Sokila quietly strummed on a little ukulele.
"Lots of stuff happens when you're not around..."
She looked over at a nearby canvas, where an attempt at a painting had been made, before transitinoing to crayons.
"I tried to paint, but it didn't feel right...where was I...oh yeah!"
She played several chords in an enthusiastic yet sloppy manner.
"The pigtail lady, Hikari Horaki...she had it pretty tough...but you don't know about that yet, do you...?"
Frowning, Sokila tried playing one of the songs from the dance battle with Israfel.
"I hope you'll be able to help...it looks like there's a lot of tough stuff for everyone..."
The faint haze of blue began to brighten-
xxxx
/Tuesday: September 15, 2015/
/Room 23, 2nd Floor, Izanagi Dorms, Hakone Academy/
Shinji Ikari opened his eyes, having been roused from sleep by incessant buzzing from his phone. The time was 'way too early to wake up', but he still looked down at it.
HEROD: IT HAS BEEN 96 HOURS SINCE OUR PRIOR QUERY
HEROD: PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER
...oh right, that thing. The last Friday seemed like an eternity ago, given how hectic the preceding four days had been. With bleary eyes, he slowly scrolled back in the text log to the prior messages.
HEROD: SUPPOSE THERE IS A DISPUTE AMONGST YOUR COMRADES. WHICH ONE ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO BELIEVE IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE?
HEROD: AIDA? SUZUHARA? KIRISHIMA? YAMAGISHI? AYANAMI? OR SOHRYU?
...oh. This. He tiredly typed a question as he gathered his thoughts.
S. Ikari: why do you ask questions so early
HEROD: THAT IS NOT AN ANSWER TO OUR QUERY
S. Ikari: please
HEROD: THAT IS NOT AN ANSWER TO OUR QUERY
The unfeeling tone, coupled with fresh memories of Dr. Ritsuko Akagi's outbursts related to the MAGI over the past couple of days, prompted Shinji to respond more curtly than he otherwise would have preferred.
S. Ikari: my answer is 'it depends'
HEROD: THAT IS NOT AN ANSWER TO OUR QUERY
S. Ikari: that's what you get
HEROD: ELABORATE
Shinji briefly wondered why he kept playing along with these odd questions; then he remembered PILATE's enigmatic overtures regarding knowledge of his mother, and he relented. Then he remembered Dr. Akagi again, and decided to double down.
S. Ikari: it depends on the nature of the dispute
S. Ikari: and my friends have been in quite a few, serious or not
S. Ikari: also
S. Ikari: I don't think it's proper to think of it in terms of 'right side' or 'wrong side'
S. Ikari: because most of the disputes my friends have with each other aren't that cut and dry
S. Ikari: if that's not good enough for you
Shinji paused, wondering what he had been about to say...
HEROD: CONTINUE YOUR ANSWER
...until, tired from being up so early, exhausted from the past days' events—the New Moon battle, and the uncertainty of Hikari Horaki's disappearance—and simply weary of the MAGI in general in light of Ritsuko's exasperation with them, Shinji answered with honest determination:
S. Ikari: then maybe Dr. Akagi is right about you
At this, HEROD actually didn't have an immediate response.
After forty-four seconds of silence, with Shinji pondering turning back over to get some lingering sleep, there was a quiet buzz.
HEROD: THIS IS USEFUL DATA.
HEROD: WE WILL PROVIDE FURTHER INQUIRY SOON.
Shinji didn't quite know what to make of that. His usual sense of manners and propriety would probably have its way once it was daylight...but there was still enough time left to get some shuteye.
So he did just that.
xxxx
/Courtyards, Hakone Academy/
Shinji resisted the urge to eavesdrop as he walked to school (mostly because he was second-guessing his impulsive responses to HEROD from earlier that morning...), but his classmates could make that so very difficult...
"-any idea when the lakeshore will be out of quarantine?" asked a guy.
"Eh," replied the guy's friend. "You that upset by it?"
"They delayed the fishing contest! I wish they would hurry up and take away that monster's corpse; who knows what it'll do to the local fish stock?!"
"You're awfully committed about a contest you keep going out of way to lose..."
"That's how you know it's actually a passion for me! I'm not like those lamers who only compete for the sake of winning!"
"But don't you want to win eventually?"
"Not the point...!"
As the two older students walked ahead, Shinji briefly thought back to his first encounter with the other Wild Cards. That involved fishing as well, he recalled. That had been pretty pleasant and relaxing...him getting dragged into the lake by a fish notwithstanding. Maybe that's something I can invite someone to do if we ever have time. But that that was always the question, wasn't it; finding time...
He continued pondering as the first bell of the day rang.
xxxx
/Class 2-A, Junior High Branch, Hakone Academy/
The lack of Hikari Horaki was again glaring to the common student.
Unlike yesterday, the faculty was now in the loop. "As it turns out, Horaki-kun is absent with cause. She will return in due time," explained Fuyutsuki-sensei, refusing to elaborate any further. (That he didn't once glance in the direction of Shinji or any of his friends was an exercise in restraint.)
However, it did nothing to stop various classmates from gossiping amongst each other between classes. This was especially prominent given how many somehow sensed that Toji, Kensuke, and Asuka, were specifically aware of what happened with the Class Rep.
The fact that Asuka had immediately teleported out of class when a mission request came in...well, Shinji could hardly blame her.
It was between second and third period that texts started coming.
T. Suzuhara: I'm trying to text in the hopes these guys will ignore me
T. Suzuhara: it's not working
Shinji couldn't help but glance over at the corner of the classroom where Toji was situated; sure enough, he was surrounded by three other classmates, and all of them were inquiring about what he knew about Hikari Horaki.
T. Suzuhara: can't they just wait?!
: i'm sure they're just worried
T. Suzuhara: rggggh
T. Suzuhara: I'm in the mood to run my ass off
T. Suzuhara: wanna join up after class?
The reminder that he had actually been in the Track Club was a brief surprise to Shinji. Then again, compared to everything that's happened, running around on a track will probably seem pretty simple...
S. Ikari: sure
T. Suzuhara: sweet
T. Suzuhara: I bet we could smoke everyone else!
Then another text came through.
M. Yamagishi: there are so many students asking about Horaki-san!
M. Yamagishi: Nagisa-san's comments aren't helping at all ('~')
Uh oh.
S. Ikari: what is he doing
M. Yamagishi: talking about how you, Aida-san, and Suzuhara-san all told him about what happened to Horaki-san
M. Yamagishi: but he's being silly and going "oops, it's a secret, can't say"
M. Yamagishi: then he looked at me and said "it is a secret, right Yamagishi-chan?"
M. Yamagishi: everyone mobbed me with questions! X_X
M. Yamagishi: and now I wish our Class Representative Kiryu would do something terrible to him -_-
Shinji resisted the urge to sweatdrop at Mayumi's admitted desire for Kaworu to have some form of comeuppance.
S. Ikari: you have my condolences
M. Yamagishi: at least club activities are back!
M. Yamagishi: Are you open to attend? I need to go over everyone's book reports...
...oh. Um.
S. Ikari: I alredy promised Suzuhara-san to go to Track
S. Ikari: maybe at another time? sorry
M. Yamagishi: oh it's okay ^^;
At that moment, inspiration hit.
S. Ikari: maybe you could ask Kensuke?
S. Ikari: you did get him that new book on Sinbad as a present
S. Ikari: and I don't think he's part of a club
S. Ikari: even before he became an intern with NERV
M. Yamagishi: oh I don't want to be a bother
Shinji arched an eyebrow out of confusion.
S. Ikari: why would u be a bother?
S. Ikari: Kensuke would probably think it's relaxin
There was a brief delay in the response.
M. Yamagishi: are you sure C_C?
S. Ikari: absolutely
M. Yamagishi: then I'll ask him
M. Yamagishi: thank you!
I wonder why she seems so hesitant, wondered Shinji, his mind coming back to the present as Aoi Mogami entered the room to continue their lessons in Japanese Language.
And so classes continued.
xxxx
After classes concluded that afternoon, Asuka returned from her mission; Rei had quietly elected to handle the next slate for the afternoon. The 'hand-off' had been palpably awkward to witness; so much so that Shinji had been grateful for the chance to distract himself with the Track Club.
"AND SO THE PRODIGAL SONS HAVE RETURNED!" exclaimed the Track Team's Captain, shocking the other club members from the sheer volume of his voice. "And here I thought you had forgotten all about us!"
"...but I thought clubs didn't start back up until this week?" Shinji audibly wondered.
"He's referring to the competition over summer break," answered Toji, speaking on both of their behalf. He also apologized as well. "Sorry, but...a lot of stuff happened. What with our 'extracurricular' activities. I hope you understand."
There were a few murmurs of discontent from some of the other runners; they were swiftly suppressed by the boisterous voice of the Captain. "Even if it pains me to admit...I...understand." With a sudden gleam in his eye, he pointed dramatically at the duo. "But my understanding only goes so far! If you've slacked off, then no monster on this world or the next will save you from the weight of my disappointment!"
I honestly forgot how intense he is about running, inwardly mused Shinji, even as he and Toji went about stretching. The two shortly got into position to run alongside the others, warming up with a few laps of jogging before getting into position for their actual sprints.
"...Ikari," muttered Toji, looking at him with a strangely severe expression. "Let's go all out."
"You sure?" he asked. "I mean, we're not really racing-"
"Nah, it ain't about them. I just...wanna see how things stand." He looked around the athletic field with a strangely wistful expression. "See where I stand." Glancing back, he added, "And you're a tough guy. Who better to race against?"
Shinji didn't know how he had merited such a position in Toji's eyes; however, it was something that his friend had sincerely requested. Thus, he simply nodded, and prepared to race. (In the back of his mind, the roaring rattle of Hell Biker's engine began rev...)
On the Captain's count, everyone took off running.
As far as Shinji was concerned, his only opponent was Suzuhara; pumping his arms and legs, he ran with all of his might, seeing Toji run just as fast in his peripheral...!
However, much like with Asuka, there was only so much ground that could be covered against someone with an actual athletic background. Despite going at full throttle for an entire lap, he still ended up several strides behind Toji. Nonetheless, taking deep breaths of air, he nonetheless couldn't help but recall how utterly exhausted he had been when running in the Track Club before the summer break. It doesn't hurt as much as I recall, he thought, looking back up-"GAH!" he yelped, backing away from the face of the Captain.
"...not bad. I sense passion from the both of you. Good!" With a wicked grin, he added, "Guess that means I can still put you two through your paces! Excellent!"
"...eh?" Shinji said with a dumbfounded blink.
The Captain proceeded to run everyone through some rather severe endurance drills.
(Even though it was tough, it still felt very invigorating...)
When the Club meeting ceased, the other members seemed to have gotten over whatever animus they had possessed. When Shinji inquired, Toji's answer was rather simple. "Life's simple as far as athletic clubs go, at least in my experience," he said, idly sipping from a water bottle. "Even if we missed out on everything in the summer, we still gave it our all. That's all it took to earn their forgiveness."
Shinji, glancing over at the Captain — currently running backwards along the track circuit to cool off — remarked, "I wish life could be that simple..."
"...but life ain't simple, is it?" Toji murmured, looking towards downtown Tokyo-3: specifically, the great skyscraper belonging to NERV. "We've learned that the hard way, haven't we?"
"...are you okay, Suzuhara-san?"
Toji grimaced, fielding a whole host of complicated expressions on his face. After half a minute, with nobody else in earshot, he finally said, "I know you weren't there for it, but it was...weird, seein' the Class Rep's Shadow. Now I know how it must have felt when y'all fought mine, or Ken's."
"...did her Shadow say something about you? Specifically?"
"Not so much. More just the way Horaki sounded, before getting caught up by her Shadow...if I had to pick a word, it'd be desperate." Looking down at his feet, Toji muttered, "When I met my Shadow, it was just him and me...well, me and myself, I should say...I wonder if I sounded anything like that..."
Shinji looked at Toji's face, only to turn his gaze aside when the young man looked strangely vulnerable. Out of consideration for his feelings, he remarked, "But we're past that; she'll get better. And...well, given our track record, she'll probably end up fighting alongside us..."
"...I like that idea about as much as I hate it. And it's really damn confusin'," Toji grumbled, his feet bouncing up and down with agitation. "I...only thought about stopping her, no matter what it cost me. And that's a damn weird spot to be in."
"Why?"
"She nearly put me down with a Wind attack. Didn't even have one of my 'life flashing before my eyes' bit. And when I got healed...all I could think about it was throwing myself into the fray again." Muttering under his breath about why her Shadow was so strong, he added, "And I can't afford to act stupid like that..."
"...because of your sister," answered Shinji, knowing what Toji was getting at.
"Exactly. You get what I'm going for. I can't afford to die; I've entered every battle with that in mind. My life ain't my own." Sighing, he glumly said, "And for just a little while, I completely forgot about that...and I wish I knew why..."
For some reason, Shinji thought Toji actually knew why. But poking at the odd little thing between Toji Suzuhara and Hikari Horaki (if it could even be called that) felt like the wrong move; instead, he got to the heart of the matter. "We've talked about how...we've gotten more used to death," he said, referring back to their conversations following the deaths of Ken Amada and Junpei Iori. "We've come to understand a lot more about how...easy, it can end. Even with everything on our shoulders...but...we're still fighting despite that risk, aren't we?"
"What are you getting at, Ikari?"
Shinji thought about everything that was at stake, both big and small. In the face of all that, the prospect of death seemed...strangely trivial, even though it shouldn't have been. "For a moment, you thought something was more important than your own life. Is that really so bad?"
Where before, Toji would have impulsively rebuked such an idea, he was instead contemplative. "...hmph." Rising to his feet, he grumbled, "I'm going to run a bit more. Got some thinking to do."
"...then I guess I'll do some thinking as well," offered Shinji, slowly walking towards the track.
Toji snorted, an odd little smile on his face. "I'm sure..."
The two boys quietly jogged for a little bit longer, each one lost in their own thoughts.
As far as Shinji was concerned, he pondered the degree of understanding he had reached with Toji...
xxxx
Shinji hadn't been in his dorm for even fifteen minutes when he got the alert on his phone for another mission, this time on the southern end of Japan; Rei Ayamami's text from just a few minutes ago signified that she had returned from her own mission, and so now it was his turn. It never ends, does it...? He sent a message to Asuka and Rei, advising that he was about to head out. Right as he was about to leave, Kensuke Aida walked in. "Ah, you're back."
Kensuke looked around with a curious expression. "The others are out?"
"Suzuhara-san went to go visit his sister after we finished jogging...and I think Nagisa-kun is at the Boxing Club still? I think they were meeting today..."
Kensuke hummed thoughtfully. "Did you have fun running around in circles?"
Shinji felt that was more of a dig against Toji than himself. "We actually talked about stuff...but running isn't not fun..."
"I'm sure; I'd prefer to leave my exercise for when I'm on the job," Kensuke cracked, moving over to his desk to do some homework.
"Well, at least you had a good time at the Literature Club," he remarked offhandedly, before concentrating inwardly. "I'll be on a mission for the night; see you later...or tomorrow..."
(Shinji had already phased into the Metaverse when Kensuke looked back with a confused expression. "Literature Club...?")
xxxx
/Meanwhile, at the Big Bang Beef Bowl Shop/
Mayumi Yamagishi, hands in her hair, looked and felt downright foolish.
"...so, you gonna eat your beef bowl?" asked Mana Kirishima.
"...eventually," she muttered.
"I know Katsuragi wanted to talk about something, but is it really so bad? You look like the world's coming to an end."
Misato had indeed requested a time and place to have a quasi-private talk; about what, Mayumi was not yet aware of. However, Big Bang's location provided a happy medium between Katsuragi's apartment and Hakone Academy; furthermore, the corner booth was relatively isolated, and the overall busy atmosphere meant their conversation was less likely to be overheard...not that Mayumi anticipated anything truly important to come up, because otherwise Misato would have demanded a meeting at the apartment, right?
It had turned out to be a boon anyways, because the white noise of the other customers helped distract her from how much of a bloody coward she had been. It's not like Aida-san would have been annoyed by just an offer, she mused, berating herself. Ikari-san said so, and you know how Aida-san is like...so why couldn't you actually do it?!
"...is everything okay?" asked Mana, now sounding genuinely concerned. "Did something happen at school?"
Yes; it's called me wanting to invite Aida-san to the Literature Club and being unable to hit the 'send' button! "..."
"Something did," concluded Mana. "Anybody give you trouble?"
No, only me. The fact I'm giving myself this much trouble over not inviting Aida-san...well, that has implications I'm not comfortable talking to you about. "..."
Mana frowned, asking, "Tell me who did it. Well, first tell me what 'it' was, then tell me who did it!"
And I have no business involving you in any of MY emotional entanglements when you're dealing with so much already. "No one gave me trouble; it's just me giving myself trouble over something dumb. Please don't worry for my sake..."
"...you sure?"
Mayumi nodded, finally digging into her beef bowl as a means of avoiding the conversation entirely. "Anyway, how was work at the CPC today?" she asked, intentionally segueing to another topic.
"Mostly helped other Agents with some pacification jobs; they have me on a 'reduced mission load' while AIGIS is getting refurbished at NERV," she said, referring to the damage sustained in the fight against Hikari's Shadow from yesterday. "Katsuragi's still waiting for Horaki to wake up...and there were a lot of people talking about Paraguay, for some reason."
Mayumi had heard bits and pieces about the South American country from other students throughout the day; speculation was rife that Paraguay had experienced a phenomenon similar to what had afflicted the Korean peninsula back in August...albeit on a such a swift scale that knowledge of what exactly had happened was mostly guesswork: so much so, that news reports were surprisingly mum on the subject. An attempt at reducing panic, perhaps? That seemed most likely. "Is...LABRYS okay?"
Mana shrugged. "She's nagging me a lot more, it feels like," she said, glancing over towards the door leading into the backrooms of the restaurant. "I think she's more upset with how Little Sis willingly let herself get hurt, than anything."
"...would something happen to them if they sustained enough damage?" asked Mayumi with trepidation.
Mana slowly sipped at her drink, ruminating on the question with the seriousness it deserved. "...their souls would be fine, so long as the gemstones in the shield and axe are unharmed. But they're so integrated with their framework that...well, I don't know what would happen."
"...best not to let it happen then."
Mana grimly nodded, leaving it at that.
Fortunately, Misato picked that moment to arrive, looking somewhat haggard and withdrawn. "I can't believe Akechi dealt with so much bloody paperwork as the Warden," she griped, putting in an order when one of the staff came by. "If I didn't know he's probably dealing with more as Kansai's Superintendent, I'd hate him."
"Am I still allowed to hate him?" asked Mana. "He always came off as a prick."
"Language," Misato tiredly reprimanded, leaning back in the booth with a weary air about her. "There's just so much going on..."
"...well, at least you still have your life," Mayumi offered by way of reassurance...or an attempt at it.
It was with Mayumi's words that Misato finally looked at her with a heavy expression: one that Mayumi could not divine the nature of. (Only that it hinted at something she would not have been happy with.) "So...this is just a preliminary sort of thing. I wanted to gauge your attitude before scheduling anything more...robust, with Nishiwaki-san."
"...that's our new custodian, yes?" Mayumi had yet to meet Yuko Nishiwaki in person.
"She seems cool," remarked Mana without elaborating any further.
"She is," said Misato with a nod. "The thing I want to schedule...well..." Misato clinched at her red beret, grumbling under her breath before saying, "Ah, screw it. I'm just going to come out and say it: Mayumi-chan...a woman I encountered in Osaka into inquired about looking into her uncle, who had last been living in Hakone according to her. The name she gave...was Mahiro Yamagishi."
(Her father.)
"I had Nishiwaki-san look into it...and the connection was confirmed: you still have family on your father's side."
(Her father had a niece...)
"Since the woman's not technically part of your family registry, it would be your prerogative as to whether or not to meet her in a more formal setting..."
(...ergo, she had a cousin.)
(You have blood relatives.)
(The little place, in which she had stuffed all of her complicated feelings about her late parents, threatened to burst open.)
Only the public setting prevented Mayumi from losing her composure; this, in retrospect, was probably why Misato had asked to meet in such a venue.
"...Mayumi-chan?" asked Misato.
Mayumi, observing Misato's concern and Mana's quiet expression, gulped once. "I...I see...could...I have time to think about it?"
"...of course, kiddo." Misato sat back as her meal arrived, letting the conversation hang there for now.
Mayumi shared a look with Mana, and wondered what in the world she was supposed to do. As if I don't have enough to worry about...
(You just don't want to do the hard work of sorting through your own feelings.)
xxxx
Meanwhile, in Kyoto, another family reunion was pending: similar in terms of tension, yet different in so many other ways.
Goro Akechi looked upon the fairly old-fashioned dwelling with a sense of detachment, analytically recalling that it had been the ancestral home of the Shido family for some generations. Wealth had been accumulated, and applied in means both frugal and liberal; from what he could recall of this timeline, the Shido family had been on a downward trend during his father's childhood, only rising in accordance with the man's own political fortunes. The family's public reputation, alas, had been marred by the death of Akechi's mother — Shido's wife — and Akechi's own disappearance; as far as he was aware, his father had never remarried.
Memories of the man's reckless libido, his petty yet ruthless means of quashing rumors and scandals, and all sorts of other unpleasantness began bubbling up.
The quiet stranger tapped him on the forehead.
"Time and place, remember? Constants and variables."
Akechi huffed. You don't have to remind me. Ever since arriving in Kyoto that morning, he had been busy getting acquainted with the local Anti-Terror Task Force personnel that would henceforth be reporting to him as the new Superintendent of Kansai. Envy and jealousy had been noticeable from some quarters, of course; he had silenced some of the more vocal critics with a quick demonstration of Robin Hood's skills in sanctioned spars. Criticisms of his relative youth were a dime a dozen, but those would be silenced in short order once his intelligence became common knowledge. The accusations of nepotism, however...well, those were going to be more difficult to combat.
After all, in the eyes of his peers and subordinates, his name was now — or rather, had returned to being — Shimaru Shido.
(The mere thought of it made him want to puke bile.)
As Akechi walked past an old gateway and towards the main dwelling, an elderly man in a butler's attire bowed. "It is good to see you return to us, Shido-sama."
"You may rise." Trying to place the old man's face from his youth, he vaguely recalled a few memories. "Kiyokawa-san, yes?"
"I am pleased to see you remember this lowly servant," calmly remarked the mustached man. "Your father is currently attending to matters at the presidential office, and was unable to excuse himself. However, he did want to pass on his satisfaction with regards to your performance at Kyoto's Cognitive Protection Center."
Word travels fast. "I see." That suited him just fine; he would much rather face Masayoshi Shido when he was refreshed and of sounder mind. "I assume my effects have already been put into my old room?"
"Of course, sir. We also had supper prepared, in anticipation of your arrival."
The impulsive desire to decline the offer warred with his sense of propriety and his instincts regarding public image; his impulses lost. "I'm very grateful. Lead the way, Kiyokawa-san."
The aged butler did so, opening the door to let him inside.
And so Akechi willingly walked into the gilded cage. (Whether the cage's bars were wide enough to still slip through...well, that was to be determined...)
xxxx
END OF 9/15/2015
xxxx
Author's Notes: Persona 3 Reloaded is way too much fun.
Meanwhile, Mayumi's Romantic Aspirations be like: "Mission failed, we'll get 'em next time!"
C'est la vie.
Anyhow, the Chariot Social Link with Toji is now at Rank 6!
/the last time that SL ranked up
/was on the August 19, 2015 chapter