Chapter 14 - the Dice District Part 4

  Katsuo couldn't believe his eyes he lay speechless and shocked behind Hotaru who stood tall

  "Katsuo"

  He calmly spoke in a peaceful tone, not a hint of worry even as his blood fell around him like raindrops from his sleeve "Katsuo.. call.. Shiki" he commanded his tone switching to urgency.

  Saikoro laughed and clapped.

  "Wow.. just WOW! Man, am I pumped!! still standing!! Bravo genuinely, Bravo!! I respect you, man, i truly do. " Saikoro jumped around his true colours at show

  "Oh and you.." he paused his tone as one of annoyance his face twitched

  "Dont try call for backup. This room has signal jammers surrounding, and besides who would wana ruin our fun time huh?!" Saikoro snorted, laughing as he stared at Hotaru

  "Okay now man.. what's the next move, huh.. you're not very well armed.. no pun intended" He smiled before smoothly grabbing a dice from his pocket and rolling it down his sleeve catching it in mid air "I dont know what you've got up your hypothetical sleeve but man am I ready!"

  Hotaru felt the blood loss getting to him

  "I hate this" he thought to himself as he stumbled, unable to stay upright."Im so tired.. I just wana go home.. god.. home with my.. "

  He closed his eyes again, a vision of a younger Katsuo appeared in his head

  "But if i dont try.. who will save him..?" Hotaru held his beat in his hand.

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  "So this is your instrument, huh water and you dont have alot right.. so then theres the the beat creation.. well, most artists can do this as a byproduct of their instrument, but this is unique.." The beat slipped around his hand it was warm and small with its sleek blue fish like body.

  You can channel and multiply your water supply by beats.. hmm.. Your instrument is special Katsuo, but that's not a fault.."

  The smaller Katsuo glared up at Hotaru with a bright smile and a plaster on his cheek. "Really!!" Katsuo laughed as he beamed at Hotaru

  "Yeah.. It's really cool, actually.." he put a swarm of flies around the beat, lifting it into the air

  "Heh who knows, maybe in the future we could come up with some cool team up abilities, huh?" Hotaru smiled as the beat dripped some water on his head making him jump away like an angry cat and wag his finger at the beat which made Katsuo cry of laughter,

  When Hotaru turned around he saw Katsuo not as the panting scared man he was but as the cheeky boy he saw grow

  "Katsuo... im.." he stopped himself, catching his breath he wanted to apologise, but it wasn't the time.

  "So proud of you, " Hotaru summoned and raised a group of flies.

  "I'll do anything to save my.." he thought back to all the memories with the Leixlip guys and specifically to the concert with Kurai

  "And don't call me Hota, Kurai I'm your senior"

  He thought back to his words

  "God how egotistical i was.. Kurai.. Shiki.. Katsuo.. everyone.. yeah, im right they're not my coworkers and not even my friends.."

  A vision appeared of himself sitting down munching on a big peperoni pizza something he'd never eat with all its grease and fat but with them it just felt right

  "They're my"

  The flies spread wider and wider more then ever before as Saikoro stares in awe

  "Family"

  The flies continue swarming buzzing and blowing a captivating orange as Katsuo gasps in shock "hes never produced this many ever before"

  "Devine symphony..."

  Hotaru chanted

  "Grave of the fireflies"

  Suddenly the thousands of pretty bright lights that bloomed in Saikoros face rushed at him a beautiful and blinding sequence

  "Astonashing truly" he calmly whispered transfixed by the fireflies dance

  Saikoro smiled as the high 5000 or so flies attacked smashing everything surrounding and including Saikoro

  "This is my Requiem to you Sarah... my Requiem"

  Hotaru collapsed into a pool of his own blood he pulled off a Devine symphony something he never thought he could achieve

  "I mean after all besides me and a few really powerful but mostly dead straglers nobody can use a devine symphony I dont even know how its possible to obtain one I just well.. gained it one day" Shiki explained to a younger Hotaru

  "So.. good luck with that one.. but all I can answer is that hope brought mine.. maybe it could bring yours,"

  Shiki laughed

  "You wont ever see mine, though.. i dont feel like blowing up the planet, " he grinned smugly.

  Katsuo stood on his feet before tripping over to Hotarus unconscious body.

  "Hotaru wake up.. you did it you saved me Hotaru please"

  He shook his body violently creating a beat that he rested on his heart

  "This will keep him warm i just need to break my water down and try repear his cells tissues" Katsuo remembered when Lenton thought him how to stop blood loss and patch up in case of emergencys when he isn't available.

  A deafening clap emerged from the rubble followed by a manichal laugh

  "Close but no cigar"