Help from Hidden Writers

Never Hesitate, Part 2

"Akinori, wake up!"

"Urgh, I don't want to, Keisuke..." the 15-year-old groaned out to the 13-year-old as he lay on his bed in their shared house at the Arihoshi shrine.

"You have to wake up, Akinori! We have intel on where Ayame is!"

"WHAT?!" Akinori shot up hearing that. "You do?!"

"Yeah," Touma, who was leaning on the wall, nodded. "Tank did some recon and found out that she was being held at their main base."

"Your old school, right?" Akinori asked.

"Ah," Touma replied.

"I already have a plan in mind," Keisuke added. "But I want your interjection, as always."

"All right then," Akinori quickly got off the bed. "What do you have?"

Keisuke took out his notepad from one of his pockets and started to draw a map of Shuka's main base, "Okay, so we'll be attacking it 3 way. I'll take Jorogumo, Rasen and Mister Movien to attack the front, while Touma will attack the back with Manami and Kouji. Meanwhile, Akinori and Tank will go into the fortress using Ungaikyou to rescue Ayame. Is that good?"

"Good as always, Suke," Akinori used his nickname teasingly, causing the said guy to playfully hit Akinori, "Shut up, Kinori-nii. Tou-nii, back me up."

"No back up for you this time, Suke. After all, who was the one who went and stole my copy of Masks?" Touma grinned a bit.

Keisuke pouted a bit, "There was an error in that copy. I just had to change it for a while."

"You are a true mangaka, Suke," Akinori chuckled.

"But at any rate, we have to get ready for the attack," Touma brought them back to business.

Keisuke's eyes grew cold, "All right then, let's go."

Keisuke never went into the battlefield with any armour. He rarely understood why they had to use it when it only weighed down on them.

Just to make things clear, this is the same guy who always comes back without a single scratch on him.

Right now, he and Jorogumo were fighting back to back, destroying Shinma left and right. As always when fighting, Keisuke's eyes were cold and merciless as he killed the Shinma with the Fudou Raimei Ken (Fudou Myouou Boy had given it to him before he was sent into a coma), remembering how it had all started with his incompetence.

He called himself an analyst, but he couldn't even know when his own sister was looking for revenge on the drunk driver that killed their parents. Because of it, Shuka could fully awake. That's why he forced himself to break his mask down completely, so that no one would ever be hurt ever again by his inability to help.

"Keisuke, you going good on your side?!" Jorogumo yelled as she destroyed the Shinma with her webs.

"OH!" Keisuke nodded before he kicked some Shinma away, only to see someone stand on the battlefield. His eyes narrowed.

"Jorogumo, you get the others and retreat. Shuka's here," he commanded.

Jorogumo understood his meaning, "Be careful, Keisuke. Don't get yourself captured."

"Got it," Keisuke grinned at Jorogumo, who knew that he only did that when he wanted to reassure them, but she knew that Keisuke needed this chance, so she whistled to Rasen and Mister Movien, a sign for them to retreat. The two of them immediately complied. 

Soon, it was only Keisuke fighting the Shinma.

Finally, I can let go. 

Upon arriving at the battlefield, Shuka was greeted with a near stab to her leg. Luckily, she dodged and grinned at him, "Hello, dearest brother." 

"Shuka," Keisuke darkly replied as he charged again, which she parried with her whip. "Why are you here? I thought you were comfortable with the castle." 

"Relax, dear brother," Shuka smiled. "I only want you, Tsukinami and Arihoshi. Nothing more, nothing less. Unless, of course, you want to have more blood on your hands." 

Keisuke growled as he cut it into pieces and tackled her to the ground, "What's the point of all this?! Why go after me, Akinori and Touma?!" 

Shuka then chuckled evilly. Her tone changed, "Why, isn't it obvious?" 

Keisuke froze. T-That was... Neechan's voice?

"Natsu-chan and I are one and the same. She wants you to be with us, so who am I to deny her that request?" Shuka's tone came back. 

"N-Neechan does?" Keisuke looked shocked. "W-Why? I-I thought she hated us." 

Her tone changed again, "I can never hate you. You're my brother." 

"However... Why do you fight us, dearest brother? You know that Arihoshi and Tsukinami might be spies. You can't trust anyone in these times," Shuka pushed forward, switching their positions, with Keisuke now below her. 

"Ever since Shutendouji put up the barrier that blocked the city away from the world, I've never been happier. Because of him, I could finally get revenge on that jerk who killed our parents-" 

"Revenge isn't the answer, though!" Keisuke shouted as he struggled to escape. 

"Hee, would the you with Kenji's accident still fresh in his mind say that?" 

Keisuke paled drastically, "Y-You don't know w-what you're talking about..."

"You know I killed them for your sake, and yet you still think that I hate you? You're so oblivious. But don't worry, I'll open your eyes to the truth, if you let me. All you have to do is to say 'I love you, Shuka.'" 

"I..." Keisuke felt conflicted. 

One side of him wanted to say those words, to join his sister- no, Natshuka felt more fitting- and help her. 

But the other side knew that that side was his mask, trying to manifest after being so forcefully torn down in the course of a year. The part of him that let everyone see his sister's good side. The one that still yearned for her. 

And that side also knew that it was his job to bring her back to the light. 

No matter the cost.

"Never!" he declared as he finally pushed Natshuka off  him. "No matter what, I will NEVER join your side. Got that?"

Natshuka could only chuckle, "We'll see, dearest brother. We'll see." before she disappeared. 

Keisuke took in a deep breath as he calmed himself, rubbing the two rings on his fingers.

Don't worry, Neechan. I WILL bring you back. I promise on Ken-chan's name.