"Junko?"

"…"

"Junko?"

"…" The blonde head didn't so much as twitch, the light of the computer positioned in front of her forming a veritable halo in the dark room.

"Junko?"

"God, what is it?!" The supermodel turned around, a quick kick of her heels enough to send the swivel chair she mounted flying to face the emotionless soldier. A delicate chin rested on the back of the backrest, perfect lips pouted in annoyance, and crystal blue eyes stared daggers at the 'pest'. To Mukuro's credit, she didn't so much as blink under the crushing stare.

"What are you going to do about Makoto?" Mukuro asked cautiously.

Junko blinked lazily. "Huh?" she yawned. "What about that pipsqueak?"

Mukuro calmly tilted her head to her side. Something indiscernible danced in her eyes as she observed her twin. Amusement? Concern? Not enough information the analytical part of Junko's brain whispered. She waved them both off with a flick of her hand.

"I'm busy building my kingdom of despair. He's like a loyal dog; hell, maybe a puppy's more fitting; he's not going to go anywhere just because I'm a little busy." She scoffed loudly, give herself a shove and spinning violently, wheels clacking on the white tile. Shadows flickered crazily as she spun, the white screen throwing a dizzying visage of light across the room. Finally, she stopped and frowned, a bored look passing over her face. She again rested her chin on the back of the chair and sighed. She snuck a glance up at her dear, dear sister, searching for a reaction. Any reaction. Preferably something interesting. Talk of the small boy and his smiles made of sunshine make the acid in her stomach churn with a foul nausea.

Mukuro frowned. Actually frowned. Junko's gut twisted further with displeasure. Her sister, her very first subject, her first disciple, was doubting her. She was disagreeing with her.

She shifted every so slightly, sitting up just a little in her seat and chewed lightly on her lip, shooting Mukuro one of her famous glares as she did so.

Makoto was…persistent. That was one of his primary traits; he was optimistic. If a situation could be salvaged, he would try his best to do so, which is why he was so infuriatingly annoying. Junko was not stupid; and although she was pretentious, she wasn't completely self-absorbed. If her sister was bringing up the subject, it was because she knew something; or perhaps or instincts were raising an alarm. And as confident in her abilities as the Ultimate Analyst as she was, she wasn't stupid enough to ignore the instincts of the Ultimate Solider.

"Do you disagree, dear sister of mine?" Junko's tone was cold and challenging, head cocked in a deceptively innocent expression.

"He just looks a little frustrated lately, is all…" Mukuro trails off. She flashes her sister a weak smile. "I'm sure you have it under control, Junko," she added hastily.

"Of course I do, Mukuro. I'm not as useless as you." Junko swung back around to face the computer, waving a hand dismissively. She heard the footsteps fade out and she paused, hands poised above the keys.

"Frustrated…?" she muttered, a small crease appearing between her eyebrows.

Makoto trotted casually down the busy halls of Hope's Peak Academy. It was 'free' period, a time where the school encouraged the students to work on their talents. Being right after lunch, very few of the students took it seriously, instead using it to mess around and hang with friends.

Two days had passed since the lunch time meeting, and Makoto had tried and failed at getting the role of Prince assigned to anyone else in the class.

Even Leon didn't want the role. Makoto subconsciously puffed out his cheeks as they walked. Apparently, as a rebel informant, he would get to work Sayaka in multiple scenes.

"Sorry dude," he'd whispered in a conspiratorial manner. "But this is my shot, ya'know?" He shot Makoto a grin and a wink. "We're best buds, right? You know how much this means for me." Makoto could nothing but smile helplessly as he gave his friend an understanding nod.

Shortly afterwards, he'd found himself being seized by the shoulder by an overly enthusiastic Taka, who shoved a keychain into his hands with a plea for materials from the art room. He'd found the materials without much trouble (suspicious), and that left him where he was currently. Walking down the halls of Hope's Peak, carrying an obscene amount of cardboard, dodging students, teachers and was that a mountain lion what the actual f-

Makoto squeaked softly and screeched to a halt, arms trembling from the weight of the materials and the pure terror that came from having an actual killer feline roaming the halls why didn't he go to a normal school

While he stood as still and possible, praying that the pie of cardboard and crafts would disguise him as a non-edible being, the cat strolled calmly through the halls. Most of the students were now nowhere to be seen, though a few brave souls acted like nothing was happening. Before long, a figure appeared at the farthest end of the hall. A black cloak was wrapped ominously around the figure, under a thick purple scarf, while bandages concealed one arm. The man's skin was white as snow, and a vicious scar adorned one eye. Spotting the cat that was pausing in front of him oh god I'm going to die, the man let out a sharp call. He made his way purposefully down the hallway, long strides filled with purpose.

"Basset! I have warned you about entering the realm of humans! I do not know how you managed to get to this place, but you must return with me at once!" The cat ignored him, continuing to snuffle around his feet, inching closer with every second. The man picked up the pace, all but jogging down the hall, a scowl working itself onto his face.

Now closer to the odd man, Makoto was able to see that one of his eyes was red. What is he talking about? He's talking to a giant cat? And he has a red eye? This is it, this is what I get for dating Junko, I'm going to be eaten by a mountain lion and have my soul stolen by an actual demon.

"Who's a good girl?" Makoto blinked to find the man crouched next to the cat, hand firmly on the scruff of her neck. He was…attaching a leash? It had a collar hidden somewhere underneath all that fur? Giving the giant feline a scratch in the middle of her forehead, the stranger straightened to find Makoto staring in sheer abstract terror.

"Magnificent, isn't she?" A smile quirked at the corner of the stranger's mouth as he glanced in Makoto's direction. His expression softened as he turned back to feline, and stroked the top of its head carefully. The man…didn't look much like a demon anymore. Odd, of course, with his strange get up and way of speaking, but a evil being could never be this kind or respectful, and if Hope's Peak had one thing, it was odd students.

Makoto found his voice, and swallowed, before forcing his arms to relax. "She is," he whispered. The cat had relaxed, its formerly agitated tail hanging low and twitching at the tip. The stranger looked pleased at his response and allowed Makoto a small smile before he straightened, holding the leash loosely around his hand as one might walk a dog.

"You are Makoto, yes? One who is graced with luck, or so I hear. I have heard your praises sung many times before within the confines of classroom. How different from your older counterpart you seem. Hmph. My name is Gundham Tanaka, Overlord of Ice! I thank you for your help in calming Basset. As a goddess of destruction, she can be quite agitated when she is not properly attended to. It does not help that the gates to her realm have been tampered with. As a reward, I implore you to visit; I shall teach you the ways of demons, and to unlock your true powers. For now, I must return Basset to her proper place."

"Ah, but I didn't actually do anything…" Makoto protested weakly, waving a hand in denial.

"Nonsense!" Gundham boomed. "Had your presence not been here at the end of the hall, she would not have stopped, and I would have had to continue my quest through these accursed halls." He scoffed, crossing his arms and looking down fondly at the cat. "It would seem she has taken a liking to you. How interesting."

Makoto spared a glance at the mountain lion, golden eyes meeting his own. He resisted the urge to shiver. "She just looks hungry to me," he joked.

"Hmph. I suppose that one unfamiliar with the ways of immortals would think that. My offer stands. I wish you good will, Makoto Naegi." And with that he turned, and strode back to where he came, Basset trailing at his side like a domesticated dog. Once he disappeared from sight, the lucky student took a moment to breathe, shifting the cardboard and crats still cradled in his arms.

"Ah, the cardboard!" he yelped. "I gotta get these to the classroom, else Taka's gonna lecture me for the rest of the afternoon!"

After stumbling into the classroom, full of babbled apologies under Taka's judging glare, the day continued at a wicked pace, and Makoto found himself more often than not an errand boy for the rest of the class.

"Makoto, we need more paint!"

"Makoto, I need a practice partner. Pretty please?"

"Makoto, hold the prop up!"

Needless to say, by the time the final bell rang, Makoto was tired. He had run four different errands to other parts of the school, obtained no less than three papercuts, tripped and landed flat on his face twice and nearly hot glued his fingers together on one, unfortunate, instance. Patched up with the classroom first aid kit (because he really didn't feel like visiting Tsumiki after the conversation he, ahem, overheard), he picked up his bag from its place beside his desk. After all his hard work, his classmates agreed to let him practice at home, rather than stay back like Byakuya had initially insisted.

Makoto went through his usual check before he left school. "Calculator, cellphone, wallet, homework, workbook, looks good. Except…am I missing something?" Makoto frowned, murmuring to himself. "That's the usual. What am I forgetting?"

His mind ran over the events of the day. The usual morning routine, he'd bought lunch for once, English class, practicing lines, Taka sending him to the art room for supplies –

The keys.

Did he hand them back to Taka? He hadn't, he was sure of it; Taka had even begun to ask for them before Hifumi distracted him. Oh no. He felt a growing pit form in his stomach as anxiety swept through his mind. He'd grabbed the cardboard and crafts, hung the keys from his pocket, with one of the keys out just in case he needed to grab them in a hurry, and then the incident with the mountain lion and Gundham. I swear to god, you stupid luck, what I think happened better not have happened or else I am going to be very UPSET.

Makoto grabbed his bag, and swung it over his shoulder, sprinting out the doors. He needed those keys. If I lose the keys, I am going to die. If Taka doesn't kill me, sensei will.

His first stop was the route he took to and from the art room. The art room was locked, like he remembered locking it. The lock was even in the same position as he remembered turning it. So after leaving the art room, then. He scanned the length of the route he took, and came up empty. His second stop was the office, a desperate panic gathering. Maybe someone handed it in?

After a brief trip to the office, where the kindly staff informed him that no keys had been handed in, and that the art room keys were not back in their proper place, sorry, he came to the only other option he could think of.

The mountain lion stole the keys. I dropped the keys and a mountain lion stole them. God, why do you hate me?

With a heavy sigh, he made his way to where he knew the upperclassmen's classroom was. He didn't even know whether Gundham would be there, but where else was he supposed to look for a demonic looking, but surprisingly kind-hearted animal fanatic? At the very least, there would hopefully be someone in the classroom who would be able to send him in the right direction. What would he even say to Gundham anyway? Hey, I know we only met once, but I think your mountain lion stole my keys or ate them or something, I don't suppose you've seen them?

He climbed the final set of stairs, puffing quietly. He'd honestly hoped the last set of steps he'd have to climb today were the stairs to his room. Because, god, he was tired, grumpy and this close to crying it wasn't even funny anymore.

Approaching the door, he heard a low grumble indicating voices behind the closed sliding door. He took a quick breath in preparation for the probably embarrassing explanation he was going to have to do to a bunch of upperclassman, before opening to door.

"Um, excuse me…?" He began before he stopped.

Junko.

Junko, sat on a wooden desk, one leg crossed over the other in an imitation of modesty. Junko, lips locked with Tsumiki, the Ultimate Nurse, hands curled in long, choppily cut hair. Junko, releasing the nurse's face, and glancing at Makoto, dismissively. Tsumiki, eyes rolling, mouth drooling, all but falling to the floor. Members of class 77 scattered, a wearing either eerie smiles or masks of disgust.

Junko was cheating on him. Junko had abandoned him, and hadn't bothered to speak a word. Of course she didn't care.

Makoto felt something he knew was important deep in his mind. All the rage, hurt and confusion he had felt forming in his chest suddenly became muffled.

He was done. That snapping feeling was his patience. His denial of what was a very probable situation. The limits of his kindness.

Further examination of some of the students in the room revealed symptoms he recognised from Junko on one of her rants. Despair.

He turned to Junko and saw her sitting there, idle curiosity settling on her features as she waited quietly. Slowly, the students realised his presence and began to turn.

Cold. He felt cold. Cold down to his bones, ice moving sluggishly in his veins. He looked her in the eyes, electric blue meeting green. He didn't say anything. Somehow, he didn't need to. He knew she'd understand him just fine.

I'm done.

He closed the door and left.

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This was originally chapters 4 and 5 on AO3 but I haven't uploaded in so long, and chapter 4 is so pitifully short that I combined them so we could finally actually get to the drama. Sorry for the wait.