The digital clock blinks midnight.
After hours of being left alone with simple yet complicating thoughts, a candle is lit in a dark room.
Those thoughts led to this. Feeding fears, tricking the mind to believe that it's in danger, lungs working overtime at the sheer mentality that something is amiss, and no sense of safety was there to calm a fast beating heart.
It's the feeling that something is lurking right behind you, that crawling sensation of something not known is hovering on the back of your neck. Feeling eyes glaring and judging your every movement, your soul too.
The paranoia and anxiety is a merciless pain on the psyche.
A voice finally, finally, emerged.
"Child, you do not look well. What's the matter?"
The child answers.
"Ah that's unexpected. You have no one else to turn to for this? No, of course not, you know that I will always be here for you. This responsibility is too heavy to bear alone."
The child is confused.
"You discovered this and I believe that it should be you to end this, it's fitting. I look to you to settle this matter because, well, it can only be you."
The child shakes her head and babbles excuses.
"Nonsense, I have told you, you are powerful."
The compliments continue to steady the child's heart, bring ease.
"You are prepared to take action."
The child shakes her head again. Fear is back in her eyes, a hammering heart fills the silence.
"If you don't take action, these so called balances of the world will topple and the laws of everything will be obliterated. Child please, Kaga Kusha must not play with the natures of the worlds and beyond."
"I can't do this on my own," Oka Ruta said. Tears have swelled up and the panic is coursing through her. "I know Kaga and he's determined to do this."
The voice goes softer but still sharp.
"Once again you have let fear control you and this does not suit you child. Do you want to stop Kaga Kusha? Do you want to prevent him from hurting himself and this world? Do you care about this world and its people enough to take the initiative to do what is necessary?"
Oka says nothing.
"Child…"
The voice begins but corrects itself.
"Oka Ruto, I believe you can do this but you just need courage. I can give you courage. I know you are scared to your wits end and you tire of it. Will you accept my courage?"
Oka says nothing.
Oka stares at the candle dimly lighting her bedroom.
"Do you love this life of yours?"
Oka tries to say words but nothing comes out.
"But you know of others who do, yes?"
"Yes."
"Then I can give you the power to save their lives. No one will ever suffer a painful, gruesome death like that friend of yours."
Oka's hands tremble.
Oka nods.
A presence vibrates inside the room, right above the candle.
"I need you to say the words."
She stands up from her kneeling position and offers up her hands. "I, Oka Ruto, accept your gift."
"I," it speaks its name and the sound that occurred was distorted, giving her brain a fuzzy haze, "hereby give you my gift."
At the mention of its name, she didn't hear the sound exactly but more like she felt it and its distortedness.
The candle is consumed by the vibration and that vague space dims into absolute darkness, fuzzing around the edges and it floats up into Oka's arms.
It sinks into Oka's skin.
And Oka feels courage.
And it feels freedom.
[]
[]
[]
Hey, it's Friday.
Everyone is still depressed.
The girl sitting next to Ayano is crying again.
Ayano barely holds back a frustrated sigh when the girl sniffles for two minutes straight. Ugh this is getting so repetitive. So Amai dies a few days ago and the whole school won't let it go. She wants to snort. The school didn't put this much fanfare for the last girl that died.
Seriously, in the morning announcement, Nurse Muja scheduled therapy sessions for next week and there were fliers about Amai's funeral being hold on the weekend. Many students in the hallways were saying how they'll try and be there but Ayano bets that they're just saying that to be nice to Amai's memory.
There were real grievers like Budo and there were also fake grievers, people who barely knew the Cooking President and yet shed so many tears, regretting how they didn't talk to her or whatever.
Yesterday, the whole thing after school for Amai, Ayano played the part as a sympathizer at Info's insistence and scolding and yelling. She listened to Budo and Kokona ramble about how they miss her oh so dearly and Ayano nodded along.
In the corner of her eye she saw Osana talk to Senpai on one of the benches and what a bitch Osana is!
Apparently, Info-chan was also there watching her, ever the weirdo, and even texted her to cool her jets and don't be a fucking idiot.
Once they got home Info listened to Ayano's ranting about how Amai and Osana do not deserve Taro Yamada. A part of Ayano pains to admit that she feels betrayed by Osana for just going back to Senpai right after Ayano downed a rival.
Unbelievable! It was like Ayano was doing all the work to get Senpai alone and single.
"And miserable!" Info had unnecessarily added.
Ayano ignored that of course.
She thought that everyone will at least dial back the tears today but that's out of the window with people still crying in the morning. The crying and tears and the mopey behaviors is everywhere and Ayano is getting frustrated.
Info is literally the only person Ayano can talk to about this because Kokona's so emotional and if Ayano sees her cry one more time she might do something stupid.
Ayano texted to Info as she got out of class, "Do people really need therapy for this?!"
"Yes, sometimes talking about your feelings helps you. I'm predicting that things will actually be better if a lot of students go to therapy."
"Better how? People will stop crying?"
"Just generally things will be better. Some of the more optimistic characters will mature in a way or introverts might start expressing themselves to their friends more."
"Or the exact opposite can happen and things might get worst."
She didn't respond for a while but eventually typed, "Yeah, things can get worst too. Also hey, remember to keep yourself in check. You misbehaving and acting like your usual self will not also get people suspicious of you but also Nemesis and probably Kaga too."
"You do not need to remind me."
"Yes I do, especially with what's ahead of you."
"I'm sure the future is just peachy."
"No, I was being literal. I'm reminding you to not be an idiot."
Ahead of Ayano was Osana talking to Taro. Plain and simple, they were just walking down the hallway, about to pass her.
"Ayano, when they see you, just fucking nod in acknowledgment." Indeed, when they passed each other, Osana gave her a quick smile before continue to talk to Senpai and Ayano complied with Info's words. "Good, that might not make things awkward in your friend group."
"Where the fuck are you? I know you're here."
"The plan is in motion so just be patient. Talk to you later Ayano."
"INFO!"
The rest of the day went as smoothly as can be. With the whole getting over depression but that's basically normal for high school students.
Who's dumb idea was it to entrap hordes of emotional, hormonal kids with developing brains at different levels all in one place supervised by a system that's supposed to manufacture them into the ideal image of a new generation when 'new' is really the old guidelines of the older generations to make the youth carbon copies or cheap labor?
…Look Ayano's smart enough to be aware of the bullshit of society, give her some credit. It's the emotional side of everything and social cues that Ayano doesn't care (or know how) to participate with.
Kokona Haruka is the one who makes an effort to befriend Ayano and that resulted with some resolve to have attachments with the purple haired girl. She wormed herself into Ayano's life with only the littlest of resentments and regrets. Ayano never really had the time to dwell too much on her feelings about Kokona other than when she was dealing with Kokona's problems. She just chalked it up to weird emotions compelling her to do whatever she could to make Kokona happy. That went well with threatening a loan shark and traumatizing his daughter.
Now seeing Kokona bawl her heart out over Amai it is a slow drawling realization that Ayano did this to Kokona.
By lunch that uncomfortable feeling is still there in Ayano as she sits next to Kokona on the rooftop benches. Saki's on her other side hugging her. As non-awkwardly as she can, Ayano patted Kokona's shoulder. Kokona remained quiet within the context of crying into Saki's arms.
Ayano sighs. This is truly depressing, a tad annoying but still depressing.
As much as Ayano wants to do something to make Kokona feel better, there's also Taro, Osana, and Info nagging at the back of her mind.
Last Ayano saw of the two of them, they were on speaking terms with each other but still looked extreme awkward and sad. It wasn't their usual awkwardness but that sense of melancholy is what made the difference. They were acting like strangers trying to connect but Ayano spied on them for months, she knows it's only a matter of time before things are patched up between them.
Kokona hiccups through her tears, gaining Ayano's attention as she grabs her hand.
"Okay, I'm good," she assures although her voice cracks.
"We know babe," Saki confirms and lets Kokona move away from her embrace.
Kokona takes her time wiping her face and returns her hands to the girls at her side. "Thanks for being here for me."
"I got nowhere else to be," Ayano said plainly. That gets a laugh out of Kokona and Ayano doesn't know if her words truly deserve a smile. "But really, I just want you to stop crying."
"Yeah I do too but this just sucks." Her grip on the girls' hands tightened, "Things were starting to get better in life. My dad stopped drinking and out of debt, I can be with anyone I want without pressure, but then this happens."
"Bad things just happen," Saki nudges her head with Kokona's.
Ayano makes bad things happen, Ayano thinks. Her life is literally made up of bad things.
"Oh Ayano," she hears and then Ayano gets side hugged by Kokona. "If you need to cry, then cry."
"I am not going to cry."
"You had a miserable look on your face," Saki said. "It's different than your usual neutral face."
Tensing up, Ayano looks away from them. "To be honest, I don't quite know how to feel about all of this."
"Because you don't exactly like Amai?" Saki guessed, sounding a bit unimpressed. "What you and Osana have been doing so far is fine. Just letting everyone grieve and not causing a scene like some overly dramatic, attention seeking person out to make everyone suffer. Hell, if anything, I thought you'd go rushing to Taro's side before Osana did."
Still hugging Ayano, Kokona pinched Saki's arm. "Hey we encouraged her to talk with him and that's what they're doing right now. I mean they're back to being side by side but it'll take time and effort for their friendship to be rebuilt."
"Then what's next?" Ayano bitterly asked. "They'll go back to their routine or will Osana make a move on him?"
She felt Kokona shift her head to Saki and then back to her. Ayano continued to stare at the ground when Kokona said, "Um I think Osana might consider giving up having a romantic relationship with Taro. They're both not in a good place right now so they'll won't give much thought about getting together like that. They just need each other as support."
All Ayano could respond was, "Huh."
"Really, that surprises you?" Saki scoffed.
"A lot of things surprise me," Ayano fought off the urge to shrug because Kokona had her head on her shoulder, "I guess I'm not too aware of things because, well, I don't see a point into caring about stuff."
"Don't you care about yourself?" Kokona asks and Ayano can feel the concern in her voice.
"I do," she says quickly, almost defensively and her friends' stare starts to feel weird.
"Not to doubt you or anything but," Saki takes a quick glance at Kokona and back to Ayano, "you got more bruises."
"So?" Ayano tries to say as nonchalantly as she can. With everyone moping over Amai, she didn't think anyone would notice her new bruises, courtesy of the Midori clones that restrained her and forcibly escorted her in and out of Kaga's lab. She didn't have a thought about using the makeup kit Kokona got her because the offer Kaga presented to her was still mocking her day and night.
Could he be right?
Could Taro Yamada not be her answer?
Kokona brings her out of her thoughts by hugging her tightly, "Please just know that we care about you, okay?"
"Okay," Ayano said with a slight pause between the syllables.
[]
[]
[]
It
Is
Time
For
REVENGE
MOTHERFUCKER
Alright that might be a bit much but god damn this is what Info-chan is feeling.
Without her top notch technology, Info did her absolute best with the domestic equipment at Ayano's house. Ayano's computer might not be her laptop (her pride and joy) but it was substantial enough to hack into the hardware of Megami Saikou. A quick scan pinged that two unknown signals were tapping into her video calls, Info's signal ID and presumably Nemesis' signal ID.
In actuality, for each video call there was a different unknown signal, again presumably belonging to Nemesis, but after days of tracing all the signals down she finally found one source and left a message hidden in plain sight within the code. Not a virus per say but definitely something that will alert the user.
And then she waited.
And then Ayano killed Amai and she still waits.
Also what the fuck was Ayano thinking? Info kind of gets her situation but at the same time, she doesn't get Ayano. It's one thing to read from a file and another to see the person right before you. Info sees some solution to this case but she doesn't know which one is best or even efficient. If Info had more time and less looming threats, she would have hacked medical facilities to help out Ayano.
But she doesn't have time because on Friday, Nemesis contacts her back.
It was the agent working on this assignment and she agreed to work with her.
Info is not too worried for a betrayal. Remember that little non-virus from before? Yeah she couldn't help but dig into some information out of the agent's tech. She didn't dig too deep but enough to see the tabs that the agent took.
Like she thought there were many student profiles on people of interest namely Megami, Kaga, and Midori. It doesn't appear that Info's profile, the one with her real name, was noted as suspicious but it was temping to freak out about the file archiving every single student of Akademi High School. Aside from the student archive files, there were a few encrypted messages sent to the agent.
It was the mission objective and a receipt of the hit request on Kaga and Info with some rather interesting notes attached to it.
There were notes about their true objective on infiltrating the school.
This was Info's way in.
She and the agent relayed their plan as the clock ticked away to the end of the school day. Info slipped another hand written note into Ayano's foot locker (which hopefully won't get ignored in favor of Taro again) explaining that the plan has begun.
Ayano is keeping up her alibi by going through her usual routine while Info stays in her secret office inside the school. When Info first started this broker job she stored away her tech and other wares inside the old storage supply closet and there she just sits and tap away on her laptop. It was easy for her to just stay in the small room for all her free time but she was growing with power as Info-chan.
Instead of just information she got the idea to trade objects of interest, cigarettes, pills, test answers. Way in the beginning of all of this, she started all of this to get money and lots of it but she couldn't make herself do it. Having panty shots as her economy actually started with a joke and it was just hilarious to her that her costumers went through it. (Is she a pervert? Well she doesn't have to answer that)
Her operation was becoming bigger, bigger than the supply closet she has been working in. So she carefully planned out which classrooms were empty for the longest periods of time, preferably on the second story so that a supply drop can be thrown out the window.
There were a few times when a student (cough Midori or Kaga and surprisingly Furredo cough) got too curious about her identity and location. When moving to different classrooms everyday wasn't enough to shake them off, Info resorted to climbing out the window, yes the second story window, with all her incriminating stuff. That took a lot of practice then later resorted to threatening Furredo and Info finally felt safe from having her identify revealed.
Kaga never gave up though. He hired her for a hack and then curiosity and money got the better of her and down the rabbit hole they went.
Thanks to Nemesis' wipe of her tech, Info hasn't been in operation in a while. She's sure that the student population has picked up that fact but then again, there are bigger issues on the table than the disappearance of an anonymous info broker.
Right now Info sits inside her favorite empty classroom to put the final touches on her plan. It is after school, everyone in the building has begun to file out and leave the campus. She knows that the staff has left early for the weekend and she doesn't blame them for leaving. School has not been fun lately.
It is around six when Ayano arrives to prepare for her part.
"This is some bootleg spy gear Info," she said, picking at the earpiece that Info has been tinkering with for the past few hours.
Info has scattered bits and pieces of tech on the teacher's desk. An earpiece is wired to her laptop that she recovered from home. It felt like forever for the laptop to start working and even more so for Info to hook up to earpieces and a headset and mic attachment together.
"Here, this is ready for you," Info disconnects the earpiece and hands it to Ayano. "I've added a tracker to it so I can monitor your location."
"Ah, we'll be in Kaga's lab."
"You only know the entrance to it, I want the exact coordinates."
Ayano placed the bud in her ear, "Underground?"
She ignored that and typed away, testing the tracker, her headset and mic, and volume settings. "Alright everything seems good."
"Should I even ask where you got all of this?"
The garbage dumpster and cans behind the local electronics and tech store is the answer that Info will never say out loud. "No." She hands Ayano the thumb drive containing her malware virus, "Don't forget this. Once in a drive port, files will transfer to my laptop and the virus will hopefully destroy everything."
"I still think I should have a camera with me," Ayano said, pocketing the virus.
"Well I don't have a small spy camera that can be hidden on you. Also spy glasses are out of the question, it'll be too suspicious that you suddenly wear glasses. And no offense but I don't think you can pull off the glasses look," Info tapped her glasses frame for emphasis.
Ayano scoffed, the closest thing to laugh that will ever leave her mouth, "Please, I don't need glasses to have a look."
The time to meet up with Nemesis is here. After one last check between the Ayano's earpiece and Info's headset, Ayano leaves to the meet up place. The echo of footfalls is picked up on the mic for Info to listen to, adding to her anxiety, as Ayano heads to the vending machines.
Once there they hear, "You're late."
"Well hello to you too Midori," Ayano said.
There a silence that Info can only predict that Ayano is being sized up. "You're not Info-chan."
Unfortunately Ayano was not prepared for that and said, "Uh yes I am."
"Ayano, make sure that she's Nemesis," Info guides.
"What about you? Are you Nemesis?"
"No! If that's really Midori you just tipped her off that you're trying to contact Nemesis!" Info hissed, already pulled her hair.
Another pause happens.
"Ugh this is annoying. Aishi, please just hand me the earpiece."
"…What ear piece," she says in a dull, awkward tone.
"You are terrible at this." Ayano makes a defeated huff and there's a muffling noise as she hands the earpiece over. "Hello Info-chan."
Without missing a beat, Info said, "Prove that you're Nemesis or else the deal is off."
"Do you trust your friend here?" And that catches Info off guard but confirms with a yes. "Aishi, note the differences between me and Midori."
Ayano hesitates but concentrates, "For starters your voice may be on the same pitch as Midori but you're not as peppy as her right now which is really weird to hear because you're disguised as her. Like she's all cheery and showy no matter what and you are calm and frowning. You also have a lot of muscles too, like Budo and other athletes."
When Ayano trails off Info is still a little wary. The girl in question continues, "That's the physical description. If you want more proof then, hmm, I guess I'll tell you what's on the file under your real name. Let's see, what can I recall?" She hums and Info knows it's to mess with her.
"Can you just stop with the mind games?" Ayano asked.
"Info-chan, you have an average grade point average but only in the beginning of the semester; in your search history, the safe for work part at least, is a lot of scholarship applications to colleges and universities that's in the area. What really intrigues me is that you got yourself a job in fast food but got fired because you're under the legal working age, of course that wasn't added to the official paper work. People don't want their business to be known to be tricked by a high school student," Nemesis said with a snarky finish.
"Alight, I believe you Nemesis or shall I call you Agent?"
"Nemesis is fine," she answers. "Now that that's settled, let's go get Kusha."
Ayano leads them to the lab, their footsteps are picked up on the mic and it's all that Info hears as she watches Ayano's tracker move on her laptop monitor. Being patient was taxing on her mind, idly waiting as her friend and newest ally enter the secret elevator without a hitch.
"So I was taken to the Lab Beta floor before," Ayano reads over the floor options. "There's buttons for Lab Alpha, Garage and Storage, Data, and uh."
Nemesis finished, "Midori is Awesome. The last button really says that."
"We are not going there."
"Just pick one of the labs," Info suggested.
"Wait," Ayano said and Info can only imagine how frustrated she is, "Is Kaga even here?"
Nemesis provides the answer and assures, "He hasn't left the campus. I've been keeping taps on him and he always enters and leaves through the Science Clubroom but now I'm a little unsure because of the garage button."
Ayano sighs, "Fuck it, Lab Alpha it is."
The digital grid map of the school is on Info's laptop and her eyes follow Ayano's tracker getting lowered and lowered after Ayano pressed the button for the Alpha labs. The elevator ride was quiet, aside from the elevator music, with Info informing Ayano that they were currently three hundred yards below the surface level.
By four hundred yards deep, the elevator started moving horizontal.
"Are you sure you don't feel like you're moving to the side?"
"It feels like the elevator is not moving. Like at all," Ayano muttered, unsure if there were camera or microphones in the elevator. "But I am sure that we've passed the Beta labs by now."
Finally her tracker stops moving and Nemesis breaths out, "Into the belly of the beast."
Info nervously taps her fingers on the keyboard, watching the tracker move. She has no idea what they're seeing and it's very unnerving to her, all she's able to do is hope.
Hmm, maybe this is how Megami Saikou feels, always on the other side of the screen and far away from the danger. Info scowls at drawing comparisons between her and the rich girl. Once upon a time she was envious of the Student Council President, now she pities her.
Dismissing the thoughts, Info's attention is snapped back to what Ayano's earpiece is receiving.
"Midori, what's going on?" It's Midori addressing the disguised girl.
"Ayano's here to team up and yah know, probably peg for forgiveness," and if Info didn't know better she'd be convinced by Nemesis' performance. Ayano was right about their voices being on the same cadence or pitch and with just the right acting skills, it's a flawless disguised.
"I am not going to beg," Ayano growls, "Just get Kaga here."
"Hey you're not the boss here but fine," Midori said childishly and there's even loud stomps following the voice going around Ayano.
"Do I really need, what, eight of you to guard me?" Ayano said, tipping off that they aren't alone. "It's almost flattering."
Assuming that a Midori stands up to her, another Midori's voice is weirdly really close to the mic and she says in a low tone, "You're forgetting how easy it was for one of us to knock you off your high horse, Ayano."
Ayano huffs confidently, "Well I have been itching for a rematch. It's very rude of you to make me wait, shame on you."
"Please, like you know how to treat a gal right."
"I know how to treat a bitch in your case."
There are many long "Oh!" in the background.
Info is face palming and mouthing, why, why is that happening.
"We can take this onto the training mats. I'd love to see you pinned onto the ground."
"Not if I pin you first," is Ayano's comeback.
If Info is not mistaken, she hears Midori make a cross between a growling and a purring noise.
"Are you too done playing gay chicken?" A Midori interrupts. Info can only guess that it was Nemesis because she used a deadpan attitude rather than a sarcastic one. Hopefully the Midori ensemble didn't get suspicious because there's a lot of distant giggling.
Ayano even does a cough to clear her throat which doesn't clear up her dignity. The Midori in front of her notably moves away from the earpiece, also snickering.
"Ignoring all of that!" Info franticly shouts and is a bit weirded out because her friend just flirted with the enemy, "There's a lot of Midoris in the room so planting the virus will be harder than I thought. And she said training mats? Lab Alpha might be dedicated to Midori because they are a finished project to an extent. All Kaga does to them is give them an upgrade so the combat training must be a new thing."
Ayano hummed a confirmation noise which is as good as a response as she'll get.
It wasn't long before Ayano greets, "Hello Kaga."
There's a slow clap and he says, "For once, you're acting civil and not spiting on my floor."
"You did that? Nice job," Info praises, holding in a laugh.
A spiting noise occurs and Info laughs.
"Okay, why?" Kaga yells, very perplexed.
Humming again, this time nonchalantly, is Ayano's answer and Info just knows that she's shrugging.
"Can't fucking believe you," Info snickers, trying to contain her laughter, "I just can't."
"I'm accepting your offer so just give it to me and I'll help you."
Kaga goes quiet and to be honest, Info doesn't know what to make of that. And then he laughs softly, "Wow, this is very intriguing. Again, I assume that this is all Info-chan's plan, right? Or better yet," he takes a few loud footsteps closer, but not closer to Ayano, "This is all your idea Nemesis."
Info hears a struggle happening hundreds of fight below her and she can do nothing but listen as she hears Ayano and Nemesis grunt and curse and yell. It takes six minutes of fighting before things sound like they're winding down. Info racks her brain, imaging what the fuck is happening and she furiously types into her laptop.
Ever since she learned about Kaga's secret lab she's been trying to find a signal or any digital trace but it's difficult to find active technology that's buried very below the Earth's surface level. Whatever program or coding or hacking Info does, it doesn't work and all she can do is listen.
She guesses that Ayano and Nemesis got retrained by the Midori clones because right now, Ayano is cursing and screeching.
Tutting his tongue, Kaga begins his villain speech to mock Nemesis. "You are not as clever as you think. You may have planted Midori's tracker on you but did you really not think that it has her own number ID on her tracker?"
"Ah, so it's her fault her got caught," Ayano said.
Nemesis is probably glaring at her, Info predicts.
"Actually, you're right Ayano. If Info had never befriended you, I honestly think you'd be teaming up with me. By the way, what has Info done for you?"
Ayano's quiet and says uncertainly, "Be my friend?"
He laughs, a bit shocked, "Really? That's it? But she knows. We both know what's wrong with you."
"Info knows what's wrong with me?" She repeats softly.
Back on the surface level, Info gulps.
"Yeah," Kaga said as if it was very obvious, "We had to keep an eye on you ever since you killed that girl from months ago. Sloppy job by the way but, you've improved ever since. Anyway, after doing some light research on you, we, or shall I say only me, figured you out pretty well. I mean, look how happy your mother is with your father. The only problem is that while you have a very similar condition like Mrs. Aishi, you have a very different personality and mentality compared to her. So I'd propose my offer to help you because your mother's answer hasn't been very sufficient hasn't it?
"'Love is the answer' is what you've been told," he continued, as if quoting a sonnet, "Finding that special someone that will make you feel complete. You'd put so much expectation and dependability on the ideal of a special person who will give you love. That image of loving someone and being loved, you forced that image onto Taro Yamada but that's just it. You forced yourself to believe in that coping mechanism, to hope that he would be the answer of your problems. Do you even like Taro? Do you feel emotionally attached to him because he was nice to you or because of your mother's repetitive advice you feel obligated to fall in love with him?"
The lab was silent, everyone paying attention to Kaga as he enthralled them with his analysis. Info didn't even know that he went thoroughly in depth on Ayano. She stopped researching after every legal document on Ryoba Aishi. It appears that Kaga just had to find out more.
"If you choose him out of impatience then I won't blame you on that but I don't think that Taro is really worth all this blood and violence. Taro Yamada isn't the answer to your inability to feel and comprehend emotions. Ayano, I can't put this lightly but I think that you're sick and you don't even realize it. As inexplicit as it is, we both know from your mother that this… trait is genetic. Your mother got her supposed cure by marring your father. Happily ever after for her and then she had you and you got her condition."
Nobody says anything for a while, sinking in all the information.
"You're looking for a cure, Ayano, and I think I can provide it," Kaga offers and at this instant, Info knows that she'll lose because Kaga is not bluffing. "Info may give you friendship but she can't afford to help you while I can."
"Info," Ayano address suddenly, making her jump in her seat, "You knew?"
"I, I only know about your mother's history," she explains, "Everything else, about you, I only speculated."
"You could've helped me," Ayano stated angrily.
"I don't know how to help you!" She admits.
Ayano snapped at her, "But Kaga does."
"Because he has money and has done medical research! Things that I do not have!"
"You could have done something!" Ayano begins to yell, "You could have done anything!"
"Oh like you would let me help you in the first place!" Info shouts back, "I may not understand your medical condition but I know you Ayano and you hate talking about yourself because you don't know what to do help yourself. You fucking need Kaga to blackmail you to start thinking about questioning your problems and how you're approaching them!"
Their shouting fest is interrupted by Nemesis, also yelling, "Hey, quit it!"
"Hi Info-chan," Kaga greets cheerfully.
Before anyone else can shout more profanities at each other, a blaring alarm went off.
Midori's voice was projected by an intercom system but was covered by static as she announced with panic and fear, "Mayday, mayday! Something is falling down the elevator shaft! It's heading to Alpha!"
"What!" Kaga exclaimed, "Midori, explain! You four, guard the elevator entrance."
The Midori on the intercom couldn't be heard clearly, there was too much static and then a rumbling was steadily picking up. "It's big! And everything is glitching!"
"Ayano, what is going on?" Info demanded, so far away from the growing madness. Up in the empty, dark classroom was such a stark contrast to the loud commotion down below.
"Lights are flickering, the ground is starting to shake, Kaga looks like he's going to pee himself," she listed.
Kaga injected, "No I'm not!"
"I have no idea what the fuck is going on," Ayano concluded.
THUNK
BOOM
SCREECH
RRRRAAAAAAAAAAA!
"I have no idea what the fucking hell is going on!" Ayano repeated which is drowned out by the Midori clones screaming.
Bangs of metal join the screams and then static is slowly emitting in the earpiece.
"Ayano, what's going on? Our connection is failing!" Info again furiously types, attempting to boost her signal beacon to Ayano's earpiece but no dice, static is muffling the screams, clangs, bashes, and roars.
All that Info could make out of Ayano's yells were "Holy fuck!", "Fucking shit!", "Is that O-", and "ARMS?!"
Nemesis on the other hand kept saying, "Custodian call! Custodian call! Custodian call!" and also some other words in different languages.
The Midori clones contributed to the screaming with "Great monopoly's monocle!", "Yandere dev, yandere dev!", "Interlude!", and "NOPE!"
She barely heard Kaga command, "Get me my MEKA! Yes the blue one, version three!"
But lastly, before their connection was severed by a loud roar, Ayano said as calmly as she could, "If this doesn't work, I will haunt you, Info. I, I don't want to be alone."
It was instantly quiet when the connection broke.
Info clawed at her hair for the agonizing three seconds of complete silence before her laptop beeped, sending cold rush over her as her attention snapped back to what's on screen.
ALERT
[ ] has commenced
Beginning Transfer…
[1] of [37] Files Transferring…
She did it. Ayano implanted the drive but she's still down there.
Info can't just leave Ayano down there.
Info jumps up and dashes to the Science Clubroom.
She couldn't think of anything that could help them by sitting and waiting on a laptop. The façade of the Science Clubroom looked intact and clean but after slamming the button to reveal the secret elevator, it was a mess.
The panels slid away to reveal the elevator shaft where it's beams were bent and smashed and the steel walls itself were dented too. The elevator wires were ripped and still sparkling with dying electricity, dangling from where it hanged. Emergency lights were asymmetrically lining down the shaft but majority of the lights were either shattered or flickering dimly. Built into the wall is a metal ladder, descending to the unseen bottom of the shaft. It too is damaged on the journey down by whatever has adventured to Kaga's labs.
Down below, the roars were faintly heard. The sound vibrates parts of the ladder that's already knocked off its hinges.
Standing at the edge of the damaged elevator shaft, Info decides that even though she has no idea on how to help them, she's going to try.
Info scales down the ladder.
END OF WEEK TWO
Hi, I am bummed to say that after the interlude there will be a mid season hiatus because school has started and Life can take up a lot of time away from writing. Thank you all for reading this story of mine!
To be honest, Info is really stepping up to be the protagonist here and I am loving it. The psychoanalysis on Ayano is my favorite part and it had to be Kaga of all people to spell it out to her because of how she doesn't know how to healthily cope with her issues. She's aware of society but she's not aware of how to react to it and thus she is a mess.
Edit: Info's line of "motherfucker" deserves to be italicized and bold. Again I did my best with the demon dialog.
Before I forget, this Arc is lovingly titled Dumb Teenagers!
Next Chapter - Weekend Interlude: Some Work Days