Fallen Rose

Remorseful Reassessment

The two bloodied men sat in the back of a firetruck as the crowd slowly began to let up, only firemen standing. The fire had been nearly put out, some remaining flames here and there. They weakly waited for the ambulances to return as they reflected. Hiroshi trembled from the cold rain and the memory of tonight. Not only did Billy lose a life dear to him, but in return, he took a cruel, cruel life. He just couldn't wrap his head around the fact he had let Zerox use him like that all those years. He could've left, found a better life sooner if he had only realized... and Billy ended it all for him. He looked up at the taller man, who was in a bloodied daze. Gore dripped from his wounds as he was deep in focus, seeming to be disturbed.

Though, this is a fair reaction... he had just lost the life of a childhood friend, after all. Not to mention nearly all that remained of what could be considered a family of his was simply gone. Though the two that remained held nothing against him, there was no way he could brush it off. Not to mention a woman he never realized he knew just sacrificed herself for him, for his mother... a mother killed by some new guy. Now he has a dead idol, with the blood on his hands... though the realization he was an awful man, the whole night disturbed him. He wasn't quite sure just when he'd get over it, if ever. He just wanted it to be all over.

He leaned against Hiroshi, sighing as he stared ahead into the rainy night. He squinting, noting something headed towards them in the distance. He saw something noticeably small, running fast in his direction.

"Mroooow!'

"Jasmine...?!" A bloodied Billy gazed up at the speeding cat. He and Hiroshi sat on the back of a firetruck, rain attempting to wash away the gore as it just gushed in again. Jasmine hopped up on his lap as he held Hiroshi close, who kept relatively quiet as they both were weakened. Billy simply grinned as the cat got to work, sensing out his wounds as he felt his bleeding stop. He lifted up Jasmine, brushing him against Hiroshi as to ease the mood. Hiroshi eyed him with sorrow as Jasmine began to fix him up.

"BOYS ....!" Katsumi yelled, jogging towards them. The rest followed behind, Michael peering through, looking notably assured.

"Just as I said..."

"Not now, Michael- Oh, god." She caught a better glimpse of them as she kneeled down, examining their scars. She brushed Hiroshi's hair out of his face, noting his saddened expression. She wiped at the remaining blood that hid from the rain, relief at Jasmine's healing.

"What the hell happened....?"

Hiroshi sighed, lips trembling as he teared up. His breath halted a bit as he hesitated, anticipating Katsumi's reaction.

"It...It was..." He hung his head down, puffing his cheeks. "Zerox...."

Katsumi stayed silent as her face twisted into an angered shock. She clamped his shoulders in panic, determination in her eyes.

"Where the fuck is he? What did he do to you? I swear to god I'll kill that slimy bastard-"

"He's dead. He tried to kill us. But he's dead."

Katsumi gasped, her eyes widening in a peculiar relief. She shook her head, Hiroshi in the eyes, confused.

"How...Did you?"

"No, not me..." He motioned at the man right beside him, who tried to keep positive. "Billy did. Tore his heart clean out."

Katsumi's mouth sat agape, shooting her glance over to Billy. Her demeanor seemed to change greatly, though anger still found in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around him, withholding tears.

"Billy...You...You beautiful bastard!" She squeezed him tight, Billy taken by surprised as air began to escape from him. "I can't believe it...the only who really put an end to that sicko! I could never thank you enough-"