A/N: The last chapter might not be much but I do feel like Mashika got a little more time in the spotlight. I'd like to think she'll have her own fanbase outside of Team PASM. Guess that'll only work among the Artwork Gallery lol. But honestly, I was a bit forced with my work there. I'm getting ideas for PASM but gaps in between, and that chapter was kind of a gap. Be helpful if people didn't bother me about continuing that Summer vacation story. I'm not even sure if I'm ever gonna finish it after a...certain falling out.
Moving on, this chapter focuses more on the Shadow Hunter student...on a kind of day that he wishes would never exist.
Chapter 14: Personal Day
Almost two weeks have passed. It's breezy autumn in October. Patrick's Scroll starts to vibrate, waking the young student from his slumber. Patrick lets out a tiring moan as he stretches. He's only half asleep as he looks at the other beds but can still see that they are empty. It's no surprise Selena and Akira would be up, he still wonders how Marlene could be an early bird like they are. Unless helping 'Sherry Farron' with something, maybe sticking her nose into studying.
Patrick checks his scroll to snooze it. It's the weekend...but his eyes widen on alert at what the date is: Oct 9th. He groans with a grumpy look like he just witnessed what he hated most.
"Another year of this day," Patrick says. He puts his scroll down then rests his face in his hands taking a deep breath. "I just hope nobody bothers me, now that I'm in this public school." There's suddenly a knock on the door. Patrick gets out of bed. "At least nobody here knows what today is...Wait, unless. No, I'm probably just overthinking it. There's no way she could remember."
Patrick opens the door. Much to his disappointment, it's Instructor Mashika. But even worse: "Happy Birthday, Love!" Mashika says with a beautiful smile and then a wink.
Without saying a word, Patrick just slams the door in her face. "I just HAD to say something." He whispers to himself.
There's another knock on the door. Patrick doesn't answer at first but decides to. "What?" He says to Mashika with a grumpy tone.
"Geez, love. You need to lighten up." Mashika says, "Don't you know what today is? It's your bir-"
"DON'T! You! Dare! Speak of it!" Patrick warns her. Mashika is speechless.
"Aww, come on Love. I know you have your...problems, but this is a first." Mashika says. "I recall you didn't mind..." Mashika tries to be careful with using her words on mentioning this sudden new behavior. "You know, today's date, back then. What's different this time?"
"Nothing you need to know. Back then I was only just a kid." Patrick says. "I was feeling miserable about my birthdays, but now I just hate them!"
"Well, I think that's just sad. You should make the most of it." Mashika says. Patrick just gives her a mean glare with a growling tone. "Now, now. I'm not saying we should do something big. We can just do something small. You know, I'm free this evening. You and I can just spend some time together in town. Little sightseeing, some dinner. Whatever you want to do."
"I'll pass, thanks. But nothing's gonna change how I feel. I just want to be alone." Patrick says.
Patrick moves Mashika aside and starts heading out. Mashika just remains in place looking at Patrick until he's out of sight. She let out a sigh. "Honestly, what am I gonna do with you, Love?"
Patrick wanders the halls of Beacon, trying to avoid other people, from conversations even. He approaches the elevator, setting it to The Vault. After that moment with Mashika, he feels like going to see Amber might be a bad idea. Seeing her comatose might just make him feel even more miserable. But he doesn't care. He just wants to get away from this day.
In the Vault, Patrick walks down the hall until he arrives at Amber. He seats next right next to her, watching. How he wishes for once she could just awaken from this mostly dead state she is in. Patrick puts a hand on the glass, closing his eyes.
"I thought you might come here." Patrick jumps hearing a sudden voice. He turns to see Ozpin approaching him.
"Am I getting that obvious? What do you want?" Patrick says.
"Now, now. Calm down. I am only here to wish you a Happy Birthday." Ozpin says.
"Wha?" Patrick is astonished to learn that Ozpin knows. "Did Mashika told you?"
"Your sister did," Ozpin says.
Patrick looks back at Amber. Of course, she could have told Ozpin. "Well, she may not have been able to tell you this, but I hate my Birthday. I want nothing more than for this day to be erased."
"Oh really? I seem to recall your sister saying the exact opposite." Ozpin says. "She mentioned how you weren't as exacted as any average kid, but you were still happy."
"That was then, and this is now," Patrick says. "Besides, back then I was with Amber. She was...special to me."
"Well, I'm glad to hear you say she's special." Ozpin reaches into his pocket and takes out a scroll. "Your sister used to talk about how lonely you must feel during the days she had to leave you. I believe I have something she wanted to give you." Ozpin looks through his scrolls until he finds it. "Ah, here we go." Ozpin pushes a button, then Patrick's scroll vibrates. "Whatever you choose to do with it and about today is up to you. But I suggest thinking about what Amber would want, and I'm positive you know what it is she would want from you."
Without saying another word, Ozpin makes his leave. Patrick takes out his scroll. He views the message Ozpin had sent, it's a video with Amber on the cover. He feels nervous looking at it. Whatever is on here could be the very last thing he would have of her. Once this is over, she may be gone for good. She's indeed in front of him barely alive, but the stakes are too tense to hope she'll actually pull through, especially when her assailant is still on the loose.
After taking a breath, he plays the video.
The video starts with Amber adjusting the camera. Once that's done she sits back down and clears her throat. "Hey, Patrick." Patrick takes a look at the time stamp. It was the first Birthday when he was alone, the year she left. "I know seeing this video might be a bit of shock to you because of my sudden disappearance." Amber looks down with a sad expression. "Honestly, I cannot find the right words. I wanted to tell you everything that has happened. Starting with why I had to leave without saying a word." Patrick can tell the guilt must be taking her. "Anyways, if you are watching this, then it's possible that you know the truth about what is going on in this world, and that I'm probably dead too." Patrick can feel his hand shaking hearing her mention her being dead. "Firstly, I want to wish you a happy birthday. I remember all the fun times we had together. Even though it's only been three years, they are very precious to me. It must be hard for you to be all alone on your birthday. I hope you are doing okay. You must be lonely and miserable. Even though it is your birthday, I made a Birthday Wish for you, and I wish that you would find the courage to live on. Being able to spend today with the people who love you, the ones who care about you. I may not be able to fulfill that wish physically, but I'll be with you in spirit. Take care, little brother."
And the video ends.
Patrick doesn't move, doesn't speak. He only loosens his grip on the scroll until it falls right out of his hand and hits the ground. A tear slides out of his eyes, clearly, he wasn't prepared for this, even buries his head in his hands. Sitting alone in a dark room with his dead sister.
Mashika is at her desk in her classroom going over lessons and paperwork. The whole time she's bummed, thinking about Patrick. Given his behavior earlier today she wishes she could do something for the birthday boy, but she too knows just how stubborn he is with his ways.
"For once, can't he just lighten up instead of being tied down to his own past?" Mashika pops open a bottle of wine and starts drinking it.
"Hey, Ms. Kirei." Mashika is startled. She spits out what she drinks and starts coughing.
"M-Mr. Aki?" Mashika coughs in between words. "What are you...Doing here? ...I think I drank down the wrong pipe."
As she's coughing, Patrick takes the bottle she was drinking out of and takes notice that it is alcohol. "Should a teacher really be drinking on the job?"
Mashika clears her throat once she settles. "I don't think it's anything to worry about. I'm pretty much immune to being drunk."
"You're high tolerant but I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean you're immune," Patrick says.
"Whatever you say, love." Mashika puts away some of the paperwork. "Anyways, what are you doing here? I thought you wanted to be alone on...you know, today."
"Yeah. That." Now Patrick feels awkward remembering what he said to her earlier. "I had some alone time. While I was, I uh...did some thinking." In other words, seeing Amber's video she made for him. "While I am still against this whole day, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take up on your offer."
Mashika is excited to hear that. "Really? My, this is so unexpected of you."
"Yeah, well, don't get too comfortable. I don't want to do anything major. Or even want this to even be like a Birthday Celebration." Patrick says.
"All right, Love. Don't worry, we'll just take it slow and steady. We'll even call it a Personal Day."
"Please don't." Patrick says.
"I'll be done soon, why don't you return to the dorm and met me outside the school at 2?" Mashika says.
"Fine." Patrick takes his leave. Once he's gone, Mashika silently cheers to herself.
Patrick returns to the dorm, just waiting for Mashika to finish up with school work. Much to his luck, the dorm is empty. His team having other things to do on the weekend. When the time has come, Patrick starts heading out. He waits just outside of the Beacon Academy. Not long when he started to wait, Mashika shows up.
"Hey, Mr. Aki. You ready to go, love?" Mashika says.
"Yeah. Let's just get this over with." He says.
"Aww come on, can't you just lighten up?" Mashika asks. Patrick doesn't say anything. The answer is pretty obvious. The two of them begin their day taking a walk around town. "So, where does the special boy of the day want to go for today?"
"Wish you wouldn't treat me like I'm special today," Patrick says, annoyed.
As they wandered through town they do some sightseeing, Mashika trying to find a good place to take Patrick. They arrive at the city park. Even in the autumn season, it's still as pretty as it was in the spring, with most of the leaves turning orange. They walk on the path, once and a while crossing other people.
Mashika makes a stop once she spotted an Ice Cream Cart. She tells Patrick to wait, having him sit on a bench. After a few minutes of waiting, a hand holding ice cream on a cone appears before him. Patrick looks up to see Mashika holding two cones, one of them she's offering, with a smile on her face.
"No thanks. I have zero interest in sweets." Patrick says.
"Aww, come on. Every teenager lovers sugar." Mashika says.
"Sheesh." Patrick has no other choice but to accept the ice cream. The two of them sat on the park bench in silence. Mashika is enjoying her ice cream, while Patrick shows little interest. He only stares at it for a moment, then takes a lick. The moment the taste of the sweet cold vanilla hits him, Patrick is surprised. A sudden memory flash hits his mind.
He finds his younger self being offered the same ice cream. From Amber. Patrick actually had experienced a moment like this but became long forgotten. Patrick shakes his head to return to reality and eats his ice cream.
After ice cream, Mashika and Patrick continue their walk. Patrick feels lost in thought, just following Mashika while his mind is elsewhere. He never thought he would remember a moment he and Amber had together. Not on his birthday of all day. Ozpin did point out he use to have some enjoyment with Amber and Patrick knows that is true. Patrick lets out a sigh.
"Hmm?" Mashika heard that. "Did you say something, Mr. Aki?"
"No," Patrick says. "Anyway, where to next?"
Mashika comes to a stop at a movie theater. "How about we see a movie? I heard there's a new movie called The Starving Games. I thought it might sound cool."
"Sounds more like a documentary about world hunger," Patrick says.
Mashika could help but laugh, thinking it was meant to be a joke on the title. "Well, it's nothing like that, love. It's about a young spirited female archer participating in an arena."
"Is that so? All right, let's check it out." Patrick says.
Patrick and Mashika go into the theater, taking their seats to watch the movie. As they watch, they realize the movie isn't just what Mashika talked about. The female Archer, Katnip, was a hunter in a poor family living in Distract L. Every year the Government forces the children, a boy, and a girl, of the twelve districts to participate in an arena to fight to the death. But Katnip rises from ashes to reach the top and defy the will of the government, show them that she is more than what they force her to be.
Once the movie is over the sun is starting to set. Everyone is leaving the theater, with Patrick and Mashika among them. "The movie was different than I was expecting." Mashika pulls Patrick out of the crowd. Once they're alone she leans in. "Uh. I hope seeing that movie didn't bring up...you know, unmentionable moments."
Patrick's expression hardens, he knows what she's referring to. "While I admit it did show a similar simulation. But in general, the movie wasn't bad."
Mashika is happy to hear that. Suddenly, there's a stomach growl. Patrick's stomach. Mashika laughs at that happening. "I suppose it's time for dinner. Let's go, I know a place."
Mashika takes Patrick to a restaurant called Wine and Grilled. Some of the waitresses were familiar with Mashika. Patrick finds it a bit surprising, yet at the same time, he sees it happening. Patrick and Mashika are taken to their seats. "Order whatever you like, money's no object," Mashika says. Patrick doesn't object, mostly knowing there's no talking her out of this. They have both made their orders.
The waitress takes their menus but does not leave. She instead stays put. "So who's this young man? Your boyfriend?"
Mashika jumped in surprise? "Huh?! Boyfriend?!" Patrick's surprised but he's really more frustrated. Even says in his thoughts, 'Why does everyone keep saying that with every girl I'm with?' Mashika nervously laughs. "Don't be ridiculous. He's not my boyfriend." Patrick takes a sip of water just before she speaks the next sentence. "He's my little brother." Patrick shallower hard in shock and starts coughing once he stops drinking.
"Oh, so this is the younger brother you mentioned." The waitress gets a close look at him. "Hmm...He doesn't look much like you, but he sure is cute." Patrick only offers an annoyed exhale as the waitress leaves.
Alone now, Patrick gives Mashika a glare. "Little brother? Really?"
"What? You always told me you didn't approach me treating you like a son. Plus they wouldn't buy a woman of my age having a son of your age." Mashika says.
"And yet you didn't think to tell them I'm a student of your school?" Patrick says.
"Now where's the fun in that, Love?" Mashika asks.
Patrick scoffs. "I don't even know why I bother arguing with you." Patrick and Mashika wait in silence for their meal. Patrick rather not ask but can't help but wonder about one thing. "So, how do the staff know you so well?"
"They host drinking contests here so I come to participate in them," Mashika says.
"Of course you do," Patrick says in an obvious tone.
"I came here and I won the tournament for three years straight." Mashika.
"Should they even allow someone of your...tolerance to be allowed?" Patrick asks.
"Probably not, but they don't seem to mind. They believe it attracts a ton of challengers and customers, certainly got packed last year." Mashika says. "The contest starts the night after Halloween and ends at New Years," Patrick gives a surprised look, he's about to ask but she answers him before he could. "Those who drink in the contest can take the time to recover. It's a fun festival to be at. You should really come along, get to watch, and cheer me on in the crowd."
"Hard pass," Patrick says, uninterested.
Their meal finally arrives. As they eat, Patrick feels lost in thought. The meal before him doesn't give him a flashback like the ice cream in the park did, but instead he thinks about Amber and the message he received. He did once enjoy his birthdays when she was around, then started hating them sometime after her disappearance.
"By the way." Patrick returns his attention to Mashika when she speaks. "I've been meaning to ask. How is she doing?"
"She?" Patrick asks.
"You know." Mashika looks around at first then she leans in and whispers. "Miss Akimura and the Incident."
"I see," Patrick says. "She is doing better. But I have no idea how much she'll recover."
"I have taken notice of her behavior around other boys," Mashika says. "But I'm sure it'll be all right in the end."
"Indeed. She may not be like her mother but she does have her spirit." Patrick says, thinking back when Selena spoke against Gaia.
"If I may ask, when are you going to tell her and your team about your past?" Mashika asks.
Patrick glares at her. "Never." Mashika tells him to ease up and they both continue eating.
With their plates nearly empty, a waitress comes by and she delivers two glass beverages for them. "Drinks on the house." She looks at Mashika, handing her drink. "One for our drinking champion," then at Patrick handing him his. "And one for the birthday boy."
Patrick is startled hearing then, then turns to Mashika in hostile. "You told her!?"
Mashika nervously laughs. "Whoops. I forgot I told some of the staff. But that was before I knew how you really felt." Mashika turns to the waitress. "Patrick is kind of sensitive about this specific date. He doesn't even want anyone knowing or mentioning it."
The waitress is surprised to hear that. "Really? That's strange."
"Trust me, I know," Mashika asks.
Patrick groans in irritation. "I'm sitting right here you know." Then takes a sip of his drink.
"Sorry, sorry. We were only just saying-" Mashika becomes alert when suddenly Patrick collapses onto the table. Mashika lets out a yell, even got some of the other employees to take notice, and stands up to his side. "Patrick! Are you okay, love?"
"I...suddenly feel heavy...and my eyes won't stop spinning." He says in a weak tone.
"Wha?" Mashika is confused but then observes the drink he was given, even tastes it. Startled, she turns to the waitress that served them. "You gave him Liquor!?"
The waitress panics. "Wha! S-sorry! I'm sorry. You said he was your brother so I thought he would prefer it."
"That doesn't mean you can just give him a drink! He's 17!" She shouts at the waitress.
A waiter and another waitress eyes on the unconscious Patrick. "Seriously? He's knocked out after taking a sip?" The waiter asks.
"He really can't hold his alcohol, can't he?" The second waitress asks.
"He's underaged! He's not supposed to!" Mashika argues.
Mashika doesn't spend another minute staying in that restaurant. After what happened, she decided to head straight back to Beacon Academy, carrying the knocked-out drunken student on a piggyback. Patrick is out like a light with his face partly red and groaning tiresome.
"We're almost there, Patrick," Mashika tells him. "Hmm. Maybe I should take you to my room. I'm sure you weren't want to blab about everything in your drunken state."
"That's a good instructor, Mashika." Mashika is a bit surprised to hear Patrick. "You are always looking out for me. Looking out for other students." Patrick's tone sounds much softer, with a hint of a drunken quietness. Mashika doesn't take his words too seriously, knowing he's only saying such things cause of his condition. "You are a good instructor. A good aunt. A good mother. Always looking out for me and treating me like the son you never had. I think that makes you a wonderful mother." Patrick lets out weak laughter then drifts back into slumber.
"He must be really drunk if he's talking like this," Mashika says to herself.
Mashika takes Patrick straight to her home. Most of the time, Patrick has been unconscious. Since there's no other room, she had him sleeping on the couch. The next morning, Patrick starts to awaken, very slowly. He groans in tired agony. He starts sitting up. The ice pack that rested upon his forehead falls onto his lap. He then puts a hand on his forehead.
"Oh...My head." He says.
"Well, nice to see you sober again, Love," Mashika says.
"S...So...ber?" Patrick asks.
"You mean you don't remember?" Mashika asks.
"I...I remember having dinner. Then...Everything's a blank afterward." Patrick says.
Mashika explains to him what happened, how he was mistakenly given alcohol and he passed out after taking a sip. And after that happened, Mashika carried him back to Beacon. She pointed out how she decided it was better to take him to her home rather than his dorm so he doesn't go blabbing in his drunken state.
"I see...Just another reason to hate my birthday." Patrick says.
"Now don't be like that, love. It was just an unfortunate accident." Mashika says.
"Whatever." Patrick gets up from the coach. The moment he stands he loses his balance. He starts walking but it's all funny looking.
Mashika grabs him by the arm. "H-Hey. You're not fully recovered. You should rest some more."
Patrick forces his arm out of her grip. "I don't need to rest. I...just need some air. I'll walk it off." Mashika doesn't stop him, knowing how stubborn he can be. Patrick is by the door, but he doesn't leave. "By the way...I still dislike the existence of October 9th. But..." Patrick clears his throat in his hesitation. "Thank you...for the time we've spent."
"Aww, looks like the big bad cold Shadow Hunter does have a warm heart," Mashika says.
"Oh shut up," Patrick says, then he leaves.
even when he is gone, Mashika smiles as she looks at the sunrise out the window. "It's good to know he hasn't changed that much."