So uh... Quite a bit has happened since last chapter. To save you from a long story, I'll just say this: A series of unfortunate events happened that led to me completely wiping my laptop's hard drive. It's a REALLY good thing that all of my schoolwork is done on Google docs and that I had a flash drive or two for the earlier chapters I've done on Word.
Everyone, I know I'm just some kid in high school, but heed these wise words of advice: Never let someone else on your computer/laptop without monitoring them (even your mother/sister/whatever), they might end up infecting your computing with 2 viruses that disable your antivirus software, instantly pop back after you delete them, and force you to some store page whenever you press the S key.
On the whole though, I think things ended up okay. I lost a few games, I'll have to reinstall a few things again, and shit like that. But, I think everything came out alright since I didn't lose anything valuable. Plus, I have a flash drive that's capable of wiping hard drives now! How cool is that?!
RAX: Really? Huh, that is funny.
Is anything about me original?
Uh... You were AT's saving grace (especially during the horrible early chapters). I guess that's sorta original?
Fuck!
Raze Olympus: *tosses biscuit* Enjoy.
Fuck you, he's mine!
Never! I own his ass... literally.
Pf, my name's on it.
Wait, what..?
... He was asleep for a long time.
Nightlyy: Oh, I'll drag him out and then chain him to my bed forever!
That sounds... disturbingly like something I'd do. Feel free to tie him up for all eternity.
*sigh* Why is this so normal now?
Helel: Uh... I don't think she has enough horsepower to kick Makoto's AND Thanny's ass. Also, speaking of berserk, I've had my interest in it rekindled lately... So much so that I played Dark Souls 3 using light-medium armor and the great sword (Dragon slayer). Surprisingly, it worked out very well.
You beat the Soul of Cinder with that giant ass sword?
That, and 15 charges in my Estus flask.
Clevernameeh: I dunno how much this one will hurt, but don't expect happy things.
Streets
"Ngh..." Kotone grunted as she attempted of lift herself back onto her feet. She had spent so many days and nights looking; it must have taken more out of her than she thought if she was this exhausted already.
Her body shook and screamed at her as she tried to force herself up. "I… I won't let you…" Just as she managed to sit up on one knee, she quickly fell back to the ground again.
Even after falling for a second time, Kotone tried to force herself up again. "Minato…" She called out his name before all of the weariness finally took its toll and rendered her unconscious on the spot.
It did not take long her comrades to find her unconscious self, lying there on the side of the cold street under the moonlight. Like moths to a flame, the members of SEES began to surround their leader, checking for any signs that she may have been injured or ill.
"I don't sense any injuries," Fuuka reported after scanning with her new persona, Juno, "I think she just passed out from exhaustion."
"Thank goodness," Mitsuru sighed in relief that SEES was not about to suffer another causality like they had with Shinjiro just a few weeks ago. "Akihiko, can you carry her back to the dorm?"
The boxer nodded without complaint, "Yeah, sure thing," He agreed before looking back at his kohai and sighing, "I don't know how she's going to feel when she wakes up though."
"Why did she just run out..?" Ken thought out loud for everyone else to hear.
The moment the horrible screeching sound ended and most of the windows shattered, she ran out of the dorm at full speed until she passed out. What on Earth could have caused her to do such a thing? Whatever it was, it was definitely connected to the Dark Hour in some way, so that left—
"Wait, do you think that was him?!" Yukari asked which made everyone's eyes widen at the mere mention of the idea.
"Could it have been…?" Mitsuru's voice trailed off as the thought began to seem more and more plausible. He had already had a shadow inside him for ten years, and now the shadow was beginning to act violently. With him being all by himself for the past few weeks —especially with that thing as agitated as it was— then the likelihood of that being Makoto was—
God, what happened to him?
Dorm
Everyone sighed after a confusing night that followed the exhausting weeks that were both physically and mentally taxing for SEES. As if dealing with the loss of Shinjiro was not enough, they were also forced to deal with the fact they were the ones who had left Makoto all by himself even with the knowledge that a shadow/demon was forced inside him.
However, no matter where they looked, Makoto just seemed to drop off the face of the Earth. To make matters worse, the full moon was beginning to approach and their morale was the lowest it has ever been.
The biggest victim to this was ironically the same person who normally had the highest spirits of anyone else in the dorm. Even if their relationship itself was short, her bond with him had developed over the course of the past months. He was the only one who she felt she could confide in despite all of her friends, and she was the only one he ever shared anything with.
Apart from Kotone, even SEES were actually starting to find themselves missing Makoto in a way. Sure, he was often rude to them during the past few months, but that did not mean that during he spent the week he was there that he did not show some of his more friendly side usually reserved for Kotone.
While he was not the most interested or active person (especially when on the pills), he still spent some of his time with Junpei, the same person who he claimed annoyed him to no end. While they certainly were not what you would call best friends, their interactions were enough that they would at least be in the same room without the danger of Makoto punching the capped boy in the face.
Heck, he even started talking to Mitsuru like he would a normal person rather than with a condescending attitude. Despite knowing that Kirijo caused everything and it would be reasonable to blame them for even the shadow being sealed inside him, he still began to treat her with respect despite all of the years he must have suffered with that thing alone. It was for this reason that Mitsuru was still pushing to find him; he was a victim of the Kirijo group and he should not be left to suffer like he did before.
Even Aigis' hostility towards him waned during the duration of his stay. Her current theory as to why she sensed a dangerous aura from him was due to the shadow inside him, something that was supported by the fact the danger she sense from him also waned. Curiously enough, the small amount of the shadow's aura he still possessed actually made her systems tell her to protect him for some curious reason. This may have been confusing for her, but she did know one thing: they had to find Makoto.
?
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Makoto turned his head towards the leaking pipes of the building he was in that constantly dropping small droplets of water into a small puddle that had formed beneath it. The building was shoddily made and maintained, but it was still suitable for someplace for him to rest for now.
After a few seconds of listening to the steady dripping of water, Makoto silently pulled his hood down lower before tilting his masked face back towards the window. All he had to do was remain here until the Dark Hour, and then everything would finally come to its end.
"Almost…" Pharos, who was standing beside his 'friend' said, "Just a few more hours, and it will all be over."
Makoto's fist slowly began to clench as all of the memories flooded his ruined mind. So much pain… So much fire… So much death…
"They are all going to die tonight," Pharos assured him. "The failures, the puppet, and, of course, the Shepard and her flock are all going to meet their end tonight."
Makoto's heart began to pump violently as his excitement grew and the cursed images were quickly replaced by the soon-to-be fates of all of those that wrong him and those connected to them.
In the center of those images, was the same redheaded girl who caused him to lose his focus. She was the center of it all… And she was going to pay dearly.
"This is the purpose you have given yourself, remember?" Pharos asked as Makoto began to silently hiss and growl as his anger soared. They were all going to die…
All…
Of...
Them…
Must…
Die…
Dorm
Kotone's crimson red eyes slowly began to reveal themselves as she awoke from a deep slumber. Her body still ached in several places from all of the walking around she had been doing for the past month now, and yet, she had still managed to come out with nothing.
Kotone lifted herself up and looked down to the ground and sighed. All of this going on after the death of one of her comrades, and both occurred on the same day no less.
"I'm sorry…," She whispered as droplets began to fall onto her hands.
She was a failure.
She failed as a leader when Shinjiro died on the full moon.
She failed as a lover and a protector when Makoto was driven out because of Pharos on that same day.
She had seen how much pain Pharos was capable of inflicting on Makoto, so now she could only imagine what he was now that he had most of the month to himself now.
Shaking her head, Kotone silently made her way to the girls' bathroom and got into the shower.
Kotone endured the blast of cold water and exhaled, running a hand through her auburn hair and swiping some of it out of her eyes. Her shoulders slumped and she looked down, welcoming the chill and not even bothering to switch the water to warm. She needed something to numb her for a bit because every day, she was plagued with one horrifying question.
Was he even alive?
"D-Dammit," Kotone hacked out, lowering the shower head and pressing her forehead against the cold tile. She bashed her knuckles a few time and her lower lip started quivering, hot tears running down her face and mixing in with the cold water. "I just want to see him again."
Just one time… It had been weeks since she last saw him and she cursed herself, banged her head against the wall because she was so stupid. How could she leave him alone despite knowing that he had a malevolent shadow bound to him?
"Please, please…," She silently begged as she placed her forehead against the hard tile wall. "Please, don't die on me."
It was poetic in a way. Her mother once abandoned both her and her father, and now she abandoned the one she loved when he needed her most. She had no idea where her mother was and in the coming few months, Kotone was sure she would be lost herself because as of right now, she didn't know where to go, what to do, where she smash her head, where to take her own miserable life because she was no different.
She was not just a failure, but she is also just like her dear mother before her. The only thing that she was good for was leaving good memories to become extremely painful later on. Kotone sobbed some more and finally slumped down, banging her head onto the tiled ground and screaming out loud as she started pounding her knuckles against the floor, bloodying the marble white without a concern in the world. She cursed at the top of her lungs and heart, cursed her mother, cursed that damn shadow, and cursed her own pathetic self for allowing this hell to take over her life.
"Minato," She whispered his name one more time. "I promise, I will find you."
?
Takaya and Jin walked side by side as they walked to the new address that had been given on their website. Their missions had grown much more difficult without Chidori, but nonetheless, they were still more than capable of operating their 'business.'
"Hmm, it appears this would be the location," Takaya said as he pulled his revolver out of his belt and approached the building. It was an ordinary job of simply harming someone in the means of revenge, so all it would take would be a few—
CRASH!
The moment the members of Strega got close to the door, it was suddenly ripped off its hinges as both it and they were pushed back by an invisible force.
"What's wrong?" Makoto slowly walked out of the build with Pharos speaking through his mask, "Were you expecting someone else?"
Takaya's eyes widened in surprise at Makoto's appearance (in both senses) before he regained his calm demeanor. "Ah, I see that—"
Makoto let out a loud, deafening shriek as he jumped high into the air before launching himself forward where Takaya was stand. He did not even bother to arm himself; he was not going to need anything to deal with them.
Caught off guard once again, both members of Strega leapt in the opposite sides of each other. This caused Makoto to miss them both and the concrete below to crumble under the pressure of the boy's landing.
Rather than taking a second to refocus, Makoto's attention snapped to the right where Jin was before he took off in a full sprint.
By the time Jin realized what was going on; Makoto had already gotten a firm hold on his left arm.
Not hesitating for a second, Makoto hit the boy's elbow hard enough that a loud crack could be heard.
Barely even giving Jin time to scream, Makoto reached for and pulled all of the visible pins on his sack of grenades before launching the boy's entire boy at his companion.
Jin barely made it halfway between them before his pouch of grenades exploded causing him to be blown to pieces.
Takaya took a step back in shock as his comrade's killer continued to eye him with that mask of his still on his face.
"Oh ,Takaya…," Pharos called out the man's name. "I hope you've said your prayers."
Like flipping a switch, Makoto suddenly took off in another full sprint as he quickly closed the difference between him in Takaya.
Impressively, the man managed to get a shot off which did nothing but bounce off the mask. Hypnos even managed to appear long enough to retaliate with an inferno which incinerated the boy's flesh, but that did nothing to stop the monster that the boy had become.
Makoto reached out with one hand and grabbed Takaya by the throat, quickly throwing him against the nearest car.
Not waiting for a second for him to get his wind back, Makoto forcibly shoved his thumbs into Takaya's eye sockets as the high he felt when he killed Ikutsuki began to return, stronger than ever. They were but mere thorns in his side, but yet they filled him so much glee that he was laughing at the pain and death he had wrought.
"M-M-Makoto-kun…?"
Upon hearing the name, Makoto quickly ended Takaya's life and torment by quickly turn his head and causing a loud and satisfying snap to echo throughout the streets.
Of course, Strega's demise also served the purpose of leaving Makoto with a source of entertainment until Fuuka tracked their location down and brought everyone else.
To his dismay, the puppet that had nearly killed him was not currently present, but that was not what mattered.
What did matter was that Fuuka had brought all of her friends out to play, especially the one with auburn hair and crimson eyes.
Upon noticing the members of SEES, Makoto let out a war cry that startled everyone, especially Kotone who tried to reach out, his name rolling off her tongue as she called out to him-
Makoto bulldozed his way through the teenagers and lunged at Kotone who widened her eyes and barely avoided his lunging punch by hopping backwards. She was startled by the speed, the pressure behind the missed shot but most of all; she was surprised that Makoto threw a punch in her direction with the intention to kill-
"H-Hey, Minato!" she yelled out loud and immediately regretted it as the transformed persona user broke into a run for her again, hands reaching to grab a hold of her and break her bones. Kotone saw it coming and managed to dodge the initial burst, still shouting his name as she tried to bring some sense back into him-
Makoto's punch grazed her cheek and Kotone stopped dead in her tracks, open to the straight punch that collided against her forehead, blowing her backwards as the other persona users started running because the battle was on. Meanwhile, Kotone paid no attention to the little gash and kept her stare on Makoto as she landed with a thud, her red eyes widened with confusion and grief.
"W-What can I do!?"
"H-Hey, dude," Junpei tried to talk but the hostile vibe that Makoto gave off made it very clear that he was not going to talk or negotiate. "What is wrong with him?"
Was that really Makoto? He just seemed so different...
"M-Minato!" Kotone stood up, still having trouble wrapping her head around the idea that Makoto had thrown a punch to knock her out. "It's me, Kotone. Don't you remember?"
Makoto only roared back in response, the booming shout causing a good deal of discomfort to the members of SEES but Kotone was still not through. She yelled loud enough to match his tone, begging him to come back to his senses because there was no way she was going to battle him.
No chance.
"P-Prepare for battle," Mitsuru winced when she gave the order. Deep down, she knew that her family was responsible for this and now she was forced to battle and hurt a victim of her grandfather's crazy delusion.
The teenagers were clearly not in the right state to battle but they moved forward. Junpei and Akihiko hurriedly came in front of Kotone who was still standing at the same spot, her gaze locked with Makoto's.
"Wake up!"
Makoto snarled back in return and Pharos chuckled in the back of his head, faintly, pleased with how the event was playing out. Makoto was indeed ready.
Kill that girl... Pharos whispered-
Kotone stepped back and gasped, an involuntary shiver passing down her backbone when Makoto took aim for her.
"No..."
Kill her!
"Wake up!"
Makoto shrugged off Kotone's pleading and listened to Pharos, letting out another war cry that was mainly directed towards Kotone and Mitsuru, promising both of them pain for what they had done. The others grabbed a hold of their weapons and circled around the deranged teenager who was rocking back and forth, eyeing his pray, one by one by one until his gaze returned back to a petrified Kotone and he took off running to fulfill his destiny.
"MINATO!"
Here we go... Makoto v. SEES.
Where the fuck is reject Sho?
Fun little fact for ya: There are 3 reasons I haven't killed Sakuya: 1. I haven't made a "it's Sho-time" pun yet. 2. There's... there's just 1 comedy scene that I just HAVE to do. I-I just have to do it. 3. Wanted to keep Strega's deaths quick and to the point. Makoto didn't even have to summon to kill their asses.
W-Why...?
You're in my hell now, bitch!
