7/8
Wednesday at school had been rather normal, it felt almost odd for Mukuro after last night's intense mission, facing two powerful Shadows of the Arcana and very nearly getting...
She shook her head, trying not to think about that. Or how she still felt a little flustered from how awkward things went with Akihiko after they'd finished neutralizing the threat. Yukari and Natsumi had exchanged a few uncomfortable looks and kept a distance from each other when they'd all headed to school and Junpei had given everyone the silent treatment all day. Fuuka had kept quiet as well, though by Mukuro's guess out of worry she'd trip any metaphorical landmines. The chairman had also left before they'd gotten back as the Dark Hour had ended prior, so Mitsuru had chosen to wait until another meeting could be arranged to relay a summary of the events to him.
With class ending, Mukuro had looked at her phone when it chimed with a new text to see a message from none other then Mitsuru regarding an important Student Council meeting that she would be present for and requested her to come as well. Deciding it was probably best to leave the others be for now until things finally simmered down, Mukuro gathered her things, slipped on her headphones, turned on her music player to help destress and made her way to the council room.
For the next two hours, the other Student Council members listened, Mukuro quietly rested her chin in her palm and watched Mitsuru go over everything and discuss future plans, fund movements, and other school politics she wanted out in the open before exam week started that the young soldier had neither the faintest understanding nor interest in. Once she'd finished, the redheaded senior finally addressed the glaring, and at the same time, missing elephant in the room.
"Hmm, for someone who is usually so punctual about meetings and aims for perfect attendance every year, this is rather unexpected to not see Ishimaru here," Mitsuru remarked, looking around. "...Is he absent?"
Chihiro Fujisaki shook her head as she closed her laptop. "No... not that I know of. I saw him this morning and he didn't look ill," the petite treasurer said anxiously.
"Then where is he?" asked Mitsuru, staring down at her with a hand at her hip, causing the much smaller girl to wilt a little.
"Tch! Knowing him, he's probably off playing Detective Hall Monitor!" a secretary sneered.
"Right, Fujisaki had mentioned something about that," Mitsuru said, holding her chin in thought. "I apologize for sounding harsh, Fujisaki."
"Oh! It's alright, I promise!" Chihiro said with a forgiving smile. "...Yeah, he's been... pretty concerned about this so I guess the secretary's probably right."
"I'll admit his intentions are good, so it's hard to blame him for it," said Mitsuru. "...But I also understand how you feel," she added as she nodded to the secretary. "Anyway, you're all free to go now."
Mukuro rose from her seat, relieved the meeting had finally ended, only for Mitsuru to get her attention.
"Mukuro? If you happen to see him on the way out, you may as well ask him if he's made any progress," she said. "...The sooner this is resolved the better and we won't need to stress on it."
Mukuro nodded, she could understand the sentiment, both sides had a point as it was less stress for the Student Council meaning less she had to deal with and could afford to skip a few meetings, and also Ishimaru getting a concern he felt endangered the school's image taken care of sooner would have stressed him out less as well.
As she'd made her way down the hall, however, yelling got her attention. The young soldier normally would not have cared in the slightest regarding drama between random students, but she'd instantly recognized one voice to be none other then Ishimaru's.
"What reason is there for me to doubt you?" his voice shouted from around the corner.
"Oh yeah? If you're gonna say shit like that, gimme some evidence, Bro!" an angry, gruff voice bellowed in response.
Mukuro turned the corner to discover Taka was in a heated argument with a surly-looking student half a foot taller then him whose uniform simply had a white t-shirt rather then the standard uniform dress shirt, and his brown hair styled and curled into a rather imposing pompadour.
"I don't need evidence! I already know everything about you!" Taka snapped sharply, shaking his head in disgust and folding his arms. "You're Mondo Owada, you've hung around Port Island station with the other problem students, your attendance is minimum effort, you were part of a yankee gang before coming here, students have seen you smoke before, and you have a history of reckless behavior that even got your brother-"
"If you value those hoity-toity looks of yours, you won't finish that sentence!" the larger student, Owada, cut him off in a low tone through grit teeth, raising a fist at him dangerously.
"Whoa, he's still at it? This is the third time today!" a female student gawked with her friend nearby as the two watched the confrontation.
"My boyfriend was so pissed earlier when he got accused. Seriously, Mr. Hall Monitor's just asking for trouble now if he's gonna start stuff up with a guy like Owada-senpai!" her friend remarked quietly.
"...Fair enough, that was unprofessional of me to bring up, Owada-kun," Taka replied, cooling down, but only slightly. "...However, you need to own up to your mistakes like a real man, Owada! Keeping quiet and dodging the question regarding what I'm trying to resolve only makes you look worse!"
"...You sayin' I'm not a real man?!" Owada growled, looking even angrier, now, as he took a step closer and towered over him.
"I'm saying suck it up and give me something that clears you of this and I can move on from this uncivil discourse!" Taka answered. "If it's not you, inform me of someone who you can think of that did it! If you're scared of retaliation, I assure you I won't disclose your name to them, on my honor as head of the disciplinary committee!"
Owada didn't waste any time sending his meaty fist right into Ishimaru's face, knocking him clean off his feet, into the wall behind him, and flat on his back sprawled out on the floor. "Better watch what you say about me next time, Mr. Hall Monitor, or you're gonna need to smile with your mouth closed the rest'a your life!" he said sharply as he took a deep breath. "Fuck this shitty day!" he growled before storming off downstairs.
"Hey! Get back here! We're... not done, yet!" Taka called out after him as he sat himself up, wincing in the process, but the other student ignored him. Turning, he saw Mukuro standing over him, offering her hand. Accepting, he let her help him up.
"Thank you, Ikusaba," he said, sighing as he stood up and dusted himself off. "...Was there something you required of me?"
"Mitsuru was wondering where you were, you didn't show up at the meeting," Mukuro replied.
"Well, I guess you have your answer to what I've been busying myself with," Taka replied, sighing again as he looked in the direction the other student had left and relieved the crowds had dispersed. "...But I cannot turn a blind eye to things like this or it'll only invite more incidents to happen around here, potentially even worse ones that'd give this school's reputation a bigger hit then the literal one I took just now!"
He looked back at her. "You understand, right? It's important to nip this thing in the bud before that happens!"
"I'm no stranger to military... school's... expectations," Mukuro replied. "I don't know that student but it seems you've offended him."
Taka nodded, frowning. "...And I overheard those girls, too. I'm not oblivious to what people think of me, Ikusaba... those who fight for justice always butt heads with others, history repeats," he said, nursing his bruised jaw where Owada's fist had connected and wincing. "What I did here needs to serve as a warning to other offenders, rather then them thinking I'm just throwing my weight around! I have the school's best interests at heart, if I can stop anything from ruining in seconds the reputation it took years to build, maybe that'll prove I'm-"
He paused, shaking his head. "...Never mind that, you get what I'm trying to do, though, right?"
Mukuro nodded. "I do,"
"Thank you, that means a lot, Ikusaba. I hope in time others will, too," Taka said with a genuine smile despite the bruise spreading on his face. Mukuro heard glass shatter within the recesses of her mind at his growing trust in her.
"You need me to take you to the clinic?" Mukuro offered, the boy shook his head.
"Don't worry about me, Ikusaba! You should head on home before it gets dark!" Taka replied reassuringly.
"You sure?" Mukuro asked, tilting her head.
"I'll be fine," said Taka. "I'm gonna keep at it, though I'll give Owada some time to cool down before I confront him again, at least."
"Try not to get punched again," Mukuro replied, giving a slight bow and making her way to the stairs as well, curious of what had been on Ishimaru's mind and what he was trying to prove but suspecting if he wanted to share he'd have not dropped the subject on it.
Deciding not to dwell on it anymore, herself, Mukuro slipped her headphones back on before she headed downstairs and to the entrance for the trip back home. With the previous evening's mission having worn the others out and having not heard from Theodore yet if the latest roadblock in Tartarus was no longer in effect, there was little point in going there tonight and she'd elected to just spend the evening studying instead.
7/9
The subject of a conversation between a male and female student in her class quickly took Mukuro's attention as she sat herself down waiting for homeroom to start. Junpei had continued to give the cold shoulder and Yukari seemed to have something on her mind as well Mukuro had recalled her and Fuuka heading up to the command room in the dorm to talk in private when she'd come home last night.
"You know, our campus is so clean and new-looking!" the male student marveled. "I only really noticed just now since my club had to visit another school the other day!"
"I also heard the explosion from ten years ago wasn't the only reason!" the female student he was talking to said. "I heard around that time a lot of students just all suddenly stopped coming to school at all... maybe that's why they put up the new building, to try and start a clean slate."
The male student chuckled in amusement. "What, you think there's a dark side to Gekkoukan High? You watch way too much TV!"
Mukuro rested her chin in her palm as she propped her elbow on her desk. Ten years ago, she and her sister were only 6 years old, barely into grade school and things finally looking up for her family and poverty finally behind them, before it all happened and she'd ended up alone in the world for years.
She shook those thoughts from her head as the first bell rung and Ms. Toriumi came in to begin homeroom.
As class wrapped up and Mukuro had gathered her things, she noticed Junpei still looked rather moody as he'd simply gotten out of his chair and walked out without a word to her, nor even an attempt to get a reaction out of Yukari, which had not gone unnoticed by the latter girl.
"What is his problem? He's been like this for two days, now!" Yukari muttered.
"I'm not sure," Mukuro said, frowning in concern as she looked back at her while the two of them made their way into the hall. "...Did I maybe... say something wrong?"
"No, can't be that," Yukari replied. "...Maybe Junpei's still sore about not getting a spot on the team for that last full moon mission, but you'd think someone like him would have moved past it by now... Oh!" Yukari froze, giving a small, awkward smile as she noticed Natsumi had been in the hall, leaned against the wall looking down at her phone. "N-Natsumi! Hi!"
"W-What's that supposed to mean?!" Natsumi winced, turning to face her and blushing. "...The hell's going on anyway? I saw Junpei leave looking like someone just pissed on his shoes after sitting on bubble gum or something!"
"Yeah, we're kinda wondering about that, too. He's been like that since the last mission," Yukari said.
Natsumi rolled her eyes. "Hell if I know why, Takeba! Why do you think I brought it up?"
"R-Right," Yukari stammered, by Mukuro's observation she was looking red-faced too and averting her eyes. "...We were just wondering why he's been so grouchy lately."
"Did you bother asking?" Natsumi asked, looking at the two of them with a raised brow.
"He just gives me and Mukuro the cold shoulder when we do," Yukari said. "Maybe he's still sore about not being on the roster for that last mission?"
"Really? He and I did Rochambeau and I won fair and square, remember? Not my fault his manly pride took a hit!" Natsumi muttered dismissively. "...Well, unlike him, I've put everything regarding that evening far and behind me, now! So, is there anything else you need from me, Takeba?"
"No, Mukuro and I were just heading out is all. Wanna come with?" Yukari offered.
"N-No, I'm fine!" Natsumi said with an anxious grin and turning red-faced again. "Go on without me, I'm meeting up with Fuuka right now to try and show her how to boil water! Catchya later!"
Watching Natsumi leave in a hurry, Yukari turned her attention back to her companion. "Uhhh, hey! Wanna go to the mall before we head back? It'd be nice to get some fresh air after being in classes all day!"
Mukuro nodded, giving a faint smile. "...After everything, it would be."
"Great, let's go! Maybe we can do the therapy at Be Blue V! I'll cover us, I feel a serious need to after what a wild few days it's been!" Yukari said with a smile, if looking slightly too eager to get out of here as soon as possible, too.
Mukuro had to admit she felt very refreshed as she and Yukari stepped out of the spa, making a mental note to check out other services some day if she had time or felt overly stressed.
"Well don't you look practically glowing, now, Mukuro!" Yukari giggled. "I feel much better, now, too! Before we head home, though, I'd like to stop by the pharmacy first, if that's alright?"
Before either could proceed, however, Yukari's phone chimed. The auburn-haired girl glanced down at her bag, taking her phone out only to promptly frown as she read who it was, her previous cheerful demeanor vanishing entirely.
"...Oh," she muttered, before answering. "...Hello?"
Mukuro noticed Yukari's features harden into a look of annoyance. "Yeah, what?" the other girl asked, her tone now matching them. "...So? Get to the point, already!"
Annoyance became confusion as Yukari listened to the person on the phone. "...Huh?"
Confusion swiftly became anger. "That's NOT funny!" Yukari snapped sharply at who she was talking to, before anger became shock. "...W-What?! How do you think that'd make Dad feel?!"
She sighed, scowling noticeably. "...You know what? Fine! Do whatever you want. Just don't call me again!"
Fuming, Yukari hung up before the person she was talking to could answer her and put her phone away, before noticing Mukuro staring and her expression softened to a look of embarrassment. "...I'm sorry you had to hear that."
"Are you alright, now?" Mukuro asked, curious of what was going on but deciding against pressing on it.
"Yeah, I am, now... thanks for asking," Yukari said with a small smile that was grateful, but also didn't quite reach her eyes like she'd been moments ago. "...You're wondering who that was on the phone, though, aren't you?" she asked, frowning.
Mukuro looked down. "I... was, but I didn't want to impose."
Yukari shook her head. "...It's fine. It was..." Yukari looked away, downcast. "...My mom. She says she wants to get remarried."
"...I see," said Mukuro.
Yukari's scowl returned. "I don't really care if she wants to get married again! What I can't stand is how she chose to live her life... running away from things and jumping from guy to guy... I don't think that's fair to my dad!" she protested angrily.
Mukuro frowned, unable to think of what to say to help Yukari feel better as she was hardly an expert on family matters given nearly two thirds of her life had been without hers, so she opted for the only option that came to mind in her field of vision. "You... want to sit down for a little, maybe?" she offered.
"I'm not a kid! I don't..." Yukari said sharply, before her features softened as she saw Mukuro flinch a little. "...Yeah, maybe that'd be a good idea... This is... it's just really getting to me, now."
The two sat down on the nearby empty bench near the fountain, Yukari leaning forward and resting her forehead in her hands as she ran her fingers through her hair, letting out a deep sigh but saying nothing for a few moments while Mukuro sat next to her and gave her time to calm down.
A few more moments later, Yukari sat back up, letting out one last deep breath as she rested her hands on her knees. "...Okay, I think I'm alright, now," she said. "I'm sorry I snapped back there, Mukuro. It was really uncalled for, a-and I know you just wanted to help and... this did."
"You're sure you're alright, now?" Mukuro asked.
"I am. Thanks!" said Yukari with a small, but genuine smile of gratitude. "Still..." Her features hardened as she looked away, bringing her knees together and resting her hand on her lap. "I will never be like her! I'll never give up standing on my own two feet. Running away from your problems by clinging on to others is the worst thing you can do and I've decided I'm going to make it through on my own and prove to her I can be happy that way!"
Mukuro looked down at her own lap a moment, pensive. "...Then I probably am the worst," she said.
"Mukuro, no! That's not true at all!" Yukari said, looking at her with concern, now.
"It's all I did before I came here, Yukari!" Mukuro replied. "I ran away when I got adopted because I didn't want a new family I wanted my real family to show up alive and tell me they made it! When I ran into some mercenaries from Fenrir when I ran away during a trip my foster family took me with them on, I begged them to take me away because I wanted to go somewhere far away and be someone other then who I was!"
"...Mukuro..." Yukari blinked. This was... unreal to her. Someone who was so fearless against Shadows that she saw as strong and capable like she wanted to be, so vulnerable here she didn't know how to react.
"I devoted myself to training, then to throwing myself into every mission they assigned me, even ones that'd be all but suicide," Mukuro explained. "...Fighting for my survival whether it was finding my next meal in the middle of some jungle or avoiding gunfire from assault rifles while I neutralized threats like natural instincts, knowing my next move might be my last... I didn't care. Whether I died or lived for the heat of the moment I didn't have to deal with that night... then... they sent me here."
The dark-haired girl shook her head, blushing. "...I'm sorry. I made this all about me when you were the one dealing with something. Stupid... selfish... inferior... that's me in a nutshell!" she laughed bitterly.
"Mukuro, you're not those things!" Yukari replied. "You had to put up with my drama, it's only fair I do the same for you, besides..." Yukari gave a small, comforting smile. "...You're not like that anymore... you saved my life in the attack on the dorm all those months ago, and you look after us on missions and to be honest, I'm glad to have you here with me in... times like this when things get hard for me to handle, even if it's just to listen or to vent to eachother. I feel like I can tell you anything, Mukuro."
"Yukari..." Mukuro looked over at her again, stunned, touched by her words, glass shattering within the depths of her mind at Yukari sharing her innermost feelings and understanding her a little more. Yukari had her own inner demons, felt a need to deal with them on her own, but still wanted to be a supportive friend, Mukuro felt the resolve to do more for her as well.
"Mukuro, don't ever call yourself those things! I don't know who gave you the idea you should, but I don't think of you that way! You're my friend and I can list off a lot of times you weren't any of those!" Yukari said. "Now... why don't we get dinner before we head on back. Shopping can come another time, but maybe we can grab a DVD from the electronics store. There's actually a new series I've been wanting to see, with this brave, tough female protagonist I think will help motivate me more to stand tall no matter what."
Mukuro nodded, smiling faintly. "...I'd like to see it."
Yukari giggled. "Great! Guess it's my turn to pick you back up, huh? Let's go see if they have it and we'll watch it when we get back!"
7/10
With school having ended for the day, and Mitsuru having given a stern reminder that exams started next week, Mukuro had decided to heed the invite from Bunkichi and visit Bookworms for some study guides to help with her notes, especially since Mitsuru had also planned for a study session on Sunday evening that would be mandatory for the entire dorm and expected everyone to be brushed up before then. While Mukuro had paid attention in class, answered Edogawa's pop quiz question after an exceptionally droning lecture, and found time to study, she did want to make sure she scored higher then last time.
Sliding open the door she stepped inside, finding the elderly couple in conversation before turning to greet her.
"Oh, Mukuro-chan! We were just talking about you!" Bunkichi said with a kind smile and his smoking pipe in his hand, though an apologetic frown slowly took its place on his aging features. "...We've been feeling a bit guilty for having troubled you about the persimmon tree."
Mukuro smiled. "...No, it's alright. You shouldn't be going all the way over there yourself," she said.
"Aw, don't underestimate me, Mukuro-chan!" Bunkichi chuckled.
"Dear, you know I feel the same way. If Mukuro-chan wishes to do that for us, then let her," his wife Mitsuko replied.
"I "wooden" worry about it so much, dear!" Bunkichi quipped, taking a puff of his pipe. "See? No reason not to lighten the mood with a little joke every now and then! Lord knows I can't pass up a good pun whenever it comes to me!"
Mukuro could at least credit the old man for his lame joke having some heart and earnest intentions, unlike the chairman whom she suspected on some level must have enjoyed making her cringe at his.
"...Still, that persimmon tree is a reminder of our son... all the more reason I oughta go there myself," Bunkichi mused, his smile fading once more. "...You see, Mukuro-chan, our son... he was a teacher at Gekkoukan High before his death. He planted that tree on graduation day with the students of his very first class!"
"Just when we thought that tree was about to bear fruit..." Mitsuko shook her head in dismay. "...Why now? Why do they want to cut it down now?"
"I haven't heard anything about it at school," Mukuro replied, giving a small, reassuring smile. "...And we pass it whenever we go to gym class or I go to volleyball practice and I haven't seen anything done to it either. I'll keep you updated on it, but until then try not to worry about it so much."
Mitsuko smiled, sighing in relief. "That's so good to know, Mukuro-chan. I think I'll be alright, now. Even still despite all of this, it's very comforting talking to you."
"Thank you," the young soldier said with a polite bow. "If it's no trouble, I was hoping to get some study guides if you have any? Exams are next week and I want to be ready."
"Such a fine, upstanding young lady, Mitsuko! Reminds me of you when we were a couple of schoolchildren her age!" Bunkichi chuckled, taking a puff of his pipe. "When I think back to when I was in my prime, I still count myself a lucky man. One day, Mukuro-chan, I'm sure the one who wins your heart is gonna say the same thing!"
Mukuro blinked, a blush overtaking her pale face as thoughts of Akihiko came to mind. They'd not really spoken since the full moon mission, but despite how he'd made her feel at the end of it, she wanted that to change. "...Maybe," she said softly.
"Dear! You're making her anxious!" Mitsuko said with a hint of sharpness. "Don't fret too much about the tree, either, Mukuro. It's more then enough having you come by and visit when you have the chance."
Mukuro felt herself blush a little more, the sound of glass shattering in the depths of her mind once more as she felt the elderly couple's fondness for her. It felt... nice to hear those words.
"...Now, you were in here looking for study guides, right?" Bunkichi said with a smirk. "Well, you're certainly in luck, some students drop Gekkoukan ones in here all the time, actually, we got a whole box of 'em! Pick whichever ones you need, and here, it's left over from yesterday but it's still good!"
"Thank you," Mukuro said, putting the wrapped and packaged crab bread he'd gotten her out of the fridge and following him to the box that was filled with various study guides for different subjects and grade years and finding the ones for the subjects she had some trouble in last time.
"Think nothing of it, Mukuro-chan! Just take care of yourself!" Bunkichi said as he accepted the pay and Mukuro bid them goodbye before heading back to the dorm.
"Welcome back!" Mitsuru greeted from the dining table with her notes out as Mukuro entered the dorm. Yukari and Fuuka were nowhere to be seen presumably upstairs.
"You gotta slurp so damn loud?" Natsumi grumbled, still in her school uniform as she lay across the armchair with her legs dangling off one side and one arm off the other while she played a handheld game.
"You ain't the boss of me!" Junpei said sharply, slurping several more noodles down even louder to spite her. "...Oh, you're back," he muttered as he looked up at Mukuro, paying her no mind after and confirming to her he was still in a mood. "...What?" he asked looking up at her again.
"...Nothing," Mukuro said turning to walk inside. If Junpei still wished to act this way she wasn't going to dignify him with an attempt to get him out of it when she had exams to worry about.
"FUCK! How'd that asshole hit me?!"
"Language or take it up to your room, Kuzuryu!" Akihiko's voice called from the kitchen with a slight laugh, causing the blonde to give him an indignant glare as she reset her game and Mukuro to pause as he was now within her own eyesight seated with Mitsuru studying as well.
"You're studying down here?" Mukuro asked.
"More like I came down to get a drink and got caught by Mitsuru, actually," Akihiko replied sheepishly, noting Mitsuru's side-eye.
"On the contrary I'm not worried about his grades so much as I am he'll run off and do some reckless training," Mitsuru explained. "...and studying has the added benefit of preventing that possibility."
"So here I am, even though I'm almost done," Akihiko sighed.
"In that case, why don't you overlook Ikusaba-san's studies, if she'll join us?" Mitsuru asked with a small smirk.
"Ah... um, alright," Akihiko stammered, a hint of red coming to his cheeks as he looked at Mukuro. "H-How about it, Mukuro? Wanna come sit down and I'll be your study coach?"
Mukuro herself could feel her own face redden as both third-years looked at her, especially Akihiko.
"...Shall I take that as a yes, then? Take a seat across from us and we'll get started," said Mitsuru in response to the unintelligible sound Mukuro didn't even realize she'd just made. Mukuro nodded in compliance and sat herself down, taking out her notebooks and the study guides she'd bought at Bookworms.
"Ah, I remember a few of those when I was a second-year," Mitsuru said as she noted the latter. "Those will certainly help as well."
"...I was hoping to go on another run after getting rehydrated," Akihiko said, looking over at Mitsuru.
"I believe you've done enough physical activity for one day. Any more and you'll hurt yourself again," Mitsuru said sternly.
"...Fine, so... Mukuro?" he asked, looking over at the dark-haired girl seated across from him. "...Are... there any subjects you need help with?"
Mukuro looked over her notes finally settling on math before speaking up. "Um... formulas, maybe?"
"Well, nothing beats using them in practice problems!" Akihiko said with a small smile. "...Or are you concerned about getting bored and losing focus? In that case, try a quick workout between them. The brain perks up once you get the circulation flowing, and not to mention looking forward to your next workout is a great way to stay motivated!"
Akihiko gave an approving nod to his advice, his earlier unease fading as he spoke. "...In any case, I advise having a good workout ready to treat yourself with after a study session!" he explained. "It all comes down to making it a regular habit! Just a little each day really adds up."
Mitsuru sighed, folding her arms. "...I wasn't going to say anything but... Akihiko, working out isn't normally a reward for most people," she muttered. "On top of that, what good does preaching about long-term habits mere days before exams do?"
"Hmm... I guess you have a point. In that case, how would you recommend cramming for it?" asked Akihiko.
"Cramming's not my usual style, but I would go about memorizing material that is likely going to be tested," Mitsuru replied. "If you give it your all, it shouldn't be too difficult. Easier than facing the enemy wholly unprepared, at least."
"I think... we might be getting off-track, here," Mukuro spoke up.
"True, we can talk all night, but doing is where the magic happens, Mukuro!" Akihiko said with a small smirk. "Here, pass me that study guide right there and I'll find you a couple practice problems. Do you remember any times in your life where this kind of mathematic applied somehow?"
Mukuro paused in thought, there were a few things she didn't feel were best said aloud, like ammo supplies, remaining hostiles, distance to cover, time remaining, assessing all the above...
"...I think so, yes," she replied.
"Great! Let's get started, then!" Akihiko said as Mukuro passed him the study guide which he skimmed through and looked for a few exercises that he jotted down to pass back to her.
A few hours of several sequences of practice problems later, Mukuro had attempted to apply the thoughts of her past missions where she'd had to keep track of numbers to help herself focus on solving the formulas, finding to her surprise she managed to do far better then she expected and that she had beforehand.
"You catch on quick, Mukuro!" Akihiko said with an approving nod. "...Now all that's left is strength training. I was thinking of taking a run past the old Naganaki shrine tomorrow after school if you'd, well... like to come with, I'd enjoy the company."
Mukuro blushed from his offer, trying to analyze his words for some clue of reestablishing a connection with her after they'd barely spoken for a few days. "...I don't have plans, no. You... really want me to come with you?"
Akihiko nodded. "If you're up for it. Then maybe after exams we can dive into Tartarus again as well for some extra workouts."
"You never change," Mitsuru sighed. "...It seems I'll need to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't overdo it."
"I'd like to," Mukuro said, trying to stop her blushing.
"The more you study and the more you train, the better results you're gonna get, but I don't think I need to tell you that, do I, Mukuro?" Akihiko asked. "Why don't we call it for today, I wanna get some stretches done in my room before bed. Meet me after school tomorrow and we can do that run!"
Mukuro nodded, gathering her things and hoping the redness on her face hadn't worsened as she prepared to head upstairs with her thoughts now fully on tomorrow's plans.
7/11
"Phew! Alright... let's take a short break!" Akihiko gasped as he slumped forward, pressing his hands to his knees as Mukuro looked over at him in concern. "Running in your school clothes and all, to think I'd seen it all!"
"Take as long as you need." Mukuro folded her arms, she'd still had her school uniform on though she'd brought her gym tennis shoes to switch into from her usual loafers. "I've done miles-long marches in full camo fatigues and combat boots over hostile terrain in weather like this. A skirt isn't ideal but it's not nearly as inhibiting as one may think."
Akihiko chuckled. "The more I hear about those experiences, Mukuro, the more I gotta respect. The playground's empty right now, why don't we catch our breath over there on the benches?"
Mukuro nodded, the two walking over and sitting down together and the two of them taking out their water bottles.
"Hey, a breeze is starting up. A real blessing on a day like this after working up a good sweat!" Akihiko said. "...It's nice, though. Usually I'm training alone in the club room or my dorm room, you know? Where I got the AC on and all."
"So why'd you pick outside?" Mukuro asked.
Akihiko's face promptly went beet-red to Mukuro's surprise as he looked rather stunned by her question. "Why outside? Eh, well we can't both be in my dorm room! Mitsuru might execute us and then...!" he stammered hastily.
Mukuro found herself blushing as well. "S-Sorry! I... um... didn't mean it like that!" she said anxiously.
"Oh... right. Yeah, sorry about that, dunno why I..." Akihiko mumbled. "Still, in hindsight probably shoulda changed to our workout gear, thought this would be a light run for fun but now I'm drenched in sweat and probably stink to high heaven!"
Mukuro couldn't help but smile a little, now. "I noticed... but between my BT in Fenrir and some environments from my missions, it takes more then that to really put me off," she said.
"Still, don't be resting on me right now, may catch this stench, too!" Akihiko teased with a slight laugh, causing Mukuro to promptly blush again. "I'm kidding, it's nothing. I'll be fine. Still..."
He chugged down some of his water. "...Gotta keep hydrated to avoid heat exhaustion in this summer weather... but probably don't need to tell you that either, do I?"
"You don't," Mukuro said with a small, shy smile. "...I don't mind, though."
"Good to know," said Akihiko, a slight blush coming to his face before turning his attention to the playground. "...Hey, wanna try that out before we go back?" he asked, pointing to the horizontal bar. "Can you do back hip circles?"
"They are part of BT exercises, mostly for the obstacle courses," said Mukuro. "It's been a while since I've done one, though. How about you?"
"I'm actually pretty good! I'll show you." Akihiko said, getting up and approaching the bar. Mukuro watched as he grabbed hold and pulled himself upward till he was now hanging upside-down and remained in place for several seconds, before swinging around backwards in a full circle. Then another for good measure before he swing off. "Everyone should be able to do this!" he said with a smirk as he stood back up and returned to the bench.
"Now, show me what you got!" he said, folding his arms as Mukuro got up and approached the bar, pulling herself up...
...Only to stop mid-swing when she remembered she had a skirt on that going upside-down in a public place would be a bad idea, causing her to blush in embarrassment at the mere thought.
"...M-Maybe another time," she stammered, instead opting to let go.
"Oh. Right..." Akihiko blushed again. "...Here. Grab on again."
Blushing even more, but for different reasons, now, Mukuro grabbed hold of the bars as Akihiko reached under to pick her up, allowing Mukuro to pull herself all the way up over the bar and expertly sitting atop it, her hands gripping on while she crossed her legs at the ankles.
"Heh, either way you've got great balance!" Akihiko chuckled with an approving smile as he came around so he was in front of her. "You know, this actually takes me back... reminds me of when I was a kid."
"Oh?" Mukuro asked, the redness on her face fading. "...Back before... well, what happened, I always liked things like this, too. The jungle gym, monkey bars. It was fun, but I also liked to show Junko she could count on me."
"Your sister, yeah? What'd she say?" Akihiko asked.
Mukuro shook her head, frowning. "She said I looked so stupid climbing around on them... w-we were just kids, so... you know, we don't always know what we're saying, then. She told me, though, that she'd expect me to look after her." The teen looked down at the sandy ground. "...But in the end, that obviously didn't work out."
"I get that," said Akihiko, causing Mukuro to regard him with curiosity. Akihiko, though, just looked over at the shrine, frowning. "I need to get stronger. If I don't, I won't be able to save anything..."
He could feel Mukuro's gaze, prompting him to look back at her. "...I'll explain another time, I promise. For now, we should be enjoying our break, right?" he asked with a smile. Mukuro heard the sound of glass shatter within the recesses of her mind as she experienced what she suspected was the 'heart flutter' term and smiled back.
"I understand. Yes, we should."
Akihiko chuckled warmly, his spirits back up again. "You know, you sitting up there, smiling down at me like that... it's a good look." he said.
Immediately that cursed heat and redness came back with a vengeance as Mukuro looked stunned, covering her mouth with one hand while holding onto the bar with the other. "Y-You think so? Um... thank you..."
It was Akihiko's turn to blush, once more, now, as he quickly looked away. "Um... well, we should probably get back to our run again, huh? Gotta have time for cooldown and dinner, plus we don't wanna get too worn out by this heat, we got that meeting the chairman wanted to hold for us tonight, after all!" he said. "Speaking of this heat, probably a good idea to squeeze a bath in before then, too!"
Mukuro nodded, hopping down with her arms out and making a graceful ten-point landing before standing back up, earning a playful applause from Akihiko before the two resumed their jog route together.
"...And that's the summary on what happened on the night of the 7th," Mitsuru concluded in her report to the chairman as everyone was now all seated in the command room. Yukari, Fuuka, and Junpei had taken spots on the stools while Akihiko, Mitsuru, Natsumi, and Mukuro all fit on the couch while Ikutsuki himself was seated in his armchair.
"Ah, I see. It sounds like that second Shadow nearly had you with that trick it pulled," Ikutsuki said, looking at the mission's participants with concern. "Using some kind of hypnosis to induce and amplify overwhelming sexual desire would also explain how it was able to take hold of all of those couples and draw them to where it was hiding and feed off of them..."
"Luckily Mukuro snapped out of it before anything happened or we might've been its next prey, and Fuuka was able to reach us so we could regroup and take it down," Akihiko said.
"Yeah, sucks for you two, luckily Yukari and me were apparently immune for obvious reasons and just got locked in another room for a bit before Fuuka got us out!" Natsumi said with a self-affirming nod despite her smile looking a little uneasy. "...Right, Yukari?"
"Yeah, exactly!" Yukari replied quickly, fighting off a blush creeping on her face as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"Oh yeah, what'd you do till then?" Junpei asked with a look of both skepticism and piqued interest.
"NOTHING!" Yukari and Natsumi snapped in unison, both red-faced while giving Junpei a venomous glare and Fuuka just looking like a confused puppy the whole time.
"...Um, I'll agree, the second one in particular that evening was especially troublesome," Fuuka chimed in.
Mitsuru nodded. "...As for your observation, Chairman, it can't be denied these particular Shadows are a great deal more formidable then the normal ones, carrying their own unique set of abilities."
"I see, so our enemies are getting stronger as well," said Ikutsuki. "Fortunately, it's not all bad news! In fact, I called today's meeting because-"
"Hold on!" Yukari interrupted. "...Before we start, I would like to ask Kirijo-senpai something."
Mitsuru looked over at her, curious. "...Oh?"
"I know I'm not the only one thinking this. So much has been happening lately, and I feel like I've been getting dragged along without really understanding anything!" Yukari explained. "...But right now, I want answers, so I'm gonna ask you straight out: You've been hiding something from us, haven't you, Senpai?"
"What do you mean?" Mitsuru asked, folding her arms.
Yukari's features hardened, but she kept her voice calm. "...You're always acting like you don't know anything about the Dark Hour or Tartarus... but they're connected to that accident that happened ten years ago, aren't they?"
Junpei blinked in surprise. "...What accident?"
"Y-Yukari-chan?" Fuuka asked, concerned.
"Well, now! You've got my interest!" Natsumi sneered, glancing over at Mitsuru as well, now.
"...There was a big explosion near our school, then, and a lot of people died," Yukari said.
"...Including my family, correct?" Mukuro said, staring at Mitsuru now, as well. The documents that they'd found in Tartarus, the explosion that happened on the night of the car accident. Mitsuru now had her full interest as well as Yukari spoke up again.
"It must've been big news back then, right? You know about it, don't you?" asked Yukari.
"...Yes," Mitsuru replied, her tone calm.
"From what I understand, no students were injured, luckily," Yukari continued. "...But something is off, here. At the time of the incident, there were cases of several unexplained absences. Seems like more then just a coincidence to me."
"...What do you mean?" asked Mitsuru.
"Well, I dug up some old school records and I found something interesting," Yukari explained. "...Those students weren't just absent! They all suddenly collapsed and had to be sent to the hospital! Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Like those girls who bullied Fuuka, they had to be hospitalized, too!"
Mitsuru said nothing, just quietly averting her eyes.
"I want an explanation!" Yukari said sharply, standing up and glaring at her. "What really happened on the day of the accident? The Kirijo Group built our school, so you have to know something and I wanna hear it!"
"I'd like to know as well," Mukuro said, standing up, too and folding her arms. "...My memory of the car accident from ten years ago... it all happened so fast but I remember a big explosion before the crash. My parents, my sister, they're gone because of this accident, Mitsuru. I think we have every right to know more about it."
"I... wasn't trying to hide anything from you. It just... never seemed relevant," Mitsuru replied, hesitation in her words as she attempted to maintain her calm demeanor.
"What I'm guessing is the reason all this is going on wasn't relevant? That's pushing it!" Natsumi scoffed, cocking a brow at her.
Mitsuru stayed quiet, looking over at the chairman for support.
"It's okay, Mitsuru. It's not your fault," Ikutsuki assured.
Mitsuru took in a breath, before looking back at Yukari and Mukuro. "Very well. I'll tell you everything..."
Yukari and Mukuro nodded and sat back down.
"...To start, Shadows have many mysterious abilities," Mitsuru began. "Some research indicates they can even affect time and space itself. We think of them as our enemies, but what if we could somehow use them to our advantage? They could be a source of unimaginable power, couldn't they?"
"...What?!" Yukari asked, stunned.
"...Fourteen years ago, one man pursued that very line of thinking. He was the former leader of the Kirijo Group, Kouetsu Kirijo," Mitsuru continued. "...My grandfather. Kouetsu Kirijo was obsessed with the Shadows, wanting to harness their energy to create something extraordinary..."
"...Something... extraordinary?" Fuuka asked.
Mitsuru nodded. "To that end, he amassed a research team and had them collect a number of Shadows, using research he'd procured from connections in Mikage-cho and Sumaru City..."
"He was... collectin' 'em?!" Junpei gasped. "Damn! That's freakin' crazy!"
"Sounds like some kinda mad scientist bullshit, honestly!" Natsumi mused. "...I'm gonna guess things didn't go as planned?"
"They didn't, no. Ten years ago, during the final stages of the project... there was an accident, and the experiment failed," Mitsuru explained. "...They lost control of the Shadows' power, altering the very nature of the entire world."
"Y-You can't mean...?" Fuuka stammered.
"...Yes. It produced Tartarus, and the Dark Hour," Mitsuru explained, everyone except the chairman now all looking at her with stunned faces. "According to the records, the accumulated mass of Shadows split apart into several large ones that later dispersed. These... are the Shadows we've been encountering on the nights when the moon is full."
"Maybe that's why it's so difficult to predict where they'll appear?" Fuuka wondered.
"Wait a minute," Yukari interrupted. "...If what you said is true, then why does our school turn into Tartarus?"
Her eyes went wide. "...Don't tell me... is it because that's where they conducted the experiment?!"
Mitsuru looked away again, downcast. "...Yes."
"Then those students who were hospitalized..." Yukari looked worried of what Mitsuru would say next.
The older girl nodded. "...It's just as you fear. It was a highly populated area, and the Kirijo Group had a lot of influence there. They could essentially do as they pleased... Port Island must've been the perfect location for them," she explained. "...So yes, as you guessed, the experiment ten years ago was conducted at Gekkoukan High School."
"Just what are you trying to say here?!" Yukari protested. "...Is that the whole purpose behind SEES?"
Mukuro's brow furrowed at this as she looked over at Mitsuru and the chairman. "...Is that why you convinced Fenrir to release me and have me brought back here? I know it had to be more then just coincidence or some kind of sentimentality anyone assumed I might have that I'd be sent to this school of all places," she said. "So was I just here to... help clean up a mess your people caused that took my family from me in the first place?!"
"You lied to us this whole time!" Yukari snapped, standing up again angrily before her gaze then flickered to Akihiko. "...And what about you? You knew, too, didn't you Sanada-Senpai? Or do you not care as long as you're the one doing the fighting?!"
"I never said anything like that!" Akihiko said, his tone sharp but managing to keep calm, but it soon deflated. "...I... have my reasons..."
"Think what you'd like, but it was my decision not to share this information," Mitsuru said. "All I can say is... I'm sorry... it was never my intent to deceive you. Convincing you to join SEES was my highest priority. I know it's not fair, but Shadows can only be defeated by Persona-users. We are the only ones who can fight."
"That's hardly the point!" Yukari replied, folding her arms and glaring.
"Understand... I never had a choice, either... it didn't matter if I wanted this power or not," Mitsuru said softly, trembling in her seat. "...I..."
"Mitsuru, that's enough," Akihiko said, looking over at her, then to the dark-haired girl seated by her. "...For what it's worth, Mukuro, I want to apologize. There were things I wasn't privy to, but... at the same time, there were moments I probably should have asked questions, but... I have my reasons for being here."
Mukuro sighed, looking down at her lap. "...Normally, missions were never personal to me, and I never asked questions or expressed reservations about them and I'd stay desensitized to everything in it. But... coming back here after what happened, in light of all of this, it's just become different for me, now..."
"Please understand, both of you... only those in the past are the ones to blame," Ikutsuki said. "...And they lost their lives as a result of what they did. We're all in the same boat, here. None of us deserve the burden that's been thrust upon us. Now, it's been ten years since the incident in question, and no one knows why those Shadows have suddenly returned... but now that they're here, we finally have a chance to find and destroy them. You realize what this means?"
"What?" asked Mukuro.
"What if I told you the twelve Shadows are the cause of everything?" Ikutsuki asked with a small smile.
"You're saying if we destroy them all, Tartarus and the Dark Hour will disappear?!" Akihiko asked, agape.
Ikutsuki nodded. "Exactly!" he said, his smile growing. "That's what I was going to tell you all earlier! See? It's good news, isn't it?"
"Can that really be true?" asked Fuuka.
"There's evidence to support it, and this is where our true battle begins," said Ikutsuki.
"Our... true battle?" Yukari pondered.
"Regardless of what happened in the past, we must fight to protect the people," Ikutsuki explained. "The Shadows are gaining strength, and we can't afford to wait for them to strike first... and there are still mysteries surrounding Tartarus: For instance, why did such a gigantic structure appear in the first place? The answers must be out there somewhere!"
"Hm..." Yukari looked down at her lap, unable to think of a counter-argument.
"Mukuro, I'm very sorry about what happened to your family, but maybe by helping resolve all of this, your heart will finally be at peace, and you'll be able to finally move forward, yes?" Ikutsuki asked the young soldier with an assuring smile.
Mukuro glanced away a moment, before looking back at him and nodding. "...I'll do all I can. Each time we've accomplished a full moon mission, Tartarus opens access further up. You... may be right this is our only option."
"That's the spirit!" said Ikutsuki. "...And the rest of you?"
"Eh, it's not like I have anything else close to this exciting going on anyway!" Natsumi shrugged. "May as well enjoy it while it lasts!"
"Heh, wish a nobody like me could be that good at this," Junpei grumbled.
"Um, were you listening, Junpei-kun?" Fuuka asked meekly. "The only thing anyone really knows about Tartarus is that it creates Shadows. Other then that, we're all in the dark."
"At this point, only six remain. We're already halfway there!" Akihiko said with an assuring smirk.
"But... if the Dark Hour disappears, I won't be able to use my Persona anymore, will I?" Junpei asked, frowning.
The boy's features that'd remained mostly cold and angry the past few days softened noticeably as he stood up, dejected. "...It's such an amazing power, I can't just let it go to waste..."
Without another word, he turned and left.
"I'll continue this to the end, as I promised years ago," Mitsuru said, standing up and frowning. "If the meeting's adjourned, I think I'd like to be alone for the night..." she looked down at Mukuro, crestfallen. "...I'm so sorry for the trouble I've caused for you."
"...I still have homework, so... I'm gonna go, too," Yukari said softly, getting up and leaving a moment after Mitsuru had.
"I guess this is the end of the meeting. Mukuro, if there's anything else you'd like to ask, I'll gladly do what I can to be of help. I owe you that much," said Ikutsuki as the others got up to leave as well.
"I was kept in the dark about all of it when the accident happened, both when I was in the hospital and at the institution they sent me to," Mukuro explained. "Was there anything that was covered about it?"
Ikutsuki nodded. "In the end, over fifty people were injured or killed, your parents among them. The media placed all the blame on the Kirijo Group for the tragedy, and they singled out one researcher in particular, declaring him the main culprit behind it all," he explained. "...But, whether it was actually all his fault or not was not the issue... the public was looking for someone to vent their pain and anger on, so they chose him, even though in reality he was a victim, himself... their wrath was unparalleled. It was almost more frightening than seeing a horde of Shadows."
Mukuro folded her arms, looking back at the door a moment. "Mitsuru said she'd "promised years ago", is there something to that as well?"
"...Well, under the pretense of assisting for the benefit of the Group, Mitsuru was subjected to experiments on her Persona for many years, having awakened to it when she was just a small child," explained Ikutsuki. "...This solved the mystery behind the unknown ability of Personas, and began the development of various equipment beginning with the Evoker. None of this would have been possible without her cooperation."
Ikutsuki frowned, pinching his chin in thought. "...I imagine there were likely some dangerous experiments at times, too, and yet she kept agreeing to it, I'm told," he said, looking back at her. "...I suspect there's something else on your mind, also?"
Mukuro looked down at her lap, again. "...Sanada-senpai. What he said..."
"Ah, yes. He and Kirijo-kun have known eachother for quite a while. He actually joined us when he was still in middle school," Ikutsuki explained. "...At the time, we had a third member as well, but... I digress. If you want to know more about that, I believe that's his responsibility to share with you, if he so wishes."
"I see," Mukuro said softly, frowning a little. It meant Akihiko would have at least been doing this for about three or four years, by her assumption, acting as the Kirijo Group's soldier in this war against the Shadows despite how young he would have been.
Maybe he did understand her more then she assumed...
"At any rate, I understand exams are after this weekend, so why don't you go and study the rest of the night?" asked Ikutsuki.
Mukuro nodded. "I still need to brush up on math especially."
"Ah, well, I hope you're able to... solve that problem!" Ikutsuki said with an impish smirk. "Oh, come on! That was a good one! It's good to bring the mood up a little after how the meeting went, right?"
Mukuro stared at the chairman a moment before slipping on her headphones and leaving, turning on her music player and heading back downstairs to return to her dorm room to do as he suggested and study. Exams were, after all, not far away and the team had a lot of time between them and the next full moon. Hopefully she'd hear from Theodore soon that a new path further into Tartarus had opened as well. Even if a part of her still lived for this, a part of her, Mukuro realized, also wanted to move on, too.
A/N: And updated once more! Thank you everyone who's supported and stayed with me this far! The mention of the locations of P1 and P2 duology is a reference to a fantheory that Kouetsu Kirijo may have gotten some of his research and the means to acquire shadows from Kandori's from the first two games.
0 - The Fool - SEES: Rank 4
I - The Magician - Junpei Iori: Rank 6
II - The Priestess - Fuuka Yamagishi: Rank 1
IV - The Emperor - Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Rank 4
V - The Hierophant - Bookstore Owners: Rank 5
VI - The Lovers - Yukari Takeba: Rank 4
VII - The Chariot - Aoi Asahina: Rank 4
IX - The Hermit - "MARY": Rank 4
XI - Strength - Miu Iruma: Rank 1
XII - The Hanged Man - Seiko Kimura: Rank 4
XIII - Death - Pharos: Rank 1
XIV - Temperance - Sonia Nevermind: Rank 2
XV - The Devil - President Tanaka: Rank 2
XVI - The Tower - Natsumi Kuzuryu: Rank 4
XVII - The Star - Akihiko Sanada: Rank 2
Mukuro's Personas: Zouchouten, Sandman, Rakshasa, Hua Po, High Pixie, Take-Mikazuchi, Principality, Matador, Leanan Sidhe, Shiisaa