4/18
The winged retainer of the Lord spreads its arms wide. One hand grips a sword, the other is splayed in worship. "Repent," it cries, "if ever you hope to enjoy the splendors of His Kingdom!"
Bullets cascade up towards it, but collide harmlessly with an invisible barrier. The helmed servitor dips its head and regards Panther and Skull, weapons empty, in the center of the Chapel. "Such is the protection bestowed by Him."
Skull cracks a grin. "What's His stance on tridents?"
"BERITH!"
The golden, three-pronged weapon punches through the creature's back, and it moans in pain.
Joker, from where he had hidden behind the altar, smiles. Berith vanishes, but the wound in the holy defender remains. It falls towards the ground and a buffeting wind slams into its side. Mona's Zorro swings its rapier, and the thing smashes into the pews below.
As one they swarm it. Blades, whip, and pipe bash into it and the creature rears its head up once more, and collapses into ash.
Skull sits a pew, breath coming hard. "Holy shit, dude. That was worse than that thing in the library."
"Mooona," Panther whines. "How much further until we find this stupid treasure?"
"I think we're halfway."
"Halfway?" Skull groans. "But, like, that means we've still got half to go!"
"We know what halfway means, Skull."
Joker snatches a chalice off the altar and slides it into his pocket. He rolls his shoulders and cracks his neck. There is an audible pop as he does this.
"Hey," Skull says, as he looks from one thief to another. "Can we really do this?"
"Oh, come on," Joker says, turning back to them. A smirk is worn well across his face. "This wouldn't be fun if it was easy. Let's keep going."
They drag themselves to their feet and continue out of the chapel, deeper into Kamoshida's palace. Joker and Mona take the lead, while Panther and Skull hang back to watch the rear.
"Hey," Panther whispers, as their leader and their cat duck into a hall ahead of them. "Skull."
"What?"
"Have you noticed anything weird about Joker?"
"What'd you mean?"
Panther checks to ensure no enemies pursue, then says, "He acts so different over here."
Skull cocks open his shotgun, reloads it, and snaps it closed. "You mean from how he is in the real world?" Panther nods. "Yeah, I've noticed that too. But that's probably because of the whole Persona thing, right?"
"But we have Personas and we don't act all that differently, between the real world and here."
They round the corner, and spy Mona and Joker ahead. The former waves them forward.
Panther sighs as they jog towards the two. "I guess I'm just wondering who he's more like naturally. Joker or Akira."
"Dude, I don't know," Skull says and glares at her. "And codenames, remember? Also, do you really think this is the time to be askin' these questions?"
"You're right. Sorry."
They battle their way further, and come to the base of a grand tower. Mona points skyward. "The Treasure is up there."
"All the way up there?" Skull asks, with a groan.
Exhausted, the four agree to return to the real world, their objective having still alluded them.
#
Makoto's hands sting. She ignores this. She throws another haymaker and the brutal slap on her taped knuckles against the leather punching bag reverberates throughout the empty gymnasium.
The chrome workout machines are idle, the treadmills and ellipticals powered down, the air is chilled via conditioner and glances off her sweat-soaked body like little pins. Her breath is heavy but not labored. She knows how to do this. She is very good at this.
A roundhouse kick, and Makoto feels it in her teeth. This is fine. If this bleeds off some of her anger, even better. She continues her barrage for a few more minutes, before she stops and snatches her water bottle off the ground.
She takes a swig, then looks to make sure no one else is present, before she drizzles a bit into her hair. It runs down her face and she shivers but it feels good. The last time she did this, an older man had been working out on an elliptical, and had whistled in a rather suggestive way. The memory adds fuel to her fire, and she sets the bottle back on the ground and returns her attention to the bag.
The bag she is imagining as Akira Kurusu.
The bastard stood her up. Again.
She had waited in the library after school, just as she'd said she would. After everything that had happened with Suzui, Makoto had been looking forward to delving into topics she understood. The familiarity of the subjects brought a sense of clarity to her, one she desperately needed.
Only, he had never shown up. She sat in the library, waiting, unable to believe he would have the UNEQUIVOCAL NERVE to do this again.
She had waited, and waited, and waited. Then she had packed up her bags, left the school, returned home, changed into her workout clothes, and taken the elevator down to her apartment complex's basement gym.
Now, she throws the heel of her foot into the center of the bag. The force is too great, and her balance falters. She waves her arms in the air, like an unstable penguin, but fails to regain it and drops onto the mat.
She sighs, sprawls out spread-eagle and stares at the fluorescent lights above. Why am I so mad? Kurusu is just another delinquent, like that Sakamoto. Hell, the two had become fast friends apparently. If he didn't respect her time, why should she even care? This actually worked out. If she didn't have to tutor him, then she could return her attention to the things that mattered.
The things that matter.
She sees Shiho Suzui's broken body on the courtyard's grass. Sees Ann Takamaki knelt next to her friend, beyond distraught. She sees herself, Student Council President, at the edge of the gawking crowd, struck still in horror.
I couldn't do anything.
She shuts her eyes. She will not think about that scene. Nor what it says about her. She pushes it aside, and refocuses. Akira Kurusu.
After what had happened the previous week, she would've thought he would honor his word to be at their study session. And I'd been looking forward to it too...
She clenches her hands and gets up. Best not to dwell on that. Best to move on. She hits the bag for a few more minutes, then returns upstairs.
When Sae comes home, she sits at the dinner table and thanks Makoto for the food. Makoto smiles and waits for more, but her big sister gives nothing.
"Hey, Sis?" Makoto asks, once the meal is done, as she brings the plates to the sink.
"Hm?" Sae stares at her black bag, which she dumped on the couch upon returning home. Her face is scrunched up, like she's tasted something too bitter.
Makoto puts the plates in the sink and turns on the water. She tries to find the right words. "Can you-"
Sae stands. "Sorry, but I can't stay. I need to get back to the office."
Makoto turns, and water drips from her hands onto the floor. "But you just got home."
"There's a case that needs my attention," Sae says. She retreats to her room, and returns a few moments later with some fresh clothes. She opens her bag, shoves them inside, and heads for the door. "Goodnight." She opens the door and steps out into the hall.
"Goodnight," Makoto says, as the door shuts.
She stands in the kitchen for a time. Then, she turns back to the dishes. She needs a focal point, something to divert herself to. Akira Kurusu, she decides. She will speak to him tomorrow. She scrubs the dishes with a bit more vigor than normal.
#
When Akira sits up in bed that night, eyes wide, and the words, "Oh shit!" escaping into the air, it is enough to spook Morgana off his comfy spot and onto the hardwood floor.
"Wh-what?" Morgana asks, rolling to his feet. "What's happening?"
Akira looks down at the cat. Even in the dark, Morgana can see the whites of his eyes. "I forgot to study with Niijima-senpai."
##
A/N: This is the shortest chapter so far, but Wednesday's is the longest. Hope you all have a good Monday. Thanks for reading!