And now here is Part 2! Yeah, this definitely needed to be its own chapter.
I know there's a divide between people who don't want to be spoiled and people who want to be warned, so I shall offer this which you can read backwards if you want: redrum a sereht.
Enjoy.
Chapter Two, Part Three
komaeda theater
"I never wanted any of them to suffer. And I wanted them to know that. I could never entirely explain what I was trying to do, no matter how many times I tried. The language I spoke, and the language they spoke, they slid through each other and each side came out saying something different than what they'd meant.
"And that's why I can never explain myself. Why you'll always react with fear. Why my words bounce off your mind without ever entering."
Hinata had been wondering when he could have a conversation with Togami that didn't make a sort of ambiguous space in his chest that felt like it might be his soul hurt, but he hadn't expected to find success so soon.
"Sonia came around a lot this morning," he said to him as they approached the bridge to the central island. They hadn't planned to walk together to their next shift – it had just kind of happened. "I couldn't understand half of what you guys were saying, but she sounded excited."
"Heh. That would be French you heard." Togami smirked. "I encountered her in the library the other day, and after a short conversation I lent her a book of my own I thought she might like, and she certainly has."
"I remember her saying she talked to you a few days ago," Hinata said, though Sonia had not shared this side of their meeting. "A French book? What was it?"
"The Vicomte of Bragelonne, by the nineteenth-century novelist Alexandre Dumas. You may have heard of its third volume, The Man In The Iron Mask."
"Uh."
"I'm not surprised you don't know it. But that third volume is a particular favorite of mine. It concerns an entirely anonymous prisoner, hidden and punished simply for being the brother of the King, portrayed in such a way that anyone could relate themselves to him and his plight…" Togami paused. "It's the kind of thing that fascinates me."
"Really?" It occurred to Hinata that he'd never really thought of Togami's interests, or what he did in his free time. During their shifts they'd mostly ended up talking about Hinata – Hinata's family, Hinata's past, Hianta's interests. "I never would have known."
"Do you think it foolish? What a pity your mind is so small." They had reached the island, and turned the corner to head for the park. "I would loan it to you when she's finished, to change your mind, but I don't imagine you read French."
"Yeah, no. I mean, I would if I did."
"Then when we leave this island, I'll buy you a translation." Togami turned the corner to the path to the park. "We're here."
When Hinata turned after him, he saw that Owari was not in her position by the game. She was waiting at the entrance of the park with her arms folded and a grin on her face, and when Togami approached she spread herself out in front of him, blocking his path. "Yo, Togami!" she said. "Took you long enough!"
Togami shot Hinata a bewildered look, and then turned back. "What do you mean? I'm several minutes early. Why are you over here?"
"Yeah, whatever," Owari said. "Listen, old man Nidai told me all about what you can do. Do you know how long I've been looking for someone else on this island to fight besides him?" She pounded her fist into her palm. "Come on! If you can fight him, you can fight me!"
"Fight him?" Hinata said, his eyebrows narrowed in disbelief. He looked over at Togami, who looked even more surprised than before.
"Owari –" he began, then regained his composure with a chuckle. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, both of you. But I have no intention of joining your lifestyle of –"
"Yeah, yeah," Owari said. "I thought you'd say something like that, so I'm way ahead of you. If you won't fight on my terms, I'll fight on yours!"
"On mine?" Togami's eyes narrowed. "You're not making any sense."
"I mean we're going to have an eating contest!" Owari said. "At the restaurant, right now. Loser takes the next two shifts!"
Hinata had never seen such a look on Togami's face as he had at the sound of her words, nor did he know how to interpret it. His best guess would be rage mixed with something like awe, or impatience. "An…excuse me?"
"You heard me!" Owari shouted. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"
"Owari, we can't begin a contest your competitor has not yet agreed to!" Nidai, too, had left his post by the game and was now approaching Togami and Hinata. "Togami! What is your answer?"
"My answer?" Togami sounded as though he was having difficulty forming words. "What could you possibly have thought I'd say? How could you ask me to abandon my post on such a frivolous premise?"
"Making excuses, Togami?" Owari grinned. "Sounds like something a chicken would do."
"A chicken?" Togami looked livid. "Absolutely not. Haven't I told you before? There is no way for you to prove your superiority to me in that field. It will only lead to your ruin. I am simply saying that the logistics for such a thing aren't workable."
"AN UNTRUTH!" Nidai roared. "From the passion in your words I can tell you are burning to prove yourself! You cannot let such a small thing as logistics stand in your way!"
"I've already told you. Don't try to impose your standards on me." Togami's voice grew louder with every word. "This will not be happening. At a more convenient time I may…consider it."
Owari's face fell, and at the sight – really the sight of them both together – an idea entered Hinata's mind. "But that's not really a problem, is it?" he said. "I could stay here with Nidai until you're done."
Togami's eyes went wide again, but Nidai spoke before he could. "I understand the logic of this, but not to be present for such a thing…I would not allow it of myself!"
"And for that matter, what exactly are you suggesting?" Togami said. "You will be attending this contest, Hinata. To only have Nidai as a witness would not be enough."
"Hey, weren't you just saying that it wasn't happening?" Owari said. "You're talking like it is!"
"If you are asking for a no or a yes, I have said neither," Togami said. "Do you hear me, Hinata? That is an order!"
"Well…if you say so," Hinata said. He sounded reluctant, even if he was curious as to how this would play out, deep down. "We could get Pekoyama and Mioda to take over."
"Yeah, about that…" Owari put a hand on her chin. "I dunno about Pekoyama, but Mioda came through here earlier and I kind of ran my mouth. She said she wanted to be there no matter what."
"Are you even giving Togami a choice?" Hinata said.
"It's more like her arguments are getting more convincing," Togami said. "As much as I would appreciate having Mioda there to swell the number of witnesses to my victory, this leaves only Pekoyama to guard the game." He put a hand to his chin. "For this to occur at all, we must call on one of the others. But who?"
"There's got to be someone willing to sit in for half an hour," Hinata said. "And if anything happens Pekoyama's more than capable of handling it."
"Very well," Togami said. "Hinata, thank you for volunteering. Go and find them!"
"Hey, wait, I never said I was volunteering!" Hinata said, but he knew his fate was sealed. As he walked away from the park and back to the second island, he tried to turn what had just happened over in his mind – particularly why Togami had accepted such a strange challenge. He wondered if this was something like his sudden desire to hold a party. But then he remembered the role of Komaeda's letter, and stopped thinking along those lines.
He ran into Souda on the way, and thinking he might be reasonably strong he made his offer, but ended up with another spectator instead – "You're really asking me to choose between standing around doing nothing and watching a contest like that?" he'd said. He then found Pekoyama in her cottage; to his relief, she not only showed no interest in the contest, but agreed to take over the shift.
They were just about to leave the hotel and ask around for volunteers when Kuzuryuu happened to pass them on his way to the cottages. Hinata hadn't planned on asking him, but to his surprise Pekoyama took the initiative – and to his even greater surprise Kuzuryuu actually stopped and considered it.
"Hm, okay," he finally said. "Why not."
Pekoyama nodded calmly, but Hinata was thunderstruck. "You really will?" he said. "But you…"
"What, do I have to explain myself before I can do it?" Kuzuryuu shouted. "You're desperate, aren't you? Just get us over there and leave me alone, shithead!"
"Fine, whatever," Hinata said. They walked back to the island in silence, and arrived to find Owari and Togami entrenched in an intense trash-talking session ("And why exactly are you so confident, Owari? I can't imagine you have anywhere near my levels of experience." "Hey, I've never needed experience!"). Kuzuryuu's presence did silence them, but it was clear no one wanted to be the one to tell him to go away.
"If he's willing to do the job, there's no reason to refuse him," Togami finally pronounced. "But given that his role in the watch is unofficial…I would ask you to keep a close eye on him, Pekoyama."
"I'd watch my own ass if I were you," Kuzuryuu snipped, but Pekoyama nodded and said nothing. They took their places in the park – Pekoyama by the game, Kuzuryuu by the pedestal – while Togami stepped off for the first island bridge, closely followed by Owari, Nidai, and Hinata.
When they were just out of sight, Kuzuryuu's hands began to twitch, but he did nothing, not then.
After several moments he stood from his position against the pedestal, and then leaned back. Pekoyama did nothing. He stood again, walked across the park, and stopped at the game console. Pekoyama did nothing. He turned it on with the press of a button, and watched the opening sequence play.
Pekoyama looked back at him with her eyes wide – not with shock, but with interest. Kuzuryuu glanced over his shoulder, and froze when he saw her look.
He lifted his hands, but only for a second. Then, he put them back. "Make sure no one enters the park," he said.
"No one will, young master." Pekoyama turned away from Kuzuryuu, and kept her eyes on the road.
They met Souda and Mioda in the hotel lobby, along with Tsumiki and Nanami, to their surprise. Apparently they'd been playing video games together when Souda had arrived and filled them in on the situation. Tsumiki apologized for intruding, but did say it might be in their best interests for her to supervise the event. Nanami said the contest sounded exciting before falling asleep briefly where she stood.
Owari rushed upstairs without stopping to talk to anyone. Togami was about to do the same, but Mioda accosted him and began filling his ears with words of encouragement. "There's no way Byakuya-chan is going to lose in eating or anything else he does!" she said. "Even if someday Ibuki and Byakuya-chan had a headbanging contest, Ibuki would make sure to teach him all she knows!" Togami nodded, but said almost nothing as they walked up the stairs.
The rest of them followed after. "S'gonna be an interesting night," Souda said to Hinata as they went up. "Eating contests, they're kinda like, you can't understand them but you can't look away. You know what I'm saying?"
"I get why you'd think that, but I don't think it's really like that at all," Hinata said. "Especially since they're so passionate about it."
"Yeah, exactly!" Souda laughed. Hinata got the feeling he was trying to cover for a comment that hadn't gone over well.
"Whatever the medium, what matters is the competitive spirit," Nidai added. "And that will be very thick tonight!"
"And it is nice to see Togami-kun being social like this," Nanami said softly. But no one had the chance to answer her – they had reached the top of the stairs, or at least as far as they could get given that Owari, Togami, and Mioda had stopped in their path.
"Upupupupu! And there's everyone else! It's about time!" Hinata groaned at the sight of Monobear, who was leaping up and down on a chair, clapping his paws together. Right next to him were two tables labeled "TOGAMI" and "OWARI", each laid with precisely identical spreads of food.
"Howaa!" Tsumiki whimpered. "It's you!"
"It's me!" Monobear laughed. "Well, what do you think? This setup is much fairer for a contest, isn't it?"
"Well, yeah, probably!" Mioda said. "But that's so far from the point Ibuki can't even see where it is!"
Hinata was too stunned for words, but Nidai surged forward. "What is the meaning of this?" he shouted. "What motive could you possibly have?"
"My motive? You guys would all know if you ever considered my feelings for once!" Monobear said. "There haven't been any murders for six days, and we've gotten to the point where this is the only interesting thing going on! I'm practically dying of boredom, and if I do you bastards'll have to go on trial for killing ME!"
"This will have to be something for you to get used to, then," Togami said. "There will not be another murder. Get out."
"Ack! How ungrateful you are, Togami-kun!" Monobear held his head in his paws. "But how do you know that? Do you know your classmates as well as you think you do?"
Togami's eyes widened, but only briefly. "Perhaps I wasn't clear. Get. Out. Now."
"Gnaah! Again! Well, I'm a bear that knows what he wants. If I stay here you guys are just going to yell at me, and you're not going to get started stuffing your faces! Looks like I'll just have to watch through the security cameras. Just in case you bastards forgot I could do that." Monobear hopped down from his chair. "But, if you're in this kind of mood, maybe I can just get my sister to come over here and watch you up close! I bet you'd hate that!"
"Monobear, if you're going to leave, you should," Nanami said, her tone dark.
"Hey, you're the ones blocking the road!" Monobear waited until everyone had cleared out from the stairs before he vanished without using them.
For a moment the room was silent, apart from Tsumiki's whimpers. "I don't know," Souda finally said. "It feels weird having Monobear involved like this…"
"But like he said, it wouldn't have made a difference," Hinata said. "It isn't any different now than it was before. And if you're worried about the food, it looks like the same thing he gives us every day."
"Hinata's right. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire point of his appearance was to undermine us." Togami pointed toward the tables. "The contest will go on!"
"Alright! Finally!" Owari sat down at her table and rubbed her hands together. "Let's eat until we puke!"
"Wait – until we puke?" Togami looked between Owari and Nidai with a horrified expression as he too sat. "This is not what I agreed to. Why would you ever want to create a situation where eating is made unpleasant?"
"We're not," Nidai said. "Togami has a point. It would be best if we lay down some rules for the contest."
"How about a time limit?" Nanami offered. "That way no one gets sick…I think."
"An excellent idea!" Nidai said. "I'm imposing a fifteen-minute time limit! The winner is the one who consumes the most food within that time! And no puking! If any food leaves your stomach, you're disqualified!"
"Heh. This will not be a problem, especially not for me." Togami split his chopsticks and eyed the food with determination. "Will we begin soon, Nidai?"
"So Nidai's just in charge now?" Hinata said, but Nidai seemed to roll with it, all the way down to the stopwatch in his hand, which for all Hinata could tell just happened to be in his pocket. "Contestants, take your places!" Nidai bellowed. "Three – two – one –"
Before he could finish saying "NOW!", Togami and Owari bowed their heads and began eating as fast as they could, glaring daggers at each other all the while. Mioda let out a wild whoop and began stamping on the floorboards in a steady rhythm, chanting Togami's name – "By-a-kuya-CHAN! By-a-kuya-CHAN!" Tsumiki looked unnerved by the sudden noise, but also absorbed by the sight before her. Nanami and Souda cheered along – Souda for Owari, Nanami for them both – while Hinata stood silent, first stunned, then impressed.
It wasn't just their intake – though that was pretty impressive, Hinata had to admit. He wasn't sure he could eat in a day what they'd eaten in five minutes. But greater still was the way that everyone's passion was coming alive, that everything that had happened and could happen had been forgotten in the spirit of the competition. But soon he realized it hadn't been forgotten; the contest was a sign that they were conquering their situation and moving ahead.
As time passed it became clear that, for all that he'd said, Owari was eating far faster than Togami was, likely because she'd ditched the chopsticks entirely, while Togami had not. She did slow down around the ten minute mark, but then she paused, belched loudly (Togami wrinkled his nose, while Souda bust out laughing), unbuttoned her skirt, and went on. But it was only a temporary reprieve – at the twelve minute mark she started slowing down again, and a few seconds later she pushed her last plate back. But she was far from defeated – Togami was still several plates behind. Everyone cheered, even Tsumiki and Hinata, and Ibuki switched from stomping to jumping up and down, but Togami neither sped up nor slowed down, and just as it seemed he was catching up –
"TIME!" Nidai yelled. "I SAID TIME! STOP!"
"What?" Togami let the last of the noodles fall from his chopsticks. "What do you mean? Are you sure –"
"All RIGHT!" Owari leapt up from her seat and pointed skyward. "I did it! I beat him!" She swung around and aimed a grin right at Togami. "In your face, Porkfeet!"
Togami glared at Owari, and stood in order to raise himself above her. "I am not yet even close to full," he said. "Given more time I would have eaten far more than you. This contest was in your favor."
"I don't think anyone had any way of knowing that before now, Togami-kun," Nanami said. "Owari-san won fair and square."
"Though if you'd gone for the "eat until you puke" option, maybe you would have won," Hinata felt compelled to add.
"T-that wouldn't have been a good option either way," Tsumiki said.
"Of course it is! Ibuki demands a rematch!" Mioda shouted. "Ibuki would say right now but she sees that's not really possible!"
"I think I would like that idea," Togami said. "Owari, I will challenge you again tomorrow evening."
"Yeah, yeah," Owari said. "Everyone knows you're only saying that because you lost."
"Of course I am." Togami smirked. "But it wouldn't be the same contest, would it? This was a contest of speed, not sheer consumption."
"He is correct," Nidai said. "And you still performed admirably, Togami."
"So it'd be different? I getcha." Owari smirked. "But don't expect it to be as easy as you think, old man!"
"Oh, it won't be," Togami said. "I'll make sure of it."
Mioda let out a loud "OOOOOOOOOO", and no one could hold back at least some laughter. Souda elbowed Hinata in the ribs. "Did you hear her call him old man?" he said. "That's usually just Nidai she calls that."
"A term of respect," Hinata said, more to himself than to Souda. "How about that."
"Alright!" Mioda yelled. "The event's over! Where's the afterparty?"
"There will be nothing of the sort," Togami said. "Hinata, come. We have a long night ahead of us."
"Wait…" Hinata felt numb. "Do I have to do the two shifts, too?"
Togami looked scandalized. "Are you refusing?"
"No, no…"
"Ibuki could do it for you!"
"It's fine, Mioda, really…"
"Can Ibuki hang out, at least?" Mioda said, looking expectantly up at Togami.
"That's not something you need my permission for." Togami headed for the stairs, beckoning behind him with one hand. "Come on, Hinata."
"One second." Hinata, feeling a sudden burst of inspiration, turned to his left. "Hey, Nanami…want to come hang out for a bit, too?"
Nanami was still for a few seconds before she spoke. "I was in the middle of a game. Maybe another time."
"Right…okay." He grinned to hide his disappointment, then joined Mioda and Togami as they entered the stairs, leaving everyone else to follow behind. Nanami and Tsumiki stayed behind at the game consoles, and Owari headed back to her cottage, citing a stomachache, but Souda and Nidai followed them to the central island, talking and laughing all the way.
They found Pekoyama and Kuzuryuu exactly where they had left them before, motionless and silent. Pekoyama gave them a brief goodbye, while Kuzuryuu did not, and they walked away from the park several feet apart from each other.
Souda and Nidai returned to the central island after chatting for a few minutes. Mioda stayed much longer, but soon even she began showing signs of fatigue (from all the stomping she'd been doing, Hinata was sure), at which time Togami gently nudged her to head back to her cottage and rest.
"How could she do this? How the FUCK could she do this?"
"Young master, until we know the full context of these photographs, we can't assume what we're seeing is real."
"But it's her! You can't deny it! She's dead, Peko!"
"I can't deny that's what it looks like, but Monobear is both powerful and deceptive. I wouldn't think image manipulation is beyond him."
"But how does he even know what she looks like? And where the hell is she, anyway? And how did all these people know each other? These uniforms…this is…this can't be…"
"Young master, I didn't mean to imply that I was certain that the photos were faked. I merely wanted you to consider the possibility. But I trust your judgment. Given what we've seen of Monobear's moral codes, I suppose it is more likely that these photos are real."
"And they're hers, aren't they? She took them and then she lied."
"A flagrant act of disrespect against the Kuzuryuu family. Not to mention conspiracy in the murder of your sister."
"But she can't remember. And we can't remember. And these rules… what are we supposed to do? Peko, what the fuck are we supposed to do?"
"I live by your orders, young master. I don't give you yours."
"I'm not asking you for orders, I'm asking you for advice! And stop calling me that!"
"Calling you what?"
"'Young master.' You call me by my name around everyone else, don't you?"
"Wouldn't that be what a stranger would do? Didn't you say we were to be strangers? That you didn't need the help of the Kuzuryuu family? And yet you just asked me for advice, and retracted your previous orders –"
"I know what I said, Peko!"
"Very well. If you are willing to take that advice, it looks to me like we have only two options. We do nothing, or we kill her."
"…What?"
"You can't show anyone these photos. In fact, I would recommend destroying them at the earliest opportunity. If anyone discovers them, or anything we've learned from them, it's likely they'll report directly to Togami. If Koizumi learns anything about her past, it should only be in the last moments of her life."
"I don't care about that. But if we kill her…"
"Why would you be hesitating? The people on this island are nothing more than the means for your escape, you've said it yourself. Mahiru Koizumi attempted to hide the slayer of a key member of the Kuzuryuu family from those that would need to exact revenge on her. She has taken that burden on herself. I don't need to tell you what this means."
"Of course you don't! But – Peko –"
"Say the word and I'll strike her down. If it's by your command it would be as if you carried the sword yourself."
"That's not the point. She's not worth it, Peko. She's not worth what we'll have to do."
"If only one of us can leave this island, it will be you. I will not allow anything else, no matter what our connections are. You understand that, don't you, young master?"
"I told you to stop calling me that!"
"…I apologize."
"I can't accept that, Peko. And I can't do nothing, but if I do…that god damn fucking bear…"
"It is your decision. I will not force your hand one way or another. But one of those things must be done."
"You want me to kill her."
"I want to kill her in your stead. But if it is your order to hand this over to you, I will."
"I'm not ordering you."
"If it is your will, then."
"That's not any better. I'll…I'll decide on something. But not right now. Right now I can't think of anything."
"When you make this decision, will it be one I can know about?"
"You'll know that tomorrow. Tomorrow for sure."
"I understand. What will you do with the photos?"
"I'll get up early and burn them on the beach."
"I may join you."
"Won't you be stuck by the game?"
"I'll see what I can do. It's getting late. I'll have to go while I can. Goodnight, young master."
"Fuyuhiko."
"Hm?"
"You can call me Fuyuhiko."
"…I understand. Goodnight, Fuyuhiko."
"I could have won. Given just a few more moments I could have won."
"And that makes the fifth time you've said that." Hinata absently shredded a blade of grass. It was quite dark; the only lights they had were the moon and the dim park lamps.
"And why does that surprise you?" Togami was sitting next to Hinata instead of standing by the game, but other than that and some shortness of breath he didn't seem to have been affected by the amount of food he'd eaten. "When someone presumes themselves superior to you, aren't you consumed with the desire to prove them wrong?"
"Consumed is a strong word," Hinata said.
Togami did not say anything for some time. He didn't look especially upset about losing – in fact, he looked content, more so than Hinata had ever seen. But then his expression slid to one more thoughtful. "Did you happen to see Koizumi come in, Hinata?"
"Wait…are you asking or telling me she did?"
"She did. Around the eight minute mark." Togami stood up. "She came in, took one look, and turned right back around."
Hinata was impressed that Togami could have seen that. "I guess she didn't want to be seen. I didn't see her."
"I've been negligent." Togami turned away from Hinata. "I had no need to act as I did toward her. I did not gauge how she would react, and now I've waited too long to apologize." His head fell. "I've made an enemy of her."
It took Hinata a moment to remember what he was talking about. "Look, if you really want to make it up to her –"
"What are you presuming?" Togami turned back, his expression neutral. "Tch, how foolish. As long as everyone is safe, it shouldn't matter what they think of me. Great leaders often do not receive their due until long in the future."
That completely contradicts what you just said, Hinata thought. "Well, okay," he said. "But if it ever occurs to you to want to fix things, it's really not too late."
"That…hm. I understand. Thank you, Hinata."
"Anytime." Hinata looked up at the moon, then around the park. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
"None. But based on the moon's movement I would guess that it's just after –" Togami looked up at the moon, then froze, and extended his finger skyward. "Hinata…get up and tell me what you see."
"Hm?" Hinata stood and looked where Togami was pointing. He didn't see anything at first – and then against the black backdrop he saw a thin grey column of smoke, which he soon realized was much thicker and darker than he had initially assumed. It had climbed about halfway up his view of the sky; Hinata looked down the column to see it disappear into the trees around the first island.
He was just about to speak when the screams began.
Togami looked at him, then back at the game, then took off down the path without another word. He was a good distance away before Hinata could react and run after him.
Pekoyama's cottage was near-engulfed by the time they arrived.
Flame spurted from all the windows, and already the roof was crumbling to cinders, though the rest of the building looked intact from the outside. Many of the others were scattered nearby, a good number of them in their pajamas. Hinata was just wondering why they weren't doing anything when Souda and Owari ran in from the hotel entrance, carrying several buckets strung up and down their arms. They shed them, kept one each, and bent over the side of the boardwalk, filling their buckets with water while others ran to grab the rest.
Without a second thought, Hinata grabbed one as well. Togami had run past this operation; he was shouting something to Nidai but Hinata couldn't hear or concentrate. He looked at the cottage, he watched the flames leap into the air and reminded himself of just how powerless his small bucket and highly flammable body would be against them, and then he examined those around him, hoping against hope that he'd see Pekoyama, and realized from the looks on everyone's faces that he'd not been the first to search.
"We pulled as hard as we could on the door," Nidai said, his voice coming through loudly and suddenly. "It's stuck, or locked…"
"Mioda-san called out to her, to see if she could open the door," Sonia added. Hinata turned and saw her standing with Togami and Nidai, biting her lip and wringing her hands. "But we haven't gotten an answer…"
"Then keep trying!" Togami shouted. "In the meantime, if we can get the fire around the windows down, we may be able to use one of them to get in…" Togami stopped suddenly, and looked around wildly. "Koizumi. I don't see Koizumi. Where's Koizumi?!"
"Hey! I'm right here!" Hinata turned to see Koizumi not far off, standing in her pajamas with a bucket of water in her hands. "Stop shouting and help us!"
Togami's brow furrowed, but he ran for the buckets immediately, with Sonia and Nidai at his heels. Hinata threw his own bucket; the water mostly splashed against the wall, but a bit did get into the window. This had no visible effect on the fire's size, but then again neither did Nanami, who got all the water in the window on the first try, and neither did anyone else.
As he bent to refill his bucket Hinata saw that Monomi had arrived; she had attempted and failed to pick up a bucket, and now stood by the sidelines, whimpering. Tsumiki, Sonia, Tanaka, and Mioda were with her – there hadn't been enough buckets for everyone, so they were yelling Pekoyama's name, though she didn't reply.
Hinata threw his second bucket, which once again uselessly hit the door, but as he bent to get another he was stopped by a loud crack. Half of the cottage roof fell in before his eyes, and the other half was wavering, along with the front wall, and burning timbers were falling onto the path –
"EVERYBODY MOVE!" five different people shouted. Hinata dropped his bucket and ran as fast as he could, and had just crossed over to the boys' side of the hotel when several more cracks were followed by a CRASH as the cottage collapsed. Smoke billowed from the wreckage, thicker and blacker than ever, and splinters and ash flew through the night air.
Koizumi screamed, and Hinata screamed along with her. Saionji swore loudly, Sonia closed her eyes and shook her head, and Nanami stared, her mouth open and her eyes hollow. Mioda trembled, pulling at her hair with her hands. "She's dead," she said. "She's dead, she's dead, she's dead, Peko-chan's dead…"
"No." Togami was looking at Mioda, so Hinata couldn't see his expression. "Don't say that. Not until we've found her."
Mioda hesitated. "Ibuki won't lose hope," she said, though she still looked uncertain.
Togami turned back, and Hinata could see that, far from the horror on everyone else's faces, he looked quite determined. "I don't see anything flying through the air anymore," he said. "We need to head back."
Togami took off before he finished speaking, and everyone followed after him. Hinata was about to run when a light came on in the cottage next to where he stood. Kuzuryuu ran out the door a split second later, hastily tying a bathrobe around his waist. "The hell's going on?" he yelled, stopping in front of Hinata. "What was that noise?"
Hinata hadn't even noticed Kuzuryuu wasn't there. "Pekoyama's cottage," he said, his words feeling wooden as they exited his mouth. "It's on fire – it collapsed –"
As Hinata spoke, the color drained from Kuzuryuu's face. "Where is she?" he said. "Peko – yama – where is she?"
Hinata knew the answer, but he couldn't say it. "She… she…"
"Don't fuck with me!" Kuzuryuu shouted. "Where the fuck is Peko?"
Peko? Before Hinata could say anything Kuzuryuu tore off, racing for the smoke plume. Hinata ran after him, yelling as he went. "Kuzuryuu! Kuzuryuu, wait!"
Kuzuryuu did not wait – he kept running away from Hinata, into the cloud of ash that surrounded what had been Pekoyama's cottage and the path that had led to it. Hinata saw the others coughing as they attempted to reach or fill the buckets, and ended up held back by his own coughing fit. The wreckage had fallen into the knee-deep water, but it was still burning fairly steadily. Those few that did manage to get their buckets full were throwing them on the flame. Kuzuryuu reached the edge of the boardwalk, then – to Hinata's utter disbelief – jumped down into the water, waded toward the remains, and began picking through them with his bare hands.
"What the – Kuzuryuu!" The second Togami saw him, he picked up the nearest bucket, dropped into the water, and headed for the spot where Kuzuryuu knelt. "What do you think you're doing? You don't know what's under there!"
"Go away!" Kuzuryuu shouted back, still tossing pieces of wood aside. "Leave me alone! Go –"
Kuzuryuu stuck his hands between two wooden beams, and there was a sudden, agonizing silence before he let out a bloodcurdling scream. Everyone turned their heads to look at him, but Hinata could already see his eyes bursting from his head and his face turning red with shock, and when Togami pulled him out he could see his hands flaming and blistering before his eyes – but only briefly, before Togami shoved them into the water.
For a second, Hinata thought that Togami was going to let Kuzuryuu have it – and the look on his face supported that theory. But then the moment passed, and it changed to one of determination. "We're going to get her out," he said in a voice Hinata could barely hear. "Do you understand?"
Kuzuryuu was no longer screaming, but he was still trembling and whimpering in pain, and tears and sweat were pouring down his cheeks. "We're going to get her out," Togami repeated. "Go up to Tsumiki, now."
Kuzuryuu shook his head rapidly. Near Hinata, Tsumiki fretted. "Oh – oh no – that won't do – I-I'll get some supplies! Just a moment!" She headed immediately for her own cottage.
In the meantime, Nidai, Owari, and Mioda had gotten to the wreckage, bringing full buckets with them. They poured them around the section where Kuzuryuu had been burned, and only then did Togami reach his own hands in. When he did, he stopped, and swung his head around. "She's under the beam!" he yelled up.
"YES! Hold on, Pekoyama, we're coming!" Souda leapt off the boardwalk and joined the fray. The rest of them broke into excited whispers; Hinata didn't say anything, but he felt an immense wave of relief, albeit one mixed with trepidation. When Souda reached the rest they were just pulling the beam up and away. Hinata couldn't see Pekoyama through the crowd, but he heard them excitedly yelling her name. Kuzuryuu stood behind them, trying to look through.
"No announcement…"
"Huh?" Hinata turned to his left, where Nanami stood. "What do you mean?"
"More than three people found her, and there's no announcement," Nanami said with a small smile. "She's still alive!"
"Oh dear…" Monomi stood at Nanami's feet, shaking and trembling. "Oh dear, oh dear, she must be in so much pain…"
"But she's alive!" Koizumi craned her neck to try and look over the others. "I think they're pulling her out!"
"Where? I can't see! Everyone's too tall!" Saionji jumped. "Big Sis Koizumi, put me on your shoulders!"
"That will not be necessary," Tanaka said. "Observe! She has risen!"
Saionji presumably turned her head back, but Hinata didn't need to. The crowd below had broken, and Nidai and Togami were carrying a huddled form between them, wrapped in each of their jackets. Everyone by the edge of the boardwalk stepped back; Nidai and Togami set Pekoyama down some feet from the edge, then hoisted themselves up, followed by the others that had gone in.
Everyone crowded immediately around her, but Hinata got one of the best views. It had to be Pekoyama, it couldn't be anyone else – but she was unrecognizable. Where her body wasn't red and blistered it was charred and black, and all of her hair had burnt away to wisps. She didn't scream – Hinata wasn't sure she could. She seemed to be channeling every ounce of energy remaining to her into taking short, jagged gasps of air.
"Pekoyama." Togami knelt by her side, though he kept his distance. Hinata recognized the look on his face – it was the same one he'd had just after he'd checked Komaeda's pulse. "Pekoyama, can you hear me? Tsumiki's coming, she'll –"
"Out of my way! Out of my way!" Kuzuryuu pushed Koizumi and Sonia apart and entered the circle, wincing with pain as he went. He knelt by Pekoyama's side and extended a trembling, blistered hand, but did not touch her.
"Peko…" he said. "Peko, it's me…"
Pekoyama did not appear to react to Kuzuryuu's words, and he did not repeat them. After what felt like an eternity of gasps, between one and what may have been another she stiffened, then lay slack. Her eyes did not close.
No one said a word. No one could. Tsumiki pushed past Hinata, carrying enough medical supplies for two, and found she only needed them for one. She attempted to pull Kuzuryuu away from where he sat, but to no avail – he refused to move his body, and his face was frozen, so Tsumiki muttered an apology and began dabbing ointment on his hands. Togami's expression did not change, but Hinata could see his fingers trembling as he pulled Nidai's jacket over Pekoyama's head.
In the remaining cottages, fifteen screens came alive at once, and Monobear's voice rang out strong throughout the hotel. "Pin pon pon! A body has been discovered! After a short period of investigation, we will start a school trial!"
Next, investigation time.
- Carth
