The Future was Bleak (Book 2)

9. Bored Loyalties

Hajime stared in disbelief. He was horrified, surprised, confused, creeped out and suspicious all at the same time.

Makoto's laughter finally died down. He turned on his side so his scars were plainly visible.

Mikan smiled, blushing deeply, and bowed to Junko.

"Great job, you aren't as pathetic as you seem!" Junko complimented Mikan, who blushed even more deeply before Junko kicked her in the stomach, sending her to the floor, "Now leave. I have a gift to give to our friend here~"

Mikan quickly scrambled out of the room, face red as the sun.

Junko turned to Chiaki and dragged her so that her back was facing Junko.

Chiaki had been tied up at the wrists and legs. Her mouth was covered by tape. Blood soaked her clothing though she seemed mostly unharmed, except that fresh blood trickled down her face from somewhere high on her head.

She looked around in alarm before her eyes finally fell upon Hajime. Her eyes widened. She looked between Makoto and Hajime. Hajime's fists dripped with blood.

"I've brought Chiaki back from the dead!"

Junko declared, throwing her hands in the air, "You Future Foundation folk really didn't make it that hard... All I had to do was get her corpse and wire her brain up to the electronics and zap her awake! Now she's able to function just like a normal human! Full of emotion and senses! Isn't that just great! You should be happy! You finally get her back after all this time!"

Hajime starred as Chiaki tried undoing her restraints.

Junko continued speaking,

"She can breathe, eat, touch, she has all her old memories, yada yada... however I have a price for bringing her back, Hajime." Her gaze became cold as she fixed her blue eyes on his, "But this time its more than just punching my old rival."

Hajime couldn't stop watching Chiaki. It was like he was in a trance.

"I need him back, Hajime."

Hajime started at Junko's words, tearing his eyes away from Chiaki at last to meet Junko's cold gaze.

"And what if I don't allow that?"

Junko smirked. She bent down, pulled Chiaki to her feet and pulled out a device with a big red button on it, "You'll just get to see her die again. She still has those scars, y'know. I can easily split them open again."

Chiaki struggled more than ever. She closed her eyes tight as the rope dug into her skin. Junko gripped her arm firm and Chiaki winced and stopped, staring at the ground.

Hajime hesitated.

...

Izuru had finally stopped whispering in his head. Hajime wondered why he had suddenly gone quiet. Hadn't he wanted to be released this entire time?

Wait...

"Hurry up I don't have all day! Gosh, are you really this slow all the time? Is that how bad Reserve course students' brains function? Geez you guys really-"

"Fine," Hajime had made up his mind, "I'll do it."

Junko blinked. She was surprised she had been interrupted. She quickly gained her composure, "Haha~ great! I knew you'd come around, Hajime! Now let me see him and I'll drop your girlfriend off on the island."

Hajime took a deep breath and closed his eyes... he let go of all his emotions he'd fought hard to bring back, let go of most of his memories. He faded away into the abyss.

Two bright red eyes slowly opened. His hair seemed to become darker and longer. He noticed not all feelings had been erased from his body. Perhaps a side effect from Hajime's fight? No. He knew better than that.

He looked up and stared into Junko's eyes. Junko smiled.

"Kamakura~! You're finally back after all this time! I missed you-"

"Quit rambling. It bores me." His monotone voice interrupted her bright happy act.

Junko blinked again. "Aw come on~ we still have a plan to finish don't we? I still have some people I need to put into despair!"

"I don't remember agreeing to help you with your plan." Izuru stayed quite still as he watched her.

Junko seemed slightly panicked by his stubbornness. She threw Chiaki onto the floor and took a few steps towards him.

"Of course you didn't! You were Hajime!"

Izuru held up a hand at her.

"Your endless talk bores me. Be quiet."

Junko stopped talking.

Makoto walked up to Izuru. "Don't talk to her like that. It's not wise-"

Makoto was slammed against the wall with a flick of Izuru's hand. Makoto lay motionless on the floor.

Junko took this as an opportunity, "Woah did you just kill Makoto Naegi!! That's so cool-"

"He is not dead. He is not my target," Izuru glared at junko, "You are my main target. But I know you won't be that easy to kill. For now, I am paying someone back. Go away if you do not wish to be harmed."

Junko was unsettled by his comments. However she just smiled, waved a hand and said, "well I'm sure I'll meet up with you next time! When you're bored again and don't have anything to do. You'll come back eventually!"

She disappeared down the hallway.

Izuru watched and then turned to Chiaki, who was shivering on the ground. He untied her quickly.

She looked up at him with a worried look.

"what...What's going on?" She asked quietly.

"Do not worry. I am no threat to you. My goal is getting you out of here. Then I can try and stirr Hinata into coming back."

"What about...him?" Chiaki looked over at Makoto, who still lay unconscious.

"He is not important. However he will be fine. It seems he's getting saved by someone else. I do not care for him. You are all that matters at this moment." Izuru explained and then swiftly picked Chiaki up. He calculated the best route to the outside and began following it.

Makoto came back to his senses soon after Izuru left with Chiaki. He wasn't sure of what had just happened. All he knew was that his face was bleeding and his back hurt. He carefully stood up and looked around.

It came back to him that he had yelled at Izuru Kamakura himself to stop being rude to Junko. Then Kamakura flicked him away like a bothersome fly.

The room was now empty, no sign of Junko anywhere. Though the ropes that had tied Chiaki up were strewn on the floor.

However Makoto had the strangest feeling he was being watched. The feeling was somewhat familiar, perhaps being watched by cameras for so long left a mark on him.

He smeared the blood off of his face and smiled at the smooth bumps of his scarred up face. It was thanks to Junko he was even alive after all. She had given him the strength to live as Munakata desperately tried hacking him to death. And to think he had been on Hope's side the entire time. How foolish.

"I know you're watching, whoever you are." Makoto said to the darkness, a grin spreading across his face, "Come out, Come out... I won't hurt you. Fatally."

He heard a noise behind him and quickly extended an arm, the light of the knife he had just thrown visible for only a split second.

"Ah, it's only you..."

Makoto smirked as he recognized that face well.

Junko's teachings were certainly going to come in handy.