The Escort Mission

Once the battle was over, Shunnosuke felt every single piece of his body getting limp, dizziness striking his mind again. After all, it's been a busy, lousy day of running around, here and there, without a proper time to settle down and eat. Half the day was enough to turn his life and everything he had scheduled for his return to Azores upside down. He really needed sleep, or something to eat, despite his frugal habits in the kitchen... And while he could indeed be concerned about the venom dripping from every single of Tamara's disembodied self's words, as well as the grotesque vision of her newly defeated aspect, enough to make the weakest ones like Shunnosuke puke (if only he had something in his stomach to throw up, to begin with), his mind lied elsewhere. First, he looked to Charles. He fell hard on the ground, and though Shunnosuke really wanted to reach out to him and check on his state, he opted not to, as someone else was already taking care of the issue. Second, Sada... Concern is not the right word for what the Kurosawa felt. It was something different, a mysterious attraction that compeled him to talk to the guy who had decided to jump in Tamara's aid against his side. If anything, it was like a mysterious degree of identification. And once more, there was someone out there checking on Sada's state. Charles himself had been one of those people, and the lad definitely didn't need a third caretaker. Third...Nozomi. He saw Nozomi's image in the middle of the battle, and the details, albeit fuzzy and hard to identify, remained in his mind for the rest of the event. What would be of him? What was he doing? And where? Forth, his family and the roaming demons. He could only hope his mother and grandfather were at home by now, in safety, and not wandering around, tempting demons with their (not so) fresh meat. They might get at odds at times, but they were the family he had, after all. Last but not least...Lewis. He was alive, yet. Good. He feared for his life, and for what Ariston would say if he remotely heard about a former student putting the life of his brother in danger on his first day out. It's beyond unfair. For one moment, Shunnosuke lost balance and fell down, side-sitting with one hand on his forehead as if he was about to collapse at any moment. He had gathered enough strength, both physically and mentally, to stand still against a major threat, but once it was all settled, his body gave in to the crescent tiredness.

— Lewis, we won... We...won... We can breathe now... — He smiled, laughed even amidst so many concerns, he could find happiness. He knew he did the right decision when he opted to come back to Penecia and save the city he learned to care for and love, in the name of those he cared for and loved. And those he didn't. In the name of Hyde as well. Was Hyde proud of him, Shunnosuke wondered? Was he watching somewhere? He hoped so. Most of the young Kurosawa's actions that day were motivated by the fact that, one day, he met the most noble of the souls who taught him how to be a better person. And if somewhere, it made Hyde Mizumi be proud, then it would all be worth it and he would do it again. Ah, he would.

Shunnosuke nodded to Sentinel, still on the ground enjoying the firmness behind his body and appreciating the little rest he could take. He deserved it, after everything. Sentinel was intelligent enough, as any machine could be, to handle Tamara's issues on his own. As for everyone else...the girl who joined late in the fight did mention loud and clear his surname and the fact she had encountered some of his family members.

— That's my family you speak of. — He paused for a bit, thinking, before pushing his body weight upwards and forcing himself to stand up again, albeit not so graciously as before. — I appreciate your assistance to the ones you met, presumably my mother and my grandfather, and I apologize for any disturbances they may have caused to you on your way here, but don't bother anymore. The demons are gone for good his time and they're my responsibility from now on, as it should be. Stick to your Charles. — He glanced the two, from Mae to Charles, mainly the android, and rolled his eyes, releasing an annoyed "hmpf". So that was Charles's "girlfriend", huh? How pathetic. He could tell right from the start he disliked her blandness and everything he could think about her first impression. And now he felt like he owed one to this girl for escorting his troublesome relatives back home. Oh, the irony. Whatever, he could handle it. As to what Tamara said...The word "Nozomi" sticks out enough for him to ignore the rest of the demoness's speech. — What about Nozomi? What do you know about him??