Chapter 11: Everything Comes to an End

Nanami ran through the path to Tsuyukusa. Blood soaked her clothes, the blood dried against her skin and felt crusty to the touch. Nanami couldn't go any further and went to the side of the path. She threw up the breakfast she ate. The bitter taste stayed in her mouth. Her hands shook as she remembered the warm blood from Tatsumi. The knife, the stab, everything so fresh in her mind.

"No, I have to keep going. Hinata…I need to protect him." She wiped her mouth and started to run again. Inari gave her a boost with his magic so she could run faster. She felt her lungs burning but managed to get to Tsuyukusa in record time. She saw a few people run away from her, there was a ruckus and she saw the back of Yumiko's robes.

"Stop!" Nanami shouted. Yumiko did not. Nanami tried to catch up to her before Moriya dragged her away towards Ra Man's. "Hey!"

"Are you mad? Don't you see her weapon…What happened? Are you injured?" Moriya looked at the blood.

"No, I'm fine. She already attacked someone but they're fine. I have to stop her. She's trying to get to Hinata." Nanami breathed out.

"By yourself? You have no weapon to defend yourself. The best option is to run. I can't allow you to go out like that." Moriya said. Nanami sighed. This was a far cry from Moriya's usual personality of everyone for himself. It made her happy and proud that he was worried about her but this was not the time.

"Thank you for worrying about me but I can't stay here." Nanami sprinted toward Yumiko.

"Nanami!" Moriya shouted and Yumiko reacted to that. She slashed right behind her and Nanami hissed in pain as the box cutter she had cut her cheek. She felt the cut bleed and Yumiko glared at her with utter hatred.

"Are you a fool? Have you come to run to your death? Do you want me to kill you?" Yumiko said calmly which unnerved Nanami.

"No, I came here to stop you." Nanami has never fought with anyone in her life but put her fists up regardless. Yumiko laughed hysterically.

"You stop me!? What a joke! Tell me, what do you have to fight against me?" Yumiko stopped all of a sudden. "You do realize that this is a knife fight, right? I've already use this several times. It makes no difference to me but have you ever harmed someone?" Yumiko took a step forward and Nanami started to shiver. "I mean look at you! You're afraid of me, aren't you!?"

"Yeah…I'm afraid. I'm afraid of you, I'm afraid for Tatsumi and Hinata. I'm afraid that more people will get hurt because of you but…I can't let that stop me! I won't let you hurt anyone else even if that means I have to get hurt in turn!" Nanami shouted.

"You really are stupid. I hate people like you. People that don't know their place on the pecking order. Those that try to rise up to their betters. I am above you and you are beneath me!" Yumiko shouted, sprinting toward Nanami who dodged. "You think that you, a lowly farmer, can win against me! I am Yumiko! I have risen far beyond you commoners!" Yumiko kept on slashing and Nanami kept on trying to dodge but Yumiko's strikes were getting closer and closer. People started to gather around and Nanami knew that this can't go any further.

"Yumiko!" Yasu shouted from across the street. Yumiko stopped and smiled sweetly at him. Yasu walked closer to them, more people coming around to wonder about the ruckus. Nanami recognized Umekichi and Omiyo. Kasumi seemed to look at Nanami and scurried off. She knew that Kasumi was probably going to get her nagita.

"Yasu, I was wondering where you were. My ever loyal servant, please, get rid of this filth. I tire of looking at her." Yumiko pointed at Nanami with her box cutter and Yasu stopped at arms length.

"No." Yasu said.

"…What?" Yumiko's eyes grew wide.

"That's enough, Yumiko. This is going too far. I always helped you with your antics but no more. I'm grateful for everything you've done but this needs to end." Yasu said. Yumiko looked at him with a stone cold face.

"So I walk alone then. Leave. I don't want to see your face." Yumiko turned to walk towards Westown.

"Yumiko!" Yasu tried to close the distance but she slashed at him too.

"I have no one! I have no father, no mother, and certainly no friends but I don't need anyone else! I just need Hinata! He's the only one that will have me after what I was put through! I just need him! Let me take him!" Yumiko screamed. "I'm not going to rest until I have him back!"

"Then I'm here."

Yumiko turned around and there was Hinata. He was backed by Ford and Yuzuki.

"My sparrow. You came back." Yumiko smiled but there was an insane look in her eye. "We can leave now. We don't have to stay in this backwater town. We can go back to our home in Tsubasa, just you and me. Yasu won't ever get in the way, not anymore." Yumiko stepped toward him.

Nanami got up from where she last dodged and took a glance to Yasu. His eyebrows were furrowed and his fists were clenched. Yumiko hurt him, Nanami figured.

"If I go with you, will you stop?" Hinata stepped forward.

"Hinata!" Yuzuki said but Hinata shook his head.

"Yes, of course. I won't have any need of this, when we return." Yumiko twirled the knife around. Hinata got close to her.

"Thank Inari for that." Hinata sighed before grabbing onto Yumiko's wrist and wrenching the knife away from her. Yumiko screamed and Hinata threw the knife into the river.

"No!" Yumiko screamed.

"Now you can't hurt anyone else! You have to stop-" Hinata shouted when she cut him, another knife hidden away.

"I have no one! No one! You all should just die! Die!" Yumiko screamed. A fog descended on the town but only Nanami was able to see it. She saw Yumiko stabbed into Hinata but, the one she stabbed, was an illusion.

Inari, Witchie, and Dessie were standing together. Witchie and Dessie had pooled the rest of their power into Inari who had made a Hinata duplicate. They had created a magical fog to distort everyone's vision. As soon as Yumiko started to attack Hinata, they used their magic and created a duplicate.

Yumiko was momentarily distracted by the illusion. Nanami took that as her opportunity. She ran to Yumiko and grabbed onto the wrist that held the knife. Yumiko screamed and she scratched at Nanami's face until she was able to grab that arm too.

"Let go of me you cretin! You peasant! You will be crushed underfoot!" Yumiko screamed. "He will be mine!" Nanami pushed her arms away, grabbing Yumiko's shoulders, then headbutting her. Yumiko staggered to the ground and Nanami breathed heavily.

"He doesn't belong to you." Nanami whispered, feeling incredibly dizzy.

"Careful." Kasumi had come back with her nagita but things were already over. "You broke skin."

"Oh." Nanami flinched when touching her head.

Yumiko laid on the ground, looking at the sky and started to cry. "I have no one and I am no one. Merely a cruel reflection." She whispered. Yasu appeared before her.

"I'm sorry." Yasu said.

"I am too." Yumiko said before closing her eyes as sirens started to sound off in the town.

"Nanami! That was incredibly foolhardy, dangerous, ill conceived!" Ford started to ramble, closing in on her as Kasumi helped her sit on the ground. The head wound starting to bleed profusely.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Nanami chuckled weakly.

"Ford!" Ludus' voice rang out. Nanami looked over that he was carrying Tatsumi.

"What happened here?" A deep and commanding voice sounded out. A man with light brown hair and clear blue eyes stepped forward, an odd cap on his head with the Japanese word for 'Cow' stitched on it. His partner was right behind him, a darker man with a purple bandana around his head.

"Officers, as much as I would like to assist you in answering your questions, I have three patients to look over in my clinic. One having been stabbed and needs emergency medical attention." Ford got down to business.

"I'll go with you then. Kai, go ahead and start questioning the townspeople." He said. "My name is Officer Blue, part of the Flowerbud Village Police Department. We received an urgent call saying that there was someone attacking people."

"Over here officer. She's the one that is the cause of the incidents." Yasu voiced.

"I see. Cliff! Arrest this woman and help Kai with gathering evidence." Blue ordered and their driver came out with wild hair in the ponytail.

It was a whirlwind of activity. Nanami couldn't be part of it though as Tatsumi needed medical attention. Kasumi and the rest went to the clinic. Ford work on Tatsumi in a separate room while Kasumi gave Nanami mild medical attention. She cleaned the wound, put an antibacterial antiseptic, and wrapped up her head in some bandages. She also cleaned Nanami's cut cheek and put a bandage over it.

"Please excuse my rough medical work. I merely work on cleaning scrapes from the playground than something of this caliber." Kasumi apologized.

"Not it's fine. Thank you, Kasumi for everything." Nanami sighed.

"Nanami?" Siluka called through the curtains and Kasumi let her in. "It's not much but…" Siluka carried a change of extra clothes.

"It would probably be best of me to leave for now." Kasumi said. "I will try to calm down the citizens and help with the officers." Kasumi bowed and left. Siluka gave Nanami the clothes which were a regular t shirt and jeans.

"I'm sorry if they are big on you. I just rummaged through your closet." Siluka said.

"Don't worry. I'm not here to look my best." Nanami chuckled lightly.

"Let me get you a towel to…wipe up." Siluka looked at dried specks and left. Nanami sighed, her head throbbing painfully. The three Guardians walked up to her.

"Hey guys. I'm…this is all my fault." Nanami rubbed his face.

"No. I am sorry that we were not much help." Inari sighed, coming up to Nanami and focusing his energy on her head wound. "This will help to heal it." Inari looked run down.

"We'll be back at our designated spots." Witchie mumbled.

"We're here for you, Nanami." Dessie smiled weakly before they all teleported out.

Nanami sighed as she looked her clothes that were stiff with blood. She felt guilty and blamed herself for everything that happened. She put her face in her hands before she heard the curtains open.

"Here." Siluka passed her a damp towel.

"Thank you." Nanami said quietly and sopped up all the dried flecks of blood. Once she looked more normal, she started to change. Siluka waiting outside of the curtain. Nanami looked at the ruined clothing again with guilt.

"Your aura is turbulent." Siluka said through the curtains.

"It's…been a long day." Nanami sighed heavily. "Nothing went the way I planned and Tatsumi got hurt because of me."

"You shouldn't blame yourself. I should have known better. I saw the darkness in her heart but I never thought it would turn into a demon of the heart." Siluka's voice quivered. Nanami came out of the curtains and saw Siluka's shivering form. Siluka looked at her and let her tears fall freely. Nanami brought her into a hug and Siluka quietly cried into her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Nanami shook her head and they both held each other there. They let go reluctantly before they went to the waiting room. Hinata, Yuzuki, and Ludus were there. Ludus had taken off his bloody shirt as well but decided not to put on anything else.

"How's your head?" Hinata got up. There was a fire in his eyes that wasn't there for a while. Nanami was glad for that.

"Kasumi cleaned it up. My head hurts." Nanami whined.

"Yeah, I can imagine. The detective talked to all of us already. I think he's waiting for you." Hinata explained. Nanami nodded and went to sit across from the detective. Blue was scribbling a ton of information in his notebook. Nanami waited quietly before he stopped.

"For record purposes, state your name, age, and occupation." Blue described.

"My name is Nanami, I'm 26 years old, and I'm a farmer." Nanami sighed. Blue looked at her before putting down the notes.

"Nanami, I understand that this is a trying time but I need you to recollect your memories and explain to me what happened." Blue said. Nanami put her hands together and nodded.

"It started when Yumiko came." Nanami started. The birthday, the way she took Hinata away. The weeks following that and then the plan to get him away. Of course, no one thought that she would react the way she did. They just wanted to get Hinata back, so he could be happy again. She recounted everything that had happened, even the things that just happen. Explaining everything made Nanami emotionally exhausted.

"Well…I have to say, you should have called us first and foremost if you believed that Yumiko was a threat instead of trying to escalate the situation. This entire plan was reckless and avoidable. Still, I understand what it means to do something for the one you love. I believe I have gathered enough testimonial evidence for now." Blue said, getting up and putting away his notebook. "You have a nice town…towns here. I'm sure that you all help each other when things get bad, is that right?"

"Oh, yes?" Nanami looked confused. Blue gave her a small smile that seemed to disappear in a flash.

"Then trust in them. This situation has rocked your world but it isn't then end, far from it. You can recover, heal, and leave this in the past." Blue went to the door.

"Um, what will happen to Yumiko?" Nanami wondered.

"The victim has decided to go forward in placing charges on her. She will have to be met in court. Most likely you and others will have to be pulled as witnesses if she decides to fight against the charges. Until then, she will be under our custody. You have nothing to fear from her anymore. Rest and stay safe. If you have anything to add please contact me at this number." Blue took out a business card and Nanami took it. He tipped his cap to her and Nanami nodded.

She joined the others in the waiting room. She sat down on the couch next to Siluka who put her head on Nanami's shoulder.

"It's been a long day." Ludus ran his hand through his hair.

"You are right about that. Hinata, do you feel well?" Yuzuki asked.

"I'm feeling a lot better now that I know Yumiko is gone. Never thought she'd go so far…well, farther than what I thought she could." Hinata scratched the back of his neck.

"Tatsumi, is going to be ok, right?" Nanami asked softly.

"He's tough Nanami." Hinata smiled at her.

"It's true. Even while on my back, he was being incredibly stubborn and kept on wondering about you." Ludus nodded. It made Nanami feel slightly better but her guilt was still heavy. After a few minutes of silence, Ford came out of the room. He gave all of them a sincere smile.

"I have to admit, I had thought his wound was worse than what it was. He merely needed a few stitches and a blood transfusion from the loss. You can see him although he is sleeping. Nanami, I believe I need to treat your wound." Ford said.

"Oh Kasumi already looked at it." Nanami pointed at her bandages.

"She did a fair enough job. Good, now then, I also need to inform you that you are an idiot." Ford said bluntly.

"She tried to help me, what makes you say that?" Hinata said.

"I did approve the efforts in freeing you but what I am disapproving is the fact that she tried to stop an armed and dangerous woman with her bare hands. There is a reason why they say you need to run from a knife fight. The utter idea of you handling that woman while she was waving that knife around brings shivers to my body." Ford rambled.

"I'm guessing not the good kind." Ludus mumbled which almost made Nanami laughed before he glared at everyone.

"Still, you came out almost unscathed which is the best kind of luck in this situation but the next time you rush into danger like that, I will have you as my medical test subject for a week straight. That goes for the rest of you as well. Never try to instigate a fight with someone who has a clear advantage over you with a weapon, understood?" Ford said.

"Yes, Doctor Ford." Everyone said. They all managed to shuffle into the small room. The lights were dimmed and Tatsumi was hooked up to various machines. All of them were blinking and beeping softly. Tatsumi was pale but looked better than he did back in the inn.

"Told you he was a fighter." Hinata said softly. Nanami nodded.

"Everyone, I'm sorry for what happened. This was all my fault." Nanami teared up.

"No it wasn't." Ludus replied.

"Yes it was. If I wasn't so adamant in getting Hinata away from Yumiko, none of this would have happened." Nanami's voice wavered as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "It's my fault Tatsumi is lying there. It's my fault that people got hurt."

"Not it's not." Hinata came up to her and held her hands. "Nanami, I'm grateful for what you did. I'm beating myself up that I didn't do anything about this sooner. Don't blame yourself."

"Blame the one that caused all of this. Yumiko was the one that hurt Hinata and hurt everyone else. You had no part in it." Yuzuki reminded.

"But…If I didn't push her-"

"Then she would have blown up and probably hurt Hinata even worse." Ludus figured. "I mean, we prepared for every possible reaction but never thought she would try to hurt someone. This came out of the left field. You are not responsible for someone else." Ludus said. Siluka came by and held Nanami's hand.

The door opened and everyone looked as Tatsumi's family started to come in. Ludus nodded at Siluka. She gave Nanami's hand a good squeeze before they both left. Hinata came by and put his hand on Nanami's shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Nanami bowed. "I put your son in danger."

"I'm sorry too. If I was able to get my affairs in order, then none of this would have happened in the first place." Hinata bowed with her and Yuzuki did as well. Nanami felt her brows furrow before feeling someone place their hand on her shoulder. Shizu made her look up.

"He did the best thing a son could do and that is to protect the ones he loves. He loves you Hinata as well as you, Nanami. He did what he could to protect you both and I don't find fault in that at all. I am just simply a mother who worries for her children." Shizu wiped her eyes. "I'm so glad you two are well." Shizu brought both of them for a hug.

Nanami sobbed in Shizu's robes and Hinata cried quietly. Nanami kept on saying she was sorry. Shizu kept on shushing both of them. Shizu let them go and Yaichi came up to Nanami and hugged her too. Ittetsu hugged them quickly before going to Tatsumi's side. Hinata rubbed Yaichi's head before he went to his older brother. They took that as a cue to leave them alone. Yuzuki, Hinata, and Nanami quickly shuffled out. The sun was setting and Westown glowed warm with the low light of the sun.

"Nanami, let me walk you home." Hinata said.

"Don't you want to go home?" Nanami wondered. Yuzuki pushed them both forward.

"He'll be fine. I'll see you both tomorrow." Yuzuki said, walking past them. Nanami sighed and Hinata held her hand. They both went down the stairs and towards the path to her farm.

"Nanami. Thank you." Hinata said, his hand squeezing hers. "It's like I've been living in a fog of darkness and you, everyone, pulled me out. Thank you for making me believe that I wasn't alone."

"Still…" Nanami said.

"Nanami." Hinata made her look at him. "It is not your fault. You didn't know, nobody knew. Inari, I didn't know she could go so far and I'm the one that had to deal with all the things she did to me. None of this wasn't your fault."

"I still feel guilty." Nanami sighed. Hinata put his hands on her face.

"Don't. You did the best thing possible for me and I won't forget it." Hinata said and he put a tender kiss on the bandages of her head. He hugged her tightly and she reciprocated. They stood there for a bit, not wanting to let go. Nanami was grateful for his warmth and he was grateful for the nightmare ending. They still held hands on the way to her farm and she walked up to the porch. Hinata kept on looking on.

"Do you need me to tell you a funny story again?" Hinata chuckled.

"Hinata, thank you. I love you." Nanami said. Hinata smiled warmly and he blushed.

"I love you too. Thank you, for everything. I'll never forget what you did for me, Nanami." Hinata smiled. It was just like old times but there was a certain feeling of goodbye that transpired between them at that moment. Hinata will always be incredibly important to her and her to him but this is where their paths finally diverge in terms of lovers.

Hinata waved and Nanami went inside. She immediately drew herself a bath and scrubbed herself down until her skin was red. Maybe the feeling of guilt will never go away but Nanami set out to save Hinata and they did. For that, Nanami was happy. She rode on that happiness that she saved her friend until she went into a dreamless sleep, one she was thankful for in the morning.

Yumiko laid on the floor of her old room. Her father had bailed her out of the jail as soon as they had given him the information. There wasn't much to be said between them but Yumiko knew that she had gone too far. There was nothing left for her. She had no mother, no father, no sparrow, and no Hinata. There was no light in her life. She was merely a shattered image of her mother.

She heard the large thumps of footsteps and looked to the door. Yasu had opened it. His sunglasses were off. Yumiko went back to staring at the ceiling.

"Would you like one of your robes?" Yasu suggested. Her own blood soaked one was taken for evidence. She had a plain one on, something she would never would wear if she was cognizant. Yumiko did not respond. "Yumiko."

"You betrayed me." Yumiko whispered.

"Yumiko. You made a man's life a literal hell and tried to kill Nanami. You nearly killed a boy. I could allow you to do many things, I can let you order me to do anything, but I couldn't live with myself if I knew I would be helping you end someone's life." Yasu admitted.

"Now what do I do, Yasu?" Yumiko wondered.

"Yumiko?" Yasu looked at her.

"I have nothing. I killed my mother. I used you. I used and hurt so many. For what? All I wanted was a piece of sunshine, a piece of happiness but I was denied that. This…I caused this, didn't I? I was the one that placed myself in this darkness." Yumiko's eyes began to water. "Ever since my mother died, I thought I was free of her but instead I merely placed herself firmly in her shadow, doing things the way she would want me to do still, becoming the best because she had wanted it. In the end, I could not separate myself from her. I couldn't find my light, I couldn't find my happiness or sunshine. I stayed in this darkness, in this broken mirror."

"You don't always have to stay in here." Yasu said.

"But how? I'm at the bottom of this well and I can't see myself coming out." Yumiko let the tears fall.

"Well, when you are at the bottom, the only way you can go is up. You are not alone, Yumiko. I am here and I will always by here for you. You say you are mired in shadow and darkness but, truthfully, you have always been my light. I was just waiting until you looked in my direction." Yasu grabbed her hand and lightly kissed it.

"I…do I even deserve redemption after everything I did? After all the hurt I caused?" Yumiko's voice broke.

"So long as you repent, I believe you do." Yasu said. Yumiko nodded.

"Thank you, Yasu." Yumiko smiled at him. For once she had found her face. Not Yumi, not anyone else. Just Yumiko.

I had to rewrite the second half of this chapter because it just didn't fit. Luckily my story beta told me what to work on and now it flows much smoother! I'm on vacation guys so hopefully I can get the rest of this and the others works up. I'm still taking votes on my next work! So far I have one vote for Grand Bazaar, one for Magical Trio of towns and none for the other Doctor Trio of towns.

Thank you Chibidenryuu for favoriting/following! Thank you Chibidenryuu and Bain904 for reviewing!

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