Taro’s lips quivered but he could form no sounds as Nira’s ribbon drifted down to the floor. He could feel his stomach plunge and tighten as he looked at the others, mouth still agape. She had been the first one that he had met, and they had forgotten her—he had forgotten her. He clasped his hands against his temples. Taro had saved a fucking guitar over saving a goddamn girl. He turned and kicked his foot into the overturn cabinet that Nao had been helping him push in an attempt that had been completely fruitless, all things considered. Kicking it didn’t help him feel any better, although it did cause a shocking pain to ring through his foot. 

Sinking down unto the cabinet with his spear resting against his shoulder, Taro locked his fingers behind his head and rested his elbows on his knees. He felt ill; he felt like giving up. None of them knew what they were doing here, really, they’d just answered some call from a little blue dude like a pack of idiots. He exhaled deeply, trying his damnedest not to start sobbing. Akito tried to move the others to get going in a weak rallying attempt, saying that if they waited the other guy would die like N—Taro choked. Izuki motivated them in her typical way, but Taro didn’t particularly feel like sucking it up. No, sucking it up meant that he accepted what had happened and was going to force himself to put on a brave face. He couldn’t do that. 

He could lie however.

[color=8dc73f]“Guys, seriously?”[/color] he said, reaching down and grabbing Nira’s ribbon. [color=8dc73f]“We didn’t see...we don’t know that…”[/color] Taro paused, looked at the ground, took in a deep breath, and forced a confident smile on his face. [color=8dc73f]“Nira isn’t dead; she just got seperated from us. For all we know, she’s over there on the other side thinking the same thing about us. It’s, uh, it’s…”[/color] he trailed off, momentarily losing his resolve. [color=8dc73f]“She’s tougher than she looks. Certainly better at summoning our helpers than I am. Hell, for all I know she probably found a shortcut and is already saving Bitchtits without us. So, uh, let’s go join her.”[/color]

Of course, he meant join her as in saving Bitchtits, not in whatever horrible thing actually did happen to her. He doubted the others would believe him, but Taro had to say it even if it only gave him a little bit of hope. Tying the ribbon around his spear and tightening the shoulder strap on the guitar, Taro began to follow after Izuki only for his brow to wrinkle as a thought crossed his mind. Pausing, he glanced back at the others and did a quick head count. 

[color=8dc73f]“You know, maybe we should implement a buddy system or something?”[/color] A sharp, bitter laugh escaped his throat. [color=8dc73f]“Like, I’m just saying, we wouldn’t even have had that fright if somebody had been watching out for, erm, what I’m saying is...um, nevermind,”[/color] he muttered, falling behind Izuki. [color=8dc73f]“[i]Fucking [/i]hate hospitals.”[/color]