Chapter Twenty-Two: Now Only Two
S.T.A.R.S Medical Bay
Houston Tx, May 15th, 2036 (The Present)
A low hum of machinery filled the room, blending with the occasional sharp beeping of monitors tracking vital signs. The sterile scent of antiseptic hung in the air, while the harsh, white light overhead reflected off the cold, metallic surfaces of the medical equipment. It felt suffocating.
Yozora's eyes fluttered open, his vision blurry as he stared at the unfamiliar surroundings. His body felt heavy, almost as if it wasn’t his own. The sterile brightness of the room stabbed at his eyes. Confusion gripped him. What the hell is going on? He blinked, trying to focus.
Suddenly, panic surged through him. Where's T? His heart raced as memories of the battle against Jezebel flashed in his mind, haunting him. He tried to sit up, but his muscles refused to cooperate. His legs gave out, and he tumbled from the bed onto the cold floor, the impact jarring him fully awake.
Groaning, Yozora pulled himself up, glancing at the stark, white walls that surrounded him. Everything was so clean, too clean. The tension in the air felt thick, like an unspoken truth pressing down on him.
He stumbled toward the hallway, each step labored, his body still fighting the weight of fatigue. “Hello?” His voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “Hello?”
As Yozora staggered forward, his blurred vision caught sight of medics moving swiftly through the building, their white uniforms blending with the bright lights of the hallway. I’m in a hospital? The realization hit him like a wave, but before he could gather his thoughts, a firm arm wrapped around his shoulders.
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“My guy, you finally woke up.” The familiar voice brought him back.
Yozora wiped his face, his vision clearing just enough to see T.LAC standing beside him. His best friend’s face looked tired, worn, and heavy with the same weight Yozora felt deep in his chest.
But they both knew what was truly weighing them down—Mara. She was gone. The harsh reality of losing her hit them like a tidal wave, the memory seared into Yozora's mind, playing on repeat.
“T... she’s gone,” Yozora whispered, his voice breaking. His eyes darkened, the haunting images Jezebel forced into his mind resurfacing. “She seared what she did to Mara into my head. It keeps playing over and over. I wasn’t enough to save her. I’m sorry, T. I’m so sorry.”
T.LAC swallowed hard, his own pain mirrored in Yozora’s words. His fists clenched as tears welled up in his eyes. “Zora... it’s just us now.” Tears streamed down his face. “I’m sorry too. I couldn’t save her either, but Jezebel will pay for this. She took Mara from me—she took her from us.”
T.LAC’s voice trembled, but there was a fire burning beneath his words. “After we lay her to rest... we need to start over. We should learn everything about the Toro from scratch. We shouldn’t even think about going after our last fragments until we’ve mastered the basics.”
Yozora looked at T.LAC, their shared grief hardening into a fierce resolve. “I agree,” Yozora said, his voice cold but steady. “Not having a solid foundation is why we failed to protect Mara. We’ll dedicate our new training to her.”
Just as the weight of their determination began to settle, a voice cut through the silence.
“zora?”
Both boys turned, their eyes locking onto Instructor Selene, standing at the entrance of the hallway. Her face carried a mixture of sadness and guilt.
“I’m sorry about what happened to Mara...” she began, her voice soft with sympathy.
Yozora’s expression hardened. “It’s Yozora to you, Selene,” he said coldly, his eyes narrowing. “Why are you here?”
Selene sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, Yozora, I work here. I suppose you haven’t realized it yet.”
T.LAC’s brows furrowed in confusion as Yozora’s gaze sharpened, taking in his surroundings for the first time with clarity.
“We’re at S.T.A.R.S.,” Selene said gently, her voice tinged with sadness.
“Welcome back.”