Surviving The Borderlands

Chapter Thirty-Three

Eventually the others figured out that Momoko was the witch and the Game announced the level had been cleared. Everyone was re-joining back in the lobby, having barely survived the atrocities of the game.

Usagi and Arisu arrived, Arisu leaning heavily on Usagi for support. They had just fought Aguni and somehow come out on top, Kuina arrived with her arm around Ann helping the other woman through the crowd. The four stopped immediately upon seeing Rose's body.

"No!" Arisu shouted running to her despite his injuries, falling to the ground beside her crying, clutching her hand tightly as if it alone could undo this. There was a puddle of blood on her stomach that was seeping into the carpet around her.

Usagi joined Arisu on the ground hugging him tightly from behind unable to look at Rose's body. Rose was unstoppable, so how could she be dead?

Kunia left Ann and sat on the other side of Rose holding the girl's cold hand to her chest as she rocked back and forth. Tears blurring her vision as she wondered if her actions were what caused Rose's death, was her friend dead because of her?

"Who did this" a new voice demanded, a voice filled with pain and anger. The three looked up to see Niragi standing a few feet away – his head wrapped in his shirt and clear burns on his skin – even with the severity of his injuries the pain of seeing her lifeless was clear.

Eyes pinned to Rose's lifeless and pale body – he pointed his gun at the crowd demanding to know who was responsible.

"It was her" someone spoke up pointing to the girl with a hole in her middle "she shot the other one and then Last Boss stabbed her" Niragi slowly made his way to Rose dropping to his knees at her head. With shaking hands, he pushed her hair away from her face. She looked like she was sleeping, maybe that was it maybe she was just sleeping.

"That's what he meant, when I fought Last Boss – he hold me to join my friend in the afterlife. That I should be grateful I wouldn't die alone either" Kuina said quietly, heart beating rapidly as more tears filled her eyes.

Niragi shook his head searching the crowd again, eyes falling on Ann.

"Can't you do anything?!" he yelled at Ann; she slowly shook her head tears in her eyes.

"I – there's too much blood -" Niragi screamed – his scream was his soul breaking - this girl had walked into his life put his heart on a leash and kept walking – he couldn't believe that she was dead. She was too stubborn to die, she told him that. The girl that survived as much as she had didn't just die.

"She knew what you did" Usagi said quietly, slowly she looked up locking eyes with Niragi. She could see his broken heart just as she had seen Rose's break earlier. She wanted him to hurt like he had hurt them. He didn't deserve to touch her right now.

"You broke her heart, you don't deserve to touch her" Usagi's voice broke as she spoke of her friend, at least she looked peaceful now. When Usagi had seen her last she was shattered. She went to push Niragi away from Rose but was held back by Arisu.

"He loved her, let him grieve" Arisu said to her but she fought with him, eventually collapsing against him.

"She was shattered by what you and Chishiya did" Usagi spat out – she was angry, this was his fault – he was the reason the militants went mad.

"Guys the fire's spreading we gotta go" someone said walking up and trying to pull them from Rose's body but none of them wanted to move. Niragi's eyes stayed locked on Usagi's and she stared back unflinchingly. Niragi was breaking and Usagi was taking joy in seeing him in pain after what he had done.

Eventually they were all forced out by people pulling and dragging them out.

They stood at the front of the resort watching the building as it burned when Chishiya appeared next to Kuina, looking calm and condescending as usual. He raised a brow at her expression, her tears had now dried – there were none left.

"Glad to see you're ok" he scanned the group seeing that Arisu and Usagi were safe, a little roughed up but safe, that was good – he also had all the cards now so everything worked out. He kept searching for Rose's face, unsure what would lie ahead of them now but not ready to let her go.

Confusion crossed his expression when he couldn't find her, surely, she would be with this group. His eyes landed on Niragi who was sitting on the floor with his head on his knee's sobbing.

"Where is Rose?" he asked Kuina, she flinched a little unable to look at him.

"Kuina, where is Rose?" he asked again panic leaking into his tone.

"I'm sorry Chishiya, I'm so sorry – she's – someone – she was shot. She didn't make it" Kuina finally said, her voice thick with emotion.

"No, you're lying" he shook his head in disbelief, but when he re-evaluated the others faces – he knew she wasn't lying.

No, he was a doctor, he could save her. She was going to be fine. It couldn't be too late.

Before he realised what he was doing he was running up the steps of the beach but was stopped and thrown back by Niragi, of all the people he was the last that anyone expected to stop Chishiya – especially after their earlier interaction on the roof, one Chishiya was surprised to see he actually survived.

Chishiya tried to run inside again but was again blocked by Niragi in a bear hug that gave the blonde no room to move.

"I saw her, she's gone – the only reason I am not letting you go in there right now is because I owe it to her" his voice was so thick with emotion he struggled to get the words out. Chishiya kept fighting, unable to believe it – a cold seeping into his bones.

"She's gone" Niragi said breaking down.

Chishiya finally shoved him away but didn't attempt to enter the building this time. He looked to her friends Arisu and Usagi, Arisu sat in a trace watching the building burn. Usagi had a determined look on her face, trying desperately to keep it together – her anger protecting her from the pain.

Chishiya fell to his knee's clutching his chest. It had never hurt like this before, maybe it was a heart attack – but no, it was the pain of loosing her. He couldn't even cry – he just stared numbly at the ground before him, forcing himself to breathe.

Meanwhile inside the building.

Mira approached Rose on the floor looking her over with a smile.

"This one, she was fun to watch" she said, her companion nodded picking Rose up from the floor.

"She's still got a pulse but its faint, she's fighting".

"Excellent, go and get her fixed up ready for stage 2" Mira smiled as they exited the back of the building.

She smiled watching the building purged by the flames, sending the players back into the streets.

"This is going to be fun".