Fractal Plane: Maiden's Heart

Chapter 11 - Labyrinth of Despair

1

"Right now, of all times!"

Kazuki caved into his first instinct of frustration. A Fragment just had to open up somewhere, when his conversation with Uehara earlier that afternoon had suggested otherwise. Why now of all times?

Then, it was as if he got struck by a blow that stunned him in place and temporarily took the wind out of him.

It was definitely not Shiki going for another round, nor was it Uehara, who wasted no time getting on the ready.

It was his own realization.

Amagi!

Could she have somehow summoned this phenomenon singlehandedly, all thanks to his careless word choice? Without outside intervention, it's the most likely explanation, and Kazuki fought off the urge to knock himself silly for the trouble he caused.

She ran off and was most certainly down on herself when she left. Had she continued drowning in her negative emotions, someone with as powerful of a spiritual potential as her could certainly lead to the manifestation of a Fragment.

Without second thought, he approached Shiki and quickly placed the ring with the insignia on his friend's palm.

"O-oi, this is..."

"Shiki, I have one request for you. Take care of this for me. No one knows it's ours, so you can pass it off as the one you and Uehara found and get those juicy bonus credits."

He then turned to the long-haired girl and gave a nod.

"Uehara, you thinking what I'm thinking? Let's go."

She gave him a nod as a reply, but almost immediately came a voice of displeasure that prevented him from leaving.

"Wait a minute, you leaving me dry while you take my partner away and go two-timing with her, and you think a bribe like that is gonna do it? Right after we had that talk about Amagi?"

"Shiki, there's no time for arguments. But to make things clear, it is not what you're thinking. We're gonna go get Amagi, and we just know where she is right now."

"Looking for Amagi, huh? Then I'm coming with you!"

The bandana-wearing classmate with orange-red hair motioned to hand the ring back to Kazuki when another hand stopped his. It was Sayaka Uehara, who had finally intervened directly for the first time since the encounter.

"Shiki," the calm girl began. "Leave this to us, please."

Kazuki focused on the facial expression of his childhood friend and silently prayed that he would back off. There's little time to waste on going about in circles and explaining the matter while skirting the topic of Mu.

He eagerly waited and held his breath upon seeing the look of slight contempt on his friend's face. Shiki didn't look like he was in any mood to budge.

"We also need someone to do the explanations and stall for time, and you're the only one we can trust. We'll be back before curfew, I promise," said Uehara. "Besides..."

She held Shiki's hands more firmly, much to his surprise, as seen by his sudden blush and softer expression. His stiff expression finally gave in when the black-haired girl gave him a wink.

"Could you do it for my sake, pleeeease?"

Faced with a look that made him turn around, Kazuki tried to stifle his own laughter because he knew that the girl accidentally seeing him would likely spell the end for him.

"O-o-ok ok ok!" replied the blushing Shiki, with a hint of energy in his voice. "Make sure to go get Amagi back, okay?"

With that, Uehara released his hand but maintained her smile.