Blahblahblech: I'm going to need it.
You really have no self-confidence, do you?
Piss off, albino.
Raze Olympus: Fuck you, he's mine!
Never! He'll never be yours!
RAX: He's mine!
No! He'll never be yours!
Does that answer your question?
Nightlyy: *whimpers* I do not look forward to driving...
Why?
Have you even been to any of the classes? They make the dangers seem so extreme that the cons outweigh any pros.
Independence?
I don't give a fuck!
Means of getting around?
I have two legs! Plus, public transportation is a thing! Fuck it!
IAmSoCleverWithMyNameLol: ... What in the fuck dude?
Home
Ikutsuki... Makoto repeated the name that had been on his mind to the point of obsession as he gently ran his fingers along the edge of his knife. How many? How many times has he let that bastard live when he had a perfect opportunity to kill him?!
Now? Now what was he supposed to do? Ikutsuki was the only source of information he had when it comes to things he didn't know. Whether he liked it or not, he was going to need him in the future.
Yet, he deserved to die. That old clown was one of the scientists who caused the incident ten years ago; he was one of the key people responsible for what happened ten years ago. Just like Kirijo, just Aigis, just like all of them... He needed to die! Even more so than any of them, he deserved the cruelest of fates imaginable!
So what was he supposed to do?! Even Minato was trying to persuade him to take care of Ikutsuki before he can betray SEES and... her.
Kotone... What was he supposed to do with her? Why did he even agree to spend time with her? It's all because Inheritor keeps worming his way into his head! How many of his thoughts were even his anymore?!
"DAMMIT!" Makoto screamed as he slammed his head down on the table as hard as he could on the table and sliced open his hand open when he pulled his knife away. What should he do? What should he do?! What should he do?!
Beep.
Beep.
Makoto reached for his phone with his phone with his non-bloodied hand and answered "Yes?"
"Hello~" Greeted a warm and upbeat voice that could only belong to one person "How ya doin'?"
Makoto sighed, as if her timing couldn't be any worse. Of course she'd want to hang out a few days after a full moon, especially after what happened that night to take her mind off of things.
Still, he had something much more important to think about at the moment. Besides, it's better off if he does his best to avoid-
Don't even think about it. Minato demanded as Makoto felt another throbbing headache begin to form making it feel as if his brain was being repeatedly hammered over and over.
"Fine... Just have a headache." Makoto groaned as he clutched his head and bit his lip in response to the pain. Dammit, Minato wasn't going to let him say no just like last night. It was all so frustrating! Why couldn't it all just end already!
"Aw, that sucks." Kotone replied, expressing her sympathies towards the boy's pain, "So I was wondering..."
"Where?" Makoto asked, wanting to get this over with as quickly as he could. Right now, Minato was making his head feel as if it were the floor of a mosh-pit or something. If this kept up, either Makoto was going to go insane or completely lose control again.
"Would it kill you to act our age and be nervous or jump for joy or something?" He heard Kotone sigh on the other end, "Look, just meet me at the mall, alright?"
"Alright." Makoto agreed, knowing Minato wasn't going to give him any other choice.
This was all because of her! If he'd just left her to die on the roof that day, he still would've had full control! Every time Minato showed himself, she was there and...
...
...
... and why is it that he can't bring himself to hurt her? When he broke her heart, he felt extreme pain and... What the hell was happening to him?
Paulownia Mall
One train ride and silently walking through the streets later, Makoto found himself standing next to a redheaded girl who was sitting on a bench with her eyes closed and bobbing her head left and right while listening to her red earphone connected to her red MP3 player.
Makoto opted to say nothing, and instead chose to silently sit next to her until she opened her eyes or something.
Instead, Makoto folded his hands and continued to quietly watch the girl next to him as she enjoyed herself.
Now that it was September, the air was now beginning to become cold again causing Kotone to dress in her old attire again complete with a red scarf and everything. Not that he hadn't noticed before, but especially when compared to an average girl she really was pretty.
She'd been the cause of so many issues for him mentally, the most obvious and apparent would be Inheritor showing himself. Still, he couldn't help but want her in his life despite all of this... why?
Makoto sighed as he looked down, knowing what was likely going to happen next in a few moments whether he liked it or not. "Have fun..." he said dryly before closing his eyes.
...
...
...
Nothing.
Nothing?! Makoto opened his eyes with an absolutely astounded look on his face. What the hell?! For once, he was willing to submit control and everything! What gives?!
Go on! Do whatever! Just get it over with! Makoto screamed into his head. Minato was the one who wanted to be here, so he's here... Now he was doing nothing?
Now, go spend time with her. Minato responded, but said nothing more. Whatever he was trying to do was a complete mystery to his other self in every possible regard. What was he trying to accomplish here?!
"Huh? Kyaa!" Kotone yelled in surprise as she realized that Makoto had been sitting there the entire time "H-How long were you..?"
Makoto hummed for a moment as he thought, trying his best to show no sign of what was going on in his head "A few minutes at most."
Suddenly, Kotone's shocked face became an annoyed frown "Geez, do you know how creepy that is?!" she chastised the almost stalker-ish behavior
"You should've kept your eyes open." He shot back while leaning back "You called me here, remember?"
"Alright, alright! You have a point there." She fully admitted
"Great, so... What?" Makoto asked as he shrugged his shoulders. He may have been adept when it came to toying with people, but things such as this were still a bit of a mystery to him.
"First, you're going to answer my questions!" She said, going from bubbly to completely serious in a heartbeat which was a clear indication to Makoto that he was going to act just as seriously "How do you know Strega?"
Fuck! Makoto cursed loudly in his head, "Uh... What do you mean?"
"When we first met them, they mentioned the fact you were with them." Kotone said matter-of-factly as she continued to interrogate the boy "So, how do you know them and how do they know you?"
Makoto sighed; this was one scenario where he wouldn't be able to get himself out of trouble with lying. If you can't lie, then there's only one thing you can do, "They've... tried to kill me in the past."
"WHAT?!" Kotone exclaimed loud enough that Makoto had to place his hand over her mouth to avoid drawing any unwanted attention. With that being done, Makoto retracted his hand and let the girl speak "W-Why didn't you tell me?!"
Makoto shrugged "Didn't see a reason to. I mean, not like they did anything I didn't heal from." this was rewarded with a hit to the back of the head
"God, you're such an idiot!" She continued to berate him as she scooted closer "Love you, don't love you, it doesn't matter! You're someone I care about! You can't just... Keep these things to yourself!"
"Too late now." Makoto said, acting as if he'd just made nothing more than a small and casual mistake.
"This isn't-" Kotone stopped abruptly as she looked down at Makoto's left arm "What's with that?"
"Huh?" Makoto looked down and saw that the cut the cut he gave himself earlier with his knife also left its mark on his left sleeve. With everything going on, he had forgotten to change his shirt before leaving!
"Cut myself while I was making something to eat, that's all." He gave a cliched, but still very believable excuse "Again, I heal."
Kotone sighed as she facepalmed "I know your persona's regenerative abilities are good, but you're not invincible, dummy!" she continued to berate him and his illogical actions, "Don't you remember you almost died?!"
Makoto paused for a moment as he remembered that day he woke up in the hospital. Even after his constant disrespect towards her teammates and everything, she remained by his bedside holding his hand even if she was embarrassed when caught. Even if it was meant for Minato that still held a special place in his memory, maybe even what remained of his heart if he still has one.
"I remember..." Makoto said softly as he slowly flexed his fingers as if he was trying hold onto something. Sighing again, he looked back into her crimson eyes that were filled with concern.
"Look, just..." Kotone extended her left hand and gently grasped his right. Her hand was rough and calloused due to all the trips to Tartarus, yet her grip was also comforting.. and warm.
Warm...
Warm...
So warm that...
It burns.
It burns!
IT BURNS!
IT BURNS!
IT BURNS!
Makoto quickly pulled his right hand out of her grasp and rubbed it, still feeling the remnants of the burning sensation.
Kotone looked surprised and even somewhat saddened by that, but decided not to press the issue and simply continued her previous statement "... Don't suffer alone, okay?" she asked "You're the very least my friend, friends are supposed to help each other in their time of need."
Makoto didn't say anything in response, he only gave a slow and small nod in return. Even to someone who doesn't deserve it, she was so pure hearted... So much like-
"Can I ask you something?" Kotone asked, keeping her voice as soft and comforting as she could, "We talked about me before, but what about you?"
"Uh..." Makoto looked around awkwardly, as if waiting for more detail or something.
"That night, you never talked about you so..." Kotone looked at him completely relaxed with her guard completely down, willing to take whatever answer he had "... Do you love me?"
Makoto blinked rapidly for a few moments before looking down as pieces of the puzzle started to come together.
You manipulative little fuck! Makoto screamed at his other self. It all made sense now, his plan was to get him to lower his guard and be open to Minato's suggestion of getting rid of Ikutsuki for her sake.
Why don't you answer her, Makoto? Minato replied, almost sounding cheeky. For a personality that was supposed to be the nicer one, he certainly was a cruel bastard.
"I-I..." Makoto stuttered, unable to give an answer. It was something he pondered quite a bit in private, but even now he had no definite answer. All he could do was sit there silently "It's... hard to explain."
Kotone sighed, sounding almost as if part of her expected that response "I'll make it simple then." She said before making him turn his head to look at her smiling gently back at him "If you hate me, then I'll go. If you love me and by some twist of fate I feel the same way... Then I'll be yours if you'll be mine."
Makoto kept his silence, unable to give any sort of response to that. He didn't even fight it when she leaned over and gently pecked him on the left cheek despite it burning just like her hand.
Kotone stood up, still smiling gently at him "So... tomorrow?" she asked
Still keeping his silence, Makoto only gave a gentle nod which was enough for Kotone who promptly left. Now, Makoto was all alone with his thoughts.
I can't hate you... Minato whispered, though this wasn't meant for Makoto nor was a response expected.
However, there was one person that Minato had failed to take into consideration.
Pharos who was sitting on the edge of the fountain glared daggers into the girl's back as she left. Because of her, Makoto was all confused and was likely going to butcher himself with his knife in the tub tonight.
Still, Makoto was able to prevent himself from doing anything he'd regret later so maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought. He knew that telling him to stop would be futile, especially since Makoto in a moment of weakness made that dreaded promise with her, meaning that telling him to stop would likely far more harm than good.
What was he supposed to do?! Was there anything he could do?! Was he... was he about to lose his only friend? The person whose life he'd saved countless times? The one who he'd do anything for if it meant that he'd finally be happy and all the nightmares he'd suffer from would finally stop for once and for all?
What was he supposed to do?
Home ; Next Day
Knock.
Knock.
"I'm coming in!" Kotone forewarned from the other side before opening the door and entering the boy's apartment. Normally she'd wait for him to answer, but she thought they were close enough that she could just enter after knocking.
Expecting her to visit, Makoto was already sitting on his sofa with his hands folded. Even now, Minato was refusing to take control; Opting to simply inflict pain onto Makoto should he do something that he disliked.
"Hey..." He greeted weakly, still having the softness present in his voice. His brain felt as if it was completely fried at this point between her, Ikutsuki, what he'll do with SEES... it just kept adding on.
"Hi, Kotone, greet to see you again..." Kotone said sarcastically, likely poking fun at his seemingly out of nowhere gloomy attitude "Thank you, Makoto-kun, I'm glad to see you too."
Makoto simply blinked "Oh, ha ha." he deadpanned, not at all in the mood for fun and games.
Kotone shook her head for a moment before sitting next to him "Alright, you need desperately need something to lift your mood." she said before extending her hand "Alright, MP3 player, now."
"Uh... What?" Makoto questioned as she looked at her hand that was still demanding the thing around his neck.
"You need something to lift your mood, so we're trading MP3 players." She explained, though Makoto still didn't understand how that would change everything, "Music can help with someone's mood, and I'm kinda curious what sorta emo stuff you've been listening to."
Makoto was about to object, but decided to relent and disconnected his earphones from his MP3 player before exchanging it with hers.
C'mon, smile a little. Minato whispered into his other self's head. Even if he didn't want to admit it, some part of Makoto must've been enjoying this!
"Let's what happy-happy joy-joy crap you listen to." Makoto mumbled before pressing play.
Burn my dread~
Burn my dread~
Makoto instantly pressed stop with a confused look on his face. That song... She had it too?
Kotone seemed to have the same shocked face as she also pressed stop and the two exchanged confused and surprised looks with each other.
"Burn my dread?" Kotone asked the question she already had the answer to
"Mm-hmm." Makoto answered with a small nod.
"Normal or that long 'battle' version?" She followed up with another question
"Both." He gave his one worded answer
Kotone's eyes seemed to widen a bit in surprise "O-Original or reincarnation?" So far, this was getting a little creepy.
"Both again for both versions." Makoto answered, also feeling a bit weird-ed out by this.
Kotone blinked for a few moments before slowly taking off her earphones and handing the MP3 player back to its owner "We will never speak of this creepy-ass moment again."
"Whatever you say..." Makoto said as he reclaimed what belonged to him before a small smirk formed on his face "... Miss Emo."
Suddenly, Kotone glared at him with the wrath of a thousand suns "Excuse me?"
"You said I listen to emo crap, right?" Makoto asked rhetorically as he leaned back in his seat and crossed both his arms and legs "If you listen to the same thing, then you're emo too."
SMACK!
Makoto rubbed the bump that was beginning to form at the back of his head while silently chuckling "He he, worth it."
Kotone closed her eyes and shook her head as she sighed for the too many-ith time because of him. Still, it was nice to see that even his 'Makoto' side could act like an actual human being every now and then. Honestly, it was so refreshing that even even caused her to feel a little warm inside-
Wait...
What the hell?
Warm? She only felt that to this extent when she was around his 'Minato' side, so what gives? Was her brain getting confused with his two personalities now?
Oh god, was she about to be in a love triangle?! Wait, would that even be a love triangle?
"Hello?" Makoto called out to the girl who'd been staring into space for the past few minutes.
"Kyaaa- uuhh..." Kotone let out a screamed before shaking her head to get those thoughts out of her head. Needing something, anything to get her mind off this, she asked for the first thing that came to mind "P-Puppet show!"
"Er... what?" Makoto tilted his head, not understanding where her chain of thought was. What did a puppet show have to do with anything?
"You have plushies, right?!" Kotone asked, remembering the time she caught him playing with a Jack Frost doll at Paulownia. "Well... Put on a show!"
"Uh... How 'bout no?" Makoto refused, that... That hit a little too close to home for his liking, "Why don't I just make you something again?"
"Nope, I want a show." Kotone said adamantly, refusing to be bribed even by something as awesome as food.
Ah, fuck! Minato cursed, knowing exactly where this conversation was going to go. He immediately tried to take over, but Makoto's anger had already risen too high to be so easily swayed.
"I said no, goddammit!" Makoto screamed, his mood seemingly changing at the flip of a switch. Just like a few months ago, Makoto stood up from his seat and glared at her.
Kotone was clearly taken aback from this sudden outburst that seemingly came out of nowhere, but then there was something else that she remembered that caused it all to make sense.
"She meant a lot to you, didn't she?" Kotone asked, remembering exactly why he liked collecting those dolls in the first place.
"The fuck are you talking about?" Makoto asked, his voice beginning to don its usual ice-cold feel to it.
"Minako." Kotone answered as she stood up as well and looked the boy in the eye, refusing to screw this up with anger like she did the day their link reversed.
Makoto's eyes widened and took a step back as Kotone hit one of the few soft spots he had left "G-Get out!"
Kotone shook her head.
"Get out!" He demanded again, his head was beginning to ache from Minato raging inside his head.
She shook her head again.
"What? Looking for someone more pathetic than you?!" Makoto decided to strike a low blow, his anger clouding whatever sense of morality he had left "Want my to pour my heart out so you can feel good about yourself like a selfish bitch?!"
Now, Kotone was the one whose eyes widened before looking down. In a way, she should've expected this. It only made sense that he'd hit her wherever it'd hurt the most to get her to leave.
Taking deep breaths, Kotone choked back any tears that wanted to fall and made a fist before looking back up at the bluenette in front of her. That only confirmed what she thought; it wasn't just personal, it was eating him up inside.
Taking one more deep breath, Kotone used whatever willpower she had to keep herself from lashing out "If that were the case, I'd have never asked. I would've just kept silent to stay on your good side, but I know that doing that wouldn't help you at all."
"G-Grgh..." Makoto grunted as he took another step back; continuing to glare at her as if he were looking at an old enemy, "Mind your own damn business!"
"You said you wouldn't suffer alone..." Kotone said as she took a few steps forward to match Makoto's steps back until the latter was backed into a wall "... Makoto-kun, please, who was she?"
Dammit, dammit, dammit! Makoto cursed mentally as he considered his options. That... That was something he cherished more than his own life. He couldn't just...
She deserves to know. Minato whispered into his other self's head. If he couldn't take over, then at least he could try to persuade him to doing the right thing.
Not that... NOT THAT! Makoto retroted, unwilling to give up one of his most cherished secrets. I don't care if I suffer! Not that!
She cares, and she would've cared... Minato retorted, doing whatever it took to convince him.
I-I... Makoto looked down, his knees were beginning to tremble at the mere thought of one of his biggest secrets being out. Even after he hit her where it must've hurt the most, she still wouldn't stop... Why? Why wouldn't it all stop?!
"Makoto..." Kotone gently grasped the boy's hand, the feeling of which was both comforting and painful for the boy at the same time, "... Please. Every time I see you, I know you're hurting. Every time I think about you, I think about how... Empty you seem because of it..." her grip tightened which caused the comfort and the pain to skyrocket "... If you won't say it for you, then do it for me."
Makoto whimpered as he squeezed his eyes shut and looked down while biting his lip. There was no way out, he had to do something.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"M-My... other half..." He finally answered with a trembling lip.
"Hmm?" Kotone continued to look at the boy who slowly opened his eyes and possessed the same heartbroken look he had when he ran from her, only now it seemed to be to the point of soul crushing. Other half? Isn't that usually a term for... Oh god.
"Don't bother searching my records..." Makoto's voice was hardly above a whisper, the pain in his head from alleviated but was only then replaced by everything in his mind screaming for him to stop "... It was bad enough that I was the orphan of the school, but for them to know..."
Makoto closed his eyes again, his voice sounding like it was choking back tears that'd never fall "Every night... every night it's the same nightmare... I-I... I keep hearing her... A-And..."
Makoto's eyes were quickly opened wide as he felt Kotone let go his hands, instead wrapping her arms around him and embracing him tightly. The feeling of someone hugging him caused his body to instantly tense in response.
"It's alright, it's alright..." Kotone whispered to the boy. This... This was worse than anything she could imagine. It was hard losing you parents, but to lose the one that had been there with you growing up since day one, and to relive that every night... He wasn't tormented by it, he was agonizing over it.
Makoto's arms stayed by his side as Kotone kept her arms wrapped around him. She was the first person he'd ever shared that with, and the first person to ever try this hard... And eventually, he was going to have to...
It burns!
It burns!
IT BURNS!
IT BURNS!
IT BURNS!
Having her arms around him felt as if he was being burned by pure hellfire! It hurts! It hurt so much... But why?! Why couldn't he just push her away?
Even after what felt like hours passed, Makoto's body continued to remain tense as he gritted his teeth "Kotone..." he weakly whispered her name.
Kotone loosed her grip slightly before listening intently to the devastated boy "Yes?"
"I... I..." Makoto was struggling to talk now; his mind constantly shifting its focus on remembering the girl who he watched burn, the man whose fate was in his hands while being his only source of information, and the girl in front of him who continues to try so hard and eventually he was going to have to...
"Minato!"
"... I need to be alone" He managed to finish his sentence. All of it... All of it was just too much... too much... just too much...
Not bothering to argue, Kotone nodded "It's alright..." she said, and much like before she raised herself and pecked him on the cheek again "Makoto-kun, for what it's worth, thank you." she said before letting the boy go and taking a step back.
Makoto didn't say a single word, not even when she said goodbye and left.
Now, all by himself, Makoto slowly made his way into the bathroom and locked the door behind him.
"FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!" He screamed before slamming his head into the door hard enough that he even heard his skull fracture before the bones were instantly forced back into their proper placement.
Why?!
WHY?!
WHY?!
Why the hell did he just do that?! That... That was something he'd rather die a thousand deaths before uttering, so why.?!
You know why. Minato whispered as Makoto took out his knife and began his usual habit of mutilating himself out of frustration and anger.
First, Makoto gouged out both of his eyes while being sure to tear apart as much of his sockets as possible as the blade slide in and then.
After blinding himself (though quickly regaining his eyesight due to his inhuman recovery speed) Makoto stabbed himself in the throat and cut from one end to the other.
Because of his many wounds, so much blood got on the tile floor to the point that the young boy slipped and fell in the crimson liquid.
Shut up, shut up! Makoto demanded, unwillingly to give his other self the pleasure of him admitting anything. Deep down he knew why, but he would die before he said it either to himself, Pharos, his other self, or anyone else.
He's going to betray her... Minato reminded him of the subject that'd been on both of their minds ever since the last full moon.
He's the reason... Makoto thought with his own selfish motivations. Whatever their reasons for doing so however, there was one thing that the two selves could agree on.
Either way...
The result is the same...
Makoto's eyes glowed a dim blue with yellow edges as he turned to his little friend who'd been sitting there with an extremely agitated look in his eyes for whatever reason "Pharos..." he called out, his voice sounding like someone who was about to face an old and long hated foe "... Get ready to have some fun."
Hey guys, Grim here... No jokes here right now.
Tbh, I... Am not feeling terribly confident in myself right now, at least in regards to pulling this fic off in a way that would sit well with me and entertain the rest of you because I love each and everyone of you... 'Cept you. Yes, YOU. No, no you. YOU! YES, YOU IN THE BACK! I CAN SEE YOU!
Alright, so I lied that there wouldn't be any jokes, but the rest was serious. Hell, while writing this I even asked my co-author (even though *I* do all the writing) if I should just stop.
What I'm trying to get at here is, this fic is kinda running off of my love for you guys (a.k.a fan support) right now. Like I said last chapter, my motivation completely went to shit over my Winter break and it's hardly here now that it's ended.
Maybe I'm just in one of those moods? Who knows? Eh, definitely getting next chapter done tho since... well, my inner sadist wouldn't be happy if I didn't.
That being said love y'all (except you in the back, you asshole!), and have a good day.
P.S
Didn't kill anyone on the road... yet.
