All right! well sorry this chapter took so long! I've been studying for the year-end exams at my school. They set it up really wierd like they have two differant tests two months apart, buuuuuuut I don't wanna botch about it here so here's the new chapter. Keep the reviews coming!

Chapter 8 – Recovery

February 17, 2018 – Monday [Fujihara Apartment, Morning]

The next morning, Ryo woke up and walked out of his room. He felt… Refreshed somehow, which is especially odd because of the events that transpired. When he came into the living room, he found his sister, Aimi, still in shock. Her usually tied up brown hair was unkempt with long bangs in her eyes. The windows behind her showed a gray sky. It was a perfect backdrop from an artist's perspective. He shook his head, "I can't think about this now…". Ryo got ready and decided to not to let Aimi go today. In this vegetable-like stat, she wouldn't be able to do any work. That was the entire reason they were put in CHAS.

Just before Ryo left, he heard a quiet voice echo through the hallway, "…Goodbye…"

Ryo looked back, "…Bye Aimi…" He didn't feel like talking, never again. Why? Even he doesn't know, but he just never wanted to do it again. Maybe it was his way of dealing with everything. With that he left the apartment complex and headed for the daily obstacle that is school, not sure where his mind should wander.

[Fujihara Apartment – Jundo Street]

It was surprisingly quiet. Not even the birds who loved to flock along the river's edge were chirping. The silence made Ryo uncomfortable. "Hey…" Ryo bolted upright from his usual slouch. The voice eased him, until he matched it with her face. He didn't bother turning around. He wasn't in the mood to be harassed by some pretty girl. "Tch… Can you listen to me!" Katsumi said, the anguish apparent in her voice. After a second, Ryo finally bothered to turn his head around just enough to see the light-skin girl. "I-I know there has been a lot going on between… But, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't offer you this. If you ever need to talk to anybody... I'm here. For you. B-But don't get the wrong idea! It's just… I know what you're going through is hard."

Ryo turned his head just enough to see her out of the corner of his eye. "Thanks." Said Ryo lamely. Truly though, he wasn't thankful. He had enough. He continued forward briskly, instantly forgetting about Katsumi.

[Jundo Street – Class 2-C]

Ryo sat in his usual desk next to Michio. Michio was reading a book as usual, but was a bit more fidgety. Takeo was actually there before Ryo which was surprising. He wasn't talking to Michio loudly like he normally would either. Of course, Ryo didn't pay much attention. All he could think about were his problems. Every moment he only thought back to Hikari's death or his traumatized sister. "Man… If only I could play my PSV…" Ryo thought. Games were always his escape from the real world. All the problems he had growing up in that damn orphanage; he needed now more than ever.

Viper walked into the classroom now, his usual strong and confident stride was wobbly. He sat down in his desk to the back corner, except he didn't kick his feet up. For a second, everything was quiet in the classroom, and then the chatter began to rise once again. Ryo gazed around the room. Just then he realized that Katsumi was actually in his homeroom, but far from him in the front of the class. He quickly looked away, not wanting to think about her anymore.

"Oi," The gruff voice had snapped Ryo out of his daze. Without realizing it, Viper had walked up behind him. They stared each other in the eyes for a second. "…Screw this…" whispered Viper under his breath, and he stalked away.

"I bet he wanted to talk about the event." Michio now caught Ryo's attention, "We should keep an eye out for the people who were there. Oh and club meeting after school." Ryo nodded in agreement before drifting off again.

Ryo looked down at his hand, it was still bandaged. "Maybe Charon will have the answers." Ryo thought, instantly his brain fought with him, "-What answers?-I don't know!-What is there to ask?" The argument in his head was halted by the school bell.

February 17, 2018 – Monday [Class 2-F, Afterschool]

After the students of 2-F evacuated, the Golden Heart Hunters soon took their place. Ryo, Michio, and Takeo were all seated and looking at each other. Takeo cleared his throat, "Hikari's gone right?"

Michio was surprised, "Y-Yeh… But why do you say that Takeo-kun?"

"Well… I think we should appoint a new leader. Hikari was the one who got us all in this club." Takeo's voice had a little of his usual cheeriness. "So maybe we should have a new leader to do all the paper work!"

"That is actually a good idea!" Michio commented, "I think you should do it." Michio turned his head to look at Ryo.

"I-I don't know…" Ryo quietly put.

"You'd be awesome at it!" Takeo responded his gleefulness back completely.

"Yes, I think we need someone strong to do it." Said Michio.

Ryo smiled. "I never really had a position of power…" Ryo thought. He nodded and Michio clapped his hands.

"Then it is settled!" After Michio said that, the door slid wide open. The stout Mr. Itou walked in, a vein on his forehead. Behind him was Katsumi and Viper, they reluctantly walked into the small classroom as well. "M-Mr. Itou what-"

"Cut the crap!" Mr. Itou demanded, "I had to go through hell to keep you kids around! Now you better start doing your job! Help… rehabilitate these kids into… society or whatever! Just keep yourselves out of anymore shit!" The principals entire body was red with anger as he stormed out.

The group stood in silence for a moment. "If that's all, I'm leaving. Adíos maricones!" Viper said and started for the door.

"I would not do that if I were you…" Viper stopped when Michio spoke up. "Mr. Itou might give you even more grief than if you were to stay here…"

Viper sighed and took a seat far away from the others. Katsumi had a blank expression and sat a few desks away from the main group. Everybody was quiet once again. Ryo tried to think of something to say, but what? He didn't want to think back to that night, never again. "So anything on your minds?" Takeo began hesitantly.

"Aw just shut it." Viper replied, while Katsumi stayed quiet. "The only reason why we're here is cuz Itou thinks we killed a girl. This is such bullshit. There's no way we can gonna clear our names."

"…W-Well maybe this is a good time to try and make new friends!" Takeo said trying to remain cheerful, "Like my mom tells me, 'Think positive!'"

"What 'new friends'? Things spread in the back alleys like you wouldn't believe! Soon enough, people will think we held a massacre!" Viper swung his fist and toppled a desk over. Takeo's demeanor was quickly vanishing. Tears were forming at the edges of his eyes, and he began to choke up.

"Please… maybe we can-"

"Just shut the hell up already! No one cares!" Viper rose from his seat to intimidate Takeo. The burly teen began to cry as he backed away from the punk.

Ryo had to step in, "Back off!" The leader stood up as well and Viper turned around.

"Well maybe I should shove my foot up your culo!" Viper threatened. He took a step forward and there they were, in the same situation, staring each other down.

Michio's voice rang loud and clear, "Instead if bickering like children, maybe we should actually talk about what happened. I believe that what happened was a sign for things to come. Remember when that voice said something about the rapture? Maybe it was right. Think about it, maybe that was our future. And what you two are doing will cause it!" Viper hesitated but sat back in his seat; Ryo did the same. "There… Now we should assess the situation. First, that terrible rendition of Chichibu. It seemed most of it was damaged by fire. That could be a clue as to what happened, maybe a nuclear explosion of sorts? Second, was the voice. It said that a fate had chosen the rapture to begin. Now I am a bit rusty on my ancient literature, but I believe that the Fates were the ones in Greek mythology who determined the outcome of a person's life, and the rapture is the Christian version of the end of the world."

"Wow Sensei, you know so much about this myth stuff!" Takeo commented, now calmed down a bit.

Michio's face turned from serious to ashamed once again, "Well you learn a lot reading books…" He cleared his throat and continued, "Third, was the monster. It looked like a drawing of an alien you would see from most abductees'. Maybe it was extra-terrestrial in origin because of the meteor that fell from the sky. Fourth was…" Michio turned his head to look at Ryo, "the thing you summoned. I cannot even imagine how you did that, but in the end it saved our lives. Do you know anything?"

Ryo was about to tell the group about Charon, but he didn't felt like he was obligated to keep it a secret. "No… I-I don't." He said.

"I think you said 'Persona' or something. Whatever it was, it seemed like it had super-natural powers like the alien, maybe they are connected. Right now the facts we have are not enough to identify the situation." Michio stated.

"What about the girl?" Katsumi spoke up.

Michio's face turned pale, and Takeo hung his head down in shame. "You mean Hikari?" The burly teen answered.

"Yeh, with her death we know we didn't dream it or anything, because she would still be here." Katsumi said, "And your wounds looked pretty real to me." She gazed at Ryo who looked down at his bandages.

"Well… Yes, b-but that does not help us at all." Said Michio. Secretly, he purposefully skipped Hikari's death, and he didn't want anyone to mention it. "They took away her body so now we do not have any physical evidence that we can inspect."

"Yo, what about the texts we all got?" Viper chimed in.

"The text messages of course!" Michio pulled his cell phone out and began to search through his inbox to find the message. Everyone else did the same and tried to look. "Wait… where did it go? I didn't delete it… I forgot about it until Viper brought it up!"

"Yeh! Did someone… break into our shit!" Viper yelled.

"I-I can't find it!" Katsumi said.

"Sensei, what's going on?" Takeo asked. "What about you?" Ryo shook his head; apparently nobody had the message anymore. A light went off on Ryo's cell phone simultaneously with everyone else's. The only sound in the room came from the buzzing of phones. They all checked their messages slowly like in some kind of horror movie. The message read: '02202018' Once again, there was no number and no subject. Nothing, except the ominous numbers.

"What the hell is that suppose' to mean!" Viper asked to particularly no one.

"It has to mean something, like Morse Code!" Katsumi suggested.

"No… It is not. These numbers…" Michio said. He studied his phone screen for a second and then wearily looked up. "It is probably because I am tired, but I cannot think right now. I am going to go home; Takeo, our lessons are going to be canceled for today."

"T-That's fine Sensei." Takeo responded. The two of them got up from their seats and left the room briskly.

"This is my cue to leave." Viper said under his breath. Him and Katsumi both got up and left the room as well.

Ryo was left in Class 2-F alone with his thoughts. "What the hell is going on!" He was expecting Charon to whisper all the answers in his ear, but no all-knowing voice ever came. "I-I'm tired, yeh tired! I'll just go home to Aimi and try to cheer her up!" The leader got up after a minute of sitting in the empty classroom, but before leaving the room, he heard something.

"This is only the beginning…"

Hitoriga127: Yeh sorry about that... I think I was trying to cover a bit too much in that small of a chapter. I usually like to keep these about four pages long in Microsft Word. Also I was a bit excited and at times I think I rush my self to get some pieces of exposition over with so I can get to more fights and Social Links. What I'm trying to say that it isn't you; I wrote last chapter poorly, again I'm sorry.