[Charlotte] Seventy-Five Years (Discontinued)

Chapter 19: Distribute

The sound of the hospital's medical monitor echoed around the place, followed by the seemingly sigh of a certain maroon-eyed Otosaka. "Good thing you're okay," said him in utmost relief. "And Nishimori too."

Takajou, who was sitting at the edge of Yusa's hospital bed, kept gently rubbing his swollen cheeks--punched by Eisuke--using a pack of cold ice provided by the medic staff. "Yeah, I was ready to give it up for Yusa-san, but Eisuke-san went amok," explained the teen. "We only asked for his ability, and spoke about his background, then there he went," he sighed. "I tried dealing him damage--physically hitting him or using items to halt his movements--until he put dementia on me. I couldn't think straight. So our last resort was to go to you."

"How did you and Nishimori reach ZHIEND's concert location?" Asked Nao this time, facial expression unchanging. "It sure is pretty far for you guys to arrive to a place like that."

Blue eyes shifted onto the ground, unintentionally avoiding the lovebirds' gazes. "Yusa-san and I used my ability to reach you and Otosaka-san as quick as we could. But it turned out that his dementia also has the ability to use a bit of the witnessed power. He managed to teleport to where we are, and that was when Yusa-san called you for help."

Use a bit of the witnessed power?

Yuu immediately paid Nao a glance of surprise. "If he had seen how I controlled him, then would that mean he already has at least a bit of my ability?"

"I don't think so," responded the platinum blonde quick.

Does she have something up in her sleeves again?

"Next to your room is where Eisuke-san is," started the female. "We should get answers from him."

Though Takajou was still in the process of recovering, he decided to go along since Yusa was still resting; he wouldn't want to bother her because of his presence, not as of the moment. "Let's go."

An audible door creeking crept through Eisuke's ears; soonest as he had seen who came for him forced his gazes away from them. "Get out," was the only thing he said without paying them a look.

"The reason that he had fallen unconscious after what happened wasn't because of him overusing his ability," explained Nao. "It was because of you," then turning to her boyfriend.

M-Me?

Taking it a chance to defend himself and speak, Yuu took the stage. "Huh, why me? I didn't do anything."

"Which is what you thought," casually interrupted the young man. "I was aware I was under your damn control, but my body couldn't take that kind of power, causing me to fall unconscious."

Yuu, full of curiosity about the ability he was wielding, moved his face closer to the other's, eyes squinting quite comically. "What the hell is dementia?"

"Are you stupid?" Reconfirmed Eisuke.

"I'm not! I mean, I know what dementia is, I want to know what it is aside from being a dementia itself," cleared Shunsuke's little brother.

The stranger sighed. "Well, it has the ability to copy the abilities seen before it. It only consumes that saved ability once. It doesn't restore it."

"Ah, close to being like Plunder, but it only copies once. Still an interesting power, though," commented the platinum blonde.

The conversation ended soonest, and the three went out of Eisuke's room.

Before they were to head to Yusa's room, Nao crossed her arms over her chest, sapphire-tinted hues glancing them particularly towards Yuu.

"Wh--?"

"Any news about your Plunder improving?"

The latter turned his optics downwards, hesitation flowing through his veins. "Well, it's...," Yuu shook his head. "I'm still not sure. Takajou, can you do it?"

"I'm not exactly sure what you mean, but if you're asking me if we could do some testing, I will, yes," responded the man. "Only if it's something that wouldn't damage me more than I already am."

"Pfft," Yuu did his utmost best to keep the laugh to himself. "Teleport in front of me."

"Alright," it didn't take Takajou a second to appear before Yuu which indisputably had made the latter flinch because of surprise.

"Nao," after a turn, Yuu shifted his gazes towards his girlfriend, pointer finger moving in a circular motion before the platinum blonde stepped back because of an unseen impact. "Try using Takajou's ability."

In a jiff, the female teleported outside the room. "That is so amazing!" After, she returned to her coordinates from before. "Let's call that one..."

"Distribute?" Called the man in glasses.

"Sounds obvious," replied Nao upon flashing an expression of disagreement. Silently going along with the newly-named ability, the lass began again. "So, you have to see the power first, "grab" it off them, and pass onto others? You havet to be quick in real-time battle, though."

Yuu composed a tired face. "Right...," recovering from it, he glanced back at his male friend. "How's Nishimori?"

"Revitalising," cheaply said Takajou.

The three went in her room, and were startled to see her awake. "Yusa-san!" Takajou rushed towards her whilst unintentionally leaving the couple behind.

In return, the maize-haired lass sat up on her bed in a jiff, only to fall back on it again. "Oww..."

"Yusa-san, please don't push yourself. Take time to recover, and you're going to be okay," uttered him as he aided her to lay down.

The idol smiled tenderly and sincerely at him which undeniably made Takajou blush. "Thank you, Takajou-san...," she, then, began fiddling with her fingers, gazes forcefully making their way on the floor. "It's no wonder why I like you."

"L-Like? As a friend?" The council's vice president had went ahead of his assumption than making himself hope for nothing.

Yusa shook her head in a 'no' gesture. "I like you as a man, as Takajou-san..."

Yuu and Nao conversed through their eyes and opted to silently make their way outside. However, the man took this as an opportunity to ask something important. "What about your bro--"

Nao's cellular phone rang, ZHIEND's song echoing in the hallways. "Tomori-san?" A voice from an old man the president surely could recognise. "You are to leave Earth as soon as your friend has fully recovered. We have the vaccine ready, and we need all of you to help us make this work."

Quietness engulfed them thereafter.