Hitoshi gave a half shrug, casting a faint sideways smirk at the girl. Normal - yeah of course. Sure, why not?

"Sure I don't mind. Probably best if people don't walk alone these days anyway, y'know?"

Of course he had heard the rumors - who hadn't? To Hitoshi that was all they were: students gossiping and making mountains out of molehills. Whether he believed them or not though was irrelevant, the important part was that people should put their safety first. Even if people hadn't supposedly been 'disappearing', there were enough dark places and unpleasant people about to make safety something worth keeping in mind.

And even if he barely knew the girl, he wouldn't wish any harm on her.

"Besides, with you here? People might stop crossing the street to avoid me." He grinned a little to himself despite his own joke cutting just a little too close to home.

It was rare that anyone actually actively tried to avoid him - most barely recognised that boy that had caused them trouble in years gone by and the rest had generally come to tentatively accept that he wasn't the same any more, but there were still times that he had run-ins with those that still expected him to behave like some kind of thug. He supposed his appearance might be a part of the problem, but there were some things that just seemed destined not to change.

As they walked, he tried to get an idea of exactly who this girl was. Minori Koizumi she had called herself. Polite and obviously careful of her manners if the slight stutter over which honourific to use was anything to judge by. Pretty little thing - it was hard to believe that she didn't have anyone better to walk with. Maybe something had happened recently? He ought try and not say anything awkward, just to be safe.

"So, what you planning on doing this weekend" He asked as they made their way towards the district's center. It was a pretty flimsy line of conversation, but the best he could come up with on such short notice. Nice and noncommittal and neutral. "Got any plans? Looks like this weather's set in to last - though that might just be wishful thinking on my part."

Jin listened to their classmate speak, and nodded once it was done. They really believed that Miyamoto-kun would help, for what it was worth. He wasn't the type to lie needlessly. "Thanks. I owe you. Free repair next time you need it, ok?" Jin flashed the boy a quick grin, and then nodded politely to the other girl. Then they were out the door and down the school halls. Jin was, technically, a member of the 'Going-Home Club', as they didn't have official membership in any club. If only there were a Mechanics Club! But Jin would probably have to start one personally, and honestly couldn't be bothered to do so.

Jin's feet moved on autopilot, leaving their mind wandering. Last night had been a rough one, more than usual. While sleep and Jin were never on good terms, lately, the nightmares had changed. Usually they involved snow and blood, but lately there had been eerie butterflies and a question about their name. A question that Jin couldn't answer, deep down. Was she truly Jin Takahashi? Or was that a cover for Jinayah Ifriti? Sure, they had the one of the best grades in English, because they actually spoke it, but didn't Jin speak Japanese just as well now? Who was this Jin, anyway? Boy? Girl? Jin or Ayah or who, exactly? It made Jin's head hurt to think about. All they truly hoped for was to get some manner of sleep. The hospital was not a convenient place for a new school year...

Stifling a wide yawn, Jin realized they'd made it outside. The Archery club was hard at work. Upon seeing one of the very few people they would call a 'friend', Jin plucked a spare bow from the rack and calmly joined Sakura's side.

"Sakura-chan." Pulling an arrow from the bucket, Jin notched it between fingers long-callused from street fighting, took a deep breath and let it fly. It hit the target quite to the left of center. Hitting a stationary target was easy, once you calculated mass, distance and force. Jin plucked a handful of arrows, tipping their head slightly to the side, mentally calculating. "How are you?"

"Oh, I see."

It was hard to tell whether Kimiko was speaking in reference to Daisuke or Jin, who had appeared like a whirlwind before Saitou had even been able to form an effective reply. She waved at them as they began quizzing Miyamoto on a potential future selling Kimiko potato-based sides to snack on for dinner, but had disappeared before the girl could effectively whip up a sales pitch for why this future was beneficial for all parties. Jin's in-and-out time was small enough that Kimiko could effectively fit the entire conversation within her wave, and she stood there for a second after they were gone. Just waving.

"That's okay, Daisuke-kun. I like your french fries best."

She spoke with an understanding smile and nodded her head gently. He always gave Kimiko more fries than anyone else who worked his shifts.

To be fair, they would all give her four orders, as ordered. But Daisuke's handfuls were the biggest, and he would sometimes smile wryly at her when she thanked him. It was quality customer service.

"I suppose I'll settle for ordering a burger tonight."

@DJAtomika

NPC: Igarashi Iemasa

"Good afternoon, Matsumoto-kun! Heading off to Lit?"

Igarashi Iemasa, twenty-five years old, has a long-term long-distance relationship with his girlfriend in Hokkaido, sidled up next to the aforementioned longcoat-adorning teenager, a dazzling smile (one that, if you were super poetic, was almost comparable to the sun in its intensity) plastered onto his face. A satchel hung across his torso, its top almost over-filling with what appeared to be history essays (if the lined paper was any indication). It seemed that the young history teacher was off to get most of his obligations done before the weekend, and thus allow himself to relax and enjoy his hobbies.

Of course, this didn't mean he wasn't going to talk to his beloved students! Why, he was quite happy to converse with them rather than head directly home to his cozy little apartment. It was always good to know how the kids were doing. It was hip thing, wasn't it?

And Matsumoto-kun looked like a guy in real need of somebody to interact with.

"I-I am sure that your company w-w-won't be a bother or discouraged" Senhime said as her cheeks lit up with a large blush as she smiled brightly at Tomoda-San it was not often people actually took her opinion into mind and that made it something special perhaps she could try interacting more with Tomoda as well? With a quick shake of that though from her head she focused back at the task at hand. "I-i-if w-w-w-e are h-h-h-heading towards the roof we best be off" She quickly added it was true to be honest but she was kind of curious despite being in the same class as Tomoda she knew little about him or anyone for that matter. Perhaps she could use a bit more interaction with her peer's like the teachers suggested.

Sakura looked up in surprise at her sudden companion. "Capt- I mean, Takahashi-san." She stood still for a good while, unable to decide what to do, before simply returning to her archery practice, albeit quite a bit less focused than before.

"What brings you to the archery range?" She asked, trying not to sound rude. Personal interaction had always been her greatest weakness, and she really didn't know how to handle anybody, let alone someone as unique as Jin.

Your expression hardens, becoming as the mountain in it's stoniness. Working your vocal chords masterfully, you drop your spoken tone a full octave and add some resonance to it for effect.

"Right." you rumble from on high, gazing imperiously down at the girl. "But only if you promise to not tell a soul we were up here too. You can do that, can't you?"

An awkward silence passes between the three of you, before your bro, ever the champion of females in distress, shatters it and the illusion you were creating.

"Come on, man, quit messing with her."

"Oh fiiiiiine." is your insolent response, before the smile returns as if it never left. "I can't help it, Senhime's too adorable to not mess with a little! You saw how she lit up like a neon sign, right?"

"W-well yeah, but..."

Oho? Were you sensing a chink in the armor?

He clears his throat, and appears to compose himself. "Be that as it may—"

"That's an admission of agreeing with me!"

Now his is the hard expression."Don't make me punch you."

"Hehe."

He raises his fist as a warning. You reason it's more for Senhime's sake than yours, since you typically skipped straight to comical brawls when it was just the two of you involved. In a rare moment of following a decision path known as "wise", you heed it.

Probably for her sake too. You could take him if you wanted. 49:50, after all...

"Well, you said it, Senhime-chan! Best get moving!" you crow merrily, jaunting up the stairs and taking the lead.

@banjoanjo

After a few minutes of kendo practice, Rena decided to visit the art club to see what they were painting. "Hello, how everyone doing?" She announced with a warm smile and a friendly attitude. "You guys mind of i stick around and watch you guys paint, I swear i will not cause you guys any trouble." She promised the club as she rubbed her left wrist in front of her. She then decided to sit next to Akihito while he was drawing butterflies. "May i look at this?" She asked before picking up his charcoal drawing, as she did so the gravity pulled down her shirt sleeves revealing a light bruise on her left wrist that likely came from kendo practice, that bruise is likely the reason she dismissed herself from her club early. "Hmmm, a beautiful yet poorly lit room." Rena commented.

Arina Mifune

“It’s just like back in the states” she said in English.

“Yup, classmate disappears, becomes gossip around school etc…except it’s highly unlikely that the school president would vanish” replied Arina hastily while cleaning her Alto Saxophone while talking to a friend also from the states. Music rehearsal was finished, everyone was chatting up others staying or leaving.

“Usually you would see it as delinquents, or the students of a lower status that would disappear” replied another friend from the states. The two were also international students and it was not common for Arina to talk to them in English instead of Japanese.

“True” as she wiped her wet reed with a cloth, cleaning both sides. There was no time to wash it for the bell was coming.

“Hey Arina, have you been getting-” and then her phone beeped. “…forget it some other time. My parents are here to pick me up for my doctor appointment. See you later.”

The two walked off as the other waved a goodbye as she did to as she put in a black cloth with a string through her Saxophone body, holding it carefully, it upside down, and pulling the cloth through the bell. She put all the parts in her case and placed it into her music locker

--

Arina Mifune looking obviously like the American she was, walked through the hallways carrying a backpack and a purse. The attire was reasonable for the weather as it was similar to what you find in the Bay Area. The stares, mutters of students whether what level they were always gave her attention especially how she was wearing those shades while walking through the halls but she did not really mind it. It was her big fuck you to the uniforms policy she despised, that she had since she returned to Japan.

She was bound to walk, or encounter someone but she was in urgency, she wanted to go home.

As soon as Rena’s voice rang out through the studio, Aki observed a handful of kouhais fighting the urge to dive from their seats. They probably would have gone through with it had it not been for the ¥20000 gouache they’d been handling (there was NO way he’d allow those ridiculously expensive tuition fees go to waste over a cheap scare, plus the only thing scarier than potential broken fingers was Akihito-senpai’s frugality). He gave them a pointed stare and they did as the rest of his fellow club members had done, murmured a quiet “hello” before returning to their current projects, all while silently begging for the Yakuza Bitch’s departure.

Being one of the more populous associations of Shikatsu’s extracurricular scene, the Art Club was also a treasure trove of gossip and rumours. Nothing filled the silence of hardworking artists like discussion of current events, both inside the school and out. For people who like to keep up with the happenings within the school, Art Club is the ideal place. Aki had to admit though, most of the vicious slander chatter was questionable at best and completely nonsensical at worst, especially when it came to Rena Tatsuya.

Did she single-handedly decimate the judo club last year because someone ripped her uniform? Possibly.
Did she one time break a student council member’s fingers after they attempted to search her bag? Probably?
Was she the heiress to the most notorious yakuza clan in the prefecture? Definitely, and that was enough reason for Akihito to avoid her if possible. He was fairly sure that his family preferred having intact pinkies.

When it came to Rena herself, Aki had encountered her type before. People were like math equations; they seemed to vary on the surface, but the trend was there. As long as you saw past the daunting exterior and knew the correct method, you’d get along just fine. And Aki always knew the method. For the confident, popular (ish?) rich ones, stay chill. Make them laugh, project confidence, don’t look like you’re trying too hard, if you want to play up the “mysterious guy” angle that’s fine too, but above all, show no fear. Aki was fairly certain the rumours were ridiculous exaggerations, but the threat of her lineage was ever present.

“Hmm? Oh, hey Rena-chan! Yeah, that’s just been something at the back of my mind recently,” he greeted her with a warm, practiced smile, silently congratulating himself for being able to hold back a fearful stutter.

“Did kendo club let out early today?” he spoke, pretending not to notice the obvious bruise. No reason to point it out. “If you want to paint or anything I could help you set up an easel but if you’re just drawing, the supplies are just next to the portfolio cabinet,”

As soon as Rena notice the other student staring at her with fear she instinctively moved out of the doorway just in case they decided to abandon the room like scared mice. Thankfully it didn't come to that. Being a good poker player Rena couldn't help but notice that theses art students seem a little bit nervous with her in the room, through instances like theses are usual common but Rena could help but feel that this instance, in particular, was somewhat special, however she couldn't put her finger on why that was.

“Hmm? Oh, hey Rena-chan! Yeah, that’s just been something at the back of my mind recently,” he greeted her with a warm, practiced smile, silently congratulating himself for being able to hold back a fearful stutter.

“Did kendo club let out early today?” he spoke, pretending not to notice the obvious bruise. No reason to point it out. “If you want to paint or anything I could help you set up an easel but if you’re just drawing, the supplies are just next to the portfolio cabinet,”

"Hello...Irimi-kun is it." Rena question in a respectful matter. She possibly hearing his name from the other females and delinquents in her class and then identifying him by his blue hair. "No, i just dismiss myself early cause of this." She told him before should him the bruise. "This is why you called time out when you realise your protection gloves is not properly fasten around your wrist.." She told him in a friendly like before getting up to grab some drawing supplies. "I just going to draw for right now." Rena told him nicely before getting up to get some drawing equipment.

As she began sketching her picture Rena couldn't help but think about Aki's ability to keep his cool. Rena being a good poker player Rena can identify the simply signs of nervous such as scratching one's skin or face touching but Aki's body was more subtle of not completely absent.

Meanwhile Rena was stretch this strange picture as best as she could.



Some people could identify this picture as being based off picture show at the end of a "Ed Edd n' Eddy" cartoon

"V-v-v-very well than" Senhime said as she carefully followed Tomoda-San it was somewhat easier to get to the roof this way she noticed since a lot of people seemed to give her a wide berth making it easy to follower in its wake. It was kind of funny watching the two interact it literally was similar enough to her secret stash of romantic comedy light novels. With a small smile gracing her lips she quietly followed through till they reached the roof. Letting them be she quietly went to the edge where her back was against the fencing than quickly looking around she took out a small well used light novel. Taking another look to make sure that no one was looking she quietly took to reading it and quickly forgetting that Tomoda-san and his friend was up on the roof as well.

Act I - The Prelude

"Vice President!"

The glaringly bright star that was masquerading as a human forced Okazaki to immediately avert his eyes, in fear that staring at the pearly white teeth beaming in his direction for too long would leave him permanently blinded on the virtue of having his cornea set ablaze by the sheer radiance being outputted. It was always difficult, dealing with the most ... exuberant member of the drama club, especially for a more reflective and introverted person like him. The sheer energy that Oogami Youta, a frequent lead actor and part-time master of stage lighting, produced in his day to day life was immense, to the point where it would not be hyperbole to say that the other dramatist could easily power the entirety of Japan on his lonesome. For him and the other club members to deal with him on such a regular basis ... it was almost miraculous, really.

"What is it, Youta-san?" he replied politely, holding a hand up to his forehead and squinting through the glare at the other teenage boy's grinning visage. "Were you not helping out with the repairs on one of the sets?"

The last week of drama club meetings had essentially revolved around planning for the year's major production (dealing with logistical issues and assigning roles), ensuring that the newest members to the club were not left out of all the unfamiliar (to them) proceedings, and generally organising all the paperwork that came with the new year. In one of those meetings, one of their fixture sets had been damaged (accidentally, of course), and given its versatility and general ability to be utilised in a large variety of plays, one of their first jobs of the year had been to try and fix it. Oogami Youta, being the flamboyant type of person he was, had endeavoured to take charge (and thereby expose the newer members to his all-around 'magnificence').

Okazaki, on the other hand, was spending most of his time flitting from place to place, serving in a multitude of roles and generally holding the fort until Kaede Yamamoto, the actual Drama Club President, arrived to take charge of the proceedings.

He shot a quick glance down at his wristwatch. Yamamoto was beginning to be a bit late.

"I do think it's high time we had a break," declared Oogami, breaking him out of his reverie with powerful tones. "Or at least, wait until the Commander-in-Chief pops by and tells us what the plan is."

It admittedly wasn't a bad suggestion. The present drama club members were really aimlessly doing ... things in an attempt to seem productive, given that the last meeting hadn't really provided any of them with a major agenda to be dealt with. The president's absence also meant that they couldn't really host another meeting either, and so they were left aimless, as if they were shipwrecked sailors clinging onto a raft in the hopes that a passing vessel would rescue them from the cold sea of lethargic ennui.

"I guess we could stop for a bit," said Okazaki finally after a minute of silent thought. He really was just a stand-in, after all.

His proclamation, despite how subdued it was, seemed to reinvigorate the other club members immediately. What had been a quiet session of aimless work (give or take whatever flamboyant outburst had exited Oogami's mouth) transformed into activity, with gossip and chatter slowly seeping across the room as his colleagues sought the gentle caress of relaxation. Something that he himself was willing to enjoy as well. The introverted vice president leaned back against his seat, allowing the atmosphere to wash over him as tension seeped out of his body. It was best to let everyone be until Yamamoto came back.

"You're a real uk-, ukgh, doormat, Okacchin~" The whispered half-stammer caused Okazaki's head to turn carelessly to his left, half-lidded gaze meeting a strangely ... intriguing set of mischievous eyes. He blinked. Once. Twice. The eyes were very close to him.

He spoke.

"Hanazawa-san, why is your face so close to mine?"

The aforementioned drama club scriptwriter and amateur authoress shrunk back, her face fully appearing within his field of vision. To others, it would have been strange to have a girl in such close proximity, but he was beginning to grow used to her tendency to infringe upon what he considered his personal space. He wasn't particularly sure why she spent so much time shadowing his every move, especially when he was talking to Oogami, but it was one of those eccentricities to his fellow students that he doubted he would ever truly decipher.

"N-no reason, none at all," was the reply, but was that a glint of amusement in her eyes?

Okazaki decided not to pursue that path of inquiry.

"My comrades, I have the most excellent idea!"

And there was Oogami again, jumping into the middle of the room and making dramatic poses.

"What is it?" he asked, the question leaving his mouth before he could even think further upon it.

The rapid-fire explanation that made up his fellow dramatist's immediate response was almost far too overwhelming for him to understand. The mentions of a 'four-player game', 'corners' and something about 'Persona' were all that really leapt out at him between the mass of Jungian-seeming jargon and the gleaming teeth that continued to throw off his concentration. The other club members were rather enraptured by Oogami's words, but Okazaki himself was instead quite confused. Were they undergoing some sort of ... mock demon summoning ritual? Was the occult club not a floor below them?

"That's why it's a 'mock' ritual, Okacchin~!" explained Hanazawa sagely, although her expression did not even convey the slightest of the ancients' supposed wisdom. "I think it's going to be something fun to do!"

She wasn't the only one. The vice president noticed the other club members gossiping to one another, clearly interested in this strange activity that Oogami had suggested. There was some talk about the missing student council president or two, though in what context he had not been concentrating hard enough to hear. But it was clear that they were interested.

Personally it seemed rather strange and incongruous, but if the others wanted to try it out, he supposed he could help Oogami out.

What could possibly go wrong?

"I will help out as well, I suppose," he said, pulling himself up from his seat with deep sigh. "You need ... four people, is that right?"

Oogami nodded in approval. Sparkling approval. "Indeed! With you, Hanazawa and I, we just need one more fellow to be a dear and join us for this Persona ritual."

"Count me in then, sunbeam," stated a voice, one comparable to that of the highest of angels within God's host, from the back of the room. Nine sets of eyes glanced over towards where Sasaki Hayate, their narrator (for performances that required them) and eternal extra (hence the name-tag attached to his gakuran that declared the teenager to be "Tree A"), was detaching himself from the wall he had been leaning against. He was a constant fixture of the club, but the amount of effort he seemed to put in ... was admittedly rather lacklustre.

"Then that's four then!" was Oogami's response. "To our corners, comrades!"

Okazaki sighed once again as he stumbled lethargically towards his assigned corner of the room (well, the one he had been closest to). The ritual wasn't to his taste, but it would be interesting to see how it panned out. Whether or not it would summon a demon or allow them to see their future ... it didn't really matter to him. He was just here to help out the others. That was all that mattered.

"Persona-sama, Persona-sama, please come to us!"

That was Oogami starting them off. He dutifully shuffled from his corner to the next one, touching Hanazawa on the shoulder. The girl giggled at him, before skipping off to the next corner to hug at Hayate. Not that the magnificently-voiced man appreciated it.

But the other teenage boy too followed the rules of the ritual (what were they, say the incarnation, move to the next corner and touch a person, and repeat until everyone was finished?) and moved on to Oogami.

"Persona-sama, Persona-sama, you're really busting my balls here."

It was starting to get cold in the room. The air conditioners must have been screwing up again. It was strange how they paid so much in tuition when the maintenance staff could barely keep everything working in mint condition. It did not do wonders for their already horrid reputation. Okazaki tightened his gakuran as he walked towards the next corner, nudging Hanazawa again. It was her turn now, and then his.

"Persona-sama, Persona-sama, show me my dearest wish!"

Hanazawa's giggles were ... stranger than usual. He glanced at the club members who weren't participating in the ritual. Their eyes were transfixed on the club's scriptwriter. She seemed ... a bit different now. Okazaki looked back over at the other two. There was also something about them. Was it the aura? They had an aura of ... something. He couldn't explain it.

He'd ask them once they got the ritual over and done with.

Okazaki stepped into his final position, ignoring the eeriness that had befallen the room. He took a deep breath.

"Persona-sama, Persona-sama ..."

Something shifted.

"COME TO ME."



His eyes flashed red with inhuman rage, and the rest of the club members could only scream as the four ritual participants





change

And the room exploded with unnatural light.

The teacher's voice cut through the murmur. Picked up his cheer in his voice.

He was behind me in the hall. I turned and found it to be Mister Iemasa. Homeroom. Married. Loved history. Would marry it if he had the chance. Overall nice guy.

I checked my watch and nodded to his question.

"Yeah, mister Iemasa. Heading for Lit. What about you? Just finished with your class? I can see you're positively radiating energy."

Truth be told his pep didn't really rub off on me. It got...grating, at times. I knew the guy was really into his job, and don't get me wrong that's a good quality to have. But sometimes there's getting too into it, and then there's getting too into it, catch my drift?

I didn't have any bad feelings for the guy though, so I stopped. Barely anyone outside of Lit and Soccer club talked to me anyway. Nice to chit chat with someone.

I think it was the coat though.

Definitely the coat.

NPC: Igarashi Iemasa

"Right on the money, Matsumoto-kun," was Iemasa's smiling reply, the young teacher lifting up his satchel to show the stack of history essays piled inside more clearly to his student. "My third year history class just handed in their first assignment of the semester, so I'm off to get them all done and dusted before the end of the weekend."

He was quite interested to see his students' thoughts and their overall ability to construct well-written, well-argued and generally fluent pieces of writing. If they weren't able to do so, it was his duty to make sure that they were in tip-top-shape by the end of the year; being able to write well was always a boon, especially when job-searching.

"How are you finding classes so far?" he asked, eager to know how his students were faring. "Anything hip and happening?"

@chukklehed

Sakura looked up in surprise at her sudden companion. "Capt- I mean, Takahashi-san." She stood still for a good while, unable to decide what to do, before simply returning to her archery practice, albeit quite a bit less focused than before.

"What brings you to the archery range?" She asked, trying not to sound rude. Personal interaction had always been her greatest weakness, and she really didn't know how to handle anybody, let alone someone as unique as Jin.

Jin loaded another arrow and let it fire. It landed just where they'd wanted it to- equidistant to the first, so accurate you could have laid a ruler against it.

"Oh, just bored, I suppose. Aunt and Uncle will still be working, and I don't feel like being by myself for once." They didn't see Sakura's question as rude. It was a pretty normal question- and it cut straight to the point, which Jin preferred. "Keep your arm up, would you? Don't miss your mark on my account." Jin did notice their friend's tension, though. Maybe this was a bad time? "Do you want to hang out today? I'll buy the snacks." In truth, a good part of the reason that Jin was avoiding home was their family's inevitable questions about university and cram school. The constant pressure was getting irritating. For godsakes, Jin was trying to leave school- why were they so insistent on shoving another four years onto it? It would be like opening a prison door, letting someone step out for five minutes, and then shoving them back into an even larger prison.

Jin plucked up a half-dozen arrows, eyes narrowing as they nocked one and lined up a shot.

Why am I late? Kaede thought as he sped-walked towards where the Drama Club was meeting. He knew the answer to that question, but couldn’t help but ask himself. I am making a terrible example for everyone else, but with 3 cups of coffee, duty calls. Also whatever was in that cafeteria food. Ignoring everyone that was loitering in the hallways or going to other clubs, Kaede kept walking.

Turning the corner, from the room came a bright light. Kaede thought that it probably was all the stage lights turning on at once or something like that. It sounded like something Youta would do. But he was pretty sure that Okazaki would stop him from doing something that stupid. It was too early in the year for things to start going wrong. There was still so much to plan and put together and coordinate and… Calm down, breathe. No getting stressed today.

Kaede took a small breath and opened the door, realizing that the noises on the other side were screams. The scene before him was indescribable. Well, there was one word for it. Chaos.
“What is going on here?”

"Y'know they're the same fries, right, Kimiko-chan?" Daisuke asked rhetorically, even though he knew with Saitou Kimiko no question was ever really rhetorical. At least no rhetorical one would be. She'd answer in her unique, left-field way and more often than not catch everybody who wasn't used to her off guard. It was her way. A way that had taken months upon months of knowing her, either at work or school, to get used to. But her way nonetheless. The teen adjusted the strap of his bag, glancing back at the doorway where he'd been heading just a minute before.

"I'm planning on heading home. Gotta grab something to eat, I skipped lunch. Want to walk with me? I can supervise my coworkers, make sure they get your fries right." A pause. "You never skip fries, it's weird that you'd think about it."

---

Click.

A spotlight.

Click.

Two spotlights.

Click.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.

Intense, searing heat. A table; old, wooden - it smoked. Black, ugly carbon rose into the air. Rose into the light. Into the blinding, impossible, whiteness. It sparkled there. A choking smog of darkness that sparkled against the light of a million suns. The powers of the night rising up to cloud at the heavens. It was burning. Burning. All of it was.

Click.

Beams of light. Beams. Screaming. Figures, human (just children just children just children screaming screaming screaming), huddling. As far from the light. Far far far away. Fear, a scent strongly carried by the dry, dry air. No water. None in the air. It was seeping into the floor. Into the cardboard of disturbed sets. Into half-written scripts. Ink running. Tables and desks and chairs and everything scattered and scattered across the floor. Chalk melting off a shattered board.

Rainbow scatter. Light reflecting off clear pools of water. Into eyes. Into everywhere.

l̡̰̤̦̘̜!̶̬͚̣͕̜͎͚!͓̼̠͘

One figure.

One ... one monster.

Suspended in the light. A lamp orbiting its body hypnotically. Click. A beam. Click. Off.

Two lamps. Three lamps.

Click.

Charred wall.

Four lamps. Five lamps. Six lamps.

Two ... two monsters.

Three screaming heads. A body trapped in the wall. Stopping. Starting. Three screaming heads. A body trapped in the wall. Stopping. Starting. Déja vu?

World screeched to a halt. Stops. Starts.

Like a cassette tape. Jammed. Like piping. Blocked by roots of a great tree.

Reverse.

Restart.

Three ... three monsters.

Endless din. Not the screaming. The din rose. Noise and noise and noise. It buzzed.

Buzzed.

Chirped.

A million voices rose to speak. To question. No answers.

A shadow. Ten shadows. A hundred. A thousand. Ten thousand. Hundred thousand. A million.

A million pinpricks of darkness swarmed above.

Four ... four monsters.

A student in a gakuran.

A student walking closer. Like any other student. Like any other teenager. Male. Surrounded by horror.

No face.

None.

Just a mask. White. Black.

Like a mime.

Two cold, pale hands gripped at Kaede Yamamoto's cheeks.

Nails dug into the skin. It drew blood.

Somebody's screams grew louder.

"s̨̭͓̥̠̻̀E̮͉̻͢ḛ̡͡ ͔̲̯̤͕̭͓͇y̡̲̯̩̫̦͡O̸͇̭͢ṵ̞̘̯ ҉̙̫̘̪̟̫̳̼͇͢l̢̲̟A̸͍͈̩̠͎͖̰̯͖͢͝t̢͞͏̯̠E͉̹̟͘Ŕ̭͓̞̻̤͍̪̝ ̛̳̠̠̲͔̺̮͓͠ͅM̮̹̙̬̼͙̀͜i̸̢̖͞S̴̥̺t͕̮̘̞͚͕͝͡ͅͅḙ̸̮̀r̳͚͎ ̶̠̮̟̺̝̠p͇̲͈͓̕͟R̸̰͙̺̤̜̯̗͢e̷̹͓͍̯̜̕S̡̨̺̜̻͍̤͝i̩͓̯̕͠d͚̘͎̘̣͞ͅE̟̩̳͞N̯̱̬͍̕T̛̰͠"



A ghostly mass slammed through Yamamoto. Through his chest. Through him.



Silence. Deafening. Everything had stopped. Frozen.



Blood dripped.

Dripped.

Dripped.

A vision of the clock tower.

Seared into his mind. Of an entrance. Of a distorted, distorted ... fake world.

Fake fake fake fake.

Unnatural.

Time.

Stopped and started and stopped and started and-

Nothing.

..

.

..

.

..

.

..

The drama clubroom. Utterly ruined. Club members unconscious, flattened against the ground.

Unharmed, he was, in a pool of blood.

Lying there.

With a memory carved into his mind.

The only evidence of their existence.

The air was thick. Thick and heavy.

Okazaki, Oogami, Hanazawa, Sasaki.

All missing.

..

.

..

.

..

The noise was definitely going to garner attention.

Akihito was currently standing dumbfounded as Rena proudly placed the finishing touches on her… creature thing. Aki was a pretty good (pretty great) actor, but the bewilderment he felt did not have to be feigned. He had to say, Rena’s drawing was quite … inspired, and while the grotesqueness was certainly present, there was (surprisingly) a layer of professionalism amidst all the weirdness.

“Woah Rena-chan, that’s really cool!” he exclaimed. ‘Cool’ might not have been the word he was thinking, but the image was certainly deserving of some adjective. “You captured the movement of the figure really well, and the inking is incredible too! Kinda looks like one of those gaijin cartoons,” he grinned.

Yeah, it was pretty decent.

“You’ve obviously done this befo-“ A bright light from outside the Art Studio suddenly flooded the room. Then the distant screaming started. Of course, he knew immediately who was responsible. He knew that one guy with the smile really liked messing with the stage lights, but this was just insane. And that disruptive screaming. He didn’t care whatever icebreaker activity those melodramatic asshats were doing this time, some people needed to realise that other people used the school facilities too, people who would definitely NOT appreciate their activities being interrupted by asinine wailing.

“Jeez, what are those Drama Club idiots even doing?” he cursed out loud, revealing a sourness that would not be expected of a kid with a charcoal smudge on his face and an oversized cardigan. “I swear, I’m going to go over there and give Yamamoto what’s coming to him,”

Actually, that plan didn’t sound half bad. Plus it was a convenient way to get Rena away from those terrified kouhais and to get to know her better.

“Hey Rena-chan, if you’re done with your work, wanna come with me to tell off the Drama Club?”