Chapter 94. Backlash
I was startled at that idea. ‘Did I really do that? I guess I wasn’t really thinking about her personally, but more along the lines of what she could and should do to achieve victory. I don’t know if I can fix this.’ “Ashido I-” As I was trying to apologize, Ashido cut me off. “I know you don’t think like that normally. You have shown you care, but when the fighting starts… It’s almost like a totally different part of you comes out.” Ashido began to hug me tighter as I was doing my best to continue to the tent, I was almost all the way there. Ashido then continued. “You are low on your power right?” I responded without thinking. “Yea, I’m almost out.”
Hearing this, Ashido then whispered into my ear. “I told you some of what Jiro told me, so now I want to know. Do you love me?” Hearing this question made me stop in my tracks. I felt Ashido hug me tighter to tell me I couldn’t escape her. I tried to stop myself from speaking as best as I could, but I couldn’t as I was down to 15-20%. “I… I…" I tried to deny it, but the words couldn't leave my mouth. I couldn't say I didn't. "I think I'm beginning to love you… But I already have Momo, and Kyoka. I would be happy with you as well, but I don’t want to lose either of them. I feel disgusting for falling in love, when already in love. I feel like I’m cheating on Momo and Kyoka even more than I already am. I guess I tried to bury my feelings so deep this time to hide, but you waited until I couldn’t hide anything. Even from myself. And now I don’t know what I should do now that I have fully come to terms with this.”
I let out a heavy sigh after I rambled all of that in one breath. I heard giggles coming from Ashido, I couldn’t look at her, because she was on my back, and only partly because I was too ashamed to look her in the eyes right now. “It’s ok Kam… Denki. Why do you think I waited until you would be like this?” I answered without thinking again “I don’t know.” Ashido continued to giggle hearing my plight. “Because Momo and Kyoka told me to.” I didn’t really understand, and being in my condition wasn’t helping. “I’m sorry Ashido, but I am too worn out.”
I started walking the last little bit to the tent, set on passing out as soon as Ashido was in a chair. Ashido giggled some more, and pressed herself against my back. “It’s ok Denki. I understand how you get with this low power. I just want you to know something really important before we go in the tent.” Ashido then went close to my ear again. “I've totally fallen in love with you.” This caused me to shiver. She continued on. “How does that make you feel?” I answered back without recourse. “I feel happy, and more guilty for my happiness in that fact.”
She giggles some more. “For someone who was thinking of every possible idea the principal was going to have, you really can’t think that deeply about what us girls do, why?” We almost made it to the tent. “Because I feel safe with all of you, and I know you all have my best interests always in mind. And will do your best to help me when I need you. I feel safe and secure, with no reason to think that deeply about you guys. Because I trust you all completely.” And with that I opened the tent, and made my way to the beds. I put Ashido, Mina on one, then promptly fell into the bed with her, and passed out. I was too tired to think about what to call her now.
I groggily woke up to people alerted talking, I still felt really weak so even moving my head wasn’t without trouble. I opened my eyes, and groaned trying to sit up. I emphasize the ‘trying’ part, because the moment I tried I had little power to begin with, but someone placed their finger on my forehead, easing me back down to the comforting pillow beneath me. I moved my arms to my face, but I felt something was attached to my right arm. I was trying to feel what it was, but was stopped by Mina’s gentle voice above me.
“Calm down, and just rest. You totally pushed yourself too hard for this one. Now deal with the consequences for your actions.” She giggled at herself, as I just lay down. I couldn’t see very well, mostly because something was covering my eyes. I tried to take them off with my left hand, but I was stopped by somebody else. “Just rest boy. You were overheating your head specifically, with the rest of your body added in. I was surprised you didn’t look like a mummy when you hobbled in.” After hearing who it was I was sure it was recovery girl.
So I just laid there. I couldn't really talk because my throat was so parched, the best I could do was crackly ask. “Water…” in a small voice. I heard a few other people moving around, and suddenly a straw entered my mouth. I drank and drank until my stomach was filled to the brim. Getting all of this water, had reinvigorated me. I pulled off the cold cloth covering my face to see again. I was met with Mina looking down at me. It turns out that I was laying my head on Mina’s thighs. In surprise I started to get up, only to be pushed back down again. “Calm down Denki, it’s ok. Just rest right now.”
Her soothing voice almost lulled me back into sleep. I looked around to see that a hung up sheet blocking all of my vision passed the bed. I laid my head back into Mina’s lap. “How long was I out?” Mina slowly petted my hair. “Just for a few minutes. You heal totally unfairly.” I let out a soft chuckle. “How are you doing?” Mina giggled at my question. “Always asking others about their injuries, and problems first. Just like Jiro described." She giggled again before continuing on. I’m ok, Recovery girl healed me immediately. Yaoyorozu, and Jiro are fine as well.” “But you are about to get a lot worse!”
As soon as Mina was done talking, I heard Kyoka’s voice yell at me from behind the curtain. The curtain was pulled back to see Momo, Kyoka, and Hagakure. “Oh boy..” I said as I felt my strength leave me again. “Please don’t stab the recovering person…” I said with the little amount of strength I could muster. I laid my head back down, forgetting it was Mina’s lap for a second, before looking up at her again. Realizing my position I tried to get up, but couldn’t. All of the girls were keeping me down. I tried to push them off of me, but noticed an I.V. connected to my arm.
The girls saw that I was now looking at the I.V. now. Mina spoke up as I was staring at it. “Recovery girl said it was to get fluids and electrolytes into your body. You were overheating, and dehydrated. I had to keep your temperature down with my goo to keep you from having a heat stroke…” By the time Mina was done talking, it was barely a whisper. I felt tears drop on my face. I shakily put my hand on her face. She just grabbed hold of it, because any longer and I wouldn’t be able to keep it there.
I gulped, before looking at Momo, Kyoka, and Hagakure. They were all crying as well. I could tell Hagakure was from the sniffling. “I’m sorry… I didn’t think it would be that bad of a backlash. I failed you all again.” Seeing them all cry made me feel ashamed at failing them. I did this. I knew that I was the cause of this pain, and that tore me up. I watched as they all just kept crying without saying a word to me. After a while they stopped while staring at me. I had nothing to say, I was so heartbroken doing this to them, I couldn’t say anything. I was ready for anything they wanted.