Makoto Naegi was awake when they all rushed into the infirmary.
But for a while, they didn't even notice as they all tried to help patch each other up, any differences between them temporarily forgotten.
"Uh…guys, what happened?" Makoto asked hesitantly after waiting a while.
A few people turned to look at him, Kyouko included.
"You pulled through!" Shika said happily.
Makoto chuckled warmly.
"Well, that's thanks to Kobayashi-kun, really. And Kirigir-oh!" Unexpectedly, Kyouko had crossed the room and pulled Makoto into a hug. Eventually, she let go, and perched at the end of the bed.
"I'll update you. Kobayashi-kun too." And quietly, she did just that as the others tried to help each other.
When Kyouko finished, so had the others. Out of the rest of them, Akaya, Eirik and Janus were the ones most seriously injured-Akaya having suffered head injuries and a broken leg, Eirik with both wrists sprained, a lost tooth and black eye, and Janus with various cuts. Apart from Suzu and Emi, the others all had a random collection of cuts and bruises (although Kyouko had pulled a muscle in her ankle).
"That. Was. Awful." Emi said blankly.
"Yes, it is. How did we not see that coming?" Arisa asked, referring to Dai.
"I think that that guy is very, very manipulative." Janus said. "Ah well, we just have to swallow the pill we're given and get on with it until we're strong enough to refuse the next one. At least we're still here. At least he didn't manage to actually kill anyone."
Suzu was the only one who appeared to understand the entirety of what Janus had said, but they all brushed it aside.
"A new floor will've opened by now, right?" Shika asked "Perhaps there'll be something useful from that?"
"It's too late to explore now. We'll have to do so tomorrow morning." Kyouko stated. Suddenly, there were 13 simultaneous beeps. The only one who did not react to these was Akaya, although her eyes fluttered.
"It's out ElectroIDs." Eirik said after a tense moment. He fiddled with his a while, and then announced." Rule 6 has been modified to allow sleeping in here, situation permitting."
A few others checked this, verifying what Eirik had said.
"Well, that's a relief." Kosuke said from where he was sitting and updating everyone's medical records.
"It is." Akihito said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice, glancing at the still-unconscious Akaya. At that moment, her eyes fluttered.
"Kiyomizu-san?" They all (save for Makoto) crowded around her bed. Kosuke chased most of them away, apart from Akihito, Suzu and Janus, but they lingered nearby.
"Kiyomizu-san, can you hear us? Can you hear me?" Kosuke said authoritatively. "It's me, Kosuke. Kosuke Kobayashi. If you can hear me, wiggle your fingers or lift up your hand."
And slowly, slowly, her fingers wiggled. Then, she managed to open her eyes.
"M-Mama? Papa?" she whispered groggily. Then she blinked, and took notice of her surroundings. "Oh."
"Hey, you had us all worried y'know!" Emi told her briskly, a smile on her face.
Akaya smiled back weakly. "Sorry." She slowly attempted to sit up, and then noticed that her leg was in a large cast.
"The break wasn't that bad, but it'll take about a month or so to heal. Maybe longer." Kosuke informed her "but I am sure one of the others will be able to find a wheelchair for you tomorrow. For now, I'm keeping you here for overnight observation."
Akaya nodded, and took everyone in. Then she yawned.
"Right." Kosuke said "Everyone else get to bed." Arisa stuck her tongue out at him in annoyance, but complied along with everyone else.
"Hey, Naegi-kun! I left my scarf for you, when your bandages come off!" Shika called out as she left.
"Yeah, I got shown. Thank you!" Makoto replied.
…
She is curled up next to him, a hand covering his heart, keeping it warm, as she thinks of her sisters. As she thinks of Taro. She remembers the way they used to curl up, as if they were still in the belly of the mother they never got a chance to know. But that-that was so long ago. And that is a love she will never feel again. Much like how her voice is something she'll never use again.
But now she has Jay. And although this love is of a different type, one that could easily be ripped from her, in such a place as this, she isn't scared. Instead, she intends on holding on to this for as long as she can.
For as long as she possibly can. And maybe, maybe, she won't lose him the way she lost Taro.
…
The next morning, both Akaya and Makoto were deemed well enough to leave the infirmary, and so all 13 current survivors went exploring (after Mirai and Chihiro had tracked down a wheelchair for Akaya).
"So, third floor, huh?" Akihito said "I wonder, what wonders await us?" he gestured wildly, making some of the others laugh.
"We'll be finding out soon enough. " Kyouko said simply. "How about we all split up into small groups?"
"You mean the same way we usually do?" Janus asked teasingly, earning a small smile in response. "Sure."
Kyouko nodded, and they all split up.
…
This cannot be right.
The wallpaper, the lighting, it's all wrong. Yet…yet everything here is exactly how she had described it in her letters. All the classrooms, the canteen, all of it. It's was all the same.
Well, except for the whole creepy-bear-running-a-murder-game-thingy. But Arisa figured that that whole mess was just a misfortune reserved for when she arrived. Typical. But at least there were some okay-ish people. That had to be a good thing, surely?
Arisa rubbed her head in annoyance as she approached another room. Should she tell them about her sister? Would it make them turn against her? Its' not even as if Kimiko could have known about this. If that was the case, she would have gathered people to try and break them out of here. She was sure of it.
Dammit, this makes my head hurt.
She entered the room, and her breath was taken away from her.
"Onee-chan….."
"Are you OK?"
"YIKES!What the hell?" Akihito had come into the room, along with Eirik, Chihiro and Suzu, who was wheeling Akaya along.
"I know you're referring to me, but the same could be asked about this room. Is it a green house?" Akihito grinned at her, making her want to punch him for some odd reason.
"In a sense, yes. But technically, it's called the indoor garden. Although it doubles up as a mini indoor farm." Arisa pointed to the chicken coop, and then wandered over to the roses, sniffing them and becoming overwhelmed in memories.
"Onee-chan…" she whispered again. Someone tapped her on the shoulder, and she whirled around.
Suzu held up a page in her notebook.
Did you know someone who used to come here?
Arisa sighed. Totally busted. She geared herself up, and told her.
"My sister , Kimiko. She was the Super Duper High School Level Biologist. She attended here from 2009-2012. She…she set up most of this room, with her friend –a Botanist, and someone else…a Gardener, or a Farmer, I can't remember. "
Suzu's reaction surprised Arisa. Instead of suspicion, she looked at her with sympathy. Then, she wrote something else in her notebook.
I'm sure it'll all be fine.
Arisa felt her eyes well up, and she turned away in annoyance, looking at the roses until her eyes blurred.
"The chickens are rather loud…I wonder how many there are." She heard Chihiro say.
"I'll count them then!" Eirik said. "Eins, Zwei, Drei…." He trailed off for a moment, and then declared "15!"
"That's a lotta chickens." Akihito commented.
"It's a large coop." Akaya retorted.
At that point, Arisa began to feel brave enough to turn around and talk to the others.
"I don't think there's anything of any use here. " she told them "Everything is the same as the photographs Onee-Chan sent , and the descriptions she wrote in her letters and whatnot are all the same. Well, some flowers are different, but those are flowers….yeah , anyway , this room is fine."
"Well then, let's go somewhere else. " Akihito said. Suzu went back to Akaya, and everyone started to leave when Emi came rushing in, almost colliding into Eirik.
"Ooh, sorry Maeda-kun! There's a karaoke room! Karaoke!" She looked around at everyone else. "If you don't believe me, come look!" Emi disappeared almost as fast as she came.
Arisa shrugged.
"Well, I don't see why we shouldn't."
Akaya nodded
"We'll probably have to go see it eventually anyway. So, what do you think, Suzu-Chan? Should we head there next?"
Suzu nodded. Akihito punched the air in a celebratory way.
"Yes!Let's go go go!"
Arisa was pretty sure that everyone rolled their eyes at that as they followed the overly-bouncy Emi to the karaoke room.
The room wasn't too far away, and it was amazing. It wasn't one that Kimiko had described very much, as she hadn't ever used it, but it was large and roomy , with pale blue walls , comfy seats in a darker shade of the colour surrounding a few low tables –presumably for drinks and snacks. There were also various other things that Arisa assumed befitted a karaoke room , but what she found most interesting was that there was a door in the back room that led to a recording studio. Now, that was something that had been mentioned-it was a place popular with the more musically talented students.
Arisa grinned at the memory of her sister on the phone, half complaining about, and half admiring the singing talents some of these students had.
"I know right, this room is pretty awesome. The decorating job isn't nearly as sad as the rest of the school." Shika had come in, along with everyone else, until all 13 of them were in the room.
The others spent a while admiring the room, until Shika came up with an interesting suggestion-one that, admittedly made Arisa feel a bit nervous.
"Hey, why don't we have dinner up here tonight and, like, have a party?"
Kyouko raised an eyebrow in response.
"A karaoke party?"
"Well, duh!"
Kyouko smiled.
"Well, I don't really mind. " Akihito, Akaya , Janus ,Suzu and Makoto nodded. Arisa was anxious.
Damn, I can't sing!I can't possibly agree to this!
Then things got worse then the poster boy for anti-social spoke up, and seemed to agree with the madcap idea.
"I think that that's a cool idea, Sayuri-san. I could make the food, if you wanted?" Eirik offered.
Kosuke's eyes widened.
"You have TWO sprained wrists, remember? Do you want to make it worse?"
Eirik seemed remarkably relaxed.
"I can dress myself in the mornings, can't I? I'll be able to cook with no problem. And Chihiro-Chan and Mirai-Chan can help me, right?"
Chihiro smiled.
"Yeah!" Mirai stuck her tongue out at him, and then nodded in agreement.
Kosuke sighed.
"Well, don't strain yourself-I'm a doctor, so I know I have cause for concern. But I certainly look forward to your cooking. "
Emi laughed at this.
"It's funny how you say that despite being a chain-smoker."
"…"
"Well, either way, let's make tonight awesome! I know I'm going to have fun, even if I can't sing."
Suddenly, Arisa felt relieved. She wasn't the only one. If that was so, then maybe, maybe it wouldn't be so bad…
"So, what time were we thinking?" Kyouko asked, ever practical.
"Erm…8pm is too early, and we have to take 'night time' into account, no?" Janus asked.
"Karaoke bars are often open late into the night." Emi said "I once stayed at one all night for a blog post. "
"Well, perhaps 8pm should be the time, just to be safe. Then at least we have two hours of fun, right?" Makoto suggested
"Yeah." Everyone agreed. Arisa did the same, grinning.
Well, I guess I am looking forward to this.
…
As cooking was so not her thing, Mirai was glad that Eirik had eventually released her from helping him. Although it had been fun, especially with Chihiro.
The first thing she did was to head straight to the place Chihiro had said that she had hidden Alter Ego. She might as well play around on it; make some progress, maybe hack into something. Or something.
When she got there, she pulled the laptop out of the locker and turned it on. Chihiro/Alter Ego's voice greeted her, instantly recognising her. Mirai started to type furiously, having a lively conversation with the little AI.
20 minutes later, she had made a breakthrough of sorts. Or rather, Alter Ego had made the breakthrough, and she was the first to have heard of it.
Staring at the screen in shock, she thought:
Wait until I tell Chii-Chan about this.
…
"Ooh, what's this?" Shika stared wide eyed at the food that was laid out on the table in the karaoke room.
"The main dish is Paella, and all of that is just snacks-onigiri, sushi, crisps, mini sandwiches, sausage rolls, chutney etc. etc. I tried to make it multicultural, but to be honest, I only know the basics. Chihiro-Chan made the cupcakes. "Eirik explained.
"No, this is actually awesome! Hey, Suzu-Chan , Jay-kun , you guys look great!"
Janus didn't actually look much different from usual, as he always dressed fancily , but the addition of a top hat made him look just that little bit different. Suzu had decided to wear a white sleeveless dress tied in at the waist with a wide blue ribbon. She carried her bag with her as normal.
Janus shrugged modestly.
"Well, this is a party of sorts, no?"
"That's true. Hence why I dressed up a bit too." Shika had ditched her hoodie for a shimmery long sleeved orange top, and she had exchanged her torn jeans for ones that were not so torn, but apart from that her clothes were the same as normal.
"Well, you look pretty good too."
Shika pulled a face.
"Thanks."
The others eventually came in, all dressed up to one extent or another, all complimenting each other. The food got complimented as everyone attacked it, and some actually started checking what songs they could sing.
"Oh, look, they actually included some Foreground Eclipse stuff!" Eirik exclaimed.
"You listen to Foreground Eclipse?" Emi asked sceptically.
"Yeah."
"Then, I challenge you to pick one of their songs and perform! "she proclaimed.
Eirik considered this.
"Well, I'd need someone to do Merami-san's bits. I can only do the Teto bits-the screams, that is."
Emi grinned "Well then. HELLO, EVERYONE!Anyone willing to duet with Maeda-kun?"
The others discussed it amongst themselves, until Akaya rolled her wheelchair over.
"Maybe I could. I know a few of their songs. Which one were you thinking of?"
Eirik and Akaya debated this briefly, then made their selection, picked up their microphones and launched into a rendition of 'When Innocence is Just a Mask.'
After that, almost everyone had a go on the Karaoke machine. Songs from all genres were selected, and any previous embarrassments were let go. The food got consumed at alarming rates.
Then, Makoto came across something odd.
"Hey, this song's artist is just listed as 'Kibogamine students.'."
The result of that announcement was that everyone crowded around him.
"For real?" Akihito asked.
"That's a bit creepy." Arisa said.
"Well, not really." Akaya pointed out. "I'm sure many musically talented people came to this school-so maybe these are their songs."
"Good point, Kiyomizu-san." Kyouko said "However, when there are so little traces of the past students here, this is a bit suspicious. " Kyouko thought for a moment, and then spoke again.
"Naegi-kun, why don't you perform it?"
"Eh? But I don't even know…actually, maybe…" hesitantly, Makoto selected the song, picked up his microphone and waited for the first words to appear on screen for him to sing along to. Although there were a few false starts, he soon got into it, and was singing along fluently.
As if he knew the song.
Afterwards, there was silence.
"How…I thought you didn't know the song?" Shika said almost accusingly.
"I...I don't!" Makoto protested.
"T-then, how d-did that h-h-happen?" Chihiro asked.
"I don't understand. I don't know. I mean, I'm trying to think back, and I don't remember ever, ever hearing this song before. I really don't. "Makoto went to sit down, hands shaking. Kyouko looked at him thoughtfully.
"Man, this is weird. Too weird. Surely if it was by a famous ex-student, we'd have heard of them?" Akihito commented.
"Perhaps there is a rational explanation, somewhere. " Kosuke said.
"And where would that be, exactly?" Arisa asked cuttingly.
Kosuke shrugged in response. Janus stood up.
"Maybe we should stop worrying for now, and discuss this further in the morning? I mean, who knows how long we'll actually be able to have fun like this for?" he said.
Everyone looked at each other tensely for a moment, and then agreed.
The party went on past 'Night Time', and lasted until almost one in the morning, at which point everyone was tired, and decided to go to bed after clearing up, with doubts in their head all the while.
…
Akaya was so tired. So, very, very tired. She'd had a lot of fun that evening, singing and eating and laughing with everyone else (and it was amusing seeing Suzu ring her bell along to some songs in lieu of her actually singing). But now she was tired, and her head hurt.
But she wanted some independence, and so she didn't tell Suzu this as she wished her goodnight, opting instead to just sleep it off.
But sleeping didn't help. For one thing, she didn't get to sleep. Her head hurt, and she would have been tossing and turning if it wasn't for her leg. And, for some odd reason, for whatever reason, she was cold. No matter how high she pulled up her quilt, she was cold.
…
The next morning, when Suzu went to knock for Akaya, there was no response. She knew to give a little time, as Akaya would be slow, given her leg. But half an hour passed, and there was no response.
Cliffhanger! Again! I seem to be developing a penchant for cliff-hangers. In any case, this is probably not what you think. And I know very little about Karaoke. Or German for that matter. I do know that Paella is a Spanish rice dish. If that helps.
Anyway, some may be curious as to why I decided to let Naegi live. The answer is simple: because part of my plot is going to end in tragedy, and I didn't want to pile too much on this story. I mean, tragedy makes a good story at times, but too much is well…too much.
Oh, and I have revealed another little mystery. It's pretty obvious but-feel free to guess ^^
Anyway, please leave feedback!