#(;replication

“You’re on board the Argama, flagship of the AEUG. We found you laying unconscious near a recent battlefield and decided to get you out of harm’s way. Then we got you to the medical ward and the captain has had us take shifts watching over you. How’re you feeling?”

She doesn’t remember how she got here. Or where she was before, before this group picked her up. But she listens anyway, sitting up in the bed she was laying in, and nodding softly. 

She looks around the room, noticing that it was gleaming white. A sort of sterilized white, but white nonetheless. But then her eyes shift to the window, small as it was, and soon saw that indeed: she was in space. An empty, black frontier, with many secrets. 

Would you prefer I take them off? I wouldn’t mind taking off more for you.~

There seemed to be more charm and more of a underlying seduction to Akira’s words. At least, more then usual, Makoto did concede he was quite smooth talking and charismatic at normal times.

❝ … What? I’m sorry, a-am… I missing something? ❞

Makoto had the boy right where she wanted him, and in fact, it was a chance sighting at the tables in the middle courtyard that sealed his fate: the male had left his phone on the table after he left, and Makoto decided to grab it. 

And oh, what a find on that phone. Specifically, the chat logs with one Ryuji Sakamoto...

Work was hard for Makoto, but she loved the work all the same. And when she had relatively few times for freedom, she took it. 

And if there was freedom and even the tiniest bit of sun, the motorcycle came out. And today was one of those days. Riding around Kitakyushu, and indeed, at some point, when the time was available, all of Fukuoka prefecture, was a joy to the former Student Council head, a freedom that was unrivaled. 

“Why are we up studying again?”

...why were they studying so late again? God, has it really been that long since they started?

By now, Makoto was utterly tired, and it was a struggle just to keep her eyes awake. Thankfully, Sae knew that the two of them would be studying...but at this point, it was too late to walk or take the train home.

☠

Talk about a way to pique his interest. Giving it a moment or two of thought, he comes to quickly realized what goes on Makoto world of free time. So hearing a hint of something she decides to share with him had sparked his inner explorer. Sounds like something he definitely needs to get to the bottom of!

All the same, that tinge of feeling some honor at keeping a potential secret couldn’t be avoided. “Huh, kinda not surprised that you’re popular with the animals. I heard somethin’ about them always being more peaceful with the diligent looking types. Are you keepin’ them orrrrrr..” The floor was open for her to explain if she liked. It gave his imagination the perfect opportunity to run its mental rounds. What kinda of animal would she hold a fondness for to begin with?

”N’ you said something about a few of them too. That means you took a whole lil family under your wing there prez?”

It was better if Ryuji saw what Makoto was about to be told. Pulling out her phone, she proceeded to show the blonde boy what she was talking about: on top of her bed, a whole gaggle of blobbish, white, ram horned creatures. 

The sun was high in the sky, and with that came the summer heat of Tokyo, baking into the streets and causing everyone, not just Makoto, to seek refuge. 

Sitting out on one of the tables in a secluded area at Shujin, Makoto was focused dutifully on her studying, but the girl puts the pen down when she sees the black haired boy named Hayate walk up to the table.