04/15/2012, Kuoh Academy, After School.
Once again school day ends with the final bell ringing and the students taking their leave. Makoto starts to pack his school material inside his schoolbag when she hears a voice calling him. "Ehy Yuki, do you want to come over to the Student Council?" Sona asks Makoto as she gets up from her seat. Makoto nods as he too stands up. "Sure, why's that?" asks Makoto curious. "You promised me we'll play chess again right? And we didn't have a real talk since you came here actually" says Sona, with all the stuff taht happened they couldn't speak at all apart from 'supernatural affairs'. "Yeah, you're right" Makoto follows the student council president to her clubroom.
"Oh hi senpai, president" says Momo as she sees Sona and Makoto entering the clubroom. They greet her back and sit around Sona's desk with the girl pulling out the chessboard ready to begin their match. 'Finally I can do something!' says in happiness Apollo. 'Again with this story?' grunts Lucifer annoyed by Apollo's behaviour. 'Don't be like Thoth. Oh I'm so happy that moon god isn't here' Apollo rubs his hands between each others in trepidation to play chess. 'What iiiis so fun in chess?' screeches Fafnir. 'It's just a match against a kid Apollo' points out Yoshitsune, his samurai morale code making him utterly disappointed by other persona. 'Shut up, you all can't enjoy yourselves'.
The chess game begins with Makoto making the first move as he has the white pieces. Pawn to E4. Sona replies moving her pawn to C6. Meanwhile Momo peeks her head to look at the match. 'From what senpai Tsubaki told me, senpai Yuki won the last last match against president' she thinks while looking at the chessboard.
"Yuki, you said you were the leader of SEES right? The team with whom you fought shadows, no? Can I ask you what you'd do with a new member?" asks Sona as she watches Makoto moving another pawn to D4, to which she answer with pawn to D5. "Why do you ask?" questions Makoto, moving knight to C3. "I found someone who I'd like to invite to the Student Council and then ask him to join my peerage, how did you made new additions to your team feel... at home" says Sona as she takes out one of Makoto's pawn with her own, moving it to E4. Makoto advances the knight he moved to C3 and takes out the pawn Sona just used.
"I think it's a bit different, I don't know how much I can help you. I don't know how peerages work and from what Rias told me... it's not my thing" says Makoto. Sona shakes her head. "It doesn't matter, I still want to hear your opinion" she tells, not accepting excuses. Makoto hums pondering about his answer.
"There was a kid... an elementary student, he was only 10 years old... Ken, he joined us in late summer. I tried my best to make him feel comfortable, I tried to be some sort of older sibling to him..." Makoto is hesitant for an instant, he looks at the chessboard. While he was talking Apollo took over of his hand and now he doesn't understand what is going on in the game. 'Speak as much as you want Universe, let the magnificent Apollo here do the hard work' proudly says the Sun God, praising himself.
"Yuki?" says Sona noticing Makoto's stopped playing for an instant. "What I'm trying to say is... even though I tried my best - we all did - to make Ken feel at home it wasn't enough. I learnt something important, it doesn't matter how much you treat someone with care and respect, if you are not ready to hurt them you will not be able to help when they need you the most" says Makoto, seriousness in his voice. He still blames himself a little for what happened on October 4th. He moved on, but he knows he could have done better. If this can help Sona even the tiniest bit will it be like he honoured Shinjiro's memory? He really hopes so.
Sona ponders at the words Makoto just told her as an idea comes in her mind. "Did something happen to Ken? The way you are talking about it isn't the most reassuring" she says. Makoto shakes his head. "He's fine, the problem wasn't him. It was STREGA the group who wanted the Dark Hour to continue" says Makoto. "Yes, Mochizuki and Elizabeth mentioned them" replies Sona.
The chess game in the meanwhile has proceeded without stop. While Sona was listening to Makoto she was also focused on fighting back Apollo who was starting to take out her pieces. 'If she takes our knight I can move the bishop followed by a checkmate with the queen and the victory will be ours' proclaims Apollo like he has just devised a great plan for an important battle. 'You really like chess, hee hoo' comments Jack Frost seeing the God of Music burning with passion. 'Maybe too much...' whispers Orpheus Telos. 'Ehy I heard you' replies Apollo as he moves the rook after Sona hasn't fell in his trap. 'At least someone here is having fun' says Kohryu looking at the bright side of things.
"Ehy Si... Shitori" says Makoto correcting himself "I didn't see Shinra today in class, is everything okay after what happened yesterday?" asks the messiah. "She's fine, what Inari told her and the presence of Izanami shook Tsubaki a bit. She's coming back tomorrow, thanks for concern" says Sona.
Before one of them can say anything else the landline phone on Sona's desk rings, the student council president turns back. 'Oh no' she thinks, that phone usually rings only for her family matters, which never goes well. Makoto notices Sona's look changing. "Is everything alright?" he asks. "Yes, I just need to go. Thanks for coming today Yuki" says Sona half apologetically, dismissing him.
"Wait senpai, I'm coming too!" tells Momo following Makoto so the two of them can leave Sona alone to let her answer the call. "Hello?" says the girl taking up the handset. "Sona, my sweet daughter! How are you doing?" comes the voice of a man, Woland Sitri, Sona's father and current head of the Sitri Clan. "Father? Why are you calling me this time of day, you know I've matters to attend to" complains the bespectacled girl. "Sorry Sona, I wouldn't call if it was important. Zeoticus received some reclaims about the management of the territory. He is too focused on the upcoming marriage with the Phenex family and asked our house to deal with it" says the head of the Sitri Clan.
"Reclaims?" rebutes Sona confused. "Listen Sona, I know something happened, something that needed the Satans to come to Kuoh Town; even though they tried to hide it they are still too young to deceive completely a lord about what happened in his territory. I tried to contact my good friend Chomei, he didn't answer the last few days and when I tried to ask your sister she simply diverted the discussion talking about how you found love" says the old Sitri, a smirk on his lips already expecting his daughter's reaction. "Father!" shouts Sona in embarrassment.
"I was joking. I know how your sister tends to exaggerate things" he chuckles. "Still I'm coming to Kuoh Town to meet Chomei. I'll be soon there, don't worry bworry there's no need to wait for me" Sona's eyes widen. "What!? This suddenly?". "Don't worry I said dear! It will be quick you won't probably even see me" reassures Woland as he ends the call. 'This is not good, Mr. Raion obviously doesn't like us devils if he sees Father right after what happened yesterday he will assume the worst!'. Sona sprints up her chair and heads out of the Student Council.
Makoto and Momo were calmly walking towards the school's entrance when they see Sona nervously surpassing them as they seem to not have been even noticed by the girl. "Does she usually do so?" asks Makoto to the Lovers. "No, but if I have to guess it's something about her family. Let's follow the president senpai" hypothesizes Momo. "Are you sure we should do that?". Momo nods her head. "Yes yes hurry before we lose her" Momo takes Makoto's hand and they start to follow Sona.
04/15/2012, Whisper in the Breeze, Afternoon.
By following Sona, Makoto and Momo arrive at the antique shop. "Again here? I think this place has been more frequented these last three days than the last decade" jokes Momo. The two students see the student council president knocking on the shop's door, but Makoto feels something behind him. 'Universe behind you' alerts Robin Hood feeling yhe presence approaching. Makoto turns back as two hands are placed on his and Momo's shoulders.
The girl jumps in surprise and looks at the figure behind them. A man, probably in his late 30s, with an intrigued smirk revealing a large smile on his face looks at the two teens. He has black hair and deep blue eyes, a short beard covers his lower face. The man wears a black trench coat and on his head a flat cap with a sapphire pin.
"Oh you noticed me! I must have lost my touch if I can't even sneak up behind two teenagers" chuckles the man. 'Universe what are you waiting for? Annihilate him' heartlessly says Kohryu, breaking his usual calm and neutral expression. 'I agree, hee hoo. I don't like this one' says Jack Frost upset.
"Lord Sitri! What is your lordship doing here?" says bewildered Momo bowing her head. "Oh Momo! I'm just here to check on an old acquaintance of mine. Could you be so gentle to present your friend to me?" asks Lord Sitri as he gets closer to Makoto examining him. "Momo referred to me as 'Lord Sitri' you must know about the supernatural then. I'm Woland Sitri, it's very nice to meet you, intriguing boy" he says offering his hand to Makoto.
"Father!" shouts Sona hearing her parent's voice. "Oh Sona!" shouts back Woland leaving Makoto and walking towards his daughter. "You are already here?" asks the girl not knowing what to do. "Oh I actually was already here in city when I called you" he says smiling. Woland turns back to Makoto. "Where are my manners? Sorry young man, let me present again. Woland Sitri" he repeats.
"Makoto Yuki" tells the blue messiah shaking Woland's hand. Lord Sitri's eyes shine. "You are the famous Makoto Yuki! My older daughter told me about you. I must assume you have some sorts of Sacred Gear gear right? You were also able to detect me even though I used my demonic power to conceal my presence from Sona and Momo" Woland scrutinizes the boy in front of him from head to toe. "Father stop annoying Yuki" complains Sona taking hold of her father. "Oh sorry young man, well let's all go together to visit my dear friend Chomei! I hope he still makes his special tea" proclaims Woland as he heads to the antique shop.
"Ehm... president did you know about the Prince coming to town?" asks Momo a bit overwhelmed by Woland's eccentric personality. "He called me just before we left the academy" sighs the bespectacled girl. "He wants to know what happened inside his territory, which is completely natural, however...".
"However?" asks Makoto. "The Satans want to keep all the facts about the conflict between you and Nyarlathotep top secret" reveals Sona. "I don't understand how you can keep up with it senpai. You literally have the fate of... the world on your shoulders" says Momo, whispering the last part. Makoto shakes his head. "I knew what I was going to fight coming to this world, don't worry about me" says the boy. "At least let us help you by not getting involved in this. Trust me, my father can be as persistent as my sister so let me and Momo deal with this" says Sona. Momo gulps hearing this, but still nods her head.