Three days have passed, and Ignama is still in fear of the eldritch-rune cult.
During this time, the investigation group now knows who is likely responsible for the creation of the cult. Not many of them suspected the principal of Unimori to be responsible. He would fit with the clues that Raphael had provided, and despite them not trusting him, he did know, through the vision quest, who was behind this.
Jian has been dejected during their meetings on what to do next, and all of them know why. Quib.
With Jian not mentally able to lead the group, Carie has taken over, trying to formulate a way of getting the principal investigated in some way, or in the very least, finding the machinery he is using.
During each of their meetings, one person has been brought up repeatedly. Konichi Kori. They have grown an understanding that Konichi likely isn't being controlled, mostly due to Carie's friendship with her and seeing no changes over the past two months since she has been watching her more closely.
They believe that there is a possibility that she's noticed differences with her father and could have started investigating. If they can convince her to start looking into it herself, she might find something that they cannot.
At the end of the third day's meeting, Carie admits that it is their best shot. Konichi knows her father best, so if anyone can find out where his mind-control machinery is at, it's her.
The day after, once school has been let out, Carie stands outside of Unimori's main building “Come on, Oni. The sooner we speak, the faster this will end....” she mutters to herself, her foot tapping slowly on the ground.
A minute passes, and Konichi steps out from the crowd of students pouring out of Unimori. “Hi, Carie! You wanted to talk?” she says, adjusting her school bag strap that's over her shoulder.
“Uh, yes. Can we, maybe... talk somewhere more private?” Carie asks, her eyes scanning the premises for any prying eyes.
“O-Okay... but what for?” Konichi asks, now concerned.
“It's a... sensitive subject. Please, I... just need your help.” Carie subtly admits.
“Um, okay. I guess we could go to the... library?” Konichi recommends.
“If we can find a quiet corner, then yes.” Carie says before they both make their way to the library.
On the rooftops overlooking Unimori, the three members of Raphael's team are watching the faculty building. June, now with a steeled look on her face, states “I still remember what you said, Raphael, but are you sure we should do this? We've set them on their path, but they don't trust us. I know what you wanted, because it's the same for me. To be their friends, but that time has passed. We tried to save lives, but-”
“No, we didn't.” Raphael says, his head turning towards June. “We fooled ourselves into thinking we were. We put it into our minds, both of us, that every single life we took was necessary to protect them, but we could have done better. We could have been smarter. This was supposed to be their journey, but what does a journey matter when so many lives are lost in the process? We had the knowledge, we knew what would happen, we should have taken action, but we tricked ourselves into believing that everything happening here was supposed to be like the show or that they were supposed to save the day, not us. The result? Bodies lining the morgue, nearly all of them by us, and most of them could have been prevented if we used what we knew and stopped this before it started. Let's face it, we acted younger than we are, because we thought this was a cartoon, instead of reality.”
June, now looking down from remorse, mutters “You're right. They may look animated, but they're as much a human being as you and me. Not just them, but everyone in this city. We need to do what's right, we need to end what we could have prevented, before more damage is done!”
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“Exactly. We may have messed up, but now we need to fix it. They may never forgive us, but that doesn't matter. I'm not doing this for their endorsement, not anymore. Now, this is about stopping the chaos from spreading further.” Raphael says, turning his gaze back towards the faculty building.
Miyra, staring down at the offices below her, mutters “This is it. No more screwin' around. We go in at night, smash our way through the secret entrance, raid the base and destroy the machine. Simple as that.”
June, noticing Miyra's words, says to her “We already know that, we went over it last night.”
“I know, just speaking to myself. I am a little concerned about those other plans the Demu have though” Miyra says before getting to her feet and looking back towards her team “Anyone hear anything about Quib?”
Raphael sighs, saying afterward “Last I heard, she's in critical condition. The doctor's said that they closed her wounds, but the anti-nanobot stuff has hindered her recovery immensely. They have her on life support, just in-case things take a turn for the worse. From what they've said, even if she pulls through, she would be unable to fight effectively for a few months in the least....”
“I guess it's just us then....” June mutters, the news of Quib's condition clearly having an effect on her.
“And the UMA soldiers we have.” Miyra says, trying to look on the brighter side.
Raphael and June shoot Miyra a look of contempt, which makes the smile on her face quickly drop “Sorry, just pointing it out.”
Turning his gaze away from her, Raphael looks back down at the faculty building “Tonight, this chaos ends, once and for all....”
Carie and Konichi are now sitting at a table in Unimori's library. “So, what do you need Carie? If it's about your grades, I can gather some books for a subject you're struggling in and we can study together?”
With a quick sway of her hand, Carie says “No, don't worry about my grades. I actually need your help with something.”
Konichi, leaning back in her chair, mutters “Okay...?”
“It's related to...” Carie says before speaking in a whisper “... the eldritch-rune cult....”
Leaning into the table, Konichi says to Carie “You should leave them to the police, and focus on your grades.”
“... If I told them what was going on... they wouldn't believe me.”
“And why's that?”
“I've... learned things, that seem rather... insane.”
Konichi sees the strain in Carie's eyes, as if she has had many sleepless nights stewing over... something. Thinking to herself for a moment, Konichi looks up “Carie... what happened to you? You used to be so... happy before.”
“Please, 'Oni, we need your help, before it is too late. We know who the leader of the cult is, but we need proof first. We know that you can go into the faculty office after the school shuts down at night. Can you search your father's office for anything incriminating?”
“My father? You think that he's behind the cult!? Carie, you can't be serious!?” Konichi nearly yells, almost throwing herself from her seat.
“Think about it, 'Oni. You had to have noticed something off about his mannerisms over the last couple of months, or how he acts and moves.”
“He has been acting relatively depressed, but he said that he had a lot of faculty that left and he's had trouble finding replacements!”
“And have you noticed anyone actually being missing?”
“Um, well...” Konichi searches through her memory for any empty spots within Unimori's faculty, but... “no....”
“You have to have noticed something off, 'Oni. I'm not asking you to fight your father, we just need you to look for some evidence, no matter how small it may be.”
Konichi, standing still for a few moments and thinking Carie's proposition over, says “Okay....”
Carie, stepping back into Jian's dorm room, sees the entire group is there, having been waiting for her return. “It's done, she agreed.”
Boz, who is sitting on one of the beds with Lera, says “Thanks, Carie. I know that must have been hard to do.”
“It's what needed to be done. She agreed to look tonight, so we will set up patrols, as Sin requested.” Carie says, turning her gaze to Sin, who gives her a nod.
Carie then looks towards Jian, who has been sitting at the corner of his bed, curled into a ball. She lets out a sigh “Poor Jian... hopefully she pulls through and this never happens again.”
“Agreed. I've known Jian long enough to know he doesn't deserve this....” Lera says, looking towards Jian.
“He should get better once Quib does too, right?” Hoshi asks.
“Honestly, we don't know. No one even knew that he had this heart condition. I searched as many medical sites as I could, even asked a couple doctors. Everything pointed to his condition not existing.” Carie states.
“So... we just have to hope and pray that he gets better, huh?” Boz says, his eyes not leaving Jian.
“That's what it looks like....” Carie says, a look of pity on her face.
Nighttime sets on Ignama, and with two plans about to be set into action, the cult's final fight is about to take place.