PERSONA: PAPILLION HEARTS


Chapter 3: Memories of the School


Tuesday, April 12th, 2039, Full Moon.


I struggled to sleep that night. I kept waking up, tossing and turning, fighting the urge to get out of bed and stretch my legs. I never was one to wander at night; I hated the dark. I figured I was simply still restless from all the new changes in my life. Unfortunately, that meant I was still tired when my alarm went off in the morning.

But I had no choice but to get up and prepare for the first day of classes at Gekkoukan High School.

I found myself sitting at the dining table, nursing a cup of tea as I picked at my bowl of cereal. I wasn't really hungry…

"Wow, someone looks like a zombie," Amamiya commented as he took a seat across from me, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.

"Akio!" Sora made an exasperated sound from over at the counter while retrieving a bagel from the toaster. "That's rude."

Amamiya gave a slight shrug. "Just speaking the truth."

I just gave him a flat look from across the table. He flashed a brilliant smile at me before raising his mug to his lips and sipping. Refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction, I returned my attention to my cereal.

"I'm surprised that we have to take a train to school, though," Sora commented suddenly as he sat down to eat.

Amamiya snorted. "I'm not. I had to take the Ginza Line every day to Shujin."

"I-I guess Inaba's still small." Sora smiled sheepishly.

"There's nothing wrong with that," I spoke up. "Visiting Inaba is always nice."

The last time I visited Inaba was when I was thirteen. It was kinda a sleepy country town but there was still a charm to it.

"Yeah…" Sora stared down at his bagel, a small frown curving on his lips. "I haven't been home in like three years."

"How come your parents wanted you to come here then?" Amamiya asked, leaning back.

Sora winced. "They thought I'd be bombarded with too many questions back home, I guess. They thought a completely new environment would be better for me. Like a fresh new start."

Amamiya watched Sora, something glinting in his eyes. There was some kind of emotion in his eyes that I couldn't quite put my finger on. But then he looked down at his cup and picked it up to take a drink.

"A fresh start… Bad news follows all three of us around, huh?" He took a sip of his coffee and set the mug back down on the table, only to crack a lopsided smile. "Three unlucky bastards, all stuck under one roof. Nothing will go wrong, eh?"

"B-Bad news?" Sora practically squeaked. "I wouldn't say that…" He tugged at his collar. "Takura Productions is just going through a rough patch, is all."

"Oh, yeah." Amamiya remained leaning back in his seat but cocked his head to the side. "So I've heard. First, the leader of their main boy group breaks the rules, then he commits suicide when shit hits the fan. Then the new leader runs himself so ragged he sabotages his health. And then their star idol loses her head on national television. Quite the string of bad luck there."

I found myself bristling at his comments, but Sora only winced, his gaze flickering away. "…Hiro-senpai didn't deserve what happened to him. He fell in love. Is that so wrong?"

Amamiya gave a shrug. "Society demands that idols act a certain way. If you stray... well, it's never pretty. They have this weird fantasy in their heads but no god can help you if an idol shatters their fans' fantasy. Honestly, just looking in from the outside, I'd quit day one."

Sora looked back up, eyes slightly wide, opening his mouth and then shutting it. "There's… There's more to it than that." His gaze flickered over to me, before turning to Amamiya. "I've wanted to be an idol since I was a kid because I wanted to inspire people... make them happy."

"Yeah, my mom got into modeling because of a similar reason." Amamiya tilted his head. "But you know... it seems you're struggling to be happy yourself."

The color drained from Sora's face and let out a strained laugh, reaching up to rub the back of his head. "Don't be silly! Of course I'm happy! S-Sure it was stressful but like I said, I've always wanted to be an idol! A-Anyways, we'll be late for school! Gonna head off now!"

I watched him bolt, leaving the kitchen. Then I turned to Amamiya to give him a flat look.

"Sora-senpai's been through a lot. Leave him alone."

With that, I stood up and began to gather my dishes. We'd spent enough time here. I didn't want to be late on my first day.


Gekkoukan High School was not unknown to me. My older siblings attended when they were teenagers, as did both of my parents. That was how they met. There was even a memorial to my father on the roof, where he died. That was how much of an impact he made on the school, despite the… unfortunate circumstance of knocking up his girlfriend. But no one ever talked about that.

And yet, standing before the gates, I found myself balking.

The campus was beautiful as ever, with perfectly manicured verdant lawns and bushes, trees lining the cobblestone path, and pristine white sidewalks. The school itself loomed in the distance, modern and white, with so many crystal clear windows looking out at the students making their way to the front doors.

This was the place my parents met. This was where they fell in love.

Where my father died.

My scar itched. I reached up to touch it out of habit.

I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, some students slowing down, noticing me. Some whispered, pointing not so subtly at me. They probably recognized me. But I paid them no mind. I had expected this to happen.

I realized I was holding my breath. I let it out with a sigh.

This was fine. It wasn't a big deal. It was just a high school.

"Sonomi!"

I looked up to see Hotaru waving at me. With a brilliant smile lighting up her face, she walked over. She wore her varsity over her uniform's blouse, her skirt rolled up to make it shorter, most likely with shorts underneath. She completed her outfit with white knee-high socks and black loafers.

"Hotaru."

She shoved her hands into her pockets as she came to a stop next to me. "Morning! Can't believe we actually get to go to school together."

I nodded. I didn't really know what to say to that. I didn't have any particular feelings about any of this.

"Oh, by the way," Hotaru continued, "Dad told me that the PIPD decided to hire Rui to investigate the recent deaths. So we might see her soon."

I stiffened. Rui Shirogane was our cousin on the Arisato side of the family. Her mother, the famous detective Naoto Shirogane, was the younger sister of my dad and Aunt Minako. For as long as I could remember—which wasn't all that far back, honestly—I hadn't really gotten along with her. If she was coming here… Great, another thing to look forward to.

Hotaru remained smiling, clearly ignoring my sour expression. "It's practically a family reunion!" She paused for a moment, almost like hesitation. "I guess it's fitting." She glanced ahead at the school building. "Next year it'll be thirty years since… Well, since Uncle Minato passed away."

My gaze flickered down to my feet.

"And I mean—not to get all gloomy, but—this is where it all began, you know?"

I forced myself to look back up at my cousin. Her eyes were on me again, inscrutable crimson, watching me carefully.

"How are holding up?" she asked. "This can't be easy for you."

"…I'm fine."

It was a lie—pure and simple. And Hotaru would see right through it. But what else was I supposed to say? I couldn't put it into words—how I really felt. If I felt anything at all. Everything that had happened over these past two weeks… If I really allowed myself to think about it, I'd want to curl into a ball and cry. I simply did not think about what happened.

Hotaru pressed her lips in a hard line. It was obvious that she wanted to say something more, but for some reason, she held her tongue.

"Well, we should probably head inside," she said, moving on like nothing happened. "You have to visit the faculty office first, don't you?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"I'll show you the way." Hotaru turned back towards campus. "C'mon!"

I followed her down the cobblestone path, looking around to take in my new surroundings. Gekkoukan's campus was beautifully pristine. It felt… surreal, being here.

"Oh, it's Hotaru-san!"

"Hotaru-san!"

"Oh my gosh, this is Hotaru-senpai?!"

"I missed you so much, Hotaru-san!"

"You're cute as ever, Hotaru-chan!"

I snapped to attention. Almost immediately my cousin was swarmed by a group of female students. I was practically pushed aside so they could all gather around her. I stared at them all for a moment, blinking. I watched as the girls fussed and fawned over Hotaru, gushing and asking her questions.

"Are they finally gonna let you join the boxing team, Hotaru-san?"

"Your hair is so soft!"

"I could get lost in your eyes forever…"

Well. At least I wasn't the one being rushed by fans. For once.

I decided to just stand there, wrapping one arm around myself as Hotaru addressed the crowd. I hadn't really expected her to be popular like this. But finally, after what felt like forever, the crowd dispersed, allowing Hotaru to rejoin me.

"Sorry about that," she said with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her head. "I'm, kind of popular."

"Kind of?" I shook my head. "You drew a crowd like I'd see at one of my autograph signings."

Hotaru let out an exasperated sigh. "It's frustrating, to be honest. 'Cause none of it is real." She gave a shrug. "As soon as we graduate, they'll 'grow up' and start dating men. It's such bullshit."

I knew exactly what she was talking about. It was a strange mentality I'd never really understood. But because I was an idol, I never really thought about romantic relationships. It wasn't an option for me, so it wasn't a concern. But the Hotaru I knew had always been so driven and focused on sports. She was on the volleyball team and also participated in boxing outside of school, since she wasn't allowed to box for the school. She kept herself very busy.

I tilted my head. "Since when do you care about dating?"

"Huh?" Hotaru's eyes widened. "I mean—it's not my biggest concern. I just can't help but wonder about it sometimes, y'know?" She shook her head, her cheeks tinting the faintest of pinks. "Never mind that! Let's go."

She grabbed me by the wrist and proceeded to drag me towards the building.


I stood before the door to the faculty office. Hotaru had left me to go find out what class she was in. May as well get this over with… I opened the door and stepped inside.

A man with blue hair stood at a desk, his back facing me. There was no way-

He turned around to face me.

"Nii-san?"

Indeed… It was my brother. MJ was dressed in a navy blue suit with matching slacks, a white dress shirt, and black shoes. His black tie was done neatly, held in place by a silver clasp. His hair was brushed out of his face, which helped him look more professional.

"…I'm not calling you Arisato-san."

MJ let out an exasperated breath. "It would be rather weird if you did."

"You're my homeroom teacher?" I asked. "Really?"

He gave a slight shrug. "Mom requested it. Odagiri-san saw no reason to deny her."

I supposed there were worse things.

"…I should have known your new job was at Gekkoukan." I gave him a look. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged again. "You never asked."

…Typical MJ.

A light knock sounded on the door. It opened and in stepped another man. He appeared middle-aged, perhaps in his late forties, with swept back graying black hair and dark eyes. Dressed in a black suit and tie, he appeared rather serious. Despite that, he gave a warm smile to both of us.

"Ah, good, you're both still here," the man said, his gaze shifting from my brother to me. "I wanted to say hello and welcome to Gekkoukan High."

"This is the principal, Mr. Hidetoshi Odagiri," MJ introduced, gesturing to the man.

Principal Odagiri continued to smile. "I was good friends with your father, and am still good friends with your aunt. It brings me joy to see you both here, both as students, and now as one of our teachers, in your case, Minato. Your father would be very proud of you."

MJ managed a smile, but I stood there, not really reacting. Would my father really be proud of me? What was there even to be proud of?

"It's come full circle, I suppose," MJ mused, closing his eyes.

"That's a good way to look at it," Odagiri agreed. "Regardless, I hope you enjoy your time here at Gekkoukan. My daughter, Asami, is also starting her first year here, so perhaps you'll meet."

"…It's nice to meet you."

The principal smiled again and gave a nod, before looking over at my brother. "I won't keep you any longer. I hope you both have a great first day. And Sonomi-" He returned his attention to me. "-if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask. You're welcome in my office any time."

With one last smile and a wave, Principal Odagiri excused himself and left the faculty office, once again leaving me alone with my brother.

"We should head to the classroom," MJ said, turning towards the door.

I followed him out of the office and into the hallway. He led the way down the hall. We passed a few students. I was unfortunate enough to catch some of them whispering.

"Oh my gosh, is that the new teacher?"

"He's sooo hot…"

"Forget the teacher, is that Tsuki?!"

I wished I could bleach my ears. I would have to deal with this all damn year, wouldn't I? Could this year get any worse?

"We are in class 2-E," MJ informed me as we came to a stop in front of a door on the second floor.

He opened the door and gestured for me to go in. I stepped inside, immediately taking in my surroundings. Students were sitting at desks, chatting among themselves. The teacher's desk was at the top left corner of the room, paperwork already in neat stacks. The picture frames probably had photos of Airi and Chouko.

I glanced around to see if I noticed any familiar faces. Much to my relief, I spied Hotaru. She caught my glance, her face lighting up and giving a short wave. But then… much to my chagrin… I spotted Amamiya. He caught me looking at him too and flashed that insufferable lopsided grin of his. I glowered at him, before following my brother to the front of the classroom.

MJ cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.

"We have another transfer student," he announced, before looking down at me. "Please introduce yourself."

All eyes were on me. It didn't bother me. I turned around to pick up a piece of chalk and write my name on the board. Then I turned back to face the class. Part of me wondered if I should slip on the mask—if I should act like Tsuki. But… what was the point? This was just… high school. I would most likely never see these people again.

"…I'm Sonomi Arisato. Nice to meet you."

Gasps and murmurs resonated throughout the room. The expected reaction.

MJ returned to me. "You can have the seat…" He looked out at the sea of desks, lips pressing in a hard line. "…next to Amamiya."

Of course that was the only available desk. At least Hotaru's desk was in front of that one. Hefting my bag over my shoulder, I made my way over to my desk and took a seat. I set my bag down on the floor, ignoring the smirk on Amamiya's face. Hotaru turned in her seat to give me an apologetic look.

This really was going to be a long year.


The day went by uneventfully, save for lunch, when I was bombarded with questions from classmates who apparently liked my music. Hotaru had to wiggle her way in and invite me to walk with her while we ate so I could get away. Regardless, I was grateful when the final bell rang.

Hotaru hopped out of her seat and stretched. "Finally free…"

I glanced over to see Amamiya also rising from his seat. He grabbed his satchel and threw it over his shoulder.

"I dunno about you, but I'm out of here."

Amamiya hadn't altered his uniform that much. The main difference was that he left his white dress shirt unbuttoned at the top, without the string tie. I supposed it was easier to not stand out that way. I figured he didn't want to draw attention to himself.

Hotaru eyed him. "Just stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Me? Cause trouble?" He dramatically placed a hand over his heart. "You wound me, Sanada."

Hotaru rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Amamiya."

He flashed her a grin, before his dark gaze flickered over to me. "See you back at the dorm, Sonomin."

I opened my mouth to tell him not to call me that, especially here, but he already walked away. I gritted my teeth, watching him leave the classroom. If he kept that up while we were in school, people were bound to get the wrong idea. And I did not need to deal with that on top of everything else.

"…He'll call you by your last name but not me," I muttered, turning back to my cousin.

She gave a slight shrug. "Hell if I know what's going on in his head." She paused to pick up her satchel. "C'mon, let's find the others. The rooftop awaits."

I nodded.

Together, we left the classroom. I followed her down the hallways and stairs, since she was more familiar with the building than I was. As we walked, more students whispered and watched us. I was used to attention, but not like this. But as soon as we entered the first year's hall, I spotted the boys.

It was hard to miss Ryo and Toshi. They stood by the wall near one of the doors, talking. Toshi watched Ryo with a soft smile, holding some books in his arms. Ryo spoke, his eyes bright as he gestured excitedly. He clearly was pumped up about something.

"Hey, you two!" Hotaru called to them, giving a short wave.

Both of them looked over at us. Ryo still had his baseball cap on, backward as always, with a yellow hoodie underneath his blazer. Toshi wore an oversized teal sweater over his dress shirt. The sweater had white and turquoise stripes along the v-shaped neckline, the cuffs of the sleeves, and the bottom. His string tied was done neatly.

"Oh, hey!" Ryo grinned. "We've been waitin' for ya!"

We walked over to join them.

"Hello," Toshi greeted with a smile. "Did you have a good first day, Sonomi-chan?"

"It was fine," I said.

"Could've been worse." Hotaru shrugged. "We got MJ as our homeroom teacher. It's weird as hell. But Amamiya's in our class too and we have to sit by him too."

Toshi smiled sheepishly. "He can't be all that bad, can he?"

Ryo shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, Akio-senpai seems really cool."

"You obviously haven't spent time with him," I muttered.

"Well, he was chill with us," Ryo said, before smiling mischievously. "Maybe he teases you 'cause he thinks you're cute!"

Before I could even have a visceral reaction, Toshi gave Ryo a stern look. "No, Ry-chan, let's not further the 'boys are mean to girls they like' mentality."

Ryo let out an exasperated sigh, folding his hands behind his head. "Aw, c'mon, I was just joking!"

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "What do you even know about boys liking girls, Ryo?"

Ryo's eyes widened and his face went red. He opened his mouth, shut it again, and then opened it again.

"I know plenty about liking girls!" he insisted. "Girls are super cute! And smell nice! And have pretty hair!"

"Um… why is Ryo-kun shouting?"

We all looked over to see Michiko standing before us, holding her satchel out in front of her. She wore a black vest over her white blouse, with a fluffy red ribbon tied around her collar.

"Michi! Perfect timing!" Ryo immediately turned towards her. "See Michiko? She's really pretty! And has nice hair!"

Michiko's eyes widened, her cheeks tinting pink as she hastily looked away. "Oh, um…"

"Oi, Ryo, knock it off." Hotaru made an exasperated noise. "We get it. You don't have to embarrass Michi-chan like that."

Michiko glanced back up, a tiny smile on her lips. "It's okay, Hotaru-senpai. I know Ryo-kun means well. I'm just, um… not used to being complimented, is all."

Hotaru seemed to study the younger girl for a moment. "Anyone giving you a hard time? Not using your name? Wrong pronouns?"

Again, Michiko's eyes widened as she looked up at my cousin. "N-No, Senpai, not at all."

Hotaru watched her for a moment, but then nodded. "Good. Because if anyone is, I'll beat their ass. Just like I did in middle school." She looked at the boys. "And that goes for any of you. Someone gives you a hard time? I'mma beat their ass." Then she turned to me. "And you too, Sono-chan."

"…Can you-"

"Sonomi, he's barely done anything."

I looked away, pouting. "He exists…"

"Well…" Toshi's voice drew our attention back to him. "Now that we're all here, why don't we head for the roof?"

Hotaru smiled and nodded. "Let's go!"

With that, my friends showed me the way upstairs, to the roof. And it… wasn't what I expected. I wasn't sure what I expected, but it wasn't this.

The roof was as pristine as every inch of the school campus, with a stone-tiled floor. There were two sets of backless stone benches, two surrounding a square pot of flowers. They overlooked the sea. White windmills gracefully spun in the distance. There were high railings all around the edge, most likely to prevent anyone from jumping. But there, on the other side of the roof, directly opposite from the door that led outside, was a single stone monument, engraved with writing. A bouquet of forget-me-nots sat in front of it, next to a singular framed picture that even at this distance, I could tell it was of a young man with blue hair, faded with time.

The memorial to Minato Arisato.

My scar ached.

"Here we are!" Hotaru exclaimed, walking past, before turning around to face us. "This was my favorite place to hang out last year. We should make this our spot!"

"Oooh, like a hideout, maybe?" Ryo asked, eyes sparkling.

Toshi folded his arms over his chest. "Ry-chan, why do we need a hideout?"

"I dunno! It sounds cool."

Michiko smiled softly. "It's lovely up here. I can smell the sea air…"

I ignored them all to walk over to the monument.

"Oh, Sonomi where are you—oh."

I stopped in front of the memorial. It was a stone slab, similar to a tombstone, but with more weight to it, angled slightly towards the sky. I reached down to pick up the frame. The photograph was of my father, a candid shot of someone coming up from behind him with a camera and him looking back and smiling at whoever it was, looking like he was about to laugh and maybe shove them away. The flowers appeared fresh. I wondered who put them here.

Engraved into the monument were the words:

In loving memory of

Minato Arisato

May 21st, 1992-March 5th, 2010

Beloved student of these halls

Thank you for everything you've done for our school

Rest in peace, Minato

My scar burned more. I couldn't help but press my free hand against my chest, wishing the pain would go away. I heard footsteps and soon my cousin's shoes came into view.

"…Everyone from back then," Hotaru said quietly. "Teachers. Students. Our principal, even. They've had nothing but good things to say about Uncle Minato. Even with… you know… MJ and Miyako. Everyone in the school loved him. Even with Aunt Yukari, they never talk badly about her. All they say is that it was a very sad situation."

I stared at the slab of stone. "…Mom told me once that he asked her to marry him. That they got permission to marry after they graduated. But that was before he died. He just became ill out of nowhere… and passed away. On this very rooftop."

"…Yeah." But there was hesitation in Hotaru's voice, so I forced myself to look up at her. She couldn't quite look me in the eye. "I don't really know much else about it. Mom doesn't like talking about it, for obvious reasons. And I can't pry it out of Dad."

Why did I feel like… there was something she wasn't telling me?"

I crouched down to return the framed picture to its spot. "I just… don't understand."

Hotaru tilted her head. "Understand what?"

"How I'm alive…" I wrapped my arm around myself, staring at the words carved in stone. "He died more than a decade before I was born. I… shouldn't exist."

I didn't… want to exist.

Hotaru's eyes widened. "Don't say that! You do exist, and we're all happy you do!" She turned back to our friends. "Right, guys?"

Toshi nodded, unfazed. "Yes, we're very grateful you're in our lives, Sonomi-chan."

"Yeah!" Ryou exclaimed. "It wouldn't be the same without ya, Sonocchi!"

"You're our dear friend," Michiko said softly. "I can't imagine what it would be like if we never met, Senpai."

They all said that, but… I turned away from the memorial and shook my head. There was no point in ruminating over it. Like I'd ever find out the answer.

"You wanted to hang out," I said. "Let's hang out."


We hung out on the roof for maybe half an hour, spending the time catching up. I listened more than talked. I didn't have much to say. But eventually, we had to leave, so we gathered our things and said our goodbyes, and left the school. Hotaru and I headed out together though, as the dorm and her house were in the same direction.

Hotaru talked and talked as we got off the train at Port Island Station, telling me about the volleyball team and how she'd been elected captain this year, despite only being a second year. And the drama surrounding the school board not allowing her to box. She'd been through a lot lately, it seemed.

"It's disappointing, but can't say I'm surprised," Hotaru said with a shrug. "Japan's changed a lot for the better, thanks to the prime minister, but getting rid of ingrained prejudice is a whole other story altogether."

Something caught my attention up ahead. I stopped in the middle of the stairs, my scar beginning to itch.

"…What's going on?"

There was a gathering of people dressed in robes—black as night, with pointed hoods covering their heads, reminiscent of the grim reaper. In the front of the gathering was someone in a white robe instead, speaking to a smaller crowd of regular citizens. Their backs were to us and the stairs.

My skin crawled, the itching of my scar slowly turning painful. This… whatever this was. I didn't like it. I didn't like it at all.

Hotaru froze, her eyes widening, only to quickly regain herself, scowling and clenching her hands into fists.

"…Dammit, I should have known the Cult of Nyx would be here."

The Cult… of Nyx… the group that my brother warned me about.

A sharp pain shot through my skull. I winced, reaching up to touch the side of my head. I had a horrible sense of deja vu. I'd seen these people before, somewhere. But I couldn't place it. Where had I seen them? Why did they look so familiar? I couldn't… remember…

"Sonomi…"

A voice echoed in my mind—clear and feminine and vaguely reminiscent of my own.

"Sonomi!"

I snapped out of my daze, looking up to see my cousin gazing at me with a frown and furrowed brow. No, she must have been the one talking to me. I wasn't hearing things. That was ridiculous.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You kind of zoned out there."

"…I'm fine." I dropped my hand and stood up straight. "What's going on, though?"

Hotaru eyed me for a moment, before looking out at the robed crowd again, crossing her arms over her chest. "Probably one of their sermons or whatever. All they do is preach about the end of the world and shit."

The end of the world…

I could see why it appealed to people. The cessation of all life would also mean the end of all suffering. No more pain. No more despair. In a certain light, death could be comforting—that the end is inevitable. That the end can be brought sooner if one so chooses. Living was a choice—to live your life to the fullest or to simply exist as a hollow shell.

I often wondered if my own life was worth living. When I first became an idol, it was in hopes that music would lead me to discover myself, to find the emotions locked away inside me. But that hadn't happened. Instead, my desire was ripped away from me. I felt no more than a puppet on strings when I was on stage. This life of mine—I hated it. If it could even be called a life.

My brother had said to stay away from them, but…

"I want to hear what they have to say."

Hotaru's eyes widened. "No! Are you crazy? Sonomi-"

It was too late. I had already headed down the stairs. The closer I got, the clearer the speaking became. I heard Hotaru hurry after me. I made my way around the cultists to stand with the civilians. When I got there, I immediately noticed that the cultists were wearing white skull masks to hide their faces.

"Humanity was not meant for this world," the white-robed cultist was saying. Their voice was warped; a voice scrambler must be hidden in their mask. "We are a miserable species, squandering what resources this planet has so graciously given us. This greed begets suffering—a suffering that sees no end. Poverty and starvation are only two issues that constantly plague us. For the everyday person, life can quickly become a burden stagnated by mediocrity. So many of us are filled with a lack of fulfillment, which easily leads to feelings of despair. The loss of hope is what plagues our society."

Well… They weren't… wrong.

"To be free of this misery—this is what Nyx will bring. There is no hope for mankind. The only solution to our suffering is to cease all life." The white-robed cultist looked out at the crowd, gazing at person after person until finally, their skull-masked face turned to me. And their gaze never left. "Nyx's arrival will bring us a peaceful end. The tranquility of death brings the end of our pain. Of our trauma. No more will we have to live our futile, meaningless existences."

My scar burned. But I refused to touch it. Not here. But the white-robed cultist lifted their hand to place it over their heart, still looking at me.

"Believe in Nyx," they said. "And she will bring peace to us all."

I couldn't help but stare back at them, completely mesmerized by their speech.

"…We need to go." Hotaru suddenly grabbed my arm. "Now."

I looked at her, mildly surprised. "What-"

"Come on, Sonomi, there's no point in listening to these whack jobs."

I decided not to fight her. I let her pull me away from the crowd. There was no point in resisting. She was stronger than me anyway.

Hotaru insisted on walking me all the way to the dorm. And wouldn't leave until she saw me go inside. I had no idea why she or my brother made such a big deal about this Cult… It was true that the name Nyx made my scar hurt, but… what did that even mean?

But I supposed it didn't matter. Nothing really mattered. I was only a hollow shell.


I couldn't sleep.

The rest of the evening had gone uneventfully. I quickly discovered that Amamiya left me alone if I was wearing my earphones. So I kept them on even when I wasn't listening to music. It allowed me to read my book in peace.

But now I tossed and turned in bed, unable to find a comfortable position. Now I lay flat on my back, staring at the ceiling, wondering why my body hated me so much to not allow me to sleep.

The moon was full tonight. Moonlight seeped through my curtains, illuminating the room. And then it darkened to that sickly green, just like the first night I arrived.

I needed to move. I couldn't stay in my bed any longer.

I flipped off the covers and slipped out of bed, my bare feet hitting the cool floor. I padded over to the window and pulled open the curtains, enveloping myself in the green moonlight. I found myself staring up at the moon. It loomed in the sky, so large and eerie. If it got any bigger, it would surely fall out of the sky.

Yet, even as I gazed upon the moon, I felt myself become more restless. I couldn't stay here… I needed to go outside. I had no idea why, but I needed to. I couldn't be bothered to get dressed either.

I moved away from the window, walking over to grab my jacket. But I paused as I was about to pass the mirror. I couldn't help but look at my reflection, my eyes shifting down to the scar on my chest. I wore a tank top, so the top of the scar—the butterfly's larger 'wings'—could be seen. It was carved into my skin, like someone had cut open my chest. But that was insane. Surely if someone had done that, I would have died.

I continued on to fetch my cardigan, throwing it on. Then I slipped on my slippers. I wouldn't go very far. I just needed to get some fresh air.

I left my room, shutting my door behind me. Quietly, I walked down the hall and down the stairs. I was passing by the boys' hall to get to the next set of stairs when I heard a door open. Pausing, I glanced over to see who it was and immediately bristled.

Amamiya rubbed his eyes, shutting the door behind him. Then he noticed me.

"...Sonomin?" He raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

He let out an exasperated breath. "Needed some water. Is that a crime?"

I looked away. "…I guess not."

When he didn't respond immediately, I took to the stairs.

"Wait," he said.

Against my better judgment… I halted.

"What are you doing?"

"…I'm going outside. I need some fresh air."

"What? At midnight?" he demanded incredulously. "When the moon's all creepy and green?"

"It doesn't bother me. I just need some fresh air." I took another step down the stairs.

"Sonomi, creepy green moon or not, girls should not be going outside at midnight. Especially not in their pajamas."

I forced myself to look back at him, surprised that he actually used my real name. There was clearly concern in his eyes, the way he frowned at me. I really doubted he actually cared about me. I shook my head and took another step down.

"I don't need your concern."

Then I continued on my way.

"Dammit, at least let me come with you!" I heard him shout after me and then footsteps as he followed.

Whatever… I guess it wouldn't hurt to have some company.

Amamiya followed after me as I left the dorm. We stepped out into the cool night air. It felt refreshing, yet at the same time… The air felt heavy, settling down upon my shoulders. My scar itched, but I ignored it. Because something else had caught my attention.

"Holy shit, what is that?" Amamiya breathed.

There, in the distance, where Gekkoukan High School surely was supposed to be… was a tower. It was a haphazard hodgepodge of buildings stacked on top of each other, illuminated by the haunting full moon behind it. And even more unusual than that were the ghostly white masses covering the tower in patches. I was too far away to make out what it really was.

All I knew was that I needed to go there.

I started walking towards the tower.

"Sonomi? Hey, where are you going?"

"I have to go to the tower," I told him.

"Are you crazy?! That thing just spells trouble-"

I ignored him and kept walking, leaving him to follow me if he chose.

It was like my feet moved of their own volition, taking me to that tower. The compulsion to go there was so strong, I couldn't think of anything else. I needed to go there. I needed to go inside—to the top. Only there would I find peace. I was so, so sure of it. Everything would be okay if I reached the top of that tower.

I wasn't sure how long it took for us to get there. We passed more of those coffins as we went along. Some of them were gathered in pairs or trios, like they were people. The closer we got, the more my scar ached. By the time we arrived there, my chest felt like it was about to burst open.

But I had… to go inside the tower. I had to.

We came to a halt in front of the massive tower. I found myself staring up at it in awe.

The white patches were of flowers—spectral blooms that resembled asphodel flowers, eerily swaying in the otherwise stagnant air.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"I wouldn't call this… beautiful," Amamiya said slowly. "You, beautiful? Yes. The creepy tower with ghost flowers growing off of it? No."

"I… have to go inside," I said, taking another step forward.

"What? No way, you are not going in there, Sonomi."

Before I could go any further, he snatched my wrist. Without even thinking, I yanked my arm out of his grip. I meant to bolt for the entrance, but then he grabbed my hand, stopping me.

"No, Sonomi-"

A horrific, skin-crawling growl came from above. I blinked, slowly looking up. Something large sat on top of the first building, hidden by the shadow of the tower. Amamiya tightened his grip on my hand, tugging me back closer to him. I couldn't take my eyes off that shadow, a sense of dread settling upon my skin.

"What… what is that," I whispered.

"If it is what I think it is…" Amamiya said slowly, his voice low. "We need to get out of here. Now."

As if the creature heard him, it leaped off the ledge.

The ground trembled as it landed in front of us, knocking me off balance. I fell to the ground, my hand torn out of Amamiya's.

A massive monstrosity of bulging shadowy mass. It had too many limbs, writhing in every direction, thick muscles pulsing like a heartbeat. In six of its clawed hands, it held razor sharp swords that reminded me of guillotine blades. But one of its claws held a blue mask with the Roman numeral I on the forehead, having no face to wear it.

"Fuck," Amamiya swore loudly.

The monster's entire body shuddered as it let out an earsplitting screech, taking a step closer to us. I couldn't breathe.

"…Guess it's time to see if this really works."

Amamiya pulled something out of his pocket—the same not-gun as the one my brother gave me. Not wasting another moment, he put the barrel to his temple. He closed his eyes. And pulled the trigger.

"Odysseus, it's time!"

Glass shattered out of the other side of his head, the sound of a gunshot reverberating through my ears. Something dark emerged from him—some sort of being. At first, I thought it was wearing a cloak, but no, it wore a black long coat that joined a flowing robe that faded to red, tattered at the edges. A black belt was cinched around its waist, with a skull engraved into it. It had pale skin beneath the robe, its face hidden by a cowl. Metal cuffs bound its wrists with chains, with one attached to the scythe it wielded.

The being—this Odysseus—slashed forward with its scythe, an arc of darkness carving into the monster. The creature snarled in rage, before one of its limbs came flinging towards us. It swiped at Amamiya, missing me completely as I was on the ground. It struck him hard in the gut, knocking him backward. Odysseus vanished in an explosion of light.

"UGH!"

My eyes widened with horror, starting to get up. "Akio! No-"

Pain erupted in my skull. I cried out in pain, falling to my knees. Even in the agony that pounded through my head, I could see the scar on my chest glowing a brilliant electric blue.

No. No no no. Not again. Not again-

The ground trembled as the creature took another step forward.

I retched, black bile splattering on the pavement in front of me.

"Sonomi…"

That voice echoed in my mind, but I could hardly pay attention. My chest burned, the scar throbbing in searing agony, the blue light pulsing in time with my heart.

"No," I breathed. "No no no-"

I couldn't think.

A man in a pale robe, his face hidden by a pointed cowl and black skull mask. I wasn't sure how I knew he was a man, but I did. He stood over me. I was strapped to a table. Black spots danced in my vision. In his hand, he held some sort of feather-like object—it gleamed brilliant electric blue, dazzling my fading eyesight.

It hurt. Everything hurt. There was blood everywhere. Screaming, so much screaming—was it me?

Familiar voices, so distant. Calling my name.

Blasts of wind. A bovine being with wings, a sun disc resting between its horns.

Ice. Some sort of armored woman in a dress, holding a chained whip.

My mother crying. Wake up, she says. Wake up, wake up. Hold on. Hold on. We're almost there, Sonomi. We're almost there.

"Sonomi…"

Sonomi.

Sonomi Sonomi Sonomi.

SONOMI.

I screamed. I clutched my head, jerking back. I felt my ribs crack, like something was prying its way out of my chest. Still my scar gleamed and I swear out of the corner of my eyes, I saw more of that blue light leaking out of them. Black ooze began to bubble out of my scar, forming a hand. And then slowly, it solidified, clawing its way out of my chest.

The next thing I knew, the creature had emerged from me. It was a tall, gaunt figure. Its limbs were thin, almost to the point of being skeletal in appearance and each of its nails ended in a fine tip. Around its body, floated what appeared to be a series of floating coffins, all connected with chains to a bandoleer. At its side was a simple katana, the only weapon that the creature seemed to possess. Its head was reminiscent of a creature's skull, a shock of white amongst the rest of its gray appearance. The eye sockets were void of light, gaping holes of shadow.

Brandishing its katana, it lunged forward. It slashed at the monster, the blade slicing through the thick, pulsing limbs.

My hand went to my chest and came back bloody.

"N-No…"

I scrambled back, trying to get away from that thing that came out of me. My fingers brushed over cool steel. I glanced down to find Akio's not-gun right under my hand. It was… an Evoker. I wasn't sure how I knew that, but I could have sworn I heard someone call these weird guns somewhere…

"Sonomi…"

Again, that voice… Crystal clear and feminine and so much like my own.

"Have faith. This is not the end."

Blood was seeping down my shirt, dripping down to the floor. My scar felt like it had been ripped open. My body wouldn't stop shaking. I felt more bile fill my mouth and I retched, spitting out more of that black ooze.

"Everyone has their own battle to fight. We have ours. Do not fear Death, for Death is not the end."

Shifting back onto my knees, now badly scraped and bleeding, I picked up the Evoker. I wrapped both hands around the grip.

"Will you allow Death to control you, or will you control Death?"

My bottom lip quivered. The thing that came out of me continued to hack and slash at the monster, until it was finally reduced to a puddle of ooze. Then, slowly, it turned towards me. It raised its katana.

My thoughts turned to Akio, who had tried to protect me, only to be smacked aside like nothing. I… I had to… I couldn't—I couldn't let anything happen to him. I closed my eyes and pressed the barrel to my forehead. I didn't care what happened to me. I never had. But I couldn't let Akio die. I'd never forgive myself.

"I…" My voice came out faint, barely above a whisper. "…will control Death."

I pulled the trigger.

My head jerked back from the force, the sound of something shattering behind me. I opened my eyes to see the creature lunge at me. But then it stopped, abruptly, mere meters away. It looked around, and then down at itself. A singular bright electric blue line began to grow down its torso. And then, out of nowhere, a white blade that gleamed like ice thrust out from inside it. My eyes widened as I watched the thing be sliced open, another being bursting out of it.

"I am thou… thou art I."

The voice from inside my head resonated throughout my mind. Her ice blade vanished in a glitter of blue light. I had never seen anything like her before. She seemed to rest against a silver stake, from with ivory wings sprouted below. Her body was black, save for electrifying blue eyes, and the deep blue and white dress she wore. Sky blue laces bound her legs. Silver manacles chained her hands together and she wore a matching helmet. And there, on her chest, right where my scar was also, was a gleaming blue butterfly.

"I am Jeanne d'Arc. From the sea of thy soul, I come from thee. Together, we shall vanquish the darkness in man's hearts."

And then she vanished, tiny crystals of light left glittering in the air.

For a moment, I stared at where she once hovered in the air. And then everything went black.