...04/10/2009 Sunday; Dark Hour...
...FULL MOON OPERATION...
The Fortune Arcana stood still.
Its blue mask stared at the empty space where the mechanism had existed just seconds earlier.
The silence around it felt wrong.
Until footsteps echoed beside it.
A shout of effort cut through the air.
Junpei appeared running, his montante raised overhead.
With a jump, he spun his body and brought the blade down in an ascending arc.
The strike hit the Arcana of Fortune squarely.
Its metallic body was launched upward, spinning in the air before being thrown back.
Junpei landed, sliding a few inches. "Sanada-senpai!"
"Leave it to me!" Akihiko was already in motion.
He sprinted without losing momentum. On the last step, he propelled himself upward, his coat whipping violently with the jump.
Time seemed to slow.
The Shadow, still airborne, turned its face toward him.
Akihiko was grinning.
His eyes gleamed with that familiar combat thrill.
His fist tightened.
"I've been waiting for this!"
He came down like a meteor.
The punch hit the Shadow with a deafening crash.
The impact rippled through the ground. The air vibrated.
The Arcana of Fortune let out an enraged scream as it was smashed into the floor. The metallic ground sank under the blow.
For an instant, its body remained embedded in the newly formed crater.
Yet — it bounced off the impact, spinning wildly in the air as the lingering black mist warped around it.
Akihiko hit the ground and moved instantly.
Without giving the Shadow any chance to react, he grabbed the Arcana of Fortune by its metallic leg.
Its body still vibrated from the earlier strike.
He lifted it as if it weighed nothing.
The Shadow let out a high, distorted scream, thrashing in the air as it tried to break free. Its internal gears spun in panic.
Akihiko didn't even blink.
With a sudden twist of his shoulder, he slammed it into the ground.
The impact echoed.
Before the sound could fade, he lifted it again—
And slammed it down.
Again.
And again.
The metal crashed against the asphalt with violent force, reminiscent of what the Arcana of Strength had done to him minutes earlier.
Each slam sent sparks flying.
Cracks began spreading across the Shadow's structure. The blue mask split along the side. Metal plates bent. Internal wires were exposed.
It screamed nonstop.
A sound mixing rage and something more primal.
But it couldn't fight back.
Akihiko stopped.
He let go of the ankle for a second — only to grab both of the Arcana of Fortune's legs.
One in each hand.
He took a deep breath.
The muscles in his arms swelled. Veins bulged on his forehead. His teeth clenched tightly.
The metal resisted.
For a moment.
Then—
A creak. The sound of metal giving way.
With a roar of effort, Akihiko pulled with everything he had.
The shout that tore from his throat was as loud as the Shadow's.
With a brutal snap, the Arcana of Fortune split in half.
Wires tore like tendons. Gears scattered through the air. Metallic fragments bounced across the ground.
The two halves fell heavily, inert for a moment.
The blue mask trembled.
A final scream escaped it — and the body began to dissolve.
Until everything faded into black mist that drifted upward and vanished into the air of the Dark Hour.
The silence that followed was different.
Lighter.
Akihiko remained still, breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell in deep, strained motions. He opened his hands slowly, staring at his fingers still trembling with adrenaline.
His fists tightened again.
"Jesus Christ… finally."
Mitsuru pushed herself up with the help of the rapier still embedded in the ground. Her legs protested, but she ignored them.
The black mist where the Arcana of Fortune had vanished was already dissipating when her eyes met Akihiko's.
She walked toward him with steady steps.
Stopped in front of him.
Her hand rested on his shoulder — firm, but not heavy.
"Good job." A small nod. An almost-smile. "Are you hurt?"
Akihiko took a deep breath, his chest still rising at an uneven pace. He shook his head.
"No." A corner of his mouth lifted. "Who would've thought the idea you gave Minato would actually work."
Mitsuru's eyes drifted for a moment, mentally calculating everything that could've gone wrong.
"I wasn't sure if attacking the wheels would trigger a reaction from Fortune." She removed her hand from his shoulder. "Someone had to distract her."
Before finishing, she was already turning away.
"I'll go check on Hiro."
Akihiko nodded silently.
Farther ahead, Hiro was still lying on the metallic ground. The pale light of the Dark Hour reflected off the blood spread across his chest.
Fuuka pressed a cloth against the wound, her hands stained red.
Yukari was already kneeling beside him, opening the small medical kit strapped to Koromaru's vest. The dog approached Hiro and barked softly, uneasy, tail stiff.
Aigis stood beside them, posture upright — but her mechanical fingers were tense.
When Mitsuru approached, Aigis was the first to notice.
Mitsuru's footsteps were controlled.
But far too quick.
"Hiro…" Her voice came out lower than usual.
Hiro turned his head toward her. Even pale, he managed a crooked smile.
"Ahh… it's you, Mitsuru." He breathed carefully. "I'm fine. Don't worry."
Fuuka exhaled, as if she had been holding her breath for minutes.
"The tip of Fortune's metal bar didn't hit any vital point." She looked up at Mitsuru, trying to sound confident. "It's not serious."
Yukari pulled the blood-soaked cloth away for a moment to examine the wound.
"Even then…" She ran her fingers carefully around the open gash. "It was deep. Even after healing… this is going to leave an ugly scar."
Her fingers touched the edge of the cut.
Hiro squeezed his eyes shut.
A groan slipped through his teeth.
Yukari didn't waste time. She took a Media Crystal from the kit and placed it directly on the open wound.
The crystal shattered under the pressure of her fingers.
A bright white light burst forth instantly.
The glow enveloped Hiro's chest, covering the blood, the torn skin, the pain.
The light sank in.
The wound began closing before their eyes. Skin reconnecting, the red fading, his breathing growing steadier.
Hiro felt the air enter his lungs without burning.
He felt his muscles loosen.
The exhaustion drain from his body.
When the light faded, there was no wound left.
He brought his hand to his chest, pressing the spot that had been open seconds earlier.
"Damn…" He let out a slow breath, his shoulders finally relaxing. "Much better…"
Mitsuru exhaled slowly.
Her chest felt lighter seeing Hiro safe. And for a moment, she closed her eyes, trying to calm herself.
Then something caught her attention.
Instinctively, she looked toward the spot where the wheels had been destroyed.
And saw Minato standing there.
The wind gently moved his bangs, but he didn't react. His eyes were fixed on the ground, as if deep in thought.
Mitsuru frowned.
She began walking toward him, ignoring Junpei and Akihiko as they joined the others, talking about something she didn't bother to listen to.
Minato seemed distant, as if his mind were wandering far from there.
Even after the fight, the absence of Shinjiro and Ken weighed on his thoughts, a restlessness that refused to leave him.
Where were they? Why was there still no sign of them?
Until a firm voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Arisato."
Minato flinched, turning quickly. He found Mitsuru standing behind him, her expression puzzled.
"What's wrong? You look like your mind is somewhere else," she questioned, concern clear in her tone.
"Ahh… I don't know, Kirijo." Minato shrugged, looking away. "Fuuka didn't pick up any signal from Aragaki or Amada…"
He hesitated, his voice faltering. "I… I'm scared that…"
A scream of despair ripped through the air, echoing across the station. Everyone jumped, exchanging startled looks.
When they turned toward the station entrance, they saw the Shadow Arcana of Strength emerge, its body covered in wounds.
The metal bars that formed its body were broken, twisted, falling apart with each movement.
Its dress was soaked in the black liquid dripping endlessly. Flowers fell continuously around it, withering the moment they hit the ground.
The creature looked around in panic until it locked eyes with S.E.E.S.
When it noticed the Arcana of Fortune lying defeated, its eyes widened in pure terror.
"WHAT?!" Junpei's voice cracked mid-shout. "THIS THING IS STILL ALIVE?!"
"Damn it… we forgot to check if Lucifer actually killed it," Yukari muttered, rising quickly, frustration painted across her face.
The Strength Arcana let out a shrill screech and, without hesitation, took off into the air, trying to escape through the streets, leaving a trail of wilted flowers behind.
"Oh, shit!" Hiro exclaimed, stunned and tense.
He got up at once, grabbed his kukri from the floor, and with his free hand seized Aigis's wrist, pulling her.
"Go, go, go! After her!"
One by one, the members of S.E.E.S. grabbed their weapons and began chasing the Strength Arcana through the streets.
MEANWHILE… SOMEWHERE ELSE…
Gekkoukan Station remained submerged in the artificial stillness of the Dark Hour.
The greenish light spilled across the walls, reflecting off the empty tracks. Coffins lined the streets like forgotten pieces on a macabre chessboard.
Shinjiro walked alone.
His hands were in the pockets of his overcoat. Heavy footsteps echoed through the empty streets. His face was serious, eyes lowered, as if mentally counting each beat of his own heart.
The cold wind cut through the street.
Thoughts came and went, but none brought surprise. It was like rereading a story whose ending you already know. Like walking down a corridor you always knew you would have to cross.
He knew.
He knew what awaited him.
And even so, he kept walking.
Until he stopped.
A dark alley opened before him, narrow, squeezed between two tall buildings. The Dark Hour's light barely reached inside.
A tightness crossed his chest.
Shinjiro raised his head and looked inside.
At the end of the alley there was a more open area — a small space between the buildings.
And there, standing at the center, was someone.
He took a deep breath and swallowed hard.
Without hesitating, he took the first step into the alley.
The sound of his shoes echoed between the narrow walls. Each step seemed louder than the last. The air grew heavier the further he went.
The discomfort increased.
But he didn't stop.
When he got close enough, the figure became clear.
It was Ken.
With his back turned.
Wearing the S.E.E.S. uniform, the spear resting beside his body. Small. Motionless.
Shinjiro stopped a few steps away.
He said nothing.
He simply watched.
Ken slightly raised his head, as if he had sensed the presence behind him. He didn't turn around right away.
But his fingers tightened around the spear.
Silence stretched between the two of them.
Until…
"So… you read my letter?" Ken's voice came out cold. Controlled. He still hadn't turned around.
Shinjiro simply nodded, without taking his eyes off him. "Yeah. I read it."
Ken took a deep breath and let it out.
The air left slowly, almost imperceptibly trembling, as if that moment had been rehearsed countless times in his mind.
Slowly, he turned his head over his shoulder.
Just enough for Shinjiro to see his eyes.
There was no hesitation there.
No doubt.
Only something raw.
A hatred no child should ever have to carry.
Shinjiro held his gaze in silence.
No excuses.
No defense.
Ken gripped the spear so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"I've been waiting for you…" His voice faltered for a fraction of a second before steadying again. "Aragaki-senpai."
TO BE CONTINUED...