83. Regrets

"My death scar," Russo had told me the night before, "it's not just a remembrance of my death."

A Death Scar. Russo, whose cause of death was an impact on the head. The scar on his head was a huge one that even extended toward his nape.

"Is it another reincarnation defect?" I asked, thinking back to my birthmarks, and my faulty lungs. Being reincarnation with defects. Sounds like something straight out of a stupid and cliche light novel.

"Pretty much." Russo said, a string of laughter following his sentence. "Void told me about this thing. If I could call it anything, it's a target."

"A Target?"

Russo's hand reached up to the back of his neck. "If this mark is hit by anything... maybe another blunt weapon. Maybe a knife. As long as it's injured," he had the gall to grin at this-- "...I've told you how I can die after a 'wish' of mine is fulfilled, didn't I?"

I nodded, remembering it clearly. This idiot still didn't tell me what his last wish was, though.

"There's actually another way a zombie like me can die." he chuckled. "Simply put, if this scar is hit by anything, it's an instant Death for me!"

-

-

Byakuran had no chance to respond. Russo's hand grabbed his wrist tight-- and, pushing himself up with his foot, Russo managed to plant a boot at Byakuran's stomach and shoved himself a ways apart.

Byakuran took one step back-- 

But I had snuck up behind him moments ago. Grabbing hold of my right wrist, I  pulled my arm in-- my elbow forward, I thrusted into his back.

I didn't hit hard-- but Byakuran's knees buckled in the sudden directional impact.

Jumping back to create some distance, I saw Russo had managed to get himself up too, balancing on one leg and leaning heavily on a tree.

Russo can't fight, I noted. He can't die, but that doesn't mean his legs are gonna naturally fuse back together. Maybe we can stick them back together with duct tape-- wait we don't have-

That means we have to escape.

How, how how--

"Russo!" I called out, with a fake mischievous flair in my tone, "I've got your leg here, do you want it or can I use it as a baseball bat or something?"

"We don't even have a ball to play with," he argued.  

"Maybe we could rip your head off and play with that?"

"I'll die."

"But you're a zombie."

"Actually," Byakuran chimed in, "That sounds interesting. Zombie baseball." 

"You're the main antagonist, you're supposed to be trying to kill us here!" Russo and I snapped at the same time. 

Byakuran laughed. 

Ah-- 

It was incredible. That one joke made the whole tense atmosphere around this scene loosen up. Byakuran was no longer giving out that murderous air to us.

 But it wasn't time to let down our guards just yet.

"Neither of us mean you any harm," Russo spoke up with a grin, "Or really, we can't hurt you. It'd lessen your chances of winning, y'know? It's two versus one right now."

"Hmm," Byakuran hummed in amusement, "Well, you have a fair point. I'll leave it as that, then."

I let out a breath of relief. 

Hesitantly, I decided to trust this enemy of ours. Stepping forward, I walked toward Russo. Byakuran made no move to stop me or interfere in my path. 

"So, the both of you are zombies?" Byakuran asked, settling down where he was.

"Just Russo," I replied simply, taking some bandages from Russo's pocket and trying to reattach his leg somehow, "I'm human."

"Hehh," lifting a hand to rest his chin on, Byakuran made himself comfortable, "So, what are the both of you doing in this world, and why did you come to see me?"

That made me stop.

Yuni seemed to know everything. She knew what we were, and the fact that we were from another world. She didn't question why we were here at all-- it was almost as if she knew why and how we were here.

But Byakuran-- Byakuran didn't know.

What was the difference?

"Sir Void and I don't match up well," Kawahira had said.

Kawahira knew about us too.

"It goes beyond the logic of the trinisette." I told him. "We don't know why we are here-- no, we are here simply because we are. There is no real reason."

Byakuran seemed increasingly interested. "Beyond my knowledge, you mean? Even though I've gone through so many parallel worlds?"

Calmly, I stood up. Russo's hand was on mine, I noticed. It seemed to give me one small boost of strength-- and riding on this wave of confidence, I spoke up.

"Regardless of parallel worlds, one thing in the universe will not change." I decided to say, "All life is born, and then they die. All beings, with no exceptions, will return to the Void."

All life goes back to the Rukh, Drew once heard in another anime.

Seemingly having the same thought, Russo chortled under his breath.

"The Void... if I assume it is equivalent to what humankind assume as the Limbo," Byakuran mumbled, "Not very scientific and logical, are you?"

"And neither are your powers in regards to parallel worlds," I grinned.

"Aha," Byakuran realized, "Good point."

Regardless, Russo's limbs seemed to be able to function after just mildly attaching them back, zombie logic, so it was about time for us to-

"That asidee!" Russo spoke up quickly, "I didn't come here for that, Byakuran wait wait no don't ignore me yeeet,"

We both turned to the lethargic sounding zombie.

"It's about all those parallel worlds you've seen. I have a little question," Russo hefted himself up so he'd lean on the tree. He didn't look that much more injured than before-- but for some reason, he looked incredible, incredibly exhausted.

"Have you ever seen a world where," he hesitated to find the words, "Where you weren't involved in the Mafia at all?" 

It was a strange question.

"Yes, countless, in fact." Byakuran admitted. "However, over time, I took the effort to bring myself into the Mafia." 

"Then, did you ever have family? Ones with blood ties, I mean." This was the strangest question yet, "Have you ever regretted keeping secrets from them?"

Even Byakuran seemed taken aback at the inquiries.

But Byakuran's eyes narrowed, seemingly in irritation. "I fail to see the relevance in your questions," he stressed, "and any reason at all for me to answer them."

Russo laughed at that. "I guess." 

"I don't understand, either," I crouched down beside him, "What's this, all of a sudden?"

Russo could only chuckle back in response. He made no new move. The limbs I reattached-- they just laid limp at the side, and his eyes closed. As if he was just about to go to sleep, with his signature smile on his face--

This was strange. This was weird. Something's wrong here.

"Russo?"

With no response, I felt my heart sink.

"Russo!" my hands on his shoulders, I shook him harshly in a panic. "Russo?!"

Lifting my left hand, I saw it. 

Blood.

Blood, from a zombie.

"What-" I couldn't even, "What the hell is this...?"

Russo's hand shot up quickly, and grasped my hand. His eyes snapped open wide-- almost in a frantic, and quickly mellowed down. His smile crawled back up.

"Just some fake blood," he joked, the worst lie he's ever had to tell, "I was thinking of surprising someone with it, y'know?"

Slowly, he stood back up with my arm as a support. His limbs stayed on for the most part, so after standing back up, he stretched and yawned.

"Well then, Byakuran," he turned to the man, a beautiful, absolutely perfect smile--

I felt my heart ache. My eyes burned again-- what was going on? Why was he like this? Why was he doing this? Why was he acting like this? It's not anything good. It's not anything assuring. It's not anything that'll end well. 

It's not anything that I don't know.

I know what this means. I know what that means. It's evident. It's too obvious. 

I need to stop denying this.

"I'll be seeing you soon." Russo smiled.

Russo's going to die.