Following the unintended injury and fierce training session held with Sonmyō Itama and the children. Yama wakes up a full two days later. Enveloped in blankets and sheets, supported by soft pillows; he opens his eyes to many familiar faces. Aori, Ryukyuko, and Ryukyuka were encircled around his bed in the infirmary.
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“Guys, look!”
“He’s opening his eyes!!” Aori excitedly shouts.
The others look to Yama intensely and with worry, Yama begins to mutter some words aloud.
“W-what happened?”
He winces in pain.
“Why does my arm hurt...”
They all look to each other in awkward silence before replying.
“What is it?” Yama worriedly asks.
“...”
Aori hesitates.
“Y-you were injured in the test battle against Sonmyō Itama.”
“Injured?!”
Yama attempts to lift his left arm. He yells in pain.
“OWW!!"
"Why does it hurt so bad?!! Is it broken? It feels broken!” Yama cries
Aori calmly explains to Yama what happened.
“Yes.. your arm is broken, however, the medics said you will make a full recovery.”
“It’ll be like it never broke.” She says ending with a forced smile.
“Never broke?!” Yama replies with a hint of anger.
“This bastard broke my arm?" He says stretchingly with his initial disbelief.
"I don’t even remember anything after…”
Yama’s memories begin flooding back.
“Aori?! Are you okay??" He stares at her intensely with a worried look.
"H-he hit you didn't he?"
Aori assures him that she’s fine.
“I’m perfectly okay, but there is something else you should know about the situation.”
Ryukyuka chimes in.
“Something really weird happened to you during the battle.”
Ryukyuko replies.
“Yea, you had some pret-ty freak-y energy going on.”
Aori finishes.
“When you charged after the Sonmyō, it seemed like you completely lost sight of yourself.”
He pauses.
“Even your appearance changed and there was this really crazy thick energy that you were giving off.”
“I’ve never seen you like that before..."
"You even managed to lay hands on the Sonmyō at least... before he knocked you out..”
Yama looks to them shocked and confused. Still having no recollection up to the point of Aori’s attack Yama feels uneasy. To himself, he thinks.
[“Weird energy?..”
“I landed a blow on the Sonmyō?”]
Out loud he replies.
“What do you mean I changed…"
"Like... it wasn’t me?”
Aori replies.
“I don’t know, all know is that it looked like you had white hair before you got knocked out.”
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She pauses.
“The energy seemed not completely human..."
"But what do I know.” Aori says shyly as she laughs it off.
The twins chuckle, as does Yama and the conversation quickly becomes a little less tense. Despite the change in atmosphere, Yama is still feeling some type of way about his broken arm.
“Regardless of what happened, he hit you and broke my arm..”
“Maybe my judgment was wrong on this one guys...”
Aori interjects positively.
“I wouldn’t say that. He did care for you, on the day it happened.”
“He didn’t leave your bedside the entire night.”
“None of us did really.”
Yama smiles a bit.
“The Sonmyō has a good heart, I can feel it!”
“We just have to adapt to this new life and give it some time.” Aori says smiling.
“I told him to apologize to you once you wake u-”
Before Aori could finish her sentence, the door swings open and a tiny-statured woman in nursely garb with short-brown hair walks in. She quickly rushes over to the bed as soon as she lays sight on roused Yama.
“Thank goodness you’re awake!” The nurse lovingly shouts.
“Who are you?” Yama asks
She replies, “I’m Nishita Re, your Medi.”
Yama replies embarrassed.
“Oh!... Thank you so much for taking care of me.” He attempts to it up straight and struggles to bow his head in gratitude as he winces.
Feeling no need for such appreciation, Re softly catches Yama to prevent him from bowing any further.
“Please, it’s no problem at all.”
“You were a wonderful patient.” [She laughs to herself in light of Yama being asleep the entire time.]
"Now, I must go inform the Sonmyō that you are awake.”
Re hurriedly leaves the room and the children just stare at each other. Yama breaks the short silence.
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“So..."
"What have you guys been doing these last couple of days while I was asleep?”
“What's happened?”
Ryukyuko replies.
“Well, we were with you the entire first night and the following day.”
“But that day the Sonmyō decided to enroll us into the Academy.”
"It's just like the Academy in Central except well... this one is for ninja haha."
“We just started yesterday so don’t worry, you're not far behind.” he smiles.
Yama looks intrigued.
“The Academy you sa-”
Before he can finish his words the Sonmyō of the West and Commander of the Land of Rock enters the room.
“Look here!” He shouts.
“Glad to see you’re okay, son.”
Upon uttering these words the atmosphere in the room is filled with silence as an awkward and emotional vibe imbues itself with it.
“Son?”
Yama confusedly and irritatingly replies.
“I have no parents.” He says sternly.
Willfully or perhaps unknowingly, Itama is unable to read the room and reacts to the situation with a smile.
“Well..."
"You do now!"
"I’ve decided to adopt you all!”
Yama is silent as he stares blankly. He turns his head slowly to the left and to his right towards his friend's faces. He sees them content and not surprised as they slightly avert his survey.
“Adopt us?” He asks.
“Please.”
“I thought I could trust you before but...” He says disgustedly.
“What kind of ‘father’ breaks their own son’s arm?”
Itama loosens his smile a bit and the atmosphere becomes a little more serious.
“Look, not only have I come with the news”
“I came here to apologize..”
“....” There's a noticeable pause.
“I’m sorry boy, it was not my intention to injure you so.”
“Though, as I’m sure you’ve heard from your friends that you weren’t yourself.”
Yama lets off a smug smirk.
“Heh,"
"Everyone is saying that but I still don’t remember anything.”
Itama replies.
“It seems you lost consciousness at the sight of me injuring one of your friends.”
“I apologized to her soon after... but you were engulfed in a flame of rage.”
“I had to quell it.”
Yama looks to Aori for confirmation of his apology and verification of his statement. She stares back at him intent in her eyes and speaks with them. Yama takes a relieving exhale and concedes.
“Well…”
“If that’s the case, I also apologize for my behavior.” He attempts to bow again as he winces in pain, Ryukyuka support him on his right.
“Please my boy, relax.” Itama warmingly says.
There's a quick slience.
“You may have apologized to me, but I have no parents.”
“You can’t just ‘adopt’ me, I am not property, WE are not property.”
"I was open to it before but."
“You will have to gain our trust back first..”
“I hope you can understand this, Great Sonmyō.”
Itama laughs.
“Sure. Take all the time you need.”
“Don’t take too long however, you will be starting school and living with me tomorrow.”
Hearing these words Ryukyuka gets antsy.
“We’re officially moving into the Sonmyō Mansion?!”
“That’s great!!”
Ryukyuko cooly smiles. As Aori looks to Yama in excitement.
Yama replies with a smile.
“I suppose a mansion wouldn’t be too bad..”
“Great!” Itama says.
“Now, we will let you rest, I will have someone get your things in the morning for the move-in.”
Yama laughs.
“Haha, what things? We came with nothing.”
Itama chuckles.
“Haha, you’re right.”
There's a slight pause.
“Welcome to your new home, the Eastern Village of the Land of Rock.”
Itama and Re leave the room after finishing their peace and the children are left to themselves. Aori speaks.
“This doesn’t sound too bad right Yama?”
Stuck in thought Yama's brain leaves the room as he is quiet for a few seconds before he answers.
“Yeah... it’s great.”
“I’m still concerned about Naname, Kidan, and Ranmari though..”
Ryukyuka interjects.
“Well.. maybe we can ask the Sonmyō to find out if they are alive!”
“I’m sure he has connections!”
Hearing these words Yama raises his eyebrows.
“You’re right!”
“...” He thinks for a second.
“We should ask him tomorrow to see what he can do.”
Aori agrees.
“Yes! that's a great idea we’ll do that.”
“But you should get some more rest now Yama, so you can rebuild your strength.”
Ryukyuko interjects.
“I’m hungry.”
“Let’s go eat!” Ryukyuka replies.
“You’re right Aori, I think I’ll rest a bit more.” Yama says.
“We’ll bring you some food later, sleep well.” Aori says happily as they all leave.
With the room to himself, Yama can’t help but continue to think about Naname. Unknowing of the hardships both of his friends have faced. Yama closes his eyes with a heavy mind as he rests for the rest of the day.