Wakaba was stunned into silence as Guy and Yuuki...forgave her. She knew they had all forgiven Nadeshiko, but that girl was never supposed to be a hero in the first place. Compared to that girl, something on the level of "he threatened me" shouldn't have flown. Yet those two insisted that they, too, would have made the same choice in her shoes. Was it not a sin to sacrifice their whole group for a single person, no matter how much she may have wanted to protect her?
Rebuilding herself. Atonement through action to counter her misdeeds. Her life had been nothing but a series of failures and the apocalypse of the human race, illuminated only by the brief time she'd spent with her team and Hinata. Both Wakaba and Hinata herself had resorted to some underhanded methods to keep the miko alive. In a world that did everything in its power to be rid of them, it was all they could do just to stay alive together.
Perhaps Yuuki was right. A withered flower could reach full bloom once more. Perhaps Guy was right. Even if she stumbled, the choice of a Hero was to continue fighting to protect. Certainly, those two's words and ideals were ones she could agree with.
However, one of the others whom she'd crossed had a different outlook on the situation.
Gripping the sword she'd dropped with trembling hands, the fourteen year old girl couldn't immediately answer Guy, Yuuki, or Kokkoro. With shallow breaths, she held back the tears that wanted to flow. Dying at their hands was most certainly her just deserts. Could someone who'd killed others really just move on without punishment?
"..."
Actually, wasn't she on the other end of this just some time ago? When Chikage tried to kill her, Wakaba forgave her without a second thought and protected her. However, it wasn't a matter of "I forgave someone so they should forgive me." Nogi Wakaba could simply understand the feelings of the other side.
"Sorry, Kokkoro. I'm...fine," she answered, speaking slowly. She took deeper breaths. Her hands slowed their trembling. Her face grew resolute. Looking Reimu's way, Wakaba spoke.
"I never intended to defend myself with things like 'I wanted to protect someone so it's okay' to begin with. I don't know what I'd do if someone hurt Hinata, even if I knew they were protecting someone of their own doing it. But even still. Even so. For the feelings of those who want me to live, I cannot die for nothing."
The girl who was once a Hero kept her sword lowered.
"And...I still need to protect Hinata. But this time, I won't do it out of fear. I will take up my blade against that fear, and save Hinata myself. I know it's selfish of me. But if even those I crossed want me to try blooming into a Hero once more, wouldn't it be even more selfish of me to just lie down and die for nothing?"
She shuffled her right foot forward, placing herself just a body length past Kokkoro.
"Thank you, Yuuki, Guy, Kaito, everyone. If you all will still consider me a friend...no, regardless, I will consider you all my friends. Even if I can't ask you to believe my words, I swear to myself, to Hinata, I will protect you all. This...might be the one favor that I will never be able to fully repay."
With a promise, Wakaba brought her Windcleaver up to her left hip, wielding the weapon like a sheathed sword. It might not have been her Ikutachi, and there was still some slight shivering in her body, but her years of training were unmistakable as she held the weapon.
"Therefore, if there is still any trouble, I should be the one to receive it. I don't want to be the reason anyone else dies. I beg you all, don't risk your lives on my behalf."
@Ver @Crow @MelodyMeister @Yun Lee
