Unlimited Chances

|11| Fleeting Memories

{} Aria's POV {}

        I rubbed the cool surface of the disk with my thumb, light reflecting off it's shiny surface. Thoughts running rampant through my head. Becoming harder and harder to ignore with the strong metallic scent of Junko's blood dancing in the air. I rub my thumb over my name drawn in permanent marker. Junko and Sayaka are both dead, ... someone murdered Sayaka. One of us was desperate enough to kill in cold blood. I can feel that the black marker creates a small ridge on the DVD under my fingertips. I could've saved her. I tilt the DVD and watch as the light reflects off it at different angles. Now we must find the blackened, ... or die?

        "Now's no time to wallow in your depression," the strong and calm voice of Kyoko spoke. "The worst thing we can do right now is lose all faith in each other. That would lead to the same disastrous result as having total faith in everyone else."

        "Huh...?" I could hear Leon's confusion from across the room.

        "Cooperation is absolutely key at this point." Kyoko's voice elaborated. "Who you decide to trust or not is, of course, up to you."

        "Continuing to think about and talk about the deceased certainly isn't going to help anything." Celeste stated without remorse.

        "S-Saying stuff like that is just-!" A certain swimmer started to retort.

        Celeste's heavy accented voice cut her off, "How many times have I told you? Anyone who can't adapt.... will die. Death is the only thing awaiting those who are unable or unwilling to adapt." Celeste held a dark smile, "If that happens, you only have yourself to blame."

      "What an awful thing to say!" Shouted Hina, glaring at the Ultimate Gambler. "Especially after what's happened!"

        Kyoko crossed her arms, "Right now, exposing the killer is the most important thing. Because if we don't, we're all going to die here."

        Byakuya nodded in agreement, "She's right. We need to begin our search right away."

        I heard Sakura heavily sigh behind me. "Either way, we can't run away from the situation, so we have no choice but to move forward.

        Hina glared at the ground and crossed her arms, letting out a huff. "We just hafta do it, I guess..." She muttered, "What other choice do we have?"

        Leon's eyes held a burning fire withing him, his fists clenched and shaking by his sides. "No way in hell am I letting someone kill me...!" He looked up into the eyes of the group. "Alright, damn it! Let's do this!"

        I felt my own willpower rise in defiance, clenching the DVD in my hand. And I need to go back, I'm going to figure it out, and this time... I'm not going to fail. But first... I peer down at the DVD in my hand, my curiosity nagging at me about it's content. I need to see what so bad about this motive that caused this murder. ...Perhaps I may better understand why this happened and prevent it. Effectively preventing the events leading to...

        I look over at Junko's body lying in a pool of her own blood. Feeling saddened at the sight of her unmoving body laying flat on her back, with her head turned away from me. Blood still pools from some of her puncture wounds, staining her clothes and ends of her pigtails red. Some spears are still stuck in her flesh. I find myself walking over to her and crouch down, feeling everyone's eyes on my back. I gently placed my fingers on her wrist, being careful to not get her blood on me. ... I don't know what I expected.

        I let out a sigh, "No pulse."

        "I don't even know why you even bothered to check." Came Byakuya's uncaring voice. Looking down at her body behind those white gasses of his. Even daring to hold a slight smirk. "After those injuries, and losing that much blood... Frankly, I'd be shocked if she did survive something like that."