Yoshiki's Room – Real World Yoshiki

I woke up late due to having to deal with Niwa pretty much all night and some of the morning. I don't know what she was doing still at the company that late. Today's a weekday as well. Paulownia Academy was open so she should have school today as well. Maybe that's why her hair was going white. Come to think of it Kuon-sensei also had white hair. Was it over work that did that, or was it inherited? I guess it's not really my problem.

I checked around my house to see if Niwa had actually had anything taken from my apartment. My bankbook was still there and I'd been carrying my wallet with me so I hadn't lost any money. The bills inside the wallet were useless though, I don't think people accept bloody notes. Luckily I'd only been carrying about two thousand yen with me. I really hoped the landlord wouldn't be checking on me anytime soon, I had paid this month's rent but I didn't have next months. I had no idea what to do for gas, water, or electricity bills. My next payment was later this month so I had about a week to get some cash for it. "Dammit, I wish I at least turned the lights off when I ran out. *(Sigh) I guess it can't be helped now."

Food wise I didn't have much in my fridge. Miki was the one who did the grocery shopping. I guess I can't rely on her anymore. I hadn't thought about my family at all. I'd started living separately from then ever since I had that fight with my dad. Miki was the only one who would come see me from time to time. I wonder whether they would remember me if I showed up. Shinozaki's family remembered her. That might just be the book though for all I know. I can't rely on them regardless and never wanted to anyways.

I change my clothes, I had thought about throwing away the cargo pants I'd gotten from the refugee camp but I'm already low enough on money already. I can't afford to throw anything away at the moment. Putting both of them in the wash basket to take care of them later, I took a shower first before putting on a black T-shirt and olive pants. I could have started looking for a job on my desktop but since I was already in dire straits it was cheaper to go to an employment agency.

I stepped out of the house and began walking into town.

...

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...

I'd forgotten how tough it was to get a job, especially when you can't give certain details. Not having finished high school or being in education at all also didn't help. The recent ruckus with the Entity Walls definitely didn't help either. A lot of places weren't recruiting or at the very least weren't recruiting teenagers. There were a surprising number of jobs opening up for "spiritualists", I guess with all the crazy stuff happening this month there's probably a boom going on at the moment. Perfect Life Promotion Company was making quite a bit of money from all of this apparently. They acted as a consultancy agency to other companies giving advice on spiritual matters. From what I heard it seemed that most of their time was spent verifying which "spiritual" businesses were legitimate and which were fake. They also continued to sell spiritual goods such as power stones and holy water for cheap prices in easily accessible places such as convenience or department stores. Most of this I either overheard from other people's conversations at the employment agency some of it from one of the clerks there.

"I don't think you would be able to apply for that company." She had said with a plastered smile. "They don't offer any part time jobs there and there are quite a lot of applicants for positions there." I simply nodded and asked for some other places to work at, possibly another izakaya, although that was only because I knew how to work there. I could have taken a job at any time in the day to be honest but old habits are hard to break.

"*(Sigh) If I can't even apply for one getting one is going to be even harder." I was sat down on a park bench looking at the empty swings and slides. In the middle of a working day there's nobody here. I would have expected a few kids to be playing here but I suppose the events earlier this month had people scared.

I lean back and look up at the sky, Niwa's offer was looking more and more tempting by the minute, I don't know what the pay would be like and I bet I'd get into all sorts of trouble working under her but even just as a temporary thing I needed a job.

I'd asked for a few days to think about it though, things didn't look good but it wasn't impossible. Maybe tomorrow something would open up.

Guuuuuuuuurrrrrrgllllllllleeeeee

I hadn't eaten anything since being picked up by Niwa's men. They stopped by a convenience store on the way to the company. They got a couple of rice balls and a bottle of barley tea. Sighing again I get up and start heading to the nearest convenience store.

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Finishing off a microwave bento I had heated at the convenience store I returned to the employment agency for the rest of the day looking for a job. The clerk I talked to earlier didn't recognize me. On the plus side since they couldn't remember me I could resubmit my forms with a few doctored details. I wasn't hopeful though. I guess I saw my eroded existence in action there. The clerk who told me to give up trying to apply to PL didn't recognize me at all, even ended up giving me the exact same comment when I asked about it again. It was slightly creepy like listening to a broken tape recorder looping over the exact same bit of dialogue.

Leaving the agency I started walking home. I wonder how Niwa was able to remember me at all to be honest. Frankly if she forgot my debt then it would help a lot, maybe that's why she remembered me. Saenoki Naho did say she was stingy with money...?

Where did that thought come from, why did I think that? The first time I met Niwa Aiko was after we had gotten out of Heavenly Host. That means Saenoki Naho wouldn't have talked about her to me, there was no reason for her to... So why did I remember that she said that?

"Anyways, I'm not going to go along with this!"

"Daaaaaa~! I'm tired. I'm not putting up with this anymore, I've had it with babysitting this brat!"

"Hurgh! Ugh! Kuuuhh~." My head started pounding I got weird flashes of things, was that Heavenly Host? It looked like it but the atmosphere was completely different. It didn't feel dark, cold, lonely, threatening or any of the usual feeling I'd get when I was there. What is this? Am I going insane from stress or something? I lean against a telephone pole to catch my breath.

"Dammit, what was that?"

I get up, it's about time school ends I push myself off the telephone pole and continue walking towards home.

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As I approached my apartment I saw someone standing on the second floor in front of my apartment. I could see they had a pony tail and they seemed to be holding something in front of them.

"! No, way!" I ran forward and dart up the stairs. Turning into the corridor that runs along our apartments I startle the person who was standing in front of my door.

"Oh!" She jumps a little and then looks at me quizzically, brown ponytail swaying.

"Miki..." My little sister's standing in front of my apartment, holding a bag of groceries which she used to do whenever she visited.

"Um, I'm sorry but... who are you?" Miki's brown eyes look at me quizzically. My heart skips a beat.

"Oh, um, sorry. You just... happened to look like someone I know. Sorry." I stammer out an excuse, so I guess nobody really remembers me after all. My knees feel weak.

"That's alright, but who are you?" Miki looks me right in the eye.

"Oh, me? Uh, I'm... Yoshiki. Kishinuma Yoshiki..." I didn't have time to think up a name, I ended up just saying my real one. Dammit, this situation is getting worse by the moment. I hope this eroded existence thing means I can't get a criminal record.

"Kishinuma? Oh, do you live here?" She points do the name besides my door. I look at it and then nod.

"Y... Yeah I live here, sorry I surprised you, so why are you here?" Why is Miki here, she used to come by to visit me after I left to live on my own, if she doesn't remember me then why is she here.

"Oh, um, well..." She fidgets a little. "I walk by here whenever I get sad or lonely. It makes me feel a little bit better. One time when I decided to explore a bit I noticed the name plate. So I was wondering if it was someone related." She looks to the side away from the building out towards the road. "I know it's a little weird but... um, I just wanted to meet whoever lived here a little bit."

"Oh, right." I scratch my head. It's a little weird but I can understand a little bit of it. If you saw someone with the same family name as you it's natural to get a little bit curious. Was it some fragment of memory that brought her here? I didn't really do anything brotherly that I can remember, really it was just Miki looking after me and worrying about my health most of the time.

"Well, um as a greeting gift, here!" She holds out the groceries towards me.

"Eh, what? Wait, don't you need these for something?" She looks to the side sheepishly and sticks out her tongue a little.

"I went shopping for food, but when I phoned home mom told me that the fridge was already full so we don't really have any space to put it." She turns back and then holds it out again. "It's not much but please take it. You don't look like you've been eating properly so these should help!"

"Wha... Hey, what gives you that idea, and aren't you being a bit too friendly?" I put my hands on my hips and look down on her. She just smiles and holds out the groceries again.

"Just a hunch, plus, we have the same family name so I guess we're related in some way." She walks over and takes my hand and makes me hold the groceries. "You know the saying right? 'Blood is thicker than water' family should be able to be say anything to each other, no matter what." She steps back and smiles again. "Plus now I know you're definitely not eating properly!" She flaps the receipt from the convenience store earlier.

"! Hey! Really, you're just completely fearless aren't you?" Miki was always like this, she'd let herself into my apartment even though I told her she didn't have to. The first time she even picked the lock to get in. I walk towards the door groceries in hand and take out the key and open it.

"Thanks for these, now go home, it's going to be late." I turn around to wave her off but she's not there.

"Woooow so this is what it's like inside." ! I flip around. She'd snuck around me and was already walking around my apartment. I palm my face first before going in.

"Really, what would you do if I was a bad guy?" I set the groceries near the fridge and open it.

"I'd scream at the top of my lungs, there are still people living next doors so. Anyways you don't feel like a bad guy, even if you've dyed your hair." She peers over my shoulder as I start putting things away in the fridge. "Uwaa~ there really is nothing in here."

"*(Sigh) none of your business." I finish packing away the groceries and get up.

"So, what are you going to do now?" She looks up at me. I pause usually I'd be getting ready for work or something or doing homework. Now since I'm not in school or employment, I don't really have anything to do. These past few days I've just been running around chasing after Shinozaki so I didn't really think about how I'd use my time.

"Yoshiki-san... are you perhaps... a NEET?" Miki has her hands behind her back and her feet close together as she peeks at me beneath her fringe. "! Wha-What makes you say that?" She's spot on to be honest, I don't have a job and I'm not in school. Pretty much dictionary definition of a NEET.

"You're not in a school uniform even though it's a weekday and you just remained silent when I asked you what you're going to do now." She fidgets a little, hands still behind her back.

"I've... been busy with some other things and... well, I guess I haven't finished that either..." Shinozaki, I found her but now I need to help her again. I also need to get my life in order as well. Shinozaki has her family to protect her. She doesn't need me for now. I have to figure out whether Niwa is trustworthy or not. She said she has the facilities to remove possessions when she told me I wasn't possessed. If I can figure out whether I can trust her or not I can take Shinozaki to her. I guess if that's the case taking the job from Niwa means I can both figure her out and get a job. Two birds with one stone, it'll probably be dangerous as hell though. I never wanted to go through an experience like Heavenly Host again. If I work for Niwa, I'll probably be put into situations like that, but if it's for Shinozaki it's worth it.

"Yoshiki-san?" Miki is peering into my face. I guess I spaced out a bit while thinking. I take my hand away from my head, I had a habit of scratching my head while I was thinking.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something. You're right, I guess I'm a NEET for now but I won't let that last long." Miki frowns a little and stares into my eyes for a bit before turning around.

"Well I guess even among family people have their secrets. Do you know how to cook Yoshiki-san?" She continues to wander around my room looking at various things.

"Um, a little bit..." Actually whenever Miki came over she was the one who did the cooking. I never bothered to learn since I was fine with cafeteria food and the odd bento box from the convenience store.

"Doesn't look like it, hold on I'll call my parents to tell them I'll be late and I'll show you!" She flips out a cellphone and starts calling someone.

I sigh, Miki always was a little forceful like this. I guess she also felt a little responsible for what happened between me and dad. I turn back to the kitchen counter. She's calling our parents right now. Parents that won't even remember me. That making up between me and dad she wanted can't happen anymore. It's not like he's dead or anything but I can't talk to him or mom anymore. I was never on good terms with either of them. Even though I never talked to them for years now, I didn't think about the fact that I could never talk to them anymore. I guess it's alright though, they never really like me and I didn't get along with them. It's all the better now, or at least nothing changed.

"Done! Well then Yoshiki-san what would you like to have today?" Miki pops up beside me at the counter. "Anything is fine, just make something that's easy for you." I turn back to where she was and then hear the fridge door open. As always she's already gone from beside me and is rummaging through the fridge.

"Well, how does curry and rice sound?" She pops up with a couple of potatoes in one hand some carrots in the other.

"Sure, sounds great what should I do?" She looks at me skeptically.

"Can I leave you to set the rice cooker?"

"Hey, I'm not that stupid."

She chuckles, "Sorry, sorry, I just teased you a little bit. After you set the rice cooker set up the boiling water then you can help me peel the vegetables."

"Sure, leave it to me."

That night I had the best meal I had in a long time.

? - Grave of Maltuva ?

Tssssss krrrrrr tssssss krrrrr

The sound of a ventilator pumping air repeats, the only sound in the dark room. An uneven shape is on an operating table in the center of the room. Numerous black rubber tubes cross each other before flowing through the meat, connecting organs underneath flesh and bone to a variety of packs and machines filled with liquids. Occasionally they vibrate as the contents are injected through them and into their target. The figure on the table's limbs are pitch black, some have begun to crumble. The right thumb is long gone, the index finger has recently collapsed into dust. The remaining three fingers do not move, silently waiting their turn. The left hand still has all its digits and the blackness only extends halfway up the forearm unlike the right which has gone past the elbow. The right leg is completely missing, the end is flat and blackened as if it had been cut off and then cauterized. The left looks as if it has been dropped in acid. Black meat has collapsed off of the bone attached at some points by strings of dark sinew. The foot has fallen off and lies in pieces on the floor. The head remains largely intact only obscured by the mass of tubes that enter it from the left eye socket. A ventilator attaches to a slim white neck forcing air through the throat and into the lungs.

Click creeaaaaaaaak

The sound of the door opening interrupts the ventilators mechanical breathing. Two individuals walk in, both wear scrubs with surgical masks and caps. The dark of the room is briefly split before returning to its original stats as the door closes behind them.

"So we managed to reclaim her did we?" A female voice, haughty and arrogant demands an answer from the other.

"Yes, Magari was forced to abandon her when we stormed her estate. We found her submerged in a tank of holy water in the basement." A male voice answers, calmly and clinically.

"Was the darkening as pronounced as it is now?" One of them gestures to the left leg.

"Her mind had already succumbed to it long before we got there. The holy water served as both a sedative to the mind and preservative of the body. Nonetheless the outer extremities are unnecessary for our purposes."

"A shame, we had high hopes for her." One of them leans over the body and inspects the limbs and body.

"Will the darkening proceed any further?" The female voice demands.

"We have managed to stop it but the outer extremities could not be saved. We will remove all of them to prevent the darkening from spreading as well as to prevent infection from necrosis in a week's time." The other remains standing in between the door and the table the figure lies upon.

"Good, with the Book of Shadows lost again we will require every resource we can acquire. Use her as you need, however, she is not disposable. People with her level of divinity do not exist. Ensure she survives, no matter what." After finishing her inspection of the figure both depart the room.

The figure remains there on the table unmoving. Blond hair flows downwards over the pillow and the table. The right blue eye stares vacantly at the ceiling, and then closes.

A/N: I did not expect this chapter to be finished so quickly, I had imagined I'd need a lot more time to do it but I guess since most of this is world building it was written pretty easily. If anyone recognizes any characters in this chapter and any quotes from a certain game, yes Blood Drive does clarify that the events that happened in that game, even the wrong ends, are all cannon. I wasn't that surprised to be honest when the reveal came, there were a couple of clues before that, I thought those were cameos to be honest but in the end they pretty much went all out and said, "Yes that game is cannon and here is proof."

We'll be seeing some people from a variety of schools in this story and Satoshi and co. will reappear later on as relevant to the plot not just side characters or as interlude chapters. Miki will also take up an important role. Since there wasn't much to go on I pretty much wrote what came to mind at a whim but then that sort of blossomed into a character profile. It is pretty much my speculation and imagination that made that profile as well as why Yoshiki was disowned by his parents.

Finally, I have a massive favor to ask anyone reading my fic. There is an Ex-Chapter I need to continue writing. It's in the game from which the character on the operating table is from. I have spent pretty much an entire day looking for a video or transcript of it and I haven't been able to find it. I know it's important because of the synopsis I read but I want to use quotes and also get mannerisms and character details as well as timelines from that Ex-Chap. I think there was only one Ex-Chap for the game I mentioned. Its title was "Those were our graves" or 死線流し Shisen Nagashi in Japanese. If someone can either send me a link to an LP or make an LP of them playing the chapter and put it on YouTube or send me a link I would be very grateful. Also I don't have a PsP so I can't play the game myself to read the Ex-Chap.

Addendum: It seems I wasn't obvious enough so here's another thing, the Ex-Chap and game I am referring to in the above is NOT Corpse Party Blood Drive.