The store fell silent. Tatesada-san had surely been taken, or at least that's what the two had assumed. Rather, it's what they wanted to assume, as the alternative was far more difficult to accept. Having spent the last few minutes calling out to Tatesada-san, Michifuku-san gave up, accepting that a response was unlikely. Daikubara-san stopped her from travelling through the vents again, in fear of her tattered body receiving more damage, and of the possibility that something was waiting for them in the store. Nevertheless, there was nothing they could do in their position.
Daikubara: "How did it even get in, that bastard?"
Daikubara-san helped Michifuku-san down from the store's roof, then followed after her, landing atop the dumpsters he had moved earlier.
Michifuku: "It doesn't look like they used the front or back entrances…"
Surely a lot of noise would have been made if the shutters were lifted, and even if they had entered through the doors, they should have been spotted leaving. It didn't make any sense.
Daikubara: "Didn't sound like the rabbit, did it?"
Michifuku: "No, maybe it's friends with this thing…"
Michifuku-san was referring to the cold corpse of the fox, which hadn't moved an inch from its location of death.
Daikubara: "Couldn't see or hear it coming, or leaving…"
Daikubara: "Was it inside the entire time? Is it still in there?"
Michifuku: "Could be… oh–"
She tugged at Daikubara-san's white undershirt, demanding his immediate attention in a childish way.
Daikubara: "What?"
Michifuku: "Look, there's a grate here."
From the earlier position of the dumpster, before Daikubara-san had moved it to climb atop the store, a grate connecting to an empty abyss below was spotted ingrained in the ground.
Daikubara: "Sewers?"
Michifuku: "Definitely smells like it…"
Daikubara: "Could be linked to the store, somehow. Were there any trap doors inside?"
Michifuku: "I don't know; I didn't see any, at least."
Daikubara: "Doesn't mean there isn't one. And given it was hidden under these dumpsters…"
Michifuku: "Oh, now that I think about it, there are a lot of grates around the town. Maybe there's a whole sewer system."
Daikubara: "It'd be hard to find a town without one."
Michifuku: "I can try fitting through this~"
Daikubara: "You'll get stuck, moron."
Michifuku: "..."
The possibility Tatesada-san was in the sewers, along with whatever took him, was undeniable. Entering the sewers and searching was their best shot, but not only was it too dark to see inside… finding an entrance was another issue. Using the vent to the store was out of the picture, and no manholes leading to the sewers were discoverable in the town.
Michifuku: "...Wait, I think I've got an idea!"
Michifuku: "I was thinking; why the heck's there no entrance to the sewers? It makes no sense, right?"
Daikubara: "No shit…"
Michifuku: "So I was trying to think about other places with an underground floor… and I remembered one."
Michifuku: "The apartments to the south have basements, I think… but they're locked."
Michifuku: "If we can get access to them, then boom! We'll be able to save Tatesada-kun~"
Daikubara: "...It's not a bad play. But how the hell are we getting them open?"
Michifuku: "There's someplace we can check out, but first things first… what are we going to do about Kobayashi-san and Itogaya-san?"
Daikubara: "...There ain't nothing we can do right now. Besides, I'm supposin' the two of them are together right now. That should be enough to satisfy you."
Michifuku: "...It isn't."
Daikubara: "...Listen, kid. We've got our hands full with just one brat."
Michifuku: "But…"
Daikubara-san clenched his fist and sighed. When would it get through to Michifuku-san that she couldn't help everyone everytime? Arguing it wouldn't do much, and so…
Daikubara: "We'll make another stop, before the apartments."
Michifuku: "Eh?"
…
Ishimasu Kanana: "Is your leg okay, Akihi-aniki?"
Konsako Akihi: "Just about! Don't think I'll be running anytime soon, though…"
Ishimasu Kanana: "It's a good thing you're really fast… otherwise you would've been toast…"
Konsako Akihi: "...You can say that again."
Konsako-san pulled his leg forward, placing more support on his able one, as the pain grew.
Ishimasu Kanana: "You really could've died, right?"
Konsako Akihi: "Huh? I mean, yeah…"
Ishimasu Kanana: "But then why did you let it see you? If it wasn't for Itogaya-sensei, you really–"
Konsako Akihi: "You don't have to drive the point home, Ishimasu-chan. I know."
Konsako Akihi: "So, what is it you want to know?"
Ishimasu Kanana: "It… just doesn't make sense… we'll never get a chance like this again, so why did you nearly throw it all away for us…?"
Konsako Akihi: "Ah… so that's what you're confused about."
Ishimasu Kanana: "Daikubara-san as well… he didn't have to run outside after them. He hurt himself earlier, too…"
Konsako Akihi: "Yeah, he didn't… but he did."
A soft palm was placed on Ishimasu-san's head.
Konsako Akihi: "And it didn't look like he hesitated, either. Nor when jumping on the rabbit, to make sure Kobayashi-san and Kuro-san could escape."
Konsako Akihi: "...It's the same for me, Ishimasu-san. I can't hesitate when someone's in danger."
Ishimasu Kanana: "Why? You don't have to help others to win, do you…?"
Konsako Akihi: "Well, you could argue against that, but…"
Konsako Akihi: "Most of all… I just couldn't let the rabbit reach anyone else. After what happened to Sakakibara-san and Shiroito-san… I felt angry at myself for not trying to help them."
Konsako Akihi: "I convinced myself that next time, no matter what happened… I'd step in."
Konsako Akihi: "If other people have to die so I can live… then I don't want to live."
Konsako-san drifted downwards, slanting his wounded leg forward. His bright blue eyes were an ocean's depth, filled with definite sorrow for the hesitation he held earlier. Even if he had made up for it, he couldn't forgive himself for it. He could only move forward, and make sure he didn't hesitate again.
Ishimasu Kanana: "...Oh. I think I get that…"
Ishimasu Kanana: "I hate seeing people get hurt too… but it's hard…"
Ishimasu Kanana: "I could never be brave like you and Daikubara-san."
Konsako Akihi: "Is it really bravery…? I always kinda looked at it like stupidity, haha…"
Kuro: "Someone's at the door."
Konsako Akihi: "Huh? Who?!"
As if he had forgotten about the shattered bone in his leg, Konsako-san shot up, but almost fell back down when his leg had reacted poorly. Ishimasu-san grabbed hold of his chest, positioning him upward.
Ishimasu Kanana: "I can at least do this, right…?"
Konsako Akihi: "Ishimasu-chan…"
The two turned towards the door, where Kuro-san stood still, knocking back and forth in communication with whoever was outside. After a moment's silence, he removed the keycard from his right pocket and swiftly ran it through the card reader, opening the apartment to the town.
Shoulder to shoulder in the cold, although one towering over the other, were Daikubara-san and Michifuku-san.
Konsako Akihi: "Michifuku-san, are you okay?!"
Michifuku: "Just some scratches!"
Ishimasu Kanana: "Daikubara-san!"
Michifuku: "We need your guys' help."
Konsako Akihi: "Ah, but-"
Daikubara: "Shut up and listen for a min'."
Daikubara-san dropped the medical kit recovered by Michifuku-san onto the carpeted floor.
Daikubara: "I'll explain everything, but patch yourselves up first. The whole lot of us are heading out."
In less than twenty minutes, the group of five had left the apartment and made it halfway across the town, heading towards the south-east factory.
Konsako Akihi: "You sure you'll be fine with that, Michifuku-san?"
Michifuku: "Sure."
Michifuku-san's wounds were messily dressed in suture threads from the medical ket.
Ishimasu Kanana: "Once we find Itogaya-sensei, he'll be able to clean it up for you!"
Kuro: "What do you have in mind, since you've brought all of us out here?"
Daikubara: "I was about to get to that, so listen up."
…
Itogaya: "...The main issue is how we open the gate."
Itogaya: "The computers in the storage room, and those levers attached to the buildings in town are likely linked to the gate."
Itogaya: "But seeing as they are unpowered, accessing the power station should be our first step."
Kobayashi Amano: "The factory had a lot of heavy tools, right? We could easily break the power station's chain lock with them."
Itogaya: "Mm. Though we aren't in any condition to be breaking it ourselves…"
I picked myself up, pulling against the window sill I sat under. But before I could muster any more strength to even stand, Itogaya-san commanded me to sit back down.
Itogaya: "Are your injuries causing you to ignore everything I say? We aren't in any condition to break that lock, nor even attempt to walk."
Kobayashi Amano: "Then… What do we do? What… Can we do?"
My hopeless desperation had begun ascending towards its limit. Despite putting my all into defending the store from the intruding fox, I was still grasping at straws as to how I could help improve the situation, if even slightly. But, I knew I was reaching that limit.
Itogaya: "...If we encounter another predator, we won't be able to fight back; we won't be able to run."
Itogaya: "Our only option is to stay here, and wait… and even then, I can't confirm our safety."
I couldn't accept that, even though I had to. I guess it doesn't take a doctor to tell that, either.
Itogaya: "I'm certain those two will find a way out. They should know how to open the power station, as well."
Itogaya: "...If you can't rely on yourself, you can rely on them."
Rely on them… rely on others…
Would that be enough to calm my beating heart?
…
Daikubara: "...That's basically it. We'll go in two groups; Group A will go for Tatesada, and Group B will head for the power station."
Daikubara: "'Course, we'll have to stop by the old factory first, if we wanna make any progress on getting those doors open."
Michifuku: "We're splitting up at this stage… are we asking to die, or what?"
Konsako Akihi: "Who's doing what? Because we can't put Ishimasu-chan in any danger–"
Daikubara: "I know that. That's why she's gonna go with you and Kuro to the power station. That way, if things go south, you can make it to the gate or the apartment in time, depending on whether or not you get it open."
Konsako Akihi: "...I see, since the distance between the two is about the same."
Kuro: "What about his leg? He won't be running anytime soon."
Daikubara: "Would he fare better in a fight?"
Kuro: "It might've been best to leave him behind in the apartment."
Konsako Akihi: "No, then you would've had to come back to get me after opening the gate."
Konsako Akihi: "I'm fine with risking this, anyway. If… something happens, then I'll–"
Ishimasu Kanana: "Then you'll run with us, idiot! I don't care if you have to break your working leg, you're running!"
Daikubara: "Pfft… you heard the kid."
Under his bright blue eyes, small equally bright teardrops formed. Was it relief… or fear?
Michifuku: "What about us, then? I'm not a good fighter, and your arm is barely hanging on…"
Daikubara: "Speak for yourself, brat. I can't do this alone."
Michifuku: "Ohoh, why's that? Are you scared?"
The plan was set in motion.
Group A, consisting of Daikubara-san and Michifuku-san, would attempt to rescue Tatesada-san from the underground passage (likely sewer system). Group B, consisting of Konsako-san, Kuro-san and Ishimasu-san, would attempt to break open the door to the south-west power station.
No matter the end result, Group B would make their way to the gate or main apartment depending on whether or not the power station was able to activate it. Once the group reached the gate, if it had activated, they would wait no longer than ten minutes for Group A to also reach the gate before leaving without them.
But in the darkness of the town, lit densely by the sickly hue of the street light, waltzed a prey no weaker than them.