The Hurting and The Lost

"You were kind to me first." Ira said flatly. "I give what I receive." She chuckled a little at the woman's next words. "You treated me as such yesterday, but no. This is the second day we have known each other."

Ira couldn't keep a smile off her face as Hana finally agreed to go with her. Though the smile faded a tiny bit as Hana started speaking about plans and supplies. Ira had her belts and she doubted Hana would even remember if she had any personal effects. "I had some fruits, but they are probably...bad now. I can get more easy, so do not worry about such things." She scratched her head a bit in irritation. "I can punch through, what supplies do you need? Back in your room?" She shifted, grinding her teeth together. "If you must check, then do so. Hide me first, it will be easier that way."

Hana looked at Ira in surprise.

"You're really that strong?" Hana asked. "I don't think I've ever seen someone break a wall before. But I guess that is the safest way to go. As for the supplies..."

Hana pinched her chin.

"Yes, I saw people carrying food from somewhere," she said. "Maybe I can follow them to the kitchen."

Hana clasped her hand.

"Right! Let's hide you here while I go get us supplies," she said. "I also just need to check something real quick in my room. Stay here just a moment!"

Hana would get up and Ira would hear the rustling of leaves and grass as Hana's footsteps.

***

Hana would go back to the room. If she was leaving, she knew she had to get a few things. She didn't know why, but they seemed important. The first thing was the paper. She looked at the words again.

"Corvus."

Hana looked at the paper, raising it to the air. It was no good. Even the back of the paper was drenched. This was the only clue she really had.

She looked around for her clothes. They were all practically hospital robes save for a high-collar tunic and a brown felt cape. She stuffed a series of clothes in a satchel. There wasn't much food but there were chocolates. She supposed that was food? She pushed several of the boxes in the pack as well before hovering over the flower crown and bracelet.

She first turned away, but then hesitated.

"..."

She lifted up the crown. There seemed to be water in it and the crown itself was beautiful. The bracelet meanwhile had a special quartz on it, shimmering in rainbows in the light.

"For getting better," she said aloud.

Something told her that these were important. That these came from the said bird. She placed the crown on and placed the bracelet. Who knew. Maybe they would come in handy.

She walked towards the door and paused for a moment.

Despite barely remembering this room at all, she suddenly felt homesick. How long had she stayed here? What memories did she possibly have here?

Hana looked in the nearby mirror and noticed her bandages.

Slowly, she began to unravel them.

There were oddly no wounds where any of her bandages where, and as she looked at herself in the mirror, she looked...normal. Her light pink eyes shone and her red hair hung just below her shoulders. She decided to cut some of the bandage and tie half of her hair up. That way she at least had some semblance of the hospital with her right?

For all I know, these people have been good to me. This should honor them, she thought.

She looked at the room one last time, gave a small nod to the emptiness in it, and closed the door.

***

"I'M BACK!"

Ira would hear a bright yell from the right of her ear. She'd then hear a lot of things tumble to the ground. Metal tin, glass, boxes, bags.

"Soooo, I followed one of the people who had food," she said. "And there was no one else in what I guess is the pantry. I just picked whatever I could. Isn't that fun?"

Her voice would give away just how wide her smile was at the moment.

"Okay." Ira said flatly. She didn't feel like arguing any more points. She said she'd wait here, so she'd wait here. She sat in a hopefully hidden position, crossed her legs and meditated. She didn't know how much time ended up passing. But a sudden shout make her twitch, her head pounding briefly.

It seemed Hana was back.

She heavily pushed herself up, her head turning towards the woman. "You did good, Hana." She nodded with a small smile. "It is good that you are happy. Now then." She gave a small stretch. "Are you ready to leave?"

Hana gave a bright bob at Ira's question. Then, remembering she was blind, "Yep!" she said.

"There they are!" a voice screamed from the distance.

Hana whirled around. A bunch of white-dressed individuals were standing out in the field with one of them pointing furiously at Ira.

"Miss Hana, please step away from the wild individual!" one of them said. "She's highly dangerous!"

Hana stood up, confused as she looked at Ira and then at the people.

"She doesn't look dangerous," Hana said, an angry look on her face. "She's been playing flowers with me!"

"Miss Hana, please," the person said, raising a magic glyph up. "She's not well. She needs to stay confined. She's trying to escape when she has to stay here."

Hana had gotten a few hints from Ira earlier that these people were trying to keep her here against her will, but she didn't understand why.

"I...I don't think you should," Hana said firmly. "She doesn't like it here. I think you should just let her go!"

"But--"

Another person grabbed the white-dressed man on the shoulder. This one was a tall woman with silver hair wearing a face mask and a nurse's cap.

"Forget reasoning with her," the woman said. "She's not going to remember this anyways. Bind the two of them. Now."

Reluctantly, the man would cast glyphs, aiming for beneath Hana and Ira's feet. By instinct, and not sure why, Hana could guess it was trouble and pushed Ira out of the way.

The glyphs glowed brightly, but missed their mark. The people started running towards them.

"Uh, Ira, I think we should go now," she said scrummaging to pick up the supplies.

"Okay. The-"

Suddenly, shouting was heard in the distance. Ira's body tensed as they drew near, but Hana was quick to step in front and begin to explain things. For once, Ira hesitated. With Hana saying she wasn't dangerous maybe...

Oh wait, no they were attacking.

The brief bit of hope she had was snapped just like that. An anger bubbled up inside her, her head began to ache once again. She let out a low hiss, her eye beginning to lightly twitch as she prepared herself.

Finally, she felt Hana's hands push her away from what she assumed was another sleep spell.

There was a snap, her eyes seemed to narrow, her teeth bared and she turned, letting out a bloodcurdling yell as she slammed her fist against the wall. There would be a cracking noise, followed by a deafening boom as force suddenly shot from her hand, blasting the wall further. "YOU'RE ALL SO ANNOYING!" She shouted in her own language. She spun, holding out an arm an moving Hana out of the way before jumping up in the air, spinning and arching a foot around. There was another deafening boom as force followed suit, spreading out towards her attackers. "IS IT CLEAR?" She spun, her eyes blindly searching for Hana. She didn't even seem to realize she was yelling. In fact, if Hana didn't know any better, the look on Ira's face suggested she might just up and attack her next.

"Gah!"

Hana covered her ears and ducked as Ira obliterated the wall. She then was pushed out of the way, clutching everything, scrambling so they didn't lose their supplies. Hana looked at Ira in concern.

"I-Ira?" she asked.

The assistants backed up as well, but the one wearing the nurse's cap stood where she was. She had cast a glyph to protect the three from the debris as well as the

"Alright, I've had just about enough," the nurse said, glaring. She'd raise up her hand again, this time casting a glyph under Hana.

When Ira reached out for Hana, she'd grab her hand, but start feeling her slip away, as if a force were yanking at Hana.

"Ira, go!" Hana said. "Don't worry about me!"

She'd then yelp as the glyph fully yanked her out of her grasp and towards the the the nurse. The two attackers, meanwhile, charged at Hana, each one readying glyphs for binding. If they got close enough, they'd try to bind her arms and legs and incapacitate her.

Ira was close.

They were both close...

So close to escape. To freedom.

She might not know her, but she had made a promise. She did NOT break her promises. As Hana slipped from her grasp, Ira let out a enraged scream. She began to lunge after her before hearing the two guards approaching. She skid to a stop, seething as she tilted her head to try and pinpoint where they were.

...

......

..........

There was another scream from her as she threw herself forwards and slammed against the ground, again a blast of force shot from the impact point, suddenly launching her high into the air. She didn't know exactly where they were, she didn't care. It would matter anyway. She arched in the air, spinning briefly before kicking out. The move was practiced, another blast of force shot from her feet, shooting her back into the ground. She tucked and spun once more yelling out another incantation as her foot arched into the ground. As usual, it exploded around her, rocks flying out in every direction before a concussive wave followed, launching the rocks in all directions.

She stood amidst the destruction before throwing her arms out wide, spinning in a small circle on what appeared to be a now broken leg. "Am I so important to you!?" She yelled out. "Is she?" There was a pause as she let out an angry hiss. "Give me her and let us leave, else more of this follow." To prove her point, she stomped agains the ground once again, sending out another wave. "Everything will be gone otherwise!!!!" It took most of her will to even hold herself back at this point, even more so just to speak. All she wanted to do was bring this place down, tear it apart as well as her captors.

But she had a specific mission in mind...

The impact of Ira's landing was enough to blast the attendants away, with some being unconscious, but others' status...questionably so. As Ira growled, the nurse who had spoken earlier gritted her teeth.

"What insane power is this..." she muttered to herself.

Ira threatened to bring everything around her down if Hana wasn't let go. The nurse bit her lower lip. She saw what had happened to the other attendants and she wasn't about to risk others. The nurse raised her hand, grabbing Hana by the collar and throwing her towards Ira.

"Oof!"

Hana had landed a little in front of Ira, her eyes full of worry as she rubbed her cheek. She'd touch Ira's palm as she got up. Meanwhile the nurse glared at Ira.

"You're free to go," she said, her voice laced with venom. "You have what you want. Now leave."

Hana looked around, seeing the unconscious people around. She'd touch Ira's shoulder.

"Ira...let's hurry," she said in a meek voice.

She'd grab Ira's wrist and the two fled towards the forest. As their figures disappeared, an attendant approached the nurse.

"Nurse Kamis, what do we do?" the person asked.

The nurse clenched her fists.

"Have the Expiate been alerted?"

"Yes."

"Good. Focus on healing the injured. I'll head to the front to give the station a heads-up about the details. They can't get away for too long."

***

It would be a few minutes before the two reached the thick of the forest. Hana paused.

"S-stop. I-I'm tired," she said.

She'd drop to her knees panting. She looked at Ira warily.

"Are...are you okay?"

HAH!

A large smile made its way to Ira's lips as Hana was placed at her feet. Rather gently, Ira took her hand, her head tilted towards the nurse who'd thrown her. "If you come after. I will return. None will survive." She said almost matter of factly.

Before she could make another show of strength, Hana tugged on her wrist and they ran off into the forest. She didn't mind though, with her not completely losing herself like usual, chances were the adrenaline was going to wear off rather quickly. It wouldn't suit her to collapse in front of the people she'd just threatened.

--

When they finally stopped, Hana would turn to see a proud looking Ira. She was smiling rather sweetly as her head tilted towards the woman. "I'm fine. I did good yes?" She beamed. "I wish I had gotten to see them fly away. That was a really hard impact! Like BWOOOOSH!" She let go of Hana's hand briefly to mimic an explosion. "Ahh, I wanted to kick a piece of the wall into someone, but I thought I might hit you." She raised a hand to her chin and thought pensively for a moment. "Next time you should....You should..."

Suddenly, her knees would give out and Ira would quickly fall face first towards the ground, seemingly unconscious.

Hana was quiet as Ira became excited, talking about the battle. Hana's own feelings were...mixed. On one hand, she didn't understand why they were so adamant to try and keep Ira at bay. Ira obviously hadn't wanted to be there and she didn't seem to belong being there either. On the other hand...she had seen first hand what Ira had done. She wasn't sure the people who got hurt deserved what they did. Or the people she saw die.

Was there more to Ira that she wasn't aware of? Was she a danger?

She looked at Ira as she spoke and thought about how she had patiently bore wearing the crown of flowers, how she promised to get Hana out and refused to not leave her behind.

No... Hana thought. No monster would do that. Ira...has her reasons. I need to trust her.

Of course, the moment Ira finished talking, she practically collapsed.

Hana gasped and crawled close to her. She tried to shake the girl, but Ira was out cold. Hana wearily looked behind her.

Even if Ira had made the threat she did, she couldn't trust that people hadn't followed them. Grabbing Ira by the arms and gathering the supplies in one bag, she started dragging her away.

"Need...to...get us somewhere safe."

***

When Ira would wake up, she'd hear a crackling fire. The air was cold and she'd hear the hum of crickets and the hooting of owls. A faint warmth was to her right and despite the harsh grown under her, she'd feel herself draped with a soft blanket and sense a bundle of clothes in lieu of a pillow underneath her head.

"Oh, you're awake," a familiar voice said. It was Hana's.

Hana was sitting across, a notebook in her lap and a pen in her hand. Ira might even have picked up on the scratching noises from her writing.However, Hana wasn't writing on paper, but on her skin.

"How are you feeling?" Hana said with a bright smile. She knew Ira couldn't see her smile, but she felt it important to beam regardless.

"You passed out back there. You must have been really tired."