Defeating the Borderlands

The end of the beginning

They watched in silence as the building burnt to the ground carrying their fallen friends away. Arisu and Usagi stood together holding each other, their tears had dried a long time ago. Niragi refused to move, sitting on the ground staring at the flames until they were extinguished – Usagi's words screaming in his head. Rose had died angry at him, knowing he almost did to her friend the only thing he had ever seen stop her. He had been angry with her after seeing her with the blonde and was looking for a release of his rage, how could he have been so stupid.

Chishiya and Kunia sat away from the others both questioning their choices that night, for the first time Chishiya was questioning himself.

Eventually as the building crumbled beach goers started drifting away, figuring out what to do next. Niragi left on his own throwing his rifle over his shoulders.

"Honestly, I hope I never meet any of you again" he said before leaving, they each took it in their own way. No-one was sad to see him go.

Chishiya and Kunia were next to leave,

"For what it's worth, I didn't want things to go down the way they did, I just wanted to get her out of there" Chishiya said to Usagi and Arisu.

"We all wanted to get her out" Arisu answered without looking up. He felt like he'd lost a sister, flash backs were coming through of Karube and Chota's death he'd lost another person he cared about. Chishiya nodded solemnly before turning on his heel and walking away – Kuina froze for a moment looking like she wanted to say something but the words died in her throat, she bowed before running after Chishiya.

It was another two hours before Usagi could convince Arisu to leave, she was afraid he would become the same shell he had after his other friends died – he knew that he couldn't – he had to survive.

For them.

For Rose.

For Usagi.

For vengeance.