Friday, June 12, 2009, Dark Hour

Tartarus, Floor 51

"Are you certain you do not want me to?" Kirijo asked as Makoto finished vaporizing a flock of cupid-like Shadows. "I really do not mind calling them. I could very easily convince them to rent it out."

"Nah." Makoto shook his head, forgetting for a moment she couldn't see him. "Securing a whole theater just for the eight of us is a bit overkill."

"But it'd be cooooool." Kotone whined as she finished looting a suitcase of all its money. "What's the point of having connections if we don't abuse them?"

Makoto narrowed his eyes at her, as she smiled and coyly feigned innocence. "Because it would be an unreasonable burden on other people. Think about the people who want to actually see the movies that are supposed to be airing that day."

Junpei stabbed his sword into the floor. "Screw 'em!"

"Yeah! Screw 'em!" Kotone punched the air.

Yukari sighed. "You guys are incorrigible."

"Hell yeah!" They cheered.

"You don't even know what that means!" She yelled back at them.

"Not at all!" They yelled back in unison.

"We could also use the computer room on the fourth floor." Fuuka opined. "If that's alright with you senpai."

Kirijo hummed approvingly "It certainly would probably be a more comfortable viewing experience than everyone being packed in the living room with that small TV. Technically we're not supposed to use it for anything but official SEES-related business...but since the Chairman isn't present, I suppose I can permit it. "

Makoto looked at his teammates, all of whom seemed content with the idea. "Sounds good to us senpai."

"Very well." She said with a hint of frivolity. "Operation Binge Watch The Sun Battle Original Trilogy commences this Sunday."

"Woooo!" Junpei and Kotone cheered, as Yukari shook her head.

"Woo." Makoto said.

Yukari glared at him. "Don't encourage them."

As they started chatting away, Kotone saw something out of the corner of her eye. "Head's up guys," she swung her naginata around, aimed directly at an oncoming flock of avian Shadows, "we got some more coming."

"Alright." Junpei adjusted his cap. "Let's show these feathered freaks what's up. Hermes!"

Saturday, June 13, 2009, 6:12 PM

Paulownia Mall, Game Panic

"Owwww." Junpei whined in between blowing air on his knuckles. "Geez, I didn't think it'd hurt that much."

"Told you." Sanada said with a smug grin as he patted the punching bag. "You want to score higher, you gotta work for it."

Junpei pouted. "Just rub it in why don't you."

"Don't worry Junpei," Makoto put his hand on the other boy's shoulder, "I did badly too."

"Don't patronize me dude, you got a better score then me."

Shinjiro rolled his eyes. "Why don't you spend less time whining and more time working out. It's not like me or Aki sat on our asses all day in junior year."

"Yeah, yeah." Junpei said. "Geez, I invited you guys out to have some fun, not to hear you nag like Kirijo-senpai."

Shinjiro snarled as Makoto and Sanada chuckled. "Shut up. I don't nag. And especially not as bad as Mitsuru."

"So what's next?" Makoto asked as they began to leave the arcade. "We've played basically everything available in Game Panic. The only other thing I can think of is...karaoke upstairs?"

"Sounds good to me." Junpei said. "Mandragora's pretty fun. Should prolly pick up some lozenges from the pharmacy first."

Shinjiro shrugged, while Sanada shook his head. "Nah. Not really my thing."

"Aight, if you're too scared to sing, that's fine." Junpei said offhandedly.

Sanada stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, staring Junpei down with narrowed eyes. "I'm not scared."

Junpei held up his hands, as a grin slowly spread across his face. "It's alright senpai, we all got somethin' we're afraid of, if yours is public singing, I understand. I won't make you do it."

Rolling his eyes, Shinjiro walked up to his friend. "Aki, come on, don't take the ba-"

"We're doing it." Sanada said forcefully. "Right now. I'll prove to you I'm not afraid."

"Goddammit." He muttered as Sanada stomped off to Mandragora. He turned and glared at Junpei. "You're paying for this too, you little weasel."

"Yeah, yeah." A still-grinning Junpei said.

As the three walked to Mandragora, Makoto stepped onto the stairs and saw a flash of blue light. He stopped and looked. There was a small alcove down beneath the entrance to the karaoke place. Up until now he had never paid much attention to, having rarely looked in the direction of the place, let alone loitered near the entrance.

It appeared to have nothing, but...

"Dude." Makoto craned his head up to Junpei, waiting at the top of the stairs. "You coming?"

"Yeah, one sec." Makoto walked down into the alcove. There really was nothing there, not even a light to illuminate this empty space under the karaoke bar. It was just a dark and empty corner. He knew that objectively there's no reason for anything special to be here. Despite this, Makoto felt like something was...missing.

He gently placed his hand on the wall, unsure why he expected it to open.

"Hey." Makoto flinched as he turned around, seeing Junpei. "You OK man?"

"Y-Yeah." Makoto turned back to the wall. "I thought I saw something down here."

Junpei shrugged. "It's just a wall. Ain't nothing here."

"I guess, yeah." They turned and left, preparing themselves for a singing competition against Sanada.

Sunday, June 14, 2009, 2:00 pm

Iwatodai Dormitory, Ground Floor

"This is...incredibly yellow."

As Kotone and Fuuka were busy setting up the console to work with the DVD player, Kirijo looked down at the bucket of popcorn on the table – sandwiched between the soda, peanuts, chocolate bars, mochi, and one protein milkshake – with an incredibly suspicious gaze. Indeed, Makoto had yet to see her ever look so cautious and hesitant towards anything, even the Shadows they fought.

Junpei grinned. "That's the sweet, sweet golden butter that makes it so good, senpai."

"This cannot be healthy." She protested.

Makoto grabbed a handful. "We're here for a good time, not a long time."

Shinjiro and Sanada also both began digging in. "Nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence." The brown-haired boy said between bites.

"If you insist..."

"It's good." A hoarse Sanada said before coughing.

Shinjiro rolled his eyes. "Don't choke, dumbass."

"S-Shut up." He said between coughs.

"AAALLLLLLRIGHT!" Kotone yelled and flashed them a peace sign. "The DVD player is all hooked up. The legend of Duke Airrunner begins now!"

Makoto held up one of the Sun Battle DVD cases. "Uh, don't you have to put in the disc first?"

"...the legend of Duke Airrunner begins in one minute." Kotone said, less enthusiastically, as she took the case from Makoto.

"But don't we gotta wait through all of the stuff before the movie starts?" Junpei asked. "Like the pre-roll and the commercials and all that?"

"...the legend of Duke Airrunner begins in several minutes." Kotone said, all enthusiasm dispersed as she put in the disc and fiddled with the remote controller.

Yukari stood up, her phone buzzing. "Hold up, can we wait a sec? One of my friends from archery club is calling, I have to take this."

"Actually," Fuuka said with a blush as Yukari left the room, "if you'll excuse me, I forgot to grab my drinks from downstairs."

Shinjiro stood up. "Just as well, I gotta take a leak. Be right back."

"Me too." Junpei said.

"I'm gonna go refill my milkshake." Sanada said before having another coughing fit.

Kirijo looked at the popcorn nervously. "I...will go get something more healthy to eat, if you two will excuse me."

As they were the only two left, Kotone groaned, fell to her knees, and slammed her face on the table.

"There, there." Makoto leaned over and patted Kotone on her back. "The movie marathon will start eventually. I think."

"At this rate we won't even finish before the Dark Hour!" She groused.

"We have almost ten hours." Makoto said. "And the movies are, like, seven hours total?"

"My life is a never-ending onslaught of pain and suffering." Kotone said dramatically. "Woe is me! Woe is me!"

Makoto chuckled. "At least you didn't have your hand cut off like Duke did."

"Hey!" Kotone poked him in the chest. "Spoilers!"

Makoto narrowed his eyes. "...you've seen this movie before."

"Still!" Makoto pinched her cheek and pulled it back. "Ouch!"

"No complaining." He said as he let go. "Or at least have real complaints."

"Geez." She rubbed her cheek. "I can't even be a little silly without being persecuted by you or Yukari."

"Nope."

She chuckled. "But really though, I'm glad we're all doing something together." She sat next to him on the sofa and crossed her legs together. "Ever since Junpei and Fuuka-chan joined, it feels like we've all really come together as more than just a team, you know?"

"Yeah?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah. When I joined SEES last year, things were pretty different. The dorm was really...stuffy, I guess? I dunno the right word. There was just this big wall between me and the seniors. We'd never use this room for anything but SEES stuff. It's only when Yukari joined that the mood kind of lightened up. Then you guys all joined in April, and the place just got a lot...happier." Her eyes sparkled with joy. "I'm glad I met you guys."

Makoto smiled. "I-"

"O-Oh." They turned to see Fuuka, carrying two big cups. "Where'd everyone go?"

"Fuuka-chan!" Kotone ran over and hugged the green-haired girl, causing her to jump up and nearly spill her drinks. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"W-What's going on!?"

Makoto chuckled and walked over to them. "Let me get those drinks."

"You're the best!" Kotone picked her up and swung her around.

"T-Thank you!?" She squeaked out.

As she put the smaller, and thoroughly confused, girl down, Kotone turned and flashed a peace-sign to Makoto. "Today's gonna be a great day! Ain't nothing going to ruin this movie marathon for us!"

Northeast of the Tatsumi Port Island, deep inside of the mainland's dizzying array of tightly compact streets, was an apartment complex. A mix of married couples, their children, single young adults, and retirees made up the majority of the residents. In midst of the Dark Hour, it didn't look like anything that could be considered livable.

"So this is the location?" Takaya asked Jin. "Such a nice humble abode."

But none of that was of interest to either man. Instead, they were here for one reason and one reason alone.

"Can't believe we're getting this big of a payday to put down a teacher of all people." Jin snorted as they stood outside the door of one particular tenant. "Guess some people can't do, and can't teach."

With mere thoughts, Takaya summoned Hypnos to the other end of the door, using him to unlock and open it for them. "Whatever the case may be," he said as they entered the place, the walls decorated with reproductions of classical paintings and Heian period calligraphy, "we're here to do a job and to do it well. The motives of our esteemed customer are irrelevant. We of Strega are merely humble servants to that end."

Jin chuckled. "Yeah." They walked around, Takaya scouting the living room, and Jin the bedroom. The latter man quickly spotted a coffin, wedged in the door frame of the bathroom. "Well, time to pry this baby open and be done for the night."

"Indeed." Takaya said with a smile as he readied his revolver. "Now if you'll do the honors Jin."

The man in green pulled out his Evoker and aimed it at his head. "With pleasure."