With Every Step

29. Exhaustion

Amon never expected that one day he would be scouring Tokyo with a metal detector, or that it would be the difference between life and death for tens of millions of people.

He, Akira and the Juuzou Squad (he still couldn't believe Juuzou had such authority... how the young delinquent had grown) were working together, Apressing their detectors periodically along the gigantic kagune and waiting for a result.

The message that Squad 3A had gotten a reading was a relief, but right after, strange humanoid creatures started appearing en masse. Amon moved to Akira's side, watching her withdraw her quinque with a frown. She had told him that she and Fueguchi had a discussion about it which ended with the latter telling Akira she didn't want it back.

It had been a long while since he last fought alongside her, but back-to-back in such a dangerous situation, it didn't matter—they were finding a new rhythm in their movements. Amon lost track of time as the battle dragged on, corpses piling up on the ground. He had just impaled another one of those monsters when they suddenly stopped fighting and fled.

"Haise..."

Akira's whisper made him turn in the direction she was looking at. The Quinx had returned, and one was holding a covered body in his arms.

The next few hours were a flurry of activity. Eyepatch was taken for medical treatment, and there were few people—from either the investigators or Goat—who weren't worried for him. The moment they were told that he was allowed visitors, he and Akira made their way to Eyepatch's room.

Right near the door was Yonebayashi, who clearly hadn't noticed them until Akira asked, "Aren't you going in?"

The girl startled, and Amon tried for a polite smile as she looked at him. The one and only time they had conversed was during their fight, but she didn't seem to hold any ill-will about it, considering she had volunteered to fight with Goat after his speech to the CCG.

Akira opened the door and the three of them entered, joining the others who were gathered around the stretcher.

Amon didn't know who was the first to yawn, but soon enough, the exhaustion had caught up with everybody. It had been a long day, after all, and there was only so long they could run on sheer willpower.

"Get some rest," Rabbit said, once Yonebayashi fell asleep on Eyepatch. "I'll watch over him."

None of them argued, leaving Rabbit to her vigil.

However, even as people nodded off one by one, Akira's tired gaze didn't move from Eyepatch's body. Amon had no words with which to comfort her, to take away the sorrows and regrets. Instead, he touched her hand, making her face him. He didn't have to say anything—she intertwined her fingers with his, squeezing, before resting her head on his shoulder. Leaning on the wall, he closed his eyes and hoped that brighter news would await them after their sleep.