Chapter Notes

~ References everywhere ...

~ We have two new people in the story. Guang-Hong Ji and the store man. Can you guess who the old man is?

~ Lovecraft, by HP Lovecraft, creator of the book Necronomicon.

~ Antiqua is the name of Willian Kidd's ship.

~x~

When I wake up, I find myself in a different environment. I remember being in the room, in the Katsukis. But ... It's not here. Where I am? My head hurts, I feel weak and dizzy. Just like I was after a panic attack. Slowly, details of my memory begin to arrive and I find myself sobbing. Suddenly, I hear someone approaching me.

"Kunogi?" I listen and look around, noticing the presence of Dr. Lilia Baranoskaya.

"Doctor? What happened?" I ask, confused.

I try to get up, but she puts a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

"Continue lying down." She says, holding me cup of glass with some medicine. "Drink this and rest."

I obey, and soon I feel sleepy.

~ x ~

I open my eyes and take a deep breath, feeling much better. I get up and look around, noting that I'm at Dr. Baranoskaya's clinic, and it's already late. Shit, I missed class. I see my glasses beside the pillow and put them on. I lean against the wall, lifting my legs and hugging my knees, thinking about what happened.

"I had another panic attack, I was talking to Phichit on the cell phone, Morgaine was by my side, Phichit asked if I had a criminal record, I find that several false and true criminal records have been posted on the internet, and the whole school knows to see." Franzo to forehead, breathing deeply. "Strange, just the principal, and a select number of teachers knew of her existence.

Teachers ... It can't be ...

I remember that Phichit had commented on someone named Takeshi Nishigori, who had faced the Physical Education teacher and in a self-defense act, the teacher broke his leg. Nishigori was saying something about Nakamura.

What the hell happened at that school?

I take a deep breath and raise my face, facing the doctor. I shriek, watching her frown.

"Tsk. The effect went very fast." She says, writing something on a drawing board.

"Effect?" I ask, embarrassed for yelling.

"The Katsukis brought you here when you had a severe panic attack last night. I medicated you with a prototype I'm creating, but apparently it was not enough." She explains, not bending her face.

"How come it was not enough?" I ask, confused.

"If he got the result I wanted, you would not have screamed when you saw me." She responds coldly. "If only I had the means to pay for the research ..."

"How much do you need?" I ask, making her look at me.

"One thousand five hundred dollars, initially." She responds, and I nod.

"OK." I say, taking a deep breath. "How about if I help you with the research money, will you help me by giving medicine for me?"

"You want pills for free? Why?" She asks, and I smile.

"This was my sixth panic attack in two months, I'm worried, after all the amount is too much for such a short time, and when I have anxiety attacks, I do like scratching myself in the arms, biting and cutting myself with sharp objects." I show her my scars.

"Don't your parents ever think of getting you to see a psychologist?" She asks, surprised.

"No," I say, biting my lip. "My anxiety has reached that level because of them."

She is scared and I try to smile a little.

"So, what do you think of my proposal?" I ask, changing the subject.

"How can you get that much money?" She asks, frowning at me.

"I assure you I'm not stealing anything." I say, smiling as I leave 'in the real world' to myself. "But I can not tell you where I'll get it either."

"Bring the money overnight and consider it a deal." She says, and I beam.

New Arcana Bond: The Death ~ Level 1

I realize that I am getting used to these Arcanas that arise every time I deal something with someone. I say goodbye to her, and I get my cell phone, sending a message to Phichit.

...

Me

I'm passing by. I promise to explain the record and what happened yesterday.

Phichi+chu

OK.

...

Soon I arrive at LeBlanc, entering it.

"Welcome." I listen to Celestino, who is surprised to see me.

"I came to talk to Phichit." I mean, seeing him nod. "Excuse."

I climb the stairs and knock on the door, which opens and I see Phichit look at me warily. I let out a long sigh.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. When I saw my criminal record posted on the internet, I panicked." I say, walking into his room. "I've have anxiety. I've had it since I was little and since two months ago, it has grown to the point where an anxiety attack has become a panic attack. When I get to that point, I literally turn off, my brain goes into 'standby', where even if I'm awake, I do not process anything around me "

"Two months ago." Phichit says, and I look at him. "When you assaulted someone."

"The funny thing about this story, Phichit, is that I did not assault anyone." I snort, watching his surprise. "The man was drunk and wanted to abuse a girl. I saw it and tried to help the girl. The man stumbled and fell, banging his head on a flower bed and getting injuried. Someone must have called the Police, because suddenly I am surrounded and the man pointing to me said that I assaulted him. In court, the girl testified by stating his version and I got a criminal record and a year in observation. "

"Oh my God!" He exclaims, approaching me and hugging me. "Oh my God."

"Yeah." I just say, shedding a tear and hugging him too.

...

I buy some sanduichs and coffee, devouring them. I notice that Celestino looks at me with curiosity and I tilt my head, watching him.

"You said the first time you came here that you would be interested in learning how to make coffee." He says, surprising me. "You can work for me from 6 to 10 p.m and I will teach you coffee and tea."

"Really?" I ask, surprised.

"Yes." He says and I smile.

"My name is Yuuri Kunogi." I mean, paying him. "When can i start?"

"Monday." He responds and I nod.

"Right."

...

I go back to the Katsukis, hugging them and apologizing for yesterday. I explain about my anxiety for him, and about my panic attacks, noticing that Morgana was also listening to me. I also mention that Celestino asked me to work for him, leaving them excited.

Back to the bedroom, I send Phichit a final message about the work, laughing at the lively response he gave me. I fall into bed, tired already taking my body.

~ x ~

When I entered school, I could feel the heavy weather caused by the students' looks, murmurs and movements. In the classroom, I meet Yuuko Kirihara.

"Good Morning." I say, watching her look at me in terror before turning to her desk.

Around me, the murmurs increase, only closing when Professor Katsuki enters the room. She looks at me, and bites her lip before she starts school.

"Yuuri Kunogi, Guang-Hong Ji. At lunch, I want to talk to you." She says, and I nod to her, noticing that another boy suddenly moves.

watching the rest of the classes was complicated, seeing me being watched by the students in the classroom. I begin to breathe deeply, trying not to panic.

...

The lunch bell rings and I see most of the students stand up and approach me.

"Hey, is it true you're a killer?"

"And a rapist?"

"How violent someone like you still walks the streets freely?"

"Kunogi, J, come with me now." Professor Katsuki calls and I get up from the chair.

As they pass by the other students, they push me and stretch their legs. I stumble, but I do not fall because of my dance training. I ignore them and approach the teacher, who was talking to the other student. She takes us to the roof of the school, where she opens a door with a forbidden warning to pass and closes behind us.

"Well, let's get started." She says, breathing deeply and crossing her arms. "Takeshi Nishigori is in the hospital, but he must have already been notified." Guang-Hong and Yuuri, both of you will be expelled from school next Saturday, after Professor Leonardo presents to the principal and the school committee. "

"Why me?" I ask, frowning. "My fake criminal records?"

"You have ONE criminal record?" The boy with the Chinese name shouts, surprising me.

"Right. Yuuri Katsuki has one criminal record, which leads us to the reason you're here, Guang-Hong Ji." The teacher says, looking at him seriously. "I wanted to understand the reason for your expulsion, but you ended up responding to me now."

"You created the fake ones and posted everything on the internet." I mean, watching him start shaking. "Can you explain why?

"Professor Leonardo ..." He begins to sob. "He ... He threatened me ... He saw you ... Getting involved with Nakamura and Kirihara ... He did not like it..."

Guang-Hong crouches, shaking a lot. He frown at a purple mark on his neck.

"This mark on your neck, It does not look like a soccer injury." I say, scaring the teacher and making the kid raise his hands toward the neck instinctively. "Now that sounds like a real case of physical violence."

The teacher looks at me confused, and bites her lip.

"In fact, it's been a long time since I've noticed the students of the football team with some weird injuries."

"Help me ... I can not take it anymore ..."

" Wakarimashita. " I say, winking at the teacher.

Guang-Hong Ji, you can go now, "she says, watching the student rise and return through the door.

The teacher locks it and walks away, and I follow her to the railing.

"What happened the day before yesterday?" I watch her take out a packet of cigarettes and pick one up, putting it in her mouth and turning it on.

"Chihoko Nakamura tried to commit suicide by jumping from here." She says, scaring me. "At the hospital, Nishigori said he passed the physical education room and heard shouts. When he opened it, he saw ... She being raped."

I clench my hands together, getting more and more angry.

"Nishigori said he pushed him to save her, but the teacher punched him and broke his leg, the same leg he had broken before, and claimed he was defending himself." Mari continues, and I take a deep breath. "Nakamura could not stand it and came running here."

I carry my right hand in my cell phone pocket, noticing that I'm shaking.

"Kunogi, how's the LeBlanc thing going?"

I look at her, giving a slight smile.

"Me and Phichit are friends now. He's going to help me using his hacking skills." I answer, to surprise.

"Oh how nice!" She exclaims, getting excited. "So, what now?"

"I intend to visit Nakamura in the hospital after school, at least to find out how she is." I mean, worried about her.

"Then, if you go by the mall, go into an alley after a bookstore called Lovecraft." I raise my eyebrow at her, surprised at what I hear. "The name of the store is called ' Antigua ' and there the owner buys and sells items of a peculiar nature, something like plastic revolvers, protective clothing and tools that you will need for my future classes."

I take my cell phone and access the application with the city map, typing the name of the store and marking it.

"Great, I really need to buy and sell some things, mostly a bigger backpack." I comment, putting away the cell phone. "And I do not think it's safe to continue our private lessons at school.

"What do you have in mind? "She asks, looking at him curiously.

Instead of answering, I pick up my cell phone again and call Phichit, putting it on speakerphone.

"What is it, Yuuri?"

"Phichit, I'm here with Professor Katsuki. She knows about me too." I say, listening to an 'Eh!' on the other side of the line. "I need her to give me private lessons, and I do not think it's safe to do that at school. Could I use your room?"

" It's really ... a good idea. " He says, and I release my breath. " Celestino, my adoptive father, only stays at the cafe until 9:00 pm. If I invent that Professor Katsuki wants to help me get my studies up to date, he will agree. "

"Professor, can I leave you with the purchase and the installation of the table in the cafe?" I ask, looking at her.

"Of course, you can pay me back later." She opens a smile, which mirrors my face.

"Thank you, Professor. Thank you, Phichit." I mean, laughing when they both say 'it''s nothing' at the same time.

Arcana Bond Update: The Temperance ~ Level 02

~ x ~

Thanks to the map and directions of the teacher, I find this store easily. The owner, a man of short stature and is partially bald, with his remaining gray hair jaw-length and slicked back, attend me. I sell almost all the items I brought from the metaverse and buy a military backpack, a basic plastic pistol, shoes, clothing, helmet and heavy duty gloves and a holster.

"You swear it's to play with your friends, boy?" He asks, looking at me coolly.

"Yes sir." I say. "I moved here and my friends want to teach me how to play paintball, but there is not enough equipment for me."

"You study at Shujin, do not you?" He asks and I nod. "I just hope one of these friends is not that lunatic woman, Mari Katsuki. I'm tired of hearing about the things she's likes to do."

With a frown, I leave the shop and decide to stop by the hospital before returning to the Katsukis.

What could happen?

~x~

Chapter final notes

Status

Compendium active

People: 03 - active

Arcana Bonds: 05

Masks: 06

Hearts Changed: 01

Arsene

Level: 18

Powers: Eiga (Curse), Cleave (Physical), Sukunda (de-buff), Dream Needle (Physical), Invigorate 1 (Passive), Maeiha(Curse)

Zorro

Level: 17

Powers: Garu (wind), Diarama (Heal), Me Patra (Heal Status), Media (Heal), Lucky Punch (Physical) and Magaru(wind)