The floor was made of mud, but if it was made of wood, Eya's feet would have crushed the wooden platform as she ran to Reon.
Hitori pushed against the dry-mud floor and got away from the approaching Eya.
Reon tried to stay back and get away from Eya, but she was slow. Eya threw her arms around Reon's neck and squeezed her. "I am sorry," she said, "I am sorry for your loss."
The force pushed Reon back and if she had not used her hands to support her, Eya would have taken her down to the floor. "I-I am alright, Eya-nee– please."
No, she would not listen. Hitori sighed. Kyoryu was standing in the doorway while Kakashi was sitting on the seat as he was before and listening to the bad news.
"We all are sorry," Kyo said. "We never thought about the consequences on the other side. But what coward he is to attack the innocents just to establish his power. I always hated this type of play."
"Everything is fair, old man," Kakashi said. He looked at Hitori and asked, "Are you sure her brother is in the hospital?"
Hitori had the answer ready. "In the science side, sure. We just need to get—"
Kakashi got up with a deep inhale. "Leave that part to us. You just prepare her and yourself for meeting him. We will take care of the rest. And… make it quick."
Hitori smiled. "We will."
They got the required potions if they have to use them just in case. Hitori prepared his two wands and Reon got the two guns. Eya gave Akira, Hitori, and Reon fake ID cards with their sketch on the top right corner.
Kyoryu and Kakashi spent the time creating a strategy for getting to the other side using legal methods– but they could not find any– so they had to stick to their illegal methods.
The guards at the entrance checked their IDs, he thought a moment– judged Reon's clothes– then let them in. Eya thanked the guards as she collected the IDs from him.
"We should split right now, should we not?" Hitori said as they were heading to the backdoor.
"It would seem strange to just split after entering like going to a big family picnic at the hospital," Kakashi said, and he was right.
"No one is watching us, Kakashi," Kyo said, "it would be fine to show them we are heading to– just get going, we do not have time." Kyoryu increased his pace towards the ground floor washroom.
Kakashi groaned but followed him. "Can you do it, Eya-nee?" Kakashi asked.
"Would you come to the ladies' washroom if I say no?"
Kakashi stayed right behind Kyoryu as he opened the door and went inside. "Anything for you, sister." Kakashi banged his hand on the door, gave it a jerk, and went inside.
Eya shook her head as she took Reon to the ladies' washroom. Reon went inside a stall while Eya went to the trash bin.
She disposed of their IDs in the bin, then checked the surrounding. She went inside the same stall as Reon when the coast was clear.
"Have you ever done it before, Eya-nee?" Reon asked as she went back to the corner.
Eya sighed as she drew her wand. "Everything has its first time, and so does everyone."
Kyoryu took one stall while Kakashi took another. Hitori and Akira had to pass the time near the sinks as the Mens' was filled with a few men.
Hitori opened the tap water, wet his hands, used the hotter to dry off his hands (he liked that hot wave), then he pretended to do his hair.
Akira did not have anything good to do, so he went inside another stall. Hitori watched the men as they left. Then, without wasting time and risking the chances of anyone else coming in, he knocked on Akira's stall and went into Kakashi's stall. Akira came out, glanced around him, then went to Kyoryu's stall.
Kyoryu was holding a portal open for Hitori. "Jump in," he said as Hitori came inside. He heard the same words from Kyoryu in the stall behind.
Hitori made sure the stall was bolted, then jumped into the portal. He rolled in front of a high-tech hospital that looked like it was brought straight from the sci-fi universe.
Those neon lights, the robots moving around in and out of the rooms to check on the patients.
Kakashi jumped from behind him. Hitori glanced at the portal on his right, then turned back at the scenery in front of him. He could not get over the fact that most of the doctors on this side were robots.
He found himself standing in a dark corner with no lights around. Kakashi must have chosen the darkest spot– he and Kyoryu were talking about the best landing spot– this must be that spot.
Air swirled past him, and he heard it gather somewhere behind him. Hitori turned and saw a black hole expanding into a wider hole than before. Winds were swirling in the eye, then he saw shadows approaching the portal.
Reon stepped out first, followed by Eya.
"Did you lock the door?" he asked. Eya rolled her eyes at Kakashi. "Looks like you did it well," Kakashi said with a smile on his face.
Hitori smiled at Reon as she walked to him with a grin on her face. "I am nervous," she whispered. "I always hated those white, creepy walls of the hospital. I never had to come here frequently, but I sometimes did– I started hating them. And now that imagine my brother behind any one of those walls… I can not—"
Air whooshed behind them as another portal opened on the left side. Hitori lifted his eyes from Reon to the portal and saw Akira coming out.
He was breathing heavily. His chest was heaving and bold beads of sweat were gliding down his temple. "Are we leaving?" he asked.
Kyoryu pulled out from behind, then the portal disappeared. "Of course, we are." He looked at Hitori and asked, "Any idea what room number he is in?"
Hitori opened his mouth to tell the number– as if he knew it by heart– but then realized he never asked for the number. He closed his mouth in embarrassment and shook his head.
Kakashi sighed. "We need to ask at the front desk," he said, then looked ta Hitori.
Not just Kakashi, but Eya, Akira, and Kyoryu too. At first, he wondered why they were staring at him, but then he noticed their eyes were not directed at him.
He hesitated but turned to his side. Now all the eyes were on Reon.
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