"I didn't want to kill her."

It's Ayano's fifth attempt at speaking, this time it is actually coherent.

"You did-"

"Of course I did what I had to do!" Ayano cuts off her friend, fuck, her best friend who seen her at her worst and that being said, what even is her best?

Saving the world sucks!

The turtle god said she's the chosen one.

The mad scientist said she's sick.

The human claiming to be her mom said she's an Aishi.

"What am I, Info?" Ayano dares ask as she stares at the corpse of Oka Ruto.

The demon arms are gone at least, that's the only good thing that came after stabbing the goddamn katana through her. But Oka's lifeless body remains and there's a radiating coldness that shames Ayano.

For all the blood Ayano has spilled, for all the things she has done in the name of love, what reward would ever be hers?

She always imagined a grand love story, one severely illustrated in her mother's nature, with an overdose of the emotions and colors she craves.

Yet the sensations she desired did come to her, she made friends, enemies, and felt a war on earth and in herself. None of her fears or joys made her inhuman, it just made her Ayano.

Can she be happy with just that?

The redhead, covered in scratches with blood idly dripping in droplets, limos her way over to Ayano, over to the dead and murdered body,

"You're Ayano Aishi," she says as if that's the easiest thing in the world, as if that name is not the heir to insanity and desperation. "Also, you'd never be satisfied with any answer from me or anyone else."

She can only shrug, a part of her still frustrated and relieve at that statement.

After all, if she hates every little comment from Kaga's mouth and her mother's guiding hand, maybe she shouldn't turn to other people for self-discovery or answers for the universe.

Like, look where Oka got herself into, all for some questions or reasoning that are beyond Ayano.

She's still dead by Ayano's hand though and that thought is not pleasant.

The silence, the ambience that told the two girls that everything really is over, is broken with muffled yelling from beyond the clubroom.

On instinct, Ayano summons the katana back to her grip, stepping in front of Info as someone kicks open the damaged door frame. It's a new feeling swelling up inside of her, a need to protect someone instead of killing someone.

Her priorities are proven right when long time to see, Nemesis barges in with a hand gun. The agent takes in the room with narrowed eyes and a frown.

She calls out to the hallway, "Found the target." Nemesis doesn't bother to look at the two girls and just goes over carefully kneel over Oka's body. A small scanner device is waved over the corpse and they hear Nemesis report to her ear piece, "Captain to base, target is confirmed dead."

Finally Nemesis turns to Ayano and Info, her gun held down but the murderer knew better. She has seen the agent in action, she doesn't need a gun to be a threat, just to be intimidating.

But it's the cold look in her eyes that truly scare Ayano. She has hated this woman the moment she entered the school, acting as if she owns the place.

"So," Nemesis settles with a friendly tone, "I see you two made it out alive. I ran into Kusha earlier, caught me up to some extent but I needed to see this for myself." She glances back to the dead body and then stares at Ayano, "Good job, Aishi."

An involuntary shiver goes down Ayano's spine and she hisses back, "No, no way, hell no." There's a firm grip on her arm as she realizes her whole body is shaking. "You do not get to say that to me."

"Ayano," Info warns quietly and dripping with concern that Ayano flinches from the sheer amount of it.

The blood stained girl can't stop shaking, heat building up inside her and her eyes feels wet and hot and she growls, "I did your job."

The job that Nemesis has been trying to coerce her into doing because she's nothing more than a tool right?

But tools don't shake as if their world is crumbling, they don't cry as if they have feelings that are both new and old and finally resurfacing inside her and it's a relief.

It almost pains her as she grits her teeth and glares at the woman, "You should not be telling me good job, you should be thanking me."

Nemesis stares at her, taken a back, as if seeing something for the first time. Slowly, she holsters her gun to offer up her hand, "Thank you Ayano. You saved the other students and many more."

Ayano's eyes guiltily flickered to Oka, as if expecting the body to rise or rot. Clamminess takes over her throat so she can't make any rude retort to the agent.

To her own surprise, she actually shakes Nemesis' hand.

The woman lets something slip out of her professional face, whispering softly, "I'm sorry for everything."

Everything, Ayano's not sure what accurately defines that word anymore.

A boy used to be her everything. Minutes ago, everything was the world because it was about to end.

Now what is her everything?

Nemesis's business attitude returns, "My team is evacuating the school, medical staff are at the ready in the courtyard, and well, the civilians are still testing the barrier's strength."

The relief of good news finally settles the rattling in Ayano's bones.

It's all over. They can finally leave the school.

Ayano doesn't waste another second, holding onto Info and practically drags the bruised girl out.

Nemesis doesn't follow, examining the corpse once more, frowning.

At least Info's on the same page of getting out of here as fast as they can, although the aches and pains takes a toll as they support each other on walking down the ruined halls.

"This all went better than I expected," Info admits. "You really did it."

"It was a team effort," Ayano sighs, "You, me, and Oka." Info's shocked eyes appear almost comical behind her broken lens. "I saw her, her eyes were back to normal the moment I stabbed the katana clean through. She let the demon lose."

Throughout the entire fight, Ayano didn't pay attention to her eyes. Hey those arms and sharp nails were a threatening priority.

It was a miracle when Ayano broke through the defensives to actually swing at Oka's body.

But it wasn't a miracle or some deity to thank, it was Oka because that split second where Ayano thrusts the blade into her, Oka's eyes regain color and awareness and tears and humanity.

"I saw her, the real Oka," Ayano continues her eulogy, "and I killed her."

It was all the things Ayano wished she had from the beginning, and she let those be someone else's at the end of their life.

"Or," Info suggests with a high note, "she let you kill her. Maybe we actually got through to Oka in the end."

The redhead stares her down as if prepared to counter the guilt-ridden thoughts consuming Ayano.

Maybe Ayano would listen, but not right now, all she wants is to see the sun.

The two girls make their way to the room where the Club Presidents detonated the bombs. Meanwhile Nemesis' agents are surveilling the entire school, poking and prodding around for magic or ghost or whatnot because Ayano doesn't care about them.

Maneuvering over the complete rumble that is a classroom with half its wall collapsed out, sunlight finally touches Ayano's and Info's faces and the flurry of noise is comforting.

Their feet meet the outside world and they see all the remaining students and medical trucks just as Nemesis promised. There are kids crying and hugging, some are eating protein bars as if they're a full course meal, other are running out of campus to the crowd of rowdy civilians, parents, and reports held back at the far away school entrance.

Ayano takes a deep breath of air, taking in the wide athletics field that hosts some medical tents. She starts to lead Info over there until she spies purple and blue not too far off.

Info doesn't hesitate to push Ayano in that direction, her knowing smile acting too silly for her own good, "Go ahead, I'm still an ordinary student that doesn't know you after all."

The love sicken girl may never understand the info broker's need for secret identities. But that doesn't matter right now as Ayano practically dashes with all her might to reach Kokona and Saki.

The girlfriends have exited a tent, both covered in bandages and wraps but otherwise they appear healthy. When they notice Ayano's sprinting form, they met her halfway, running over just to latch the girl into a tight embrace.

"You're okay, Ayano!" Kokona begins to sob, "We couldn't find you and I worried so damn much and you're okay!"

Saki lightly jabs a finger at Ayano's forehead, "I thought you ghosted us, like you turned into a ghost and haunted us and we would never know if you're really dead unless we threw a séance but we're not stupid enough to do that but it would be tempting because we would miss you!"

That was a lot of nonsense that Ayano could barely comprehend and yet, the hug and their tears, Ayano can't remember another time she felt so cared for.

She hopes her weak attempt at a hug, squeezing them both in her arms, conveys how much Ayano misses them.

Ayano finds herself gasping, "Kokona! Saki!"

It's a shudder of breath, greatly preferred over gross snotty nose or teary eyes on Kokona.

These two have become her oldest friends who know nothing of her real horrors and yet when those dark tendencies peak thought he veil, Kokona and Saki are still there.

They're alive and breathing and more importantly, they see Ayano and they don't see her as anything other than a friend.

Safe, that's the word Ayano settles on, a term she never thought would be associated with a girl like her.

"We never doubted that you bit the dust but I wouldn't put it past you if you fought off the clones, oh yeah Midori has clones, can you believe that?" It appears that Saki is still rambling, the great amount of insanity finally getting to her.

So Ayano politely flicks her nose, "Stop, you're gonna hyperventilate."

Saki's glare isn't effective due to the relieved smile tugging on her face, "Gee thanks."

"I'm so glad it's all over," Kokona releases the death hug to simply hold Saki's hand, "Now there's only one thing left to do."

Ayano tilts her head, thinking about the demons that escaped into the world, Oka's corpse, Nemesis being a watchtower, and the school probably getting shut down. "Really, what's that?"

Kokona has the widest smile ever as she looks over to the cherry blossom tree still standing tall in the back field.

While Saki is wordless, staring wide eyed at her girlfriend, Ayano friendly interjects, "Wait is it Friday?"

"Doesn't matter!" Saki chirps out suddenly and before Ayano knows it her two friends are running to the tree, almost tripping over theirs selves.

Their hands still interlocked.

Something a kin to nostalgia claws at Ayano's heart.

Hundreds upon thousands of fantasies catch up to her as she once imaged herself and her truest love, her soulmate, standing where the pink petals fall and the wind sings in harmony.

That sweetness taste bitter and metallic. Unease pilling up in her stomach and the feeling opposite of want kicks around Ayano's being.

It's a useless dream now, that wish for a love that was never hers. One does not earn love simply through bloodshed alone. Her acts of love were entirely selfish, unkind, and not even original. It's what her mother wanted her dear daughter to grow up into.

Ayano doesn't know what she wants yet she still wants.

It's normal to crave affection and comfort and the feeling of being loved.

But the knowledge of her mother's love taints Ayano's definition of what the heart wants, of what the heart needs to be human.

It is too much for Ayano Aishi to ask to be loved?

The feelings she gets from being around Kokona, Saki, and Info is surprising and new and even rewarding but that's only one side to her problems.

That's when she sees the two people that have tormented her heart from the beginning.

Osana and Taro and some other strangling students are approaching the front of the school where a security detail is escorting family members pass the barricades and the crowds of reporters.

Ayano finds her feet are moving before she realizes that she's shouting their names. "Osana! Taro!"

Seeing them both turn around, shock and joy and smiles and it just sends both good and bad feelings to her core. Ayano had wished two different kinds of suffering upon them, one disguised in love and the other in constant agony.

Her eyes are wide open and still she can't believe that both Taro and Osana are close to tears and running to her as well, enveloping her into a hug, just as tight as the earlier hug Ayano cherished.

Everything that was taught into Ayano, how to love, how to kill, how to feel complete, it meant absolutely nothing to her as this moment nuzzles down into her soul.

False anger for this girl and false love for this boy has tugged at Ayano's consciousness since the moment she met them but now, this warmth in their hug, gratitude and relief to see them safe and live, not just them but her other friends as well, that's all true.

Ayano finally gets something beyond her mother's influence.

Her friends cling to her.

"How dare you drive us mad with worry?" It's been a while since she seen Osana be her typical self, pretending not to care too much about someone close to her. Instead of the usual boy, it's Ayano on the receiving end of her grumpy frown with wobbly, teary, eyes.

Taro manages to pull through the tears to laugh, the loudest Ayano has ever heard. It's one of utter happiness if Ayano could judge so, and she stalked the poor boy for some solid months.

"After all of this craziness," Taro finishes his laughter, "you're still a tsudere."

"What?" Ayano balks, looking between the two. "Is this actually happening?"

She's more surprised that Taro actually knows that word over the concept of Osana genuinely caring for Ayano, considering their origin.

The girl in question detangles herself from the hug, her mouth a gap and cheeks red, "Oh shut up! I know you're just as mad as I am about Ayano's recklessness." Osana faces Ayano down, that grumpy expression going up a notch. "We had no clue if you were going to make it out with us. Kokona had the strongest faith in you but sometimes I," tears shed from her warm colored eyes, the sight of it sending great alarm to Ayano, "I got really worried, okay!"

Ayano glanced over to Taro, needing any sort of hint or guidance on how to react to this.

He uselessly offered a smile, a stupid smile that only makes Ayano want to strangle him.

Wow, it took this long to realize that maybe, just maybe, Ayano had rose tinted glasses on.

Okay, she knows for sure that Info would slap her head for that.

Still though, taking one from Kokona's page, Ayano simply grabbed Osana's hand and patted it. "I believe you. I get that you avoid announcing emotions as much as me and so I know whatever you're saying right now, there's more underneath."

Because while Osana denies her emotions, Ayano struggles to grasp at weak strings for her own, all the while pretending it's not a big deal.

It looks like Osana's gonna sob and is vibrating and ready to spring a hug onto her. Mentally she's prepared for it, and also not minding it, until they all hear their names being called.

"It's Hanako!" Taro shouts and actually begins to leak waterfalls. His body almost urges into a mad dash before he gives Ayano a quick hug, "I'm really glad to see you're okay, Ayano."

Ayano's tongue is numb and yet there are a million things on its tip. What would she say to him?

Yes she's relieved to see him alive, and she hopes to convey so as she returns the hug.

The old her would declare her undying love for him, pronounce them soulmates and perfection.

Now she finds the words out her mouth speaking teasingly, "Go to your sister already, Taro. You too Osana."

The childhood friends give her one last big grin before they sprint off to a young black haired girl screaming with joy at the sight of them.

"Ayano!" Her caller goes again, but there's no joy in that tone, only urgence.

"Budo, what's wrong?" She meets the martial artist back to the field where he waved her over.

"It's Kaga," he grimaces.

Budo leads her over to where a few of Nemesis' crew have parked their trucks and vans, all sleek black with tinted windows.

One particular van is being loaded up with a body bag and low and behold, Kaga is right by its side and staring intensely at it.

"What are you doing?" Ayano demands. She's fed up with the knowledge of the mad scientist still haunting Oka.

Budo, for all the passiveness and control he eludes, walks up to Kaga with shaking fists. "Tell me right now, whose in that bag?"

Guilt tides back into Ayano, shame comes along for the ride as she places a hand on Budo's shoulder, urging him to take a step away from Kaga and the corpse.

"It's Oka's body." Kaga breathes out, almost stuttering. Then he grits his teeth, his head bowed low to the point where his hair hides his face.

Budo can barely contain his tears and Ayano fears the worse when he shakes off Ayano's hand in favor of invading Kaga's personal bubble. Kaga actually flinches right as Budo slowly wraps his arms around the scientist.

"I hate you," Budo barks lowly and yet his embrace tightens, "I hate you so much Kaga."

"I know." Kaga doesn't return the hug, instead he pushes Budo off. He raises his head, showing off an impossible bright smile to the sun, "But I'll get her back."

This time Budo flinches, taking a step back.

Ayano steps forward, taking a deep breath because apparently this ain't over. "Kaga, haven't you piss off gods and demons enough already?"

He shakes his head, "I don't care about them. I want to get Oka back and apparently I'm not the only one."

Kaga hops inside the van, casting one last wave goodbye as the backdoors are close shut by none other than Nemesis with an unhappy Info besides her.

"What the hell are you going to do with Oka's body?" Budo hisses, his tear streaked cheeks practically shining with the hot sun.

"Taking a chance," Nemesis answers oh so cryptically.

"Kaga's got the knowledge," Info dryly says, rising up one hand, "and Nemesis has the resources," she holds up her other hand and then loudly claps them together. Lastly the scowling Info does the most pathetic jazz hands Ayano has ever seen, "Boom, science and magic."

"Ugh," Ayano groans, "I can't believe this is happening."

"Yeah, I really thought Nemesis would be smarter than this," Info huffs, crossing her arms.

"So what?" Budo frowns at Nemesis, "You and your agents cover up the truth about demons and clones, save us but in return you want let Kaga experiment on Oka's dead body? No funeral or respect for her?"

"Yes," Ayano says stiffly, pointing to him, "what he said."

Info casts her an unimpressed look to which she shrugs.

"We will give her the upmost respect," Nemesis declares, her back straighten up and looking every bit of a professional agent of a secret organization. "More so, with Kaga as an asset, we may be able to rescue Oka from purgatory."

Budo opens mouth, ready to argue the ethics of all of this. He leans to Ayano, "Hey are you getting any of this? I only knew about this demon stuff only days ago and only met this lady right now."

Immediately Ayano wants to state that no, she can't wrap her head around all of this but with the way Budo is staring at her, needing to be reassured that everything will be okay.

This is the boy who offered her a place in his club, advise, or just a kind ear. He got sucked into Kaga's mess and now into Ayano's. A good guy like Budo shouldn't deal with this but he's here now and trusting Ayano.

She won't disappoint him.

Again she places a hand on his shoulder, "I don't exactly like this plan. I don't trust Nemesis and I distrust Kaga even more." She turns to the red headed girl, "But I trust you."

Info took her time to get over her shock. "I don't like their plan but I do agree with them." She looks to the school, "Ayano, we both know some demons escape."

She nods, "Nemesis has the firepower."

Budo sighs, "And Kaga has the blueprints."

"And you Info," Nemesis regards her, "you're smart and not crazy. We do need you."

The info broker's frown lessens a little, seeing logic or reason to this team up. The tension in her shoulders loosens as she tilts her head and smugly says, "That's right. You need me. And you know what I want?"

Nemesis has a very twitchy eyebrow and a grumpy, gritted frown. "You'll get all the high tech gear you've ever wanted."

"And?" Info draws out.

"As an agent, you'll be stocked with the necessary domestic resources you need."

"And?" Ayano joins in.

Nemesis snaps her head at her, a flicker of regret passing through her face, "Immunity for all the deeds I've done that involved the both of you."

"And?" Budo pops.

The agent stares blankly at the newest person in their circle.

He ducks his head, idly scratching the back of his neck, "Okay, I don't, I just wanted to join in on this."

Nemesis rolls her eyes, "It's been a long week. I'll handle the school and the press and our plans with Kaga. In the meanwhile, you kids should get some real food in your bellies."

She starts walking to another van, likely knowing none of them want to be near Kaga.

"So, this is really happening," Budo said, rubbing at the tense muscles at his shoulders, "Just when I thought this was all over."

"Well one thing for sure, the school might really be over," Info points out.

Ayano takes a good look at Akademi High School where the nearly all the windows are broken and there's a giant hole in one side.

Huh, that C4 must have done the trick. Good job Kokona.

Still though, most of the building remains and in her mind's eye, she sees all of it.

She remembers the corners she hid behind to spy on Taro, the classrooms she hid in to text with Info because there's no one to share her lunch with, and then suddenly there she is having lunch with Kokona, Saki, Osana, and Taro. In Budo's clubroom they're going through all the exercises that Ayano actually enjoyed.

Then she recalls the blood stained kitchen where she killed Amai and the hallway where Kizana laid in a pool of her own blood. There's also Kaga's underground lab, destroyed and dumped upon Oka in her rage. That led her all the way back to her clubroom where Ayano did the final blow.

A little aquatic tank appears in her head with an even smaller turtle simply swimming around.

How long as the turtle stayed in that tank, in that classroom?

Why would anyone stay in this school?

"I think I'm sick of this place," Ayano admitted. She's kind of thankful that her friends don't make a joke, likely hearing the heavy scorn in her voice. "I only got in this school because my mom wants me to be exactly like her, do exactly what she did, like the way she wants me to live. It all starts at this school and ends at the cherry blossom tree."

She turns her back to the school, doesn't glance at the pink tree as she marches over to where Nemesis is waiting for them.

Info and Budo are at her side without hesitation. They are there with her.

"Let's finally leave this place."

Covered in sweat and grime, with a fuzzy sensation in her hands that's there when she thinks about the sword bestowed to her, and sitting next to Info in the dark van since Nemesis won't let any of them drive despite the whining, Ayano decided on one thing that calms her entire being.

Her heart doesn't feel empty.

WEEK FOUR

THE END

I reached the end. Ha, wow, this feels like relief in my chest to actual finish a story, a long one at that!

Like omg this has been a very long project with delays and procrastinating and what have you and like thanks for reading.

Seriously, thanks for reading these thoughts and ideas I have and making it to the end with me!