Division-A

Episode Twelve. (May 24th, 2123. Division-A, South District.)

'I went to bed last night telling Sakagami that I was going to be hanging out with Miki after school today. I decided not to take the pills last night, either, so I didn't get much sleep. Should I be lying to her like this? Then again... I guess I don't really have any other option. If Sakagami found out about the mess I'm in, then... ugh, I cant even think about it. I already have enough to think about, I don't need that woman on my mind.'

Akino lifted up his hand from his desk, looking at his tender palm.

'They're going to cut into me, today, probably, maybe even shove me in a machine and suck my life out. Damn it, as much as I want to run away, it's probably for the best for me if I go.'

Akino glanced at Matoi from across the classroom.

'She knows about it now. I'm not too sure how I feel about it, but if she can guide me to the answers I want today, then my destiny, or whatever it is, would be complete... and I could go back to normal. Right?'

The school bell rang obnoxiously, wrecking Akino's train of thought. As the students began to pack up, Matoi jumped up from her seat, leaving her belongings on her desk, and marched towards the boy. She slammed her hands against the edge of his desks, startling Akino out of his chair.

"Well," Matoi said with an excited smirk, "today's the day. Are you prepared?"

"N-no, not really."

Matoi shrugged it off, instead grabbing Akino by the forearm and pulling him out of his seat. "C'mon, we cannot be late! Sakagami is waiting for us!"

Akino raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "What? No she isn't."

Matoi turned her head to him, concerned. "What do you mean she isn't?"

"She doesn't know we're going to the Grand Hall, I told her we were going to Miki's house."

"What?! Then how are we supposed to get there? Walk?!"

The boy squinted his eyes, confused as to why Matoi was starting such a fuss. "Yeah?"

"We can't do that!" Matoi explained, eyes droopy in sadness, "that's too far!"

Akino snarled. "You're an O-, you're you," he corrected, "you have more than enough strength to walk it."

"No, I don't," she whispered heinously. "I just started."

"You seemed to go pretty fast when I had a gun to my head."

Matoi growled, spinning around and stepping in front of Yukino on her way out the door with Miki.

"Yukino!" She greeted, smiling innocently. "Does your mom drive you home after school?"

"U-uh, yeah." Yukino nodded her head, taken aback by Matoi's intrusion of her personal space. "Why?" She returned the smile.

"Akino and I need to go to the Grand Hall but we have no way of getting there. Do you think you could drive us?" Matoi went on, heart racing with adrenaline.

Yukino's shiny purple eyes drifted to Akino's, weary and suspicious, but smiling it off nonetheless. She young girl stepped back, dusting off her skirt. "Why would you need to go there?"

Matoi, unprepared for that question, stared at Akino, frozen.

"U-uh." Akino ran his eyes around the classroom looking for an excuse to come to him. It was then when he remembered Sakagami's rant the morning before. "Oh, Sakagami wanted to turn in a complaint about our pill service but she didn't have time to do it herself, so she wanted Matoi and I to do it after school."

"Couldn't you just walk there?" Yukino tilted her head, her ponytail swinging behind her.

Before Akino could agree, Matoi interrupted.