After striding around and assessing for anything that could be of interest, we finally found ourselves in a new hall, or at least the change of sterile white illumination to a dark-red one seemed to indicate that. God, I feel like throwing up. Whoever did this is awful at colour matching.
From a glance, I could see that this place was-
"So, these are going to be our dorms, huh?" Mrs Enoshima spoke my thoughts.
"It seems to be the case." I nodded at her. "And each one has… pixel figures on a plaque of sorts? It looks like a person, so it must be how we identify which room belongs to us. They seem to have a name under the picture too, I guess that makes things easier."
"Yeah, they look kinda weird, but it kinda gets the job done." She mused aloud, though just as fast, her face scrunched up in mild annoyance. "Although I don't like that he's implying we are going to stay here for a long while, that arrogant creep… Hey, wanna check out where―"
Whatever the wig-wearing Fashionista was going to say, got interrupted by a door, whose nameplate carried the name of our very fragile protagonist, the one and only Makoto Naegi, opening.
From there, the figures of Mrs Maizono and Mr Kuwata emerged from the room.
"I'm glad that at least he's- Oh, Enoshima it's you, and I see you are with― Voyager!?"
Oh? It seems whatever bravery our little heroine had left when she was checking on Naegi in the Gym must have worn off, I guess… How sad.
"Heya Sayaka!" Before she and Mr Kuwata escalated the situation, Mrs Enoshima thankfully interfered by bringing the attention back to her. "And you too Leon! What's up?"
Both redhead and Idol blinked a pair of times, seemingly caught off guard by our little fashionista's nonchalant attitude. Not that I could blame for that… Before long Mr Kuwata snapped out of his befuddlement and complied with Enoshima's query. "Ah, we're cool… I guess? We just gave Naegi one last check-up, y'know? To see he's fine and all that… um…erm, so what are you up to?" The baseball star asked while giving me a nervous quick glance. To which I gave him a simple smile.
Watch where those eyes wander my friend.
"Oh! Voyager and I are looking around!" If Mrs Enoshima noticed it, she didn't care to comment on it. "Getting a general vibe of the place or something like that. Just right now, we were about to get a look around the dorms."
"You… and Voyager?" Mrs Maizono questioned, while she too, gave me a look filled with apprehension. To which I also gave a smile too. Keep those eyes trained on me little miss and I'll have them removed with a swiftness. "I see… Um, are you okay Junko?"
Why on God's green Earth would you think that I'd do something to her? She's gonna get herself killed in no time if she keeps acting like a child. I couldn't help but feel disgusted at the hidden jab at my character. Though, of course, as always, I didn't let it show on my face. No matter how annoying and aggravating it would get.
"Me? Yep! Hmmm, well… I'm still a bit irked from our recent encounter with Monokuma, but that was stuff of the past, so yeah, not an issue with this girl right here!" The fashionista commented with a grin, seemingly unbothered by our encounter with the bear.
However, the same couldn't be said for the people in front of her. I don't even know if she actually understood what the idol asked of her. Which shouldn't be a surprise given her archetype.
"M-Monokuma!? Shit!" Mr wanna-be singer yelped. Much to my annoyance.
Lord, why are these people so loud? Can't they use their indoor voices? I just had to be dragged in a situation where id be accosted non-stop.
"Junko! Are you sure you're Okay!?" Mrs Maizono worriedly demanded, only this time with no attempts to keep her concern hidden.
"I'm fine! I'm fine! Really! The bastard just messed with us verbally, but apart from being a… weird thing, he didn't do anything to us." Mrs Enoshima said while awkwardly scratching one cheek. "And in case he tried to do anything, I'm pretty sure Voyager-chi here will take care of me, right?" She added with another grin and a peace sign gesture.
She does that a lot, doesn't she?
Anyways back at what the fashionista just said…
"…Right." I said simply. Like the nine hells would I protect something like you!
I know I didn't show much certainty in that response, and they probably would notice that… but that was because I truly didn't have any certainty to answer that.
I have known her for less than a day, but I couldn't deny that, out of everyone here, she was the one whom, even if didn't like it, I was on best terms with by a large margin. On top of that, it was also undeniable that there had been some… strange moments here and there with her around. And besides, I don't think that I'll be able to keep myself contained if I look at her with my eyes.
There's just something about her wearing a wig that makes me so... angry.
Still, that was as far as things went.
I didn't save Mr Owada out of my goodwill, but rather because it was a secondary result of what I needed to do so I could preserve my own life.
That was also why I didn't interfere when Mr Owada punched Naegi, even if, just below the Enoshima, the supposed Luckster also seemed to have a better image of me than the rest of my... classmates, 'Yes, let's go with that...', while also being willing to vouch for me.
I had no doubt in my mind that I was more than capable of stopping that confrontation. However, there was nothing for me to gain out of that outcome. So, why bother in the first place then?
And besides, it's not like any of them would have listened to me anyway! Someone like me would have only made the situation worse! O' if She was here, if only She was here then that whole scene would have never happened. They would have never lost hope and began to conspire and turn on each other.
I truly am the worst kind of priest.
If something were to happen to any of them, or worse, they died, I wouldn't shed a single tear for their, o' so unfortunate demise. Not because I wished them ill. No, nothing of that nature. It simply was a matter of me not having any sort of meaningful bond with any of them.
Not like that would matter anyway.
Just the same, if it came a time in which I had to put myself between Monokuma and Enoshima, would I do something to prevent a tragedy from occurring? Putting my own life at risk for the sake of a complete, by-the-books stranger like her? The answer to that couldn't be any more obvious... Right?
I would…
…
…
...Huh?
"Um, in any case! I'm glad he didn't do anything to you and if you are sure that you are fine." Thankfully, Maizono stopped my train of thought before I exploded into maniacal laughter like some B Grade villain. She had just stopped a slim but still existent chance of me going through some kind of mental crisis, while also preventing this from beginning to become awkward at the same time.
"Then I guess we can truly count on Voyager to check on you while Leon and I begin our own search. With that being said, good luck to both of you!" The Idol cheerfully exclaimed with a wave.
Hmm, I didn't expect her to give that kind of encouragement to both of us.
So even the most hidden of demons can play nice?
"Same to you guys!" The Fashionista replied in kind, though a look of realization formed on her face afterwards. "Oh, that's right. You guys must want to avoid the places that have yellow tape! it's kind of satisfying to piss Monokuma off, but I wouldn't temp it, y'know?"
Both Mrs Maizono and Mr Kuwata nodded awkwardly but didn't make a comment on that, and so, they left to do their own little quest.
"So that happened." I mused aloud with a chuckle, as I shifted my shielded gaze towards the Enoshima as I remembered something. "Ah right, before those two came from Mr Naegi's room, you wanted to say something, correct?"
"Hm? Oh yeah, I know you said to just have a look around before checking the important places, but I wanted to see our rooms right now. Y'know, to avoid surprises and stuff at the end of the day. It's not a problem, right?"
Hmm, now that she mentioned it…
"You're right, I'm kind of curious too. You think that about 30 minutes are enough to inspect them?" I was honest about the curiosity thing. There was stuff I wanted to confirm myself.
"Yeah, it's perfect!" Mrs Enoshima said with a cheeky smile. Soon enough, it turned the slightest bit mischievous. "Ah, but let's count until we reach our rooms, no cheating allowed! Sounds good?"
"Sounds good." I said with the corners of my mouth slightly upwards as Mrs Enoshima started walking ahead.
…What? I covered my face with a gloved hand as a slight ache took over my head.
It… it happened again…
Why did I do that?
I-I...
Shaking my head to dismiss such thoughts turned around and begone to look for my room.