Memories of Us

Lone Prayer

It was unspoken but with the tide of snow seizing the very air, so suffocation was a real possibility. The real danger that Makoto wished would have been just one but with words unraveled, it was a time to rejoice in chance or maybe in blissful ignorance? What would be the choice that determined the well being of the world, of this town?

What about Hajime? What about Fuyuhiko?

Striking a sudden sadness, the light flashed before vanishing under unfamiliar change. A thought of eternity.

"What...do we do?" For a reason and rhyme, Kazuichi was caught in the labyrinth of seemingly adventures and decisions that weren't so easily taken by force. What should they do? Why Makoto? Why any of this? Why did death have to harbor in him so?

He had lost his parents, Komaru, Kirigiri and now, himself. The pail of uncertainty just played in the way it wanted but the members of S.E.E.S weren't so easily deterred, right? And yet, nothing was falling into place just only goodbyes and worst of all the future's destruction.

Self-doubt was natural and yet, clinging to hopelessness wasn't going to solve any pieces that he once believed in. So, thank yous to Fuyuhiko for bringing his deception to light and even, even, it still stung. It was all left behind.

"We won't survive, will we?"

"Don't talk-"

"There's no guarantee that Nagito won't-"

"You know better, Chihiro but the thing we must calculate and even bring into the equation is the fact that we know 1. Our enemies, Kuma, Fuyuhiko and Nagito, 2. That we can't under or over estimate them for it will be our folly, indeed and lastly, what role Makoto will play." Byakuya said directly and coldly but it too, was necessary as they all struggled.

"So we wait until they strike us!? What about getting at them first!?"

"Souda, we cannot go as the saying goes "Go in guns a blazing" otherwise, how will our plan succeed? How will any of it mean anything to you? It matters to Makoto."

"P-Plan! You have one, Togami-san?"

"Yes, but it's daring, bold and incredibility safe. Safe and predictable and yet, we should strive to keep it that way. I refuse to let Kuma or even one of you get hurt or die again at my watch. I'm the leader here and while it's safer to assume that it can continue that way, I need you, Souda, not to act recklessly. Not be an embarrassment to our team. You have to control your impulses or else, there's no possibility of winning, or even attempting a victory."

"I don't get it-"

"Kazuichi. He's right. Playing it safe when Kuma has the cards and Nagito is wandering about...and him being of the Death Arcana and having Alice makes the fight even worse for us."

Makoto glanced up from his slumped position, but the explosion was already tearing at them and with some hesitation, his voice was completely overwhelmed by the urge to break down but that wasn't him. That wasn't the goodbyes he promised himself.

"I don't want to die." Chihiro squeaked in a very gentle composition yet this even wasn't enough to stray anyone, not wanting to die or worse forget the very changes in them. The very metamorphoses. The very smile that Makoto swung up with a lot of bravadoes was leaking through the caresses of a destiny-an unfair disadvantage.

"We all don't," Byakuya said cautiously as his hands remained fixed as if he was the gargoyles protecting Notre Dame and himself. He was paralyzed but who would admit that fault? "We either fight or die alone. There's no other option and logically, it would be better to be that acceptance of the fate we sowed. But we've never been the group to avert danger, right?"

"Byakuya..."

"Yes, Makoto. We need you more than ever as you'll drag both Nagito and Hajime out. You're the bait-"

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM!? Don't you love him? Don't you think that's selfish for you to ask him to..." Ringing was the sprinkles of tears floating around Kazuichi's cheek.

"Don't get me wrong, Souda, I ask him because I DO love him and want him to survive beyond us. He is the one that will..."

"You're being egotistic again, Byakuya. You're...asking for me to die...?"

"No, I would never as I merely wish for your hope to not be extinguished by Kuma and The Fall."

Clutching the sudden pounding in his hands, Makoto found himself wrapping the life of his' against Byakuya's and while the group did flinch, Byakuya handled it coolly despite choking slightly.

"You have every right to, Makoto. You have every right to..."

"No. No." Makoto's migraine was flipping the very nerves to overdrive but with a reluctance, he drew in Byakuya's breath to his neck. "I will do what is owed and I expect everyone to fight bitterly, too, however the plan calls for it."

"But being the bait, Makoto."

"I know it bothers you, Kazuichi but, do you have any other plan than this? I love Byakuya Togami as I love you all even in the short duration we've been all together, I can't see ourselves dying to Nagito. That's no reason to express more than rage, more bravado and I'm doing this for us, doing it for you all and so I ask as, Makoto Naegi, as myself, to humbly accept whatever plan is being brewed along with acknowledging the fight we're going towards."

Debris of perpetrated silence was stolen and for the longest mile, Makoto was the very courageous lion he'd hope that he'd be. He was if anything more than the fool but the whole Arcana of Personas. He was the very malleable Makoto Naegi.

"I guess if Makoto is in, I'm in and that's because I'll protect him if you can't do your job, Togami-san."

Overstretching his arm behind his head, Kazuichi avoided the expressive and determined looks emitting from the resolve that once was bleak as the fire warmed kicking up the wildfires of instances of not despair but hope.

"You have to commit fully, Kazuichi."

"Didn't I say it already? I'm his best friend and I gotta watch out for him."

"That is just you, Kazuichi Souda."

"Yeah. Yeah. Makoto. What about you Chihiro?"

A very frightened if withdrawal came emanating from Chihiro's subtle if striking eyes.

"I wanna be scared, I wanna run but I can't help but be braver than ever and I want to help Byakuya and Makoto. I want to be of use again."

"Chihiro."

"Makoto," Chihiro contorted the very essence of a body, a will, a will to power. "I will also do it for myself. I will also do it for S.E.E.S and everyone here but mostly for me. I want to always be useful."

"You are, Chihiro. You are."

"Then it's settled and now, I can begin with the procedures leading to a victory against death, against The Fall."

"I'm all ears." Kazuichi motioned slinging his arms to his sides.

"Yeah, Byakuya. We're all ears." Makoto got in the last word, edgewise though being the last days ahead, despite winter break here, the possibility of a decision was present and one they all could make with good conscious.