At first I felt completely weightless. Turns out being thrown into the air is a pretty strange sensation. That feeling quickly passed when I felt myself crash to the concrete shoulder first. After skidding across the pavement for a good couple of metres, I came to an abrupt halt after colliding with a traffic light. I didn't have much time to contemplate the irony as I was showered with dust and parts of pavement. I can't believe I didn't realise earlier; I should've clocked what was happening when that bastard bear was high-tailing it across the bridge. In short, the bridge blew up and we weren't exactly far away from it.
I spluttered and coughed as dust bombarded my lungs. I sat there, completely still for god-knows-how-long, unable to struggle to my feet due to a large piece of rubble being that was pinning me to the concrete. Then a small thought popped into my barely functioning mind, which inspired me to struggle to my feet. I needed to check up on everyone. I would prefer to just lay there and rest my eyes, perhaps for the rest of eternity, but I know I can't just be a bystander. That, and the fact that I had a rather pertinent want to get as far away from Tokyo as possible. My body felt completely shot, my left shoulder and stomach wound in particular were screaming in agony. However, the worst thing by a mile was the incessant ringing in my ears as if a flash grenade had gone off right next to me. Placing both hands on the piece of rubble, I pushed it off of me with a heavy groan. During this, my weak shoulder wobbled and shuddered due to the immense pain and weight. Now that I was free, I sat there on all fours and I started feeling rather sorry for myself while retching up more dust and dirt. After clearing my system, I took some deep breathes. I took a look around my surroundings. A light smog coated the landscape almost like natural mist, but this was different. It was far darker than any other fog id seen in my time, less natural, more artificial. Then again, my vision was pretty hazy and the double vision wasn't exactly helping so who knew what it looked like in reality. I struggled to my feet, cautious not to step up to quickly just to drop again. When I stood up, I immediately started to sway and feel disorientated. I keeled over and choked out my lungs for a bit longer. While on my hands and knees, I tried to see if I could spy one of my classmates now that the mist had died down and low and behold, I noticed a figure a couple metres in front of me. Struggling to my feet once more, I meandered over to the still body. I feared the worst, as you naturally would, but I was relieved to hear a slight groaning.
"Hiro!?" I spluttered, able to decipher the mystery of who it was when I saw the bombastic hairstyle that was synonymous with the shaman.
In response all I got was a disgruntled moan.
"C'mon Hiro, get up"
"Naegs…?"
I tried to pull him up by his arms but he really wasn't helping me. He was still completely limp, meaning I had to pull him to his knees, and then to his feet without any help. When I finally got him to his feet, I started to rock again, still feeling rather dizzy from my flight down the street. Hiro wasn't exactly stable either. I chucked his arm around my neck and dragged him away from the explosion, keeping my eye out for any more of our friends.
"Why the hell are you so heavy?" I grimaced as I struggled under the weight of keeping the shaman propped up on my shoulder.
"It's all my hair…" Hiro responded with a raspy voice after a small chuckle.
I let a laugh escape from my lips too, though it caused me too cough again. It was good to see he was staying positive.
I continued down the road till I could see a small gathering of people, no more than three people. Torn clothes, cuts and bruises were the present theme apparently. Dirt covered pale faces looked up when they noticed myself and Hagakure limp towards them
"Makoto!"
Ikusaba ran up to me, sliding her arms around Hiro to support him and taking the burden from me.
"Hey" I greeted wearily, thankful I didn't have to drag Hiro any longer. "Where is everyone?"
"Just round the corner Makoto, go around and they'll just be down the road. I'll take Hiro there now"
Once she said this, she hobbled off down the road with the Clairvoyant leaning on her heavily.
"How ya doin?" Inquired Oowada. His clothes were looking pretty torn up, his crazy diamond jacket which he refused to leave behind looked particularly tattered. He had a large gash just above his right eye that was ever so slowly seeping blood the shade of a deep crimson.
"I think im good…" I put my hands on my knees and took in some deep breaths. "You alright?"
"Just a scratch, I'll be fine"
"It may get infected thought, we should get it looked at soon"
"We can get it looked at later. I believe there is more pressing matters at hand" Said Celes. She seemed to be looking better than most considering her clothing had only had minimal damage, but she still looked rather shaken up.
"What's happened?"
"Well firstly, we can't find Fukawa and secondly…"
An ice cold shiver ran down my spine when the Gambler trailed off.
"What…?"
"Ishimaru… He's hurt pretty bad, got a busted leg" Oowada growled, somewhere between solemn and enraged.
"Is he okay?" I questioned, trying not to let anxiety get the best of me.
"Hina is looking after him but we don't know"
"Alright then, I'll go help out. You guys go looking for Fukawa, come find me when you find her"
I began to feel a horrible nauseousness inside as my tired legs carried me lazily around the corner. The first person I saw when I spun around the corner was Kyoko. She was standing outside a house half way down the street, probably standing guard. I made my way down the street, my pace quickening even though it only gave me more discomfort. She stared aimlessly at the horizon, eyes completely glazed over. There was none of the famed Kirigiri quiet concentration. One thing was for sure, she was definitely not fully compos-mentis.
"Kirigiri…?"
The detective jumped slightly in surprise before tearing her gaze away from the sky to look at me. Even now, she seemed somewhat distant. She was looking at me but it felt like she was looking past me all at the same time.
"Makoto…" She said with a stilted nod of acknowledgement.
"You okay?" I said cautiously.
"I came out here too get some fresh air, I've got a bit of migraine…"
"You're going to be okay?" A little bit of concern breaking into my tone.
Kirigiri flashed one of her trademark smirks.
"Your concern is flattering but I'll be fine Makoto, thank you. You should go inside, Mukuro will want to talk"
I nodded before stepping in the house. It was dusty with the same scenery of torn wall paper and broken windows, akin to the buildings we had stayed in the nights previously. That being said, this one did seem homelier I suppose.
"Mukuro!?" I shouted into the house.
"In here!" I heard the soldier shout back from one of the rooms.
I paced my way down the hallway until I saw the open door that I thought Mukuro's voice had come from a minute ago. In the room, Ishimaru was lying down on a sofa with his leg propped up on a cushion. Leon, Mukuro and Hina were all crowded around the poor guy. Hina was apparently acting as the stand in medic as she was trying to use Leon's belt as a makeshift tourniquet. On closer inspection, the grizzly mess became clearer. Taka's knee was a mess of shattered bone and a slowing leak of crimson blood, thanks to the tourniquet.
"What happened?" I said, slightly faintly.
"Piece of rebar shot itself through his leg when the bridge exploded, luckily it wasn't hard to remove. His knee was completely blasted to smithereens but he'll live, we managed to stop any more blood loss. He should wake up soon, he fainted from shock a while back" Mukuro answered as she stood above Hina, on stand-by.
"Poor dude aint gonna be walking any time soon, Hina was pretty awesome back there though" Leon praised while giving Hina a pat on the back.
Hina smiled meekly with a light blush.
"Well being a swimmer, I picked up a few things when it comes to first aid"
"Mukuro, where's the rest of us" I turned to the soldier who had stepped away from the fainted prefect.
"Togami is out in the garden getting some air and everyone else in the other room, bar the guys outside"
"Alright then. Leon and Hina can look after Ishimaru, Leon I want you to do exactly what Hina says" I instructed, both responding with short nods. "Mukuro, make sure everyone else is in good shape"
I turned to leave the room and re-join Kirigiri, but the Soldier followed me out of the door and gave my shoulder a short tap.
"Makoto, we can't stay here…"
Of course we couldn't stay here, I knew that. Considering the proximity to Tokyo, we'd have Junko on our doorstep immediately. The fact that Ishimaru wasn't going to be able to walk only worsened matters. We would need a car to get out of here.
"One thing at a time Mukuro, we haven't even found Fukawa yet…"
As if on cue…
"Someone help me with this crazy bitch!"
The voice was a gruff shout that nearly shook the house. Soon after, the door burst open and nothing could quite prepare me for what I was about to see. Oowada staggered into the room with a flailing Fukawa, or should I say Genocider Syo, in his outstretched arms similar to the way you would hold up a small puppy.
"Lemme go cornhead!"
Syo continued to wiggle and squeal until Oowada finally dropped her in a heap. Surprisingly, Oowada didn't look as annoyed as I thought he would, he just looked like he'd given up on life which I guess isn't exactly a good substitute.
Celes poked her head through the door and then pointed at the very confused serial killer on the floor with a finger.
"What is going on with her?"
"Oh this is Syo" I answered while rubbing my neck with a tinge of awkwardness.
"Who?" Celes asked again, eyebrows furrowed to their limit. "It's almost as if you just called Fukawa by the same name as a famous serial killer, but that would be impossible? Right?"
I laughed a very short lived and very uneasy laugh.
"Eh… about that…"
"Long story short; Fukawa has a form of multiple personality syndrome. Her alternate personality just happens to be the famous serial killer Syo. A switch in personality can be caused by losing consciousness to just a light sneeze"
If i had to describe the facial expressions of both Celes and Oowada in just one word, I'd probably go with 'done'. Celes began to pinch the bridge of her nose with eyes clamped shut.
"Of course Fukawa is a serial killer, makes perfect sense. Does Fujisaki moonlight as wrestler in the WWE as well? Or does Ishimaru sell drugs behind the bleachers at lunchtime?!"
I didn't know how to respond, so I did what I usually do in such a situation. I laughed awkwardly. The laugh died a quick death as the gamblers crimson eyes bored their way into my very soul.
"Honestly, it does seem pretty contrived and far-fetched" Kirigiri said as she walked into the hallway.
"Complain to Kodaka then" I sighed.
"Who the hell is that" Oowada wondered with a small head cock to the right.
"Don't worry"
"Excuse me! Little help down here"
Apparently Syo didn't take to kindly to having us talk about her while she was bundled in a heap on the floor. Luckily, she already knew the situation we were in considering it was only Fukawa who had her memory wiped, another thing that Celes and Kyoko both pointed at as being even more contrived.
Introducing Syo properly to the rest of the gang didn't exactly go down a treat, but I reassured them that Syo would never hurt one of us. Except maybe Togami. Most of the people in the group were giving the serial killer the side-eye from across the room. The girl herself didn't really seem to care though, she just stood there with a big old smile and her tongue sticking out as usual.
Although Ishimaru was still passed out, we had now had everyone gathered up again. We took some time out to get a break and lick our wounds, but it soon came time to talk about what comes next. Obviously we couldn't stay here, that much was bleakly apparent. Unfortunately, with Ishimaru in the condition he's in, he can't walk and carrying him would be difficult to say the least without a stretcher. With us huddled around an old table with the only map we had, we searched for our hunting grounds.
"If we walk to this town here, then we have a chance of finding a car on our way. Right?" Sakura pointed to the little town, not too far from where the bridge was on the map.
"We would need more than one car though. Finding one car in working order shouldn't be too hard, but three? Four? That's gonna be a little trickier" Said Leon as he studied the map.
"We can only find out by trying, no point in just sitting here" Yamada reasoned.
I lifted my gaze from the map for a second to give a small smile and a nod.
"Exactly the way to think about it Yamada"
My head arced back down to scrutinize the map once more. Thank god Jin taught me to properly navigate otherwise id have no clue.
"Alright then…" I took my finger to the map to measure the distance from the bridge to the town. "It looks like it'll be a thirty-minute walk, give or take…"
The room collectively sighed at the thought of walking any further today.
"So Im gonna need some people to drive the cars when/if we find them. I need three drivers, so if there is anyone who believes they would be up to the job, then please speak up"
Mukuro quietly raised her hand, unsurprisingly. She had driven plenty of vehicles during her Fenrir days so she was perfect for the job. The only other hand was Mondo's.
Leon looked to his left to the gang-leader beside him.
"I thought bikes were more your shtick?"
The biker let out a short, amused, grunt.
"Doesn't mean I haven't Joy-rode some cars in my time"
The Biker's eyes seemed to glaze over for a brief second, a mischievous grin tugged at his lips. However, as quick as it came, the biker seemed to snap back to reality. Good memory I suppose.
"Okay people, that's two. We need one more then. I've had a few lessons, before the tragedy, but I'd rather have someone with a bit more experience behind the wheel"
After a couple of seconds, it came apparent that no one was going to volunteer. Until…
"I'll do it…"
To my surprise, Hagakure had stepped forward ever so slightly. To say there were mixed reactions would be a kind way of putting it. The likes of Chihiro and Sayaka encouragingly smiled, even though I think both of them secretly doubted the shaman. Meanwhile, Celes looked like she was about to start howling with laughter. Unperturbed, Hiro continued.
"I did have my driving license, and I am the oldest here so I guess I should be the one to do it"
"You say 'Did'" Hifumi said with more than a little unease.
"Might have gotten my license postponed for driving while under the influence, but that don't matter"
The room exhaled together in some sort of depressing chorus. I, on the other hand, was thankful that I didn't have embarrass myself with my pretty dire driving.
"Well if you're sure Hiro" I turned back to the map to study the route. I took out a marker pen and marked down the path. "Okay then… So there will be the three drivers going obviously. Going with them will be myself, obviously, Hina and Kyoko" I lifted my eyes quickly to look at the two girls. Although she looked rather bemused, Hina nodded her head. On the other hand, Kyouko just slightly lowered her head as a sign of her consent. There was reason for those two in particular. The detective because I already knew that she wouldn't let me not take her, so I may as well save myself the time. For Aoi, I was hoping that the walk would give me a chance to have a quick talk with her. "I want Sakura and Togami on guard duty for an hour, then another pair can take over. We leave in fifteen, get some food and drink in you before we leave." After I finished my laundry list of things I wanted to air before leaving, I looked at my gathered friends. I was greeted by enthusiastic faces smiling back at me, or at least as enthusiastic as the likes of Celes and Togami can get. A certain rush of confidence came over me when I saw my friends smiling back at me, confidence that we can persevere and maybe live a normal life given some time. With the feeling still burning deep inside me, I rolled up the map and stashed it away in my pocket. As the group dispersed, a thought came to mind.
"Oh I forgot, Togami, can I borrow you quick?"
The Heir looked over his shoulder, nearly out of the door.
"What?"
"Eh, privately please…"
The heir made a small sigh of annoyance. He waited until the room had emptied before positioning himself opposite to me at the table.
"Spit it out then plankton"
I swiftly looked at my watch before fessing up my reason for grabbing him.
"Its 1PM now; we should be back early this evening, but just in case we aren't… I want you to leave without us if we don't get back by 9PM. There's no point sitting around for us with Junko breathing down our necks"
A cocked eyebrow rose above the Heir's glasses.
"And why are you telling me this in particular?"
"I want you to take my position until you get to safety, then when you are safe, hold a vote to decide who will be the leader for the foreseeable future"
The Heir seemed intrigued for the first time in recent times.
"What's stopping me from keeping control?"
I looked closely at the blonde boy in front of me.
"Nothing… Just my trust that you'll respect my wishes"
There was a short silence as Togami and I scrutinised each other.
"Say I did and say you have not returned by 9PM, then what should I do with the Hall monitor?"
"You'll think of something; you always do" I said confidently. The heir seemed to appreciate the stroking of his ego as his usual stiff lips were replaced with a self-assured smirk. "I just ask that you don't leave him to Junko, no one deserves that…So do I have you word?"
The Heir turned to the door, but before leaving he craned his neck back to side-eye me as he left.
"I'll think about it…"
A/N
Hey look im back
I know you hate me and i said id be updating more regularly but ive just been busy with school and then work and then my rather inconsistent love life.
Good news though- summer holidays! (Im a brit so we only have the 6 weeks) so that means more chapters- hopefully one a week? ill try :D
Anyways thanks all for the continued support (Nearly 100 kudos' damn you guys are badasses), please kudos and comment
Have a good day!