Abnormal scenes

A sacrifice

The battle has been going on for a while, 30 minutes, an hour, maybe two? Bruises multiplying and deepening.. blood falling and staining the floor red. The halls were decked in people lying on the floor, unconscious or dead. It's unclear.

They all were hurt, but to Michiko, only one mattered. One out of tenths or hundreds. They lay on the ground, white eyes unfocused, and lids heavy. They were bleeding, so much. Blood spreading over white fabric and leaking out under them. Where was the wound? How much time did Chiyo have left? Michiko's mind was racing, thoughts uncollected, too many at a time. She was panicking, but her own state of mind was the least important right now. She had to do something.

Something ... to heal? Himari. Where was Himari? Himari could heal them! No.. it would take too long. They were bleeding too much, and Michikos' inability to close the wound only made her hands tremble more in fear of losing the first person who saw her as truly human. She couldn't let them die now, she was willing to do anything to help Chiyo.

Michiko looked down at Chiyo, a small, sad smile on their lips. They had already accepted their fate, they've stopped fighting. It made Michikos blood boil, just the thought that Chiyo didn't believe in themself, even in a moment like this. It would've been so much less painful to see them try to stay alive, press on the wound, try to get up, or call for Himari, but they didn't. Michiko was practically begging them to talk, say something. One last thing. Don't go, don't leave me. Stay. I need you.

It was quiet, Michikos eyes were welling tears, of fear or anger, even she didn't know. She would say that in this moment, she was fully conscious of what she was doing, but as if in a trance, she reached for the dagger she kept. It felt familiar in her hand, as she's held it many times before. She turned it a few times, contemplating while hanging over Chiyos half dead body. Was this a sacrifice she was willing to make?

What a weird question, of course it was. In this moment, to Michiko, it was the most rational decision. She was taught to act selfishly, but in this moment, she abandoned it all. Chiyo was too important.

So she held the dagger in her right hand. The hair was falling in her face, she didn't bother swiping it away. It didn't matter now. She was staring into Chiyos' eyes, and this was the moment they too realized what Michiko was up to.They raised their voice: "Michiko, don't do this. Please. Live for me, I know you can. I was supposed to die so long ago, it's taking me back now so please promise me not to do anything stupid." Their voice broke while speaking. Now it was Michikos' turn to smile, "Sorry," she murmured, "I'll miss you". Chiyos eyes widened as a choked sound came out of Michiko.

She had dug the dagger through her clothes and into her skin right below her ribs. Crimson blood and shiny blue mana trickled out of the wound and down on Chiyo. It made their stomach turn in nausea, the metallic smell of blood and the gurgling sound coming out of Michikos' throat as life was slowly fleeting from her didn't help at all. Chiyo was so in shock they didn't notice how the mana that's seeped through their clothes was slowly closing their wounds. As Michiko collapsed on top of them, all Chiyo could do was embrace their lifeless body and stammer apologies to no one.

This was Michikos' sacrifice. Her last decision. But still Chiyo was crying and shaking. She made that sacrifice for them. It was their fault she died. At least, that's what they believed.