Monsters (Last Rite, Yamata)

Inside her bright pink room, Orochi lay on her bed, her left forearm hiding her eyes, her mouth closed, humming silently. It was an upbeat tone, but if one stopped to listen accurately, it had a hidden underline of melancholy.

She was tired, too tired for the hand she was dealt. A turf war loomed on the horizon. She had her "job" as an intern in her cousin's association to worry about, and beyond that, all her chores as a student. She was so tired after it all.

She couldn't catch a break. Despite being in bed, her neck felt sore, and her shoulders trembled a little, the metaphorical crushing weight affecting her. She should wake up and deal with all those problems.

Her mother was in prison at her age, and her father was dealing with the loss of his mom and a world far more hostile to mutants than the one she lived in. Her problems were nothing compared to the problems of yesterday, yet she couldn't bring herself to ignore them and push through.

Why did she care so much about it all? The Hydra Girl's lips trembled and pursed, her teeth bared, short warm breaths coming out of her mouth, as her face slowly twisted. Her heart beat with agony inside her chest.

Her eyes felt hot, but no tears came. Her eyelids were itchy and burning, but she did not cry. She clenched her fists, her claws digging into the red scales, breaking them. Her heartbeats were light yet powerful, sending an urge to pass out and suffer in fever across her systems.

Her room was suddenly cold, even as the blood inside her veins was hot. Orochi kept her vision blocked, not wanting to see anything, as if it would block those feelings, those ugly and nasty sentiments inside her, but she knew it was just a temporary measure.

What would the others say if they watched her being so pathetic? So weak-willed despite her many affirmations to get up and heal herself? Why couldn't she just string herself together and laugh it off?

A loud ring echoed near her. Orochi jumped on the bed, startled as her heart raced, adrenaline pumping directly into her veins. Her purple eyes moved from left to right as her tails got up, their dark and void eyes staring around as if searching for prey.

Orochi placed her hand over her chest, an ache rippling through it. She exhaled repeatedly, dizzy and out of breath, sweating cold. Orochi snapped out of her thoughts. She stared around, feeling a little startled and scared, searching for the source of her scare.

It lay on the bedside table, the phone she brought when she and the Korean5 went shopping. Orochi sighed gladly, but it did nothing to shake off her anxious state, the adrenaline in her blood still high, making her sweat cold and out of breath.

Her middle tail placed itself on her lap. Orochi took several seconds to breathe in and hold, stroking the head of her middle red Hydra. Orochi grabbed her phone slowly and unlocked it.

Orochi stared at the message, grimacing a bit. Sally still needed a little help with her Japanese. 'Mother would have an aneurysm reading this.' Orochi shook her head, staring at a more concerning matter.

It was around 4:30 p.m. It was the start of the internships, a little past the first week, and most interns now barely had free time for anything beyond their duties as hero interns. Maybe Sally also had a free day? Sure, Sally is responsible. If she called, she is on a free day or with time to spare.

Getting lost on the way to the estate should be impossible, but Orochi was not one to play with luck after everything that happened recently in her life.

(Scene break)

Orochi waited before the gate to her house, listening to the leaves rustling as the winter season gently approached. The guards and security talked to each other about how they wanted to enjoy Christmas in a month. 'We are already in November...'

The year was already ending, and Orochi felt she had at least more months left of work to do. 'Ah, time is moving too quickly.' It was not as if her problems would vanish, but the Hydra girl wanted more time to straighten her life before the year ended.

The year moving to its end meant that her time as a sophomore was getting closer, and it meant her life would become more hectic.

The Hydra girl heard the rustling of leaves and moved her gaze to stare at a trembling smaller girl, anxiously staring at her phone for confirmation that she was at the right place. Orochi rolled her eyes, sporting a slight grin over her lips.

"Hey, Sally! Over here!" Orochi waved towards her friend who let out a small shriek, startled at the sudden call. The guards opened the gates to her home, letting Orochi run towards her friend.

Sally let out a small shriek as Orochi got closer. "Well, you took some time, but you are here." Orochi gave her a wide grin. The worry and feelings in her heart were not that much better than they were moments ago, but seeing a friend coming to her house certainly improved her mood.

Sally gave a small coy smile, trying to hide her own uneasiness upon seeing how opulent Orochi's family house was, and it was just the forefront of the house. 'Why do they need so much space?' While she expected a mansion from the pictures, Sally expected something smaller than what she was seeing.

Sally took a small breath to collect her thoughts. "Hello, Atsushi. Well, do you have a topic?" In an instant, Sally beat herself mentally over asking such a stupid question. 'Of course, Orochi has time to talk if she is here! You dumbass!' Instead of dwelling over that poor word choice, Orochi hand waves it and starts going inside the estate.

"Of course. Let’s... well, the estate is big, we can talk as we try to find somewhere nice. What do you think?" Orochi asks with a wide smile on her lips, trying to hide part of the ominous feelings inside her heart to not startle her friend or make Sally worry.

Sally, on her part, thinks about the subject a little. "Well, you live there, so any idea on where we can talk?" While Sally would like to explore the estate, seeing how big it was, it would be rude to force Orochi to indulge her curiosity at how big the estate is. 'Even if she offered it...' In hindsight, she shouldn’t have said anything.

Orochi thought about where to go, but those thoughts were short-lived the moment she looked up at the darkening skies, with small sparkles starting to appear on them. "Oh well, we can go to the gardens. Yeah! The gardens are cool! This way!" Like an excitable child, the Hydra girl ran inside the estate, forcing Sally to chase after her to not be left in the dust and lost.

The guards at the gates stared at each other. “I think it is the first time I have seen Miss. Orochi bring a friend over,” one guard chirped, smiling a little. While he had not been a guard for that long, he recalled how downtrodden and sad Orochi had been in the last few weeks after… the accident.

Meanwhile, an older guard scratched his chin. “I remember that she brought a really tall girl some weeks ago. I guess Little Miss is growing out of her shell.”

(Scene break)

Orochi excitedly ran towards the gardens, ignoring her heavy steps. Her mind raced a little. She and Kaylee couldn’t be there for long since Kaylee went to her house a little before sundown, so she had no one to share this visage with. In a way, it was good that Sally came that late. Only her family and the state workers ever saw the skies with her!

“Orochi! Slow down a little!” Sally begged, snapping the Hydra girl out of her thoughts and forcing her feet to come to a halt, her face reddening to the same tone as her hydras. Orochi’s heart started to race with embarrassment and childish joy at what she had done.

It was not her best display of self-control or even… “Haha! Sorry! It is just that no one ever came to my home and stuck around to see the gardens when the sun was going down. Haha…” Orochi tried to laugh her embarrassment off, as Sally held her knees over chasing her friend across the estate.

‘For someone who speaks about herself as slow, you sure as hell can race when motivated!’ Sally thought as she gathered her breath and looked around. It seemed they had reached the gardens already. Many flowers and trees were neatly groomed and shaped, with protections for the winter already prepared for the slightest drop in temperature.

There were benches and tables around the garden, looking more like a small private park rather than a normal garden someone has in their backyard. It was nice; Sally could recognize many types of roses and flowers, as well as a few cherry blossoms and… an ugly tree with bite marks and corroded bark.

It was an eyesore, so much so that a part of her itched to blast it away to keep the balance of the park intact. ‘Who let such an ugly tree in a garden?’ Orochi trailed to where Sally was staring, her cheeks starting to redden at her notice of THAT tree.

“Hey, Sally, we are not here yet, but if you want to stick around here, no problem. The sight is also nice here.” She and her mother talked about that place not so long ago… the sight of the stars was indeed beautiful here too.

Sally's heart skipped a beat at being broken from her funk. She stared at the coy smile Orochi had on her red-by-embarrassment face. The Atsushi’s heart rang loudly, almost able to be heard by others, as her hydras got a little disorientated because of the sudden influx of emotions and inputs from Orochi’s emotions.

Her mouth tried to salivate a little, but the Hydra girl swallowed her poison to not let her own anxiety and childish eagerness show. Sally shrugged; she didn’t care that much about where they should be, but if Orochi was happy and wanted to go over a specific place, she wouldn’t cut her friend’s fun short.

“Sure, just don’t run. I’m still catching my breath.” The ugly, bitten tree vanished from Sally’s mind, focusing on Orochi and on the topic she came here to talk about with a friend…

‘Would she worry that I just came here to vent?’ Sally felt a pang of worthlessness in her heart. She didn’t need to vent and show weakness… but Orochi didn’t care about this type of stuff and was ready to help at any time.

There wouldn’t be a problem… or so she hoped. “Alright. It is just a little further! Haha… Sorry about being carried away.” Orochi admitted her embarrassment, letting a bit of her weaker side show, the side of a girl who was just sixteen years old rather than a member of a prestigious family, or a mutant with a dangerous and complex quirk.

“Don’t worry. You are just happy, aren’t you? Just let’s go.” Sally sighed, a small sweet smile on her lips because of the emotions of her friend showing so spontaneously. Orochi couldn't hide how she felt. ‘Even when you are down in class…’

For a second, a small twitch rippled across Sally’s lips over the memories of how depressed and downright melancholic her friend was just a few weeks ago. It was impossible for someone with eyes to not notice her depression and sadness. ‘Of course, unless you are one of those Korean bitches.’ Sally resisted the urge to spit.

Even on this occasion that should be a happy chit-chat, her distaste and more angry “feelings” towards some of the more unpleasant elements of their class showed in her mind. Orochi failed to see the twitch over Sally’s lips and turned around to continue walking, this time just walking and not running at her top speed.

Sally stared at the large and swollen red hydras. ‘Did those guys double in size since the last time?’ Because of the internship, Sally barely had time to pay attention to those little silly guys, who weren’t as little anymore. Sally moved her hand to cover one of the silly guys, starting to calculate their size and mass.

Orochi’s steps were heavier than before, and her balance was not as good as it used to be. Sally tried to cover one of the hydras with a finger, but it could no longer hide it completely. Then two, and a small part of it was still left. She covered one with three fingers.

‘Those guys are massive. They are like, ten inches in girth?’ While it was impossible to tell without a proper metric tool, Sally was sure of her ability to calculate a target’s size and weight on sight alone. ‘How does Orochi walk with those guys attached to her hips?’

Not only that, the scales on them changed to look like… bush vipers. ‘Granted, red and white bush vipers.’ It was a little exotic, Sally had to give her friend that. While she was not a quirk nutcase, a more curious part of her got interested in the radical change the silly fellas underwent.

“Hey, Atsushi, what are you feedin’ those guys? They weren’t like that before.” Sally chirped, and for a moment, her friend’s back straightened. Sally saw the sharp and automatic movement of Orochi, and the same movement reverberated through her tails.

“One day they just were like that, shedding their skin ‘n stuff. I… well, there are some aspects of my quirk not even I know.” Orochi laughed it off, but Sally felt a sense of uneasiness in the Hydra girl’s voice, as well as shame and a little hurt.

The heaviness of the topic and that it meant something more to Orochi made Sally’s heart ache a little. She went for a sore topic. ‘Dammit.’ What was spoken couldn’t be unspoken. Orochi relaxed her posture and kept walking until they were before a small hill covered by blades of grass and flowers.

“It is where! Don’t worry; it is not a great fall or something like that!” Orochi grinned and slid downhill, stopping just a couple of yards down it, sitting on a plainer part of the green hill. Sally arched an eyebrow, seeing the back of Orochi covered with blades of grass and a little dirt, as her little guys tried to eat the flowers and grass around her…

Sally rolled her eyes and climbed downhill instead of sliding like Orochi, making her Hydra friend pout with annoyance. “Spoilsport,” Orochi whined. ‘Climbing down is an option, but c’mon! It is not the fun one.’

“I’m not getting my clothes dirty. I haven’t brought spares.” Orochi’s pout grew as Sally drew herself against the grass, lying there with her hands behind her head, as her tails fooled around. Sally merely sits on the hill, not wanting to get her clothes dirty.

It would be hell to explain later on. ‘I don’t want to hear Inigo’s joke; I can see the joke forming. Did you get down and dirty with Orochi?’

Sally scowled in her mind as Orochi stared at the skies. The clean sky shining with starlight already. “So, what do you want to talk about? It is already like 6 p.m. Ya know?” While it wouldn’t be as surprising in any other situation, they were in internships.

It made their time sparse and free days hard to come by. Sally sighed, looking at the stars too. “Internships had been a little… complicated. Inigo is… a good chap, but he is overwhelming, and…” Sally bit on her tongue; she wanted to rant about Hoge, but it was better not to talk about it.

Not in Orochi’s presence, she was a friend of them both; it would cause unwanted friction. “I just want to rant and vent a little.” Sally sighed deeply, feeling her eyelids and shoulders heavy.

“Alright, I am here; you can start ranting,” Orochi answered immediately, not putting much thought or hesitation behind her words. ‘If Sally needs an ear, I have no problem in being one.’ They were friends, after all.

Sally blinked, staring at her friend. “Seriously? No strings attached, buts or complaints?” While it was something Orochi would do, Sally did not expect it to be so easy and without teasing attached to it, given how much joy Orochi got at getting Hoge flustered.

“Yeah. No problem. We are friends, aren’t we?” It was all Orochi needed to get Sally to close her mouth, and calm her mind, freeing it from stray and intrusive thoughts and just… talk with her friend.

“I. Yeah.” Sally sighed, staring at the skies. “It is just that everything has been a little stressful nowadays, the license exam. The… time I am spending with the others. I mean, I don’t the others, it is just that…” Sally bit on her tongue, trying to articulate her words in a manner that didn’t come as offensive or gave the wrong meaning to Orochi.

”When you live with your classmates, things aren’t as bright as they seem, right?” Orochi questioned Sally in English, a little less broken and more fluid than before. Sally exhaled. It seemed her friend got the gist of it.

“Yes.” Sally pouted, her back feeling a little weak. The saliva in her mouth tasted sour. Living with them was not the only problem. It was not… “If it was only that, I guess I wouldn’t feel as stressed as I do.” Sally moved her eyes from the skies to look downhill.

The flowers start to close and prepare themselves for the winter that will come in a few months. ‘Hell, it is just a month away.’ Time was passing fast. It was a few months since she was away from her hometown and country, placed in a situation set for her to fail…
Sally held back tears as Orochi moved her purplish eyes to stare at her. “I am here, Sally.” The Hydra girl tried to reassure her friend with simple words, a simple “I am here” to let Sally know she had her back covered.

Sally hugged her legs. “I… feel unworthy near them. I… feel like I shouldn’t be here.” Sally rested her face between her knees, trying to muffle her voice as she spoke, deep shame showing even as she tried to hide it.

Orochi shifted her posture, going from lying on the grass to sitting on it. A more serious approach to the situation at hand. Those words, those feelings, she knew them all too well. Sally took a languid breath, trying to hold back her more saddening emotions from showing.

“It is just that… Yui tries so hard and to… be better, even with her past,” Sally’s lips trembled, her voice shaky at the memories of how she saw her classmates working hard in class before, but now in the internships she had access to how they truly are beyond their class.

“Inigo, Chihiro… they work so hard, they… try to be more, better than they already are.” Sally clicked her tongue, a few stray tears falling as Orochi kept herself in silence, to not interrupt Sally or push her away by being forceful.

“Even Hoge… I just feel stuck in place when I see them, I feel like I can’t get better… At… Orochi, I hold so many grudges it hurts.” She shouldn’t hold grudges; it was wrong… it was a sin to be so bitter and vengeful, but Sally couldn’t keep her feelings, those emotions, in check.

Hold me tight - Redash

I spoke words that I regret so much. Some words that I spilled out
Those words caused pain and hurt you so. I never wanted it to end that way, oh

“Orochi… I…” Sally pondered for a moment if she should… reveal this secret of hers even if she only told a part of it. Sally moved her face to see Orochi eye-to-eye. Her eyes shimmered with emotions, but none of it was ill, or at least Sally hoped so.

She didn’t hold a judgy look either, not condemning Sally or seeing her as something other than her friend. ‘Maybe…’ Sally looked away, the time for the call was now. Sally's heart beat slowly, slowly, and excruciating beats.

She wanted to get it out of her chest. She hadn’t someone able to understand those feelings other than Noah, Chris… and now maybe— “I have done a horrible sin, Orochi. I… I…” A dam broke inside Sally, her tears started to flow.

“Before… they sent me here, I… I killed someone. I. Every time time I see them I am reminded of how much of a horrible person I am. They try so hard, I should try to… become a better person too, but every time I try I feel stuck.” Sally sobbed as Orochi’s eyes widened. The striking similarities between their feelings damning like the twilight over the Hydra girl’s shoulders.

“Orochi… sometimes I just feel like a monster, a weapon.” Orochi’s heart throbbed loudly in her ears. The memories of recent days, of how she faced Umi in that abandoned warehouse, how she felt… and still feels about herself in her darkest and lonely moments.

The things that I have done. The things that I will become one day
The pain that I will cause. I did what was the best
I spaced myself to a different way. So far away

In a breath, Orochi was upon Sally, one arm pulling Sally towards herself, and another around her back, pulling Sally into a tight hug as her Hydra heads moved around Sally like shields.

Oh- You called me by my name. I regret it all
Why did I let go? Oh- If time could take us back
Look you in the eyes Let me hold you tight
By my side
Oh, let me hold you tight

Orochi kept her hug tight, as Sally’s eyes widened, her tears falling on Orochi’s shoulder. “Sally… you are no monster. I have met monsters before.”

Orochi dropped the hand which she pulled Sally, placing it behind her head, pulling Sally into a protective hug, more than before. “You… I am not one to judge, but the fact you were sent here, meant that someone trusted you, they hoped you could overcome this issue.”

Orochi felt her eyes warm with tears as well. Sally sobbed loudly, leaning into the hug as well. “Don’t judge yourself too harshly, you… we are just teenagers, Sally. You will become better, everyone walks their path of thorns, and you are walking yours. I have faith in you.”

Orochi let an unconscious sob leave her mouth, her feelings getting out of her control and grasp.

“You are my friend, Sally. For everything you need, for any problem you may have… know that I and the others, will be here for you, all you need to do is call.” Sally clenched Orochi’s shirt, resting her face against the Atsushi’s shoulder, muffing her cries and tears, as Orochi held her tight.

The memories of those who had her back… those three, and then Yui, Chris… Kaylee.

You'vе fought along my side. You've had my back all along the timе.
You've always had my back. I'll amend all that's done
Though one day you'll know that I am gone; That my time is done

(Scene break)

Hours had passed since the dinner and her time with Sally. Orochi once again was lying in her bed, phone in hand. Umi had said for Orochi she couldn’t do things alone. That she needed someone to have her back and fight by her side. Someone to trust…

It wasn’t as if Tanaka wasn’t trustworthy, but Orochi felt alone, torn in her life as the leader of a gang, a student, and a hero trainee. It was exhausting… Sally had come to her for help and to tell her how she felt.

She trusted Orochi. The Atsushi knew that one day those emotions would fall out of control, and she would have a mental collapse. Orochi closed her eyes, pondering her next step, and who she could trust.

Yui was out of reach; besides, telling her would draw Inigo, Hoge, and Sally into her life, or worse, bring Chihiro who already has much baggage into a bigger mess. Stray tears fell from Orochi’s eyes.

Kaylee would be too overeager, and she didn’t want to draw Bobby into her mess. Orochi opened her eyes, letting tears stream down freely. There was someone who could help her, but would he… be not busy? Able to help her, understand her when it was all said and done?

She didn’t know, but she had to try.

Orochi opened Chris's contact and texted him.

Oh- You called me by my name. Like you always knew
On my way to you. Oh- Now that I am back
Let me have your back. Let me hold you tight
By my side

Oh- I won't let this end
Oh- If I can go back
Look you in the eyes
Let me hold you tight