On The Side Of The Pitch With You

The Meaning of Family

"Zanark!"

As soon as he heard the call, he dismissed his team and sent them off elsewhere. The room they were in was big, but Zanark Domain wasn't exactly the friendliest bunch. If anything, them being there would probably cause more anxiety than he alone already was.

Besides, they already know of their newest member's condition long before it even happened.

When the large group arrived, and while leaning in his favorite position against the wall, he gave them all a smirk. "Well, well. Look what the bunny dragged in."

"Technically, it was you who dragged us here..." Shindou pointed out.

"Hah! I knew you'd say that. I was in charge of picking her up when it's time, so I figured why not bring the rest of you with me? Saves time."

"True..."

"Seeing as you're so cheerful," Kidou interrupted. "Does that mean she's doing better?"

The reply came with a shrug. "Beats me. No one's come out with any reports since they brought her in."

"What about your team just now?" A certain pony-tailed boy asked, popping his head out from near the back of the group.

"Nishiki! Long time no see!" His attitude heightened by just a bit when addressing him before he went back to the rather uncaring tone from before. "They were just hanging around. Had to kick 'em out so no one boils over. You know how we are."

Indeed, they (Raimon) did.

"How are you so calm?" Yuuka was next to voice out her thoughts, with a glare too. "Isn't she like a sister to you? Why aren't you worried like the rest of us?"

Another nonchalant shrug. "I knew you'd say that. What good does it do? You'll only end up being a thorn on the smart guys' sides."

... They kind of hated that he had a point.

"Besides, Zanark Domain had more time to process all this than you people did. Hell, we've had more time to process it than she did. We've already set up everything necessary for whichever outcome too, so all that's left for us is to wait."

"Set up?"

"For whichever outcome?"

As the rest of them turned to one another, Masato was the one to understand first. "You mean you're already prepared for whether she lives or dies?"

"Masato!"

"I'm just saying it how it is, mom."

"Do not say your sister is going to die!"

"The chances of her living is higher, right?" The father interrupted, perhaps to avoid an argument from breaking out.

However, Zanark was as blunt as always. "No clue. Though, I'm no doctor, but even I can tell that it was pretty bad."

"Zanark!" Gouenji was the one to hiss this time. "You're not helping."

"I'm not here to help." He said, finally standing properly to face them. "I'm here to give you all a reality check."

"Wha―"

"That kid's been dying since the day she was born. She wouldn't have made it past 20 normally, but the majority of you know she wouldn't have made it past five if it wasn't for me."

The ones who saw that forest incident could only look down, signaling their hesitant agreement.

"Wanna know something else fucked up? Her being born killed her birth mother. Her being born got her father hunted down for coin. Is there anything worse than that, you're asking? How about the fact that I sent her to your timeline thinking that she would be raised well just like Uncle Four-Eyes would've wanted, but ended up having to live in fear anyway? And for what? The sport that's killing us in the first place?"