Chapter Text
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???
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A girl opened her eyes to find herself in what appeared to be a vast, endless space. Peering through messy, silky locks the same color as her eyes, she saw the mash of colors in front of her. Purple, red, blue, yellow, green… an array of the color wheel, carefully mixed together as if it was a painting, the artist blending different shades together with his brush. What stood out was the souls, white specs scattered far across as the eye could see.
Upon further thought, it occurred to her that the specs might be lost like herself, since they never seemed to stay in one place. Plus, her own body seemed to illuminate slightly. Not that it mattered. Beneath her feet was a cold, stone slab. When she lifted her foot to move forward, another one rose to meet her step. It's a start, she reasoned.
She always found herself wandering these days. Whether she knew where she was going or if she was just lost wasn't important; what mattered to her was doing something rather than nothing. How much time has passed since she…
…
She didn't want to dwell on it. No use reminiscing now, it won't change anything. Her eyes, a soothing dark brown, similar to chocolate, remained empty as she forced her feet to move forward. She hadn't thought much about what would happen to her after death; no one really has. You die, and that's that. Even if there was an afterlife, no one can say for sure. The dead can't exactly talk, now can they? Who knew all that was waiting at the end of life was an endless void of souls, some flickering away to be reincarnated while some shine brightly as they wait for their turn to live once more.
Her mind was fuzzy, the memories of her last moments slowly floating around in her mind, almost as if she had just awoken from anesthesia. However, while anesthesia is temporary, this felt more permanent. Perhaps she wasn't meant to remember every detail of the moment she took her last breath, maybe it was better that way.
Or, maybe, it was this place's doing. She couldn't tell. She might've been thinking too hard. Adjusting the thick, black frames on her face, the girl set out to move forward again. She had a walking ground, for whenever she moved her foot forward, something formed underneath to ensure she wouldn't fall.
Something she was thankful for was that in the amount of time she's spent walking, she's never once required sleep or grown tired. She supposed it wasn't necessary for the dead. She was sure her real body was off somewhere underground, as 'time' didn't seem to be a thing here.
Despite countless souls surrounding her field of vision, the girl still felt… lonely. That seemed to be all she was feeling now. Even when she was alive, she still felt the same. No, she didn't want to think about that. Her arms grabbed onto each other as she hugged herself, fingers gripping onto the thin cloth that covered her body; a grim reminder of what led to her demise in the first place.
The stone beneath her bare feet was cold, each step sending chills up her spine. Even so, her face remained expressionless. Unswayed by her circumstances, unable to understand the way she should be feeling. She should be upset, she should be screaming, but… she can't find her voice. She can't find it in her to care.
She almost lost herself to her thoughts, if not for a butterfly fluttering past her. A familiar shade of blue, the presence of it seemed to ignite something inside the girl. Curiosity. Human curiosity was a feeble thing, it could lead to new beginnings… or to one's demise. She didn't know if she wanted to satisfy her own interests, or if she was just tired of wandering aimlessly, but she started to follow the butterfly.
The stone slabs beneath her forged with each step, eventually matching her speed as she broke out into a sprint, eager to catch the butterfly. It was childish, she was sure, but there was truly nothing else to do in this place. She had already died, so she couldn't wander until she died again. The feeling of chasing something was new, something she unconsciously welcomed. It was a nice change of pace, more exhilarating than earlier.
The butterfly was just a hair away from her grasp, she was sure of it. Her brows narrowed, a flicker of determination gleaming in her eyes. Her hands outstretched, she leapt forward, enclosing the blue insect in her palms as her vision was flooded with white.
2009
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April 6th
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"...!" A girl's eyes shot open, and her body felt heavy. Taking in the scenery around her, she felt her heartbeat quicken. What the hell was that? That... felt way too real to be just a dream. She sighed, brushing her bangs aside, the dark brown uneven locks hiding behind her ears.
Managing to keep a straight face, she glanced over to unzip her bag. Neatly tucked away were some essentials, although her eyes locked onto her ID. Letting out a small sigh, she zipped up her bag, and leaned forward to rest her chin on her hand. I'm bored.
Turning her music up to the max volume, tired eyes glanced at the few passengers, her gaze locking on an unfamiliar figure.
"Train service today is significantly delayed due to a fatal accident. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience."
The boy kept to himself in the near empty train, the music from his earphones drowning out the sounds around him. The train passed through a tunnel and into a clearing, revealing his reflection in the window. Sensing someone's eyes on him, the blue-haired male turned his body in the brunette's direction. His own music blasting in his ears, his expression remained unfazed as silver eyes met purple, the music drowning out the sounds of the train tracks.
He redirected his gaze to the window again, letting out a small, silent, sigh. From the window, he could no longer tell the look on the girl's face, as the glare from her glasses prevented him from reading her eyes. If you pay close enough attention, a person's eyes can reveal more than their words… not that she was speaking. Even if she was, it's not like he could hear her.
Not that he really cared.
The train came to a stop, and the remaining people inside left, including himself and the girl. They passed through the terminal, eventually standing side by side. He pulled out his pamphlet, opening it for directions, but paused when he saw the brunette staring at it, her face scrunched up in confusion. Huh.
Tick
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All went quiet. The music blasting into his earphones silenced, and he expected the girl next to him to turn into a coffin, just like everyone else.
She didn't.
In fact, she held a similar expression to his own; blank. Deciding to not dwell on it, he started walking ahead of her, the not yet full moon illuminating the station through the windows. He heard footsteps behind him, and stopped mid-step. Is she following me? He turned to check, but paused as he saw her looking up at the moon through the ceiling windows. Her mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out. Turning back around, the boy continued to walk away, his footsteps echoing throughout the station.
"Wait."
He stopped. The shuffling sound of boots got louder as she approached him, stuffing her hands into her pockets. "It'd be safest to travel together, I think." He looked at her, not saying a word, prompting her to add, "I'm moving into the Iwatodai Dorms as well. That's… why I was up in your space earlier." During the exchange, they started walking together, and out of the station. He said nothing, and honestly, she was fairly grateful he was so silent. She didn't care for conversation that much, either. "Sorry." She couldn't help apologizing, averting her gaze to the sidewalk before going quiet herself.
Numerous coffins lined up the roads, blood dripping from some of the traffic lights. There were also blood splotches scattered about the ground, the green atmosphere sending a chill down her spine. He noticed it; he saw how her body shivered a little. After experiencing it for so many years on his end, he eventually grew used to it. He briefly wondered how long she's known about it, but refocused on the pamphlet in his hand. No use thinking about irrelevant information he didn't care for.
The longer they walked, the more coffins lined the streets. A few streets away from the dorms, a blood-curdling scream echoed out in the distance. He ignored it, and the girl's breathing became shaky. Her grip on her bag tightened as she moved closer to him, pushing her glasses upwards. She closed her eyes when the screams died out, halting in her step when the boy walked into a puddle of blood, glancing up at the building in front of them. The building matched the picture, although… it looked more cheery in the photo than it did now.
He climbed the steps to the door, pausing when his hand was on the handle. He turned back to his walking partner, who was staring at the moon again. She seemed lost in thought.
"Hey." He finally decided to speak, and caught her attention. "We're here." Her eyes widened before she shook her head.
"Right." She walked up the steps, holding her breath when he opened the door. It was peaceful inside, nothing like how the outside had looked. It looked nice, but…
Closing the door behind them, the boy took off his headphones. The purple eyed girl kept hers on, letting out a sigh of relief.
"You're late."
A voice rang out, and the two of them turned their heads to the desk, where a mysterious young boy in a prison outfit of some sorts propped up his arms. "I've been waiting for you for ages." He smiled, then made eye contact with the brunette. "Same goes for you."
"... Huh?" Her eyes went wide as the blue haired male's body seemed to relax a bit, the younger one snapping his fingers as he appeared in front of the both of them, a red menu folder now resting on the desk with a feather pen.
"If you want to proceed, please sign your name there." He said to him, giving another smile. The folder flipped open, the plastic revealing back to show a contract. "It's a sort of contract."
While he continued talking, the silver eyed boy made his way over to the desk. "There's nothing to be afraid of. It just says that you will accept responsibility for your decisions from now on." He picked up the feather, dipping it in the ink and started signing his name. "Typical contract stuff."
☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆
Contract
Time never waits.
It delivers all equally to the same end.
I hereby agree to the statement above,
and I chooseth this fate of my own free will.
Signature Block
Makoto Yuki
☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆
After signing, Makoto put the feather back and closed the folder, handing it to the young boy. His smile never fading, he turned to the girl, who was frozen in place. "There's no need to be scared. It's your turn, now." Makoto glanced at her, then at the desk as the boy's fingers snapped once more, this time a dark blue folder resting where the red one used to be. It flipped open, and another contract was presented. "Don't worry, yours just says that you take full responsibility for the actions of a new existence. Similar to his, you need to sign it in order to proceed." Letting out a small breath, she made her way over to the contract, picking up the feather as she looked it over.
☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆
Contract
I will take full responsibility for the actions of a new existence.
Though it is still me, the world will change because of my actions and words.
I hereby agree to the statement above, and understand that all of the consequences are mine and mine alone.
Signature Block
Kyoka Tsukimori
☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆
Kyoka closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then signed it, putting the feather away and handing the folder to the boy. Placing the blue folder on top of the red one, the boy hugged both of them close to his chest. "It's true. Time brings an end to all things." He looked down before closing his eyes, a small giggle escaping him. "No matter how much you try to resist fate, there is no escape." He glanced up with half-lidded eyes, then rose the folders to cover his right eye. "Even if we plug up our ears and cover our eyes." He moved his hand to turn them, and they vanished into thin air. The darkness crept up behind the boy as he made eye contact with the two teenagers, a smile resting on his face as he reached out to them. He was then consumed by the shadows, his hand disappearing into the darkness.
"And so it begins."
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"Who are you two?!"
The voice snapped both of them out of their trance, both of them turning around to see a girl around Makoto's age staring them down. She glared at both of them, her hand reaching down to the gun holster around her leg. She unclipped it, but didn't make a move to grab it yet. Her breaths became shaky and more uneven when she didn't get a response, so she went to grab it, but was interrupted.
"Wait, Takeba."
She froze, then turned back to the staircase, where a mature woman that looked to be around Kyoka's age stood.
"But Kirijo-senpai, they-" Takeba started to protest, and Kirijo cut her off.
"Don't worry, they're both just ordinary transfer students." Takeba paused, blinking a few times.
"... What do you mean, 'ordinary'?"
Kyoka crossed her arms, leaning most of her body weight on one leg with a small sigh while Makoto stood there awkwardly.
The green atmosphere faded, and the two teens' music started back up while Kirijo walked down the rest of the stairs, making her way over to them.
"We were expecting the both of you to arrive earlier." While Makoto shut his music off, Kyoka just turned it down enough so no one but her could hear it. "I'm Mitsuru Kirijo. I live here in this dorm." Mitsuru put a hand on her hip, standing next to the brunette from earlier.
"Why did they pick this hour to show up?" Takeba muttered.
"It was a last-minute decision to put them here. They'll both probably be formally assigned to their respective dorms eventually." The redhead answered her with a blunt tone, and Takeba gave her a weary look.
"Is this a good idea?" She only got a small smile in turn.
"We'll see."
Makoto made his way over to the staircase, Kyoka not too far behind him.
"Huh-?" Takeba seemingly took offense to their unresponsive nature, and narrowed her eyes. "Hey, you two!" Mitsuru stayed tranquil, however, and spoke to both of them in a much calmer tone.
"Your room is on the second floor at the end of the hall." She glanced at Makoto, then turned to Kyoka. "And yours is on the third floor at the end of the hall." The two of them paused in their step as Mitsuru turned to the brown eyed girl. "Takeba. Show them the way."
"Wh-" She made a surprised noise as her upperclassmen continued.
"This is Yukari Takeba. She'll be a second year this spring. That's the same as you, right?" She made eye contact with Makoto, who said nothing.
"... I'm Takeba." Yukari introduced herself, and Makoto spoke up this time.
"Makoto Yuki. Good to meet you." A moment of silence before Yukari nodded.
"Same here. Nice to meet you." He glanced down at Yukari's holster, where the gun still resided. Mitsuru ended up letting out a small sigh, then glanced at Kyoka.
"I'll be a third year this spring, just like you, if I remember correctly." A small nod from the girl made a small smile grow on Mitsuru's face.
"... Kyoka Tsukimori." Yukari and Mitsuru perked up at her voice, this being the first she's spoken since they met. "Nice to meet you two."
"It's nice to meet you as well." The smile on Mitsuru's face remained as she started to rummage around in her pocket. "It's late; you two should turn in." She pulled out two pairs of keys, putting them into Yukari's hands. The pink sweatered girl turned to the two transfer students, clenching the keys in her hands.
"I'll show you two. Follow me." She started to walk ahead of them and up the staircase, the two teens following her obediently as Mitsuru eyed them from the bottom of the staircase.
As the near-full moon shined through the windows, Makoto and Kyoka followed Yukari down the second floor hallway. "Here's your room key." She handed Makoto his keys, then glanced back behind her to make sure Kyoka was still there. She didn't quite get it, but she got the feeling that Kyoka was someone she had to keep an eye on… or she might wander off.
"Thanks." Makoto's acknowledgement brought her out of her thoughts.
"Um… can I ask you both something?" Kyoka pulled an earbud out, glancing at Yukari to show she was listening while Makoto remained silent. "On the way here from the station, you didn't run into any trouble?" She tilted her head as Makoto blinked.
"Huh?"
"I just mean-" Yukari's voice rose in volume before she paused, and calmed herself down. "Sorry, it's nothing." She turned away from him, then went next to Kyoka. "Come on, I'll show you your room now." Facing back at Makoto, she gave a swift nod. "Well, goodnight." Kyoka looked up from her mp3 player, putting the earbud back in before adjusting her glasses.
"Goodnight. Sleep well." She followed Yukari to the staircase, Makoto watching the two of them descend upwards before opening his door and stepping inside.
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"Do you know him?" Yukari asked once they reached the third floor.
"No." To her surprise, Kyoka responded. "We just happened to be going to the same place, that's all." She played with the end of one of her braids, voice going quiet. A lot seemed to be on her mind, so Yukari didn't press any further.
"Well… here we are. My room is on the end over there if you need anything." She pointed to the start of the hallway before handing Kyoka her dorm keys. "Goodnight, senpai." The formal tone made Kyoka freeze up for a moment. Oh… right, I'm older than her.
"Goodnight, Takeba." Similar to Mitsuru, she used her last name. Yukari gave her a small wave before going to her room. Taking a deep breath, Kyoka opened the door to her own room, then took a step inside.
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April 6th ➤ April 7th
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On the train to school, Yukari was looking out the door windows while Makoto was listening to his music with closed eyes. Not knowing what to say, Yukari ransacked her brain for conversation starters.
"Oh, uh… Kirijo-senpai said she'd be taking Tsukimori-senpai to school, so that's why she isn't with us." He said nothing, and she sweatdropped. "Uh… look, there's the school there! See? Over there." Makoto opened his eyes, glancing out of the window. He could see their school fast approaching over the water, on the man-made island.
Cherry blossom trees swaying in the wind, petals flowing in the air in a coordinated dance. Some of the petals met the brick ground as the two students approached the school, Yukari in front. Calls of 'Good morning!' rang out from different students as they rushed to meet their friends. The brunette turned back to the blue haired male, giving a small smile. "This is Gekkoukan High School. I hope you like it here!" Makoto gave a blank stare towards the school before walking inside with Yukari.
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"Starting today, you are all second year students. Let's have a good year together. Don't do anything to get me in trouble, okay? All right, that's it for homeroom."
"All rise! Bow!"
Ms. Toriumi walked out of the classroom before closing the door and letting out a sigh. Hopefully they know how to behave themselves.
Inside said classroom, Makoto was glancing out of the window before a hand placed itself on his shoulder. He looked up to see one of his classmates giving a smile back at him.
"Hey there, transfer student!" His voice was full of energy, unlike Makoto's.
"... Who are you?" Letting go of him, the boy waved his hand back and forth with a carefree grin.
"Come on, don't be so standoffish! I'm Junpei Iori!" Junpei pointed at himself briefly before leaning in close to Makoto's face. "Just call me Junpei!"
"Personal space."
Junpei leaned back, his hands moving along with his words while he spoke.
"I transferred here in my second year of junior high, myself. It can be rough as a transfer student without anyone to show you the ropes!" He gave a wink. "So, I figured I should come break the ice!" Junpei leaned in close again, his smile only growing wider. "Ain't I nice?"
"Personal space."
"You never change, do you?" Yukari walked over, backpack in hand.
"Well, if it isn't Yukari-cchi!" Junpei leaned back on Makoto's chair, directing his gaze to the brunette. "I didn't expect us to be in the same class again!"
"You'll talk anyone's ear off if they give you half a chance." She deadpanned. "You should think about whether or not you're bothering that person."
"Eh?" Junpei's face fell.
"Quite a coincidence, isn't it? Us winding up in the same class." Yukari turned to Makoto, and Junpei blinked a few times.
"Huh? Shouldn't you be saying that to me, too?"
"Should I?" Yukari narrowed her eyes before a voice rang out.
"Takeba."
Mitsuru stood by the doorway, hand on her hip as she glanced at the brunette.
"Huh? Kirijo-senpai?" Yukari glanced in her direction, eyes wide.
"Do you have a minute?"
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"It's pretty unusual to see you at school, Chairman." Yukari looked at the Chairman from her seat, Mitsuru skimming through one of the two files she had in her hands. From the desk, a man looked over from his own files.
"When Kirijo told me about them, I couldn't contain my curiosity."
"Then, do you think they're also both-"
"It's almost certain." Mitsuru interrupted Yukari with her stern tone.
"Yuki really is a most fascinating case." The Chairman tilted his head a bit. "Even if he has the potential, he really ought to be more unstable. Suffer from memory loss, disorientation, and so on."
"But he arrived at the dorm with her as if it were no big deal to him. They casually walked there during that hour." The third year lifted her head from her files, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Ah, yes…" The Chairman pushed up his glasses, a small smile forming on his lips. "Her. Tsukimori." Mitsuru switched files, opening up the one on her new classmate. "She is quite mysterious, herself. She appears to have the potential as well, since she suffered no complications… similar to Yuki." Yukari remained silent for a moment, her thoughts running wild.
"But she said she didn't know who he was, that they just happened to walk together to the dorm that night."
"It's very likely it's just a coincidence, but still… two of those with the potential, yet no reaction to that hour." Mitsuru hummed, and Yukari looked up.
"Are you… saying they're not normal?"
"Possibly."
"Which brings me to this;" The male placed his files down, turning a bit in his chair. "Takeba, I'd like you to monitor Yuki's activities up close for a while. Kirijo, I'd like you to do the same for Tsukimori's." Both girls glanced in his direction, though Yukari's reaction was verbal.
"By which, you mean spy on them?" He turned fully in his chair, leaning forward with his arms propping his face up.
"I suppose I do." Holding up Makoto's file, Mitsuru held onto Kyoka's as she handed it to Yukari.
"Skim through this, Takeba."
"I feel a little bad about doing this…" The brunette admitted with a frown. "Neither of them know anything yet."
"This is necessary to determine if they're qualified to know." Mitsuru argued, crossing her arms over Kyoka's profile.
"I understand that, but still…" Flipping through the files, Yukari's voice died out.
"Yuki… well, he seems to have bounced around from school to school." The Chairman began. "He's moving from relative to relative. His parents are dead… and they died in the accident that happened in this city ten years ago." Yukari's head snapped towards the Chairman as she let out a small gasp, Mitsuru narrowing her eyes.
"That's a strange coincidence." Looking back down at the files, Yukari paused.
"The accident ten years ago…"
"And for Tsukimori… it seems she's fairly independent." The brown haired adult leaned back in his chair, pushing it back a bit as he folded his hands together. "It appears that Tsukimori has some sort of extensive medical knowledge due to her mother being a doctor." It was quiet, and he continued, "She could be useful for us, you know…" He paused, then gave a small smile. "Kirijo, Takeba… make sure to keep an eye on them for me, okay?" The two girls nodded in understanding as he closed his eyes. "Good."
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Makoto leaned against one of the rails on the train, looking out the window while his earbuds were playing for a split second. The scenery was beautiful as the sun was setting in the west, prompting him to close his eyes and drift off for the rest of the trip.
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The sound of an elevator rising made Makoto glance at his surroundings for a moment, slightly taken aback by all the blue. In the middle of the room sat Igor, and standing next to him was a woman in blue.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room. My name is Igor…" The old man's eyes opened as he stared down the blue haired boy. "I am glad to make your acquaintance. This is Elizabeth." He gestured to the white haired girl. "Like me, she is a resident of this place."
"I am Elizabeth. It is a pleasure to meet you." She closed her eyes, clutching the book in her hands tighter with each word.
"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It has been years since we last welcomed a guest!" Igor gave a smile, albeit very nerve-wracking. In front of him appeared the contract Makoto signed in the dorm, and it opened with a wave of Igor's hand. "Only those who have fulfilled the contract in some manner may visit here. From this point onwards, you are a guest of the Velvet Room. Please, take this." A key formed in the blue haired boy's hand, and he paused.
"This key signifies that you are a guest." Elizabeth explained, cocking her head to the side. "Take good care of it." The golden key vanished, and Igor finished off the conversation with a simple,
"Until we meet again."
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April 7th ➤ April 8th
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"That will be all for today!" The homeroom teacher gave a bright smile as she clapped her hands together, tilting her head to the side. "Have a nice day~!" She gathered her things before heading out of the door, humming on her way out. Kyoka sweatdropped a little, letting out a small sigh. Ms. Miyasaki sure is cheerful… She rested her head on her hand, closing her eyes. I wish I had my headphones. All this chatter is annoying. A presence in front of her desk made her open one of her eyes, glancing upwards.
"... Kirijo?" The red eyed girl gave a small smile towards her.
"I just wanted to ask how your first day was. I know it can be stressful."
"Oh… it was fine." Kyoka twirled her hair. "I'm not used to the uniform, though." At least she got to pick out what shoes she wanted to wear; some nice black boots that ended a few inches below her knees.
"It may take a bit, but you'll grow used to it." Mitsuru nodded at her. "Well, if you need anything, let me know."
"I will, thanks."
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Standing by the gates, Kyoka held her bag straps tightly in her hand, her free one adjusting her glasses. While she stood there, she caught a glimpse of a familiar mop of blue hair. He was walking by himself, which wasn't a shocker to her.
She ended up walking back to the dorm alone, too.
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April 8th ➤ April 9th
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🌕
Walking through the outdoor hallways of Gekkoukan, Makoto heard giggling and the like ahead of him.
"Ms. Moriyama, please stop…" A shrill voice spoke, a much more daunting one replying,
"Why? We're inspecting your personal belongings for you." A girl with light teal blue hair was on the ground, her things all scattered about as other girls stood around her. "That's goody-goody Fuuka for you! No fun stuff at all on her!" One of the schoolgirls commented with a laugh. The girl on the ground, who Makoto assumed was named Fuuka, stared back in discomfort while the others laughed in her face. "Continue to behave yourself!" The bully, supposedly named Moriyama, ran off, the other girls following behind.
"Come on!"
"We're so nice it's scary!"
The laughter died out as Fuuka looked at her belongings, letting out a small sigh as she started to gather them, but froze when Makoto knelt down next to her and started picking them up.
"... Huh?" She blinked a few times, then found her words. "Thank you for helping…" He said nothing as he finished gathering the rest of the books, and handed them to her. "U-um, I'm sorry to be a bother." Still nothing. In fact, he stood right back up after he was done, and continued walking down the hallway, Fuuka staring at him in disbelief.
"Hey." A voice rang out as the girl jumped, almost dropping her things all over again.
"E-eh? Um… who are you?" Fuuka tilted her head, and Kyoka stepped out from her hiding place behind the pillars.
"Are you okay? You got shoved down." Ah, so she saw that? Kyoka quickly did a glance over Fuuka, making sure there weren't any scrapes.
"Y-You really don't have to!"
"You're right, but I want to." She paused, and let herself be checked over. "Ah, see? You're bleeding a bit."
"I am?!" Fear started to course through Fuuka's body, but Kyoka shook her head.
"Calm down, it's just the back of your knee. Here, I have some stuff in my bag." Putting her bag down, she pulled out a small band aid from one of the pockets. "It's not that bad, so don't worry. When you get home, make sure to wash it with some rubbing alcohol so it won't get infected." She gently applied the band aid, then stood back up. "It'll sting a little, but it's better than getting an infection."
"T-Thank you!" Fuuka bowed to her, and Kyoka jumped a bit.
"T-that's not necessary." She shook her head, then crossed her arms. "It's fine, okay? Don't worry about it." Fuuka gave her a small smile.
"Thank you for helping me, I really appreciate it…"
"It's not a problem at all." The bell rang. "Stay safe, and make sure to repair your leggings." She walked away, and Fuuka almost reached after her, but decided against it. She was really nice…
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As the full moon shone brightly above, a young man sat on a park bench surrounded by his friends at the station, clicking away on his phone as the clock neared midnight. Closing the top of his phone, the boy let out a yawn as he leaned back, the hand of the clock striking twelve.
.
.
.
The distant sound of cars stopped, voices went silent, and the man paused. Something wasn't right. He looked at where his friends were once standing, only to find them replaced with tall, black, coffins. He stood up in surprise, his eyes going wide as his vision darted around the area, eyes locking on the moon. It was larger than what it once was, and, along with the sky, an eerie shade of green. Panic started to course through his body, his voice coming out in between ragged breaths. "What's going on?! What kind of messed up joke is this, you guys?!" No matter where he looked, the coffins lined up the station, red mist gathering at the bottom, while blood dripped from the building walls.
The man took a step back, his voice leaving him as black ooze started to seep out through his head, dripping down his face and eventually covering it, his hands reaching up to desperately wipe it off, but proved to be futile as his screams echoed out in the silent night, his body collapsing and decomposing into a pile of ooze and mush.
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On the wide screen in front of them, Mitsuru, Yukari, and the Chairman all watched while Makoto slept peacefully, and Kyoka sat on her bed with her legs tucked into her chest, staring at the ceiling. Both of their vitals were on screen, each displayed by the respective owner. "Tsukimori is still awake, and for Yuki… no change, eh?" The Chairman stared intensely at the screen, trying to decipher what was happening.
"His pulse and brainwaves are both remarkably stable." Mitsuru turned to him. "He has the potential."
"So it would seem." Yukari was glancing over at Kyoka's side of the screen, and her eyes went wide.
"Wait, hold on! Look!" She pointed at the brainwaves emitting from the girl, and Mitsuru's breath hitched for a brief moment. "It's the same as it was the last few nights! I'm not an expert, but… I don't think that's normal, even for someone without this… 'potential'."
"You're right. The readings are all tangled up, like it's been thrown around… but, even still, she's surprisingly stable." The redhead was at a loss for words as she watched Kyoka's camera, seeing how unfazed the brunette seemed to be in the new environment. She just stretched, played with her uniform skirt, and yawned a few times. "What are your thoughts, Chairman?"
"Hm…" The adult crossed his arms, giving the lone third year's camera a side glance. "She's a strange case, indeed. It appears that she can fully function during this hour, and that there's no difficulty afterwards. Her brainwaves aren't normal, but her pulse is steady. If I had to say, I do believe she has the potential." Yukari turned to him.
"So… they both do?"
"If neither of them didn't, both of them would have been eaten by them by now." Yukari glanced back at the screen, then down at the other cameras.
"I still feel a little guilty about this." A buzzer went off, catching the three's attention as Mitsuru pressed a button to let the call through.
"Operations Room."
"I've spotted an amazing one! I've never seen anything like it!"
The building itself started to shake from colliding with something, and Mitsuru looked up.
"What was that?!"
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Feeling the building shake, Kyoka's eyes went wide as a seering pain ripped through her head. A monster attacking the dorm. Yukari and Makoto running. The rooftop. A full moon. She hurriedly made her way over to the window, feeling her heart stop at the sight of a full moon basking her in its eerie moonlight. Her body moved quickly, a sense of urgency flooding her mind. Oh shit oh fuck-
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Meanwhile, down in the lounge, another third year with gray hair opened the door and slammed it shut, just as an arm was reaching through. He held his arm to his side in pain, leaning against the door and eventually sliding down to the ground with a pained expression.
"Akihiko!"
"Sanada-senpai!" Mitsuru, Yukari, and the Chairman all rushed over to him, Mitsuru taking to his side with a worried glance.
"Are you alright?!"
"Don't worry about me." Akihiko raised his head, a smirk growing on his face. "That unbelievable one's coming. It's gonna knock your socks off!"
"This is no time to think something is cool!" His fellow third year scolded him with a scowl as the Chairman narrowed his eyes.
"Sanada, is it them?"
"Yes, but it's not a run of the mill-" The building shook again, and Mitsuru took command.
"Chairman, remain in Operations! Takeba, go upstairs and wake our guests. Get them out of here!" Yukari let out a small gasp as she protested, worry seeping through her words.
"But what about the rest of you?!"
"We'll hold them off here no matter what it takes!"
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From the outside of the dorm, numerous monstrous creatures climbed the walls as the building shook once more. Yukari ran into Kyoka and Makoto standing by the hallway, the third year explaining herself. "Sorry. I heard a loud noise and got concerned, so I woke Yuki up." Yukari paused, then shook her head.
"No, it's fine, but we have to go now!"
"... Alright." Meanwhile, Makoto glanced at the two brunettes before looking down at the hand around his wrist. Kyoka had a tight grip, almost as if she was scared that if she let go, he'd fade away. He didn't have time to dwell on it as they started running, himself being trudged along for the ride.
As they ran up the stairs, Yukari had sweat dripping down her face as she increased her pace, Kyoka's expression remaining neutral as Makoto's was unfazed. Eventually reaching another floor, Makoto ended up stopping in his tracks, forcing Kyoka to stop as well as she lost her hold on him. Yukari stopped as well, and watched as Kyoka lowered her hand. "... Yuki?" He was staring out the window, at the full moon. He seemed to be thinking, and she asked him, "Is everything alright?"
"The moon…" He finally spoke, and Yukari lost her patience with him.
"What are you doing!? Our lives are in danger! Do you want to die?!" She practically stomped her way over to him. However, Makoto made no effort to move at all.
"I don't really care." Yukari's eyes widened as he looked at her, eyes blank. "Is dying that scary to you?" Kyoka let out a small sigh, crossing her arms as she dwelled on the question. I guess it depends on the person, but...
"How… can you say that?" Kyoka was snapped out of her thoughts as Yukari stepped back in shock. As she finished her sentence, the building rumbled again. A large, thick, black hand reached out past the window, and soon enough, a spider like creature with a full blue face mask stood in front of it. Yukari stepped away from the window while Makoto remained planted where he stood, and a bead of sweat dropped down Kyoka's face.
"What… is that?" It's them… it's what I saw… One of the creatures' hands reached for the window, and the third year gasped, "Yuki, look out!" before tackling Makoto to the side as the hand broke through the window, Yukari ducking over to the stairs. Glass shards scattered, and Kyoka shakily got up from on top of the blue haired boy, a pained expression on her face as blood dripped down her outer thigh, where a deep cut from the glass resided. Inhale, exhale, it'll be fine. Just breathe.
With the monster still outside, Kyoka ignored the stinging pain in her thigh and tugged the male up. "Get up! It's not safe here, we have to go!" Yukari got up as well, her eyes skimming over her upperclassmen's leg.
"Tsukimori-senpai, you're-"
"Don't worry about me!" Her tone was more harsh than she intended it to be. "Takeba, please, where can we go!?" Yukari's eyes darted around the room for a moment before turning to the stairs, her body doing the same.
"To the roof!" She took off, and Kyoka dragged Makoto along again behind her as the ebony hands grasped the window sill, another hand bringing in its face to look around. While running up the stairs, Yukari started to mutter to herself. "I can't die in a place like this. I haven't learned anything yet! I don't want to die!" Her voice got more desperate as they climbed higher and higher.
Kyoka's grip on Makoto's wrist tightened, and instead of staring at her hand like he did earlier, his gaze wandered downward to her bleeding thigh. She was hurt, yet she still put Yukari's and his safety over everything else. Why was she doing this? She barely knew either of them, there was no reason to, and yet… she willingly put herself in danger to protect him, made sure to check on him to see if he was okay at the start of all this. Why… why was she like this?
They eventually reached the rooftop, Yukari unlocking the door and letting the two through. She locked it behind her, panting heavily as Kyoka finally let go of Makoto, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. Yukari glanced back at them, her voice ringing out,
"Are you guys ok-" The building shook again, and all heads turned to the roofs ledge, where ominous footsteps against the wall echoed out, each step violently shaking the rooftop. Eventually, the same large hand reached over the ledge, hoisting itself up to where the three stood. "No way…!" Yukari took a step back as it moved closer, each hand drawing a sword-like blade from its body. She stepped in front of Kyoka and Makoto, narrowing her eyes.
"Run!" Makoto's facial expression was one of confusion, while Kyoka's was more of disbelief. Yukari quickly drew the gun from her holster, the creature aiming its swords at them and charging. Pointing the gun to her head, the brunette started to hyperventilate, finger only resting on the trigger. The monster advanced closer and closer, and Yukari still wouldn't pull the trigger, her hesitation stopping her from doing so.
"Takeba!" Kyoka's voice cried out as the monster knocked the brunette to the side, a cry coming from the second year as she skidded across the ground. The spider like creature turned its attention from Makoto and Kyoka over to the unmoving Yukari. Still on her adrenaline high, the brunette ended up running to the opposite side of the roof, far away from where Yukari was. "Oi! Over here!" It paused, only mere inches away from Yukari, then turned to face Kyoka. Now, it was moving towards her. I didn't think this through. At all. Her face paled as she took a step back, the monster creeping up on her as the back of her knees hit the ledge. Fuck, I'm out of room!
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Watching the scene unfold on the Operations Room big screen, the two third years were both ready to spring into action.
"This is bad!" Concern for them was evident in Mitsuru's voice, and Akihiko nodded in agreement.
"Let's go!" As the two started to run off to help, the Chairman's voice stopped them both.
"Wait!" He watched the screen with curiosity, eyes honing in on Makoto.
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Staring at the creature while it made its way over to Kyoka, Makoto's eyes were wide. She did it again. She threw herself under the bus to save Yukari. She moved away from him so the monster would ignore him. She made herself a target. Makoto found himself frozen in place, only being able to watch as the creature raised its blade. Yukari managed to move the upper half of her body, glancing in Kyoka's direction as her eyes went wide. "Senpai…!" Makoto's body finally unfroze as he let out a choked gasp, a vision of the boy in the prison suit flooding his mind. He looked down at the gun on the ground, his breathing becoming more ragged as he shakily picked it up, the gun creating a glare from the moon's gaze.
Go on.
He heard the voice of that boy in his head, and Makoto slowly raised the gun to his head, his uneven breathing eventually slowing to a more calm state as a smirk rested on his usually expressionless face.
"Pe...r...so...na…"
Eyes wide, he pulled the trigger.
Blue light emitted from the side of his head, then circled around him as the particles took shape, forging themselves into a greater being.
"I am thou. Thou art me. I come from the seas of thy heart. I am the Master of Strings… Orpheus!"
Now fully constructed, Orpheus hovered behind Makoto, his appearance resembling that of the boy himself, but with much more inhumane features. It was entirely mechanical aside from the head, and it's voice appeared to be coming from the speaker inside of its supposed stomach. Even from inside the Operations Room, there was audible shock from everyone. The monster turned its attention away from Kyoka and to Makoto, and the brunette let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. Too close for comfort. Way too close. Managing to stand up, Yukari glanced over at Makoto, eyes wide.
"A Persona…"
"Yuki…" Kyoka's voice was soft, and she could only watch as Orpheus suddenly attacked the monster with its lyre, launching it back as it slid back against the roof tiles. It glared at the Persona, whose eyes and mouth lit up a bright red, fire bursting out of the air and lighting the creature ablaze. It attempted to shake the fire off, running away from it as Orpheus kept summoning different flames to keep the monster burning, ultimately missing as the creature was too fast for him.
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Mitsuru's eyes widened in concern when she saw how wildly Makoto was using Orpheus, and even though she knew it was futile, she still made an effort to warn him about the consequences of using his Persona so recklessly. "No! Your psyche won't last long if you attack like that!" She could only hope and pray for the three's safety, since their Chairman had demanded they wait and see what happens.
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Flames decorated the rooftop, warming up the cold atmosphere as Yukari rushed over to check on Kyoka, who was in utter awe. "Tsukimori-senpai, are you alright?" Yukari had asked her, gasping once she saw her leg. "Your leg!" Snapping out of it, Kyoka quickly ripped part of her skirt off, wrapping it around her thigh with a slight hiss. Should've done this earlier, it looks bad… gross.
The adrenaline blocked out most of the pain for now, but… still, seeing Makoto awaken like that was pretty badass, in her opinion at least. She threw a glance his way again, but quickly became concerned once she saw him catching his breath, and his shoulders shaking. He looks utterly exhausted.
"Yuki?" Kyoka called his name, but fell on deaf ears as his panting suddenly stopped, and he along with his persona held their heads.
"Gh-!" Another vision of the boy in the prison suit flashed through Makoto's mind before he hunched over, Orpheus letting out distorted cries and jolting about as the persona collapsed in on itself. "GYAAAAAAAAAH!" Makoto's body straightened out, and as he let out a scream of pain, his silver eyes turned a bright blue, glowing like the moon.
A pair of hands emerged from where Orpheus' head once was, tearing apart the Persona and letting out a cry of its own as a demon emerged. Numerous coffin doors connected by chains surrounded the demon as it emerged, unsheathing a sword and letting out another cry into the night. Yukari was at a loss for words while a bead of sweat dripped down Kyoka's face and onto the ground. What the hell?!
Everyone was waiting and watching in anticipation, and the monster launched its hands towards the new demon, blades shining brightly as it dodged the creature's attacks, instead charging toward and slicing off about a third of the monster's arms. The pressure from the swing dug up some of the roof beneath them, and the monster lost its balance before the demon grabbed its neck, slicing its blade through its face and watching as most of it vanished into black mist. It crushed one of the monster's hands in its own, the black mist exploding into a blood like gunk and falling to the ground, behind Makoto.
The fires started to die out, and as the demon reverted back to Orpheus, disintegrating behind the boy as he stumbled a bit, eventually collapsing onto the concrete floor as Kyoka let out a gasp.
"Hey!" She and Yukari rushed over, the older brunette checking his pulse and letting out a sigh of relief when she found one. "He's only unconscious... thank god. We should get him to a hospital." Yukari nodded, the sounds of footsteps racing up the stairs the only thing Kyoka was able to comprehend for the rest of the night.
What the hell just happened?