Rebellion - Chap 17

"You look like Hisa..." Kotone said softly as she held her baby boy in her arms. He was sleeping soundly and had been since she was moved to the hospital for recovery. She played with the little tuff of hair on his head, smiling gently. She wanted to see his eyes and see if they were anything like Hisao's. She'd yet to know if the men had been revived or not.

A tap came to the door before Hisao was standing there. "Hey."

Kotone gasped as her eyes widened. "Hisa!" She nearly shouted. Haru stirred a bit in her arms. "Shhh," she cooed at the baby before looking back at him with tears in her eyes.

He smiled at her. "I'm sorry I missed his birth... how is he?" He asked, moving towards her.

Kotone smiled and wiped her eyes. "He's...perfect..." She sniffled, trying not to cry.

He smiled. "What did you name him?"

"H-Haru..." She smiled, brushing his green hair. "He just...s-seemed like Springtime to me..." She laughed a bit, a few tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Hey... don't cry..." He said beside her, brushing her hair behind her ear.

Kotone leaned into him, pressing her face to his chest. "I-I missed y-you..." Her body shook a bit.

“I'm sorry... I didn't mean to go and die..."

She shook her head, keeping her face in his chest. She could smell him. She could feel him. Kotone couldn't believe that this was real. She never thought she'd see him again. "H-Hisa..."

His arm wrapped around her as he looked down at their son. "He's got your hair..."

Kotone nodded, sniffling. She looked down at him. "H-He hasn't opened his eyes yet..." She breathed.

"Oh no?" He blinked.

"I don't think he wants to see me..." She frowned.

“Kotone, that's stupid. Of course he does. You gave him life."

She looked at him, frowning. "Then why hasn't he looked at me yet?"

“Has the doctors looked at his eyes?"

“They're waiting for him to open his eyes on his own before doing anything...just in case he has a sensitivity to light." She breathed.

“Then maybe that's all it is. How long ago was he born?"

"A couple of days ago..." Kotone told him.

He frowned. "I'm... sorry I haven't been here..."

She sniffled. "I'm just...glad you're back..." She said, leaning against his chest.

"I won't leave again... I promise."

"Morning, Kotone." Zach smiled as he came in.

Kotone wiped her eyes as she smiled at Zach. "Good morning..." She nodded.

"Better now that Hisao is back?"

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah...much better."

"So how's little Haru doing?" He smiled as he came over.

"He's quiet..." Kotone smiled down at her baby. "And eats a lot...but he still hasn't opened his eyes..." She frowned slightly.

"Oh no? Do you want me to look at him?"

Kotone bit her lip, hesitating, before nodding.

Zach gently took the boy into his arms, running a few simple tests. He tried to fight the infants eyes open but he fought back. "One moment," he handed Haru back to Kotone as he moved to the light switch. "Watch his eyes." He flicked the switch off.

Kotone nodded as she looked down at the baby boy. Slowly, the baby opened his eyes. She gasped a bit, looking down at him. He had ruby red eyes like Hisao. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at her son. "H-Haru..."

"His eyes are sensitive to light, Kotone. Much like your uncle is now." He smiled.

"So...it runs in the family?" She breathed.

"Yes." He smiled. "As he gets older it won’t be as bad, but as an infant you will need to keep his eyes protected."

Kotone nodded. "Alright..." She looked down at the baby and hugged him against her chest. "My son..."

Zach smiled. "I can go get some things to protect his eyes. Shall I leave the lights dim?"

Kotone nodded. "Yes please...I want him to see us." She smiled softly, tilting her head. "Hey, sweetie..." She breathed, watching as he looked around the room.

Zach chuckled as he left.

"He has my eyes... didn't expect that." Hisao chuckled.

Kotone smiled softly. "I like it...Green hair and red eyes? He's going to be so attractive~" She kissed Haru's forehead as he gave a little coo.

"He will... he has Kasai traits..."

Kotone looked at Hisao and smiled. "We made something so beautiful..."

“We did... I think I already want another..."

Kotone giggled a bit. "Hold on there, tiger~" She smiled.

“I think we should talk to your uncle. He may be able to give us tips for Haru."

Kotone nodded. "Yeah...Besides, I know my Mom will want to see him." She smiled. "I haven't told her yet..."

"As soon as you're fit, we will go then." He smiled.

"Well...if we do have another, I want to have them in the hospital." She breathed. "I don't wanna have another kid without painkillers..."

"So you're still really sore?"

Kotone nodded. "Yeah...The doctor said no sex for six to eight weeks." She breathed.

"No, no. I was kidding about that. I mean are you too sore for teleporting?"

“Oh...well, I don't walk around much. I only get up to use the bathroom, but it does hurt to walk still..." She nodded.

“If I carry you? You could lie on the couch at your Mom's home...'

"I could..." Kotone nodded. "But...only if Zach-san says it's okay. He's my doctor and I'll trust him if I'm well enough to leave." She breathed.

"I know. I want his okay, too.”

Kotone smiled softly. "I really want to see her..."

"Then we'll ask as soon as he returns."

She nodded. "Okay..." She looked back at Haru and wiggled her finger, causing him to coo and giggle. She looked up at Hisao. "Do you...want to hold him?" She smiled.

"C-Can I?"

“Of course," she nodded, carefully handing Haru over to him. She made sure his arms were positioned right before letting her hands fall into her lap. Kotone felt a bit bare now that Haru wasn't in her arms. It was strange, but she was happy to see Hisao holding him.

Hisao smiled as he looked down at his newborn son. "Hey, buddy..." He breathed, brushing his cheek with his thumb.

Haru cooed as he looked up at his father. His eyes seemed to be alight and curious as he couldn't help but to look around.

Kotone giggled. "He's so...intrigued."

"I can see that... he's so alert now that he can see..."

Kotone nodded. "Yeah...He seems to be very curious." She breathed. "He's taking in everything that he can see..."

"That's good. At least we know there's nothing wrong with his actual vision."

Kotone nodded. "Yeah...I'm relieved by that..." She breathed. "But he is sensitive to light...does that mean he has to wear sunglasses?"

"Most likely... at least until he's older and can handle the light. It's a small price to pay. At least he's not blind."

"Haru..." She breathed, frowning slightly.

He leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Don't worry." He smiled. "I love you, and I love him. We're a family now."

Kotone nodded. "Yeah..." She smiled softly. "A little family..."

...

"Tomoe," Hoshi rushed into the hospital room where Junn rested. Hoshiko was already with her mother and Toshiro was tagging along behind his father with Kohaku at their heels. They had just found out about Junn's condition. "How is he?" He breathed as he stopped at the foot of the bed.

Tomoe looked over at Hoshi who came into the room. She wiped her eyes as she'd been crying. She sniffled and got up, going over to him. She wrapped her arms around Hoshi's neck as she hugged him, burying her face in his chest.

Both Kohaku and Toshiro's eyes widened.

"Is he...?" Kohaku clutched his hands together, biting his lip.

Hoshiko shook her head. "No...He's sleeping..." She breathed.

“He's not well, if that's what you're asking." Zeeto said as he entered the room. "Shall I just tell all of you?"

Toshiro nodded. "Yes."

Zeeto sighed. "Junn was hard to do tests on due to so many problems, but we've finally gotten it all down. First of all, he's in a coma. And I'm afraid the chances of him waking up are not very good."

"What do you mean?" Toshiro growled. "Just wake him up!"

"He's in a coma, Toshiro. It doesn't work like that, I'm afraid. But there's more... can you handle it?"

Kohaku nodded. "Yes...please, tell us..."

Zeeto sighed as he looked down at his clipboard. "On top of the coma, almost all of his ribs were shattered, his collarbone snapped, his jaw was knocked out of place, he had some nasty infections from his wounds, and his legs are broken in three places."

“Was he tossed around like a rag doll?" Kohaku shook his head. "How could all of that..." He trailed off, frowning as he remembered his clan had been just as bad.

Zeeto sighed. "He will be on round the clock care. But what concerns us most is his coma."

Hoshiko nodded. "He needs to wake up..." She mumbled, looking at her brother.

Zeeto nodded. "If you would like, we can move Junn to a special room that allows family like you to spend nights here with him... cannot be more than one a night, but you all can alternate."

Tomoe wiped her eyes as she sniffled. "Y-Yes please..." She hadn't stopped crying since bringing Junn to the hospital. In fact, she had refused treatment until she knew Junn's condition.

Zeeto frowned. "I am really sorry to bring this news, but I knew you all needed to know. If there shows no progress, at some point we will ask permission to cut his life support... but we will wait quite a bit first..."

Tomoe gave a startled scream as she clapped her hand over her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her knees gave out as she started to cry.

Hoshiko looked over at her mother and frowned. "Mother..."

"Tomoe, relax, please. We will not do that anytime soon at all...”

Toshiro frowned but nudged his father. This was where he had to be comforting.

Hoshi blinked at his son before frowning an moving to Tomoe. "It'll be okay, Tomoe..." He breathed, pulling her close.

Tomoe clung to Hoshi, burying her face in his chest. "M-My b-baby..." She cried.

Toshiro looked to Zeeto. "How long do we have?"

“If there is no progress? Three months at the longest.'

Toshiro frowned and nodded. "Okay..."

 

"Okay?" Kohaku snapped his head at him, narrowing his eyes. "How can you say 'okay' like that?" He growled.

"Kohaku, there is no point in anger towards one another. Junn needs the support of all of you. No fighting."

"That clan will pay." Hoshi breathed.

Toshiro sighed. "Let's just move him to a more comfortable location..." He breathed. "This stuffy room isn't right for him..."

Zeeto nodded. "Go eat or something guys. Come back in an hour and he will be in his own room."

Tomoe shook her head. "I-I can't l-leave him..." She whimpered.

"I'm afraid you'll be in the way, Tomoe."

"B-But...I-I have to b-be with him..." She breathed.

"You will, hun... after they have him situated." Hoshi breathed.

Tomoe shook her head. "N-No! I can't l-leave him!"

“Tomoe," He was stern. "You will be with him. Just come eat something.”

"B-But..." Tomoe whimpered.

Hoshiko nodded. "Father's right...You haven't eaten since you've been here..."

"Let's go, okay? We'll be back in an hour..."

Toshiro nodded as he helped his mother to her feet. "Come on...Dad's right...We'll be right back anyways."

Hoshiko gave a little kiss to Junn's forehead before going over to her family to help them with her mother. She was just as concerned for her brother as anyone else. She and Junn were close. Maybe not as close as Toshiro and him, but they were still close.

"I promise. An hour and you can see him again." Zeeto breathed.

“N-Not a second m-more..." Tomoe whimpered as she leaned against Hoshi for support.

"I promise. Not a second more." He breathed.

Kohaku frowned, looking past Zeeto to see his comatose husband. He took in a deep breath as he turned around to follow the others out.

...

"Mom...eat...please?" Hoshiko frowned as they were sitting in the hospital cafeteria. They had all gotten trays of food, but only a few of them had eaten all of their food. Tomoe, on the other hand, hadn't eaten anything.

"Hun, I know you're upset, but not eating won't help Junn. What if he wakes up and doesn't have a mother anymore?"

"I don't deserve to be here..." Tomoe muttered, staring at her plate of food. "I'm a horrible person..."

“Why are you blaming yourself."

"Because I don't deserve to be here..."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because...I'm the reason Karin got raped...I couldn't save everyone...I was useless for Kotone's birth...and I couldn't fight back..." She said in a quiet voice. "I don't deserve to be here..."

Hoshi sighed. "Tomoe... please stop..."

"Mom..." Hoshiko frowned. "Of course you belong here...We need you." She took her mother's hand.

 

Tomoe shook her head, a tear trailing down her cheek.

“Tomoe... please..." He sighed.

"You're plenty helpful..." Toshiro nodded.

Tomoe sighed. "I'm not hungry..." She pushed her food away from her.

"Tomoe," His voice was stern once again.

"I'm not hungry." She stated again.

"Tomoe, eat."

"No."

"What if you die and he wakes up?"

"He doesn't deserve a failure for a mother..."

Hoshi looked at Toshiro and leaned to whisper, "Go get Riku."

Toshiro frowned. "Don't you think you should be the one for her?"

"Son, if she keeps being stubborn, I will yell."

Toshiro sighed and nodded. "Alright...I'll go get Riku..." He said as he disappeared.

Hoshi sighed as he leaned back in his chair, staring at his wife.

Tomoe simply kept staring at the table. She hadn't moved since she sat down. Her shoulders were slumped and her hair was a soft blue. Hoshiko had sat next to her, but she still wasn't budging.

"Tomoe," Riku breathed as he touched her shoulder.

“Go away..." She mumbled.

"Get up."

Tomoe didn't listen. She stayed in her seat.

“Get up." He demanded, grabbing her arm.

Tomoe felt the strong grip on her arm and almost stumbled from her chair.

He pulled her up. "Come."

Tomoe tripped over her feet a bit but complied as he pulled her away. "Riku...just...leave me..." She frowned.

"No."

"Where...are we going?" She mumbled.

"Somewhere to talk." He breathed.

Tomoe frowned. "There's nothing to talk about..."

"Yes there is and you know it."

"Riku..." She mumbled, dragging her feet along.

"Stop." He sat her down in a chair and pulled another to sit across from her. "Stop the self-pity, now."

Tomoe didn't look at him. "What self-pity?" She mumbled.

"Don't even try."

"I'm not drowning in self-pity, Riku...I'm stating the truth." She breathed.

"Oh? The truth? Then let me point out something. The truth, is that you're going to get sick and die waiting for Junn to wake up. So reality, is that you must eat and keep yourself healthy for his sake. Also, stop blaming yourself. The only blame is against that fucking clan. I for one plan on killing them all. Are you going to help me?"

Tomoe frowned. "I...I want to get back at them...They tortured my son and my family...but I don't think I can do it..." She shook her head. "I'm no good..."

"You are good. You're great."

"Then why wasn't I able to save everyone? Yua...she used the old Shi abilities...That's the only reason we're here now..." She breathed.

"Yua is the rightful Shi leader. That's why. The rest of us don't have her inner power."

"But she suffered, Riku...because I wasn't quick enough to do anything..." Tomoe looked down.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is..." She breathed.

Riku backhanded her. "Stop! This is not my twin! Now pick yourself up!"

Tomoe touched her face as she looked at him. He never hit her. "I..." Tears welled in her eyes.

"Stop crying." He hissed.

"You don't understand!" Tomoe yelled, wiping her eyes. "Your son isn't dying because you couldn't save him in time!"

"Tomoe! Just stop! You have other children too, and also the fact that everyone died and pur children left to die on their own! Tomoe, this was all a chain reaction. No one is to blame except that clan."

"But what are we going to do?" Tomoe let her head fall into her hands, her body shaking. "W-We can't fight them...They outnumber us..."

"We have allies..."

"They're too far away..."

"We can work with it."

Tomoe sniffled. "Are we...going to lose...?"

"Not again."

Tomoe wiped her eyes. "I just...want peace..." She breathed.

"We're immortal. We don't get peace."

"Maybe...immortality isn't what it's cracked up to be..." She mumbled.

"Do you wish you were mortal?"

"Sometimes..."

He frowned.

"I just...I don't know...I thought about it a lot during my depression...." She sighed.

He sighed. "So you'd rather die and leave your life?"

"When you say it like that..." She frowned. "It sounds cowardly..."

He sighed. "I overheard pops earlier. He's talking about moving the clan to a new area."

Tomoe blinked as she looked up at him. "Where?"

"I'm unsure... but I heard him and Yua talking about it from her bedroom earlier before I came here."

Tomoe sighed and looked down at her hands in her lap. "So...we have to hide the entire clan?"

"We're too in the open, Tomoe. I agree with it."

"But we've lived in Konoha all of our lives...I don't know where we would go..." She breathed, wrapping her arms around herself.

Riku sighed and pulled her into his arms. "Do not worry about that now. What we must worry about is your health. Have you even been looked at by a doctor since coming home?"

Tomoe shook her head. "N-No..."

"And why not?" His brow rose.

"Because...I didn't want to leave Junn's side long enough for someone to look at me..." She breathed, leaning against him.

He sighed. "How bad is Junn?"

"H-He's in a coma...and...and..." She buried her face in his chest. "R-Riku...they're giving him th-three months!" She cried.

He frowned and wrapped his arms around her. "Junn will make it. He's a Kasai."

Tomoe clutched his shirt. "I-I don't know if h-he will..." She whimpered.

He sighed and pulled back. "I know Junn is weighing heavily on your mind, so I can handle our children. But please... don't do this self-pity shit. What am I to do if I lose you? What will your children do? And Hoshi? Just... think of more than just yourself, okay?"

"K-Kami...I-I'm so s-sorry, R-Riku..." Tomoe tried to wipe her tears away.

"Stop crying..." He placed his hand under her chin to lift her face. "We all just love you too much." He smiled and leaned in to kiss her lips.

Tomoe's eyes fluttered as she placed her hand to his cheek lightly. When he pulled away, she sniffled and wiped her eyes. "A-And I love all of you..." She breathed.

He smiled. "Eat something, then go see your son."

Tomoe nodded. "O-Okay..."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

Tomoe took in a deep breath to steady herself. She finally managed to calm down. "Okay...I...I have to eat something..." She nodded, speaking aloud to motivate herself.

"If I find out you didn't eat, I'll hunt you down."

Tomoe nodded. "Okay..." She breathed. "I'll eat..."

He smiled. "Thank you."

"Riku?"

“Yes?"

"Thank you..." She breathed, trying to give him a soft smile.

He winked. "Just be the Tomoe I know, alright?"