Tidal Florette - A Painted Soul I

Yumi - 57

The door to the dojo shatters and for a moment Yumi sees the anger in Kaiya's eyes as she made her challenge, she sees Jin taking her place to face Kaiya, she sees Inei shooting Jin in the back. And the memories freeze at that moment Yumi knelt over Jin's corpse.

That moment when she heard Kaiya's footsteps approaching

That moment her hand touched Tsukarashi's hilt

That moment she was ready to kill Kaiya for what she'd done.

And the moment she let go.

I didn't want to stop you... Why should I go on if you don't want me here?... Why would I want to stay... If you want me dead...

She feels the kiss Kaiya gave her. She feels the fall off the cliff's edge. She feels the shocking chill of the ocean as she hits the surface. She feels the haunting silence as she sinks down deeper. She feels that confidence she could swim to shore if she tried. And she feels the moment she decided not to try.

The current shifts, pulling her deeper into the ocean. There's not much breath left in her lungs, but she remains under and lets the current take her away. As her body is spun around she keeps catching glimpses of the moon shining above. Each time her vision has darkened further as the clutches of drowning overtake her. Something inside her screams to breathe. I'm done... I don't need to be here anymore... It's better this way...

"NO!"

Leave me alone...

"Keep fighting."

Why should I?

"You can't give up."

She doesn't love me why would—

"Get. Up."

Her eyes open and all she can see is the moon, a cosmic spectacle sparkling right above as though it were touching the clouds. A flock of cherry blossoms dances through the air and reaches toward her in the form that resembles Jin and the voice she hears cry out sounds like thousands calling out like a choir resonating in the moonlight. "LIVE."

The light of the moon collapses on itself as it streams into Yumi's heart. Pain overwhelms her and she cries out in agony. She feels nothing but pain, and yet she is irrefutably convicted to find any reason at all. Her mind races with everything she's ever loved, every moment that brought her joy, all the dreams she's ever had, everything she felt Jin wanted her to become. But all of it is overshadowed with one question. Do you want to live? Even without her?

Even though the pain of her answer feels unbearable. She knows it's the truth. The truth that would keep her from taking her own life to kill Inei. The truth that would make her fight to the surface for another breath. The truth that can break her out of this place and return her to Sapha.

I want to live...

And so she does. Her eyes open to see Sapha's glowing emerald eyes hopelessly resigned to death. But the moment they see Yumi's open, a sad peace washes over them. "You came back..." She sniffles and laughs. "Just in time to die..."

Akkokaido's mouth is glowing like a gray sun as it raises itself up to unleash its draconic beam. Yumi smiles gently as she reaches up to wipe a tear from Sapha's cheek. "No... I came back to make sure we live."

She pushes herself up and steps around Sapha to stand between her and the night god. No more holding back... Time for the truth...

Closing her fists and her eyes she searches herself. Somewhere within lies a sleeping force waiting to be awakened. Taking a deep breath, her body aches with pain as she senses deeper. Somewhere, there's that voice that screams to breathe again. And that scream travels from the depths of her heart right out of her mouth as a radiance pulses around her body and excruciating pain courses through her. Somewhere, there's the core of her being that knows the truth can't be hidden anymore.