FEEL MY RAGE.

it was by sheer luck that a woman, far taller than her, had happened to come into the same isle. she only hopes that her question doesn’t annoy her, because makoto definitely doesn’t want to ruin anyones mood on such a fine day ( or any day, for that matter. ) 

she would also prefer not being snapped at, if by chance she does ruin her mood. she knows all too well that people can say harsh things when they’re irritated.

❛ if it’s too much of a bother, you certainly don’t have to. ❜

by now, the library of koi has become a dear companion to her, providing just what she needs; peace and quiet, the same as any other would -- which is why she’s come yet again in search of a book to keep her occupied for a few days. 

the problem is that she can’t find a title that catches her eye. it’s usually easy to find a book, or even several, that garner her attention -- but perhaps she’s read all the ones that were interesting already. 

when she spots a boy -- a child, she assumes -- perusing the same isle as her, she doubts he can be of much help. surely, he didn’t have a title in mind that could engage her that she hadn’t already read herself at this point. but then again, she didn’t really have any better ideas.

❛ excuse me, ❜ she starts, a poised smile on her lips. ❛ would you happen to know of any good books? i’m in need of some recommendations, you see. i just can’t seem to find one that piques my interests. ❜

It appeared that he had little way out of her concern, the context cues indicating that his normal means were barred from him; in such situations, he is wont to delve into the harsh details surrounding his (former) profession, perhaps as a means of persuasion, but most typically to compel the other person away from him. But in this instance, her personality type would repel this method, or so he could guess, and further the attention he would receive. Dealing with people who genuinely care is difficult, but … perhaps not necessarily as troublesome as he thought previously.

Based on this, the necessary behaviors to escape this situation were not hard to infer, but, regardless, he did not see the point in bothering to make the effort to assuage the feelings of a stranger. Their reactions to this circumstance lay on opposing sides of a spectrum, and they were bound to collide needlessly, stubborn as they were. “If I do something stupid and get hurt, that’s my responsibility, because I made the choice to put myself at risk. That’s all there is to it.”

“And anyway, you’re not my mom, alright?! Care about yourself first before some stranger! Putting others before yourself will get you into trouble if you let it control your life!” If not for needing to extend his arms, they would be crossed to accompany a haughty huff that concluded his little spiel. Whether these words would suffice, he could not tell, but regardless of how she received it, this was about the extent of what he had to say on the matter.

Following this outburst, his intonation calms alongside a pensive expression, albeit one still markedly agitated, as he considers her question. By being stranded here, he lost contact with the two people that gave him reason to pursue a goal, that gave him something he genuinely wanted to do. Without them, he’s back to the beginning, stuck with little motive and a laundry list of things he doesn’t want to do. A simple answer is settled upon: “Not really… there’s not a lot to do around here.”

With the bandage-work soon finished, he stretches both arms, feeling the dull pain of the scratches and the contrasting restraint of the wrapping – it’s a pleasant sensation, like applying pressure to an itch. “Yeah, that feels a lot better! Not too bad.” Hopping to his feet, Killua retrieves the fallen skateboard to inspect the wheels for damage, and as he did so, an idea came to mind. He looked back at the young woman, excitement (bordering on self-perceived genius) apparent on his face.

“Right, isn’t there an arcade somewhere in the city? How about this: show me where it is and I won’t jump the canal again. Sound like a deal?” (Perhaps a bit of a whimsical lie, but an arcade should bate the temptation at least for a while.)

When he first started to speak, she simply nodded, deciding to give up without further argument. Her energy was low, and it was becoming increasingly apparent that he wasn’t going to listen to reason regardless of the risks to his health. However, as he continued, she found herself temporarily halting her work on his arms, gaze flickering to his in surprise.

‘Putting others before yourself will get you into trouble if you let it control your life,’ he had said -- and admittedly, he had a point. She had always put others first, ever since she was a child, and it had more often than not let her directly into trouble -- trouble for herself, that is. She’s positive he has no idea the weight his words carry in her mind, though given his behavior, she doubts it would matter much even if he did. 

“.. You’re right, but.. no, nevermind.” She shakes her head, continuing her work as he huffs to himself. She’s tempted to comment on how strange his views are for someone his age, but he seemed irritated enough as it was, and she had no intention of starting another debate -- for now, at least. What mattered more at the moment was taking care of his injuries -- which she finishes rather quickly, leaving her wondering what she was so worried about in the first place when he began moving around. “That’s a relief.” She sighs, bringing herself to her feet and raising an eyebrow cautiously at his bright grin. She almost expects him to suggest something even worse than canal jumping when she’s met with his excited expression, but relief overtakes her when he suggests something different -- something much more tame, thankfully. 

“An arcade...?” Truthfully, she had no idea if there was one in the city, but she would be surprised if one didn’t exist. She vaguely remembered some kids walking in and out of one particular place not too far from their current location, but she hadn’t bothered to check it out at the time. That could very well have been an arcade, now that she thought about it. It had the same flashing lights and loud, cartoonish noises as the one in Shibuya.

It was worth a try. Besides, she enjoyed arcades, ever since her first trip to one in the last year -- and she was decent at the games. Perhaps it could be fun. “I believe there is one, yes.. alright then, it’s a deal.” She declares, brushing off her clothes and turning around to walk along the canals side once again. “Shall we? It’s not far from here, if I’m right.” She assures, ignoring the ache in her legs from the impact earlier.

          the days seem to drag by; lackluster and rather boring, the schnee being forced to occupy herself with hours of training and educating herself about the city she now resides in. whether her arrival was by choice or not matters little at this point ─ adaptability is key, and if she can’t learn to adjust to her new HOME ( until otherwise said ), she’ll never PROGRESS. and weiss schnee isn’t about to let that happen. no, it isn’t in her nature. but even so, solo training can only take her so far without any real action. 

 and, unfortunately, it also means sacrificing time to actually socialize and meld with the other citizens. on it’s surface, the city feels like an average city ( unrelated to her own world, of course ) and the people she has met are all interesting. unique. with their own powers and history and lore─ yet she can’t bring herself to go out of her way for social interactions. she’s met a few kind people she would consider a friend─ but it isn’t easy for someone who’s only recently allowed herself to get close to people. 

her mind is a flurry of thoughts as she walks to her destination: a nice, quaint coffee shop that has become her solace amid this mess. but, as hard as she tries, she can’t quiet the chaotic thoughts of her old companions as she wanders the streets alone. a sigh escapes her as she thinks of them and how they would love to learn about this city, too. hopefully, coffee can…

BAM - !!! 

a soft gasp of surprise is knocked out of her as she collides with another. she’s knocked off balance, just barely able to cushion her fall. initially─ she’s frustrated. SOMEONE should have been paying more attention. but the frustration dissolves quickly─ weiss’s tolerance of people has grown IMMENSELY, leading to a more sympathetic and patient schnee. 

she accepts the hand with a gentle smile, smoothing out her dress. a girl─ perhaps around her age─ pouring out apologies. 

❝ it’s fine, ❞ weiss insists, showing no sign of anger, ❝ it happens. just be a bit more careful, alright? ❞ she perks up, though, at the mention of coffee. perhaps, before, she would have brushed the comment off and been on her way. but she’s become more adjusted to people, so..

❝ i’m actually headed to a cafe, myself. they serve wonderfully brewed coffee. you can join me, if you’d like. you seem like you could definitely use it. ❞ no offense intended. she’s trying. 

Immediate relief floods her features as the girl reassures her, grateful for her understanding. The tension in her shoulders loosens slightly as she easily lifts the girl to her feet, a deep exhale pushing past her lips. Thank goodness she hadn’t run into someone with a temper. She wasn’t sure she could have handled that right now without losing her own. “Y-Yes, of course. It’s just... been a long day, as you can probably tell...” She drifts off, running fingers through her fringe, another sigh slipping out.

“I’m not usually like this.” She adds, unsure of where her sudden desire to explain herself to a stranger comes from. She supposes she simply doesn’t want the girl to think she’s as out of control as she feels ( likely due to her years spent bottling up her own emotions ), but she also craves reassurance that she isn’t the only one being driven insane in this city. 

Her thoughts are interrupted by the mention of a cafe, eyes lighting up at the promise of a cup of coffee after all her time spent searching for it. “You found one? I was beginning to lose hope that there were any here!” She exclaims, embarrassment coloring her cheeks at the sound of her own voice, or rather how loud it was. 

“What I mean to say is -- do you really not mind?” She inquires, uncertain. “If not -- then, please lead the way. I’d like to treat you, if that’s alright. It’s the least I can do for knocking you over.” 

justicefists started following you

     A LOUD GASP ESCAPED past the little lady’s lips, ❝ oh my goodness ! ❞ she said, her small hands lifting up quickly to cover her mouth in surprise, ❝ you’re so very pretty ! ❞ she said, bouncing as little as possible, restraining herself from zooming up close. a lady must not crowd ! especially a stranger.

The concern he received earned her an incredulous look–a concussion from a fall that minor? –is along the line of his initial thoughts, though he supposed that, in this city, the given perils of his own world ceased most meaning, and he was but a reckless kid in the eyes of a stranger, one that potentially would not be able to recover from such a fall. Such a strange thing it was to think about–and slightly agitating. “I don’t have a concussion. I don’t see why it should matter to you, either.” While a callous statement by itself, he expressed it with more confusion than actual malice.

Mild disappointment is apparent in Killua’s expression when she answers that she did not actually witness his stunt, although it is quickly brushed away. “Of course I want to try it again.” His tone is almost aghast, as if he doesn’t understand why she would question it. “I know I can make the jump, so why wouldn’t I? Anyway, getting hurt is no reason to quit.”

Although, it is a bummer that this is potentially as big as the canals get around here, for the one he crossed did not pose much of a challenge. Luckily for her heart, he’ll move on from jumping canals once he successfully sticks the landing and finds something bigger and better to bide his time. He glances down at his arms.

“Well, if you’re offering, I won’t say no. Still, I don’t understand why you’re going out of your way to make sure I’m okay. You got hurt too, right?”

The look she receives, and the words that follow it are enough to rob her of speech for a moment, eyes wide in stunned surprise. While she supposed it was normal for children to brush off danger and injuries alike, something about the way he behaved was off-putting. He was covered in painful wounds, worse ones than one could normally ignore, and yet he was acting as if she was the strange one for showing concern. He was either very resilient, or used to injuries such as these. She hoped it was the former. “Of course it matters! I’m worried you’re not taking this as seriously as you should... though, I suppose if you were hurt as badly as you appear to be, you would act like it... still...” 

It was beginning to feel like she was making a bigger deal out of his wounds than she needed to. However, if he truly intended to attempt the jump again like he said he did, that was definitely worth getting worked up over.  It was times like these that she wondered if her elder sister ever felt this way when she watched over her as a child. If so, Makoto owed her a strongly worded apology.

“It’s absolutely a reason to quit. It’d be one thing if it was just a little scratch, but your arms are a mess -- and it could be even worse next time! Even if you say you’re alright, there’s no telling what could happen if you try it again..” Her voice fades, clearly beginning to lose the energy to argue her point. She doubted reminding him of the potential peril would do anything to change his mind anyway.

With a sigh, she reached into her schoolbag, procuring a small roll of gauze she kept in case a situation ever required it. If she possessed the foresight, she wished she would have packed some ointment too, but for now, this was all she could do. “Stick your arms out so I can put this on.” She instructs, unwrapping the bandages to gingerly place them on an arm, wincing at the state of it. 

@justicefists. 

                 ❛  I  could  be  like  a  drone  and  ask  ’ what  are  you  doing  out  at this  time  of  night ’ ,  but ——  isn’t  the  BEST  time  to  be  out  is  around  now?  so  much fun  things  to  get  into ,  y'know? ~ ❜  placing  important  keys  in  the crevice  of the  bust  (  ah ,  because  reasons ) ,  azure  hues  affix  'pon  the incoming denizen  that  seemed  to  be  exploring  the  sinful  district  (  or ,  mayhaps , finding  a  shortcut  home? ).  there’s  an  internal  hum ,  catherine sighting  the  girl  just  as  she  locked  her  own  store  for  break  purposes ,  yet entertainment  was  imminent ,  the  unmarked  face  just  served  to  be  an unintended  player.  a  grin  swipes  tender -  pink  lips ,  lids  narrowing  to demonstrate  however -  many  rounds  of  unrelenting  tease.   ❛  so ,  are  you having  fun? ~ ❜        

She isn’t sure how she ended up in such a... strange place, but unfortunately that was a reoccurring circumstance in her life as of late. In this case, it was less due to an unexplainable phenomenon and more due to her own natural curiosity, which she was beginning to curse. Because as much as she loathed to admit, she was very, very lost. A wrong turn in her district had brought her to an entirely new area, one she wasn’t sure she should be exploring this late at night. She was sure she had never seen it in the day, nor overheard anyone speaking of it, yet here it was, just as perplexing as every other inch of Koi.

It dawns on her as she debates her next move, that the voice that suddenly rings out is talking to her, focus immediately shifting to the owner of said voice, surprise evident by the widening of ruby hues and rigid stance. At first glance, she almost jumps for joy, instantly recognizing blonde curls and bright blue eyes as a dear friend, but the excitement lasts only a moment upon realizing it wasn’t who she thought it was. Still, to see an almost familiar face and hear a kind tone manages to at least relax her, shoulders falling in relaxation ( and perhaps mild disappointment ) as she exhales a soft sigh. 

Considering the speed at which Killua had been moving, the crash proved more injurious due to how when he hit the ground, he continued to skid forward for a few moments with harsh bounces and tumbles. He threw up his arms to prevent damage to his head, but that did not prevent all blows, and the skin of his arms received a fair amount of tear as a result; these were not anything he hasn’t experienced tenfold before, but they remained quite the pain to bear. 

“Owww…” The word left his mouth in exaggeration as he sat up, rubbing a particular spot on the back of his head that seemed to have received the worst rebound, both arms stinging with wear. But pausing his movement, the words that came his way did prove to catch him off-guard, for he had half expected the person he crashed into to pick a fight for that stunt of his – yet here they were, asking if he was alright.

“Uh, yeah, but it’s not a big deal.” Gestures such as this still bewildered him, leaving him perhaps lost for a better response; he shifts the focus in reaction, eyes searching for where the skateboard landed and eventually locating it turned over a few feet away. “Wow, it’s actually still intact. Still, what a waste… I could have made that jump perfectly. Oh, well.” He then looks back at her.

“You saw it, right? My jump. I could make the landing if I tried again. I bet I could do it with half the speed.” –Even less if he used Nen to bolster his upward movement, but that would make things a little less fun in this situation. “Hey, are any of the canals in this place bigger than this one?”

The moment he began rubbing the back of his head, she felt her heart sink into her stomach. Upon further inspection, she had assumed his arms had taken the brunt of his injuries, and was even a slightly relieved. But for him to have hit his head was an entirely different story. His nonchalance towards it did little to ease her mind, but at least it showed her that he was okay for the most part. “No, it is a big deal. You could have a concussion for all I know!” Though it was unlikely, given how unfazed he appeared to be. It was difficult not to worry regardless.

Gaze following his, her sights fell on the discarded skateboard laying beside them, immediate understanding dawning on her. “A skateboard? Is that what you used to cross the canal? That’s incredibly reckless...” She muses, her attention turning back to him as he openly admits to wanting to attempt the jump again. Stress rising, the girl sighs, though she supposes she shouldn’t be too surprised by his recklessness. He was a child, after all. 

oof– 

this was certainly something he hadn’t expected. traffic laws were certainly terrible here, he’d lazily been musing, watching the cars speed by with reckless abandon – or he was just in part of the town filled with racecar driver wannabes, or people with a death wish. how nice! he could have joined them in their death beds…if only he had a drivers license.  ( if one was going to die, they might as well die legally after all! komaeda didn’t want to be put in jail posthumously for something like driving without a license. that was stupid. )

but it looked like his luck was on his side this evening, as he staggers in a breath; lungs desperately trying to get back the air that had been knocked out of him, staring glossy eyed up at the sky for moments and ages; there’s a voice buzzing in the background, and he can’t understand what it’s saying. 

it’s probably important, but his mind is working on its own pace. he’ll let it pass, maybe his luck would cover it for him.

.. speaking of luck.

“Guess my luck does work here, after all.” rasped out, tone breathless but not panicked or surprised; it’s rather like he was making a casual observation, like commenting on brown leaves falling in early fall. it’s almost too much so, for one who just casually walked into the path of a speeding car. what was he thinking? nobody knew. breezy words hide a sort of bitterness that he doesn’t even realize he’s feeling, looking to the side at the road. picking his torso up, so that he was sitting on the ground – he starts coughing to the side, petering out into a wheeze that indicated that he was much more winded than initially believed.

it’s odd. his luck feels screwed up. its highs and lows aren’t as extreme – shouldn’t he be dead by now? he’d been tempting fate all along but all he gets are lukewarm responses; nothing from the luck that had been his judge, jury, and executioner, and if his luck was trying to be tsundere, this was a weak attempt. 

ah, this was bad. his luck, no matter how worthless it was, was a talent, after all, and if it waned… 

“Was I supposed to notice them?” said between coughs, gulping in another breath before his eyes refocus on the person who had saved him –  he doesn’t sound sorry at all, voice altogether too distant. “ I guess I should have been more careful,” he muses, but with the way he says it, it doesn’t seem like he’s talking about being careful with the cars.

when a hand is offered, he blinks. he studies the offered hand for a moment, before looking back up at her, not taking the hand, but making no motion to get up either.

“I didn’t expect someone else to get involved… that was careless and forgetful of me… someone like me doesn’t deserve forgiveness.”

… what does that even have to do with the hand? but he seems to snap back to normalcy soon after, still sitting–

“I should be asking if you’re alright. That impact couldn’t have been painless, especially when you hit something as bony and useless as me.”

… he doesn’t seem to be getting off the ground or taking that hand any time soon.

Panic quickly attempts to seize her heart as he lies motionless on the ground, struggling to catch his breath, but she steels herself, knowing full well that she needs to stay levelheaded in a situation like this. The best thing to do would be to call for an ambulance if he wasn’t going to move. Carrying him herself would take too long, after all. Hand delving into her schoolbag, she grips her phone, voice cracking as she speaks despite trying to remain calm. “H-Hold on, I’ll get you some help, so just--” 

Her fingers pause their dialing as he finally speaks up, relief immediate, but nearly overshadowed by her confusion towards his tone. He was so calm, it was almost alarming, and his words made little sense. Though, she supposed if she had nearly been hit by a car, her mind would be a mess, so saying strange things didn’t come as too much of a surprise. “I -- Yes, I suppose you are lucky it wasn’t worse, but -- nevermind that, how are you feeling?” She inquires, an edge of concern in her voice. For a moment, she’s hopeful that he’s unharmed, having no trouble at all in sitting upright, but that same panic from earlier rears once again as he answers her with a fit of coughs and wheezes. “Please, don’t push yourself! If you need to lie here, I can call for an ambulance, so focus on resting for now.”

In the back of her mind, she notes that outwardly, he’s fine. There were no injuries whatsoever, and if was able to move around, it was likely nothing was broken either. Still, she wants nothing more than to get him to a hospital -- for his head, if nothing else. The way he was approaching the situation was far too careless, as if nearly dying was an everyday occurrence for him. The only logical conclusion was that he had hit his head on the pavement, because no one could be that relaxed after a near fatal accident. “Yes, you definitely should have been more careful -- at the very least, check your surroundings when crossing the street...” She repeats her statement from a few moments ago, though her voice lacks the same conviction it held before, too awestruck by his behavior to scold him properly. 

Perhaps this was just his way of dealing with it, she thinks. After all, everyone dealt with stressful situations differently. Odd as it was, maybe it wasn’t her place to judge. Maybe he truly was fine, and she was simply overreacting. 

“...Pardon?”

That line of thought doesn’t last long, however, and she’s right back to assuming the worst as he begins admonishing himself on her behalf. While she understood it was completely normal to feel some semblance of guilt for causing a scene, and was admittedly no stranger to speaking badly about herself, she was completely taken aback by how out of the left field and harsh it was.

“Oh, no -- I mean, I.. forgive you?” She blinks, unsure of how to respond. “It isn’t like you were trying to get yourself hurt, so there’s no need to be so hard on yourself... Just be more careful from now on.” 

“I’m here. As are you, Makoto-san.”

Akechi didn’t know how to feel. Really, truthfully, his heart was at a complete loss. He hadn’t exactly had a good second-first impression with Akira, and now Makoto was here as well, and…..she wasn’t angry. Or rather, she seemed more concerned about his existence now than his actions prior.

Well, that was a relief, he supposed; while he didn’t expect the topic to stay unearthed for long, he was at least glad that she wasn’t grilling him at that very moment. He gently set a bookmark in the book he had been reading - The History of Koi, for a university project he had no intention of failing - before replying, giving her his full attention.

“I died.” He wasn’t going to sugarcoat things; he was positive that, somewhere between Shido’s Palace and Koi, his heart had stopped beating altogether. After all, he was only human, and only humans couldn’t survive bullets as easily as Shadows could. “And then I woke up here.”

Her second question, however, surprised him more. He had been, in their eyes, a traitor, and that had left little desire to contact them in his mind. Had they really wanted him to-? “Koi blocks off all access to the mainland, if you haven’t noticed,” that part was still the truth, at least, if just partially. “And it seems as though the Metaverse that manifests here is a completely separate entity, so Mementos is out of the question. Even if I had the desire to speak to any of you, there was no way for me to do so.”

His eyes turned down for a moment, somber before he looked up at her properly with another smile plastered on. “Would you have wanted me to contact you, anyways? I hadn’t exactly been hospitable to everybody,” putting it lightly, “and the feelings seemed mutual.” One hand idly played with the tassel of the bookmark as he spoke, moving to conceal his nervousness at broaching the topic. “Maybe it would have been better if I just stayed here where I couldn’t bother your little group anymore, with you none the wiser.”

Died, he had said. As if it wasn’t unusual, as if he were talking about the weather. Her heart sunk into her stomach. Akechi had actually died after all? But that couldn’t have been true if he was standing in front of her now. It was impossible for the dead to come back to life. Either he was mistaken, or Koi went against all logic and rules of the world. For the sake of her sanity, she hoped it was the former. “That’s.. not possible.” She murmured, more to herself than him.

The more he spoke, the less sure she became of what she had thought was a reasonable explanation for how she had gotten here. The less sure she became of anything. “..I gathered that Koi cuts off access to the mainland -- there aren’t any exits in sight, no matter how much I look..” She paused, contemplating his latter words. The way he was referring to Koi made it sound like it was completely secluded from any outside interference whatsoever. But if that were the case, wouldn’t someone have had to take them there by force? Feeling her skin prickle at the thought, she exhaled shakily. “But... a separate entity from Momentos? Then how could we have possibly gotten here?”

His momentary lapse in expression didn’t go unnoticed, but she was much too concerned with what he had said to decipher the meaning behind it simply from a glance. She didn’t have to wait long for him to answer her unspoken question about it, however, with one of his own. One she hadn’t expected, but immediately explained the odd look on his face. It was an understandable, now that she thought about it. She almost felt foolish for bothering to ask why he hadn’t contacted them in the first place. To him, it was probably strange for her to desire any form of contact after what he had done. By no means had she forgotten the sins he had committed, but it was equally as difficult to forget the brief amount of time they had been teammates. Despite knowing that he planned to betray them all along, it would have been a lie if she said she had never considered him a friend. 

“I... haven’t forgiven you,” she admitted, voice firm. “and if I’m being completely honest.. I don’t trust you,” but that should have come as no surprise, so why did she feel almost guilty saying it? She supposed it stemmed from the fact that, like her, he had been manipulated by an adult for their own personal gain. In that vein, they were similar. At the end of the day, Goro Akechi had dealt with hardships just like the rest of the phantom thieves had. “..but my answer is yes -- I would have very much liked for you to have contacted me when you...” came back to life? She still wasn’t convinced. “... woke up here.”

It would be a stretch to say that she was ecstatic to see him. Truthfully, she was more confused than anything, but she was unmistakably and without a doubt relieved as well. If there was anything Makoto was absolutely against, it was needless deaths, and in her eyes, that was exactly what Akechi’s had been. Unnecessary, and quite honestly, unjust. Regardless of what he had done, he had died, while nearly every rotten adult they had changed the hearts of had lived and was still living on to this day. Only feeling remorse the phantom thieves had forced them to feel. It was still difficult to tell whether Akechi had regretted his prior actions, but at the very least, he had sacrificed himself so they could escape. For now, that was enough to keep any hostility she may have felt at bay.

Surprisingly, just when she thought her luck couldn’t get any worse, it did. Just as another car was zooming down the road, she noticed a boy crossing the street without a care in the world, completely oblivious to the danger quickly gaining on him.

“Look out--!!”

Moving purely on instinct, the girl leapt towards the tall stranger, shoving him out of the way just in time for the car to drive past them both. It’s time like these that she’s incredibly thankful for her quick reflexes, because if she hadn’t moved immediately, she was sure she would have just witnessed a tragedy.

“Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!” She panted for breath, attempting to steady her rapid heartbeat as hues of ruby inspected him for any sign of injury. “No external wounds at least... Is anything broken? We should get you to a hospital just in case.” She affirmed, picking herself up. Offering a hand to him, her brows knitted together. “Also, what in the world were you thinking?! That was way too close! You have to pay attention when crossing the street!”

The shops were always an option -- surely, one of them had to possess instant coffee for her to take back to her room, but she wanted the drink quickly. Now, in fact, if it was up to her -- and without having to return to her room. She supposed she had no choice though, since it didn’t seem as though there were any coffee shops within sight. Sighing, the girl pinched the bridge of her nose, willing her oncoming headache to dissipate. This city could be so annoying. 

With a turn of her heel, the teen set out to her next destination, the dull throb of her headache becoming stronger with each passing second. She only closed her eyes for a split second to alleviate some of the pain, but immediately bumped into another passerby, yelping at the sudden collision. Once she steadied herself, the teen realized not only had she bumped into someone, but she had knocked them down -- a girl wearing an expensive looking dress that she most likely just dirtied because of her lack of focus.

“I’m so sorry! I wasn’t watching where I was going -- here, let me help you up!” She fumbled over her words, extending a hand out for the girl to take. “I’m really sorry -- I hope you didn’t mess up your dress. It’s just -- been a long day and I mean, what kind of city doesn’t have any coffee shops? You would think with how large and populated it is, there would be dozens, but --” She shook her head, releasing a deep sigh. “I’m sorry, I don’t even know what I’m saying myself anymore.”

Figuring out how she got here was easy enough, at least. At her best guess, the metaverse navigator had messed up and tossed her out here instead of Shibuya, most likely due to the Holy Grail’s interference. That much made sense to a degree. Why it had only thrown her here had yet to be seen, but she was less concerned with that, and more concerned with how to get back to her friends, to her sister -- to familiarity. 

What she hadn’t expected was to find that familiarity so close by. What she expected even less was for it to come in the form of long, chestnut tufts of hair in the library. What she expected the least was for him to still be there after she rubbed her eyes to make sure they weren’t playing tricks on her. She had come seeking information on Koi, and maybe a book to take her mind off things. Instead, she found the last person she ever imagined she would see in this strange city -- or rather, the last person she ever imagined she would see again in general.

“A-Akechi?! You’re here -- you’re --” Alive, she wanted to say, but stopped herself short. Alive, and here of all places. She supposed it wasn’t completely out of the question for him to have been thrown here from the metaverse as well, but it still posed several questions -- and she had every intention of getting answers. “How did you -- we thought you -- Futaba lost your signal! On the ship, we heard gunshots, and then --” She paused, intaking a sharp breath. The memory was still as vivid as ever, and though they weren’t close by any means, it still shook Makoto to her very core.

“... No, nevermind. Just -- tell me. How did you get here? And why didn’t you contact any of us?" 

With a heavy sigh, the girl tapped at her old phone from the comforts of her bed. It had been charging for hours now, yet still yielded no response no matter what app she clicked on. Her discouragement mounted with each passing second that she was without contact from her friends, or rather from anyone who knew about this place, and how to get out of it. She needed to leave as soon as she could. But before she could do that, she needed answers. 

To her dismay, just as she was sitting up with the intent of leaving the room in search of those answers, the door handle began to twist. Hadn’t she locked it? She was never that careless. She could chalk it up to being distracted, but she was positive she had locked it as soon as she came in. Jumping up to her full height, the brunette was completely baffled by the sight of another girl walking into her room, key in hand. Taller, muscular, and staring right back at her with the same look of confusion Makoto was sure had to have been plastered on her face. Why did she have a key? Why was she looking at her like she was the abnormality here?

“Um... Excuse me. I think you have the wrong....” She paused, glancing down to the key in her palm again. Surely, there must be some mistake. If they both had keys, that could only mean this room belonged to both of them, but why would they give her a roomate when she never asked for one? Feeling her heart rate steady itself, she peered back up at the strangers face, blinking owlishly. “This... isn’t your room, is it?”