Memories of Us

Kuma Part 2

"It hardly matters what we do here now, but it's better than giving up, don't you hear me, guys!?" Naegi was transformed, almost by chance and reluctance but he could spread his growth to the others.

"Such a rousing sentiment, but I am afraid that kind of thinking is ill suited to you." The young man exclaimed, throwing his hands up but his gun remained closer and still dangerous.

"Don't fool with us!"

"Action matters and I'll show you more of it!"

His Persona broke through and kept its momentum and all the while, Naegi could summon the vast amounts of Persona, he remained transfixed, almost in a daze. He wouldn't die now when so much depended on them ending this Dark Hour, no matter how tangible it felt and seemed, would it be a worthwhile goal to reach?

"Stop bullshitting us and aim at us, if you want to kill us but I guarantee you, that we will meet your force." Byakuya shouted enraged and no doubt drawing the ire of the young man, but would the bait be taken?

Nagito steadied his Evoker and gently pressed it to his forehead, and like beauty in motion, Alice shot upwards with shattered glass trailing behind; And like that, the dreams that Naegi had so long ago, he saw the splendor in the pushing back of the young man, whoever he was.

"Anything for you, Makoto." Nagito whispered and while it felt unsettling, perhaps, he meant all that was said and could it be used for the greater good, here?

"We're not done, here. If possible kill him." Kirigiri's voice crawled within earshot and Naegi shuddered to aim his Evoker again, but these weren't real guns, so how could they...? Unless, there was another way? Maybe it was a way that Kirigiri felt that needed to be done.

"K-Kill him, Kirigiri? What are you insane!? I don't want that..."

"It's not what you want, Naegi, it is what we have to do to fulfill this mission of ours. All possibilities are open to us."

Byakuya conceded quietly to Kirigiri.

"I'm not going to kill anyone...even, if it means..dying."

Nagito stepped forward, "And me too. I stand by Makoto, for despair will be vanquished and hope shall rise."

"Don't be stupid, Naegi. He tried to kill you before and you're defending him? He wants to continue the Dark Hour and you rather have these people die from Apathy Syndrome? You rather have us all die because you felt compassion suddenly?"

"I'll find a way to stop him without someone dying, this I promise and besides, I know I'm backed by Kazuichi and Nagito on this."

"You got that, Makoto!" Kazuichi reappeared being worn but a smile brighten up whatever bleakness that Naegi had and forced a resolve that he wouldn't have either way.

"Then I'll do it for you."

"KIRIGIRI, YOU CAN'T! I WON'T LET YO--"

And the blood splattered on Naegi's cheeks and it left him in suspense to see Kirigiri's body convulsing in seized death. The blood were his tears. The blood was his own inability to prevent the end and flashes of Kirigiri's own stance broke him down.

Broke his spirit and his soul.

"MAKOTO!"

"P-PERSONA!"

More glass shattered all around as the unison of voices caught up with Naegi's bleeding ears, as if to say that he was witnessing humanity's fall. As if, he realized the worst was yet to come and still, he didn't wipe it away and still, he watched Kirigiri's color fade and he reached out the best he could but pulling him back..

"You can't! Makoto! We have to go-"

"NO! NO, WE DON'T! NO, I WON'T LET YOU!"

"Makoto, we can't...we can't stay anymore, I'm sorry about Kirigiri; I truly am but we can't stay any longer. Let it go." Byakuya's grasp was more delicate than Naegi could remember but Kirigiri slammed to the ground and more blood rained on him, as if squeezing the life out.

"I won't accept it...We have to..."

And the memories of his parents hanging came in waves of rage and regret, and he crouched, unable to subside the pain in his gut. He felt like vomiting and felt like more than the contents of his stomach would be emptied. His reason for living would be gone in the mess of chewed up memories. He couldn't leave Kirigiri there, to die, if she was dead, then her body would have to come back. She had to come back with them at all costs.

"MAKOTO!!"

Naegi's freedom was short lived as he staggered firing his Persona again and again, and the tide kept washing away the crucial moments, to save, to keep her life from ebbing away. Then her blood would be the tears that shed the veil over his eyes, and the more he was right, the more he was wrong.

The tears he couldn't have when the rope took the life out, strangled the last hope he had.

The young man didn't hesitate to fire again, and like magic, and like divine intervention, Alice, casted her spells and that knocked him off the ground and like Kirigiri, he was thrown to the sky but unlike her, he'd live. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right that Kirigiri's life was forfeit now to the horrors of preserving the Dark Hour.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"

Naegi found his footing, charging and ramming into the young man as Earth's gravity took effect again, but it wouldn't satisfy the revenge in Naegi; The questions all brimming and smoldering to the surface again and yet, he wore the blood as a reminder, a badge to remark the passage of a friend.

"WHO GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO DO THAT!? I WILL KILL YOU!"

"Then do your worse but the Dark Hour will never end."

"I'll.."

With more exertion, the young man fought back, slapping and beating his fists on Naegi's head and shoulders. Why did it matter if the Dark Hour stayed? Why did it matter anymore? Why did Kirigiri act so rashly now? Did she want to die for this cause? Did she die to save Naegi?

Naegi collapsed in a heap of disgusting and pitiful stained tears which it ran down the blood, all causing him to cry the blood away. Cry away for Kirigiri.

"Hajime."

He glanced up, shuddering, almost bewildered.

"Hajime Hinata. That's my name."

Then as the wind swept up on Naegi, Hajime turned his back and with the Dark Hour closing around him, Naegi stumbled to stay conscious to hear and be safely in Byakuya's arms; But it was Nagito, who grabbed Naegi, incoherently sullen, too. All they could do was gather Kirigiri's shell and take her home.

Take her away for the worst was yet to come.