Blossoms of the Dark

CLXXXIII Shouto: Abyss

Trigger Warning:

- hospitalization

- death

- depressing thoughts

- heavy grief

- nightmares

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I have no one but myself to blame for this.

I swore that I would protect her.

Keeping in touch with her, reading the news articles, overcoming my own limitations ... I did everything I could think of to help her.

But all of my efforts turned into failures when I watch the news broadcast.

Breaking news: The League of Villains attacked the Hanada manor. Three dead. One seriously injured.

The police have set up a blockade around the perimeter of the mansion, preventing the media from coming inside. A part of me is relieved that I don't have to see the crime scene. Another part of me wishes that I did. At least I would know just how much in danger she was in.

My hands are planted on either side of my laptop, my face is glued to the screen. Morbid curiosity has me captive. And I simply have to know.

My Selene ... my sweet Selene ... she is the one in critical condition. She is undergoing treatment at the hospital as I am watching. The reporters say that the doctors are keeping silent about the kinds of injuries she has sustained. But if the methods of deaths are anything to go by, it would not be farfetched to assume they are severe.

Hanada-shi's oldest son was disintegrated to dust; one of his twin sons was burnt alive; the other twin was stabbed. There is no body of the first, and the corpses of the other two are beyond recognition. The remains are still where the murders occurred: Selene's bedroom.

The horror story my mind concocts from these details makes me rush to the toilet and retch.

The League had been planning this for months now. They had maps, so they infiltrated the mansion. They knew where Selene's room was. At least three of them bided their time, waiting for the right moment to strike. Three villains for three boys. Shigaraki must have been the one to do the decay. The fire one must have been Dabi. Then the spearing one must have been Toga. So who hurt Selene? Was it one of them? Was it all three of them? Was it someone else?

Did they make her watch?

Did they torture her first?

Could I have done anything more?

Nothing comes out, but the nausea persists. I manage to get up on my feet and exit the bathroom. Since Hanada-shi and the servants are busy with the officers' investigation, the reporters interview the family his son was supposed to marry into.

The patriarch spews some bullshit about feeling sorry about what happened. He makes proclamations about ensuring the Hanadas get recognition, bringing up this issue in legislation, fighting to pass laws about better protection of Japan's citizens, and denouncing the League of Villains.

Selene was right. This guy only cares about his political agenda. The marriage would have helped him immensely, but he is quick to seize opportunity and make it about him. Even once have you stopped to consider if she was okay? It's a stupid question. No. He must have not. When he was willing to make her perform, despite knowing of her disability, he would not care about her nearly being murdered.

While the media was waiting for updates, they asked the police, the heroes, and the public at the scene for their opinions. All their statements made one thing clear: no one saw Selene as a human.