yogen | MISSION 2.B

[Even looking like absolute shit, seeing Shuichi is a massive relief. On anyone else, he'd be immediately suspicious and questioning the blood splatter, but this is probably one of the only people he can assume an innocent explanation for. Which is good, because the world is on fire right now and they don't have time to dig into this shit at the moment.

Both his hands are occupied holding onto Akira and Rika, so y'all are just gonna have to deal as he lifts both their hands to wave along with him.]

The club wing it is! I'm sure my darling Saihara-chan wouldn't lead us astray!

[It's funny how everything he says always sounds like it might be cheerily sarcastic or something, even when he actually means it.

Anyway, let's roll.]

( she's not really thinking about their next course of action — all that matters is finding shuichi, and said worry only increases, as they pass by all the unhinged, wounded students, tearing at each other like it's that one scene in mean girls. plus, shuichi promised they'll meet here, and though he might've wandered off away from that spot, rika trusts he won't go too far — a few more steps, and she spots him in the crowd, waving at him rapidly. )

Sai-kyun!! ( letting go of ouma's hand, she speeds to his side, one arm reaching forward to steady him. he looks... like he's been through hell, already, bloodied and covered in ash, but realistically, they're all not exactly at their cleanest.

still... if they stay here, ash on clothes isn't going to be their biggest problem. )

None of the windows budge, so it's not like we have a lot of options. ( nose wrinkled, she turns to ouma and akira. unless they have any better ideas, she doesn't see any reason not to trust saihara — it's his life on the line, too, and she knows full-well he wouldn't lead them into more danger.

ouma seems to agree, so: ) Let's go, then. There's no time to stay here, anyway!

[ There's no fight when the note is snatched, nor does he struggle when he's pulled by the arm - other than a surprised stumble he's quietly cooperative. Letting himself be dragged along gives him time to think, though his thoughts are scattered at best in the heat. At least when they do finally lay eyes upon Shuichi, there's a wave of relief no matter how brief; Kokichi and Rika carry the energetic reunion, while Akira simply meets Shuichi's gaze with a secure sort of silence - turning to linger on Rika, to Kokichi, before giving a nod of confidence. ]

Nowhere to go from here but up.

[ If all are in agreement, Akira's game. He hasn't known them for very long, but the trust is there; the sort of thing that can only be born from struggling against the same fate. With initiative, he finally pulls himself from Kokichi's grasp - wastes no time in taking the lead. Only for a moment does he look back - Shuichi, Kokichi... no, his eyes land on Rika, half shouting over the chaos. ]

Kawai, I can count on you to put up a fight, right? If we need it, I've got your back; between the two of us, anything that gets in the way won't know what hit it!

[ Yeah, he looked straight through Shuichi and Kokichi because... sorry, it doesn't need to be said, but Rika's definitely the only choice to pair up with. They'll need Shuichi and Kokichi's brains anyway get out of this hellscape - so it's probably best to leave the physical stuff to them. Entrusting that to her, without hesitation he beelines straight for the remaining stairs - he'll bound up them as fast as the rest can keep up, as it seems to be their only option. ]

[ The group makes it up the stairs to the second floor with little incident, unless one of them slips on slick blood or a severed arm, but there is considerably less people up on the second floor compared to the first, considering that many were seen coming down the stairs as if drawn to the flames and the violence and self-destruction.

They can hear the power saw running in the home ec workshop, the sewing machine whirring in the sewing room, the smell of roasted meat coming from the cooking room.

The stairs up is clear.

The smell of alcohol is stronger than ever, without the smoke and stench of blood to mask it. ]

[ With Rika's help, Shuichi's mostly stable on his feet again by the time they make it to the second floor, thanks to the at least somewhat clearer air away from the smoke. Still, it's like she was his lifeline for a few minutes there, and there's a quiet sort of gratitude as he glances at her when they part, with the whole group stopping briefly to (presumably) take in the next floor. And the weird sounds that are coming from the rooms... those are of concern as well, but there's something else he notices too.

Or more like, remembers to notice, now that it feels stronger than ever. His brain catches up and he softly speaks out to the others: ]

...Hey. I've been thinking this for a while, but... isn't this scent in the air kind of odd? It's true that alcohol could fan flames, but... why do we smell like it, when we haven't been anywhere near any?

[ Yet it seems like the four of them, and maybe the other students too, all carry it with them as they've been going along. What's up with that? Where is it coming from... shouldn't they investigate the source if they can? ]

[ The smell of alcohol is everywhere, strong enough to burn, but it's a little more bearable out in the hallway where there is presumably more space to air things out. It's worse inside the stairwell, stronger and stronger up each step taken to the next floor. ]

[Kokichi wrinkles his nose at the smell as it gets worse the higher they ascend. The meat smell coming from the direction of the cooking room doesn't help – on its own it isn't a terrible smell, but in context it suggests some horrifying possibilities. While part of him wants to investigate everything, the survivalist in him is screaming to stat the hell away from all of that.]

Who knows? Maybe we started the fire. There's a bit of time since Saihara-chan and I went upstairs that I kiiinda can't remember, after all.

[He throws the theory out there carelessly, like he's more just suggesting the worst case scenarios for fun. But even saying it makes it feel distressingly possible. What isn't possible in this hellhole?]

{ It is possible. But when they smell their hands, it smells more of blood than alcohol, despite being clean, and only Shuichi has a valid excuse.

As they linger on this floor, they can hear the sounds of hurried footsteps coming up the stairwell from the ground floor, bypassing this floor and continuing on their way. ]

...

[ Don't just say that, is what he wants to tell Kokichi -- but is it because it might be true and it bothers him? If that's the only reason... then what if he's right? Except he knows that this is more just what Kokichi's like, he isn't saying it because that's what he thinks.

...Right? Shuichi only gives him a tired look. He might be familiar with the kind of shit he pulls, but Rika and especially Akira aren't. Although he has to admit that... as usual, it does the job to get him thinking. ]

No... If we'd started the fire with alcohol, it doesn't make sense that the smell seems stronger up here. This side isn't burning yet, is it?

[ Wouldn't they have poured it more generously at the starting point and then sprinkled some here and there along the way where they meant to lead the flames? But in reality, that isn't what seems to be happening. It is up the stairs that's suspicious after all, and the footsteps draw his attention.

He turns to peer back up in the stairwell, though if there's anything to be seen for it, Shuichi isn't fast enough. Someone else might be quicker to follow. ]

[ Akira's silent while they debate it, despite that his expression wrinkles sternly in the unsettling possibilities - it not like he doesn't too have a gap in how he got from here to the fourth floor. He's not accustomed to this school, he can't say he knows what to expect - but whatever they did or didn't do, it doesn't change the fact that the building is burning around them, nor the sounds of people rushing the stairwell.

He'll leave the debating on what role they play here to Kokichi and Shuichi - his gaze had already moved away from the direction of the unsettling sounds and smells of this floor and back to the stairs. Typical of a phantom thief - focused on securing an exit, and he can say with confidence that exit likely isn't here. ]

... Checking out the source should help us solve that pretty quick.

[ The smell of alcohol seems to be the stand out question, so why not chase it - y'know, aside from having an ounce of self preservation or restraint but that's not Akira's style. The stairwell seems to be where the hint lays, so he's going to to take himself past Shuichi and back up the stairs - bounding up a few steps to get a sense of the state of them, the smell, before pressing any further. ]

Yup, you can count on me!

( she flashes akira a grin, following after him. honestly, it's down to shuichi and kokichi to figure out the best plan — if it were up to rika, they'd already be climbing up the stairs, because she wants away from the fire and heat, and that's all there is to it.

the smell is disturbing, though, and when she follows after akira up some stairs, she notices it only gets worse the higher they go. at first, she thought it's only them that smelled of alcohol — but it's pretty obvious the scent lingers in the air, heavy and distracting, and she's not sure what to make of it. did someone spill something all over the school? it seems like the only plausible option, with how intense it is. )

Let's just get out of here already — I'm gonna die in this heaaaat. ( she whines, climbing a few more stairs, the further from the fire the better. )

Ah... W-Wait, Kurusu-kun, Kawai-san--

[ Shuichi calls after them, not to stop them since he also moves to follow, but to slow them from dashing blindly at least. It doesn't seem like a good idea to separate without coordination, and besides... ]

I'm not saying we shouldn't climb, but... be careful. Someone went up just now.

[ He heard them... so keep an eye out. Except the weapon he thinks Rika carries with her as a rule, they don't have anything on them that looks like they could use it for defense. If caught alone, that's bad... right? So he'll keep an eye out along the way; Rika and Akira can choose the path and direction, Shuichi looks around for any clues or something useful as they go. ]

Edited (i repeated words and i hated it i'm sorry) 2021-08-14 15:27 (UTC)

[The "act first, question later" party gets moving, and Shuichi's quick to chase after them, so of course Kokichi's whining voice immediately follows.]

Ehh?? W-wait, don't leave me behind!

[Like he's totally scared of being left alone here or something. Which is obviously a lie. Definitely.

He does give chase, gripping at the back of Shuichi's shirt as he falls into step with them. It's actually less about clinginess than it is about keeping track of them as he keeps an eye on the stairwell behind and below them as they move. Last thing they need is one of those crazies coming at them from the back.]

[ Oh that's a good idea. As Kokichi brings up the rear, he can hear the door opening from the ground below, the subsequent wave of heat that rises past them with black smoke and the stench of burned flesh. One... two... no more than three sets of footsteps can be heard down there, though they're stumbling and punctuated with growls and gasps of pain and a bloodcurdling scream that masks the sound of something wet.

At the forefront, Akira reaches the top of the landing just in time to see the door to the third floor click shut, but by the time he opens the door, there is nobody in sight. Piano music can be heard from the music room, and the door to the student council room is left slightly ajar. Muffled sobbing can be heard from behind the art room door, weak cries for help, a hoarse voice, like they've been calling for so long already. The doors to the science room are closed. ]

[ The scream they can hear from below feels chilling somehow, despite the heat, like it permeates right through the bones. But unfortunately... we all knew this was gonna happen let's be real, the moment he hears the piano, Shuichi freezes for a second, then rushes up past both Rika and Akira with everything else forgotten, like on impulse. He'll pull himself free of Kokichi if he must, but if not he just takes him along, not really composed enough to be mindful in that moment. ]

...

[ Akamatsu-san. The name sits on the tip of his tongue, builds up fearfully in the back of his throat, but never makes it out as actual words. Because the rational part of him knows... it can't be her. It's quite a while since she's gone missing by now, and while it's true she might play the piano even in a crisis like this... isn't that a little too convenient? The only other person he can think of is Maya, and he does take note of the open student council room door at the end of the hallway, but...

Maya wouldn't. There's no way she'd be here, playing songs while the school runs in this state. If nobody stops him, Shuichi will push the door open to the music room since it's right there, across the hall from the stairs. He's close enough by now to hear the person from the art room next door though, so that gives him a moment of distracted pause, enough that he stops in the doorway without going in. ]

[ Akira's lips part enough for a breath to escape, but the call towards Shuichi he intended to make doesn't pass - for one, he's the co-founder of the "act first, question later" party so he doesn't really have a leg to stand on, despite that Shuichi's outburst seems more... emotionally charged than his and Rika's dash up the stairs. But for two... he doesn't understand why the music room is so important compared to the rest of this; to him, it doesn't feel any different than the sound of the sewing machine or the saw from the previous floor. It seems to affect Shuichi enough that Akira gives a side glance to Rika first, a silent question of 'do you get what's going on here' - but it's not like they have the liberty to stop, so it's only a moment before he's pushing himself through to the third floor to chase after Saihara on urgent steps. ]

Saihara--

[ And then he stops mid-way, because unlike the music that catches Shuichi it's the sobbing that draws him; he'll stop his feet in the middle of the hall, near the art room but not yet going for the door handle. His shoulder press against the wood of the door, testing for heat - rising on his toes, his gaze darts between glimpsing at Shuichi's state in front of the room beside him and trying to peer through the window on the door to get a preview of... whatever's in the art room, it's hard for him to ignore the cries even if everything here seems like it could turn against them. ]

... What's that song from?

[ I mean yeah it's a piano, but more rather... is it significant, do they have time to stop for it? And maybe... who ~~or what~~ is playing it, that might help at least know what they're dealing with. ]

( she shoots akira a look, too, a little concerned, but understanding. yeah, she remembers who played piano — kaede — and she knows shuichi and her were friends, so maybe that... still, there's no time to convey all of this to the other, because saihara pushes forward, and rika chases after, running into the hallway and glancing around. there's the music room, which saihara opens, and the art room, which akira takes interest in, and she —

her eyes dart towards the open student council room, curious. )

Sai-kyun, don't just open doors all willy-nilly, idiot! ( but she scolds saihara first, eventually glancing towards the music room, and peering inside.

the cries are distracting, but it's hard to split attention, and since saihara already opened the door... she figures they might as well just start there and move onto the art room. or maybe akira can check that one out. )

[Kokichi anticipates some questionable choices as soon as he hears the distant piano. And he's quickly proven right as Shuichi books it toward the sound. There's a soft curse from Kokichi and then he's hurrying after, keeping his grip on Shuichi's shirt in case he's gotta be the sane one here and pull the detective away from something deadly. Akira breaks off towards the art room before Kokichi can get a grip on him too, but hopefully he and Rika have the reflexes to avoid any surprises.

(Why is Kokichi the one trying to keep everyone from walking into the path of an axe murderer??? This is terrible.)

He doesn't bother voicing his concerns, though. He certainly knows better than any of them how strong a grip Kaede's memory has on Shuichi.]

[ "she might play the piano even in a crisis like this" crying that this is Kaede's memory

But it isn't Kaede that sits on the piano bench. It isn't Maya either. In fact, there is nobody sitting on top of the bench— although, it rattles, there's the sound of pounding from inside, muffled shouting drowned out by the music played by no one, the piano keys that press up and down seemingly on their own. It starts off slow, enough to draw attention, but it isn't until the music really gets going when those standing at the doorway feels the impulse to go inside. Come in, take a seat. Close your eyes and enjoy the music. Isn't this what Kaede would have wanted? For everybody to calm down even when the world is burning all around you...

...

Meanwhile, Akira presses his shoulder against the door, feels no heat, and it's too dark to see inside. He can hear, though, that voice: "...out there? Please... ...hear me... can't... ...move, I can't see, I... ...help me... ... ... ..." ]

[ It's the distinct lack of heat that pauses Akira in his tracks; at least he could have attributed the darkness in the room to smoke had there been warmth. If it was fire, he thinks he might have chanced it (stupid, I know). At least fire and smoke is tangible; the ominous darkness... he doesn't know what he's in for, nor if he's strong enough to overcome it. Teeth grind in frustration in his silence; loathe to admit it, he's powerless in his current state to help that person. He can't go at it alone... not if he's going to break out of here with everyone. That single concept tethers him to the situation, instead of bursting forward recklessly. He has to break out of here with everyone, no matter what. But he'd like that to include the person crying in the art room - so he bangs his fist on the closed door twice, not yet trusting to open it. ]

I'm coming for you. Just hold out a bit more. [ His calls are firm from the other side of the door, trying to sound like he has control of things no matter how urgently the words spill out. ] Tell me your name. Anything you remember about your situation. I need to know how to help you.

[ His gaze whips around desperately, seeking anything he could use as a weapon; his eyes lock on the partially ajar student council room, thinks that might be his best bet once he knows what he's dealing with. His fists are still planted firmly against the door when his eyes find their final destination - the crowd of his companions in front of the music room, and his brow dips sharply before he shouts out to grab their attention. ]

Is there something we can use in there?! Otherwise, we don't have time to take in the show! [ Just grab the pianist and get going... is what he thinks anyway, since he hasn't seen in the room yet. ]

[ There's silence that follows Akira's request, voice straining when there finally is a response: "Sora... ...name... Sora... fire... it burns... hurts so much... give... your hand... don't leave me... ... ..."

But Akira's voice is enough to cut through the music, momentarily breaking the spell that has a hold on the three crowded around the door, reality settling in again. There is nobody at the piano that plays by itself, nothing else in the room except that piano bench that rattles like a Persona treasure chest that maybe holds treasure, maybe holds rancid gravy, maybe holds the Reaper waiting to pop out and kick everybody's asses, they would have to decide on their own whether it's worth the risk.

Whether that person in the art room is worth the risk.

Whether getting the four of them out alive is the topmost priority, everything else be damned, because the floor heats up beneath their feet, they can hear screams for help echoing in the stairwell to the floor below them as the flames overtake whoever is inside, eating away at the walls and collapsing the stairs themselves. They can't save everybody. Especially not if they don't save themselves. ]

( it's a trick, because of course it is. the moment the enchanting music stop, akira's voice cutting through the illusion, she grabs shuichi by his collar unceremoniously and drags him back into the corridor proper. the door might close, it might not, either way — she doesn't want to go in there. )

It's some damn ghost, we don't have time for this!! Kirarin, you, too! ( the begging?

probably fake.

as much as she'd love to save everyone and check it out... they have to prioritize themselves. the alive. )

It might be a trick to lure you in, y'know? We gotta get out of here. This place'll swallow you if you let it; it's full of ghosts and shit.

[ The music stops the moment it has no audience, and the voice behind the art room door too falls silent, as if taking in Rika's words.

"... ... ...fuck you." The voice returns, bitter and thick with tears. "Leave us to die... You can close your eyes... as long as it's not you..."

The door will no longer open, the voice no longer speaks. In the silence that follows, they can hear the sound of a door open slow and click shut, calm footsteps overhead. ]

Huuuh? What'd you say, you little shit?!

( OPEN THE DOOR RIGHT NOW AND FIGHT HER!!! )

Come on out so I can exorcise your ass!! ( ... probably not the best time for this, but listen.

she's on edge. )

[ ...no, never mind the silent treatment.

"I said you're selfish and a coward! Fuck off!"

Not coming out, though, and the door's not opening. ]

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