A deep shock jumps through my body and I sputter loudly. I force my eyes open and I'm met by the same scene I left behind. A ceiling fan slowly moving its fins through the darkness. I try to move my arms and legs, but I think I woke up too fast. Settling into myself the realization of the minutes before hits me like a truck.

I was kicked out of Moniker.

He's still at the school.

I have to get back in.

I close my eyes and the small transparent box returns to the corner of my vision.

os\.override(XXXXXXX)
Override password: *******
…
…
…
Override blocked by address.

What? That's- not supposed to happen. No one at Standard 2 is capable of that.

Well technically a Standard 2 shouldn't be able to do what I'm doing now that I think of it.

Wait, does- she know what's happening now?

I panic and shut my eyes again. I try to connect and-

os\.override(XXXXXXX)
Override password: *******
…
…
…
Override blocked by address.

Keichi: "Shit!"

…

I mumble an apology to Sayori and with a sigh I try again.

os\.override(XXXXXXX)
Override password: *******
…
…
…
Override blocked by address.

No, don't do this to me now! I was so close to seeing my revenge reach it's end!

I try one more time.

os\.override(XXXXXXX)

Override password: *******

Override blocked by address.

It didn't even bother to process that time. I feel my heart beating out of my chest now. In a frenzy I send the box away and force my eyes open again. I shake my limbs to check for chills. There are none much to my relief. I can't risk anything to troubleshoot the method now. It is too late and I am very fortunate to be able to get away with what I have done already. Even saying that I can't help but feel a little closure in my actions. If she doesn't know what I'm capable of before, the shakes will show her differently. AT least I know for sure that happened before the boot.

Messaging my temples I leave Sayori's empty room and start descending the stairs. A murmur from behind pulls my attention.

Man: "You finished your peepshow already?"

Hell of a time to forget I had guests.

I look back.

Keichi: I'm surprised you're still awake Ruto.

A bundle of faded pink shakes back and forth as an empty six pack of glass bottles dangles off the banister.

Ruto: "I need more than this cheap shit to sleep. Is the bitch dead or what?"

I grab the carton with my free hand.

K: "She drank them, that's all I know."

Ruto removes his hand from the carton's handle with a deep laugh.

R: "Too much for you to see the result I take it?"

The bottles clink together as I balance the thin cardboard on my palm. I give a glare but I believe he didn't see it in the darkness.

K: "Something kicked me out before it took."

R: "Well the gaijin's dead for sure now. Let's make breakfast."

A drunk's commentary is the last thing I need right now. I head down the stairs and walk to the kitchen. Ruto follows me and as I throw away the bottles he starts ruffling through my fridge for more fuel.

K: "At least pretend to care about what's going on."

Ruto emits a scoff and pulls himself out of the fridge with a sealed bottle of orange juice.

R: "Look, relax will ya? I'm kidding. The seeds are fast-acting so even if the kid's in danger the removal process will take longer than the time the girl has left to live anyway."

Ruto's nonchalant demeanor does little to soothe my growing unease. Neither does watching him chug a quart of juice in under a minute make me any less regretful letting this man barge into my house. If it wasn't for his daughter, I would not have allowed him to hide here for so long. He continues with a light burp.

R: "If it makes you feel better we could just head up to Kokoro, grab the kid, and put him back before anyone finds out whats going on."

I shake my head. He makes it sound too easy.

K: "Is there even any time left for that?"

R: "You tell me, you're the one whose been here before."

As much as I don't want to admit it, there's probably no other way around this. There is no way to explain away why a near-mute student would be running around a school in the dead of night. Let alone the night before all hell breaks loose. I'm incredibly fortunate with everything leading up to here, might as well push it to the zenith.

At least if I get removed I would know I was doing what was good for everyone.

K: "The morning crew begins their rounds in an hour. We have time but we need to be quick."

R: "There you go boy scout. I'll drive."

He got up from the table. He makes a quick survey of himself. I can tell he is thinking the same thing I am as he looks around. He shakes his head and fixes his glassy eyes on me.

R: "...you drive."

Black Box Society: Alternate Perspective

-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-

-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-ADDRESS LOST-

R: "Damn, the void took over the highway. We need to go the Eastern route this time."

I grit my teeth as the bright white shines through the sunrise drenched scenery around it. The edges of the void burning the asphalt around it in a black smoke as it starts to cut through the bridge underneath.

K: "Well that choked more of our time didn't it."

I can't focus on the ramifications now. There's cars around of us.

...There were cars around us.

I make a quick prayer for the lost and double back. The truck making squealing noises as I swerve around the growing puddles. The memories of the what just happened have already left Ruto by the time I got off the nearby exit.

I wish I was so lucky. My now rapid heart rate would be better off for it.

…

…

…

I briefly check the clock at a stoplight after the Eastern Strand exit. 25 minutes remaining. A small vibration peaks the interest of my passenger in the back seat. I hear him rise back up in the back seat with a yawn. He rubs his face and turns my direction with a bright smile on his face.

R: "I told you my brother's coming back right?"

K: "Yeah, why?"

R: "They finally found a host. And you would never guess who it is."

K: "Try me."

R: " The Veilreich Ambassador of all people."

That sounds like a joke. Much like the upside down palm trees sliding across the shoreline while a swath of people looks on in awe on my right. I look away from the sight. The light turns green and squawks like a seagull. I move forward.

K: "How did you find that out?"

R: "Just got the confirmation notice from the board. The Nejima Zaibatsu is back baby! Woo!"

I can't stop myself.

K: "The one you're not a part of?"

R: "Not important. Having a very powerful leader hosting my big brother and ending Second Week will be more than enough to have those tightwads let me back into the family."

And- here we go.

R: "Gahaha! I can almost see it now! Top shelf Sake, Business trips and gambling sprees in Macau, and all the beautiful women clamoring for my charms. Natsuki will have a second mother by the end of the year there will be so many options. Gaha!"

K: " Don't throw your daughter in to make you less greedy. I know you did that to make yourself look better."

He glares at me.

R: "That right there is the reason you live alone Kei-On, you're too assuming that people are evil. Everything I do has Natsuki's well-being in mind. That's why I gave you the golden flower seeds in the first place."

K: "I bought them."

R: "Fine, I "delivered" them to you, Mr. Pedantic. The point still stands."

I'm not contributing to this conversation anymore. Ruto lays down again with a scoff. The trip continues in silence.

10 minutes later the Academy comes into view. Ruto pipes up again.

R: "Why are you working?"

K: "What?"

R: "You're rich too, why are you working for these mooks anyway?"

K: "Not everything revolves around money. Some of us work for more fulfilling reasons."

Ruto just shakes his head and I drive into the parking structure. Heading up the ramp to the second level, I pause as three figures stand at the opposite end of the aisle. As I look forward I notice them and my heart sinks into my gut.

Obe-ni, Abe-san, and-

Oh goddamn it.

Between my friends is Takeshi. He is completely disheveled and exhausted. Barely standing with his hands tied behind him and his mouth taped up. The look of my friends tell more. Abe-san's right hand holding Sado's head with a purple clip on the sleeve of his yukata. And Obe-ni with the girl's hair ribbon around his right bicep and a-

Is...

Is that a magnum?

The stout man spots me and waves causing the teen between him and Abe to flinch.

Obe: "Hey Kei-On!"

He sounds jolly.

That's usually not a good sign in Second Week.

I pull over to a nearby spot and put the car into park.

R: "Busted."

K: "Let me do the talking."

Leaving the car I'm struck by the cool morning wind as it blew through the columns of the structure. The sky a bright shade of blue with only small wispy clouds. Ruto clambers out of the car after me and falls to the asphalt.

I cautiously draw near as Abe walks past me without even a glance. Sado drops to his knees and makes a soft whimpering noise. Knowing Oliver, he probably would want me to notice that. I'm not giving him the satisfaction.

I just need to act natural and maybe I can de-escalate whatever he's planning.

K: "Hey Olly- what's going on?"

O: "Just waiting for a phone call. You look like you've been busy lately."

A phone call?

From who, everyone he calls is already here.

And I can't tell if he's baiting me with that observation. Either way I can work with this.

K: "Heh well. Construction is always booming this time of year."

O: "I bet it is. I didn't hear from you all week. I thought something happened."

O: *I know you're here Reiter

K: "Oh, you know me. Always having my nose to the grindstone."

Obe and I laugh lightly. I feel a chill go down my spine. Something about his eyes felt off just then.

K: "You seem more chipper than usual."

O: "Yes well, I have a plus one again."

K: "Really? Didn't expect you to start dating again so soon."

I see Obe's left hand clench into a fist. Yes, piss off the one with the gun. That will help matters.

O: "That was probably a bad choice of words. What I mean to say is. My nephew has come to live with me. I was going to introduce you to him today."

O: *But it seems you've met him already.

His eyes flash again. A bright emerald light. Absentmindedly I mutter the only thing I'm thinking about.

K: "What the hell's going on here?"

He didn't seem to hear me. Though to be honest it probably wouldn't change the predicament being thrust onto me. I peer back behind me and see Abe staring back from the car. Is he there in case I plan to flee? Ruto is nowhere to be seen. Not that I expect him to be much help anyway.

O: "Don't look at him, he's not there for you."

I turn back to the hostage situation just as a cell phone starts to ring.

Figures-

Olly seems reluctant to answer the phone he pulled out. But with a sigh he puts up to his ear.

He jerks it away as the sound of a man in absolute despair bellows through the phone's speakers. The sound is almost incomprehensible with the static.

Man on Phone: "Obe help! I can't- I can't wake her up! I tried everything!"

O: "Hold on -, away from the mic I can't hear you so good."

I think he said a name, but I couldn't hear him over the man's wailing.

I keep telling myself that this is good for everyone as the one-sided conversation continues.

A few minutes pass but they feel like a thousand years.

I watch Sado closely. He is crying profusely. I do not blame him. If this was my first rodeo I would have been bawling myself.

Olly and Abe-san are stone-faced.

I sadly don't blame them either.

Thousands of years in the same torturous week would make anyone turn cold.

Shaking his head, Oliver turns off the phone and pinches his nose in concentration.

O: "...Well, at least she didn't die alone in a broom closet this time."

He pulls out his gun. Then in one swift motion he pulls Sado's head back.

He lands on his back and groans.

O: "Abe! Where do I aim?"

Abe: "Between the collarbones."

Sado's eyes widened in horror. I have to intervene.

K : "Hey, hey, there's no need for whatever your planning."

O: "I think you have no right to decide that anymore."

I look at Sado one more time. I have to bite the bullet on this.

K: "If you want revenge for the girl. You should be shooting me instead. I used Override to take control of your nephew and I bought the golden flower seeds to spike her shakes. Leave the boy alone."

O: "I already know about what you did Kei-On."

K: "Wh-what?"

I- I-

O: "Ruto gave us your plan before he gave you the seeds."

His nonchalance has floored me. I'm now at the core of the planet now.

K: "B-but she-"

A: "You think she caused all of this don't you?"

I stare bewildered at the old man behind me.

A: "That explains everything. That charlatan played you like a damn fiddle."

O: "Look Keichi, if this was any other time I wouldn't even bat an eyelash to what you wanted to accomplish here. No matter how pointless and ineffectual in the grand scheme of things it is."

He aims the gun at Sado's chest.

O: "But I have a duty to protect my family if they ever showed up here. I know you know how that feels."

That's true that's why I have no choice now.

I can't stew about what Sado did or didn't do anymore. I can't let him lose his address. Sayori needs him more than he can even imagine.

I call the console.

os\.material(itemRental.35690)
…
…
Materialization authorized.

The console disappears and I feel my handgun start to form in my palm. Without looking I aim the weapon at Oliver.

K: "I know that's why I can't- Gah!"

I yelp as what feels like small needles pierce my shoulder.

They make me flinch and fire the gun off.

The bullet glance across Obe's forehead and his body explodes in a shower of strange flat cubes.

Sado, taking the initiative stumbles awkwardly to his feet and starts to run.

Up the ramp to the higher sections of the garage.

The cubes start forming into a new form as what looks like green glass fragments were discarded from Obe's face.

I turn back as the pain in my shoulder increased.

Abe's eyes are glowing indigo behind his rose tinted glasses and he has a shit-eating grin.

A: "Since you like poison so much, I decided to share mine. Thanks for testing~."

K: "Asshole!"

I try to aim at the old man but the feeling in my right arm has disappeared. In my peripheral vision a figure a few centimeters taller than Obe starts to chase after Sado. Abe pulls out something else from his sleeve. It has me transfixed.

A small pink sphere.

Not risking turning my back on a Pink Breaker or worse. I prep my gun in my left hand.

A: "Experiment 2: Combat prowess of Pink Subclass 7."

A: "Melody, Milk, Pout, Puppy, Kitty, Anger, Hair, Papa"

The pink sphere illuminates in a powerful light causing a dust to kick up from the force.

I start firing without a second thought. Wildly hoping I would hit whatever Abe just unleashed.

I'm immediately slammed by two big uniform shoes in the gut. I fall backwards from the force.

Glancing up I see the culprit as she wobbles out of the dust.

The Color looks like a simple cartoon drawing of a Ruto's daughter's head only being supported by a blue skirt and tube-like legs with socks and uniform shoes. It had small pink circles for eyes, a curved line for a smile and a small triangle on the side for the fang.

K: "Wh- what the fu-"

*Baka

The Color purrs cutely and tries to deliver a kick to the side of my head. I block in time but the impact sends my spiraling off to the side of the ramp.

The pain from the hit and the road rash send ripples through me. I have no time to recover however as the Color starts bounding towards me. Thinking quickly I send a few potshots at the ground near the monster's feet. She sidesteps out of the way, giving me enough time to get back to my feet. I hightail it to the aisleway above to get some distance. The Pink's footsteps and Abe's laughter following not far behind.

I pass more green shards as I run. Obe or whatever that guy is, has to be pissed that his cover's blown. A whizzing sound passes my ear and three black needles embed themselves in an exit sign. I dip into the next aisle between a van and a convertible.

A: "This all could've been avoided Onzai-san. You could have just let Second Week run it's course and no one would have needed to die."

K: "You know damn well that won't happen you monkey skeleton! Everyone we love dies, we end up back at First Week, and the whole shit-storm happens again!"

I fire blindly at the voice as I cross the aisle to another row of vehicles.

A flash of light catches my eye as the color barrels over the car roofs after me.

I fire a shot and clash of metal echoes in response. Somehow I deflected a flying knife mere meters away from me. It bounces off the asphalt in front of the truck to my left.

I don't have time to materialize munitions with everything around me.

Despite my right arm the consistency of uncooked noodles I gingerly pick up the blade and continue.

I leave the car line to the Pink sliding to my side. I send a shot in it's direction and it ducks. The bullet harmlessly flits through her hair.

How the hell is she so fast?

It responds with a babble and bum rushes into me. I bank off a motorcycle and back on my face goes I. The beeping of the bike's anti-theft and the Color's stomping on my back forces me to try a more desperate action. Appealing to a stereotype.

K: "Hey! That old man is drawing pictures of your panties!"

A brisk movement of the Color's circles must denote confusion. I spot Abe-san close by, his head in a notebook he was scratching with a pen. The Color looks too and materializes a-

pencil?

It- drew angry pink eyebrows above its eyes. How it did this with no arms is a mystery that I will ponder for a millennium.

It sends the pencil away and sends me flying up and over into a flatbed truck with an upward kick.

I spring back to life a few moment later in a slight daze. The Pink was no longer on me so I take the opportunity to bumble over the railing of the truck. My body is riddled in bruises and I can barely stand but otherwise I have an opening to the roof. Thankful for the adrenaline coursing through me by now I race up the ramp to the top level. At the top of the ramp I found a bigger clump of green glass.

It looks like a mouth of some kind. I think the guy did away with it since the rest of the mask is all over the structure. I don't have time to ruminate this as a girl's shrill yell echoes through the level behind me. I kind of feel guilty having the Pink try to fight Abe-san alone. But- at least it can have a peaceful rest now.

Abe's cold laughter jolts me back to my task. Find Sado, escape the old man and the impostor.

I reach the top of the parking garage. Bathed in the sunrise are small clusters of vehicles all in various stages of visibility.

Some of them appear to be flickering in and out of existence. Some of them are just shadows and some look unchanged. I look for any signs of life as I wander through the lot.

It was at the end of an aisle that I saw two fig-

...

S-sayori?

A girl matching Sayori's description is consoling a distraught Sado. Gently rubbing his back as he sobs uncontrollably into her white tank top. She also has black shorts and boots. Her back is turned. So either that's actually a crimson or one of Obe's tricks. I slowly move closer to investigate.

Just as I get within earshot, a siren rings out from the towers around us. The girl holds Sado tightly.

An evacuation drill?

A: "Sayori! We're out of time!"

I hear Abe yell over the siren's wailing. I turn to the old man. He doesn't even have a scratch on him. The girl turns to Abe and nods.

The face is very convincing for a ruse. Except for the black eyeballs behind her sky-blue irises.

The girl turns back to Sado and whispers something in his ear. Afterwards he slowly nods.

T1MuT1ZFUlJJREUoWDM3N0Q0KQ0KT1ZFUlJJREUgUEFTU1dPUkQ6ICoqKioqKioqKg0KT1ZFUlJJREUgQ09ERSBBQ0NFUFRFRCA=

No time left. The Ambassador has begun to spiral.

We raise the gun at the Color and fire.

Almost simultaneously she thrusts Sado in front as a shield.

The bullet enters his chest in between the collarbones.

The Color wraps her arms around him as blood starts seeping out of the wound along with-

gray dust?

-ADDRESS LO- LO- LO- LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO-LO kidnvzdvnSIDOgnSFIlbnSXkv[lbNSiglSBNgjulsbnjlfnbjdonbdfongiogsipgjsipgjsk;bgvcxmbk;xngiSHgioSnhidfphnDFPKhndfpihjnfiphjfipghjfggsfmsdkngnegipnsdgsdngsikdngksdgnsipgneipgnEkg'nsDKG:'nsdgk'sndgieniepngIS"NGSDKgn

…

…

…

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Urgh, another day in paradise. I think to myself as I silence my alarm. I slowly rise up and just sat on the side of the bed for a few minutes to get my swirling thoughts back in line. Today is a busy day, and I have to be prepared for anything that toad can dish out.

I yawn and look at the fake plants in my room when I hear a bump from outside.

Intrigued, I walk out into the hallway to a very disoriented Sayori holding her head in front of the bathroom.

K: "Running late again?"

She looks up at me startled then without saying a word she nods. Her face is painted in regret.

I just shake my head. The teacher's have already stopped caring about her attendance so why should I.

K: "Just finish what you need to do, I'll drive you over when I'm ready."

She gives a soft smile.

Sayori: "Thank you."

She heads into the bathroom and closes the door. I head back.

She probably feels like she's troubling me now. I sigh and rub my forehead.

…

Forehead-

...

The memories flood back to me.

...

I'm in First Week.

I- was able to remember the jump.

I let a big dopey grin show. I can save Sayori now. No, I can save everyone now.

Dr. Reiter you crazy bastard you pulled it off!

I brush off my daily routine, I have a plan to make.

And- someone to regret they ever fucked with Keichi Onzai, Son of the Ebbott Buster.

-PERSPECTIVE END-