(The next day, I was out and about with Tsukiakari. We got her a haircut and some normal, summer-friendly clothes. Though, considering how long her hair was, a haircut doesn't really mean much does it? In the end, her hair still reached down to her bottom.)

Osamu was back in tie dye, and Tsukiakari was donning a white shirt with a blue, floral cardigan over it. She had a pair of sunglasses resting on her head, reflecting the glare of the beaming sun back into the sapphire blue sky. Both of them wore skinny jeans and sandals as they walked down the street of the neighborhood, heading back towards the house.

"Ah!" Tsukiakari sang, stretching out her arms. "Feels good to be out in the summer, huh?"

Osamu's miserable, sweat-drenched mug was enough to say otherwise. "It's unbearably hot..."

"You sure love to complain when you don't have a girl or a world to save, you know that?" Tsukiakari teased. "When I was in the war, we had to walk through hot areas for hours, with heavy armor and equipment!

"I'm not a damn soldier!" Osamu retaliated.

"Then don't carry the Ashikaga name! The shogunate would be ashamed if they knew their distant descendant was some girl-hopping coward who couldn't even stand a little heat. Nut up, Osamu."

A girl's voice called out from their left. "Oi!"

The two saw Rei coming out of the bowling alley in a white and gold summer dress and a large straw hat. You might be thinking what Osamu and Tsukiakari thought. The flowing, girly dress didn't match her cold, yet aloof personality. Though, Osamu was willing to believe, at least for today, that maybe he didn't know Rei as well as he thought he did.

"Hey Rei, I didn't know you were here. Do you want to apologize for stabbing me in the side?" Osamu asked as he slid his hands into his front pockets.

"What are you....Oh!" Rei said. "I remember! That was when I sexually assaulted you!"

"How can you recall something so traumatizing so casually?!" Osamu scolded with a raised voice. "Anyway, whatever happened to the doll you had? The one you used to stab me?"

"I still have it. Why?"

"I've been wondering why the hell I've been waking up in a cold sweat. I assumed it was the heat at first, but the mornings are still cool. I wake up before he sun even really rises. Just to make sure, I even slept with the blankets and everything off and still woke up that way."

Rei turned around and snickered to herself. "Oh gosh!"

"What's so funny? Answer the question!" Osamu urged.

"It's embarrassing, but I still sleep with my stuffed animals, and your doll is no exception. It's just that the doll is so small that I tend to keep it...well...tucked firmly between my breasts?" Rei explained. "It's been kind of hot at my place because the air conditioner is busted, so..."

"You know what? I don't want to hear anymore of it." Osamu sighed. "Honestly, I was expecting a more wicked answer out of you, like you were trying to boil the doll or something."

"Hold on, are we talking about some sort of voodoo doll or something?" Tsukiakari asked.

"Yeah, Rei, for some reason, has one of me and it actually works. Where the hell did you even get something like that, Rei?"

"Aika gave it to me!" Rei answered with a happy tone.

"Aika?!" Osamu recoiled.

"Yep. I asked if she knew anyone that could give me a voodoo doll, and it turns out that she did! Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that she knew someone who knew someone. Either way, I got it through Aika. Don't remember the name of the girl that actually provided the doll, though. It was some weird, foreign name."

(Who the hell is out there making functional voodoo dolls of me? I'll have to ask Aika about this later.)

"Screw it, just don't stab, burn, or crush me, all right?" Osamu said.

Rei pressed her heels together and brought her fist to her chest in a rigid, but awkward salute. "Yes, sir! I promise not to stab, burn or crush you! Where were you guys headed, anyway?"

"We're going home, actually. Want to come with us? We can whip you something cold to eat." Tsukiakari said.

"Thank you, I'd be delighted!" Rei replied.

(And so, Rei ended up walking home with us...)

Arriving at the house, Osamu let Tsukiakari and Rei inside first, holding the door for the two ladies as they stepped through the doorway The house had the AC running all day and felt like a chilly paradise compared to the UV ray hell outside.

"Make yourselves at home, girls. There's iced tea in the fridge." Osamu said.

"Awesome! Hey Hey! It's Tsukiakari! I'm here with Rei!"

Yoko, Isabella, and Izanami were in the kitchen, waiting for Osamu to get back from his summer stroll. The jovial mood died in an instant when Osamu and the others saw Isabella. Her whole body had gone as pale as sand. Her eyes were red and swollen. Yoko and Izanami looked just as miserable. It was though all three of them had been crying for hours.

"Izzy? Is something wrong?" Tsukiakari asked.

Yoko stood from her seat, fidgeting with her fingers. "There's something we have to inform you all about. It actually works out great that you've brought Rei and Tsukiakari along, Osamu."

"What's going on?" Osamu asked.

Yoko gently placed her hand on Isabella's shoulder. "Go on. You can do it."

Isabella stood from her seat with her head hung low. She couldn't bear to look her friends in their eyes. "Osa, you know better than anyone how I sometimes get really bad tummy aches. I've had them since I was thirteen, but they came more frequently around the time I moved in with you guys, when Aika was still here. Yesterday, I learned that those weren't just tummy aches."

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"What were they? Is it serious?" Rei questioned.

Isabella nodded as she rubbed her forearm. "I didn't go back to my house. I was at the hospital. I had to have a few tests done, so I stayed for several days so I could get the results. That's when I learned what those tummy aches were. Osa, Gekko, Rei, I...I have pancreatic cancer."

"Cancer?!" Tsukiakari gasped.

"No way. Come on, that's pretty heave-handed even for a joke." Osamu said. "You guys are just pulling one my leg, right?"

Isabella's suddenly yelled out. "It's not a joke!"

(That yell...I know her...she never yells like that unless it's serious...)

"I'm dying, guys. I might not even make it to the New Year. God, I ran around a thousand times in my own head to figure out if I should even announce this to you all. I almost didn't want to, but Yoko told me it wouldn't be fair on you guys if I kept it to myself. I'm sorry..."

"Izzy...I don't know what to say! I mean, is there anything we can do to help you? Are we sure it's terminal?" Tsukiakari asked.

"By now, it's already spreading to my other organs. The doctor thinks it may have been growing for quite a while, but by the time the symptoms became noticeable, the cancer was already starting to spread aggressively. My chances of survival are next to none. As for helping...Yoko is helping me get in contact with my family back home. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to hang out with you guys as much as I wanted to this summer. I'm going to be in a lot of pain, and I've opted for pain killers to help me with that. I didn't really see the point in chemo if it'll only delay the inevitable by a short amount of time."

Rocked by the tragic news, Rei slapped her hand over her quivering lips, fighting back tears and whimpers.

"I'm sorry, Rei. I was hoping we could hang out more now that we've talked our differences out." Isabella lamented. "It looks like I'm going to die on you instead."

Rei ran and hugged Isabella with every bit of regret she had. Isabella couldn't help but hug her back.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Isabella cried.

(How did I feel in that moment? I still don't know myself. Was I sad? Maybe I was mad at myself? Mad at her? Why? Like I said, I don't know. All I remember is that even Rei, who once hated Isabella, who never was the kind of girl to go out of her way to show any emotion, was crying. To me, the rest of that announcement just passed by like a blur. I knew why it felt like that, too. I thought I could just save her like I saved everyone else...)

That night, Osamu passed by Isabella's room on his way downstairs. He walked with his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants and his spirit in a slump. Though her door was closed, he could hear Yoko and Isabella talking through it. He heard heartbroken sobs coming from Isabella as Yoko did her best to console her.

"I don't know what to say to him, Yoko! We already lost Huxley, and now I have to tell him he's going to lose me too! I don't want my dad to be sad!"

"I know." Yoko responded. "This is going to be difficult, but we'll write it together. I believe the best way to tell him is to just be upfront and blunt about it. He's your father, after all. He'll be able to accept the situation so that he can offer you help."

(Get yourself together, Osamu. Izzy isn't going to die. Not while I'm still alive. We still have a few options!)

Osamu's first option for was to speak with Izanami. He looked around the house for her and found her sitting on the front steps outside, gazing up at the stars and moon. The street lights were dim, and the sounds of crickets resonated from all directions.

"Hey." Osamu greeted.

Izanami turned around, surprised by Osamu. "Hey..."

"About Isabella's cancer...we can fix this, right?" Osamu asked.

Izanami failed to respond. Her sad eyes said more than her still lips.

"Izanami...be honest with me here. Can we do something to help her or not?"

Izanami shook her head. "No. There's nothing we can do. I mean, technically, I could have her healed by a Shinigami..."

"Then what the hell are we waiting for?! She's upstairs crying her eyes out trying to figure out what to say to her dad!"

"But it's against the rules!"

(What?)

"The rules?" Osamu repeated, bewildered.

"This is different, Osamu. It's not like that time with Aika, where a young girl suddenly decided to end her life. It's not like with Tsukiakari, where Bishamon's actions contributed to the both of you getting killed and nearly obliterated. Isabella getting sick like this...it wasn't some sort of accident. It wasn't a mistake. Just like Aika's mother, Izzy is supposed to die this way at this age. That is what was decided." Izanami explained.

"Izanami. Who decided that? Did you do it?"

Izanami stood and fearfully backed away from Osamu. "I don't decide these things just to be evil! Every single death has its reasons, Osamu! Isabella is the same way!"

"How the fuck would you think she'd feel hearing that?! Can you tell her that and expect her to just say 'Oh well, I understand!'?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Osamu shouted.

Tears rolled down Izanami's pale cheeks. "Please stop!"

"Do you take joy in taking people from this life far too early?! Isabella doesn't have a future anymore because of you!"

"If I could, I would have everyone live forever! But I can't do that, Osamu! You'll never understand what it's like to be a goddess of death! I hate making these decisions! For every single radiant child born on this earth, I have to organize their demise! It hurts! I love everyone and I want to keep them here, but I'm not allowed to do that!"

"Oh, but you get to live forever?! You think that's fair?!"

Izanami clenched her chest with her hand, as though to hold her shattering heart together. "Stop, Osamu!"

"Osamu!" Yoko yelled out.

Osamu immediately snapped out of his rage when he heard Yoko's voice. She stood by the door with a furious expression as Izanami fell to the ground and sobbed.

"Look at what you've done." Yoko chided.

Looking at Izanami, Osamu realized just how terribly the news of Isabella's illness affected him. He may have been the only one that kept a dry eye today, but what he had done to Izanami was undeniable proof that he was more confused and shocked than anyone.

"None of us can claim to understand Izanami's life and her position as a god." Yoko said. "As humans, we only see the result of her work, not the reasons and motives behind it. With that fact alone, we have no right to blame Izanami. I do not believe for a second she would ever wish harm upon anyone in this house. Neither should you. No, especially not you.”

Yoko walked just a bit past Osamu before stopping. "Get inside. I'll talk to you soon."

Yoko knelt down by Izanami, helping her up as she continued to cry. Osamu silently went back inside and back into the bedroom, where he collapsed face-first on Yoko's bed.

(What am I doing? She's right. I can't claim to understand Izanami's job. She's not the kind of person to voluntarily want these things to happen. In a way, even for a goddess of death, death is still somewhat out of her control.)

Yoko soon went back inside and joined Osamu in the bedroom. She stood before him instead of sitting with him. Osamu sat up, and the two simply looked at each other for what felt like a full minute. Neither really knew what to say at first.

"If you were anyone else, I would've beaten you for being such an ass." Yoko growled. "But because you're you, and because we're all close to Isabella, I will say this instead. You told me this once before, didn't you? You can't save everyone. For Isabella's sake, the last thing you should do is get angry and take it out on Izanami. She would never want this house to become divided. It would only make her feel like a burden."

"I won't stop. I'm going to find a way to save her, Yoko. Izzy's life can't end like this." Osamu declared, tightening his hands into fists.

"I'm being this blunt with you because I love you so much. I don't want to see you hurt yourself. There is nothing we can do, Osamu."

"Fine. I'll go and save her by myself. Keep supporting her from here, Yoko."

Osamu got up and took his black hoodie out from the sliding closet.

"Where are you going?" Yoko asked.

"There's still a few people I can think of that can help. We have to try everything, don't we? That's what friends and family do. We look out for each other. Tell Izanami I'm sorry for making her cry." Osamu said.

Osamu shut the door. Yoko sat down on the bed and sunk her head into her hands as Osamu left the house, beginning his long walk to Izanami's shrine. He was on his way to see the Shoku Twins.

(We still have to try. I can figure out something. Just give me some time...)