But that wasn't the end. Instead of being crushed together with the building, Carlo was stuck in the air helplessly; he couldn't move a single muscle nor utilize any of his psychic powers.
"Want me to dispose of him, Major?" Senzo asked, looking at the helpless old man with pity in his eyes.
"Give me a moment."
"Alright, just tell me when you're done." With that, Senzo took a seat at the table and leaned back, relaxing his whole body.
"Hmph! You've grown weak, Carlo."
"You think I don't know that, Kyousuke. I know this is all a futile struggle. Time can be so cruel..." he replied, looking straight at the young man that was just as old as he was.
"..."
"Do you remember, Carlo? I first met you in Vienna when it was still occupied. You were already a major, and I was still a warrant officer." Hyoubu started; seeing his old friend so helplessly suspended in midair made him recount their history.
"Do you know why I became a major like you? It was because I died."
After saying that, he lifted his hair to show a perfectly round bullet wound in the middle of his forehead.
Then his eyes turned cold, staring straight at the old man with pure, unfiltered rage.
"On the event of my death, I was specially promoted up two levels."
Andy, Magi, and the others stood there silently listening to Hyoubu's story.
"Yes. These clothes are mourning clothes. They are for my dead comrades and for myself when I died on that day."
Suddenly all kinds of memories flashed before his eyes, all the people who he held dear that died during the wars.
"This is the black of mourning. My old friend, Carlo… tonight, I will mourn you too."
"Do it," Hyoubu said quietly.
Senzo's power surged. Carlo was lifted into the air, out of sight for Yugiri — completely helpless as he awaited his end. Then, without hesitation, he was torn to complete shreds.
Blood fell like rain.
"Thanks," Hyoubu muttered, as a single tear slid down his cheek.
"Major, are you okay?" Magi asked him.
"Hmph. Don't treat me like an old man." Hyoubu said, but he did not move from his spot as he looked toward the sky where Carlo had just been floating.
Andy looked at Hyoubu's back, then at the destruction that had happened outside; he cleared his throat. This is what happens when powerful espers battle: normals suffer and destruction follows.
"Hinomiya? What are you doing? We're leaving."
And the group quietly left, all of them following after Hyoubu.
***
Back on the Catastrophe, the mood was rather somber. Hyoubu dismissed everyone the moment they returned, and they could do whatever they wanted.
Yugiri was walking through the hallways trying to fix her hair; for some reason a couple strands kept sticking out.
She carefully tried to use her hands to get it under control.
"Kyah!" When she suddenly walked straight into Magi.
She looked up at the tall, imposing man, shrinking into herself a little.
"Ah, um..." Then she quietly tried to slip away.
"Wait, Yugiri."
But before she could, Magi called out to her.
"Look into who Hinomiya is when you have a chance. With that limiter on him, you should be able to read his mind with telepathy."
But she straight up ignored what Magi said, continuing on without looking back.
"Yugiri?"
"Only the major or Senzo can give me orders." She said with a serious look. Then, without waiting for a reply, she took off running.
Time passed in a blur for all the crew members, and before they knew it, it was dinnertime. And because they had just completed a mission, they were having a BBQ.
Andy stood there all alone, leaning against the railing; he wasn't in the mood for a BBQ after such a mission.
He kept thinking about what-ifs. What if he had just taken the damn shot? Would that have changed anything? Holding the necklace he had gotten from Hyoubu, he had a somber look on his face.
After grabbing a couple skewers, Senzo made his way toward his fellow newcomer.
"Hey, you look rather down; don't you like barbeque?" he asked.
"Ah?! No, it's not that." Andy said, taking a good look at Senzo.
He wondered how he could be so relaxed after what they had just witnessed.
"Don't worry too much about it; I've served in a military special unit. I'm used to it."
Like he had just read his mind, Senzo told him a little more about himself.
"That sounds hectic." Andy said, looking straight at Senzo.
"That's right, I wasn't even twelve when I was first deployed on a mission. It was rather traumatic. And after they felt like they couldn't control me anymore, they tried to discard me."
"..." Andy was speechless. They deployed him before even turning twelve?
"How could they do that! Those bastards!" Gritting his teeth, Andy looked outraged.
Heh, so he also has that side to him. Senzo thought, seeing Andy so outraged on his behalf felt good.
"You should remember that feeling, getting outraged on others' behalfs. It's very rare in a world like this."
Andy awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Thanks."
He muttered, turning away. That's when he suddenly saw Hyoubu standing there, an evil smirk on his face.
"I saw you looking at the necklace. Do you like it that much?"
"What?!" Andy's face turned bright red.
"How long have you been there?"
"Hehehe, looks like it was worth giving you that." Hyoubu remarked.
"That's not it!"
Then Andy's face darkened. "In the end I wasn't able to shoot."
"You know, Andy, the kindness not to shoot is part of your own power. Like getting mad at others' suffering. You accomplished your first mission with us, using the power you were born with."
"The same goes for you, Senzo. I'm glad to have you both as members of Pandra."
Both looked at Hyoubu, who had a huge smile on his face.
"Likewise," Senzo replied.
While Andy just looked at him.
"Hmm? What are you all talking about?" Momiji interrupted, seeing the three of them standing together away from the other people.
"Welcome aboard for real this time, Newcomers!" Yo added.
"I'm Yo Fujiura."
"And I'm Momiji Kanou."
"Okay, a toast to our new members!! Cheeeeers!" Everyone suddenly felt Momotarou's voice echo through their heads.
"C'mon, Andy, at least drink a little. After all, the mission was a success."
"And it wouldn't look good if you don't drink at your own party, you know."
"Oh, sure." Andy reluctantly grabbed the cup Hyoubu had offered him and downed it in one big gulp.
"Wait, this is milk?"