare Shelly: "You could’ve killed him by now, what’s more important, their acceptance of you, or my safety, Katsu?"

Katsu: "I-I-I can’t yet...If I kill him too soon, you will turn on me too, without knowing the situation! I’ve seen it all happen too many times already! I can’t stand this anymore, why do I have to go through this over and over!? Why can’t Saku just die on his own, without my interference? Please Shelly, don’t die anymore, don’t die anymore, don’t die any-"

{8:30 P.M. In Sanpaku’s Connected Captains Room}

Katsu: "Don’t die. Don’t die anymore... Don’t -"

Shelly: "Katsu!... Katsu!"

Katsu wakes up to the feeling of something tickling his face and the smell of clean flowers, vanilla, and ’love’.

Shelly: "Katsu! Plehehease wake up, please, Katsu!"

He opens his heterochromic eyes and is immediately face to face with Shelly’s angelic face, a grateful tear filled smile, leaning over him.

The ends of her beautiful golden hair touching his cheeks and her beautiful blue eyes drop two tears, both in liquid form, onto Katsu.

She falls on him in a hug and cries into his shoulder. The Valkyrie descendant, who just earlier defeated Laban DaeMon, is crying into her adopted brother’s new clean white shirt.

Katsu is heavily bandaged from his fight with Saku.

Katsu: "I’m okay, ’Shell’, really. Don’t cry. We made it back home safe."

Shelly wipes her eyes and sniffles while calming down but then Katsu remembers why they left in the first place.

Katsu: "Wait, where’s-!?"

Saku: "You’re welcome."

Katsu and Shelly both turn to see Saku, also bandaged up from his fight with Katsu, sitting in a chair in the corner with Friend asleep under his stretched out legs.

Shelly still trying to regain her composure grabs a tissue from the nightstand and blows her nose.

Saku: "Once you two decided to ’clock out early on the job’, I was left with the responsibility of not only getting you two back here, BUT I also had to help fulfill promises, that I didn’t make, to a bunch of people who I don’t know. So you’re both welcome."

Shelly tosses her used tissue in the trash but quickly turns around after hearing Saku explain what happened after the two invaders passed out.

Shelly: "Wait y-you actually stayed and helped bring all those people back here? After the beating and verbal abuse we gave you?"

Saku leans back with his arms folded, his broken left hand/wrist in a small amount of medical wrapping, he looks at Katsu and explains his reasoning.

Saku: "You know, while you both were out cold, I thought about all that happened today, and I’ve decided that I am fine with playing the bad guy to some, to ensure the few good people can be happy in this world too.

That means I’ll make some decisions and others may try to stop me. Somehow, I feel like I was created to be the ’lightning rod of hate in this world."

He looks at Shelly.

Saku: "I’ll prove to everyone, including myself, that as a loner, pushing people away, focused on gaining more power, that there is a good side to the ’bad guy’."

He looks down at his best friend and scratches the 4 year old pup’s ears.

Saku: "I know I can righteously hold that ’Mantle of Malice’ and give the world an outlet to dispose of their hate. While also guiding those who are lost in the shadows of darkness, towards the light of happiness. I’ll continue doing what I feel is right, sometimes making the lives around me, harder. Selfishly trying to help those who I think need my help."

Katsu looks at the same face that was in his extremely vivid dream, he had woken up from not even two minutes ago.

Katsu: "Hmph, you’re starting to sound like a real antagonist there, Saku. Good, accepting your role will make everything easier in the end."

Saku(sighs): "Listen, I know you both don’t like me, and in my mind, I see that as a good thing for us, cuz when it comes time to finally split up, it will be less hard to move on."

The ’Student Captain’ of Squad 40 steps in front of the outstretched "Black" of her Squad.

Friend wakes up and lifts his head.

Shelly: "What do you mean, ’when it comes time to split up’? You and Katsu are leaders of this sanctuary now! Not only that, Princess Kawaii loves you the most, and because the others see you as family, you’re stuck here with us until you die. When did you and where did you think you were going? Somewhere to abandon Itsuka again?"

Saku(sighs again): "Forced to stay somewhere, because of lives other than my own being held above my head once again. Why does everyone just assume Itsuka and I are now a couple? I haven’t asked her out. I’ve never made the first move on her, and frankly, seeing how I was right about the complications of relationships and freedom, having to worry about someone other than Friend, is honestly annoying. When I woke up this morning, I was given the responsibility, with this OP eye ability, to save people. All I tried to do today, was gain more powers to protect us all!

Not just Itsuka.

Not just the Princess.

Everybody!

HUMANITY!"

.....

.....

...

Saku: "But no, in one hand, I’m completely in love with a girl I met 3 days ago and in the other hand I feel the need to protect those cute pink eyes of young innocence that glow from just seeing me and my best friend. Now, because my hands are full, humanity as a whole might have to suffer..."

Shelly and Katsu look at each other after the deep realization and accidental confession from Saku.

Katsu gives a chuckle.

Katsu: "Well, Shelly already said you aren’t going anywhere, and you know whatever she says, stands. So, you better learn to be more selfish to those you don’t know, and less selfish towards those who care about you. At least while we still have the DaeMon clan to tame before Leviathan returns."

Saku sighs, thinks, and looks at Shelly, then at Katsu.

Saku: "That’s the difference between me and you. I can reflect how my selfishness today saved a pair of siblings from slavery and also a freaking ancient Norse sage that was captive for almost 1,000 years. She’ll be able to teach us more about this hidden form of magic. If I wasn’t selfish and didn’t sneak off today, those 3 wouldn’t be promised happiness tomorrow.

Yea, Shelly might have saved more people, but that was also a product of my personal agenda. The selfishness in response from you two, ended up making a bigger scene than what I was trying to create, but those people have been given change for the better.

Like I said Katsu, I’m perfectly suitable to ’absorb’ your manifested negativity, as well as anyone else’s thrown at me, to produce a positive.

It’s my own negativity I have a problem ’absorbing’."

The Yin thinks for a moment in silence and proposes an impasse to the falling out of Squad 40.

Saku: "I don’t know if you’ve told her your big secret for why you hate me Katsu, but I’m not going to change who I am, for someone I haven’t met in almost a decade.

Nevermind for people who I met only a few days ago. And whatever has happened to you since we were ’blessed’, I can live with it. You’re more of a dick now but it’s only towards me, so it’s not an issue."

Shelly: "What are you talking about!? Katsu isn’t ’a dick’ towards anyone!"

She suddenly gets a shiver down her spine.

Katsu: "Shelly, let him finish his monologue, please."

Shelly, like a perfectly trained pet, sits on the bed beside Katsu, silent.

Saku: "Whatever you may think of me, I am smart enough to recognize, with my Absorption Eye being able to hold an arsenal of powers...(looks at Katsu) your Communication Eye being able to completely overpower any other eye users and these aliens...(looks at Shelly) and the descendant of a Valkyrie warrior with the ability to take on anyone else these Anjell Eyes have no effect on..."

Saku looks back down at Friend and scratches the panting pup’s floppy ears.

Saku: "...with the new dynamic that has stimulated a change in this post-apocalyptic world, the three of us, ’together’, could take on any and every challenge threatening our individual happinesses. I know it sounds corny as fuck, but in actuality, the only thing stopping us from being the ’greatest’ in the whole world, is ourselves."

Shelly crosses her arms at the honesty coming from the tired, beat up Yin Vessel.

Shelly: "Do you remember what I said to you after you woke up from our first fist exchange?"

Saku slightly smiles, recalling one of the most earliest of moments in a series of events, so many events, ’Chapters’ worth even. The moment she’s referencing seems like a distant memory between now and then.

{Flashback to Squad 40’s first meeting}

Shelly: "If you want my honest opinion, your only redeeming quality as of right now is your respectable strength which can help me protect what I cherish most. In return to you, I won’t deny my ’womanly’ instinct to protect your dog, since it’s one of the cutest things I’ve been able to see in a long time...So stop being difficult to someone trying to rekindle an accidentally lost friendship. Hopefully you ’retaining’ his trust as friends again will give me a chance to gain your dog’s trust in return. And before you think of assuming anything, no, it’s not to ’steal him too’."

{End Flashback}

Shelly has gotten back up and walked up to the delinquent, looking down at him.

Shelly: "We’ve already agreed to help each other reach our peaks, until we defeat the enemies against humanity, that’s all I can continue to ask for from you. Once those threats are gone, then we can continue beating your ass, if you still feel like it."

She smiles and holds out her fist.

Saku snickers and gives a hard connect with his broken bandaged hand.

Saku: "I already told the both of you, I’m more than happy to supply the smoke.

Whenever.

Wherever.

To whomever."

From the barely open connecting door to Daisuki’s room, the mentor is listening to the squad he was entrusted with, smiling and the wet trail of a recent single tear.

Daisuki(quietly to himself): "I really thought my guidance had ’lost’ you three. I knew I could prove you wrong Nephilim. I can and I will, repent ’my’ way."

The adopted brother and sister listen to the cockiness of the delinquent they had jumped a few hours early.

Suddenly, Shelly remember something very important.

Shelly: "Wait, so what did you do with Laban? She didn’t wake up while you were having those people hop through a portal to safety, did she?"

Saku hesitates before shaking his head.

Saku: "N-No."

Shelly: "Aye! We just made up, and now you’re gunna clearly lie to my face?"

Saku holds his hands out and slightly pumps them up and down.

Saku: "Fine. Fine, I’ll tell you, jeez. But just so we’re clear, I did say that I will make decisions that others won’t agree with."

Saku closes his eyes, recounting the period of time the other two were KO’d from exhaustion.

Saku: "Okay so..."

{2 Hours Earlier. Roronora City’s Initiation Arena.}

The remaining audience members, who were told to wait, are standing at the same locker room tunnel they saw the winning warrior run into.

rom the darkness, the sounds of ominous footsteps can be heard and most of the group backs away, afraid of it being one of the Don’s goons coming to help her.

However, Saku emerges from the darkness, beat up, his hand still wrapped in the old basketball jersey, and his hair back up into a tight tied bun.

His Anjell Eye in 2nd Stage, the white streak of the pitch black Yin aura being the only visible part of the two tone aura. The dark aura becomes visible once he enters the light and the people back up in fear. The few men eye users get in front of the children and pets.

Saku scans the small group of less than 20 people.

Saku: "Are you the people the bit-... Are you the people Shelly expects me to help?"

They nod at the delinquent and he looks over towards the Main Stage.

The Don Laban is still out cold, now hog tied up, on center court. Saku sighs and turns to his right, looking at a cement wall to the locker room tunnel with his Absorption Eye of Wisdom.

A portal begins to quickly open, and the young boy who spotted the jump rope earlier, watches in amazement at the incredibly useful fast travel ability.

From the other side of the inner-dimensional hole, the familiar metal door with ’Head Hancho’ written in marker on printer paper, within Sanpaku can be seen.

The cautious group looks at the dark, ’sketchy’ scenery of the underground sanctuary, which also appears at first glance, the biggest and highest red flag of a trap to anyone unfamiliar.

The adults take another look at the beat up, delinquent Yin of Takamagahara, then at his face tattoo, and Saku can feel them silently judging him.

He addresses them while keeping his concentration on the portal.

Saku: "I’m only here because your ’hero’ gave my friend her sandwich a few days ago and I owe her a favor in return. So you all better start hopping through that wall to freedom, or don’t trust me and stay here in this oppressive city, where the ability to make your own choices, doesn’t exist."

There is still a sense of scepticism but then the youngest boy of the group runs towards the portal.

He hops right through and nothing happens to the brave, trusting kid. The rest of the fleeing group calmly makes a single file line and the men help everyone else through the portal hole first.

Once everyone else has gone through the hole, Saku makes his way home but then the heartbreaking sound of a woman taking a deep crying breath can be heard echoing in the ’almost’ empty sports arena.

Saku looks back over his left shoulder, showing both his broken heart tattoo and his Anjell Eye.

The DaeMon has awoken again, on center court, her wrists tied to her ankles, and tears are streaming down her face while looking at the Vessel of Yin.

Don Laban: "Please...(crying breath)... Saki-i, don’t leave me too. (deep crying breath) My-my parents were selfish! My sisters exiled me from the clan because I’m the dumbest and the weakest! Now Zoram is gone!(crying breath)"

Saku: "...I’ll see you in a month, Laban."

Laban: "Please Saki!...I’m willing to do anything to be accepted! Please! Just once! FORGIVE ME FOR MY SINS!"

Saku stops with his hand gripping the edge of the portal to Sanpaku.

Saku: "If you truly love me, prove to me you deserve to be forgiven. This isn’t a proposal, and I’m not saying we can be together forever if you do.

Just be a better person to your people for one month, Laban. Then maybe we can hang out. You seem like you can be a really cool chick, and when I return in 30 days for Shelly’s supplies, maybe we can share a blunt, you can show me what you’ve done to earn my forgiveness. I’d like to definitely meet your daughter too, not just for her eye powers."

Laban: "My-my daughter..."

The doors to the Initiation Arena open and the sounds of small lungs heavily breathing can be heard.

Rebekah DaeMon: "Momma!"

Laban DaeMon: "Rebekah! What are you doing-?"

She looks over and Saku has already climbed through the transfer hole.

Saku: "Until then, stay safe."

Don Laban’s echoing, heartbroken voice can be heard from Sanpaku as the portal hole closes.

Don Laban: "Saki! Plea-!"

The portal hole closes.

{Izanagi and Izanami Captains Room}

Saku: "...and then the portal closed. That was it."

There is a knock on the door leading to the hall and Shelly gets up to answer it.

Itsuka, with one crutch supporting her knee, is standing in the doorway with a black sweatshirt over her shoulder.

The injured woman lunges into Shelly with a hug, in excitement on sight.

Itsuka: "You two are awake! I’m so glad you guys are okay and back safe. Thank you so much, I’m sorry for causing a dramatic scene in the hospital room."

The beautiful, fit woman looks at Katsu now sitting on the side of his bed.

She smiles and carefully makes her *CLICK* *CLICK* way towards the Izanagi Division Leader. She hands him his ’Katsu 40’ sweatshirt back and kisses him on the forehead, making all three of the others in the room blush for their individual reasons.

Itsuka: "You truly are a reliable hero, just like the ones in those shows you really enjoy. Thank you so much Katsu. So what were you all doing before I interrupted?"

There is another knock on the door and the rest of Takamaghara barges in with Sol at the lead.

She gives Saku an instigating glance and smiles

Sol: "What you done crying into Big Sister’s boobs?"

Saku: "shut up..."

Shelly slowly turns her head showing Saku her gitty expression.

Shelly: "So, what did you leave out and not tell us, Saku?"

Saku: "Nothin’."

Itsuka: "It was really nothing, but if you want to know..."

{Back to 2 hours early outside Daisuki’s sketchy office.}

With the hole to Roronora City closed, Saku lets out a deep sigh, turning to face the small refugee group and he points towards the office.

Saku: "If you guys wanna wait, I’ll go grab the boss of this place. I’ll warn you, he isn’t a fearful leader like Laban, but he is extremely corny to make up for it."

As he begins walking down the hall, on his way to start his search for Daisuki, the sound of crutches hitting the cement floor can be heard echoing through the dark hall.

*click* *click* *cliCK* *CLICK* *CLICK*

Saku doesn’t need an eye ability to know who it is and he stands perfectly still, in both fear and nervousness.

The rubber stoppers appear from around the corner and rise up again.

*CLICK*

Itsuka emerges, her boot now off, but her knee brace is still on.

She turns her beautiful face and her eyes sparkle seeing Saku and the two EyeEngage.

Itsuka drops her crutches and limp runs towards Saku.

Saku: "why...?"

Itsuka’s tears fall out of their respective eyes.

Saku(thinking): *Why do you feel this way about me?!

I don’t deserve any of this type of affection!*

Itsuka stumbles and catches herself with her not fully healed ankle. A shock of pain runs up her body but she stays EyeEngaged and continues to hobble, her deep frantic breathing making Saku grab his chest.

Itsuka gets to Saku, a waterfall and blizzard of tears coming down her face.

Saku: "Itsuka, I’m -"

*SLAP!*

The ex-Roronora citizens look to see Itsuka’s outstretched arm and Saku’s turned head with a bright red hand print on his cheek.

He straightens back upright with pain tears in his eyes, then a firm but gentle hand grabs the back of his head and pulls him forward.

His face lands directly in Itsuka’s bosom.

Like his return from Son Goku City, he struggles but unsuccessfully gets away from the strong grasp of her love.

Itsuka knows just what to say to calm him down, within the inescapable, welcoming embrace of a woman who adores him. The sound of her soothing voice makes Saku become paralyzed by her verbal love.

Itsuka: "Welcome home, Saku. I love you."

The ’I love you’ hits Saku’s ears and he goes instantly still.

He stares into her chest and his voice quivers asking her.a

Saku: "Wh-What did you s-say?"

Itsuka presuming from what Saku has said about his previous home life, the 19 year old has never heard those words said directly to him before.

Saku’s eyes begin to fill up.

Saku: "Hey...What did you-"

Itsuka: "I love you, Saku and welcome back to ’our home’."

Saku loses all strength in his legs, but Itsuka holds his entire ’dead weight’ up, as he completely breaks down emotionally and buries his face in her chest.

While he is uncontrollably and continuously letting out muffled apologies into her shirt, the rest of Takamagahara, excluding Katsu and Shelly, appear from around the corner and smile at the heartwarming snapshot.

Itsuka softly pets the back of his head and neck, while slowly shushing the regretful man, to calm him down.

Itsuka: "It’s okay... It’s okay..."

Itsuka (thinking): *Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad. And if there actually is a God that was in control of us meeting, thank you so much.*

_______________________________

"Try as hard as you want, but when you truly love someone that loves you back, it can make you the strongest and weakest possible human you can be."-Mina Daisuki

[Roronora City Arc: The End]