Coroyakuza

Twenty Four|| Just One Last Time

"Pearl, do you think 8 is doing okay?" Marina asked, gazing at the city lights. The other girl sighed. It wasn't too long ago when they found 3 bleeding out on the street. The ambulance came and she ended up dying from blood loss. 8 was there to watch and the two couldn't help but feel horrible about what happened. The eldest Houzuki couldn't help but feel absolutely terrible about it. She had a lot of blood on her hands, and if she thought killing Eging was the worst of it, she was wrong. Pearl really liked Agent 8, she saw her as her own child sometimes. Seeing her gold eyes with tears in them hit the Oyabun like a truck.

"Probably not. She might be here soon to interrogate me though," Pearl answered. "Don't think I'm letting you off the hook either. I want to know why you kept blaming yourself for what happened," the octoling said, a hard expression plaguing her features. "3 played an important role in many people's lives. Callie and her got along very well. Sure, she and Marie hit a rocky patch but Marie did care about 3. Cap'n Cuttlefish thought 3 was cool. And 8," Marina looked down, "3 was so important to 8." Pearl bit on her lip, guilt apparent on her face. "I know." Marina's eyes were puffy from crying not long ago. The loss of 3 was hard on her too. The agent made 8 happy. Now that she was gone, the taller octoling didn't know how to help 8.

Just as Pearl had predicted, 8 came walking through the door of the large penthouse. Once she spotted the couple sitting down on the balcony, she came running towards them. "Are you gonna give me some answers?" Her gold eyes were puffy; even puffier than Marina's. Tears were still on her face and her nose was red. The taller octoling stood and held her arms out for Agent 8. The shorter girl stared at them before hugging Marina, crying into her chest. Pearl fidgeted with her fingers, listening to her girlfriend's soft voice whispering calming words to the crying agent.

"Pearl."
She instantly turned to Agent 8. "Tell me everything, please," the octoling wiped the tears from her eyes and gave Pearl a fierce stare. She nodded.
"3 came to me, not too long ago. She quit her job, and needed money. I gave her a job," The inkling guiltily glanced away. "Go on," 8 said, voice barely over a whisper. "I let her be a drug dealer. I gave her the stuff she needed. I told everyone to never bother her but-" she choked on her words, "that obviously didn't work, and she's dead." Marina frowned. "She's fucking dead and it's all my fault, so many people I loved are dead and it's all my goddamn fault." It was Pearl's turn to cry. She tried to wipe away her tears but they were falling too fast. "Pearlie, it's not your fault," Marina pulled her girlfriend into a hug.  "It's really not your fault, Pearl. I don't blame you," 8 gave her a sad look. "Fuck, I can't believe I'm crying." Marina took Pearl's hands in her own, "It's okay to cry." The two watched as the inkling frantically tried to stop. Marina turned to the smaller octoling.

"3 wasn't cheating on you," she stated, trying her best to say it while looking into 8's golden eyes. She nodded. "I know that now," she muttered, looking towards the city. "She loved me," she added with a sad smile. The three shared a moment of silence. Marina couldn't help but put herself in 8's shoes; watching her loved one slowly turn into a pool of ink. She ended up thinking about Pearl dying and prayed it never had to come to that.

8 stood up, "Thank you, Pearl. I'm gonna head home now, I'll- I'll visit you two again soon." The duo nodded and 8 left without another word. "I miss my dad," the short inkling said suddenly, sniffling. "Why's that?" Marina asked. "If he didn't die, he'd still be the Oyabun. He knows... He knew how to run this place. He taught Emperor how to become the greatest yakuza leader around because he was the first born son. But last minute, he realized I had potential. I was feared throughout this damn place. My little brother may have been taught to become Inkopolis' next yakuza leader, but I was the one chosen to inherit the name. I didn't know anything, Father had never shown me the ropes before. Maybe that's why I'm screwing up. I may be successful, but really I'm just winging this whole thing."
"Pearlie, what did your father say to you before he died?" The inkling sighed. She had only told Marina very little of her father. "'A man who hasn't prepared his children for his death has failed as a father,'" Pearl recited. "Has your father failed you?" The octoling stared at the city lights as she asked the question, a poker face replacing her usual smiling one. Pearl had to think carefully before answering.