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karereiko · 7 years

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Not Perfect - Chapter 27

Not Perfect

Chapter 27

The higher they climb, the harder they fall

It was week after that Cravat passed away. Shion felt like an important chapter of his life had ended. The one filled with the smell of a dusty room underground, learning about the nature of the world and trying to find out who that boy with silver eyes who had entered his room in stormy night was.

It was all in the past now.

The little mouse found its rest beside his other companions under the tree in the garden. Cravat hadn't been able to run much around the house lately but his absence during the last passing days had been painfully clear. Karan also fondly mentioned all three mice now that the last of them had found it's peace.

During that day's dinner Shion, Nezumi and Karan talked about adopting some new family member in the future. The conversation was similar to the one Shion had had with Nezumi. They asked Karan for help but woman's opinions were divided. In some matters she agreed with Shion, in others with Nezumi. The evening passed without a making any final decision and Shion's mother went to rest while both men took care of cleaning the dishes.

Karan had looked really tired during dinner which worried Shion. In his opinion she overworked herself too much. It's wasn't the first time that Shion thought about how his family opened the bakery for far too many hours each day.

„Nezumi." Shion started conversation. Nezumi hummed in answer as he walked around the kitchen with already drained dishes, putting them inside cabinets.

„I really think you two should rearrange your working hours. With your break during afternoon it's still 11 hours of you two working in the bakery. 11 hours from Monday to Friday and 8 hours on Saturday. It's too much. I can see how tired you two are when weekend comes."

„This is bit much, coming from someone who can spend 14 hours at work." Nezumi scoffed at his husband, waiting for Shion to take the dirty dishes from his hands.

„It doesn't happen often. Lately I'm working around 8 hours from Monday to Saturday. Compared to me you two are workaholics now." Shion said his opinion, drowning plates inside sink. The current situation made him feel like he's now the most lazy one in his family. He mostly sat and fought with papers at work. It was nothing compared to the physical labor Nezumi and his mother did almost everyday.

„It's not that bad, Shion. We don't even need to leave the house. One step into the first floor and I'm already at work. Believe me, working in the West Block was a lot more worse if you didn't have connections or talent like mine. Beside, does his majesty think I'm too weak to handle this kind of job?" Nezumi put his hands over hips sounding slightly offended.

„I know you aren't weak. You are still young and your body can keep up like this for many years, but mom isn't. She shouldn't overwork herself at her age. Beside, there is no need for you two to work so hard. We have enough money."

„Well, it's not my decision, my prince... Your dear mom is one in charge here. She wants to bake and maintain the doors to her shop open as long as possible. I bet if she could she would keep the bakery open 24/7. She wishes for everyone, even those who don't have time in the morning to step by, to have an opportunity to buy and enjoy her pastry. She's stubborn. There is no way she would leave the baking to me. You know she loves that part of this business. I can take care of the shop on my own, but with current selling rates she wouldn't manage to bake enough to fulfill current demand. She needs help in that field, too. Do you think I haven't noticed something off with our working hours? Hoping to please my beloved Prince, I not once asked your dear mother to end her shift early and take a break. As you can guess she kept an eye on the shop until it was open anyway."

Nezumi's explanation gave Shion even more concern. It was true that some Bakeries in the city were open until late evening but they had more than two employers who didn't need to work at baking and selling at once.

„If she wants to keep it open for so long then maybe you should close the bakery on Saturdays and maybe even on Wednesdays so you two could rest? If that's not case then you should hire someone to sell the pastry during the afternoon. This way both of you can reduce your work hours. I bet the bakery can afford for that."

„It's good idea, but you would need to reveal this plan to Karan by yourself. Maybe she's going to listen you. But remember my sweet pie... Hiring someone going to decrease the number of places for both of us to exchange our affection."

Nezumi had a point. Shion didn't like idea of hiding with their relationship even more. Yet, this was the more important than his own desires. He worked hard to make everyone lifes better and he was just a normal human being who thought about his family first before everyone else. He wanted the best for his mother and Nezumi. This situation was going on for far too long already.

„Yes, you are right. We may need to be more careful inside our house if we hire someone. I might not be able to kiss you so casually everyday but yours and mom's health are more important than anything. Beside, life is short, you two should enjoy your lives more."

„Don't misjudge the situation, you mom really loves working around the bakery. I heard her story about, quote: 'her finally starting to enjoy her life to its fullest after she started to bake', more than enough. Besides, you take care of most housework so she can visit her friends and spend weekends resting or talking with us. She's using her time in the way she wants to. No one is forcing her to live like this."

Shion knew his husband was right. He was optimistic but he couldn't help but to imagine his mother collapsing from such busy schedule one day. Nezumi had his limits too. In the end, the three of them were just humans and their bodies need enough rest like everyone else's.

„I know. Yet, I can't help but to feel bad when I see the two most important people in my life overworking themselves like this."

„Alright, alright, we're going to talk with your mom if that makes you stop to dwell on this subject until eternity. As for your concern over my modest person, I'm going to get my deserved rest during our next vacation. This should be good enough." Nezumi added with hint of happiness in his voice. He really looked forward some break from the city's crowds.

„Right." Shion nodded. He knew it wasn't solution. Simple vacation wouldn't help for long. He had probably made a very worried face since Nezumi's soft smile also faded away.

„Just don't tell me that you can't leave your work because of some important matters." The older man asked his husband, expecting bad information. Shion shook his head. It looked like acting gloomy only leaded to misunderstanding. This was getting him nowhere. Maybe it was time to approach the problem in his usual way.

„No, I already informed everyone that I'm taking two weeks off around August. We can start to plan our vacation more precisely... Talking about vacation. What would you say about buying mom a stay at NO.2 renewal centre for her birthday? A week there sounds like perfect idea for her to gather some new strength after all those years of hard work." Shion proposed. It was at least a good beginning of the bigger plan of how to make his mother's life less tough besides making Karan rearrange her work hours.

Nezumi kept quiet for a few moments, giving Shion's idea some thought. They finished doing the dishes and Shion was already preparing himself to clean the floors while waiting for his husband's answer.

„You can even buy a two week's stay for her here. She deserves it and I can handle the bakery by my own now. But, there are a few problems with your plan. Firstly, getting your mother to agree to such vacation. She might not want to leave the bakery in my hands. Second one. Shion, would you like for her to find you a new dad?"

Nezumi teased the white-haired boy. Shion stated to laugh softly at Nezumi's train of thoughts. Well, renewal centres were surely known as places for older people to jump into passions of love. Still, Shion would never think of something like this on his own. Maybe because his heart always belonged to Nezumi, he never thought about such places as romance spots.

„I wouldn't mind that as long as she's happy. Still, if that was her desire, she would already be finding someone. I never was against her finding a new love after my father left, but she never seemed to be interested. Considering such past, your presumption has low chance to happen."

„There is a still possibility, your majesty, she may still find her other half far away from these lands." Nezumi raised his hands dramatically to his heart. Shion grinned widely at such sweet performance.

„But I can agree with you that Karan deserves a good break. Sometimes, I think your mother is a robot." Nezumi added with more serious tone. Such a comment only make Shion sure that he had to talk to Karan soon.

„If you agree with me, I'm counting on you to support my suggestions. I think we can talk to mom on the next weekend once we're all having some free time. I feel like it's going to be a long conversation."

„Two against one... You're playing dirty, my prince." Shion was really taken aback by Nezumi's joke. It sounded pretty bad, spoken aloud. He was only concerned about the health of the two most important people in his life. Seeing Shion's reaction, Nezumi leaned closer and gently patted his white hair with slightly wet hands.

„Hey, don't take it seriously. This may be the best solution of eliminating the workholic drive in your blood line. My coalition with Karan worked in your case, now it's time for two of us to convince her. So, what next brave task do you need for us to complete now that dishes are cleaned, your majesty?"

„I going to clean the floors and set up the laundry, you can rest for now. I'm going to join you soon."

Taking chance of Nezumi sliding his hand about his waist Shion leaned even closer. Without thinking they found a nice position to exchange a few short and playful kisses beside drying dishes.

„If you insist. I'm going to wait for you on the couch. What do you say to hot bath together later?" Nezumi smirked asking his question while slowly moving towards the stairs.

„It sounds great." Shion hummed, happily melting at Nezumi's proposition. His muscles already started to relax at the imagination of sitting against Nezumi's chest inside a tube full of warm water. Taking the mop in his hands, Shion began his corridor cleaning at the doors of Karan's room. Seeing his mother resting in a big armchair with a book soothed Shion's worry. She seem happy just as Nezumi said, but it didn't prevent Shion from wanting to help her a little more. Employing someone at the bakery seemed to be the best idea to archive that. Having his solution, Shion started to clean the floors with a lighter heart.

Despite it being vacation time, the Restructual Committee had a quite busy schedule. The old elite attacked them through articles, conferences and other possible ways like crazy for the past few weeks. Even if members of the committee weren't occupied by them, there were still the matter of Prostitution -which wouldn't get resolved as easily as Shion had hoped- countless meetings with delegates from NO.4 and NO.5, some people's complains about the new education program and other significant topics.

Walking through Moondrop corridor, Shion sighed loudly, envying the ones who were able to go on vacation already. They were mostly service staff. The rest of the committee had to deal with all problematic matters just like him. They were all supposed to have a really important meeting that day. They had planned that one for weeks and all members of committee were supposed to attend it.

Shion didn't sigh this time, instead groaning loudly from the frustration. They had planned it for so long but almost half of the committee members were still on their way to the NO.6. They had gone to NO.2 for diplomatic missions but because of the weather their return had been delayed.

This was bad, they really needed to solve some important matters that couldn't wait. Abandoning their previous plans, Shion had no other way but to lead the meeting with only half of committee members present. If they were be lucky, the missing people might join conference later... Shion looked over a holographic list of subjects he had prepared especially carefully, sacrificing many hours.

This time he released a low frustrated groan, mentally adding all possible curses and directing them at airports and weather.

„Oh, I see Mr. President is in a bad mood today." the woman's voice made Shion turn around. Alice from the social department joined him on the corridor leading to the conference room.

„Who wouldn't be? We have important topics to work on, but everything is against us. Any words from Toya?"

„He called me last time around 4 hours ago before they got into plane. If everything turns out well they might be here in two or three hours."

„It's not what I hoped for, but better three hours than more. If we re-order the discussion topics we might get to leave the matters which require everyone be present at the end of the meeting."

„Well, it wouldn't be a problem if we had more time. I don't know what the previous elite is thinking. Every survey shows that their attacks don't work. Civilians know the truth, they can't be blinded by ridiculous arguments."

"I hope so. Yet, we can't leave all the rumors they spread around alone. By giving them enough, time they can turn into real problems."

"Uh, you can be a real pessimist sometimes Mr. Shion." the woman smiled cheerfully and Shion answered her with a small grin. If only Alice knew Nezumi better. Shion was nothing compared to the dark-haired male.

"At least I made you smile, Shion. Good. Being a dark cloud-full of worry doesn't fit your image and grave, gloomy meetings are always the worst ones. Besides I wanted to give you this..."

She handed Shion a blueish envelope. First the white-haired man looked at the piece of paper, just to rise his eyes at his co-worker, watching her suspiciously.

"You know I'm the last person who could give you bribe. Come on, open it." Alice laughed brightly. After hearing, her words Shion smiled apologetically and looked inside the envelope. He found a nice-looking wedding invitation inside.

"I hope you are going to come. Just let us know if you want to bring someone. We would book more seats in the restaurant. Oh, and if you want to come with your other half then I can find you two some quiet corner. After all, I don't want my spotlight to be taken away by Mr. President's mysterious lover." Alice joked, smiling brightly, but Shion frowned anyway. Well, maybe if he were to bring his mom and Nezumi no one would guess that Shion attended a friend's wedding with his husband. On the other hand it was frustrating. He couldn't even go anywhere with Nezumi lately. Not mention if they really did employ someone to their bakery even casual private talking with the dark haired man may also become hard.

"Hey, hey. You really don't need to make such face. It was only a proposition. You look like you want to jump through the window."

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to. Once again congratulation on your wedding, Alice. I'm going to gratulate Toya after the meeting. I will try my best to show at your wedding."

"Thank you. Well, it looks you don't have it easy yourself. I know you don't want to say anything about your lover, but is everything alright between you two?"

Shion was surprised by Alice's question. His relationship was like dream beside the fact of decision to hide their love. He wasn't sure how to answer his to friend's concern.

Shion and Alice quietly entered the conference room and sat on their usual places around a big oval table that could fit around fifty people.

"Yes, everything is alright. You don't need to worry."

"I see. Let's say I believe you." Woman rolled her eyes and if she hadn't already been sitting she would strike a more dramatic pose.

"No, it's the truth. It's about current situation... I really can't put my relationship in the first place right now."

"I see. Just don't let someone who you love slip away. You may lose this person if you always put the city on top priority."

Shion answered his friend with a gentle smile. Her words were full of care and Shion knew they weren't only a beautiful mask she used to get closer to him. No. She was the one of the first people who joined him at Restructual Committee. He could remember how hard she had worked with him during that first year after the wall fell. When they distributed, food she even fainted from over-working but even then, she still insisted to stay and help others. She was always grateful that none from her family was taken away by Elyurias or city fights when wall fell. Because of that she wanted to somehow give her thanks to her luck or destiny which was so kind to her. She found her answer in helping those who weren't as lucky as her.

She was different than Shion, who had created the committee because of the many deaths he saw. Because Safu asked him to change the future of people like them into a better one. If that didn't happen, surely he would help NO.6, but rather from some quiet corner than sitting at the centre of the whole government.

Maybe in the end, Alice would fit being President of the city better than him.

If there was a person inside the committee who Shion fully believed, then it was her. He had even considered telling her about Nezumi once or twice, but while Alice had a golden heart, she also talked with everybody on everything. Chances for her to accidentally spit Shion's secret out were high.

Too bad, it might be helpful to have someone stand by his side when others asked him private questions.

"It's not a case. In the end it's a person who put NO.6's future into my hands in the first place."

The woman looked at Shion, lost in her words, surely surprised by such an unusual answer. Before their conversation could be continued, the other members of committee joined them in the conference room.

"Good morning Mr. Yamada, Ms. Okina." Shion welcomed his co-workers. Leaving conversation with his friend for another time, Shion turned on his holographic screen. Just like he had said, he began to reorder the list of matters of discussion before the rest of the committee members were going to show up to the meeting.

It didn't take them very long to gather, yet Shion had a moment to look around the conference room. After his office, which was placed on the same floor, this was the room he spent second most of his time. The building of the Moondrop had surely changed since he had been there for the first time. Back then, corridors looked much the same as the ones inside Correctional Facility. They used to give Shion unpleasant shivers at the beginning. Well, corridors didn't change that much, besides fact that they were now decorated with big printings of images showing the most beautiful places in NO.6, other cities and some spots of nature which hadn't been destroyed by the war. Yet, it was enough change to not have Shion associate them with corridors of Correctional Facility anymore.

The biggest transformation had occurred inside office rooms. Shion supported every individual's desire to make each room feel more personal and less artificial. Natural plants, flowers, carpeting, pictures. Every of them were welcomed warmly by Shion. The conference room still looked kind of artificial because most furniture were made from glass and cold-looking metal, not to mention that the walls and ceiling were white. Yet, to Shion's luck, the room had been kind of devastated after revolution five years ago, so when they set up inside Moondrop a good two years ago, he had been able to propose cedar wood floor, giving the space a warmer look. Two big flower plants beside the big windows helped a lot too.

Well, even homely atmosphere couldn't help that day's meeting. People were nervously arguing over every proposition. Shion tried, as always, to be a voice of reason but after two hours, he got a headache. They still had even more difficult matters planed to work on that day but the easy ones already caused them so many problems. The next few hours of such fights started to appear as a very painful and slow experience. Even Alice looked like she wanted to bite their co-workers after she had explained that such a solution would backfire to the city's inhabitants life instead of helping, for the fifth time.

Shion tiredly moved his eyes to his left side hoping to find some relief in the view beyond the windows. It was only a temporary help before Shion had to join back into the discussion. During the third time of Shion trying to scare his headache away by looking at the city's panorama, he saw something unusual. Behind the other side of window a cleaning lift with an android had arrived. This part was a normal occurrence. The strange thing was that beside robot stood some man in work clothes. He hastily rummaged in a suitcase and he started to unplug some parts from the cleaning android. Shion wondered why a man was fixing robot on such height and why he didn't have any safety lines attached to his suit. This surely was dangerous.

Somehow all conversations inside room became unimportant. Shion couldn't help but to feel something wasn't right.

Then the man on the other side of the window stopped working inside bag and raised pulling out something very similar to gun. Within seconds, the barrel of the machine was pressed to the window. Another second and the heavily reinforced glass of the conference room overlaid with a pattern looking like a crossover of spider's web and stained glass. Through the round hole created by the machine, a flashing object fell on the table. Shion stood up fast from his chair while red light of item blinked faster and faster.

"Everyone, down and cover!" Shion shouted as loud as possible to the other people in room. He only managed to cover his head with his arms before a big force pushed his body backwards, hitting the wall beside him.

When he regained his consciousness, an unbelievable sharp pain in his head, right arm and left leg blocked his mind. His scream mixed with two others in the room. He tried to calm down and open his eyes.

"Shion, Shion, are you alive?" Alice cried somewhere in room.

He once again tried to open his eyes and move his head slightly towards his friend's voice. Before he could even see them, Shion felt small pieces of broken glass everywhere. Blood was running down his cheek from a large cut above his eyebrow. He tried to clean it away but he couldn't move his right arm.

Shion looked towards his right. There was blood everywhere, big pieces of glass were stuck in his upper arm. With his hazy mind he made a note that those shards could be sticking in his head right now if he hadn't covered himself. Awful pain welcomed him once more when he tried to move his fingers. Beside blood, glass and bodies of his co-workers Shion saw clear sky where the window had once been placed. That lift outside window was hanging perpendicularly down on one line.

The seconds of silence were interrupted by another male scream.

"Mr. Umeri. Please hang on!" The new voice full of suffering came from the man on Shion's right.

Shion tried to rise up a little on his left arm, but when he moved the pain from his left hip made him scream again. It felt like something was holding his leg.

"Shi...on, don't!" Once more Alice cried painfully. Shion looked towards her to see the woman's legs being stuck under fallen piece of the door's frame. Next to her, another three people laid motionless. He unconsciously tried to move again, wanting to help his friend, yet another sharp pain from his leg stopped him. Shion finally direct his eyes to his legs. The larger piece of conference table was rising above him like some kind of umbrella with it's metallic leg stuck into his thigh muscles, penetrating his whole leg. Shion took in this view and he couldn't understand what he looked at for a moment. One thing was sure, once he moved, a little glassy piece of table started to rock on sides with it's metallic leg hurting his leg's tissue. Shion's body froze in shock. In all pain, smell of blood and dust he knew that making any motion might cause him to bleed out if his artery was pierced too.

The crimson-eyed man heard sound of running on the corridor before another female scream filled the room.

He moved his head towards the door to see his assistant Rei and another staff member from their floor. The woman was screaming hiding her face inside her hands. Mr. Kannono, who stood beside her turned white as a sheet.

"Kannono..." Alice screamed. The man ran to her and tried his best to set her free from her trap.

"Mr. President. Do you hear me?" Rei walked closer to him after she stopped screaming. Tears started to run down her cheeks.

"Rei, what happen-... where is security?" Shion tried to think straight and calm his breath. Why were those two the only ones who got to them? It wasn't right.

"Someone attacked the first floor too. We heard explosion here. Security was already on the way here when around twenty armed people stormed the first floor. They killed people. Guards focused their attention on getting here when they attacked them from behind. Through the building communication we heard they had weapons." This was the moment when the girl started to shake and cry again. "They've broken into the fourth floor already. They may come here soon too."

Shion's whole body was filled with panic at hearing this.

"What are you doing here?" He screamed at his assistant frightened. They had to run. He moved his head to see Alice frozen in fear. Not much far away from her the injured but conscious members of committee half laid on the floor. Besides those three none of the other twenty-four people moved.

"Kannono, Rei. Evacuate yourself to my office. It has armored doors with a lock, the code is 2793, repeat code."

"But..."

"Repeat code Rei, it's an order." Shion asked his assistant once more. This was a really bad situation. They didn't have much time and he didn't want to see them die.

"2793." Girl answered almost breaking into cry once again.

"Good. Take Alice, Umeri and Okina with you and hide there until help comes. If you meet someone else from staff take them to my office also, but once you close doors don't open them until it's safe. If it's possible, make announcement on the staff's private line and tell them to hide inside offices like mine on upper levels."

"We can't leave you here!" Rei shouted but her voice was lost in loud scream of Alice as Kannono freed her legs.

"You have to! If you move me without medical help I might bleed out before help comes. There is no time. Go! Help Kannono and run!" Shion screamed and another sharp pain blurred his sight. Rei started to cry louder but she nodded and ran towards Alice, starting to drag the other woman towards the destroyed doors. Kannono and Okina, who were in better shape, lifted Umari from the floor. The white shirt of the last one was crimson red around his stomach area and Shion saw a small reflection of glass there.

"Shion, hang on, we will find someone who will get you out of here." Alice screamed towards Shion before the five of them left the room.

"No! You might be killed if they made it to this floor! Don't come back. I will be alright!" He screamed but the last part could easily change into lie. The blood was still slowly leaving his body through numerous cuts and injuries. His mind was getting dizzy. He could only twist his head around without causing himself more pain.

After a minute or two everything was deadly silent. Shion saw Mr. Kiano from the security department two bodies away from him. The man had large piece of glass stuck in his eye.

Shion's breath was starting to get erratic, he was still in shock but his mind began to realize that his co-workers, his friends, may be already dead. They had pieces of metal and glass stuck in their bodies. They were burned from the explosion, too. Shion's own hands were burned in a few places. If not for his superfibre t-shirt under his elegant work shirt he might have ended like them. He knew he had to calm down even if it wasn't easy. Panic would only make him bleed out faster.

At the bakery, that day was really a boring one. Nezumi even started to consider getting a book from their room. The broadcast on TV wasn't interesting and he already checked the other channels only to find replays he saw three or four times already. He really should tell Shion that NO.6 needed some new travel shows.

The last thing he sold was one set of "heaven mix" which they called six kind of cakes that melted in your mouth, almost sending you to another dimension. Well, this catchphrase had been said by little Shion and Karan added it into their menu.

Anyway, since Nezumi had taken care of last customer the bakery was empty. Summer time was only nice for their business in the early morning when they sold pastry to people who hurried to their work and after 1PM. This was the hour the most of teenagers chose to eat something sweet during their vacation time. Karan had already told Nezumi to not bake anything more that day so he had a lot time for himself.

Having Shion's worries in his mind Nezumi had told his mother-in-law to have some rest. Not like the woman had listened to him. She used that time to clean the tables and chairs until they almost shined. Good that he and Shion cleaned everything else the previous day. Nezumi sighed at Karan's stubbornness but he smiled softly anyway. They truly needed to sent their mother on some kind of vacation and make sure she wouldn't be able to work there.

After the third repetition of that coverage about East block's crows Nezumi had enough and went for his book. He was already on the stairs when he heard the frighten scream of Karan. He ran back into the room to see the woman covering her mouth with hands and looking at the TV screen.

When Nezumi raised his eyes he saw big letters saying "the Moondrop attacked". The screen played a montage of people running in panic inside the first floor of the building. The screams filled the shop and Nezumi saw armed people shooting towards Moondrop guards. His experienced eyes could see that the attackers were holding back. Just like they didn't want to waste their bullets, but that didn't mean that they were less brutal by any means. He saw how some random Moondrop visitor was stabbed with a knife without second thought.

The images they saw on TV came from the building's security cameras and there was no way for all of this to be some kind silly joke or montage.

"Shion." Karan whispered afraid, snapping Nezumi's attention to the most important matter. Yes, Shion was working here. But he had his office on the tenth floor. There was no way the aggressors would make so far away into building when special forces of the city were going to began their counter-attack. Shion not often talked about how well-trained the city's protection was.

Then Nezumi saw something that took the solid ground from under his feet, showing him how much he was mistaken.

There was another video clip recorded from outside of the building. It was a recording of some explosion breaking the window from inside. A quick shot showing the room which Nezumi knew from Shion talks. The camera followed a man who fell from lift because of explosion impact and his lifeless body hitting the ground.

Nezumi couldn't believe what he had just seen. This must have been another crazy dream and soon he was going to wake up with Shion laying in bed beside him.

Because there was no way something like an attack on the Moondrop could happen. There were no weapons inside Shion's city. No bombs or suicide attacks or Shion being attacked like this.

And yet the images that flashed the screen didn't change, Karan stood beside him, looking terrified like never before.

"The assault on Moondrop started with a bomb attack executed by Honda Gishi ID-number Qw-60425. His target was the 10th floor of the Moondrop where the Restructural Committee held a meeting. We still don't have information regarding the state of the members after the explosion. The second wave of assault was directed into Moondrop's main gates. Our current information about losses isn't confirmed but we estimate there are 21 people killed and 40 injured. The special force just entered the building and are currently trying to evacuate the civilians." The reporter's voice filled the shop's silence, informing Shion's family about the cruel reality.

Nezumi's body moved on his own, leading him inside their room. Here, he grabbed his superfibre scarf and Shion's winter hat, upgraded with the same material. Before leaving their bedroom, he took his ID unit, old knifes and a high level access card Shion once made for him from a desk's drawer. He never used the mentioned card and he didn't know if it would even be useful now but he pushed it inside his pocket anyway.

Karan already waited for him at the top of stairs.

"Nezumi, are you going to go there?" She asked, clearly worried.

"Yes."

Nezumi didn't understand his own doings. He should just wait for the special forces to clean those assaulters away and get Shion home healthy and safely. But Nezumi knew that wasn't the case. There had probably been an explosion inside the room where his husband had had meeting. The city's building was over taken by chaos. Something deep in his soul was screaming for him to run, to not waste a single second because something bad was going to happen.

He believed in Shion. In the strong Shion who saved him from crumbling and burning in the Correctional Facility. The Shion who wore his superfibre shirt everyday even when he was literally boiling in two layers of clothes since summer had begun. His husband was a fighter and he hasn't going to let himself be killed just like that.

But Nezumi didn't know where Shion was. If Shion was alright, he would have already called him or Karan to spare them worries. This was alarming. Nezumi just hoped Shion had lost his communication unit or Moondrop's connection was cut off. He couldn't even think about the idea of something happening to Shion.

Nezumi's heart screamed, painfully afraid, inside his chest. It filled him only one thought, the need to go to the Moondrop no matter what.

"Nezumi... Try to not go in there alone, go with the special force if that's possible." Karan said, running after him towards the doors. "Please... I don't want to lose any of you... Promise me to be as careful as possible... and Shion, bring him home safe as always." the woman grabbed his arm for a moment, giving Nezumi her support.

"I will." Nezumi answered shortly. He had wanted to throw some dramatic line like 'We're going to be back at dinner' but the words died in his throat. He was simply afraid of losing the most important person in his life.

Not letting his feelings slow him down, he ran towards the garden. He jumped on his motorbike before looking at Karan who stood in the shop's doors once more.

"I'm going to call for car. Go."

Nezumi nodded to his mother in law and turned on the machine.

His mind was blank for the whole ride towards the Moondrop. Until he got closer to the crowd gathered around the building. Without wasting time, he ran towards the first policeman who tried to keep people away. He took the special card from his pocked and showed it to the man.

"I have special pass from President of the city, I need to go inside the building."

The policeman looked at him in shock, not knowing what to do.

"Hurry up, check it or let me go through, people are being killed while you hesitate." Nezumi screamed angrily. but at least his words somehow worked and the man moved in order to scan his card. When policeman saw the information, his face twisted with confusion.

"Sir, follow me."

They pushed behind safety tabs and the dark-haired man was led towards two people in suits loudly debating with heavily equipped soldiers.

"Sir, this man demands entrance inside the building. Is he one of your subordinates?" The policeman asked the armed man. The annoyed and nervous eyes glanced at Nezumi for a moment before returning to a holographic map of the whole Moondrop. Some places were black, but other shone in a blueish color and yellow dots were moving inside them.

"I don't know him. Get him out of here." The soldier ordered and policeman was about to grab Nezumi's arm but the silver-eyed boy jumped even closer to someone who looked like special force's general.

"I have an access card given by President Shion himself. I need to get inside the building if he wasn't evacuated yet." Nezumi pushed towards the big man.

"You! You are Nezumi, aren't you?" Another male joined them. Nezumi noticed it was Shion's co-worker Toya. Shouldn't this man be at the meeting with Shion? If he was here then Shion should also be around.

"Shion, where's Shion?" Nezumi moved closer to the man, skipping all honorifics. At his question, Toya's face turned pale and he looked abashed. He opened his mouth just to cover it with his hand and turn his eyes away. Once more the wave of terror washed over Nezumi's body. He wanted to scream at the man to finally speak up, while the heart in his chest beat madly from fear.

"Last time he was seen he was still inside the conference room. We got this information from his assistant. He ordered all who survived the explosion to evacuate and hide inside his office." The other male answered Nezumi's question. It was the man he had met at that festival. If Nezumi remembered correctly, he was called Tori.

"Where is he now?" Nezumi calmed down a little and cursed at Shion's heroic disorders. Well, at least it sounded like he had been save and alive after the explosion.

There was a pause and Tori looked over his co-worker who nodded his head. Beside them, the man from the special force was ordering action through his communication unit. Nezumi turned his attention to him for a second. The special force was able to evacuate other civilians but it looked like at least ten ambushers made into higher floors of the building, killing another five people. Hearing that, Nezumi started to lose his patience.

"His assistant told us... He was too badly injured to go with them. They couldn't move him because he was trapped. We got this information around ten minutes ago before general Yamato told them to end connection and stay quiet..."

At those words, Nezumi's heart shrunk again. This looked very bad. Shion had been shot in his leg once and he had still run through the Correctional Facility like nothing had happened. If he couldn't leave the conference room, his injuries must have been pretty bad. Even other people couldn't help him in leaving from that dangerous place and now Shion was like a defenseless animal against its predator.

Nezumi heard enough, he was just wasting time. Shion could get killed at any moment if assaulters got to the tenth floor. The silver-eyed male turned around towards the soldier, not waiting for Tori to finish.

"Is there a way to get on the tenth floor before assaulters would get there?"

"I cannot answer that question."

This was madness. Didn't these idiots understand that his white haired, ridiculous and dear husband was in danger? This damn special force was as special as Rikiga's ass! First they had let armed people get past the first floor and now they wouldn't let him get inside building. Nezumi was already prepared to attack the general in order to get to Shion. Yet, he knew that rushing like this would lead to him getting shot by cross-fire between the enemy's and NO.6's forces and even his superfibre cloth may not be enough to protect him.

"Your people didn't stop those damn killers. The enemy is close to killing the president of the city! So yes! You going to answer that question! I have permission to get inside building whenever I want! Or maybe you are hoping for the head of the Restructual Committee to be killed?"

"How could you?" The man moved away from his holographic map and was about to grab Nezumi's collar if Toya hadn't stood between them.

"Nezumi, please. I know Shion is like a brother to you but you must understand, it's dangerous for a civilian to go inside. You would only get yourself killed. I also want to get there because Alice is trapped inside Shion's office as well."

"Yes she's inside the office because Shion protected her and others, but he stayed inside the fucking conference room and those people have weapons! They're going to kill him! That's why one of you are going to tell me if there is another way inside the building or I'm going in through the main gates, whether you want it or not."

"You damn brat! You are no soldier!"

"I wasn't a soldier when I destroyed the Correctional Facility with Shion either. All I had was the superfibre coat you see here and a knife. This is fucking pointless. You are wasting my time." Nezumi didn't care any more. He was going to reveal all his secrets if that were to help him at this moment. He was about to ran towards the main door when his arm was grabbed by the soldier.

"Wait. I don't know who you are to the President but if you wish to die so badly, then I'm not going stop you. Give me your ID unit."

Nezumi pulled out the bracelet from his pocket and the man took it away. He clicked his own unit and after few seconds Nezumi a saw plan of the whole building on the hologram of his own bracelet.

"Here you have the entrance to evacuation stairs. You can get inside by using this card of yours. But I'm going to warm you, we don't have sensors there. We couldn't even use this route to evacuate people because it doesn't have access to all floors and we can't know if enemy units are hiding there. All my men are trying to save people through the main gate and stop the assault. I can't send anyone with you. I'm going to turn on your localization and inform my men that a person like you went inside so they doen't attack you. I'm connecting you to our channel so you can communicate and inform us about everything you encounter. If you manage to get to Mr. President, try to evacuate him. Keep us informed about your every steep."

During the time when the soldier set up his ID unit, Nezumi covered himself with his superfibre scarf and put Shion's hat on his head.

"You can't let him enter like this!" Tori screamed to the soldier.

"He have special access given by Mr. President himself. My procedures says that he can go inside Moondrop even in situation's like this. I can dissuade from going there, but I can't stop him even if he going to be killed in the end."

The fight between both men continued but Nezumi was already putting is ID unit back on his wrist and he ran towards the back stairs. He wasted too much time. Something inside him screamed that he was truly late.

Standing before heavily guarded doors, he put the card Shion made for him inside the access hole. He was welcomed by a dark corridor lighten by red lights. He looked at the map, Those stairs only lead to 3rd, 6th or 11th floor. After choosing one of them, he would need to find normal stairs or an elevator to get to Shion. If he had had the time, he would curse loudly at such amazing architectural idea.

Damn, fucking city full of idiots!

But he stayed quiet, running towards the eleventh floor since this time, Shion's life was on the line.

He didn't want to lose anyone else. He almost didn't remember his family, it had been painful when Gran died... If something were to happen to Shion Nezumi wouldn't know what to do. It was truly like a nightmare. Or maybe it was time for him to wake up from this beautiful dream that Shion build for both of them, back to cruel reality.

Nezumi's eyes burned at such thought. He blinked nervously few times. Damn NO.6! No, he had to keep himself together. He was going to get to Shion. After finding him, Nezumi wanted them to move to somewhere safe while this damn "special" force was going to clear the aggressors away. Or maybe he and Shion simply evacuate thought the route he was using now...

When it all will have ended, he was going to beat up everyone in this damn city who was responsible for security. How did those fuckers even get weapons?

This was a matter to deal with later. For now, he had to focus.

"Shion, hang on." Nezumi whispered, running up the stairs.

For around half an hour Shion struggled to stay awake. He knew that if no one helped him he was going to die simply from blood loss. His mind was slipping away like someone had stolen all his strength from him. He didn't let himself panic. Special force was positioned not far away from the Moondrop. They should arrive at this floor soon. They weren't equipped with guns because other cities didn't let them keep any, but they were trained in close combat with cold steel and their armors were resistant to every known weapon the city had once had. It may be harder for them to win against armed enemies, but once at least two or three members of the special force got their hands on the enemy's weapons it would be over for their enemies. Everything would be alright. He had survived worse in Correctional Facility.

'But back then I could move.' The quiet voice in his head tried to destroy his attempt of staying calm.

Then Shion heard heavy steps far away in the corridor. Three pairs if he wasn't mistaken.

"This should be right floor. With luck we got them all. If not, you two know what to do. Once we make sure that there are no survivors we are going to announce our victory and take the city back."

There was some kind of nervousness mixed with crazy amusement in the voice Shion heard from the corridor.

And they were getting closer.

And surely it wasn't that special force Shion counted on.

He closed his eyes. Playing dead wasn't the bravest tactic but it could buy him some time if his enemies wouldn't start to shoot at corpses anyway.

"Gentlemen, look at this. This is the Restructual Committee. The ones who took from us what's rightfully ours. A group of dirty rats who thought they are better than elite."

The unpleasant voice got inside the room. Shion tried his best to calm down and take breaths as small as possible hoping that his enemy wouldn't look much at him. It was hard since the words of the unknown man made him furious. This was one of the people who probably killed his co-workers.

Three people took loud steps on the broken glass before they stopped and looked around the room.

"There are only twenty of them." The previous voice changed into an angry one.

"But, sir, we were told that they were all going to be here today."

"I don't care how it should be! Half of them aren't here!"

"Maybe they moved somewhere else?"

There was a muffed sound and Shion somehow could guess that owner of the unpleasant voice probably kicked one of his dead co-workers.

"Then go find them!"

"Yes, sir." With those words one person ran off the room, leaving his two companions with Shion.

"Twenty of them. Fuck, it's not even half of them... But wait..."

Both people began to move once more and Shion heard their steps growing louder.

"It may be not so bad, look what we have here. This damn mutant." The cheerful creepy laugher filled the room.

"With this head over our plate we may not even need to get them all."

Shion could feel their presence hovering over him.

"Who would have thought such garbage could take away our holy city. But in the end he met the end he deserved."

The unknown man leaned closer and kicked the metallic bar which stuck in Shion hip with full force. The white haired man couldn't hold his loud scream as his body shook in pain. His eyes snapped open and from his harsh move the lost the piece of glass made one more cut on his other leg.

His scream was filling the place in duet with another wave of laugher. The solder standing beside the middle-aged man pointed his gun towards Shion.

"Oh, he's still alive. This can be fun. Let see what the amazing President of NO.6 is going to do now that he's facing the real owners of the city."

Shion's body tried to get away from the torment, but every struggle created waves of pain. He tried to calm himself down despite all the suffering he felt and his mind searched of any possibility how make it out of such a situation alive.

"So, Mr. President... You are a perfect example of what this childish committee was, a piece of pathetic garbage."

"Why are you doing this?" Shion breathed out. This question sounded so silly. Like a line from the books which Nezumi laughed at and called cliché, but at this moment when Shion's body struggled with pain he couldn't think of anything better.

"Because it's our city, you damn brat. We let you play with it for a while and now we're taking back what's ours. Well, as for a little worm like you, you made it pretty annoying. But look." The man leaned to grab Shion's face and force him to look towards the corpses laying beside him.

"We defeated you all anyway. Now I'm going to make you pay for the trouble and humiliation we have gone through because of you and your useless comrades. Since you are still alive, I'm going to make the last moments of your life as unpleasant as possible."

He let go of Shion's face with a satisfied smirk.

"My people are killing your beloved workers. It was an interesting show to watch when all this crap from outside the city screamed in fear when we entered the Moondrop. And those guards... Well, they took out nine of us before we cleaned them away. But just like you all, they were horse-shit in the end."

The man leaned in once more to grab the metal bar and started to circle it in a slow mention, causing Shion to once again scream in pain. When the man let go of the bar the heavy glass attached to the table's leg jerked against the whole thing, making Shion feel like his muscles were being thorn away from his bones.

"You are not very talkative, Mr. President, but I can say, I like you better this way. When you scream like this."

Shion's face became wet as the tears flew from his eyes, mixing with drying blood. Shion couldn't understand. How could someone torture another human like this?

"Sto...p it...!" He screamed.

"See, how little you need, to make the mighty and wonderful Shion beg?" The man laughed happily to the soldier who still held his gun towards Shion.

"And we were afraid that such a dirty mutant would stop our plan. What a joke. Well, that scientist's kid really messed up by stealing one of our weapons a few months ago. The weapons we fixed together from pieces gathered in deepest parts of the city with so much trouble and pain. There was no way to create new ones so we had to be careful and wait for a good chance to get the city back. The bomb we found this year was the last piece we needed but then this kid who was a former elite tried to kill this mutated shit. In the end it was nothing to worry about! They were just a band of brainless trash."

"The current security department didn't even check the source of the weapon that the brat had, like they should. They bought the kid's silly story about finding the gun in his parent's house. Unbelievable." The other man laughed, too.

While two people seemed to make peaceful conversation above Shion's, body something like a painful groan sounded on the other side of room. Both men fell quiet for a moment. The groan repeated.

"Oh, looks like someone else is also alive."

"Good. Let's show Mr. President what's going to happen to him soon."

The solder went towards the window where Shion's female co-worker laid on the floor.

"No..." Shion cried and his vision once more blurred away, more than previously. He couldn't feel his leg any more and it looked like the puddle of his own blood had become significantly bigger.

"Don't." Shion moaned again, but no one listen to him. Soldier stopped beside the woman and in the next moment her head was covered with red blood.

"Don't worry, Mr. Shion, we have enough bullets saved for you. You should feel lucky, they were also very hard to find."

Shion wanted to howl. They wanted to kill him just like this. One shot in the head. The panic and horror seized his entire body and he barely held on to his consciousness. He wanted to run away, but he couldn't. No one was coming to save him. He's going to die. He wanted to scream for his mother, for Nezumi.

A loud cry shook his body.

He was going to brake his promises, Nezumi was going to be left alone. He didn't want this. He had just married Nezumi. They were going to go on their vacation soon. He wanted to see that lake where Nezumi married him once more. He wanted to taste his mom's warm pastry. He wanted to hug them both once more.

Shion tried to fight, to get up but it just caused the room fill with another wave of cruel laugher.

"Ne..zu...mi..." Shion called for help. He wanted to wake up. He wanted for Nezumi to save him from this nightmare.

He could already barely see that the man above him froze and leaned towards him with anger.

"What you did just call me, you little shit?"

The hit landed on his stomach first but its energy was reduced by his superfibre shirt. The man kicked his chest a few times but after Shion didn't look like the hits worked, he moved to Shion's face. After the third hit, the white-haired man's mind started to fade into black and his mouth filled with the strange taste of blood.

The next unbelievable pain chased away darkness for a few moments. Shion felt like his right hand was being cut away from rest of his body. His face now fully covered with tears. His scream was stifled by the blood he had in mouth.

The man above him stood on Shion's right upper arm, forcing the glass pieces to drive deeper into his flesh and there break into smaller ones.

When man moved away and Shion's scream died down the gun was already back above him. The red laser of the weapon was placed at Shion's dirty and bloody forehead.

"Kill him." It was the last words the cruel man said.

Shion wanted to make any sound, but he wasn't able to form a single one. He was going to die... This mind was slipping away into darkness as fast as his tears fell from his eyes.

After loud shooting sound, the darkness finally took him away.

#no.6 #nezushi #nezumi #shion #karan #fanfiction #not perfect

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