❝ 𝙸𝚏 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚛. ❞
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One day remains until the tournament.

Mash is standing in front of the door of the crimson cane's office, his mind ponders whether he should come in or not.

After the crowd's protest, Wahlberg told him that (name) wishes to see him in her office, so here he is. However, for some unknown reason, he finds himself nervous.

Why does she want to see him a day before the tournament? Is she going to give some advice? Or does she want him to withdraw because he doesn't have magic?

On top of those questions, why is he worried? Why is he seeking her approval? Why is he scared that she might not allow him to participate in the tournament?

No one's approval matters except his pops'. And yet, he finds himself afraid to meet her.

"Are you just going to stand outside?" Her soft voice is muffled through the door. "Come in," she invites him.

Mash exhales the breath that he unconsciously holds. With a hesitant push, he opens the door to see the crimson cane sitting across him. She is doing her paperwork as she gestures at him to take a seat, which he obliques.

"Um... what do you need?" He asks, and (name) barely notices the tremors in his voice. Having observed the most poker face person in the world (Orter), she manages to notice the slightest change in the ravenette.

She softens her eyes as she smiles at him. "Why are you nervous?" She asks, her voice as gentle as feathers.

Mash blinks in shock before relaxing his tensed shoulders. "I don't know." He says curtly. "I think I'm just scared that you might not be happy that I participated in the tournament."

Now it is (name)'s turn to widen her eyes in shock before she closes them, a defeated sigh escapes her lips. "You got me, Mash." The said teen tilts his head to the side. "Don't get it wrong. I'm worried about you," she explains.

"Domina Blowelive is not a joke, Mash. He's dangerous." She murmurs, eyes lower on the paper on the table in front of her. "He might be your brother, but I doubt that will stop him from killing you." She frowns.

"So you're worried that I might die?" Mash asks, his eyes glue on her as she nods her head softly. "I'm not asking you to withdraw," she puts her hand in her pocket to take a small object that looks like a locket.

"Please take this," she hands it to him, which he takes. The locket has a gem that has the colour of the blood, which makes him frown.

"Is this gem made out of your blood?" He asks, but (name) shakes her head. "No, but that's my little brother's blood." She reveals.

"My brother's magic allows him to bring any power to a higher level. With that locket, you can increase your strength." She smiles. "I have no use for it, so I think it's better to give it to you."

Mash stares at the crimson gem in his hand silently before glancing up at her. "Is it okay for me to take it? Won't your brother get mad if you give it to someone else?" He asks, raising his eyebrow.

(Name) purses her lips into a thin line, before they form a small smile.

"He won't get mad," she shakes her head. "He's not even here anymore." Mash blinks his eyes in shock. "Oh. Sorry." He apologises, head lowering down as guilt engulfs him. "It's fine," she chuckles, assuring him.

Silence consumes the noises in the office as Mash shuffles awkwardly. He's getting uncomfortable with the lack of interaction as his mind ponders whether he should excuse himself or not.

"You know," (name) suddenly speaks up, cutting the silence and earning his full attention. "My brother was just like you. He was kind-hearted, always there to help people who needed him. He should be around Rayne's age now," she smiles softly.

Mash listens to her carefully, the locket in his hand is held with care.

"But..." the smile on her face flatters. "He lost his magic." Mash's golden eyes widen at her words as he can guess what happened next.

Seeing his face, (name) shakes her head. "He was not taken to the government," she reveals as Mash tilts his head to the side confusedly. "I hid him from the public. You can tell that I loved him so much, right?"

He nods his head as she continues. "I really did. He was my only family after our older brother died when I was sixteen." She murmurs, head hangs low. "But after I became a divine visionary, I failed to be there for him. I ignored him, because I was afraid that if I was meant to die, he couldn't move on because he was attached to me."

Mash hums in response, signing that he's listening. "But teenagers tend to start overthinking over small things." (Name) chuckles at the familiar statement. "If only I realised it sooner."

Sensing the shift of atmosphere, Mash notices how (name)'s lips quiver. "He thought I hated him. He thought he was a burden to me since he lost his magic," her voice is shaking as she lets out a sigh. "Because of that, two years ago... he killed himself."

Mash stiffens, his eyes widen at the unexpected event. Out of all the possibilities he can think of, this one doesn't even cross his mind.

He watches her lowering her head, her bangs covering her face as her hand wipes her eyes that he assumes have tears threatening to fall from them. Taking a deep breath, (name) raises her head. That small action takes her a lot as she smiles.

"You remind me of him," she breathes out shakily. "You and him are eerily similar." She adds. "That's why I'm begging you..." the crimson cane reaches out her hands to take his in her palms. "...please don't die, Mash. I can't lose you too." She pleads, desperation and trauma flash in her (eye colour) eyes.

Mash stares into her pleading eyes, his hand giving hers a gentle squeeze. "I promise," The words in his throat escape his mouth before he can even think.

"I won't die."

He always wonder how it feels to have an older sibling. How it feels to have someone to rely on, to have another person to worry about him other than his pops.

But now he knows how it feels, now that (name) is here.

"(Name)," the familiar voice greets her. The crimson cane doesn't reply to him as she continues to stare at the names that are engraved in the stones. She gently traces the name on the second stone, her (eye colour) eyes soften every second her fingers feel the textures of it.

Ryoh slowly walks to her side, crouching to put a bouquet of flowers on the first grave. He clasps his palms together as he gives his prayer before turning to the girl beside him.

"Mash is fighting against Domina right now," he mutters softly. "Don't you want to watch him?"

(Name)'s eyelids lower themselves as she buries her face into her palms. "I'm scared," she murmurs, her voice muffles through her palms. "Too scared to watch."

Ryoh softens his eyes at the tremors in her voice. This vulnerable side of hers is only visible to him, only him. Aside from her dead brothers, he is the only one who can see her in her weakened state.

He rests his hand on her shoulder gently. "Mash is strong," he assures. "You don't need to worry. He can win this tournament." He gives her a comforting squeeze.

(Name) lowers her hands to stare at her palms. Her (eye colour) eyes contain fear, exhaustion and numbness that scared him that she might have lost her will to live.

Again.

"...Ryoh, how does Fabian's killer look like again?" Her question makes his breath hitch. "(Name), he wouldn't want you to avenge him. He-"

"I know." She interrupts firmly. "But I want to avenge him. I need to avenge him." She mutters before raising her head to look into his eyes. "Please."

Ryoh gulps at the desperation in her eyes and voice. He can't bear seeing her like this. Not when she has the face of his dead friend.

Slowly, he lowers his head. "He wears like a clown," he mutters. "Always demanding. That's all I can say," he finishes.

Getting no reply, he lets out a sigh. He shifts closer to the smaller girl and wraps an arm around her shoulder comfortingly before pulling her into his embrace.

He pushes her head into his shoulder gently as he feels her clutch on his shirt. Her small figure trembles in his arms as he feels a couple warm droplets of tears land on his shoulder. He presses his lips on the crown of her hair gently as he furrows his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry I can't save your brother, (name). I'm really sorry."

A/n: (name) is 22 y/o. She became a divine visionary at 18. Her little brother was sixteen when he killed himself, two years after she became a divine visionary.

Her age gap between her little brother is four years her older brother is seven years. So if she is 22, her older brother will be 29 while her little brother will be 18 (if they're still alive lmao).