Chapter 7: Bloodhound, Part II

(See notes below. Also CW: Suicide. Yeah...we're at that point of the game.)

The sun now colored the courtyard with a myriad of reds. Ann, now back in her normal school clothes; and her friend, Shiho, sat on their usual spot, the bench by the drink dispenser.

"I-I haven't been sleeping well lately. Too many things keep popping up when I close my eyes." She then retracted her hands upwards towards her skirt, as if she were attempting to hold on desperately to something. "What will happen if we win nationals. What happens if we don't. Whether I should be on the starting line-up." She then buried herself in her hands, turtling herself in the hope she would find a brief break from "close" observation.

Ann had a beaming smile ready. "Don't worry. Just have confidence in yourself! Your skill is being recognized, and it's due to you working the hardest!"

Shiho sighed. "I hope so. It's that, or nothing."

Ann's eye drifted to Shiho's hastily bandaged, braced knee. "Has the swelling gone down yet?"

"A little. It's fine," she replied sheepishly. "Practice is just a bit intense."

Ann turned silent. After a while, Shiho came out of her shell for a moment. "By the way, how's Ryuji?"

Ann's eyes became harsh to the sight. "Dumb as ever. It's like he's trying to hover over me now. It's kinda reminding me of-"

"Middle school?" Shiho said, giddy with mischief.

"…Y-yeah?"

"Oh boys…" She then touched Ann's hand, smiling slightly. "I think you have a knight in shining armor."

The sunset couldn't smear out the blush on Ann's pasty skin. "W-what are you getting at?"

"Oh nothing….I'm just still holding out, that's all."

"Are you kidding me!? Still?"

Shiho started to giggle. "He still has his hair dyed blonde from last year. Of course I do!"

Ann pouted, arms crossing her chest. "It was a friendly gesture. Besides, I'm not into that cheesy stuff, anyway."

Shiho shook her head. "You're just dense, like him. It's sweet."

Ann though couldn't help but smile though seeing Shiho giggling again. It was short-lived however. Mishima shuffled over to Suzui, back hunched. "Sorry to interrupt, Suzui. Um, Mr. Kamoshida wants to see you after practice at the PE faculty office."

Shiho was panic-stricken. "What does he want?"

Mishima looked away. "He didn't say."

Shiho then looked away too, her smile having evaporated. "Ann, I…"

"I-it'll be fine! Probably just him going through the roster one last time. He has been anxious lately."

Shiho's eyes darted for a while, only to close. Shiho began to smile, impressed by how well Ann could lie. "Yeah, you're right."

Ann, with her right hand on her hip, pumped her left. "Yup, good luck!"

With that bit of delusion, Shiho took her leave, limping.

Out of sight of Shiho, Ann relaxed her face and sighed. "Good thing I had my phone on vibrate." A look at her phone showed 5 missed calls from "K."

She grimaced. "Pig," she muttered. Walking out of the school and to the station, "Hello….sorry, I'm not feeling well. We can't meet today…"

Akira had gotten the hang of this "subway" thing, getting used to the serpentine ways of navigation needed for the large rush hour Shibuya crowds.

Normally, the people in these crowds would blend into a grey, homogeneous blob. This time, though as Akira headed down into the subway, he noticed a familiar blondie screaming on the phone.

"Will you please give a rest!? I told you, I'm not feeling up to it," Ann screamed, yelling directly into the phone receiver.

Akira stood in place, looking over her right shoulder and lending an ear. On the other line, he could faintly hear a man say, "I have needs. It's that, or I crack the whip on Suzui." He then saw her tense up. "Wait what…that's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher?" Her voice then cracked. "This has nothing to do with Shiho!" She then crouched to the floor, burying her hands in her hair.

Akira then stared at the subway ceiling, grunting. Damnit, he said, cursing himself. He plodded towards Ann, but Ann caught on. She stood back up, taking a few steps and ready to push Akira back. "Wait, were you listening the whole time? You know that's rude, right?"

"Hey, I didn't do it on purpose, now," Akira said, put on notice.

Ann's fire went out quickly however. "…No, I was out of line. Sorry…" Her then became mortified. "How much did you hear?"

No point in lying…"Enough to know it's about…Shiho. Your friend perhaps."

She trailed off. "Shiho…"

"….Sorry."

"No!" she cried. "It's nothing!" Tears pooled on the cracks of her eyes. "It's nothing…" She then bolted off, wiping her eyes.

"Shit, hey don't run away!" He then grasped her without thinking.

"Hey, lemme go!" she cried.

"I can't after you start to tear up and scurry off," he replied quickly.

"Just leave me alone!" she cried, even louder this time.

"No! Not until you tell me what's up." His voice then softened, aware of how loud he was. "Look, just come with me for a little bit. Somewhere where you can relax so we can talk."

"What the heck?" She then paused for a moment. "Fine! Just to shoo you away. I'm near my usual place away."

"I don't have anything to talk to you about!" She cried angrily between large bites from a sweet crepe. The two were now seated next to a food stall on a side street, sitting on metal chairs, and Ann had already finished her first plate of crepes. "It was a just an argument." She then stopped eating for the first time. "Just an argument…"

"…with Kamoshida?" Akira replied.

Ann laid her head on her left palm and closed her eyes. "About him-" She then played with a loose napkin on the table between them. "You've heard the rumors?"

Akira nodded. "As much as I try not to."

"Everyone says we're getting it on….but…"

"It's not true, is it?" Akira said, leaning forward. "I'm guessing Kamoshida's been persistent, no?"

"…I avoided giving him my number for the longest time. He…told me to come to his place later tonight?"

"Tonight?" Akira scoffed. "If I can read between the lines, then I'm wondering where your parents are. Why haven't you told them?"

Ann's cheek tightened. "They're not in Japan right now….it's a long story. For now,"-she crushed her loose napkin-"I have…him to deal with. If I turn him down, he said he'd take my friend, Shiho, off from the regulars." She sunk down, now staring at her knees like before in the subway. "I've been telling myself it's been for Shiho's sake. She's my friend but…" Her cheeks suddenly became wet. "I'm tired of this…I hate him!"

She looked at Akira, her lower eyelids drenched.

All Akira could do was ball his fists.

"Tell me…what should I do?" she said while holding her small hands close to her breastbone. She took a breath, and wiped her tears with her fingers, smudging a bit of her eyeliner in the process. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask you; it's not your problem."

Akira felt his jawbones tighten. Yeah…right….not my problem. He started to get sick to his stomach.

Ann dried her eyes stared off in the distance again. "What am I even saying? I've barely even talked to you before."

Akira cleared his throat. "Maybe…that's why?"

"Hmm…perhaps so? I mean, everyone just ignores me. You're weird in that regard."

"Wait," Akira interjected, "Don't you have Ryuji?"

Ann fumed. "He ignores me too, though it's just because he's an idiot."

Akira couldn't help but be amused. "Indeed, he is." He must be if he's "ignoring" someone that stands out like her.

Ann continued. "Seriously though, you can't be a bad person like the rumors say. You just don't seem like it."

"Well…I AM bad to the bone."

Ann smiled. "C'mon, level with me. The rumors say that you nearly killed someone."

Akira furled his eyes. Well...I can't say she's wrong. I was just lucky for a long while.

Ann continued. "I mean, I just assumed it was all just exaggerations anyway." She paused. "You know, you're probably easy to talk to because you're like me?"

Akira raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"In the classroom, you seem…lonely. Like you don't belong anywhere. I mean, I see you talk to Ryuji, but even then, you seem like….you're…"

"What?"

"…Lost. In a way. Reminds me of when I came to Japan for the first time. You being all anxious. Even now, you move around the school like you're being watched."

Akira smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, I'm being nosy." She then stood up. "At the very least I feel better now. I'm getting some to go. Just…don't tell anyone about this, ok?"

"But Ann-"

"Promise me!"

Akira held back what he wanted to say. "I promise," he said instead.

"Good," Ann replied. "I can't ask Kamoshida to forget that I existed, but…maybe I can change his mind."

"Well," Akira said. "I'll leave to it then. Take care, Ann."

"You too, Akira."

Akira was lucky enough to make it onto the last line to Yongen for day. As the doors closed behind him, a news alert on his phone appeared. He went to check, only to see the headline: "Prolific murderer Maehara Kuzunoha executed today by hanging." His mind became filled with the image of a dark field, lit periodically with the sound of fireworks and populated with a fresh corpse. It made him mutter this between his teeth: "You can't rationalize with predators. Especially when they smell blood and crave the taste of flesh."

Now, in a bad mood, Akira needed all the time to himself to not be so haggard in the morning.

AKIRA: Meet me out front in the alleyway tomorrow. I have a lot to talk about. I can't talk right now, I'm busy at my guardian's shop going into the night. See you then.

4/14

"Dammit, it's same shit for me too, then" Ryuji said while kicking over a trash can. "God, I feel like such an idiot. At this rate, we're better off stopping him directly."

"Ryuji, I need you not to get dramatic right now," Akira pressed. "Besides, we have another thing to address."

"What could possibly be more important, then?" Ryuji responded while slouching on a nearby wall.

Akira's bag then rustled and opened. "A proposition," chimed the feline curled in there.

"Wait, did you grab a stray on the way-WAIT WHY IS IT TALK-"

Akira sealed Ryuji's mouth shut and pressed on his Adam's apple. "And that is why we are in an alleyway, supposed to be DISCREET." He whispered to his feline companion. "Now Morgana, I decided to hear you out sooner rather than later, so play nice."

"Stop ordering me like your pet cat! I AM NOT A CAT! I didn't choose this form!" the "Cat" cried.

"Morgana?" Ryuji interjected. "How did he even get here? Wait…does he have a phone, too!?"

Morgana growled. "No, you idiot. I just came over here because, unlike you two, I am NOT an amateur who needs a phone. It took a while, but I caught this guy's scent and tracked him down."

"I smell too much like strong coffee, apparently," Akira quipped.

"Man, that condescending attitude coming from your bag, that is SO Morgana!" Ryuji commented, sparing a resentful finger for the feline. "Wait a second…"Ryuji then sprinted over to shove Morgana back in Akira's bag. "Shit dude! What if other people hear a cat talking?"

Akira interrupted. "Pretty sure we're the only ones who can hear Morgana talk. I saw it myself the other day. People will just hear him meow. Don't worry."

"You sure, dude?

Akira nodded. "At the very worst, he can also stay quiet when needed."

"Surprising, considering it's this furball we're talking about here," Ryuji retorted.

"I'm still here," Morgana replied, growling aggressively.

Akira resumed. "He can stay in my bag throughout the day, and I can carry him around."

Morgana grumbled. "It's better than your dumb, smelly gym locker."

"He's also sneaky enough to slip under people's noses; at least that's what I concluded, considering I found him again this morning after he abandoned me at the bread stand."

Morgana smiled a toothy grin. "I'm pretty capable. I slipped in at night without anyone noticing me."

"At night?" Akira wondered. "I suppose that 'heavy presence' pressing on me last night wasn't some intense nightmare."

"Your place is too cold," Morgana said. "Tell your guardian to invest in a heater."

"Not likely, coming from the miser who doesn't invest in hot water showers."

Morgana sighed. "At the very least, you had the common sense to leave some of your electronic junk back at LeBlanc, including that prop gun. Once again, you're doing better than Ryuji would ever would."

Ryuji sent a death glare towards Morgana. "Shuddup! Like I would bring a gun to...Wait, I already did that."

"Yeah….you did." Akira replied. After Akira aimed a glare of discontent at Ryuji, he took out his phone. "Homeroom is about to start. Morgana, is this thing you wanted to talk about to the both of us going to take a bit?"

"It would be straightforward if you didn't keep on conveniently leaving when I'm trying to explain."

Akira snorted. "I'll take that as a yes. Back in the bag you go."

"Goddamnit! And after such praise, too!? You're being such a pain in the as-"

Akira shut the bag. "After school?" he said to Ryuji.

"Fine."

"ASSHOLES!" the cat cried in defeat.

Shiho sat at her and Ann's usual spot for lunch: the same bench they were at yesterday.

Ann then arrived. "Hey Shiho, I brought some crepes back from yesterday" she greeted, smiles as always. "I even have the ones that you…"-she stopped moving, seeing now Shiho now with a black currant bruise above her right eye-"…like." Her larynx seized, seeing the rim above Shiho's right eye inflamed as much as it was. She inched closer onto the bench. "Are you ok? Was…this from practice yesterday?"

Shiho, eyes half shut and her left eyelid twitching constantly, could only nod.

"Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard?" Ann feebly asked.

"I-I'm fine," she hastily replied, shielding the space between her thighs.

Ann stood silently as she peered at Shiho's eyes to see, in overcast, how pitch-black and drained they were.

"You could use something in your stomach. Crepes usually cheer us up after all," Ann said, attempting to smile.

"I'm not hungry," Shiho replied. Her legs quivered uncontrollably, pulling inward.

"Shiho….are you sure the practice is not too rough?"

"It's not…I'm fine," she replied, holding her legs still while standing. "I just need to walk a bit before class starts. My legs hurt." She walked off, trudging like a zombie.

"…Shiho…" Ann uttered out. She started to drag herself to her classroom desk.

Shiho continued to walk away, into the hallway. Around the corner, her carrying bag began to buzz. Past her small, convenience-store bento she brought only out of obligation to her mother, she noticed a new text from "K". She opened to find just only a photo attached. One look, and she had the same feeling she experienced in the faculty office. An unwanted titillation. A tightening of her windpipe. A throbbing pain between the thighs. A paralyzing shame.

She wished she could fall over and collapse like a marionette cut free. But then, she thought, everyone would see me. They already see me...talking about me...I bet there's rumor about me already...What if this photo's already out...

Akira became to walk towards the courtyard when he saw Shiho stare off, blocking the way out. Shiho then scrolled her eyes to see him. "Oh...I'm in the way, aren't I? Sorry..."

"Are you hurt?" Akira said in grave tones.

"Huh?" she said in return, scratching her left arm while looking away. "Um, well..." She then took another look again, slightly relieved. "You don't look familiar."

Akira scratched the back of his head. "Nevermind me. Are you alright?"

"I'm...fine." She took a closer look, taking a little step forward. "Could you be that transfer student from Class D?"

Akira sighed. "Yeah."

"Um, this might be my business, but don't let the rumors get to you, ok...?" she said in return.

Why would she tell me that? Akira wondered. "I'm fine; I'm taking it on the chin."

"I'm glad to hear that..." Shiho said, with a weak grin. "You know, my 'friend' is subject to rumors all of the time. People talking behind her back and such, due to her looks." She then turned away to look outside, looking slightly upward. She thought up there, she could find an escape from what she was feeling. She then turned back. "Sorry, I don't mean to keep you. I'll...see you around." She began to walk off, but she stopped to look at Akira again, anguish in her eyes. She then walked off a bit, then stopped to look at Akira another time. "If you see her, please be nice. Like she was to me."

Akira was by the door, restless. Why did she say, 'was'? I thought she was her friend.

His bag rustled. "She looked almost lifeless from where I was," Morgana said. "I hope she's ok." A quick pause. "I know I said I have a proposition already, but I have another related one, now that we have the time."

"Another?" Akira quipped with resentment. "You're not a good negotiator."

"It's related to that girl."

Akira grunted. "Gimme a second. I need to sit somewhere to eat before it gets too late." That place was the soda dispenser. Sitting down, Akira took out a piece of bread from yesterday. "Go on."

"That girl seemed troubled. She probably needs help soon."

He chewed slowly. "It wouldn't hurt her. But she needs professional help. Or someone to lend an ear. Her friend would be better qualified."

"Or we can see for ourselves and do something about it."

Akira squinted his eyes, feeling the cat's word snake into his ear. "What are you getting at?"

"I said before that in the Other World, anyone with distorted desires can have a Palace. What if there's a way to correct for twisted, corrupted desires?"

"That would be great...if you didn't have an ulterior motive. Why you're suggesting this all of the sudden?"

"What's with the wariness here?" Morgana replied. "I can talk about this more once Ryuji's in the picture, but it's not nefarious. I want something in the Other World, and this is a way you can come with me and both get what we want."

Akira turned grim. "I'm also confused since you personally warned us away from that world the last time. The only thing I'm sure about is that, based on my last two outings to the Other World, I am not the most reliable person."

"I say otherwise," Morgana replied emphatically. "You have the power of Persona, and some experience with it. And there's a tried and true way of correcting for 'twisted' desires, depending on the severity. Besides, I would be there. So there's less of a chance for it to go wrong. The point is, though, is that I need to find something in the Other World. In a special place no less. And I need help."

"Special place?" Akira replied.

"It's at the center of what they call Mementos. It's a huge place. I don't know why...but I need to get to the center of this place. Something tells me I can find out...who I am."

"Was that a cat meowing nearby?"

Akira was panic-stricken. Shit. It's Prez again. He zipped his bag nice and shut. Behind the bench he was sitting on came Makoto in an inquisitive mood. "Probably just the birds," he said shakily.

"I'm wondering since we've gotten reports of a stray cat around the premises. Apparently, it raided the bread stall the other day, contaminating our stores." She pressed a finger into her forehead, closing her eyes. "I've been spending all day on short notice ordering bread. This is the only time I've been able to start eating."

Akira smiled. "Well, I guess I'm just lucky I didn't buy anything yesterday." He then glared anxiously at his bed, then back at Makoto. "Aren't you worried about what interacting with the transfer student would do to your reputation?"

Her forehead tightened. "I'm more worried about keeping my potassium levels up before class. And keeping you out of trouble."

"Well, Mommy Dearest, I have the sinking suspicion you're going to warn me away," Akira said jokingly.

Her voice then got noticeably more solemn. "...Not exactly." She sat down next to him, whipping out a neatly packaged box of homemade bento, with a variety of fruits, vegetables and meats.

He took a glance at the rainbow in her hands. Isn't that overkill, the number of things she stuffed in there? He then took another look at his lunch. Well...I guess I can't complain. I should probably take a note from her, to be honest.

She began to speak once more. "I've...thought more about it. The more I think about yesterday, the more I am convinced you're going to still ask around. But..."

"But what?" Akira quipped.

"I am not going to deny that procedure here at Shujin has been disregarded completely. The scale of such transgression is unbelievable if what I saw is true. Which makes me realize-"

"...Oh, I get it. If I'm going to butt my nose in it more, then I should help you on your witch hunt rather than be a rogue agent?"

A low whisper of "Don't trust her!" came from his bag.

"Yes. I could keep you out of trouble, and you can help me get what I need in order to make a case to someone who can fix this."

Her reasoning is so similar to Morgana's is so similar, it's not funny. I bet she'll show me her secret cat tail next. "That might be harder than you make it sound out to be. It may even be impossible, given what lengths the school can keep things under wraps. And yet you still want to do it, dragging a delinquent along?"

Makoto smiled, eyes closed. "We have laws and procedure for a reason. They help us become better than our basic desires."

Akira smirked. "And you think that if I play by the book, assuming that it can done, I can 'suppress' my base desires?"

She peered at him directly. "You said it yourself: you're a delinquent. Besides you're the only one that I know that is actively searching for information."

Having finished his paltry lunch, he clasped his hands together. "Have you thought about the possibility that I may not be able to suppress 'my base desires'? Not everyone prescribes to rules and procedure. Especially if the procedures are broken."

"You will. No exceptions. That is, if you agree." She took a small bite. "Besides I have great confidence in the rules. I believe they are avenues which give us something higher to aspire to. And I believe in you." She cleared her throat. "Well, parts of you at the very least. The part that aspires to be something greater."

Akira paused. "I'll think about it. If that exists."

His bag hissed.

"Did I hear a hiss just right now?" Makoto said, bewildered.

"Probably just a bug. Class won't start yet, but I rather not hear more flak from Ushimaru."

She frowned. "He is...exacting."

Akira chortled. "Coming from you, it's kind of amusing."

She scowled. "Don't make me smack you."

He started to walk away. "Sorry, I'm good, thank you very much. Just give me some time to walk and think. I'll get back to you." Something though made him linger. "You know...about what you said just now. I'm curious."

She twisted her head. "Curious?"

"Self-conscious, rather. You're a lady of procedure. Would you treat anyone this heavy-handily?"

"What do you mean?" Makoto responded.

"You said before the other day: you have ambitions to treat everyone fairly. Equally. And yet here you are, probably dedicating a lot of effort into making sure I keep an honest life. All the while trying to take down these guys. Lawfully, no less. Methinks you're overextending yourself."

"Akira..." she sighed. "Nothing has changed. I still believe in the needs of everyone, and doing this will help everyone in the long run." She grimaced. "Your..." She winced. "...disconcerting nature doesn't help with that, however."

Akira continued to walk away. "So you say. But something has to give. Later, 'Your Excellency.'"

"Can't you be appropriate for once?" she exclaimed.

"I am; you're basically the Queen here," he replied smugly.

Shiho, still not having eaten, kept to herself on the second floor of the gym. She needed the quiet.

Her respite though was brief. "Suzui, there you are."

She looked up to see Mishima, whose cuts from yesterday were profusely scabbed over. "...It's Kamoshida. He wants to see you soon."

Her breathing quickened. "Why?"

"...I dunno. He wants to see me too, but we apparently need to get something from the roof. Some padding mats. Everyone today is going to do strength training. Not just the groups on rotation."

Shiho stood up to follow Mishima to the roof. When they got outside, the slight breeze helped to ease Shiho a bit. Mishima went into the corner to get an extra mat in the corner. "Suzui...I shouldn't be saying this, but...are you ok?"

He didn't hear a response.

Mishima continued. "it's just...I heard screams from the faculty office. I mean, I got punished myself too. I just hope you didn't get it too rough."

Another silence.

"Suzui, are you hear-"

Mishima was struck with panic. Shiho was on the ledge, staring down.

"Suzui...please just...step back towards me...it should be me instead," Mishima said in a low, wavering voice.

Across the way, Akira finally reached the second floor where his homeroom was. He could hear Ushimaru booming in preparation of today's lecture on the structure of the Japanese government.

"Akira, please don't tell me you're serious about her offer," Morgana pleaded.

"It's still an option worth considering."

"Why? I just told you about that place," Morgana said, seething with incredulity. "You can deal with ALL of them at the same time in the Other World by stealing away their desires, instead of teaming up with someone who, for all intensive purposes, is a liability."

"You're overreacting," Akira replied.

"How am I overreacting? You said it yourself in the alleyway to Ryuji and me: that the school faculty knows about this. And you're getting soft, maybe even googly-eyed-"

"Googly-eyed?" Akira interjected.

"Yes, googly-eyed over someone that has to answer to them, bottom line. And hearing her be all straight-laced about rules and such, already verified my concern."

Akira stood by the door, out of Ushimaru's sight. "So you think she going to fold when it gets tough?"

"She will. This is why we keep things tight. Plus she doesn't have our power. She's useless."

Akira took out his phone, fixated on his Navigation App. "You make it seem like your plan is all roses. You said that if properly approached, you can correct for any "corrupted desire." Yet nothing goes as planned. You know that. What happens, worst case?" He then opened the bag to shove his face in. "And be honest to me."

Morgana whimpered. "'Correcting for corrupted desires' involves stealing that person's corrupted Heart. It takes away their distorted desires, but it takes away their normal desires too. If not handled carefully, they could shut down and die."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Akira yelled in his bag.

"KURUSU!" Ushimaru yelled from the classroom. "Stop talking out there and get in class!"

Akira grunted. "We are SO discussing this more after school." He began to walk into class, but something caught his eye. He looked out of the window opposite from him. He looked up. It was the girl he talked to in the hallway. The one whose name eluded him. She was standing on the roof, near the ledge.

"KURUSU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Ushimaru then stomped into the hallway, only to see the girl on the ledge. A few seconds later, Mishima was on the ledge. By this point, everyone in the classroom peered out the window, some even getting out of their seats.

"Shiho!" Ann cried out from her seat. She then rushed over to the window, along with the majority of people from the other classes.

"Everyone! Back in class immediately!" Ushimaru yelled.

Ushimaru, this is not an option. Riled already, Akira weaved through the forming crowd. Just hang in there. Both of you.

Now out of the original cluster, Akira went into a full sprint.

Shit, shit, the third floor walkway. Hurry.

The third floor was just as worse. The teachers were busy attempting to shove all of the students away from the stairs.

"Nijima-san! I need some help here," one of the teachers cried.

This is bad, Makoto thought. "Coming!" she cried out loud. All of it. Shiho and Mishima are pondering suicide, and I should just let trained negotiators handle this. But...at this point, Shiho's the best shot I have right now of punishing Kamoshida for what he's done. I have to try...something!

Her attention though drifted to the second-year rushing past the blockade of teachers.

Akira, why am I not surprised? "Akira, what are you doing!?" she cried out. Akira, though, ignored her, continuing up the stairs to the roof.

"Akira, wait!" she cried in vain, her right arm outstretched. Doing that left a brief-enough opening for the third year students to pile into the hallway unopposed. This is starting to piss me off...Dammit, fine, have it your way. Shiho, just hold on! . And I swear...if Kamoshida is involved...She charged off behind, opening the lever door to the roof to find Shiho and Mishima standing by the ledge, looking down. Akira inched towards the side, creeping a distance away towards Shiho.

"Please...Suzui," Mishima said in a cracking voice. "I deserve to die. More than you. I've...done terrible things. I've been such a coward. I can't even look myself in the mirror in the morning. What Kamoshida has me doing...I don't know if I can..."

"Mishima...Suzui...please...we can solve this together," Makoto said, inching closer. "Please...just step away so I can hear you out."

Shiho began to tear up. "Nijima-senpai..." She then turned to her right. "...Mishima..." She turned to the left. "...I'm sorry...I'm so impolite. I never caught your name."

"It's...Akira. Akira Kurusu." He then had an epiphany, remembering back to what Ann said about her friend. "Please, you can talk to Ann. Whatever Kamoshida has done to you...he won't get away with this. We can help you."

"Akira Kurusu...It was nice to meet you, Akira," she said, smiling sadly. "Forgive me, Ann." She flung herself off the building.

"SHIHO!" Akira cried, flinging himself forward.

"AKIRA!" Makoto cried.

The hairs on Akira's skin stood up as he reached out mid-jump to reach her. He stretched out as far as his arm permitted, but it did him no good. His fingers were just inches away from touching Shiho's sneakers.

He then found it hard to breathe; he was sure now, considering how much he jumped out, that he was going to share Shiho's fate.

I failed for good this time, didn't I?

He felt a sinking sensation forming.

He then felt two vice grips on his legs. Akira could only hear the whoosh of air past his ears as he hit into the school wall like a wrecking ball, grasped only by the ankles. His glasses split on the concrete, ending up in the courtyard below. The blow to his head caused the crowd that was pooling around Shiho to become blurry. But Shiho remained clear. He couldn't see all of the details, but it was clear that Shiho, dead or alive, had an arm and leg mangled on the grass. He also didn't see Mishima with her, which brought him some relief.

Makoto pulled Akira up furiously and erratically, trying her best not to let a hint of anguish show on her face. Why did you go out that far, dammit? She pored over the damage. A gash between his stupid, bleary eyes. "Akira, can you hear me?"

To Akira, the President's voice was just garbled noise.

"Goddamnit!" she cried gently. Her eyes started to swell. "You fool, answer me!" She was about to raise a hand at him, but she held back mid-swing, not meaning to do it.

For Akira, her voice started to clear up.

"...Ren...whatever...just wake up and answer me!" he heard her say.

"...I'm sorry you were forced to use that name."

"Akira!" she cried out in relief. "Can you get up?"

"Yeah, I can..." he replied. He then briskly walked over to the stairs leading down, noticing that Mishima was gone.

"Where are you going?!" Makoto yelled. "You need first aid!"

"Just find where Mishima went!" Akira yelled. I just need to see for myself...Goddamnit, let there be something there! The crowds were everywhere, but Akira didn't care. He shoved anyone in his way. His ghastly face wound helped to scare people away. By the time he reached the courtyard, the students had their phones out. He pushed to the front, the oppressive feeling of being eyeballed by those next to him present.

The damage was worse. Her fractured thigh bone slit through her skin. A dribble of blood coming from the side of her mouth. Glazed, empty eyes. An arm bent back 180 degrees. Akira would have assumed she was dead if it were not for the brief, conscious jolt in her eyes.

It didn't matter what Akira saw in the courtyard, however. Because at the end, seeing Shiho made him see the dog begging for his life on that hot day, and then Minako in the field, her slit throat making the fallows black with blood.

And like before with Maehara with his dog and sister, and now with Kamoshida with Shiho, he could only say this to himself:

You fucking failed. You tried too late.

Notes: Hope you enjoy this chapter. I was hoping to clarify more of Akira's past here in this chapter, so I hope I accomplished it here. The next chapter (not sure what the title is yet lol) will probably come in 2 weeks. I will probably make some small edits to the "Bloodhound" chapter in the meantime. Until, then, take care guys!