K-ON!: Shattered Dreams

Chapter 26: Blackout

Ritsu, given the damage that she had taken, was forced to crawl across the cold floor to try and at least get to one of her band mates. Of course, she found Azusa first. As much as she and Azusa couldn't co-exist, she helped Azusa up.

"You all right, Azusa?" The 2nd guitarist only gave her a glare. "...Sorry, reflex question."

"Well, if you mean battered, bruised and utterly abused, then yes, I'm totally okay." Azusa replied sarcastically, only to garner an annoyed look from Ritsu as she helped the 2nd guitarist up. Mio on the other hand helped out Tsumugi, who took a battering in Sawako's hands.

"You guys both okay?" Mio asked. "Look, we really need to get out of here."

"What about Yui? We can't just leave her here." Just as Azusa mentioned that, Yui was holding her own against Sawako, even if she took a nasty punch to the face that sent her sliding down the icy walkway. However, she managed not to stumble and fall. She looked back at her friends who were trying to make a break for it, and all so for the better. Yui didn't want them to be caught up in her battle anymore.

"I'll be FINE! Just get yourself out of here and regroup at home! I'll deal with this menace." Yui ran right back into the thick of the action.

"You heard the lady. Let's scoot on out of here right quick!" Ritsu said at the rest of the team, holding on to Azusa as they try to exit from the premises. However, Mio looked back, and she saw the body of the downed Akiyama.

"...Ritsu, hold on to Mugi for me and get yourself out of here." Mio said, passing the keyboardist over and immediately running back to pull Akiyama out of harm's way. When she did, the hooded one came to, looking a bit dazed after the beating she took.

"U-ungh... my head... gh... I really hate it when this happens." Akiyama then looked up, seeing Mio trying to help her. "What... are you still doing here? Get out of here... and leave me here to die."

"Not gonna happen, Akiyama. As much as I dislike you, death isn't an option for anyone." Mio said, helping her clone up and wrapping her arm around her shoulder. Akiyama, however, was still puzzled by Mio's actions.

"...Why? Why would you do this for someone like me... the one person who treated you like total crap and almost killed you...?"

"Listen up, Akiyama." Mio said, assertively at that. "Don't you dare ask for your own death ever again, or I'm going to beat the living crap out of you. If you want to die, then die of old age. Ever thought of that?" Akiyama couldn't bring herself to argue back. She wasn't in a state to do so anyway. All she did was sigh at Mio.

"I guess you won't let me go that easily, clone of mine." That, however, earned a sharp elbow to her hip. "Ow!"

"Call me by name. No more of that 'clone' crap, Akiyama." She said, continuing to haul Akiyama away from the fight.

This left the two combatants, the highly volatile and insane Yamanaka Sawako, and the young and heroic Yui Hirasawa, facing each other. Both of them fired of salvos of ranged attacks, and when they got close, they tried to at least lay a scratch on each other. However, both of them weren't willing to let the other hit them, and as such there were countless stalemates. At the end of it all, both of them stood across each other, both of them sweating and panting hard. Yui's fatigue was more noteworthy, as she had to face down Akiyama earlier, thus she began to grow a tad bit wearier than Sawako.

At this stage, however, Yui wasn't about to give up. She wouldn't allow herself to give up.

"Resilient little girl, aren't you, Yui?" Sawako taunted, getting ready to attack once more.

"What's it going to take to keep you down, Sawako?" Yui responded, charging in once again, firing off lightning bolts as a distraction. Sawako once again blocked them, but even in her weary state, Yui still had her speed to use, as she successfully managed to get up in her face and slash right at her with her battle fans. Sawako tried to dodge it, but got nicked right on her cheek. This time, Sawako wasn't having any of it. Instead of letting Yui retreat, she caught Yui by her neck and immediately slammed her right into the ground, choking her once she's got her pinned with one hand. Yui tried to break free, but Sawako kept raining punches on her body and face to debilitate her.