fencer-x:

(scans courtesy of sunyshore​)

Forbidden Last Only Power - Part ¾

[In the penthouse, on the roof, at night]
The evening cityscape spreads out before them, as Haruka and Rin look on.

Rin: “Whadya think, Haru? Awesome, right?”
Haruka: “…Rin, is this it? The sight you were talking about?”
Rin: “Yup; it’s a million-dollar view! Not even mermen have seen this, right?
Haruka: (unimpressed)
Rin: “What’s wrong? So moved you can’t even put it into words?”
Haruka: “…It’s similar to how I felt surrounded by shining plankton and jellyfish on the sea floor.”
Rin: “…Ugh, all right! Next!”

[A park, at night]
The sakura are in full bloom in this park at night.

Rin: “How about this place?”

Haruka and Rin stand beneath full-bloom sakura blossoms. The petals float on the gentle breeze, and one lands on Haruka’s cheek.

Haruka: “…”

Rin laughs.

Rin: “Haha! It’s like a pink scale…"

Rin plucks the petal from Haruka’s cheek with his fingers, and then—

(WHOOSH!)

A sudden strong gust whips up, and the pair are surrounded by countless petals.

Haruka: “…”
Rin: “It’s a sakura storm! How about it? No merman’s ever seen that before, right?”
Haruka: “It reminds me of swimming through a school of tropical fish.”
Rin: “Uuh…okay, fine then, next!”

[City streets, at night]

Rin frantically drags Haruka all over.

*~*~*~*~*

They’re in front of a movie theater. Rin points to an action movie’s poster, explaining the plot in elaborate hand and body gestures. But Haruka is unresponsive.

*~*~*~*~*

The harbor at night. A grand cruise ship sits at anchor, and Haruka and Rin look up at it. But Haruka is still unimpressed.

*~*~*~*~*

A cathedral at night. Stained glass windows. The flickering flames of candles. Even in this solemn place, Haruka is expressionless.

[Theme park, at night]

Rin: (panting) “What about here?!”

The merry-go-round and ferris wheel are lit in neon, with playground equipment all around and the echo of music. Bight laughter floats through the air, and Haruka and Rin stand in the middle of the park filled with light and sound.

Rin: “You definitely don’t have places like this underwater, right?”
Haruka: “…”
Rin: “…No way, this place too?”

He’s about read to give up.

Rin: “Wait, no—not yet! This place is for more than just looking, come on! I’m gonna put you on that ferris wheel!”

He grabs Haruka’s hand and makes for the ferris wheel, but Haruka refuses to budge.

Haruka: “…”
Rin: “What? Would you rather ride the roller coaster? Or you want the haunted house? Ooh, I know—the hot dog stand! Their special double dog is the most delicious thing you’ve ever tasted!”
Haruka: “I don’t get it…”
Rin: “Huh?”
Haruka: “Why—why are you so desperate to show me these things?”
Rin: “Why…? Well, that nightscape, and the sakura in the park, and the movie theater and the cruise ship, and the cathedral and this theme park and even the hot dogs—they’re all my most favorite things!”
Haruka: “Why do you want to show them to someone else?”

Haruka just doesn’t get it. Beyond them, the sparkling merry-go-round turns, and Haruka’s expression is far-removed from its brightness. Rin looks at Haruka here.

Rin: “…Isn’t it obvious?”
Haruka: “?”
Rin: “It’s because I want to share that feeling with them.”
Haruka: “Share it…?”
Rin: “Yeah. Like, ‘Man, I know this would be way more fun if I was seeing it with them!’”

Rin grins brightly as he says this.

Haruka: “…”

Haruka seems to have felt something in his own way, and falls silent.

Rin: “Hey, Haru—don’t you ever feel like that? Like, ‘I really want to show this thing I love to someone else!’…?”
Haruka: “I…”

Just as Haruka is about to speak, though, men in dark clothing and sunglasses surround the pair.

Haruka: “?”
Rin: “Who the hell are you?”
Man A: “None of your business.” (WHAM!)

The man swings for Rin’s face with his fist.

Rin: “—?!”

Rin is caught off guard and goes flying, and the men use the distraction to corner Haruka on both sides.

Man B: “Come with us.”

Haruka is taken away.

[Theme park, parking lot, at night.]

Haruka is being taken away by the men. He’s shoved into a truck, and the men climb in after him and start the engines, pealing away. Rin races after them.

Rin: “Wait, dammit!”

A convertible with a couple inside conveniently pulls up, and Rin stops them.

Rin: “Sorry, I’m on a case! I need to borrow this.”

He hurries the couple out of their car and hops into the driver’s seat, racing after the men in their truck.

[City streets, at night]

Rin is still on their tail, and it’s a frenetic car chase as the men crash his car with their truck (CLA-CLANG!). Rin grips the steering wheel tight—but he’s pushed up onto the sidewalk and forced into a roll. The men then make a clean getaway in their truck, and Rin crawls from underneath the toppled car.

Rin: “You’re not gonna get away with this!”

He’s beaten and bruised, but he begins to jog, staggering, in the direction the men’s truck disappeared.

[City limits, at night]

Rin finally catches up to where the men have parked their truck—but there’s no one inside.

Rin: “Dammit, where’d they go now?!”

He glances around, but it’s nothing but abandoned buildings and warehouses with no way to tell which one they’ve taken Haruka to. But then—in front of one of the abandoned buildings, Rin finds a single sakura petal lying on the ground.

Rin: “—!”

He picks up the petal and glances around; not a tree in sight.

*~*~*~*~*

/Rin’s flashback/

He was in the park with Haruka, and a sakura storm whipped up, enveloping Haruka’s body in petals.

*~*~*~*~*

Rin: “It’s a petal from back then…”

He heads into the abandoned building.

Rin: “Just you wait! I’m gonna save you!”

[Inside the abandoned building, in a room, at night]

Haruka is sealed inside a tiny tank, surrounded by men in dark clothes. Their boss—Kisumi—appears, peering into Haruka’s tank.

Kisumi: “I see… So you really are a merman! Hmhm! The flesh of a merman makes you immortal… You’ll fetch a pretty penny!”
Haruka: “I’m not a merman! I’m a half-fish-man.”
Kisumi: “Ooh, well that’s even more interesting! But…hm, that does present a problem.”
Haruka: “?”

Kisumi approaches the tank, tipping Haruka’s chin up.

Kisumi: “Now I want you for myself…”
Haruka: “…Let me go!”

Haruka struggles, trying to free himself, and then—

Rin: “I won’t let you!” (BAM!)

The door flies open, and Rin launches himself through.

Kisumi: “And who are you? His friend? Unfortunately, we’ve no use for mere humans…"