Chapter Forty-Eight: Coup de Grace:
-April 10th,
2011-
It began with a
letter. Tsuzuki and Anna didn’t know how it reached their apartment. But Airi
knew.
“Where does it
say to meet?” Tsuzuki asked. His wife read over the details.
“I believe the
Nezu Shrine,” Anna said. “We are expected there at midnight.” She looked over at
her husband.
“Ready to do
this?” she asked. Tsuzuki pressed his lips together.
“Yes,” he said.
“You will not
back out of this!” Airi hissed.
“I won’t,” he
insisted.
“You better
not,” she said. Anna held out her hand. Tsuzuki gave her a blank stare at first.
His wife shook her hand.
“Come on,” she
said through gritted teeth. “Take my hand.” The shinigami reluctantly did so.
“Hisoka has
Kirika-chan with him, right?” Ann asked.
“Yes,” Tsuzuki
said.
“Good,” she
said. The couple vanished in a flash.
--------
-Midnight-
The couple stood
in front of the shrine.
“You know what
to do?” Anna asked.
“Yes,” Tsuzuki
said. Airi would be in control, but still…
The Mother held
out her arm. “Hush!” Tsuzuki looked around. Airi smirked.
“I know you’re
here!” she said. “Come out and show yourself!” Her ears trained on the heavy
breathing a few feet away. A figure stepped out from the torii.
“My son,” Airi
said. Nobu’s face looked like an angry bull. He held up a knife in his hand.
“Anna!” he
growled. Airi shook her head.
“No,” she said.
“Anna’s here, but you’ll have to deal with me.”
“Anna!” he
barked. “Anna! Anna! Anna!” Tsuzuki stepped back when he saw Nobu’s face.
Nothing about him look human anymore. This felt like the time he had to kill
Shichiro. The shinigami shuddered.
“Don’t turn
away!” Airi commanded. “You have to face this to the end!” Tsuzuki gulped as he
nodded.
“Remember what I
told you,” she said.
“Yes!” her
husband said.
“Good,” his wife
said. Airi turned back to Nobu who was seeing bright red.
“Die!” the old
man shouted. The Mother smirked as he began charging forward.
“And now, my
dear son,” she said. “Let us end this.” Airi held out her arm as Nobu charged
closer.
There was a
black flash in the area. When Tsuzuki looked up, there was an empty space.
He could still
hear the sounds of the impending fight. Tsuzuki could only wait until it was
time to do his part.
--------
Airi opened her eyes in the darkness. “Well now, my son. Are you ready for the coup de grace?”