THIS IS A LOONG Chapter~ I had to break it into 3 parts. I like having 5 chapters for each block, and its less confusing so I have to do it this way. Some violent stuff happens here so just a fair warning! I hope you enjoy!
.
.
Date 18: Waxing Crescent—Good Night, Moon (1)
.
.
Akihiko called her the beginning of the day.
"Good morning! I'm not bothering you, am I?"
"Akihiko-sempai? Are you in the dorm?"
"Y-yeah… I had something I wanted to talk to you about. It won't take long! How about we take Koromaru out for a walk to the shrine later today?"
"Okay, sounds good."
"Really? Great! I'll see you later then—"
"Wait, Akihiko," She halted, "Um, have you had breakfast yet?"
After the conversation, suddenly, she was standing in front of Shinjiro's closed door. She had her thoughts of what she should do, but they were all curled away into her fist that she used to begin banging on the door with.
"WAKE-UP, SEMPAI! WAKE-UP!"
It took a few more hits to the door before he finally opened it. She could only see him, wearing a grey shirt, and his hair was messy. His eyes were squinted and glaring at her. She couldn't see into his room because the drapes hadn't opened yet, so it was almost dark.
"What… the… hell?"
"Good morning!"
"Are you kidding me… it's Sunday, go away." He was about to close the door but she pushed it open and kept her foot in the way.
"No! Don't crush my feetsies!"
"Damn you…" He growled.
"Get your clothes on! We're having breakfast."
"Oh no, not you too… I'm not making anything right now."
"Not you, me! I'm making pancakes."
"You can make pancakes?"
"I'm not completely ignorant of the kitchen! Get up, get up!"
"Who else is eating?"
"Well, everyone, really… we all have our errands to run, but we want a nice meal before we go out on the town! So get your ass up! You're going to eat my pancakes whether you like it or not!"
"Okay, okay! You don't have to harass me about it…" He paused, "Hey, if everyone else is eating too, maybe I should help you."
"No no no no, you said you didn't want to make anything-"
"But it'll go faster with two people working on it."
"I'll ask Fuuka if she wants to help too!" She exclaimed. "She did mention she wanted to make French toast and hash browns."
"I'll do the bacon and eggs, you can make the pancakes."
"Yes sir, chef sir! Let's do it!"
Everyone else was waiting around the lounge patiently for them to finish. Mitsuru and Yukari were drinking warm tea, and Akhiko had some kind of power shake as they waited.
Shinjiro was overseeing them and their duties in the kitchen while they prepared their food.
"Hey, don't get too much whites from the yolk when you put it on the bread."
"Oh, s-sorry! You're right." Fuuka said.
"And you, why'd you buy flax seed?" He demanded of Ezi. "It's not the best tasting, and you're putting it in buttermilk pancakes?"
"Mind your own business! I know what I'm doing!"
"Just don't put too much-Ow!"
She had slapped his arm.
"What did I just say?"
"F-fine, fine. I'll leave you to it…" He backed away.
Yukari and Ken set up the table, and Junpei and Akihiko were constantly waiting by the kitchen entrance for them to finish.
"Fuuka, your French toast smells great!" Junpei said longingly.
"Are you guys almost done with the bacon? Can I at least have a strip of bacon before we actually eat?" Akihiko whined.
"Don't be such a kid!" Shinjiro scolded. "Honestly, what am I gonna do with you?"
"You're gonna feed me!" Akihiko exclaimed.
Ezi burst into laughter. "You really are a kid, sempai."
"No I'm not! I-I can be patient! Watch…" He stepped onto his toes so he could look over Shinjiro's shoulder by the oven. "You put the bacon in the oven? W-what if it's not cooked enough?"
"Don't you know anything? Aki, go do something useful instead of judging my cooking!"
"You know I can't help it, I just want to make sure…"
"Akihiko-sempai seems to take his bacon very seriously." Fuuka giggled.
"I just want to see you do a good job, Shinji." He said too sweetly.
"Like I'm gonna fall for that! You just want the bacon… go run a mile or something, idiot."
They served everyone, with French toast covered in blueberries and raspberries and strawberry syrup. There were bowls of cut cantaloupe and mangos, and cut hash browns and scrambled eggs blended with red and green bell peppers and ham, smoked maple bacon and the pancakes were buttermilk with sweetened flax and chocolate chip.
"Hot damn! This spread is better than… what's that pancake place in America? IHOP!" Junpei exclaimed.
"We might be getting spoiled with all of these great meals you keep feeding us." Mitsuru said.
"Thanks you guys! This is all wonderful." Yukari praised.
"Arf!"
"He said: thank you for the ham and bacon dog food, Shinjiro-kun." Aigis translated.
"No problem."
"Thanks for making pancakes, Ezi." Akihiko said quietly.
"Yes! I made some ones with flax in case the chocolate chip ones were too sweet for you."
"You remembered… thanks."
"Meh, these pancakes are okay." Junpei mumbled.
"Just okay?" Ezi glowered at him.
"I mean, they're not the best I've eaten, but they'll do."
"They don't taste good because I poisoned them. Well, just yours, Junpei."
He pretended to make a choking sound. "I knew you were secretly evil!"
"Bwa ha-ha! And the chocolate chips are actually explosives!"
"Nooo!" He cried out, and he rested his head on the table, close to Yukari, so he wouldn't hit his plate.
"Stupei! I don't want your hairs in my food!"
"Really, you're so childish." Akihiko commented.
"Says the kid who couldn't wait to eat bacon." Ken mumbled.
"Hey, I waited, didn't I? And now, I got my reward."
"Reward? You guys are all a bunch of children." Shinjiro chided.
"I guess that makes you our parent, then!" Ezi teased.
"Hey, parent! Ask Ezi who she's dating."
"Junpei!" Ezi exclaimed. "That was rude and a very sudden subject to bring up!"
"What? If you won't answer me, maybe you'll have to tell somebody else!"
"Oh, there's somebody you like, Ezi-chan?" Akihiko asked.
"There's nothing to tell, you sly dog." She grumbled, stuffing her face.
"Nahhh, you've been in high spirits lately. I know where that spark came from!"
"You're seeing things. Or, you're making stuff up to piss me off… either way you're wrong."
"I'll get you to spill the beans, eventually!" He declared.
"The beans will not fall from their plastic container." She insisted.
"Why does it have to be plastic?" He retorted.
"Must this conversation linger?" Mitsuru asked strikingly. "Iori-san, if Leon-san is afflicted with the affections of liking someone, it is none of your business."
"Thank you, Mitsuru-sempai!"
"Even if we're all dying to know who it is?" Junpei pressed.
"There is no one! Drop it, or I'll throw the silverware at you since this food is too precious to throw!"
"Uh, I agree," Yukari's eyes shifted from Ezi to the food on her fork. "We should talk about this next week, and how we are preparing for the Shadow!"
"Meh, fine." He grumbled.
That was close, Ezi thought. She had been nervous the entire time he was interrogating her… partly because, she noticed Shinjiro was scrutinizing every one of her facial movements.
Mitsuru helped clean up with Fuuka and Shinjiro and Yukari, and when they were done, Mitsuru left to go to her fencing classes off the island, and Shinjiro went to run his own errands.
"Ezi-san," Akihiko approached, "you still wanna go to the shrine?"
"Yeah, I nice walk would be nice, huh, Koromaru?"
"Arf!"
"We're coming too!" Yukari declared.
"M-mind if I come along too?" Ken asked.
"Yeah, I'm down to pray at the shrine for Chidori." Junpei said.
Ezi shrugged. "I guess it's a party then." She looked to see Shinjiro was heading back up to his room, and he was gone before she could ask him if he wanted to join.
At the shrine, everyone seemed to go their separate ways for a while. Ezi talked to Akihiko on the benches.
"So what's up?" She began.
"I'm having a hard time at school…this girl keeps asking me out, but I already turned her down. She keeps sending me gifts and notes in my locker. I just don't know what to say to her."
"You're so funny, always trying to be nice and charming. That's why all the girls like you, you know."
"D-don't say that! It's not like I want all this attention."
"Girls can be more attracted to good guys than they know, and you happen to be popular, so it's a bonus!"
"Oh, I see…Is that the type of guy you like?"
Shinjiro popped into her mind, and she could see his kind smile. "Nope, not at all."
"Oh, I see…W-well anyway, what should I do?"
"I say… you could tell her you're not interested again, but you already did… maybe this is a stalker! I know! Just tell her you already have a girlfriend!"
"Yeah, but, I'd hate to lie, I'd need someone to play the part. Maybe you could do it for me, if I get desperate."
For some reason, they both began tremendously laughing at the thought.
"Oh, right! The last place I want to be when your stalker thinks you have a girlfriend is on your arms! Although, I could beat her."
"Yeah, I could see that happening. I'd ask you to chase her away with your spear!"
"Ah yes, it's just what everyone has been picturing since I got here, that's why the rumors don't stop! If I'm not Junpei's girlfriend, I'm yours… I don't know which is worst to deal with when it comes to all those crazy girls!"
They were still cackling away when Yukari and Junpei walked towards them. "'You guys okay?"
"Look! Here comes my boyfriend now!" Ezi raised her hand towards Junpei. They were both out of breath from laughing so hard.
"Alright… we're just gonna go shopping and then get some food for lunch later on." Yukari said, as they backed away slowly.
"Wild Duck Burger!" Akihiko said suddenly.
"Yus! Let's go!" Ezi raised her fist into the air. They gathered Koromaru to take back to the dorm and the humans went out to eat for a late lunch.
After a bit of clothes and supply shopping for the lounge, they went to the Wild Duck Burger. The restaurant was incredibly loud. Thankfully, Yukari knew one of the girls working from her archery club, and they got to order early. Now all that was left was to survive the chaos around their table as they waited for their food. Ezi was sitting at the end with Ken across from her, and Akihiko next to her, with Junpei next to him and Yukari across from him.
"Fuuka went out with Natsuki and that DJ from the music club today…" Ezi could barely hear Yukari at the other side of the table.
"What is she saying?" She asked Akihiko.
"WHAT?"
She waved her hand at him, giving up, and facing Ken.
They talked about comic books again.
"…I only still read them because my mom got them for me. They remind me of my childhood."
"Oh, I see… Your mom really took care of you, huh?"
"Yeah, she did…"
"My foster mom would buy me comics too! I had Retroman, Samurai Unleashed, stories about warrior princesses and talking animals saving their kingdom from fat guys…"
"That's… very unique." He still seemed so surprised.
"Yeah, good times…"
"I-Is your foster mother in America right now?"
"To be honest, I don't really know… she travels out of state a lot, I haven't talked to her since I left. She's been a bit distant since my brother died."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's okay, I expected her to react this way about it. It's hard losing people, but you gotta keep going, doing the things they would have wanted you to do with your life."
"Yes, I made a vow to my mom that's sort of like that…" Ken said quietly.
Finally, their food arrived. They all ate without talking mostly, since they could barely hear each other anyway. In the late afternoon, they all returned to the dorm, ended there fun-filled day.
.
.
That night, there was a familiar presence.
The Dark Hour.
Pharos appeared.
"Good evening. I probably don't have to tell you, but the next moon will be in one week."
"You don't, but tis a nice little warning." She said.
"I hope nothing serious happens, but who knows what the future will bring."
"I'll make sure nothing happens!"
"Be careful. Remember, I'm always watching you. We'll meet again."
Pharos disappeared.
.
After school the next day, Saori was more depressed than ever.
"Why so glum sugarplum?"
"Oh, Ezi… I just want to clear my name before I get transferred, I know it sounds silly, but even if people don't listen, I still want to say the truth before I go, not for them, but for me."
"I understand, but how are you gonna tell everyone in the school your business?"
It was almost too perfect, because the intercom went off right then, calling student to Mr. Edogawa's office.
"That's it, we'll use the intercom! Everyone in the school will hear it!"
Ezi was hesitant, but she wanted to support Saori. "We better do it quick, school just ended so there's still a lot of people here who can hear it!"
"Yeah, let's go!"
They snuck into the teacher's lounge and Saori turned it on, nervous…
"You can do it!" Ezi cheered.
She nodded her head and began: "Attention everyone: This is Saori Hasigawa. I-I have an announcement to make… The rumors about me, are not true. Whether you decide to believe me or not, I still wanted to tell you all the truth…"
Ezi was nervous, for Saori and for herself. She cared a lot about Saori, but this could get them into a lot of trouble, she realized…
Oh well.
After she was done, Mr. Ekoda popped in, angry as usual.
"Saori! I should have expelled you!" He lead them out into the hallway to be yelled at, an embarrassment tactic, Ezi thought, as students walked by and snickered at their predicament.
"I don't believe this," Ms. Toriumi, and Mrs. Ounishi, Saori's homeroom teacher, had been called to the scene.
"I don't have time to deal with these hooligans! But they're your students, so take care of it!" Mr. Ekoda stomped away.
"Well, I told Mr. Ekoda about your situation, Miss Hasagawa." Mrs. Ounishi said sternly.
"Ezi, you're one of my best students… and you're in student council! Why would you do this?"
"I-It wasn't Ezi's fault! She didn't even know what was going on!" Saori defended.
"Saori-sempai…" No, she couldn't let her go down alone. "It was my idea."
"Ezi-san?" Ms. Toriumi looked disheartened. The worst that would happen is she'd be suspended… which, didn't bother her so much, for some reason.
"Well, I can see why this happened…" Mrs. Ounishi sounded as if she also looked down upon Saori the way Mr. Ekoda did. "All that gossiping you kids do, and now everyone has made you into a monster, you just wanted to clear your name. Well, I did tell Mr. Ekoda to do something about it, but I guess he never did."
"Huh?" Ezi was shocked.
"Then, you felt this was your only option, huh?" Ms. Toriumi added. "As far as I can see, you certainly didn't harm anyone…"
"Right… So, Ms. Toriumi, did you see anything happen?"
"You mean, did I see friends helping out each other to seek justice? Yes, I did. And I'm afraid I only punish students who refuse to excel as best they can in their curriculum and in life, which obviously, neither of these girls fit that description."
Soari and Ezi exchanged glances, like excited children. "Thank you!" They said in unison
"Now, don't think you can do whatever you want now, this was your one time pass, okay?" Ms. Toriumi looked so happy to be blessing them with her grace.
"Of course not, m'am!" Ezi agreed. "It'll never happen again!"
Ms. Ounishi cleared her throat. "And, you did publically display rebellion on campus, so we'll just punish you a little… I want you to write another article in the weekly newsletter. It can be about anything but I expect to see one written for next week."
"O-okay, we can do that." Saori said.
The girls thanked them again and then finished organizing in the library, then they left the school finally, when it was getting dark out.
When she returned to the dorm, Ikutsuki and Mitsuru were in the lounge, no one else was present.
"Ah, there you are." Ikutsuki pushed his glasses in.
"Leon-san, Mister Ekoda contacted us."
"Did he?"
"You almost got suspended from school, you and Saori Hasegawa."
"That is a fact."
"This is no laughing matter, Leon-san." Mitsuru's arms were crossed, as was her composure. "If you get in trouble like that at school, the board could cut you from the SEES team, and you will be kicked out of the dorm."
"Seriously?"
"Its not likely with your academic stature that that would happen immediately, but if something like this happens again, I would do what I could to convince the board otherwise." He sighed. "So please, be careful next time."
"Mr. Ekoda is a—!"
"You don't need to say anything else."
The un-refreshing lecture wasn't worth arguing about. "I'm sorry, I was just trying to help a friend."
"Please, don't let it happen again." Mitsuru chided. Ezi walked slowly up the stairs, tired.
Mitsuru sighed, unappeased by the results of their discipline.
.
.
She went to basketball practice instead of the student council meeting the next day. She lied to Hidetoshi about an important game coming up, but really she didn't want to deal with Mitsuru.
"Ezi-san!"
"Huh?"
"I almost threw the ball at you, and you weren't even looking!" One of the girls on the team said.
"S-sorry."
"What's up with you and Rio-chan? You guys aren't focused at all!"
Ezi turned to see Rio with a somber look on her face as she did passing drills. She understood how she felt, now…
"Rio, come here." She had another girl take her place as she went to talk to Ezi. "I know you're upset about Kenji, but… you gotta get focused. You're the team captain."
"I'm sorry! I can't help it…. I don't know what to do."
"Maybe…you should just tell him how you feel."
"What? No way! I-I can't! What if he says no? I don't think I can take that kind of rejection!"
"What? Rio, you like someone?" Suddenly practice was irrelevant, and the girls began to swarm them. "Who is it? Tell us! Ezi, do you know?"
"Uh, I have no idea."
"Thanks, Ezi-san…" Rio said.
"What? Come on! You gotta tell us!"
"It's no wonder you've been so out of it! That's a good reason!"
"I-It is?"
"Yeah, we all thought you were just stuck up with no emotion, but that's not true!"
"Thanks… I think." Rio grumbled.
"We'll help you! Who is it?" They demanded.
She swallowed. "…Kenji-kun."
"WHAT?" The girls began to squeal and ask questions all at once.
"You guys have been friends for such a long time!"
"You guys would be cute together!"
"You have to tell him how you feel!"
Ezi thought of how they'd all react if they knew who she liked… an outcast like Shinjiro probably didn't have a good reputation, but what did she care?
"Y-you're right! I will go talk to him…" She marched out of the gym and the girls were cheering for her as she did.
"Good luck, Rio…" Ezi was happy, not only was Rio being brave, but the girls were working together on something.
Yuko ran in with the fundraiser sheet. "Where's Rio, we have to talk about this!"
"She's talking to Kenji…"
"In the middle of practice?"
"Yeah… she's sort of confessing her love."
"WHAT? WE HAVE TO GO OVER THERE AND SEE HOW SHE'S DOING!"
Yuko pulled Ezi, and they and the other girls hid behind the hallway pillars outside while Rio and Kenji talked by the tree.
"…I was wondering…"
"She's gonna say it!" Yuko whispered excitedly.
"Do you… like me?"
"Huh? I guess…so…"
"He guesses so?" One of the girls whispered, angrily.
"R-Really? How much do you like me?" Rio clasped her hand to her breast, waiting drastically for his response.
"Um… about as much as ramen?"
"WHAT!" Yuko was the first to stand out from their hiding place.
"What the-what are you all doing here?" Kenji looked horrified.
"How dare you compare her to food!" The girls said.
"You outta be ashamed!"
"She was brave enough to ask you, and that's all you can say?"
They continued to yell at him, until he finally ran off.
"Sorry, Rio…" Yuko said sadly. "We came to see how you were doing. What a jerk!"
"Yeah, that wasn't very nice of Kenji…" Ezi agreed.
"No guys! It's okay. I appreciate all of your support very much, but you don't understand: his favorite food is ramen, so if he likes me that much, that's good enough for now… thank you for giving me the courage, Ezi. And all of you!"
The girls talked more about it, then they finished another hour of practice before departing for the day. As she walked back, she thought of how the outcome for Rio was pleasant, and that she should try it herself… she did tell her to just be honest, after all. Maybe she needed to do follow her own advice….
But her situation was a little different. Being leader, it would be weird if she started dating him all of a sudden. She had never considered dating any guy before, even when she was in America… but why? What memories was she missing that kept her from being committed to her true feelings? For all she knew, there could have been somebody else she had loved and completely forgot about him… and what if it were to happen again? She couldn't imagine forgetting her friends here, and Shinjiro…
.
.
Since practice had ended early, Ezi was the first to the dorm, or at least, she had thought she was.
"Koro-chan?" No barking, no response. Ken must have taken him for a walk. She threw her uniform jacket off and threw it on the couch, heading to the kitchen. She wished Shinjiro was there to cook something delicious; she was starving—
There was noise upstairs, like something had fallen over.
"Hello?" No response. She shrugged it off and put some wheat bread in the toast to make a delectable sandwich. As she searched for the ingredients in the fridge, there was creak on the floorboards in the hallway. Her heart jumped.
She spun around and caught the man's fist before it could come down on her. In his hand was a knife. She was startled to see the guy had wild eyes and a dark mustache and hair, wearing baggy clothes. He snarled at her like a rabid dog as he tried to sink the knife in his hand lower. She realized he was unbearably stronger in a moment, and managed to twist his wrist down away from her, then head-butted him and kicking his stomach. Another man was behind him, and she recognized him immediately: the man who had harassed Yukari at the café.
"Fucking bitch!" He had only his fists, but his oncoming jump towards her had him topple on top of her. He immediately punched her face, and the sensation flashed stars in her eyes. She groaned as he ripped at her shirt, tearing the top buttons off.
"Hurry up! We need a sacrifice for what's to come!"
She screamed as she gained consciousness. These psychopaths were trying to kill her. He sat on top of her with a dirty smell, and held her wrists down on either side.
"Young flesh, we offer you!" The other guy said; he was wobbly as he crawled over to the side of her, with his knife scrapping on the tile.
"No… No!"
"Accept judgment! You will not stop it!" The man above her said. She was screaming, and they were smiling at her agony. The man raised his knife.
No…
"What the-?"
Now, they were screaming.
Stop…
She could see them from an aerial view, and they were looking up at her with some kind of horror, and the blackness sprouting behind her. It swiveled over her shoulder and stabbed into the blonde's left eye, and blood splattered out. The other guy scrambled around the table, but she was on him in seconds, and he suffered a similar fate. She could see it happening in flashes, the constructed destruct of them being smashed and screaming their last breaths as the thing mangled them in a fury she could not control.
Until there was nothing left…
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Warm, and something was drying on her arms and face, like paint.
Someone was screaming. It was Yukari.
Ezi shot up from her spot on the couch, and then she remembered everything. She was gasping for air like she hadn't taken breath in a long time, and she kicked her legs about to sit up straight as she stared at everybody with wide eyes.
"Ezi! It's okay…" Akihiko had his arms raised to her, and Yukari was covering her mouth in shock. There was a trail of blood leading out to the dorm front, and suddenly she could see crimson and blue lights twirling out the window as the sun was going down.
How did she get on the couch, though?
She raised her arms and turned her palms to see red all over them. She couldn't remember.
She was breathing like a fish out of water, and she tried calming down, like waking up from a bad dream.
"Dude… it's okay…" Junpei said softly. Fuuka, Ken and Koromaru were in the room too, but Shinjiro wasn't anywhere to be found.
"Just breath, Ezi-chan!" Fuuka cried.
"Wh-How-?" She felt tired. The EMT's from the ambulance outside came in with a stretcher.
"Honey, can you hear me?" One of them put their gloved hand on her shoulder.
"Y-yeah."
"Okay, we're gonna get you to the hospital, just hang tight."
Everything was a blur, from the ambulance to the hospital bed. They weren't rushing her in when they realized she had no fatal wounds, but she was still having a panic attack, and they gave her some medicine in the IV to calm her down.
Her friends were in the waiting room downstairs. The large crowd of dorm mates filled the room up, and they all stood when the female doctor came in.
"Miss Kirijo." The doctor nodded to her, seeming to recognize Mitsuru.
"Doctor, how is she?"
"Uh, well… She is fine. Physically, there are no wounds except for some bruising on the left side of her face. That's not why she was passed out, though. We ran all the tests, and she's fairly normal.
"Fairly?" Shinjiro had walked in from the automatic doors in flurry.
"Sempai…" Fuuka addressed him.
"What the hell does that mean? What happened to her?"
"Calm down, Shinji!" Akihiko stepped in front of him. "We're trying to figure that out!"
The doctor continued. "Well… I'm not sure it's appropriate to tell all of you. She really doesn't have any relatives?"
"We're… all she has…" Mitsuru was lying, of course. But, they didn't really have time to contact her foster mother.
She nodded. "If you are all here to support her, then, I suppose its okay…"
"Get on with it!" Shinjiro snapped.
"Well, she suffered form a blackout, one I can only believe be similar to that of a bipolar occurrence."
"Ezi's not bipolar, is she?" Yukari wondered.
"No way, she's always happy!" Junpei stated.
"Well, then, I would assume the dissociative order only occurred for that moment during the incident because of PTSD."
"PTSD?" Ken frowned.
"Whatever happened at the crime scene, it shocked her psychologically, and brought back some unpleasant trauma from her past. Bipolar blackouts can happen like that with PTSD. Otherwise, I don't know any other reason she could have passed out. I would say with a few fluids tonight she'll be right as reign by tomorrow."
"But, what could have happened to her to have PTSD?" Fuuka wondered.
"I have my theories…" The doctor sighed. "But, those are private, you'll have to speak with her about it."
"Do you think it can happen again?"
"Seeing as how this is the first time she's passed out from this, I'd say no. But, it's possible. I would say the best medicine after this would be a psych evaluation, and some friend support from all of you."
"Thank you, doctor." Mitsuru said.
"You didn't hear any of this from me… the police will be here soon to interrogate her. You can see her afterwards." She left them and the others waited for the police.
When Akihiko noticed officer Kurosawa coming down the stairs from her room, they circled him and his deputy.
"Officer. What did she say? What happened?"
"There you all are. I'll have some questions for all of you too, if you can help us out…"
After the police talked to them individually, they were escorted to Ezi's room. Even though there only a few visitors allowed, they let them all go in.
She had been staring at her hands dully until they walked in from the sliding door.
They noticed right away that her face had a blue and purple bruise on her swollen cheek, and her eye on the same side was red.
"There you all are!" She beamed. "Sorry, I would have come to see you myself, but you know… I'm in a hospital bed."
They all smiled back. "How are you feeling?" Mitsuru asked.
"I'm okay! I feel right as reign with this IV… I think they put something in here other than fluids."
"Thank goodness!" Yukari stepped up first and hugged her. "I was so worried! I'm so glad you didn't get hurt by those thugs!"
Ezi's eyes widened again. She thought about what Kurosawa had said about the intruders of the dorm when he was asking her questions:
.
"After you managed to defend yourself, they took off to the station. We lost sight of them, but don't worry, I don't think they'll be trying to come back anytime soon after what you did."
"But, didn't I kill them?"
"No. And according to CSI, they could have survived their wounds. What did you use anyway?"
"Uh… a kitchen knife…"
"Well, it's a good thing you've been training with SEES. You're lucky you could defend yourself, or else…"
.
She had been lying, of course. She didn't know what the source of power was, but maybe it had been the Persona from the first night; the same one that came and destroyed the Shadows the night they were trapped with the numbing gas.
…It had saved her again, whatever it was.
"Of course I'm okay. I'm mother frickin' E-Z-I…" She rubbed Yukari's back until she let go of her.
"Uh… Sorry about the mess in the dorm." Ezi seemed to look at the seniors.
"What the hell are you apologizing for?" Shinjiro snarled.
"What he means is, we don't care about any of that." Mitsuru tried to explain. "I'll be having camera's placed inside the dorm, as well as outside the perimeter."
"Yeah! Good call. I mean, I'd love to kick their ass again, but the less violence the better, right?"
"I can't believe those bastards got away…" Junpei cursed.
Ken hopped up and placed his head on her legs that were covered by a blanket.
"Ezi!"
"Ken-kun?"
"I came home with Koro-chan, and I saw all that blood on you… I thought you were really…"
Her eyes dimmed. "I'm sorry I worried you… I'm really, s…" She was choking on her words.
"Ezi-san…" Fuuka said quietly.
She could feel the tear rolling on her cheek.
"Darn you Ken, I was doing fine…" She grabbed the boy's back and gripped it as he held onto her legs. "I was so scared…"
She wanted to scream it, but she felt embarrassed, even if they were her friends. She wiped the tear from her cheek and took a deep breath. "They were trying to kill me. They said something about needing a sacrifice? I guess they picked our dorm because they saw us working at the Chargall Café."
"A sacrifice? What does that mean?" Junpei wondered.
"I have no idea… But, I have a feeling it has something to do with Tartarus. Or, maybe Strega?"
"I'll try to see if I can get something out of Chidori." Junpei said.
"You don't have to—"
"It's all I can do! You were attacked, and if you weren't, well, you, you'd be dead! We can't let those bastards get away with this!"
"I think you're mistaken…" Ezi looked up at all of them. "I should have finished what I started."
"You mean?"
"They were gonna kill me! And, probably Ken and Koro-chan too when they got home! I know we deal with Shadows all the time, but this is different! Shadows just prey and attack, that's all they do! But people have logic and compassion—and those creeps chose the opposite!"
No one said anything for a moment.
"When I passed out, I dreamed about… tearing them apart… and, I liked it…"
"Ezi…" Yukari and the others were speechless.
"I thought it was real! I was happy and terrified with myself for being happy about it, but…"
"It would make you no better than them." Shinjiro said. "Also, you don't want someone's death on your conscience."
Ken sat up, with a blank stare on his face.
"Shinji!" Akihiko snapped.
"No, he's right. That's why I'm glad I didn't… but… what should I be feeling right now?"
"No certain way whatsoever. You've suffered from a horrible attack, and we're just glad you're okay." Mitsuru said.
"Yeah… she nodded. I- I'm glad to have you guys supporting me!"
"We don't have to talk about it anymore. You get some rest, okay?"
"Yeah! I'm all over it! Some sleep would be good."
"If its okay with you, I'll send in a psychiatrist from the Kirijo group to examine you, if you don't want one from the hospital. The doctor recommended it before you leave."
"Sure!"
The team left her then, and it was easy for her to fall asleep to her music. She really thought she was going to die… But then, some kind of power emerged that protected her. Something else from the lost pieces—
Dark Hour came. She threw her sheets off and ran through the empty hospital, filled with transmogrified doctors and patients.
"Pharos? Pharos!"
Nothing. She went up to the suicide prevention ward and stood in front of Chidori's glass door, banging on it until the sleeping girl woke up. Surprisingly, she was willing to get out of bed with droopy eyes and stand in front of the glass.
"I was attacked today, by one of your people!"
"Not possible. They would not attack you in the daytime. It could foil their plans if they were caught…"
She was speaking to her.
"I… I need to know if you know what happened today. These crazy guys were trying to sacrifice me!"
Chidori blinked.
"If you know something… please, tell me. I have faced death many times, but this was different. I felt helpless…"
"You were afraid?" She wondered. Ezi nodded her head.
"Death is nothing to be afraid of… but lately, I'm not so sure…"
"Huh?"
"…It's not likely you'll be attacked again. But, that's all I know."
It wasn't all the answers, but it was enough. "Thank you… I'll tell Junpei you comforted me."
She didn't respond, but she watched Ezi leave down the hall.
.
.
She was actually nervous the next day when the psych evaluated her. She wasn't sure if she would be clinically diagnosed as insane, or if she would come out normal. Tests were always easier if you could prepare for them.
Either way, the doctor cleared her that afternoon, giving her a card for sessions if she felt she would have trauma from the incident. It was an easy get away and they gave her fresh clothes to go back to the dorm in.
No one was there yet since school was still in session, but the lounge had been cleaned out already, as if nothing had happened. She avoided the kitchen area and ran upstairs. She took a shower and greeted everyone when they came home from their daily activities. To get her mind off of things, she talked to all of them and pried about their business, discussing things like pop-quizzes to and the gross food they had for lunch.
They ate dinner together, and Junpei read stupid jokes from a stupid joke book, that were so lame everyone threw in many pity chuckles, until it arose into actual laughter at how pathetic they were. They ate leftovers, and studied, and rested for the night.
Shinjiro hadn't said much at dinner, but he sat next to her on the couch when everyone had left to their rooms as the evening grew late.
"…Hey." He said.
"Hi."
"Did you… want to do anything?"
"Yeah! But, I'm not sure what it is just yet…"
"Actually, why don't we just hangout here tonight?"
"Sounds good to me! A date is still a date even if we're just hanging out here at the dorm."
"D-date?" He said.
She snickered. "Kidding, again!"
He smiled warmly, and she tried to hold in her excitement at the look on his face. It was so good to see him after what had happened just the day before.
"I missed you!"
"What? We weren't even apart that long…"
"Well, it felt like an eternity…"
They both sat there for a long while… actually, it was not even 10 seconds.
"C'mon, talk about something." He ordered.
"…Uh, should I tell a scary story?"
"What's up with that? Oh yeah… You seemed into ghost stories that first time you went to the back alley, too. Seriously, you're such a kid…" He sounded dismissive, but he looked at her as if he was enjoying it.
"Okay! The story of the long haired wife…"
"Heard it."
"You have not heard it!"
"I have."
"How much money you wanna bet?"
"Her husband killed her, with an axe, right?"
"Y-yeah…"
"This isn't bothering you, is it?"
"What?"
"This subject…"
"Nope! I realized something. Yesterday was scary, but I'm still here! What am I gonna do? Avoid kitchen knives for the rest of my life?"
"No, but…"
She leaned towards him. "I've had enough near-death experiences for 20 life times. I might be a little scared, but…" She smiled. "I have you…" He seemed startled, "And all my other friends to support me. I have more good memories than bad."
"Good…"
She talked to him about many subjects. Shinjiro's expression didn't change, as usual. However, for some reason, he seemed more lonesome than usual, too…
She felt she had to fill the void with some sort of theatrics and storytelling. Then, she went to a ghost story, about a ghost that haunted an elementary school and picked off the students one by one.
"...It was the teacher all along! The student stared in shock at the revelation, but it was too late for all them…" She sunk back into her chair like she had passed out.
"Are you done? That's the end?"
She sat back up. "Yep!"
"C'mon, tell me more. Encore, encore!" Shinjiro laughed. "That was actually a very good twist."
At Shinjiro's urging, she continued to talk about other subjects. She talked to him about her school clubs, and the drama on the basketball team, or how Saori was accused of being a slut, and Bebe, and the elders she bought manga from at the store at the strip mall, the monk at Club Escapade, the gossip in the halls, shows she watched, and music she listened to…
He just listened to her aimless conversation.
"It sounds like your enjoying your days."
"Yeah… I like most of everyone I've met since I've been on the island!" She laughed.
"You look best when you laugh." He said sadly. "So, don't cry, got it…?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"…Just what I said." He looked downwards.
"I just want to make sure I don't leave anything behind. No doubts, no regrets…"
"You don't? I'm the one who nearly died! What are you talking about then? Did something happen? What do you mean by leave behind?"
"I keep telling you what to forget and what to remember… What to want and what not to want…"
"I hadn't noticed."
"I'm… selfish, aren't I?"
"You're, not…" Her light was fading, in more ways than one, and he could see it, the discomfort in her eyes.
"…Hey, as long as I'm already being selfish, I want you to do one thing for me."
"…Alright." The lump in her throat, the desperation for air- it had all returned. She was greatly concerned for him, and now…
"You don't have to forgive me, but forgive everything else."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll understand later."
"You'll tell me now! What have you done that needs forgiving?"
"I… can't tell you. You'll find out eventually."
"Did it have something to do with yesterday?"
"No, of course not."
"Then, what? You're… you're scaring me…"
"I'm not trying to… for now, everything's okay, don't worry. It should be like this for a little longer. I just want things to be normal…" He smiled while looking down at his hands. She couldn't grasp what he meant, but maybe it was his weak way of comforting her. Still, she felt he had told her something important.
"You're not gonna betray me, are you?"
"Of course not. I've got your back remember? I'm sorry… I couldn't protect you before, though."
"Please, don't feel guilty…" Maybe that's why he was acting so strange?
"…Is it getting late? What time is it?"
"Its time for you to get a watch!" She tried to lighten the mood.
"…I don't have my watch anymore."
"…Oh. My bad. Did you lose it?"
"Yeah. It was a shabby old… pocket watch. I got it from someone sometime ago. Dammit…" He sighed. It seems he valued the watch quite a bit.
"Oh well, I guess… that means you just won't get to see the time tonight!"
"Right… So, is that it?"
"Eh?"
"I want to hear more. Surely you've got more stories up your sleeve, right?"
"Hell yeah I do!"
"Anything's fine."
She talked with Shinjiro about all kinds of things, later into the night.
She swallowed. "I like it when you're with just me. I like the others too, but its different with you. Thanks."
"F-for what? I didn't do anything."
"You did… you think I did things for you, but you've done things for me, too."
"Stop being weird, idiot. It doesn't matter… how you think I've helped you…"
Her head fell onto his shoulder.
They sat in the void they were grateful for, the time they were given. She seemed to nuzzle into his arm, and he kept his body firm, a pillar for her.
"You shouldn't be doing this."
"Then stop me." She suggested.
He didn't move, still.
He sighed. "Seriously…" She pressed her face into him more as she reached her arms out and around his waist, they both adjusted a bit more, and he raised his arm up over her to wrap it around to her back.
"You should stop."
"You like it." She dared.
"It doesn't matter what I like…"
"So you do like it…"
He groaned, but he didn't move away.
"At least I know its not because you're just feeling guilty. I want you to be happy, too."
"No you don't."
"What do you mean?"
"…Nothing…"
"Tell me what you meant!" She looked up at him and opened her mouth to say more—his face was a millimeter away from her own.
They leaned in closer and sealed the gap between them. He groaned in her mouth, and it made her want to get closer to him somehow—they pressed their mouths and lips into a deep kiss, encircling each other in their arms. He gently swung her onto his lap as he leaned over and they continued kissing. Slowly, largely at first, then they hold each other tight and the kisses became feverish and intense as their pace quickened. His large hands roamed lower, to her breast and her waist. She sat up again and moaned as he squeezed her flesh under her clothes, and he sunk down so she could straddle him and his back was laying on the couch. They kissed a few more times, and she couldn't figure out what to do next, but she didn't want to stop. He pushed her upward a little to catch his breath, and they looked at one another with a longing desire…
"You're blushing, sempai…" Her smile tilted to the side as she licked her bottom lip and gasped for air.
He was panting too, and then he coughed, only once—
He yanked her up off of him easily enough, and they were both sitting on the couch again. She waited for his heavy coughing to stop, feeling like her clothes were looser than usual, and her legs and back felt sweaty.
He sighed one final time, catching his breath.
"Are you good?"
"I don't think so…"
"Did you start coughing just so we'd stop?"
He reached for her cheek gently, clasping it so she was facing him. He kissed her one final time gently on the lips.
"No. But, you should go to bed and stop wasting your time like this…"
"I'll spend my time how I see fit…" She was tired. "Can I rest with you?"
"N-no way. Besides, I need to go take some medicine."
"I don't mind…"
"I know you don't." He shot up from the couch quickly. "Goodnight…"
She waved to him with a wide smile. He grinned back with a nod, then headed upstairs.
…She had made out with Shinjiro. Her heart was racing at the thought of it, and she had wanted more of it…
She fell asleep on the couch thinking about it.
.
.
.
.
.
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N: A lot of filler happened here :0 let me know what you think! I actually wrote the p3p story a long time ago, but I added the attack part recently. I wasn't sure if it was ok or not but I wanted to include anything I had ever thought of for the story. I wanted Shinjiro to be more comforting after the event, but I also wanted her to be more independent too! I don't want to take up time on the event being trauma or anything, so there won't be much more talk of it.
Anyway, I'll try to update soon~!
Farewell, My Dearest~