[Chapter 23]
New Family
"I don't know if I will be useful to you guys but I will do my best." Kae said.
"Nonsense! You are great here so I am confident you will do fine there as well." I happily reply.
Kae smile at my compliment and she became easier to talk than our first encounter which is a good thing. We walk in the stairs to arrive at the upper level where the school is beginning and the students are constantly walking by the streets.
"Kae, I want you to come to our table during lunchtime so I can introduce you the others." I spoke.
"I don't know, I made a bad impression on our first meeting and I think some of them have a grudge against me, especially that Jane girl." Kae reply, sighing.
I laugh nervously as Jane will get overprotective of her friends and hiding her true feelings like she did with us. I didn't blame Kae or Jane about this awkward problem we will have but I am confident we will fix this together, as a team. I turn to Kae with a smile on my face to ease her worry and to trust me just a bit.
"We will manage to fix that together, you are part of the team now so don't think like that, okay?" I ask.
Kae sigh as she looks at the main entrance and thinking on my plan and the meeting.
"I will think about it, I had never been with others in a very long time so let me think about it." Kae respond.
"Yeah.." I mutter, sadly.
We walk together to the 1st floor and reach the 2nd floor you using the stairs. Kae stop in her track as I became confuse by her sudden stop and she turn to me as she point at a specific classroom nearby.
"This is my stop, I will see you later Luck and thanks..for everything." Kae explain, smiling.
"O-Oh, sure and don't worry, you are a friend of mine so I will most likely do it again." I smile.
I wave Kae goodbye as I return to my classroom where Jane and Luke are waiting for me. I spend my free time talking with theme about our next investigation and about others thing about each others which was fun. Class resume as normal as the bell rang and time pass us by as we work on assignment made by Mr. Robert.
August 30
Tuesday
Lunchtime
Lunchtime came as the bell rang and causing the student sighing with exhaustion at the work piling on us.
"Today's work was fun; don't you think Luck and Luke?" Jane asks, smiling.
"Y-You think so?" I ask, sighing. "It was hard to keep up lately and I know it will only get harder as the exam will come later." I sigh.
"I manage but I do need to work on my weak subjects in order to improve my performance when the test does come." Luke answers, smiling.
I felt exhaust lately and I became impress by this two's handling schoolwork and Hotspot investigation. I lay my face on the desk as I felt hungry and hard to keep with schoolwork. I felt a poke on my right cheeks which made me turn to see Jane standing up and ready to leave the classroom.
"Come on leader, you must get up and try your best to keep up with schoolwork or else you will fail if you don't shape up." Jane advice.
"Yeah, you are right." I smile
I quickly get up as I slap my cheeks to get myself pup up with energy and focus on the meeting I had plan with the others. I turn to Luke still sitting on his desk and he seems to be waiting for something.
"Luke? What's wrong? Aren't you coming with us?" I ask, puzzle.
"Sorry, I have made a promise to a friend of mine to eat with him in our room as usual so I have to pass on that. I will still come along for the investigation." Luke apologizes, smiling.
"If you say so, come on Luck, we need to go to the cafeteria for us to sit on our spot." Jane reply.
"Yeah." I agree.
We left the homeroom class and leaving Luke waiting for his friend to show. We arrive to the cafeteria as we manage to do our small tasks and arriving to our usual table first. I wait for the others and smiling as I couldn't wait for everyone's reaction to the appearance of Kae. Ayakane and Jennifer arrive to the table with joy to eat with each other and talking about many things with one another. As we talk about our school, I gasp as I see Kae shyly approach our table and made me get up with a smile on my face. The other look at me confuse with my behavior and turn toward the direction if my gaze to see Kae. I notice Ayakane confuse, Jennifer scare, and Jane becoming silently angry of her sight. Kae took a seat next to me since she felt uncomfortable sitting with the others and possibly from their stare.
"You came after all, thank you for coming." I happily spoke
"I guess.." Kae sigh.
Suddenly, Jane angrily pounds the table as her force shook our food and causing some people from the nearby table to turn toward us. I see Jane becoming protective of her friends and using her false personality to push away any potential friend.
"Why is she here, Luck!? Isn't she the one that interrupted our previous investigation and didn't want to join us in the first place from the very beginning." Jane asks, coldly.
"Some stuff happens during after school and then we realize that we both needed the help to fight against our common enemy, the Shadow." I answer.
Jane didn't felt so thrill to have Kae joining our team like I am and it made everyone so uneasy about this meeting. I sat down on my chair while I slam my hand softly into the table and look at Jane with seriousness about this topic.
"You must understand our predicament, Jane. You know Kae has the potential to make it on the team and you also know the more people we have on the team, the better chance of us finding a way out of Lucas's expulsion." I explain, seriously.
I look Jane becoming hesitated about her decision as she glances at her into me which made her look away shyly.
"M-Maybe you have a point, and I did know she could help us a lot better." Jane mutters, sadly. "I didn't want to admit to her power and how useful she could be." Jane whisper.
I scratch my head as I didn't know of Jane's true feeling and everyone began to comfort her.
"C-Cheer up Jane! You are strong and very useful." Jennifer said.
"I agree with Jennifer, you should give yourself some credit for your ability and line of thinking." Ayakane smile.
I felt relief and happy to see friends helping each other from the bad times. I turn to see Kae looking a bit confuse and lonely after witnessing Jane's closeness with the rest of the team.
"In any case, Kae will join the team from now on so please get along with each other so we can stop the Shadow and Luke's plan." I explain, smiling.
"My name is Kae Sakagami; I hope we can work together." Kae spoke, while bowing gracefully.
I laugh nervously to Kae's unnecessary bow and everyone became speechless at Kae's bow. She remains like that which made everyone worry and a bit sorry for trying to push her away or disliking the idea of working together with her.
"You don't have to bow Kae, it is immature of us for not realize your feeling so, I apologize of behalf of the team." Ayakane bow.
"O-Oh! You don't have to bow to us, if senpai agree with you joining us, t-then I will accept you to our party!" Jennifer bow.
"I guess I have to apologize for my rudeness so I am sorry for causing you trouble and I hope we can get along." Jane bow.
I became slightly nervous as everyone began to stare at me and the rest bowing to each other. I felt a bit uneasy but I am happy to see each other slowly getting alone with Kae. After the strange event, everyone began to talk with Kae and Kae slowly adapting to her new environment. I notice our group, our family slowly growing from the past few days and I just felt happy to see my family becoming happy.
I will protect this, this scenery from anything until the very end.
As I join the conversation, a sudden turn of event happen as Jennifer brought a certain topic to the group. The girl began to chat among each others while eating their desire food and I began eating as I listen to their conversation.
"Senpai, do you know where baby come from?" Jennifer asks, curious.
Kae and Jane suddenly cough at the question which made me curious as to their reaction. I grab a napkin to clean my mouth so I can answer the easy questions and while those two recover from their choking.
"Of course, it is a rather easy question to answer so I don't mind if I teach you the steps." I answer, smiling.
Suddenly, I felt a familiar tug of my shirt's and Jane glaring at me from something I haven't done wrong. I could see Kae shaking her head with disappointment which made me feel a shame of my self, for some reason.
"I never imagine Luck teaching little girl about that kind of subject, I lost some respect for you." Kae spoke.
"I agree, I believe in you and this is how the leader should act in front of the girls." Jane angrily asks.
"I don't understand why you two are so riled up? What did I do?" I ask, fluster.
"You know what I mean, talking about…about that stuff!" Jane angrily responds, blushing.
I couldn't understand what she meant by that since I see her blushing and not looking at me. Luckily, Ayakane step up to join the conversation and clear up this misunderstanding.
"Jane, I think you should listen to Luck and tell her the answer to where baby coming from. It is what an adult should do when the time come." Ayakane calmly explain
Jane became silent as she release me from her grasp and I felt more confuse from bringing that up. Jennifer looks confuse as well from Kae and Jane's strange behavior toward the answer to the baby question.
"In fact, we role-played that and he told me I was very good despite my first-"
Ayakane words became interrupted as Jane angrily and tightly grab my shirt once more.
"Here we go again!" I said.
"You did what!" Jane screams.
I am drag around in the air like a doll by Jane's strength and making me more worry about myself. I couldn't understand why Jane is so angry at me from answering the question.
"So, that's a no.." Jennifer mutters, scare.
I felt light-headed from the shaking but I felt like I need to answer this question for a friend so I muster my strength to speak up.
"Baby comes from-"
"Don't you dare!" Jane angrily commands.
Her shaking became wild and hard as I felt like I could pass out from the lack of oxygen.
"Bird." I whizz.
Suddenly, Jane's shaking stop as I spoke my answer and I felt relief as she releases me from her trap. My body lay on the table, lifeless from that dangerous girl looking confuse from my answer and I pray for the heaven for such reaction.
"Bird?" Kae wonder.
I raise my head as I smirk while I adjust my glasses at Kae's lack of understanding of such topic unlike me. I had this knowledge for a very long time so I know about maturity more than anyone here.
"Yeah, Luck told me if two person love each other enough by hugging, then a bird will approach the couple with their baby." Ayakane happily explain.
I nod to the explanation told by Ayakane and those two became speechless of my superior intellect.
"Wow, really!? I never knew that, thank you for sharing that, senpai." Jennifer smile.
"No problem, I will be here to share my knowledge to anyone who need it." I reply, proudly.
"I envy your innocent.." Jane mutters, tired.
"Me too." Kae sigh.
Our lunchtime came to a close as the bell rang and making us say our farewell to each before leaving the cafeteria. Me and Jane reunite with Luke as we resume our study in the homeroom.
August 30
Tuesday
After School
School end which made me us leave quickly from the school building to resume our investigation and quickly enter the Hotspot as we all gather together. The eerie atmospheres welcome us and the faint of the moonlight barely illuminate our entrance as usual.
"So, what's the plan? Are we going to head out for the 2nd floor with four people?" Luke asks, curious.
I began thinking on the plan since we have a total of six people in the team and this could change a bit. As I look around while I think, I notice a strange blue automatic door with the door "Velvet room" flashing very brightly and I could see a young girl staring at me.
"What the.." I mutters, confuse,
"What's wrong? Do you see something?" Jane asks.
I slowly raise my right hand to point at the obvious door flashing at us and try to explain the girl.
"Can you guys see the door and Martha standing next to it?" I answer.
Everyone turns toward the direction of the door and they seem confuse as if they didn't notice the door itself. Except for Kae, she looks like she could see it but she look like she is hesitating to make out the door.
"I see it but.." Kae mutters. "At the same time, I can't make the shape of it." Kae sigh.
"Wow! A mystery door that could lead you to the other side-Oh! Is like Narnia!" Jennifer spoke, excitedly.
"But we can't see it, I wonder why?" Ayakane wander.
I approach Martha to gather some answer and an explanation to this door which she look like she wanted to talk to me.
"Ah, hello Luck, I was waiting patiently for your arrival." Martha spoke.
"Waiting? For what exactly?" I wander.
I tilt my head in confusion and I see her taking out a blue glowing key from behind her back. I use my hand to block the shining blue light from my eyes and I became shock to see something like this appearing to me.
"This is the key to the velvet room; you may take it and use it to enter the velvet room on your own accord. I came to give you the key since you will need it for the journey ahead." Martha explains.
I slowly grab the key which vanish from my hand and I began to feel something within my palm. I check my right hand as I stretch it near the door to see it open to me and I gasp with excitement at the possibility of entering that place on my own. Martha smiles at my excitement and enter the velvet room.
"I hope we can help you escape your unavoidable fate.." Martha echoes.
Martha disappear from this realm while the door close on its own and leaving me to my own thoughts.
"Hey Luck!"
My eyes widens as I realize I forgot about my friends and my current environment. I turn around to see them all confuse by me and I quickly bring my hand back as I try to explain to them what I know.
"Guys, can't you see the velvet room's door?" I ask, seriously.
There is a slight pause to my question as they look behind me and I expect to hear the obvious answer from the door standing behind me.
"What door? Are you pulling my leg again.." Jane sighs.
"I don't see it, are you feeling alright? We don't have to explore Hotspot if you aren't feeling into it." Luke said, slightly worry.
I became speechless to hear their answer relating to the door and I turn to the door feeling a bit unsure of it. Everyone approach me as they began to worry about my question and perhaps my health.
"Luck, why don't we take a break here? I could help you walk home if you like." Ayakane smile.
"Y-Yeah, we don't want the leader of the party to lose due to bad status a-and stuff.." Jennifer agrees, worrying.
"But I am not sick; I can truly see the door right in front of me!" I answer, confidently.
I clench my right hand as I am very confident of the velvet room existence but I couldn't explain why they couldn't see. Suddenly, Mae began to walk next to me and while looking at the door which made me think of something.
"I think I can see it…" Kae mumbles.
"You can?" I ask.
"Faintly, but I can see it if I concentrate hard enough. In any case, we should focus on the task involving this "investigation" run you guys mention." Kae spoke.
I nod as I agree with her plan and I could explain the velvet room in another time if possible. I turn around to face my friends and comrades with a strong confidence.
"The plan of today will be a two-man team, due to Kae joining our team; we will split up in the 2nd floor to search the key of that lock. I, Kae, and Jennifer will take the right; meanwhile Jane, Luke, and Ayakane will handle the left." I instruct.
Everyone understood their position and we didn't have the luxury to spend on planning since we really needed to make some progress in here. We ran across the 1st floor with our eyes set on finding the key and strong confidence with our skill on handling the Shadow now. As we reach the 2nd floor, we all split into to two team taking over the 2nd floor with Jane, Luke, and Ayakane tracing the left hall and Kae, Jennifer, and myself going to the right hall. As I wander here, I remember that time that Shadow follow us through here and smile as I awoken my Personal in this very hallway. We battle through many Shadows lurking around to prevent them from ganging us with numbers and secure a safe route along the way. I quickly notice something odd about Jennifer's Persona, Lyra; she look transparent from the look of it and I also notice Jennifer still having the school's uniform which was odd since she should of have a new wardrobe upon awakening.
….
I didn't make a big deal of it because as we made progress on arriving to the end of the hallway, I could hear muffle music getting louder and louder. We made a quick break as we took shelter in the classroom closest to the last room of this halfway and I could hear muffle music playing next door very loudly which very comfortable to hear it.
"D-Did you guys heart that!? T-That creepy music playing next door…waa! I don't like creepy stuff.." Jennifer spoke, frighten.
"Wait, if you don't like creepy stuff, then why join the paranormal team in the first place since they are about the weirdness of the world." Kae ask, curious.
Jennifer looks flustered by Kae's questions and slowly turn to me while thinking as she hesitate.
"I-I want to protect my f-friends." Jennifer stutters. "E-Even if I face the s-scary stuff out here, I w-will stay brave…or at least try to be.." Jennifer shyly answers.
"Don't worry, you don't have to be brave for us. We can support each other weakness and you can rely on me for some help, both here and outside too." I explain.
Jennifer smile at my comfort answer and she look a bit calmer despite the music still lingering. Meanwhile, Kae began to hear the music through the wall by putting her right ear in the wall and began listening.
"I see…" Kae mutters.
We look at each other puzzle by her action and we follow her lead as we join her. I could hear the music very clearly and it sound familiar to me but I have no grasp of it. It sound like someone is playing the piano of a soothing song but the thing that make it uncomfortable is the distort sound.
"The song follows the same rhythm as "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Although, that doesn't explain on whom or what thing can produce those sound." Kae explain.
"She's r-right! It does sound like that song." Jennifer gasp, surprise.
"As expected from the main heroine to quickly find the song's origin." I smile.
Kae blush a bit from our compliment and look very uncomfortable for being treated kindly from her new friends.
"It wasn't a bid deal.." Kae mutters.
"In any case, that room there is the only rooms we haven't check so, let's head in there to probably find the key for that lock." I spoke.
"D-Do we have to?".." Jennifer ask, slightly frighten.
"We must, we need to find something in here in order to help us with the expulsion. Come on." I happily instruct.
I left the eerie room follow by the obedient Kae and the scare Jennifer to find the answer of that sound. We pass through Shadow walking around the hallways and manage to enter the room. As we enter the dark room, we notice nothing in this with the exception of a worn-out piano strangely making those sounds from before. I became dumbfound to see the piano playing by itself without a person playing it and the other have somewhat same reaction. My eyes widen as the moonlight reflect on the key handing above the piano is visible and I couldn't believe my luck.
"Look, the key." I point.
"You are right, but somehow I get the feeling it won't be easy as it looks. We need to be careful with this thing and be preparing for anything." Kae advices.
"Y-Yeah! We can do it. We can do it." Jennifer repeats, as she whisper.
We all materialize our weapon as we slowly approach and I aim my camera toward the piano still playing for vision. I immediately stop as my camera show me something I didn't paid attention and it was too late to retreat. My eyes widens with shock to see a giant spider looking back at me from the gaping hole above the piano, holding the key with her web.
"What is that.." I mumble.
"W-W-We can't do it!" Jennifer yells.
[Chapter 23 End]