Akari's not sure what she expected when Itona approached her after class, but it certainly wasn't this.
It's maybe been a week since he'd officially enrolled, and he tails after her the minute the bell rings… this slight awkwardness to his gait. At first she doesn't even notice him, but when he taps her on the shoulder and asks if they can 'talk privately,' she gives a shrug.
"Sure," she says. "I don't see why not."
She's sure it's not something important… but there's no harm in humoring him. She is trying to build rapport with the class, after all. She puts on her most innocuous expression and flashes him a bright smile before starting to head back around the school. She motions after for him to follow.
"Let's go this way," she says. "Everyone should be on their way back from school, so no-one will be hanging around. And it's not like our classmates would want to listen in much, anyways."
She briefly wonders if they'll assume anything seeing the two of them head off together, but then again she doesn't care much. It's not like her classmates' impressions of her really matter, anyways. And who knows? Maybe a budding friendship with Itona will give her the perfect alibi sometime in the future. A good actress knows how to take these opportunities as they come.
Itona follows after… giving a nod. He ducks behind the school building, hands in his pockets as he stares awkwardly at her.
Akari shoots a quick glance over her shoulder… but doesn't see anyone. Thankfully, she doesn't think they have to worry much about the octopus. He may have super speed, but he'll be occupied making sure the rest of the class gets home safe for a good thirty minutes. He is a worrywart, after all.
('Blah,' Akari thinks, feeling bile rise in her throat. 'What a joke.' She knows what he really is.)
She doesn't dwell on it long. She gives Itona a ditzy smile and cocks her head.
"What is it?" She asks. "Are you having trouble fitting into class or something? I'm always happy to help... but I was under the impression you were getting along well with Terasaka's little gang. Don't tell me they're picking on you or something."
"No," Itona says, scratching at his arm. "It's nothing like that. This class has been very nice to me, and so… this isn't about them. This is about something that's been bothering me ever since I got my tentacles removed."
Akari's lip twitches slightly. Tentacles? Ah… and so that's what this is about. All the same, she doesn't let her expression falter. She sincerely doubts he picked up on her having them too. He might just still be having chronic pains or something and be looking for a way to approach Korosensei about it. As long as she pretends that she's happy to help then she won't betray a thing.
"Mmm?" She asks. "That whole thing did seem really scary. What's eating at you?"
Itona's quiet for a moment. Then, finally, he says "This is going to sound weird… but I just can't shake it. Do you… know a person named Akari Yukimura?"
Akari's heart catches in her chest. Staring through Itona she lets his words ring in her ears. At first she can't believe it… thinks she must have misheard. But as she repeats him, he gives her a stoic nod.
"Akari?"
"Yeah. Akari Yukimura."
Briefly, she considers killing him right then and there. It wouldn't be hard. He just had his tentacles removed: there's got to be a way to frame it as withdrawal… but just barely she manages to hold back. She has no intent to let her cover be blown, but she's not going to make a rash decision. There are steps she can take before it comes to that.
Taking a step backwards, she doesn't let any of that apprehension show on the outside. Instead, giving Itona a naive look she says "No. For a second I thought I may have, but… I was mistaken." She frowns. "Why? Are you on the search?"
Her tentacles twitch gently from within her nape as she speaks. But, 'not now,' she reminds them. 'I know… I'm angry too. But we can't go screwing this up. Let's not be rash.'
"S… omething like that," Itona replies. "I… overheard the name at the lab back when I was still there, and out of curiosity, I ended up looking her up. At first, I couldn't find any record of an Akari Yukimura existing, but eventually, I managed to stumble upon this girl named 'Haruana Mase.' Which you wouldn't think is relevant at all… but here's the weird thing." He holds out his phone. "She looks just like you."
Akari takes his phone… staring down at it curiously in an attempt to keep up the act. Indeed, from it, a photo of a younger version of herself stares up at her, posing for some movie shoot.
"She's apparently like… some weird B-list celebrity," Itona continues. "Are you sure she's not a family member or something? You've got to admit the resemblance is uncanny."
"I mean… yeah," Akari admits, biting her lip, but ultimately shakes her head. "But it's not like that means much of anything. It's kind of funny… but sometimes people just look like people. Why?"
"I don't know," Itona says. "It just… bothered me."
"Where'd you hear that name from, anyways? Shiro? 'Cause then you shouldn't be taking it to heart. That guy is always spouting nonsense."
"I… didn't, is the thing," Itona says. He's quiet for a moment, almost as if thinking something over… before admitting, meekly, that he "Heard it from this weird lady, actually."
And that makes Kayano freeze.
"What do you mean weird lady?"
"I don't know… just-" Itona pauses. "There was…- it's a bit hazy… everything from being on tentacles is…- but I seem to remember that there was this… this person there. Like- another person Shiro was experimenting on. She said her name was Aguri Yukimura or something. That she was…- was looking to get into contact with her family."
A… Aguri?
No. No. There's no way. Itona's words make her pause for a minute… but Akari's far too smart to fall for that. She knows what happened to Aguri. She attended her funeral! And as much as she'd…- as much as she'd like to believe she's still alive-
...She's just not.
"What are you talking about?" She demands, voice a snarl. "And where in the hell did you hear that name?"
Itona does a double-take… wholly surprised by the sudden aggression to her tone. All the same, he doesn't back down.
"I told you:" he says, voice flat. "From the lady herself. Or at least someone who claimed to be. Why? Do you know her?"
"I…" Akari's mouth falls open. "No," she says, shaking her head. "No. There's not another experiment. If there was we'd know by now. That… that person has no patience. He'd- he'd have sicced her on us by now. Like you. But we haven't- I haven't seen a thing."
"She was hardly in the state to-"
"No. Q-quiet! Stop. Stop spouting all this nonsense. You're just… you're just…-" Her eyes narrow. "You're still working with him, aren't you?"
Itona takes a step back.
"No. What?"
But Akari's already on him. Attempting to pin him to her side with her arm she runs her fingers through his hair in a methodical search for tentacles. When she doesn't stumble upon them she tries to lower her search to his nape... but he pushes her away before she can get far.
"What the hell are you doing?" He asks, looking almost offended. "Get off of me."
"Where are they?" Akari demands. "You still have them. I just know it."
"Have wh…-?" Itona starts to ask, but drifts off. "Tentacles? Are you out of your mind? You saw Korosensei remove them yourself!"
"And he… he could always be lying," Akari says. "He's a liar. How do I know that...- that wasn't an act? Or that… that you didn't go back?" Her eyes narrow. "What did he offer you? Money? Power? To get your family out of bankruptcy?"
"What did- who offered m- what? Who are you even talking about?"
"Yanagisawa!" Akari says, throwing her hands in the air. "Who else could I be talking about!"
Itona shoots her a confused look.
"I mean… Shiro," Akari rectifies, shaking her head. "Sorry."
"...Okay then: Shiro, yeah," Itona replies. "First of all, I'm not interested in working with that guy again… so yeah. And second of all I didn't even know his real name up until now, so I'm a little bit curious as to how you do."
Akari pauses… stopping to take a deep breath. She clenches her fist.
'I'm betraying valuable information, aren't I?' She thinks. 'Goddamn it. Goddamn it.'
She needs to get her shit together. This is no way for an actress to behave. She'd simply lost her cool thinking about Aguri being kept as a prisoner or whatever. But she's not, is she? She's just… jumping to conclusions.
She needs to get an assessment of Itona. Quick. He may very well be just trying to upset her- but somehow she doesn't get the impression that he's particularly good at putting on an act. She still remembers him bursting in through the wall. If he were on tentacles he wouldn't be able to behave with this level of composure… not like she can.
She uses her own tentacles' heat-seeking capabilities to get a read on him. It's impossible to tell if it's truly accurate, especially not without pulling them out… but his heart rate's surprisingly normal, and if he has a temperature she certainly can't tell. Maybe he's not on tentacles.
But then… what?
"I…" she can barely even remember what they were talking about. "Sorry. That was just a slip of the tongue. I got him confused with- there's this guy I know who's…-" she drifts off. "Ignore me. I'm just super out of it."
"I… can tell," Itona replies, cocking an eyebrow. "Seriously… what's going on? I was just going to head straight to Korosensei with the information, but I wanted to make sure you weren't involved first. Should I just-?"
"NO!" Akari interjects quickly . "DON'T… tell Korosensei." She pants for breath. "Seriously. Whatever you do… do not let him in on this."
"W… why?" Itona asks, still taken aback.
"He's… he's-" Akari grits her teeth. "I don't know. It's complicated, okay? And besides... ! None of that matters. I need to figure out how y- are you sure Shiro didn't just slip you that name?"
"Certain," Itona replies. "I was all sorts of drugged up… but… I know what I saw. That lady in there. She-"
"Describe her. Now."
Akari's whole body shakes as she speaks. She doesn't even want to humor it… but what else is she supposed to do!? On the off chance that- that her sister is really still out there she can't just sit around. She has to... to…- to do something!
It takes all her effort just not to collapse.
"Well she was… in this enclosed room," Itona says. "In the back of his lab. I saw her twice. The first time we didn't really speak, but the second she started shouting at me." He frowns. "She said her name was Aguri Yukimura… that she was… twenty-five? And being kept there against her will. She didn't mention her parents' names, but she mentioned that she used to work here and that her baby sister was named Akari Yukimura." He pauses. "That's why I thought she was maybe connected to you. Like I said: I couldn't really find much record of an Akari existing, but if she is Haruana Mase, actresses use aliases all the time… and you… you look just like her. Not only that, but you attend here."
"She seemed to be in pretty bad shape. Had way more tentacles than I did. Not to mention she wasn't in free roam. She was strapped down to an operating table by her legs and arms. Started crying while she was talking to me. She kept asking me to…-" he drifts off. "To…-"
"To what?" Akari demands.
"...To kill her," Itona awkwardly finishes. "Shiro escorted me away from there before she could say much more… but in hindsight the whole situation really freaked me out."
Akari bites down on her lip and quivers. She hates to admit it, but that sounds like Aguri alright… right down to the whole 'reckless disregard for her own safety' thing. And that isn't even getting started on how vulnerable Itona looks. He's got this genuinely frightened glimmer in his eye. Is he really capable of making that up?
('Of… of course he is!' She thinks. Everyone is capable of playing pretend! Look at what she's doing right now. She can't go- she can't just go trusting in this!
But all the same, even the thought makes her sick. And if there's even a possibility that that's reality then she doesn't want to back down. She doesn't want to leave her sister alone. She doesn't want to… to-)
"Why didn't you say something sooner?"
Her voice is a growl.
"What?"
"Why didn't you say something!?" She demands, stepping in and attempting to grab Itona by the collar. "If someone is really in danger then- then why did you wait this whole time!? She could be… she could be…-" Her voice wavers, but her grip only tightens. "She could be suffering so much!"
Itona looks guilty for a moment… but his gaze soon hardens. Frowning, he says "I wasn't in my right mind up until recently. You know that. While I was under the tentacles control I could barely think for myself. I didn't think what was happening was weird. But now that I can assess the situation myself… I wanted to do something. Better now than never."
He attempts to wrench Kayano's hand away from him. "Now let go of me and tell me how you know this woman before I go to Korosensei. I don't want to do anything that will upset you, but…" He pauses. "I honestly didn't expect this strong of a reaction, and don't know you well enough to tell what's going on. If someone really is in danger then just tell me. I want to know what I can do to help them."
Akari grits her teeth. For a split second the tentacles are going off in her brain again- demanding she just kill Itona. That's what he'd get for lying to her! For using her sister to manipulate her and try to blow her cover. She wanted to be a killer, right? Then here it is! Here's her chance! She can silence him!
Still, she can't will herself to move. Staring at him with cold eyes, her hand falls limp. And as she drops him she lets out a deep, raggedy breath.
"Fine," she says. "I can tell you everything that you need to know."
She feels like a moth diving straight towards a flame. She knows she's getting in way over her head… and she's running the risk of screwing up everything she's fought for so hard up until this point. But all the same… if there's even a minuscule chance her sister is still alive then she can't let that pass her by. She will not be played for a fool again.
"This is not to be passed on to a single other living person," she whispers, voice a hiss. "Not Korosensei. Not Shiro. Not Terasaka. No-one. What I'm about to tell you is secret, and if I find out you told anyone then I will fucking kill you. I am not joking, Itona. This is serious."
Itona pauses, but nods.
"Very well then," he says, nose wrinkling. "I didn't intend to break your trust in the first place… but I'll keep your threats in mind."
"And… come with me," Akari continues, grabbing him by the hand. "We can't stay here. If I'm going to tell you what I'm about to tell you then I won't risk being overheard. We need to go somewhere... - somewhere far away. Where Korosensei won't possibly hear."
She doesn't wait for a response. She's already dragging him by the hand. Itona squints, but doesn't attempt to resist… simply murmurs something about how he feels like he's being lured into a death-trap.
'You and me both,' Akari notes, palms slick with sweat.
They hurry their way down the mountain and make their way into town. Akari ducks into the first back-alley she can find… then another after that. By the time she's satisfied the two of them are thoroughly lost… and the stench of trash hangs in the air.
"Good," she says, releasing her grip on Itona's hand. "Good. He shouldn't be able to find us here."
She's started to pace. She knows Itona is staring at her like she's a crazy person, but she doesn't care. There is no such thing as being overly paranoid in a situation like this.
"Great," he replies. "Now what? Who… who is this person?"
"She's…" Akari pauses. "My sister. Aguri Yukimura is my sister. Now do you understand why this is so important to me? Why I'm…- I'm going to ruin your life if you're making this up?"
She shoots Itona a serious look. He cocks an eyebrow, but nods.
"I already got the impression that you were going to ruin my life if I was making this up a half-hour ago," he says sardonically. "But I don't have any reason to." He frowns. "I just want to know what's going on." He cocks his head. "And so does that mean you are this Akari person? That…-"
"Kaede's a fake name, yeah."
It doesn't even feel real to say. That was never supposed to come out to anyone. But if the alternative is having Itona go to Korosensei with this information then there's nothing else she can do. She has to tell him the truth!
"...I made it up to get enrolled in this class. And I enrolled in this class to get revenge. Korosensei… he-" She pauses. "I was never interested in killing him for any of that prize money bullshit. I was interested in killing him because he was a murderer. Because I saw the aftermath with my own two eyes. Before he was our teacher… Korosensei… he- he killed my sister. At least… I thought."
She gnaws on her lip.
"Turns out he only tried to."
And that's not much better.
Itona frowns, taking a step closer. He doesn't speak, however. He gives Akari time to finish her story. Unable to meet his eyes, she stares down at the ground.
"It was… in the lab where my sister worked. The same one Shiro comes from. There was a huge explosion one day and by the time I got there the place was already a bloodbath. I didn't see her body… but I saw the place that she- that I believed she… y'know. There was this huge pool of blood and a note from the murderer. He said that… that he hurt all these people and that he blew up the moon. That he was going to do the same thing to the earth and that the only possible way to prevent it was allowing him to work at Kunugigaoka Junior High. That he wanted to… nurture the students there."
"Of course I didn't believe that for a second, but I knew what I had to do. I took any resources I could find and then I scrammed. Maybe an hour later I got the news officially… that my sister was gone. And my conviction hardened. I didn't care that the whole wide world was inevitably searching for a way to kill him at this point. I knew I had to do it myself… I knew I had to make him pay… and so I… I-"
"You came here," Itona finishes.
Akari gives a surprisingly meek nod. She's still not ashamed of what she's done… she'll never be, but Itona is staring at her with such sympathetic eyes. It's weirdly cathartic to tell someone about all of this after bottling it in for so long, and some part of her wants to cry… but she doesn't let herself. She has a composure to maintain- an end goal to focus on.
"Indeed. I came here to get my revenge… to avenge my older sister. But if what you're saying is true… then it's possible I've been focusing on the wrong thing this entire time." Her fist clenches. "I still hate Korosensei. I really do. But the thing that matters to me most is my sister… and if she's alive then I… I need to do something!"
She shakes as she speaks… chokes on her breath. She hates herself for getting so worked up in front of someone else… but how could she not? The more she thinks about the scenario the more her heart races… and the pieces begin to come together in her mind.
"I- I never thought about it at the time… But it's weird that I didn't see the body," she continues. "I just…- I just took Shiro and the authorities' words for it. Usually I would never… but even not seeing her body I saw what that place looked like. There were corpses everywhere. I just thought that it was… that it was inevitable that she was one of them."
(And if she wasn't? Oh god. It makes too much sense. Yanagisawa is exactly the sort of person who would do this. Why didn't she see it sooner!?
The tentacles- they had her so honed in on killing Korosensei she couldn't even think. See the holes in his story)
"But if she's- if she's not then rescuing her comes before even punishing her murderer. Why didn't I… why didn't I think of this sooner!? Of course there's a possibility she's alive! I just- I just put those things in me and then I couldn't even think. What is wrong with me!?"
Itona opens his mouth to speak, but Akari doesn't let him. She raves, pacing in circles as she clutches at her head.
"I am so stupid! If you're- if you're right and she's really alive in there- some kind of human experiment then… then what am I doing!? I need to get her out of there! Now! Who cares about… about any of this- this school…- this revenge- nonsense! It's been months! She has to be so scared! I've got to… I've got to go."
She doesn't even wait for Itona's response… simply whips around and begins to make her way out of the alleyway. He reaches out to grab her hand, stopping her in her place and demanding to know exactly what it is she's doing.
"What? Where are you going!?"
"Where do you think!?" Akari replies. "I'm going to…- I've got to see if you're telling the truth. If my sister is really in there then I'm getting her out of there. I'm going to…- I'm going to fucking kill him."
"Are you crazy?" Itona replies. "You can't do that alone."
"As far as you know," Akari growls. "I've got a few hidden blades you don't know anything about. And so don't stop me. I know what I'm doing. You just stay here and make sure Korosensei doesn't learn a thing. I'll put him in his place in due time. But first… but first…-" Akari rasps for breath. "...I'm bringing my sister home."
"Absolutely n-" Itona starts to say, but doesn't get a chance to finish. As Akari unfurls her tentacles his grip goes stiff. And suddenly he stumbles backwards. Eyes wide with shock he whispers "Those are…- those are…-"
"None of your concern," Akari interjects. "That… and my key to finally fixing things. Now get out of my way before I need to put you in your place, too. I've got places to be."
Itona's jaw drops. And for a second Akari thinks she's got him. She's already marching off… thoughts of revenge swirling through her mind, when he takes a step back and says in a voice surprisingly stoic.
"...He's got anti-sensei weapons and clothing, you know."
Akari's lip twitches. She shoots him an unimpressed look over her shoulder and says "Yeah. So?"
"And so those won't help you."
"Maybe they wouldn't help you," she replies. "But I know what I'm doing. I'm not just some dumb kid in over my head. I've been planning this for months. And I've mastered control of my tentacles. I don't have anything to be scared of."
"You say that like he hasn't been preparing, either," Itona replies. "I flipped out on him a few times and he restrained me with ease. He's not just going to sit down and take it while you 'fucking kill him.' That guy is a man who researches this stuff for a living. He's got to have a plan in place for this exact scenario. Don't tell me you're seriously rushing in there without a plan."
Akari feels a twinge of irritation… and her tentacles unconsciously shudder. Some part of her knows deep down that Itona just wants best for her, but the other part of her feels almost mocked. How does he know anything about what she can handle? He doesn't even know her! He's just trying to step in between her and her sister.
"I'm not," she snaps. "I have a plan, alright?"
"Okay, then. What is it?"
"..."
"See? You don't. You just feel like you're invincible right now. I know how it is. Those things make you think you're untouchable. But you're not. I know you have to be angry and frustrated and overwhelmed right but think it through for just one second. You guys regularly defeated me as a team of Junior High Students. If you could do that then what chance do you think you have against a building of armed guards and scientists? You won't last a minute."
"So? It's not like I have a choice!" Akari snaps, her rage building. "Any second I waste 'planning' is another second I leave her stuck in there alone. If she's really…- if she's trapped and you're not lying to me then I've got to GO! I've got to rescue her! I've got to-"
"To what?" Itona interjects. "Die? That's not going to help her."
"I'm not going to-"
"Yes. You are," Itona reiterates, giving her a deadly serious look. "For the last time I'm not lying to you: if I were I wouldn't be showing concern for you trying to go to that place in the first place. But since I'm not I'm begging you to just think this through. On top of everything else your sister has been through, do you really want her to lose you too?"
Akari pauses… fist clenched as she thinks that through. And then abruptly, hands shaking and eyes narrowed she whirls around. Her tentacles crack like a whip, stopping only inches from Itona's face.
"Don't say that," she whispers.
"It's true and you know it," Itona says, unflinching. "And so look me in the eyes, Kayano. Do you really think she deserves that?"
There's a conviction behind those bright golden eyes… and Itona stands tall, his own fist clenched. He stares at her, unblinking, and waits for a response.
More than anything, some part of Akari wants to believe that he's trying to manipulate her. That would be a much easier option than any of the alternatives. But another part of her just can't doubt that sincerity. Wants to believe that her sister's alive no matter the cost. And wants to believe that Itona wants what's best for her, too. But either way, does it even matter!? Either way, she can't budge. She's still got to go!
"Of course not!" She replies, voice strained. "But I told you: what else am I supposed to do!? I can't leave her in there alone! If she's really alive… then- then I'd rather die than do nothing!"
"But you're saying that like you have to do this alone! You don't!"
Akari freezes.
"And so you're offering to come with?"
"I mean- n- kind of!" He replies. "Why don't you just tell the rest of the class? Say what you said to me. If they learn that your family is in danger then they'll be more than happy to help. And it's not like they're useless. With them by your side you'll stand a much better chance then you would doing this alone. Together you guys… you can do almost anything."
...A compelling thought. Akari's seen what it is her classmates can do. Hayami's an excellent marksman, and Karma can destroy pretty much anything that stands in his path. But even if Nagisa's got a secret bloodlust or Ritsu top-tier hacking skills… can they really help her? She knows what it is they treasure, and she knows that by leaning on them she'll risk having her cover blown. After all, at least one of them will have to-
"They'll tell Korosensei."
"It's certainly a possibility," Itona says. "That, I'll admit. But if it comes down to either dying and not getting your sister out of there at all or managing to get her out of there and potentially ruining your alibi then which would you prefer? You clearly care about her."
"Of- of course I do!" Kayano hisses. "I guess I'm just worried that-... that she won't be there at all. What if you're lying to me? What if Yanagisawa is lying to you? What then? I'll have… I'll have given up on making her proud for nothing."
"If you ask me, Korosensei finding out about this isn't even such a bad thing after a-"
He doesn't get to finish. Akari smacks him upside the head with a tentacle, sending him stumbling backwards and ultimately over onto the ground.
"I told you I don't want him to know," she growls. "What don't you get about that? He's bad, and if you try to tell him I will kill you. He doesn't deserve to know about my sister, and he doesn't deserve to know about my tentacles! He's a monster!"
"Maybe so," Itona says, struggling to his feet. "And I won't tell him. But I'm saying you should. I'm not doubting that he hurt your sister… and I don't know your entire fucked up family situation, but Korosensei has done a lot of dumb shit for this class. If you frame it as something he'll lose your respect for not doing then he will. He cares about what we think more than anything."
"He's pretending to-"
"Whether it's an act or not he has a reputation to keep up! Tell him… and tell him if he won't help out you'll tell the rest of the class. Can you imagine how they'd react if they learned he refused to rescue an innocent lady? They'd lose their mind!"
"And what if he gets pissed? Hurts me like he hurt my sister?"
"Then you can take it." Itona drifts off. "Well… maybe not. But since when were you afraid of dying? You were being brash just a second ago. This is much less of a risk than the one you were about to take. He's not going to kill you. It's against his contract." He pauses. "And if you really can't bring yourself to tell him either way then at least say something to Karasuma… to Bitch-sensei. One of them should be able to help. And they're not going to snitch on you. I'm not telling you not to rescue your sister. But I am telling you to go about this in a smart way. Otherwise this will all be for nothing. And I think that the smartest way to…- listen: I'm no genius, but I think this class can do anything if they work together, and I know you know that too."
He gives Akari a serious look. And unconsciously, she takes a step back.
...Teaming up with Korosensei. How does he make it sound like an appealing option?
She- she can't allow herself to be swayed! She promised she'd kill him. But what if… she can't do this alone? What if Aguri really is relying on her? Then can she risk screwing this up? She's been through the tentacles herself. She knows how painful it is. Thinking about Aguri… sweet, selfless Aguri suffering like that… it makes her want to projectile vomit. No matter the cost, she can't risk leaving her there!
But what if… what if…-
What if she's not alive at all?
'You told us you wanted to be a killer,' her tentacles whisper, digging deep into her skull. Her head pounds. Her vision starts to dance. 'Don't tell me you're backing out on that now.'
'Of… of course not!' Akari argues. 'I'll get him! I will! But before I do… I… I…-"
She staggers to the side, propping herself up against a nearby building. Yanagisawa's face appears clear in her mind.
'...I've got a more important person I need to kill.'
And all at once the tentacles relent. They slither back into her nape and the migraine subsides. She rubs at her temples, bloodlust rising in her gut, and just imagining what she'll do to him when she gets her hands on him.
(She'll do something even worse than what she's going to do to Korosensei.)
Itona steps forward, opening his mouth to speak, but Akari beats him to it. She straightens herself up and speaks with a serious tone.
"Fine," she says, eyes narrowed. "I'll do it. I don't want to, but…" she pauses. "You're right. I don't have much of a choice. However," she continues. "If it comes out that you were lying to me, that you were even just wrong... I will make you suffer, Itona. Your friends… your family… I will find them, and I will make your life hell. Don't think Korosensei knowing about even a fraction of this will save him. I am still going to get my revenge. And if my sister is not in there then I will kill not just him, but all of you. Do you understand?"
"I…" Itona hesitates, shooting her a genuinely troubled look. All the same, his expression soon returns to that neutral norm of his, and he gives a firm nod.
"...I understand. But you don't have to worry about that. I know what I saw and I… I don't intend to be wrong."
"Good," Akari replies, nodding back. "In that case…"
She turns around.
"And where exactly are you going?" Itona asks, if only just to be cautious.
"What does it look like?" Akari replies. "Back to campus. I've got a story to share and an octopus to make a deal with."
Because even hating Korosensei- even hating him more than anything- he's her only chance. And if there is even a possibility her sister is still alive then she cannot risk wasting that.
...She just hopes she won't end up regretting this later.
"Hey! Sensei? Can we talk?"
Akari's had maybe a half an hour to recompose herself… and she's back to her usual unassuming and bubbly demeanor. As she approaches the school building she puts on a bright smile and gives a big wave. With a skip to her step, she concludes that no-one could ever guess what happened if they didn't know any better.
...And know better they don't. Korosensei's out in front of the building grading papers. He flashes her a jovial smile as she makes her way towards him and waves back. Then, setting his papers to the side he starts to stand.
"Ah! Kayano! Of course!" He replies. "What is it? I didn't expect to see you stopping by the school so soon after class let out."
Akari gives a giggle. "Yeah. Me neither," she says. "But some stuff came up, and… well…" She gives a shrug. "I just had to come crawling back. Mind if we step inside? It's sort of a private matter."
"Of course not," Korosensei replies. "Just give me one second to…-" He disappears in a flash, then returns; giving a salute. "There! Worksheets all stashed away! Follow me. The teacher's lounge should be free."
With that, he steps inside. Akari follows after, sticking close to his side.
"And so Bitch-sensei and Karasuma-sensei aren't here I'm taking it?" She asks innocuously.
"Nope!" Korosensei replies. "Miss Irina's off doing whatever it is she does after work, and Karasuma's taking a meeting... probably something about killing me… nothing interesting. Why?"
"Oh... no reason," Akari replies. "I was just curious."
Some part of her almost wishes Karasuma-sensei was here… but on the other hand she doesn't really trust him, either. Plus, if this all ends up falling through she'd like to be able to manipulate him to take her side… and so this all kind of works out.
Just in case she needs any documentation she's got a hidden camera pinned to the lapel of her shirt… so she won't need to worry about having a witness, either. Whatever happens here will be immortalized. At least… whatever Korosensei says. If something she doesn't particularly want coming out comes up, then she can still edit it.
Korosensei makes his way into the room. He plops himself down at the teacher's desk and motions for her to sit herself across from him. She gives him a nod, sliding into the seat as he asks "And so what is it?"
"Well… I've just been wondering about something," she sheepishly admits. "You care for us all a whole lot, right, Korosensei?"
He blinks… taken aback.
"Of course," he says blankly. "More than anything."
"And you care what we think of you, right?"
"Well… yes," he admits. "You students are my pride and joy. I don't know what I'd do if you thought little of me."
"Which means that you'd do almost anything for us, right? Because you love us so much? Because you don't want to let us down?"
"Indeed," Korosensei says without hesitation. "I wasn't aware that was ever up for questioning. Why?"
"Well… I was just wondering if you'd be willing to rescue a person for me…-"
"Rescue?" Korosensei asks.
"Yes," Akari says with a nod. "Let me clarify, alright? I was just wondering if you'd be willing to rescue a person you tried to kill for me. That's all."
She says it casually; flashes a bright smile... but Korosensei's utterly taken aback. He freezes in place- jolting, slightly, as his face goes a shock-blue. For a split-second, it's a darker blue... something sorrowful, but it soon returns to its usual hue. And as his surprise begins to fade he steeples his fingers, cocks his head, and admits:
"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, Kayano."
"Oh… yes you do," she says. He makes his statement so blankly, but she picks up on the apprehension behind it. And besides… if that really were the truth then wouldn't he say something like 'I've never killed anyone before,' not 'I-! Uh! I don't know what that means?' What sort of bad liar spouts nonsense like that? The only part of that sentence he wouldn't comprehend is that his victim is still alive.
"At least… I'm pretty sure," she continues, still smiling. "And so why don't you listen to me? It's important. Recently I received information from a contact of mine that I realized might interest you… namely that that Shiro guy we've been fighting is keeping someone captive in his lab and experimenting on them. Which is pretty horrifying on its own, but get this: through some… other information I got a hold of I learned that you knew the person he's keeping there… even if it's not exactly on friendly terms."
"Wait. Wait. Wait," Korosensei interjects. "Shiro is doing what?"
"Experimenting on someone."
"Like with Itona?"
"I presume. But let's not get distracted. This is about you right now," Akari says, pointing an accusatory finger.
"Of course I'd be willing to try and help someone out of that situation, Kayan-"
"Let me finish," Akari interrupts. "Like I was saying this is someone I believe you knew before you came to work here… and I am not letting you skew the narrative away from that. Pray tell, Korosensei… do you recognize the name Aguri Yukimura?"
And all at once… Korosensei stops dead.
He goes shock blue again… and this time it doesn't fade. Eyes wide, hands shaking, he asks "How… how do you know about that?"
"And so you do know," Akari replies. "Great! I would have been really mad if you kept lying to me. As for how I know… I did some digging on you. That, and saw you flying away from the crime scene myself. It's a long story… and I'm not really here to discuss any of that, what matters here is-"
"Aguri," Korosensei finishes, voice strained. "You're saying she's…" he drifts off, seemingly talking to himself more than anything. He whispers something under his breath... slides out of his seat and starts to pace. But Akari's keeping a trained eye on him. If he tries to bolt she'll decapitate him right here and now. There's no avoiding what he's done.
"No… no," he murmurs. "It's not possible. Where did you learn this information? I mean… it's just not possible that Aguri's being experimented on. She's-"
"Dead?" Akari asks. "Yeah. I thought so, too… and I'm sure you really hoped so, but life is full of surprises. And as for where I got my information: Itona. He told me himself. Said he saw it back there while he was working with that jackass. Described her perfectly and everything." She pauses. "I can call him in if you really don't believe me. Unless that's not the reason you're hesitating? If you were just hoping she'd stay buried then I'm afraid it's too late for that. Aguri is alive... and you are going to help me rescue her or else."
"Or else?"
"Yeah. Or else," Akari confirms. "I came here to ask you nicely… and this is me doing that. This is me saying 'Hey, Korosensei, if you really care about me then you're gonna help me do this thing.' But even if you're not willing to cooperate with that I have a backup plan. So give it to me straight, alright? If I were to try and stage a rescue operation for this person, would you be willing to help me out… or would you prefer to stand by?"
Korosensei is quiet for a very long moment. Face blue… little beads of sweat dripping down his face, his fingers twitch and his pacing quickens. Akari swears she catches sight of watery eyes, but soon banishes the thought. He's upset to have been caught in the lie. That's all.
When he goes upwards of thirty seconds without responding she starts to feel irritation rise in her gut. How can this be a question with anything except a 'yes' answer!? Someone is in danger! Someone really good! He can't possibly just stand by-
"For the record," she says, breaking the silence. "If you don't agree I will not only kill you, but I will tell the entire class about what you did. I will soil your memory. And then I will do this myself. If you care at all about keeping me safe, then I'm going to need you to-"
"I… I do-" Korosensei interrupts, voice shaky. "I care about you. I just… just…-" he heaves for breath. "Just give me a minute, okay? I need to compose my thoughts. I am… very bad with stressful situations."
'Good,' Akari thinks, suppressing a sneer. 'It's what you deserve.' But she does shut her yap. As much as she wants to see him suffer she'd prefer to get an actual answer.
After maybe a minute of rubbing at his temples and breathing heavily Korosensei straightens himself up. He inhales through his mouth… the color returning to his face, before he turns to her and speaks.
"Kayano," he says. "Of course I'd be happy to help you. I'm not sure you know this, but… Aguri was actually the most important person to me. I'd do anything for her."
...What?
No. No. That's just another lie. That's what he needed a minute to compose… not himself! Akari feels a burning start to radiate from the back of her neck… and some part of her is tempted to just go after him right there and then. But another part of her is surprisingly taken aback. The way that Korosensei says that. Why…
...Why does it sound so wounded?
"Now I'm not sure what you've heard or seen… but I'm afraid I need to put a stop to it right now. This narrative you've constructed… it's simply not true," Korosensei admits. "Aguri and I…- I never anticipated having to talk to any of you about any of this, but we were friends."
Friends? For a second she humors it… but just as soon the rage returns. She will not let this monster get into her head. Fist clenched… voice a whisper, she murmurs, "Liar."
"Pardon?" Korosensei asks.
"LIAR!" Akari repeats. "Don't you dare even try that on me! I saw what happened! I saw pictures of the body! And I saw you leaving the building! I'm not going to be tricked! I know what you did! You killed her!"
"N-"
"Yes! You did!" She shrieks. "You took her away! You murdered her! You don't get to- you don't get to change the story in hindsight. You-!"
"I didn't!" Korosensei interjects, rushing to her side. He attempts to grab her wrist, but she tears it away… and his hand goes limp. Staring into her furious eyes he admits, "Er… well, maybe I did. But please… just listen to me. I can explain."
Akari's trembling. She knows she's lost her cool… but she just can't help it. He's claiming to have cared about the person he murdered! She doesn't want to hear a word of that! At least… until she remembers that Aguri might not have been murdered at all. As much as she hates this, she needs to find a way to get Aguri out of there first and foremost. She'll just have to grit and bear it.
"...Fine," she says, voice flat. "What's your alibi?"
"You're right in that I knew Aguri… and you're right, partially, in that perhaps I was responsible for her death. But it was in no way intentional. What happened in that building was a horrible mistake… and one I regret to this day, but I never intentionally harmed her… I can promise you that. While I took credit for it, she was impaled by an autonomous missile. My biggest crime in the situation was negligence. And although that's no excuse, I do hope that helps you understand some of what is going on."
He watches Akari carefully… before stepping away. "Now…" he says. "You don't have to believe me about that, of course, but there are more important things to focus on. If she's really alive what are we going to do about it? And how, exactly, do you know this person that I knew, too?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Akari replies. "We're going to rescue her. As for how I know her…" she drifts off. "It doesn't matter, really."
"I believe it does."
Akari stares at Korosensei. She still doesn't believe the entirety of his story... and the tentacles are beginning to creep up into the crevices of her mind again, but she has a feeling if she doesn't give him at least some sort of an answer he's not going to budge. God damn it. She supposes she'll have to be vague.
"We're family," she says awkwardly. "Or at least… something like that. There. Does that satisfy you?"
Korosensei's quiet. A contemplative look on his face, he stands utterly still. But then recognition seems to dawn in his eyes… and he darts forward, taking Akari by the hand.
"It's you!"
Akari tugs away, eyes wide and sputtering "Wh-"
"Akari! I mean… she talked about you… she looked just like you… you're in the exact right age range! It is you, isn't it?" He freezes. "I can't believe I didn't realize it earlier! I suppose I just didn't want to think about…- I wasn't really in a situation where I'd recognize- No! That's of no concern!" He shakes his head. "What matters is that you're here! Why?" And slowly… his expression falls. "...I wasn't aware that you were aware of any of this. Have you been hurting?"
His expression is surprisingly sympathetic. But all the same… Akari's disgusted. She's mad to have been caught in the act, and even madder to have possibly thrown her entire act away for nothing. Biting down on her lip and reminding herself that this is for Aguri's sake, she shakes her head and tears her grip away from Korosensei.
"Besides the point," she says. "Who I am… doesn't matter. And quite frankly I wouldn't be obligated to explain to you even if it did." She pauses. "Who you are doesn't matter right now either. What matters is that Aguri's alive… and that we've got to do something. Are you going to help me or not?"
Korosensei looks ready to argue, but must decide against it. Filing that piece of information away in the back of his mind, he says, "Yes. I told you: Y es. I may not be aware of what you know about me… and you may be getting a wrong interpretation of my relationship with your sister, but I am trying to compose a plan as we speak. I just need a minute to…- this could be dangerous."
"No shit," Akari replies. "But if you're really so distraught and regretful about what happened to her or whatever then you'd best be willing to take that risk." She clicks her tongue. "If you don't… I'll face this alone. That, or drag my classmates into it. Is that what you want? We might not be able to handle this on our own."
She hates to admit it, but it's true. She wouldn't be here telling him any of this in the first place if it weren't.
"...Ritsu," Korosensei whispers. "RITSU! Get in here! Now!" He doesn't wait for an answer, however. He dashes off, returning to the room a split second later with her whole monitor in tow.
The cyber girl curiously peeks her head up onto the screen. Looking rather confused she says "Yeah? Do you need me?"
"Indeed," Korosensei says. "I was wondering if you could do a favor for us. Do you think you'd be able to obtain and analyze the lab reports from a local research facility? We're looking out for a specific name."
"Probably," Ritsu says. "I've been working on my hacking skills. Why?"
"We believe someone is in danger," Korosensei admits. "...The lab is Yukimura Pharmaceuticals. Be on the lookout for the names Aguri Yukimura or Kotaro Yanagisawa. They're important."
"Noted!" Ritsu says with a salute. "I can do a quick scan. I can't promise to be able to grab everything… some locations have their information all kinds of encrypted, but-"
"That's fine," Korosensei says. "Anything helps."
And with that… Ritsu disappears. Korosensei turns to Akari, instructing her to call Itona immediately.
"If he has any more information, then I'm going to want to hear this."
He's deadly serious.
It's an attitude she's never seen from Korosensei before. Usually he's incompetent... fumbling and weak, but at the moment he's actually got his head screwed on straight. Why? Could this… could this mission really be as important to him as it is to her?
'No,' she thinks instantly. 'Of course not. No-one will ever feel what you're feeling right now. That's your sister in there.' But all the same, she soon comes to the realization that it's strange that Korosensei knew her name at all. To know that she's Aguri's sister… that would have to require context from either her or Aguri… and she certainly didn't give it out. Maybe Korosensei did get a chance to talk to Aguri after all.
Whatever. Whatever. There's no focusing on it now. Whatever amount of truth there is hiding behind his story that's something for her to deal with later. He's right: she needs to get in contact with Itona.
She calls him up... and he picks up the phone pretty much instantly. Slightly skeptical, he asks if everything's alright.
"No. Yes - of course not," Akari replies. "Listen- whatever. All that matters is that I went to talk to Korosensei and we need you here immediately. The more details you can give us the better."
"Oh thank fuck," She hears Itona whisper. "You actually went to him. That's good." He pauses. "I'll be over there as soon as possible. It's a forty-minute walk, thou-"
"Nonsense," Korosensei interjects, leaning over to whisper into the phone. "You needn't walk. Just step outside and let me know where you are. I'll pick you up in a jiffy."
"I…-" Itona drifts off, as if taking a moment to process just how fucking crazy that sounds. "Okay. I'm outside of…" He hesitates. "The warehouse on Hōmuresu Street. You know the one."
"Indeed!" Korosensei says. "Now excuse me for one minute, Kayano. I've got to pick up our contact."
He doesn't wait for a response. With all the neurotic energy of a man completely on edge, he's off. He's back before Akari can even fully process it, however... Itona in tow.
He sets him down carefully, giving the boy a firm nod.
"...Woah," Itona says, still in a state of shock. "That was fast." But he quickly brushes off any state of bewilderment. Turning towards Akari, he gives her a serious look.
"How have things gone?"
...She's hesitant to say 'good,' but somehow it feels like 'bad' would be a misleading answer, too.
"He agreed to help rescue her," she decides on, turning her head from Itona's worried gaze. "Now we're just waiting for further information."
And further information soon arises. Ritsu pops onto the screen once more, proudly holding up a stack of ZIP files.
"I'm back!" She chides. "It's not a ton, but I grabbed what I could find."
Itona's whole body jolts. Hissing in through his teeth he says "Holy shit- when did you get in here!?"
"Korosensei brought me!" Ritsu replies with a smile. "I'm still not sure why!"
"You'll… see soon enough, I believe."
Akari steps forward. "Just show it to us," she demands. "What did you find?"
"Well… as I expected, most of the files were encrypted," Ritsu admits. "I could have tried to unlock them with more time, but I was worried about setting off their alarms. I wanted to get in there and out before they realized anyone had accessed their cloud in the first place. And… even in a hurry, I found some pretty interesting stuff."
"Namely a folder labeled Antimatter And Matter Generating Cells In Lifesaving Operations And Cellular Replacement Procedures. In that folder there was another folder labeled Subject 2… but I wasn't able to get into most of the files in it aside from a few weird reports from lower-ranking scientists. They… weren't much, really. Just- um… talking about a female subject. Something about her attempting to get into their minds?"
"I couldn't access a ton of other documents on the network… but I also found files for Subjects 1, 3, and 4 in a different folder labeled Antimatter Generating Cells In Weaponry And Bodily Mutation. One of the files was… like, a strangely smaller size than the others, too. While there were tons of documents in 1, 2 and 4, I couldn't find anything aside from a single Word Document labeled 'observations' in 3."
"And… finally, while I was digging through their trash I found a discarded photograph. Something along the lines of 'March13(1)?' I think they accidentally copied a file and failed to dispose of the double-up properly. Here's what it looks like. It's honestly some pretty sinister stuff."
As she speaks Akari's lost in thought. She scrambles to take mental notes. 'Female,' she thinks… and so he does have a subject who's a girl. Subjects 1, 2, 3 and 4? That would have to be… Korosensei, Aguri, Itona and her. But why wouldn't he have notes on Itona? Or is that about - no, it has to be her… she came first, after all. But she's not one of his fucking experiments! She did all of this on her own, and besides-
All of Akari's thoughts cease as she sees just what Ritsu's pulled up onto the screen.
There… on the dark, rectangular monitor displays a picture of a woman. In her early twenties, and with short black hair that falls past her face, the subject is unmistakable. Dressed in patients' gowns and pinned to the table by metal restraints… her eyes are wide, but not with the vacant stare of death, no:
Her eyes are wide… and she's alive, and she's afraid.
Akari feels her heart drop to her stomach. Knees weak… hands shaking, she locks eyes with the photograph. She thinks she hears Itona say something… Korosensei respond, but she doesn't make out a word of it. All that exists right now are her, the picture of Aguri, and the deep-seated rage boiling in her chest.
She's just about to collapse when she feels Korosensei grab her hand.
He's got this indecipherable expression on his face… heartbroken and relieved all at once. His skin's a deep, sorrowful blue… and when he squeezes Akari's hand she feels his shake, too.
Some part of her wants to tear her grip away…- she won't accept condolences from him right now! But try as she might to will herself, she can't move a muscle.
"It's really her," she finally whispers, hardly sure of what else to say.
"...It's really her," Korosensei confirms, not sure what to say himself.
Slowly… his grip tightens on Akari's palm. He turns towards her and gives her a serious look.
"But we are going to do something… I promise we are going to do something. Really her… really alive means there's still a chance we can get her out of there. I will not rest until I've seen this solved."
It's only after a long moment that Akari's finally able to tear her hand away for real. Somehow she feels comforted in the way that his shakes, too.
"Okay," she says with a tiny nod. "We better."
Her gaze hardens, but her heart is hardly in it.
"Who… is this person?" Ritsu asks. "I suppose I could do a quick Google search, but I wanted to get in and out of there as soon as possible."
"A friend," Korosensei responds. "She's… a good friend of ours."
"And indeed the person I saw," Itona confirms. "I recognize that face." He pauses. "She looked a little different by the time I saw her, but… she has the same eyes."
"We need to start planning," Korosensei says immediately. "This is going to be difficult. The lab is no doubt going to be reinforced after what happened last time… and so we need to be prepared. Itona? Do you know the location?"
"Of course."
"And you don't?" Akari asks, skeptical. "I thought you destroyed i-"
"I did," Korosensei interjects. "But I wasn't sure if they'd moved it or not. Now..." he turns. "Do you think you'd be able to start mapping out the layout you remember? The more info we have on the premise the better."
"Can do," Itona replies. "I can't promise it'll be perfect, but…-"
"Anything helps. Don't worry about that."
"I can try to look at security cams," Ritsu pipes up. "They might not have them everywhere, but it's a start."
"That would be wonderful," Korosensei replies. "Try to keep an eye out for Anti-Sensei weapons and materials. I need to know what I can handle and what I'll be relying on you guys for."
"Is the rest of the class coming along?" Ritsu asks, curious.
"Well… Kayano seemed to be fond of the idea of-"
"Of course they're coming along," Akari speaks up. She'd hardly been listening up until this point… she's in too much of a daze, but that she's not willing to budge on. "Itona pointed out that we can do pretty much anything when we're working together. If it'll make our odds of success even a bit better then it's a plan we've got to go through with. There's too much riding on this not to."
"I'm well aware," Korosensei replies. "I just worry that… it's dangerous."
Now that makes Akari scowl.
"You say that like you haven't put us in danger before," she snaps. "Kanzaki and I were kidnapped. Takaoka tried to poison half the class. We've had dangerous people banging down on our door from day one. How is this any different? This is a risk we've got to take." She pauses. "...Unless rescuing my sister isn't worth it to you?"
Her words are like knives: pointed and deliberate accusations. Korosensei lets out a deep sigh, shutting his eyes as he thinks.
"Very well then," he says. "I will… let them know and offer them the chance to come along. I will not be forcing anyone, however. As much as I'll be relying on the humans here to deal with what I can't, I still can't risk endangering your lives."
Some part of Akari is willing to think 'I would,' 'Who cares if they die? At least it'd bring my sister back…' but she feels bad just as she does. They may be much less important to her than the outcome of this mission… but that doesn't make them disposable pawns, does it? Those are her friends!
(The tentacles slink up into her mind and begin to stab. 'You said you'd do anything to reach your goal, didn't you?')
...Indeed, she did.
Still, she doesn't argue. She's sure all of them will agree, anyways.
They're rash in the face of danger.
"Very well then," she replies. "That works for me."
"Which does bring me to our next question," Korosensei admits. "Who else are we telling? If we're letting the class in on this are we informing Karasuma and Irina-sensei as well?"
"...Absolutely not," Akari says before even fully thinking it through. "We've got enough people involved as is. And besides…" She drifts off. She's got this weird gut feeling. "I don't trust them."
Perhaps she'd have wanted Karasuma involved if she couldn't get Korosensei's cooperation… but with the octopus on board? No way. Anything he does gets reported straight to the higher-ups… and if they think the kids are in danger then they're going to stop him for sure. If he had a good heart, maybe… but Karasuma just strikes her as this kind of ingenuine guy. He won't give a shit that her sister's suffering… he'll tell her that that's just how life is sometimes.
And as for Irina… she's a huge phony. Not only is she, like, pretty terrible at her job, but she's even less trustworthy than Karasuma. Akari doesn't trust her to not get the word out.
Korosensei sighs.
"Very well then," he replies. "I must… be inclined to agree. Of course I tru- I deeply respect my fellow teachers, but Karasuma… he…" he pauses. "...He won't be happy with this. We'll have to tell them sooner or later, but that can wait until after we get Aguri out of that place, consequences be damned."
"Yeah," Akari says. "No ifs or buts."
From there it all seems to come together. They strike at midnight. The dark will help give them cover. Korosensei says he'll stop by every student's house and let them know he's giving a debriefing of 'something important' at ten. Usually, he'd be worried about one of them snitching to Karasuma… but he has a feeling their sense of mischievousness will win out.
At least… until they realize this isn't something very fun at all.
They agree not to tell the class everything… just what they need to know. Any further exposition can wait until after the rescue. For now they've got to have a tight focus.
As Itona and Akari plan, Korosensei disperses to inform them all. He returns before they even know it… and Ritsu continues to snoop, careful not to trip any wires. The four of them discuss what their classmates will be best at… who can do what, and what abilities they might just have to use to their advantage. It's during that conversation that Itona brings up what he probably shouldn't.
"Do you plan to use your… y'know?"
Akari pauses.
Quite frankly she hasn't expected those to come up. But this is what she gets for letting them show in front of Itona.
"...Yeah," she says. "I think I would have preferred to keep these my little secret, but if it's really too late now, then…" She slowly unfurls her tentacles from her neck. "Ah well… there's probably no use in hiding it, anyways. These were definitely going to come out at the lab. After all… I'm going to use them to fight with everything I've got."
Korosensei stares. Eyes wide, he says "You've-"
"Got tentacles?" Akari finishes. "Yeah? What about it?"
"Admittedly I'm just worried that you won't be in your right mind for a heist," Itona admits. "What if you… y'know: lose control?"
"I won't," Akari says simply.
"Woah. Woah. Woah," Korosensei murmurs. "I was not made aware of this. We need to get those out of you immediately-"
He rushes to Akari's side, but she stumbles out of the way. Eyes narrowed, she says "Absolutely not."
"You are in grave danger."
"And I'm well aware. But rescuing Aguri comes first. You said it yourself when Itona joined the class: tentacles can't be removed unless the participant is willing… and I don't intend to let my conviction waver until my sister is safe. If you really care so much about protecting me, then all you've got to do is hurry up."
It's funny… part of keeping her tentacles is as a countermeasure to still be able to harm Korosensei. But it turns out physically isn't the only way they can do that.
...His expression falls.
"You've got to promise me," he says. "That you will let me take those away if we succeed."
"I'll see about it," Akari replies.
"Kaede-"
"I told you I'd see," she repeats. "And that's the only answer you're getting. Why do you care so much, anyways? Are you afraid I have a way of fighting back?"
"Of course not," he responds. "But I promised to protect you all…-"
"And I'll be fine. I've been maintaining these for a very long time now. I haven't keeled over dead yet, have I?"
"Well…-" Korosensei drifts off. He looks troubled. If she didn't, y'know… sort of loathe him, Akari would almost understand. He's just been hit with a pretty big revelation, hasn't he?
"Arguing isn't going to get us anywhere," Itona says. "It's clear she's not going to budge. And so just let it be."
"Exactly-"
"But you," he continues, pointing a finger at Akari. "You listen to him and take those out once you're satisfied. Again: you're not invincible. And the last thing your sister needs right now is-"
"Me dead. I know," Akari interrupts. "...Fine. Whatever. Yeah. If I feel I can trust you then they can go. But until then…-"
"...You can keep them," Korosensei's voice is strained. It's clear he doesn't like this compromise, but they're at an impasse. Akari gives a firm nod. It's surprisingly cathartic to be able to feel like the one in control here.
"However," he specifies. "Please don't utilize those in the fight against Yanagisawa, Kayano. It is entirely possible the only reason you've gotten by this long without a horrible rebound is the lack of usage. Weaponizing your tentacles could put your body into shock."
Akari feels a tentacle twitch. Somehow she sincerely doubts that. She's got these mastered, okay? And even if she did get hurt it wouldn't matter as long as she accomplished her goal.
"I'll try not to," she says, if only just to sate him. "But if it comes to it I'll do what I have to. If I have to hurt myself to save my sister then… so be it."
Korosensei's face goes pale, but he knows better than to argue. Instead… stepping in closer to her, he places a tentacle on her shoulder.
"Thankfully," he says. "I don't think it will come to that. I'll take care of the dangerous things before you have to worry about any of that. We'll carry this together as a team. That way you won't have to fight for your sister's safety alone." He pauses. "...That way none of us will have to sacrifice ourselves."
He says that so confidently… so close to reassuring. But still, in the moment before Akari elbows him away, she swears she notes his hands shaking once more. Brave as he pretends to be, he's afraid.
...Yeah. There's a lot of things riding on this for all of them.
(Her sister's life, and her own.)
