Chemical Engineering

Chapter Eight: Motivation to Kill

Kumiko and everyone else stared in horror as they saw Shockbolt drag himself up on stage.

"What do you want, fox?" Jiro questioned.

"Well Jiji! You've had plenty of time to check out the school and form those beautiful bonds with one another!"

"Or lack thereof..." Misaki muttered.

"What's your point, creep?" Gin raised his eyebrows.

"Well Nemo... now that enough time has passed, it's time for our first motive!"

"First motive?" Kenta grumbled.

"Like I said before, I know it won't be easy to kill. I'm not a monster! So I've made motives to help along the process!"

"So our first motive to start off our killing game... is escape with an ally!"

Escape with an ally?

"What the hell do you mean, escape with an ally?" Minato yelled.

"Well usually a kill means if not found out, only the killer gets to leave. However for this kill only, if you get away with a kill, you get to bring someone with you, OUTTA HERE!"

Everyone was silent as what Shockbolt said registered. Commit a killing and leave with someone.

It was a deal many would benefit from. Kumiko looked around and was taken back by the look on her friend's faces.

Yui had fear, Gin had envy, Daisuke had protectiveness, Minato had greed...

Even Hiroko looked uncertain.

"I won't listen to you." Everyone was shocked as the timid and quiet Akiko spoke.

"What was that, doll?"

"I... may not be strong. Or very fast. And I have difficulty expressing myself..."

"But I will never listen to you and kill my friends. That's what Kikuji would tell me and I KNOW he'd say the same thing."

Everyone stood in awe at the timid girl speaking her mind, before another voice spoke.

"You're right Akiko. My brother Raou would be ashamed to see me quit so early. If you want your sick fun, Shockbolt... then you're gonna have to force it from us." Hiroko adjusted her glasses, setting her gaze in a hard glare.

"C'mon losers. Don't tell me you're giving up already!" Maiko said, appalled by everyone's attitude.

"Let's go guys! We can't wallow here forever!" Misaki shouted.

Soon enough everyone was pulled out of their slump and joining together.

But in doing so...

"Hahahaha!" Shockbolt double overed laughing before standing again. "That's always how it starts. Y'know comrades in arms, positive thinking, unicorns and rainbows!"

"But let me ask you something... ahh, Kenty boy right?"

"Huh. Its Kenta."

"Yeah yeah. It sure didn't take long for you to turn on the others did it?"

"..."

"Mhmm. And theres someone, well 2 someones waiting for you at home. That's why you can't be buddy buddy right?"

Kenta scoffed before turning his head, jaw ticking.

"Ahh yes the false bravado. Whether or not you guys kill now or later doesn't matter here. You'll die eventually."