“That idiot! I didn’t think Chero could be so stupid!” Tsukino tsked.
“What? You already know what is going on? All we told you is that Chero locked us up and left on her own,” Francis said.
“Yeah…I don’t really get it either….But it looks like Tsuki-chan shares some memories with Chero,” Leon said.
“What? Does that mean she understands what is going on better than we do?” Mocha asked.
“LEONIDES! Did you find something to help get me down there?!” Tsukino demanded.
Leonides laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head, “Oh…I um…I forgot!”
Tsukino wanted to strangle Leonides.
“We don’t have time for that. First we have to find Chero, so Leon can stay here with-” Hime started, but was interrupted.
“I can’t wait! Enough talk. Stand back, I’m coming down!” Tsukino said.
Tsukino climbed down to the bottom of what ladder was left.
“Er…Tsukino! Wait!” Leon called.
Tsukino ignored him and jumped down, Leonides caught her at the last second.
“Are you ok, Chero’s Nee-chan?” Danni asked.
“Nice catch!” Jenny said.
Tsukino’s face turned red and she wiggled out of Leon’s arms and moved away from him.
“Let’s split into two groups. Starting from the basement up,” Mocha said.
The two groups were split thusly: Dino, Tsukino, Hime and Jenny and then Kiki, Mocha, Francis, Dante, Danni and Leonides.
Hime’s group left and kept going until they finally made it to the second floor.
They were assigned the second and the third floor, while the other group had the basement and first floor.
Hime walked over to the bedroom that was across from the fireplace room. She opened the door to see the double size monster fighting Chero. Tsukino’s eyes went wide in surprise at what she saw.
“What the hell?!” Jenny questioned.
“It grew!” Hime exclaimed.
“Ha…ha…” Chero panted.
“Chero?” Hime questioned.
“Chero!!!” Dino cried.
The monster faded away. Chero smiled, dried tears on her cheeks.
“Heh…You found me…” she said.
Chero winced and fell over, sprawled on the floor. Blood pooled around various
wounds on her body.
“Chero!” Dino cried.
The four people in the group ran over to Chero. Tsukino held one of her hands and Dino clenched his fists.
“Its…You….Dino…And Tsukino too…Even though I told you not to…” she said.
“Why didn’t you run?!” Tsukino sobbed, “You should have teleported away! Like you always do!”
“Running away…wouldn’t have saved anyone…That is why I decided to do all I could…”
“Chero! Can you move? Just take slow breaths!” Jenny cried.
“There’s still time! I can stop the bleeding! Just bring me some bandages!” Hime sobbed.
“Just stop it!” Tsukino lectured, “Why do you always have to do things alone?!
Just take a look around you. When you wake up…I am going to lecture you until
your ears fall off!”
“Aw…No….But when I wake up again…I’ll be…” Chero said, “But I am so tired…and it really hurts…what am I going to do? I haven’t yet…”
Chero closed her eyes.
“Cher- Oh! Thank GOD! She is still breathing!” Jenny sighed in relief, “I was so scared…”
“Let’s get to the safe room at once!” Hime said, “Jenny, call the others back. Dino, you carry Chero. Tsukino, you can help me with her injuries…”
Tsukino wiped away her tears, “Yeah…Sorry…”
“Did Chero fight Steve on her own?” Jenny asked.
“She’s severely injured…Let’s hurry!” Dino said picking Chero up, worry coating his voice.
To the me….To the me who lives at some point in time…and who isn’t alone…
