"Hey…"
"Hey…"
"Hey!"
Dad's voice rousts you from a deep sleep. "C'mon, how long are you planning to sleep today? Doesn't class start in like, an hour? You're usually almost out the door by now, let's hustle already!"
"Huh?" you mumble groggily. Turning over to check your phone, you find that it's slipped off of its charging stand and died overnight.
"Shit," you breathe. "Language!" calls Dad on his way back downstairs.
With as much swiftness as your sleep-addled body can muster, you yank on your uniform, stumble downstairs, inhale some half-done toast and juice, and clumsily jog up the street towards town. As you enter the city limits, a glance at your watch shows that there's about 20 minutes left until the first bell. You'll probably make it, but just barely.
You reach the gates at five 'til, sucking in lungfuls of air as you cast your gaze around the grounds. This would've been the ideal time for one of the Yatabuya to jump you, but no one's around.
Well, of course they're not. What gang would be stupid enough to hang around Toshima anyways?
Inside, the halls are similarly empty, as spotless and neat as they've always been. The clock above the shoe cupboards reads three 'til. If you don't hurry, Shibutani will have your hide.
You slide into your seat just as the first bell rings, and Mariko and Hayate shoot you incredulous looks.
"What are you doing?" hisses Hayate.
"What happened to you?" whispers Mariko.
"Later!" you shoot back at them as Otomuji trudges into the room. It'd be a real waste of effort to get here on time only to be written up for talking in class. You've never been subject to a Sentencing before, and you don't plan on starting today.
The morning proceeds as most mornings do. You and your classmates work diligently on your assignments for the day, pausing only to ask one another for help, or to offer polite feedback. Then, the door slides open violently, and the stillness is shattered.
Disciplinary Commandant Shibutani strides into the room, his uniform impeccably pressed and his numerous Corrective Commendations gleaming on his chest in the fluorescent light. At once, you and your fellow students greet him with the proper salute.
"Shibutani-senpai! Greetings!" you call in unison.
"At ease," he says, his grand voice reverberating throughout the room, baritone and mellow like the low octave of a church organ. "Ah. Not you, I'm afraid, Katsuji-kun. There's work to be done." Turning on his heel, he gestures for you to follow.
"Right! I'm coming!"
That's right - it really was fortunate that you weren't late today. It would have been unacceptable for a member of the Disciplinary Order to commit a Violation on the day of a Sentencing. Today, there would be two Miscreants up for judgment – you reported them yourself.
The two of you stop in front of class 2-C, and Shibutani throws the door open wide. Almost each and every student wears an expression of eager anticipation – save two. The students who have been helping Shibata harass Nisekao shrink back into their chairs - not that there's any way for them to escape what's coming next.
The two of you cut through the rows of desks and hoist the two Miscreants to their feet by the fronts of their shirts. Shibutani turns to address the class.
"Code, broken. Punishment, meted. The Sentencing commences!"
"Code, broken. Punishment, meted. The Sentencing commences!" repeats the class, 2-C's teacher included. Nisekao in particular chants the creed with unrestrained joy breaking across his face. He deserves it, though. This is mostly for him, after all.
You and Shibutani seize the trembling students by the shoulders to steer them out of the room and down the hall. Students and teachers come streaming after you as you pass each classroom, marching dutifully in your wake until you come to a halt in the courtyard. There, the masses form a ring around Shibutani and the Miscreants. You step back to join them, wedging yourself in between Mariko and Hayate. Although no one has spoken a word, Shibutani raises his hands high as though appealing for silence. Once he is satisfied, he begins:
"Dearest faculty. My honorable Student Body. It is with bittersweet purpose that we gather here today. It is never with any true joy that we acknowledge lapses in the judgment of our fellow students, especially when the cost is the safety and security of another. However! As our own bodies heal themselves when they have been injured, so too does the Student Body mend itself to grow stronger! Through punishment, we excise the sickness that plagues us, and set our eyes forward to recovery!"
A controlled cheer erupts as he says this, and neatly fades away as Shibutani opens his mouth to continue, this time, addressing the bullies in the center of the circle.
"Miscreants. Your Violations are named such:
1. Harassment targeted towards a member of the Student Body
2. Attempted blackmail and coercion of personal favors
3. Defacing school property
Taking these charges into account, your Sentencing has been decided…"
Shibutani pauses, considering the students and teachers assembled around him. They wait for him with baited breath.
"…As your infraction has harmed the Student Body, the Student Body itself will administer your penance." As he says this, a teacher pushes several smooth stones into your hands. "One round…for each Violation."
A shock suddenly surges through your body as you understand the magnitude of what Shibutani is asking of you. The stones become leaden weights in your hand. One by one, they fall to the ground with soft thuds, and you cradle your forehead in your palm.
What were you about to do?
These students…they're monsters, for sure. Unforgiveable, even. But this? Isn't this…too much?
"Students! At the ready!" calls Shibutani.
What are they about to do?
Before you can think about it, you skid into the center of the circle, your arms stretched wide.
"Hey! Stop!"
The stares of the other students, some of their arms halted in mid-throw, are unsettling and ghoulish as they snap towards you.
"Katsuji-kun? Care to explain yourself?" Shibutani says, his voice bubbling with a barely contained fury.
You gulp down as deep of a breath as you can muster under everyone's wilting glares.
"Wh-What are we doing here? This isn't okay! Shouldn't we just expel them or something?" You cast your gaze around the circle, but you can't seem to find the principal. Shibutani takes a step towards you.
"You'll excuse me, Katsuji-kun, if you've gotten me somewhat confused. Wasn't it you who reported these students' Violations?"
"Was it?" You're honestly not quite sure anymore.
"I'm not in the mood for games, Katsuji-kun. As a member of the Disciplinary Order, you should have the proper respect for our Code of Conduct. Sentencing is a normal, necessary step to ensure that respect. This is how it's always. Been."
As that last word leaves his lips, you can sense the hostility in the courtyard shift towards you, and your mind becomes frantic.
"H-Hold on! Doesn't anyone see what's going on here? This isn't normal! You-You're all-"
Dreaming.
The idea solidifies in your mind, and the illusion shatters. Despite your efforts, Shibutani's used the Book of Avalon. And unless you think quickly, he's going to use his influence to murder not just those two bullies, but you as well.
"All what? I think we all understand the situation quite clearly, Katsuji-kun," Shibutani says. "You've interfered with the dispensation of justice! And that, is a most severe Violation indeed."
"Tetsuo! Quick! This way!"
You locate Mariko's voice at the edge of the circle where she, Hayate, and Koharu are pushing people aside to make a gap in the circle. Without a second more hesitation, you turn and sprint through. Together, your group takes off across the courtyard, around the buildings, and towards the front gates.
Behind you, Shibutani bellows, "Bring them here," followed by the sound of hundreds of footfalls marching after you.
"Hey, are you guys all right?" you ask.
The others nod, and Hayate says, "Thanks to you, mostly. When you jumped out there, we realized something weird was going on. I mean, who does that in the middle of a Sentencing?" He pauses. "Actually, what the hell even is a Sentencing? Since when have we ever done cult shit like that?"
"Exactly. Shibutani's gotten himself turned into a Shadow somehow. We've gotta find and terminate his Cloud before this gets any more out of hand."
You come to a stop at the gates, which are, of course, locked. "C'mon, I'll give you guys a boost," says Hayate, kneeling down in front of them.
"Like hell I'm letting you get under me," Koharu grumbles, but you're only half-paying attention.
"Hang on, guys. Where's Nisekao? Was he with you?"
Hayate straightens himself back up and looks about. "Huh? Wasn't he?"
"I'm pretty sure he was…oh! Hold on! There he is, he's just catching up!" says Mariko, pointing at Nisekao, who's just now rounding the building and coming towards you.
You breathe a sigh of relief. "Okay. Good. C'mon Nisekao, we gotta move!"
Something isn't quite right, however. Nisekao regards you with a strange expression.
"They're here!" he cries out. "At the gates! They're trying to escape!"
All of your eyes bulge towards him like tennis balls.
"Dude, what the fuck?" hisses Hayate. "Are you mental? Wake up already, this is Shadow shit we got going on here!"
"Come on, Nisekao, we need to get out of here! Those people aren't in their right mind, and neither are you!" you plead, but Nisekao shakes his head violently.
"No! You're lying! Those…those bastards were about to get what they deserved! And you ruined it! You protected them! Why should I protect you?"
"Uhh, do we just…leave him behind? I don't think we've got a whole lot of time here…" Koharu says. Sure enough, the hum of the mob is growing louder by the second.
"It's not real, Nisekao! Shibutani's a Shadow! We're not doing things his way!"
"I don't care! I've sat back and taken it for so long! Why can't it be their turn to suffer?"
Nisekao's voice cracks. He sniffles and paws at his eyes, where tears are flowing freely. In that moment, you can tell – he's himself.
"Nisekao, I-"
Mariko clasps your shoulder. "Tetsuo, they're coming. We're just about out of time. I don't think we can make it over the gate."
"Just gimme a second," you tell her before turning back to Nisekao.
"Listen. I…don't know how I can make you believe this, but I understand what you're feeling. And…more than anything, I want those monsters to understand it, too. They deserve it. They deserve it a hundred times over. But is this the way you want it to happen? Beating them to death because a Shadow said so?"
"And if we go back to normal, what'll happen then, Tetsuo? Do we go back to screaming into the void? Trying to convince ourselves that someone will listen to us? The real world won't help me, Tetsuo!"
"I'm real, Nisekao! Mariko's real, and Hayate's real, and Koharu's real! It won't be as simple as this, I'll admit that. But…I have to believe that we can change things ourselves. And when we do, it'll be a lot more satisfying. So please, just…trust us."
"There they are!"
"Get 'em!"
The rest of the students are rounding the side of the school now. You're out of time. All things considered, there's really only one option left.
"Hey, Tetsuo? What're we doing?!" shouts Koharu.
"Ripping the bandage off. C'mon!"
Grabbing Nisekao's chair, you hurtle towards the school entrance. As you figured, a sterling mask marked with slits in the shape of a cross seals the doors. With a surge of adrenaline, you wrench the mask off and kick the doors wide open.
"Wait, hold on! We're going back inside? Are you serious?"
Hayate flashes a smug grin at Koharu.
"Oh, strap in. We're going Shadow hunting."
"What?!"
Before Koharu can protest any more, Mariko pushes her inside behind you, and the doors snap shut with a thunderous bang.
