It only takes a few seconds to arrive. From the moment that Kayano acknowledges Aguri to their arrival at the temporary refuge, it's three whole seconds. Three seconds to escape. Three seconds to get to safety. And to think... they spent so much time in that hellish situation.
Korosensei lets out a deep, shaky breath. Wasting no time, he gingerly places the students... and then Aguri, down. He looks over them, sweat dripping down his brow.
"Who is injured?" He says, firmly. "Some of you got shot. Please allow me to look."
He tries his best to keep an even tone. He's scared out of his mind, but the last thing he needs to do is let them know that. He's a pillar of stability for them... and if he's frightened then they'll be, too. He's got to seem brave right now. Like he always has.
(He hopes that doesn't make it seem like he doesn't care.)
It takes a second for the kids to process that. At first, they don't seem to realize they've even made it outside of the lab. But as they look around… catch sight of the canopy overhead, he sees some color return to their face.
Meekly, Sugino raises a hand.
"It's not bad," he reassures. "But-"
Korosensei doesn't wait for him to finish. Instead, spotting a splotch of crimson on his lefthand shoulder, he pulls his sleeve up and gets to work. He uses the clump of cells and blood he grabbed earlier to repair Sugino's tissue. And by the time he's done… it actually looks something close to uninjured. He wipes at his brow, relieved. He's been toying with this safety precaution for a while… but he wasn't actually sure it would work.
"Woah," Sugino says. "Wha-?"
"Who's the other?" Korosensei asks. "Someone else got shot. Who is it?"
"I… um- got nicked," Yada admits. "But Sugino's injury seemed more serious."
"On it," Korosensei says, hurrying to her side. She got grazed on the hip… but he takes care of it just the same as he took care of Sugino. He asks them if it still hurts when he's done. Can they move it?
Sugino awkwardly flexes his shoulder. He says he thinks it's fine.
"It… feels like I wasn't injured at all. What did you just do?"
"Simple tissue repair," Korosensei replies. "It's something I've been working on mastering just in case a scenario like this ever popped up." He pauses. "Is anyone else harmed? Please don't hesitate to let me know. Kayano- I thought I saw you get hit. Are you okay?"
But Kayano doesn't respond. Instead, shoulders heaving, she's collapsed to the ground beside Aguri. Korosensei takes a step towards her, but she pulls back, insisting she's fine.
"Don't touch me," she says blankly. "Focus on the rest of the class."
"Like that was her concern just half-a-second ago…" Korosensei hears Yoshida whisper indignantly. He shoots his friends an irritated look.
Usually Korosensei would pester her further... but seeing as how she at least has her tentacles retracted for now, he'll give her some space.
"I didn't get shot," Terasaka pipes up. "But I think I might've snapped something. Kayano over there struck me pretty damn hard." He points to his lower right arm. "Any thoughts?"
Sure enough, it's looking pretty hurt. He must have hit it hard when she knocked him back against the lab wall. Korosensei's sure it's something that will heal relatively easily in time… but all the same, his heart sinks.
There's a sense of animosity and hate amongst his students. It's not even something they're bothering to hide. Half of them are frightened… trembling, and the other half seem mad. With arms crossed and faces a scowl, they whisper and grumble. That sense of teamwork and cohesion from earlier in the night has disappeared completely… and now they're just scared.
Korosensei feels ashamed. He'd thought he was ready for a situation like this, but he clearly wasn't. The students are in a horrific state. He lets his gaze drift Sugino and Yada's bloodied clothes… does another headcount as he readies Terasaka's splint. He asks his students to check up on each other, just in case… and tries his best to steady his breathing.
"I… believe no-one is fatally wounded. That comes as a relief," he admits with a sigh. "That said, however: I fully apologize for how that went. I did not anticipate things to escalate the way they did, and you paid for that in your safety. I cannot possibly apologize enough."
The students exchange a wary glance. But all the same, they give a few hesitant nods.
"We knew what we were getting into," Mimura admits, scratching at his shoulder. "You told us it was dangerous from the start."
"And as your supervisor, I should have taken that as a sign not to bring you along." Korosensei's face goes a deep blue. "Which isn't to say you did anything wrong… you did a wonderful job. But that was reckless of me, and I could have gotten one of you killed. I'd never have forgiven myself if that happened. I know you think you're all strong… and you are. But you are not invincible. And it was selfish of me to take that risk."
"For the record," he continues. "You all have full permission to tell Karasuma-sensei about this. If you don't feel safe around me or like you can trust in the decisions I make, then you have another adult you can come to. And if you feel I should be punished for this, then I will be. I just hope you can continue to accept me as your teacher, even despite my mistakes."
"You… didn't have very much time to think it through, yeah?" Fuwa asks. "You did the best you could on a short notice."
"Yeah. We're not mad at you, Sensei-" Isogai tries to reassure. "It's not like we haven't been in dangerous situations before."
"And it was to help Yukimura-sensei out," Sugino says. "I don't mind getting a little hurt for that." He gives an awkward smile. "I'm just glad you managed to patch us all up."
"Yeah. It'd be a little different if any of us ended up getting permanently harmed," Sugaya says. "But we didn't."
Still, there's a sense of restlessness. Hara and Yoshida are quiet… exchanging a skeptical glance. Terasaka lets out a low huff. Okuda doesn't speak, but shivers as she stares down at the ground, and Megu shoots him a dubious look.
"...While I'm thankful for your support," Korosensei says. "I still deserve to be held accountable for this mistake. And so if you're scared or angry, please don't fault yourself for that. Please just also know that I promise nothing like this will ever happen again. Seeing how this turned out… I swear I will never put you all in another situation of this caliber. It is my duty to keep you all safe with me… and I want you to know that I would never allow permanent harm to come to you."
"Honestly…" Hazama whispers "I'm not so much mad at you as I am at Kayano."
"Yeah," Hayami pipes up suddenly. "What the hell was that!?"
"Why'd you just leap at that guy!? You could have gotten us killed!"
But Kayano doesn't respond. Instead, still laser-focused on Aguri, she leans on her side and whispers "Hey. It's okay. You're out of there now. It's okay. We saved you. We got him."
"Kayano," Terasaka repeats. "What the fuck were you thinking?"
"You don't have anything to be afraid of anymore. You're safe. You're safe."
"Hey."
"...Please talk to me."
"KAYANO."
Finally her head whips around. She stares at her classmates with irritated eyes.
"What is it!?" She asks. "Can't you see I'm dealing with something?"
"We just wanna know what you just did. Why'd you go kamikaze on Shiro? You knew he was going to start shooting."
"Yeah," she replies. "I knew that. But I still did what I had to."
"Had to?"
"Yeah! Had to!" She snaps. "Korosensei was just standing there. He knew Yanagisawa was going to kill him and Aguri and he wasn't going to do anything. I had to step in, alright!?" She huffs. "It wasn't the perfect plan, but at least I got something done."
"Well… I didn't want them dead any more than you did-" Hara murmurs.
"But that was still really stupid."
"Almost makes it seem like you didn't care about our safety," Chiba points out.
"Were we just cannon fodder to you?" Takebayashi asks. "Or am I misconstruing this?"
Kayano opens her mouth to speak, but Korosensei steps in before she can. Putting himself between them, he says:
"I believe this isn't something we should be discussing at the moment. It's a very valid concern… and something we must talk about, but Kayano is not in her right mind right now, and I'd like to take care of her health concerns before we get into any interpersonal issues. Why don't we discuss this in the morning?"
Terasaka looks ready to argue, but most of the other kids who were bickering with her reluctantly nod.
"Fine," Yoshida says.
"Just… make sure it's dealt with, alright?"
"...I was really scared back there."
"I will," Korosensei says. "Your feelings will be addressed. Your safety was blatantly disregarded, and I will make sure that's something we don't gloss over." He pauses. "As for you… Kayano, I hope you're appreciative of your friends. They're being very patient with you right now. You put them in a genuinely dangerous situation, and the minute you're in your right mind we will discuss that. Do you understand?"
"But-"
"No buts," Korosensei replied. "...I know you're angry. And I know I may have seemed helpless. But what you did was dangerous and selfish. You could have gotten your classmates killed."
Kayano's eyes narrowed.
"...And you could have gotten Aguri killed. Glad to see I'm the only one who cares about that."
Korosensei sighs… crouching down to her level. "I hope this doesn't cause infighting between you all, for the record. If you want someone to be mad at, then please be mad at me. Understand that Kayano is suffering a lot right now. And Kayano… you try to understand what your classmates just went through was like something they've never experienced before."
"Now," he says, reaching a tentacle out. "Do you mind if I see your wound? I'd at least like to bandage it up."
"...Do whatever you want," Kayano replies. "Just don't lay a hand on Aguri."
Korosensei takes a look at her lower thigh. There's a wound maybe two inches wide going straight through to the other side. The tentacle's wormed its way out by now, but she's bleeding pretty profusely onto the grass. He reaches into his pocket for some bandages, quickly disinfects it, and then wraps the site of the injury. He notes that her skin's still warm to the touch.
(She's got a fever for sure.)
"How does that feel?" He asks. "Does it hurt?"
He wishes he'd had the time to grab her tissue and cells, too. Some part of him wants to say he was simply too panicked- but that's an excuse. He failed her, and because of that, she's suffering.
"No shit it hurts," she responds. "But I'll be fine. So stop touching me, alright?"
Korosensei lets out a sigh. He's still going to have to remove her tentacles, but that can wait just a moment. For now…
(His gaze drifts)
"How is Yukimura-sensei doing, anyways?"
The students begin to murmur amongst themselves.
"Yeah. Forget about Kayano. Forget about us! How's she!?"
"She looks to be in a pretty bad state."
"Can she hear us right now?"
"You're gonna be able to fix what happened to her, right?"
Aguri flinches some as they start to grow louder. Korosensei reaches an arm out to put some room between her and the students. Face a pale blue, he says "Give her some space, okay? Why don't you just let me and Kayano talk to her right now. I'm sure she's very excited to see you all, but…-"
"No," Nagisa says. "That's fair. "We wouldn't wanna overwhelm her."
He and the rest of the students step back.
Korosensei scoots in slightly closer to Aguri… maneuvers himself to be placed in front of her. She only reacts slightly as he comes into her field of view. Whole body shaking, she's having a staring contest with the ground. She's on her hands and knees… clutching at the grass. And if he has to make a guess, he'd venture she hasn't processed a word they've said.
"She's not responding," Kayano says, blankly. "I don't know why you think it's going to be any different for you."
"It's worth a shot," Korosensei says, inching in a bit closer. He lowers his voice. "...Hey. Aguri, can you hear us?"
Silence.
"...Aguri. It's okay. You're out of there now."
It's not, but what else is he supposed to say? She's looking at him with glazed over, teary eyes. How else is he supposed to prevent his heart from breaking?
"It's your sister and I."
He reaches out to place a hand on her shoulder. And breathing in… breathing out, heavy, Aguri finally asks:
"What?"
When Aguri's first freed from that place there's a lot going on… but she doesn't process most of it. She remembers gunshots. She remembers a lot of shouting, and she thinks she remembers a scream. She remembers making out a familiar face, and then... nothing. She's gone, and so is the lab.
She's soaring through the air at a million miles a minute… and she thinks she's going to throw up. But before she can even process that, it's already over, and she's placed, gingerly, on the ground.
It's an unreal sensation… one she can't even believe. But as her fingers bury themselves in the grass and a leaf falls to the ground beside her... she feels tears trail down her face and buckles- overwhelmed- to the ground. She hasn't the slightest clue what just happened, but it shakes her to the core.
(She can feel the night breeze on her face.)
Somewhere in the distance she hears arguing… but none of that matters right now. And so instead, shaking like a leaf, she simply tries to focus in on the sensation and treasure it while it lasts. Each heavy breath in and out makes her chest ache, and snot dribbles down her face as she starts to weep. She listens to the birds chirp… the cicadas hum, and as someone places themselves down next to her, she hardly notices.
(Golden eyes and green hair. Why do they look so depressed?)
Some part of her's tempted to ask where she is… but her mouth feels dry. She hasn't talked in months. And besides… what's the point? What matters is that…- that she's out, even if there's no way it's real. She wants to be able to appreciate that before reality inevitably comes crashing in on her.
(She just wants to feel the breeze for a little bit longer.)
There are very few words she can make out. For the most part, her ears are ringing. Briefly, she wonders who the people talking are… but can't will herself to care. She just hopes it's not people working under Yanagisawa. She couldn't possibly fight back against them. She doesn't want them to come for her. Not yet.
"Korosensei."
"Kayano."
"Aguri."
That's hers, right? She's… Aguri? Yeah. She has to be. She's Aguri and she's 25 years old and... she's scared. She remembers that for sure.
(She tries not to doubt her own mind.)
When someone else approaches he's different to see. He's strange looking… not like the girl. He towers over her and has bright yellow skin. He's almost hard to look at.
...Aguri flinches back.
But carefully, he scoots in closer to her, and the girl does, too.
"Aguri… can you… hear us?"
Her head's still pounding, and she can hardly tear herself from the grass. Hands shaking- limbs heavy, she tries to make out his voice.
"…okay… you're out of there, now."
She swears she recognizes it, but she's not sure how. It's too distant… foreign. And anyone addressing her at all kind of scares her. She hasn't heard that name in so long. And so… why-?
"It's your sister and I."
(Why does that make her heart ache?)
Slowly, he unfurls a strange arm to place his hand on her shoulder… and she feels her blood run cold. Struggling for breath, she asks:
"What?"
The girl and the creature exchange a surprised look… almost like they didn't expect her to actually speak. But before they can respond, she continues.
"I'm sorry. I just- I don't… I don't know what's going on," she clarifies, rambling. "I… it's been a long time since- I know this probably isn't real, but…" she drifts off, collapses into the grass. "...It's hard to focus. I apologize."
She forgets what she was asking about in the first place. Something about…- she means…- she's not really out, is she…? But what is this, then? Another trick? Is that what she wanted them to talk about?
The girl and the creature are quiet for a long moment… sending her a sorrowful look. Aguri stares straight back at them, trying to focus through blurred vision. She… knows she recognizes the girl's face. What is it they said earlier? Sister? She feels like she had it on the tip of her tongue just a moment ago. But… that's not her sister, is it? She… had a sister before all of this, yeah… but she didn't look like that, did she? No. She knows her sister. She's not- there's no-
'Kayano,' they called her. That's not right. It was… it was- there was something else. She can't remember the name, and it cuts at her like knives, but she's certain that's not correct. And… and besides, she remembers what her sister's smile looked like.
(This girl's not smiling now.)
And then… as for the other one, she's sure she hasn't seen him. The longer she looks at him the stranger he gets. He's tall, with bright yellow skin, and a rotund, unnatural face. He stares at her with beady white eyes… and his grin glints in the moonlight. Now that she thinks about it he hasn't stopped smiling once since she's seen him. He makes her scared.
Why is he talking about her like he knows her?
She doesn't… doesn't know-
She scoots back, half unconsciously- but doesn't tear her shoulder from his grip. It's been a very long time since anyone's touched her, and she appreciates the gesture, even if it's still a bit hard to breathe.
Looking at them, there's something weird about his hands. They're contorted- unnatural, like the rest of him… but what is it about them? No. There's something specific. They almost seem… seem-
(Familiar.)
She starts to squint… wracks her mind. But before she can conspire too much she shakes her head. No. There's no way she's seen those before. The only other tentacles she's ever seen before… they're- they're long gone.
"Don't apologize," the creature says, gently. "It's okay. You don't have anything to be sorry for."
"We got you out of there," the girl adds on. "And so you don't need to be afraid anymore, alright? I took care of him."
Aguri blinks. Took… took care of who? Yanagisawa? No. There's no way. No-one could manage to lay a hand on him. And besides…-
"N… no-one knew I was alive. H… how did you-?"
"Itona told me," the girl says. "Er…- uh…- a classmate of mine."
"But… but everyone thought I was dead. I'm- I'm supposed to be-"
"Indeed, everyone believed you were dead. But the minute we heard there was a possibility you weren't we had to see for ourselves. I'm sorry we didn't come sooner."
They're both talking with such gentle voices. Aguri can hardly comprehend it. It's… it's been far too long since she's heard a voice like that. It makes her want to flinch back and cry. There's no way she could possibly deserve that kind of kindness. And yet… here it is.
"I… it's okay," she says, clutching at the grass yet again. "It's not- you don't have anything to…- I'm sorry." She pauses. "It's hard to talk. I'm just trying to focus on it… appreciate it before I have to go back. I hope that doesn't- I'm not trying to…"
"Woah, woah," The creature says, gently squeezing her shoulder. "It's okay."
"And you're not going back. I don't know where you got that idea," The girl says, looking almost mad. "No-one is taking you back there, alright?"
She says it so confidently, but Aguri has trouble believing it. She knows Yanagisawa's got his claws in her… he always has. And before she even knows it she'll be back to that hell. Even so, she thinks she appreciates this. It's a moment of respite. And it may not last… but she hasn't had that in a very long time.
The stars look so pretty up above. Oh god - please don't take it away.
"Indeed, Akari's correct," the creature says. "No-one will be taking you back there. I can reassure you. Now-"
He doesn't get the chance to finish. Head shooting around, Aguri murmurs "Akari?"
(That's… that's the name. It has to be! It's burned into her mind somewhere. Akari. Akari Yukimura. She's fourteen years old, and she's-)
"Yeah," the girl says. "It's me."
(HER SISTER!)
Aguri doesn't even process what she's doing. It's almost an involuntary reaction. Collapsing into Akari's arms, she wraps her arms around her shoulders and squeezes tight. She buries her face in her shoulder and struggles for breath… tries her best not to bawl.
"I'm… I'm so happy to- I thought I'd never see you again," she whispers. "I'm so sorry."
"W… woah," Akari says, stiffening slightly. "For what?"
"There's… there's so much I've been meaning to- I really should have…-" she drifts off- bats at her eyes . "...I don't know why I didn't ask him to look out for you. I'm sorry. I didn't forget about you, I promise."
It's been weighing on her for months. She knows she was a shitty sister to Akari… but she's missed her so bad all the same. She hopes she can forgive her one day. She's been all Aguri's had to cling to. If her baby sister was mad at her then she… she wouldn't know what to do.
Akari's hands drift up Aguri's back. Stunned, she searches for words. But when none come out, she seems to settle for "...Don't worry. I didn't forget about you, either."
Her grip tightens around Aguri's back.
Aguri treasures the touch… at least until she notices just how much warmth Akari is radiating. She feels feverish, and she trembles where she sits. It pulls her back to reality. And locking up, she suddenly says.
"W… wait! Why are you here? You were supposed to…- you thought I was dea- this is a very dangerous place." She sits up. "You need to get out of here… now. He's going to hurt you-"
"I don't think we'll need to be worrying about that," a voice from her right says. It's the creature. He's staring at her with patient, reassuring eyes.
"I understand you think that you've left your sister unsupervised all this time, but that's just not true," he continues. "She enrolled in my class shortly after you passed. I've been keeping her safe in your stead. And so if you're worried about Yanagisawa harming her, I'd put those fears to rest. She actually left him in a pretty sorry state."
Akari nods. "...You think I'd just let him get away unharmed after what he did to you? Mark my words, Aguri. I am going to kill him."
And there it is: that dizzy feeling again. Akari's words concern her, and she feels her temperature start to rise… but it's the creature's claim that really leaves her confused. What is… what is he going on about? Class?
"W… who are you?" She whispers. "What do you- do you mean you've been looking out for…-?"
She can't even bring herself to finish.
The creature's quiet for a long moment. Shifting slightly, he says "...Ah. I suppose it only checks out that you wouldn't recognize me. It's been a very long time, and I have changed quite a bit. I'm sorry I didn't clarify this sooner." He shuts his eyes. "It's me, Aguri. I've been doing as you asked. It's Reaper."
...Aguri's heart stops in it's chest. Her gaze shoots down towards his hands, and she flinches away. For a moment she swears she spots something familiar, but she can't - no, won't - believe it. She rockets backwards, Akari still in her arms as she presses herself desperately up against a tree.
"No you aren't-" She whispers, voice ragged.
The creature pauses.
"...What?"
"No you aren't," she repeats, pulling Akari in close and up against her chest.
The creature motions to stand… but must decide against it. Instead, still keeping himself low to the ground, he starts to inch in closer to her; voice calm as he speaks.
"I'm well aware that I look different now, Aguri. But you must believe me that-"
"You're dead! Don't try and lie to me! He told me himself! He killed you!"
Her voice is a shriek. She tears up at the thought. Heart pounding- pulse racing, she pushes herself further back and shuts her eyes. She shakes her head again and again and again. Akari feels stiff in her arms.
"Killed me?" The creature repeats. "No. You've gotten the wrong impression." And all at once, it seems to dawn on him. "...He lied to you."
Aguri had known that was a possibility from the beginning… and so desperately she wants to believe it. But listening to the creature she feels her heart race… some form of hope bubble up in her chest, and instantly she wants to squash it. She knows better by now than to believe in things like that. She knows better by now than to think that good things happen to Aguri Yukimura. She knows better by now than to think that…-
That anyone would come back for her at all.
"...No he didn't-"
"Yes. He did. You simply must hear me out, Aguri. He's trying to break your-"
"DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME!" Her voice is a scream. "Please. Pleasepleasepleaseplease. Please don't try to get my hopes up. I can't handle it a second time!"
"Woah. Woah," Akari says, shifting slightly in her grip. "Aguri… I get that you're scared, but you need to calm down. I still don't entirely know who Korosensei is… if he killed you or not- but I think he's the real deal. I saw him at the lab the night you got hurt."
No. No. No.
...This isn't real, either, is it?
Her grip tightens on Akari, then falters. She drops her to the ground and then makes a mad dash… hides amongst the crevice of another tree. Suddenly the figures around her seem threatening- shadowy. She can't make out their faces, but they resemble them far too much: the scientists at the lab. They loom above her… poke and prod at her… make her want to scream.
"Stop it. Stop it," she demands, covering her face with her hands. It feels unfamiliar… alien. Her skin bubbles and writhes as she speaks. "I know this isn't real. I know this isn't real. I'm not stupid! I'm not crazy! I'm not going to fall for it!"
"He… he said he killed you all!" she continues. "The- the class… Reaper! He told me himself! He was so glad about it!" She shakes her head. "He couldn't have made that up! He was never- he's not happy! He wouldn't have talked like that unless he really… really-"
She sputters for breath. Her whole body quakes. She lets out a raggedy little hiccup and chokes on her words.
It's fake. It's all fake. Her sister isn't here. Reaper isn't here. It's a trick- a trap. She's going to die alone . She's never going to get to apologize. She-
"Aguri-" The girl begs, reaching out a hand towards her.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
She can't take it. She won't take it. Who… who cares how real it feels!? She knows she can't trust in her own senses! She knows he's crafty! And it's not like- Reaper or Akari have never indicated they'd come back for her before! She's not worth going through that kind of risk for. She's not- they would never!
It's not real. It's not real.
"Please!" She shrieks. "Make it stop! I can't take it! I can't take it a second time! I know I deserve it, but please, god- you've got to listen to me! I don't want to go back!"
And she is, right? Because all of this is a test? All of this is…- is- a tactic? That's right. It has to be. It has to be. They're gone.
"None of the class is dead-" The creature says, voice still ringing in Aguri's ears. "Look around. I know it's hard to believe me right now, but I want you to look at them. They'll be far more familiar. Look at them… count. You'll see the same students."
No. No. No! She can't risk it! She catches sight of it… them crowding around her… but her eyes just won't focus. What's that? 23? 24? No. No. That's not right. That's not the real number. Who's dead. WHO'S DEAD!?
"Count them," the creature repeats. "I can help you count if need be. Repeat their names with me: listen."
He doesn't wait for a response. Keeping his distance, he raises one of his malformed, horribly familiar hands… and he starts to count.
"That's Karma Akabane," he says. "He's student number one. You may not remember him… I believe he was suspended through most of your time at Kunugigaoka, but he's still one of the 25 that must be accounted for. Can you repeat that after me? 'Karma.' Say his name and take deep breaths."
Unconsciously, her gaze drifts to the boy she's pointing at. She doesn't mean to, but it's almost on instinct… like she's afraid he'll strike if she doesn't obey.
It's hard to make out his face… her vision's still blurred, but something about the way he's standing is weird. He's trying to look cool- tough- but his muscles are surprisingly tensed as he leans back against a tree.
She doesn't recognize him… not even a little bit. That scares her. What does the creature mean 'suspended?' She doesn't… she doesn't remember-
(No. There it is. Somewhere in the back of her mind. She's dropping off papers at a students house and she… she-)
"Karma," she says, voice strained. "That's… Karma."
"Good," The creature responds. "Karma is accounted for." He turns… points once more. "Which makes way for student number two. This is Yuuma Isogai. Do you remember him?"
Aguri's gaze drifts. She locks eyes with a tall boy hanging out by the front of the crowd of students. He has black hair and golden eyes. He gives her a nervous wave as she turns his way.
"I…-" she drifts off. "Maybe." She feels like she's seen the face somewhere before, but how can she be certain? What if… what if her mind's just playing tricks on her? And even if these really are her set of students: the correct 25, how does she know she's not just hallucinating it? This could be a mere pipe dream.
"Good," the creature says. "Maybe is good. Maybe is better than 'no.'" He swivels his head. "Next is Taiga Okajima. That would be student number three."
"Taiga… Okajima," she repeats. And little beads of sweat drip down her forehead.
She's… trying to commit the name to memory somewhere far away. She's strapped down to the operating table and she's trying to memorize it. Karma- Isogai- Okajima. She can't make out their faces anymore and it scares her. Who… who is it that comes after Okajima again? She's not even sure she remembered back then.
...How? How is this happening, then? Could she really be hallucinating this- their names included, if she doesn't even remember them? The creature reaches out- points one of his gangly, disfigured fingers towards another student, and Aguri starts to wrack her mind. No. No. She's either making this up or some of them are missing. There's no other way.
Still- locking eyes with the girl the creature's singled out… Aguri doesn't recognize her, and when the creature murmurs "Okano. Hinata Okano," it's only then that her breath releases.
That… sounds right. Okano sounds right. But she hadn't thought about that up until now, had she? It'd been utterly blank.
Okuda comes next. And after Okuda Megu. Kanzaki. Kimura. Kurahashi and Nagisa... he leads her through each one. Some she remembers better than others- some she swears she barely remembers at all… but there's a glint of recognition to each one… and as he finishes, saying "Yoshida" in that voice so calm, Aguri stops and stares.
25…- 25 sounds right. That's 25 students, yes? And as she tries to focus on them the fog starts to clear. They have such frightened expressions. Could she really make those out in the lab? She remembers trying so hard just to remember the color of her sister's eyes. In isolation- utterly mad, would she really be able to visualize the way their mouths crease when they frown? Somehow it feels doubtful.
The creature inches in once more. This time he's slower. He tells her, voice a whisper, that this is real.
"I know you're scared. But please, you need to trust me. Take deep breaths. Focus on your students. Feel the grass between your fingers. You're out of there now… and everyone is here. Yanagisawa lied to you. And you know it's in his nature to do so. But no-one killed them." He pauses… drifts off. "And no-one killed me."
They lock eyes for a split second, but Aguri averts her gaze. Simply too unready, still, to accept it, she looks out to the students and their gaze, instead. They're looking back at her… some concerned, some scared- others sympathetic and pitying. Akari's standing awkwardly- heartbroken, hurt, almost, in the way that she carries herself.
(Her eyes are golden.)
The sight of them steadies Aguri's heart some. She… thinks that's right. She… thinks she's not forgetting anyone. At least… she's pretty sure. But she still can't trust herself- not yet. She'd never forgive herself if she forgot anyone. And even if she isn't, she doesn't think she's ready to admit that the creature is Reaper yet. If he weren't… if it turned out that he was really still dead, then-
...Well, she doesn't think she could handle it.
Purging any thoughts of The Reaper from her mind, she asks who the other two are.
"There's… 27," she says. "I counted. Karma, Isogai, Okajima through Yoshida, and then… another two." She pauses. "One's Akari… but I don't really get why she's here. And then there's… there's-"
She almost hadn't spotted him standing there near the back of the crowd. But there, just out of view, perches a white-haired and yellow-eyed boy. He hasn't stopped staring at her once since she arrived.
(His gaze is weirdly piercing… and she somehow feels she's felt it before. No. No. She's certain she's seen those eyes. And so how? Who? That's not a member of her class, is it!?)
"Ah," the creature says. "That would be Itona. He's the one who helped us get you out of there." He pauses. "...There's a lot we need to explain to you, it seems. Three new students have joined the class since I saw you last. But I'm also afraid that all of that can wait. For now… let's focus on what matters."
He reaches a hand out- but this time he doesn't touch her. Instead, open palm resting in the air, he says "You're safe. We can worry about sharing the full story later. You're safe. You have time, and I promise you that this will all make sense soon. You're safe… we're going to take you home, and then you can finally rest. You have nothing else to worry about."
"This is real. I'm safe… your students are safe, and you're safe. We are never going to let anyone harm you again. Do you understand? We came back for you. Everything is going to be alright, and I am so sorry that we didn't manage to do something sooner."
She stares at that outstretched hand for a long, tense, moment… and she swears she recognizes that kind voice. It's somewhere far away now… but she feels the breeze on her face, and notes just how real it is. Breathing in and out- shaking, gently… Aguri gives a tiny nod and she does something she hasn't done in a very long time... something that makes her feel stupid. But something that also makes her feel a little good, too.
Aguri collapses into his arms.
And with that, she hopes.
Letting out desperate little hiccups, she buries her face in his shoulder. She hyperventilates… cries so hard she quakes. And although at first the creature tenses, he soon relaxes… arms drifting down to wrap around her back. He pulls her in close. And to her surprise, his touch feels familiar.
She's still not sure if he is who he says he is. It's one of those things that's just too hard to believe. But there is one thing she knows for certain and that's that she can trust this person in general. His voice is simply too kind… his touch simply too soft not to.
"I'm here. You're here. This is real. You're safe."
"You're here. I'm here. This is real. I'm safe," Aguri repeats.
...Her voice is a sob.
She still can't believe it. And so Yanagisawa really did lie to her. He lied to her about everything. She knows that probably only seems obvious- but that was all she had to cling to for so long. How was she not supposed to take his word at face value? He was all she had to go off of. He was all she'd ever thought she'd see again!
Even now, this doesn't feel real… some little part of her is telling her this is a trap. She knows she can't take the heartbreak a second time. But all the same… the creature holds her close, and she knows he'll be willing to hold her until it all finally sinks in.
She almost feels ashamed. If… if this really is him, then she can't believe she reacted that way in front of him. He must think of her as a monster… something pathetic. She tries her best to murmur apologies, but they don't really come out… and he tells her to just keep focusing on grounding techniques.
"You don't have anything to apologize for," he says, voice firm. "Just keep taking deep breaths, okay? Just take deep breaths."
"How did… how did you guys even find out I was alive?" Aguri sputters. "How did you get in there? Things were fortified. Yanagisawa had to- he had to have been prepared. I heard screaming. Was anyone hurt!?"
"No," the creature says. "Not badly." He pauses. "There was… certainly some chaos, and I made some mistakes. But that's nothing for you to be worrying about."
"We'll… tell you the full story later," a voice from behind her says. "But for now, he's right: you should just relax."
For a moment Aguri tenses. But just as soon she relaxes… recognizing Akari's voice. She turns, slightly, still not letting go of the creature as she cranes her head back to look at the girl.
"I'm sorry," she says. "For not believing you. I… I should have taken your word at face value being your sister and all… but I…- I-"
"No," Akari says. "Don't apologize. You were scared." She pauses. "Quite frankly… I'm still having trouble believing all of this is real, too."
She crouches down to Aguri's level. Her knees are shaking and she's got this bandage wrapped around her thigh. There's this furrowed, creased look to her brow… a dull look in her eyes. She looks like she's aged a decade in the past...- well- however long it's been.
(Aguri feels terrible for putting that grief on her.)
"It's real," she says, still hardly sure herself. "It's real," she repeats, desperately trying to console her baby sister. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I had to go away for so long. I'm sorry… you probably thought I was dead. But I'm here now . I'm here."
By the time she's done speaking, she's not sure if she's reassuring Akari or herself.
"You're here. You're here."
Aguri's sure Yanagisawa will be back for her. He'll make sure of it. But at the moment she just can't care. She's happy to be out at all. She's happy to be able to feel the warmth of a hug. Whatever comes next- that doesn't matter one bit.
"I'm so happy to see you again," she says, voice a whimper. "I never thought anything like this would happen. I'd completely given up hope."
"I know," Akari says. "I know. But we'll get him, I swear."
And abruptly… the creature shifts. Standing up- gently sliding Aguri off of his arm, he says "I think it's clear the Yukimura's need some alone time. The rest of you should go home."
It's only then that Aguri reprocesses the students staring at her. Slowly, they start to nod.
"I'll take care of making sure they get to their home safely. As for the rest of you… it's best you get some rest. It's been a very long night." He reaches out a hand… holds his palm open. "Mind if I get all of your phones? I'd like to add you to speed dial, just in case anything happens." He pauses. "I believe you should be safe. Kayano left Yanagisawa in quite a state, and his beef is with me… not you all. But all the same, I'd never forgive myself if something happened."
"You mean he might come after us?" A black-haired girl says, eyes watery.
"It's… doubtful," The creature says. "Again: I am his enemy. But I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'll add myself as a contact. If you think you need help, then just let me know. I will be there in an instant. Understood?"
The kids give another nod. And one by one, they step forward. Eventually, even the ones who had been shouting earlier are compliant.
"Just make sure to stay true to that word, yeah?" A tall, strong-looking boy instructs. "Wouldn't want things getting screwed up again."
"I very much will," the creature reassures. "I promise. Now all of you get home. Make sure that the injured students arrive there safely. I will take care of Kayano's situation… and we can discuss the rest of this in the morning."
There's a long moment of silence. But finally, a blonde-haired girl speaks up and says "Sounds good to me. Let's get going."
And from there the students disperse, leaving Aguri, Akari, and the creature alone in the clearing. Aguri leans on Akari some, desperate for the human touch. Akari doesn't shy away. Hands wrapped firmly around her sister's back, she holds Aguri close.
The creature turns to look at them… stares at them with his beady, white eyes. Aguri looks into those unfamiliar eyes and wonders just how different she must seem. She remembers Yanagisawa's cruel comments about her mutations. She's ashamed to be seen.
(She hopes… Reaper doesn't think she's…-
No. She won't even say it.)
If he's thinking anything, he certainly doesn't say it. Instead, gaze locked on Akari, he says "Now… I believe it's time we finally remove those."
Akari shifts slightly. "Well," she says. "I know what I agreed to… but are you really sure that's the best idea? What if I'm the only one who can take him down?"
"You are not under any pressure to do so," The creature responds. "That is not your responsibility. I don't want to see you hurt over something so beyond your control."
"I mean, it's clear you weren't going to fight back against him," Akari huffs, bringing one knee up to her chest. "It's only because of these I was able to save 'sis. And besides…" she drifts off. "What if I'm the only one who can take you down? Does that make a difference, then?"
The creature's quiet for a long moment. Bringing his hand to his chin, he says "There are plenty of other ways to go about that. You have a fine bloodlust, Kayano… but I would never want you to go about assassinating me in a way that harms you."
There's a palpable tension to the air. But still more confused than anything, Aguri asks "What are you two… talking about?" She knows there's a lot she missed, but assassination? Bloodlust? Now that doesn't- that doesn't make any sense. "Is Akari in danger?"
The thought grips at her heart. Akari seems fine, but if anything ended up happening to her after all of that… well Aguri just doesn't think she could take it.
The creature blinks, voice strained as he tries to find a way to go about this delicately. "Well… yes," he says awkwardly. "But it's not anything you should be worrying about. I'm going to take care of-"
"I have tentacles," Akari says, point-blank. "And I'm going to use them to avenge you."
Aguri's blood runs cold. And all at once her ears are ringing again. Blinking, dumbfounded, she points down at her own own arm and murmurs "Like… like-?"
"Like those," Akari confirms, a blank look on her face. "Yeah."
Aguri's head starts to spin… and again, her knees feel weak. She remembers the excruciating pain of the Antimatter experiments and wants to choke. Imagining… imagining Akari going through the same thing-
No. No!
"However," The creature says. "It is something I am going to take care of. And so-"
"Who did this to you?"
Literally rasping, Aguri reaches out to take Akari's shoulders. She clings to them tight… lets out little sputtery breaths, and stares right through her.
Akari blinks, tensing slightly. Confused, she asks
"Pardon?"
"Who did this to you?" Aguri repeats. "Did Yanagisawa lay a hand on you?"
"Woah. Woah," the creature interjects. "I believe this is a misunderstanding. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that Akari implanted those herself. Yanagisawa was never involved at any stage of the process."
He takes a step closer.
"That said, however," he continues. "You're right in that these are very dangerous for her. That's why I'll be removing them immediately."
Akari scowls. Shaking her head, she says "No. You're not. You've gotta listen to me, Aguri. These are a good thing for me, I swear."
Aguri's grip had started to loosen… but it tightens again at her words. Eyes wide, she asks "Good?"
Nothing about the tentacles could possibly ever be good! They're dangerous… and they hurt like hell. Dealing with that overwhelming pain… she doesn't want that to be something her sister has to push herself through!
"Good," Akari repeats. "Yeah. They might- they might be a little scary at first- and there's a bit of a tax health-wise… but the pros far outweigh the cons. I can use these tentacles to protect you! Make sure no-one ever lays a hand on you again. I can kill Yanagisawa for what he made you go through!"
There's a conviction to her voice… and all at once, Aguri remembers hearing a horrible screaming in the lab. The smell of burnt flesh. Akari's warm to the touch, and the creature says that Yanagisawa was left in 'quite a state.'
Akari. Did she… did she do that?
She's not sure why, but Aguri feels sick. As much as she resents Yanagisawa for what he put her through, she doesn't want anyone to have hurt him. And even more importantly- she doesn't want anyone to have hurt themselves just to 'put him in his place.' She knows just how bad Antimatter feels in the human body. Imagining Akari putting herself through that… it makes her head spin.
"No. No," she says, voice strained. "There are no pros to this. What are you talking about, Akari?"
"I can get reveng-"
"I don't want you to do that!" Aguri's voice is a cry. "My god, Akari. What he did was terrible, but hurting him back isn't going to fix anything. And why are you hurting yourself? You could have gotten yourself killed! Are you crazy?"
Harsh, perhaps… but she doesn't know what else to say. The despair's so intense it makes her chest wrack with pain. She pulls Akari in close and shakes her head.
"I… I…-" Akari drifts off.
And all at once, that tension fades from her body.
"You mean… you wouldn't have wanted me to do this?"
"No!"
She hates hearing those words from her sister's mouth. In no world would she have wanted this. Imagining Akari experiencing the same pain she's been through… it's too painful to comprehend.
"Please," she says. "Let him remove your tentacles. If there is any chance it is not too late, then I want you to take that. I don't know what I'd do with myself if something happened to you on top of all of this."
Tears dribble down her cheeks… land on Akari's shoulder. Akari sits there for a long moment- tense… before awkwardly pulling away.
For a moment she looks ready to argue- that same fire in her eyes. But listening to Aguri cry... it dies down. The bloodlust drains from her expression, and finally she just looks defeated.
"Fine," she says, turning back to face the creature and unfurling her tentacles. "Take them off if that's what Aguri wants. But you've gotta promise you'll help her too. And you've gotta promise that if you really were involved in all of this that you'll make up for it. That you'll make up for trying to take away the only family I ever had."
Aguri blinks. The way Akari talks leaves her distraught. She sounds so hopeless. And what is she talking about 'trying to take her away?' If this person really is who he says he is… if he's Reaper, then he has nothing to do with taking her away. That was all Yanagisawa's choice.
She opens her mouth to speak, but the creature shakes his head. Almost as if saying 'let sleeping dogs lie,' he shoots her an intense look and reaches into his pocket… pulling out a pair of tweezers.
"I promise you I will do whatever I can for your sister," he reassures. "And as for making up to you all… that's all I've been trying to do all year." He pauses. "Thank you for cooperating, Kayano. I promise you this will be for the best."
With that, he removes the tentacles. It's a gruesome endeavor. He takes them carefully in his tweezers and starts to pull. They come out like weeds. Her skin rises with the motion of the appendages, and tears as they make their way through the skin. Tugging gently as he can, the creature works them out from deep within her muscle… and with one final yank finally removes them from her body entirely. They wriggle within the tweezer as he does… and he lets out an exhausted, relieved sigh.
Akari doesn't move a muscle. Even as blood dribbles down her neck... she sits, still, and staring at Aguri.
Aguri shifts, trying her best not to cry.
"You may need burn ointment," the creature says. "The wound from the removal should heal over rather easily… I know Itona's did, but you singed yourself pretty bad during your attack. How are you feeling?"
"Not… really interested in talking about myself," Akari replies. She starts to reach out to touch the back of her neck, but must decide against it. She stops halfway there, hand hovering mid-motion. "We should focus on Aguri. Help her now, too."
The creature blinks. "Pardon?"
"Do the same thing," Akari says. "Remove her tentacles." She pauses, dread creeping into her voice. "You can, right?"
Aguri exchanges a look with the creature. And for a moment, she's hopeful. But feeling her muscle writhe beneath her skin, she has a feeling she knows what he'll answer before he even gets the chance to say it.
"I'm… afraid not," the creature replies. "H-"
"What do you mean you're afraid not!?" Akari interjects, springing forth to take him by the collar. He jerks to the side for a split-second, but must decide against fleeing… because he allows her to grab him… staring at her with sad eyes. "You just said you'd help her!"
"And I will," the creature replies, voice surprisingly calm. "But I'm afraid your sister's condition is something much more complicated to handle than simple tentacle implants. If the situation is the same as the other case I know of, then she had Antimatter injected directly into her bloodstream. It's not a foreign invader that's troubling her right now… it's true mutations."
Akari trembles as he speaks. Her skin is a ghostly white. For another moment her eyes flash with that anger again… like she wants to hurt him- but something tells Aguri she couldn't manage that even if she wanted to. She's in too poor a state right now.
And so… instead of being angry, she's sad. Slowly… Akari's head sinks. And lip twitching- hands still weak- she looks up at the creature… a break to her voice.
"You mean… there's really nothing we can do to help her?"
It's a desperate, desolate sort of conclusion. Her eyes water as she speaks… and tears run down her cheeks.
"Now…, I'm not sure about nothing," The creature replies. "I'm sure…- I'm sure we'll be able to get something figured out. But we're simply too early into observing this to know for sure. Regardless, we'll do whatever we can. And-"
That's when they hear a twig snap.
Aguri's blood runs cold. Korosensei tenses. Akari starts to hurry to her feet, but he grabs her, pulling her back by the collar of her shirt.
"Who is it!?" He demands. "Show yourself!"
Aguri's head starts to spin… and suddenly her eyes are watering as well. She'd known from the beginning that Yanagisawa would probably be back for her- but this soon? She hadn't even gotten the chance to say everything she'd wanted to say!
She covers her head with her hands.
"W-woah!" A voice cries out. "Don't worry. It's just me. I probably shouldn't have been listening in, but-"
Aguri's breath steadies as a blue-haired boy steps out from the foliage.
"...I got worried."
He looks oddly ashamed. Fiddling with a hair-band wrapped around his wrist, he stares intently at the ground.
"Ah," the creature says. "Nagisa... and so it's just you."
"Yeah," the boy says with another awkward nod. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare any of you- promise. I just…- I wanted to make sure that Kayano was really alright before I left. Did you get her tentacles out no problem?"
"Yes," the creature says, trying his best to sound reassuring. "We did. You have nothing to worry about."
"Good," Nagisa replies. "Good." He pauses. "I… - I'll get going then. I just wanted to take care of that first." He pauses. "We're all really worried about you, you know," he continues, shooting a glance towards Akari. "Okuda and Kanzaki and Sugino and I. They'll be glad to hear that everything's alright."
"...Mmm," Akari replies, sounding surprisingly small. "I know. But, uh- don't dwell on it, alright? I'm fine."
"Yeah," Nagisa says. "I know. I just wanted to double-check." He pauses. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to anyone in the class."
"Mmm," Akari says. "Yeah. I get it." She pauses. "You're right, though. You should probably get going. We've got a lot to deal with."
Nagisa frowns, but nods. "Yeah," he says. "I figured. I'll make sure to pass on to everyone that you're alright. And…-" he hesitates. "None of us think you're a bad person, for the record. For lying or whatever. So don't worry about it. You're still one of us… if you want to be, I mean."
Akari's quiet for a long moment.
"Yeah," she says. "Of course. Thanks, Nagisa. Have a good night."
"You too," Nagisa replies. "Stay safe."
And with that, he's gone.
Aguri watches him go. She tries to commit that name- 'Nagisa' to memory. He seems like a nice boy. She seems to remember him being one, too. Real polite, yeah? Maybe a little too quiet?
He seems slightly more confident than the last time she saw him.
She's not sure how much she can chalk up to her imagination. She's been away for a very long time, but it's still a nice thought… even if it's one she's fabricating entirely.
She wonders how none of them had managed to see him. He'd been standing there for a while from what she could tell… but she hadn't picked up on it at all. Until he'd stepped on that twig… well- if he hadn't, she's pretty sure she never would have known.
"We should get going as well," the creature says. "It's late. You two should be returned to your home." He stands… glances at Aguri. "Can you stand? Or do you think you need help?"
Aguri glances down towards her abdomen. She tries to stand on her own- but can't quite manage it. Her limbs feel heavy... weak, and she can't make heads or tails of where her legs end and her feet begin. They're a jumbled mess of flesh and tentacles.
"I'd… like some help, I think," she says, feeling rather ashamed. "It's still hard to-"
"No," the creature interjects. "Don't feel the need to justify yourself. It's fine."
He places his hands under her arms to give her support and lifts her to her feet. "Lean on me," he says, taking small steps. "You don't need to worry about holding yourself up. Just follow after."
Aguri nods. Her head still feels hazy, but having someone there to support her helps. She attempts to stumble forward- and even almost trips… but he catches her, helping her steady herself as he places her back on her feet.
"It's less like taking steps and more like slithering," he instructs. "Don't try to walk. Just drag yourself along. Otherwise you'll get disoriented."
Aguri gives another nod. Gulping, she stretches her tentacles and desperately tries to ignore just how foreign the sensation is. She can't focus on that right now. She's got to get home. She's got to walk…-
No, right. Slither.
Tentatively, she drags herself across the ground. It's more of a scuttle than anything, but she manages to take a step.
The creature gives her an approving nod. Hand still wrapped carefully around her back as he encourages her to lean on him, he guides her through the underbrush. And despite heavy limbs, unfamiliar and weak… Aguri makes progress. She follows after… watches what he does- keeps her eyes on his tentacles as they move. And slowly, she thinks she starts to get the hang of it.
(He's scuttling, too.)
Akari's giving them a weird look as they walk. Aguri's pretty sure she's still bothered by not being able to do more. It breaks her heart. None of this was even Akari's responsibility in the first place… and besides, Aguri's just happy to be able to see her again.
Now that she thinks about it, Akari's walking weird, too. For a second panic grips her heart- but when she looks downward and spots a pair of normal legs some of that subsides. Akari's not…- she hasn't mutated. She's just limping. That's all.
(There's a bandage wrapped tight around her upper thigh.)
"Were you hurt?" she asks, voice slightly raspy. "You're limping."
Akari pauses. Doing a double-take, then resuming her pace, she says "...Ah. I hardly even noticed. Don't worry about it." She shakes her head. "I'm fine."
All the same, Aguri frets over her. She looks so exhausted dragging herself across the ground in her own way. And as Aguri reaches out to place a hand on her shoulder she doesn't resist. She collapses into her support… leaning on Aguri as she limps.
Aguri holds her carefully... makes sure she doesn't fall. The creature is supporting them both now, really. But he doesn't complain. Instead, simply giving them a sympathetic look, he keeps plodding along.
"Thank you for carrying me," she says. "I really needed that right now, Mister R...-" She peters off, heart sinking. "I mean, whatever you go by. I'd feel weird addressing you by- I'm just not sure I can say that right now." She pauses. "...I hope that's okay. Though now that I think about it, it's probably not. I'm sorry. You should just ignore me."
"No," the creature says. "It's okay. You can call me Korosensei. That's my name, now, anyways. Kayano gave it to me."
Aguri feels bad. If he really is Reaper, she's probably hurting his feelings a lot right now. But she's not…- it's not like she's hesitant to address him like that because he's… changed or anything. It's just that… she thought that he was dead. And if it turns out he is, then…
She doesn't want to get her hopes up.
"Korosensei," she says. "...That's a nice name."
"Indeed," Korosensei agrees. "Clever, isn't it?"
Aguri murmurs in agreement. And then, maybe wanting to distract herself more than anything, she asks "And so what's with 'Kayano?' That's another name for Akari, right? Why are you all calling her that?"
"It's… a long story," Korosensei admits. "One that I'm not even sure I have all the details to myself. But as I said, we'll explain in the morning. As least as long as Akari is willing to cooperate."
"Yeah," Akari says, voice quiet. "I will." She pauses. "...I still don't really trust you, but 'sis deserves to know what's going on."
"That's all I could ask," Korosensei responds, giving a sad smile. "I can't wait to hear it."
There's this sense of friction between the two of them. Even practically leaning on each other, they're tense. Akari, especially, has got her shoulders up. There's this weird, uncomfortable look on her face, and she avoids looking Korosensei's way. It makes Aguri sad.
She wonders why. It's… not like they have any reason to hate each other, do they? Then again, they keep saying she's missed a lot. So something probably happened while she was gone.
...She wonders how long it's been. Some part of her is tempted to ask, but she's not sure she'll like the answer she receives.
It's clear quite some time has passed from their appearances alone. Akari's taller now… and she's got her hair up in a different style. Donning pigtails and having dyed it a bright green, it's a pretty different vibe. All the same, however, she's instantly recognizable. Aguri can't quite say the same for 'Korosensei.'
He doesn't resemble Reaper at all. With a huge bulbous head and bright yellow skin, he's quite the sight to see. He's got somewhere between eight and ten tentacles for legs, and another pair of tentacles for arms. His eyes are beady… a pure white, and he's got an unfaltering grin on his face. Despite his odd appearance, however… he's not very frightening at all. If anything, he's oddly approachable. He's squishy to the touch… and a goofy, oversized graduation cap dangles from off of his head.
...He's got a neatly pressed tie tucked into his shirt.
Aguri stares at it for a long moment... feeling like something should click, almost. But when nothing comes to mind she shakes her head and sighs. No, it's just her imagination, she's pretty sure. The tie's not important.
(Right?)
Either way, it's safe to say that the world's moved on without her. Even the students looked unrecognizable. At least… she's pretty sure. Now that she thinks about it she guesses she doesn't really have any proof. For all she knows they'd always looked that mature… she'd just managed to forget it in her self-centeredness. Whatever. It's not worth dwelling on, anyways.
It just makes her sad... thinking that everything continued to pass by without her. She guesses Yanagisawa was really right about that, then. They didn't need her like she thought they did.
'No,' she thinks. 'Don't… focus on it. That doesn't matter right now.'
All that matters is that she's out of there. And even if she feels a little lost… doesn't really know what she's going to do now, at least she's not suffering. She knows she'll probably go back eventually… Yanagisawa has too many connections to count. But she's not yet. And that in and of itself is a miracle.
She's thankful to be heading home. Thankful to get to cradle her sister again. Thankful to lean on this familiar stranger's side... and thankful that she can look up at the crescent moon above, even if only for one last time.
