April 15th, 2020
As Hirozaku gets to his school after the fight the other and he feels tuckered out, as he did go and face off against some lightning knights. "Hey, mister!" Exclaims a familiar voice to which Hiro turns to see Kap. "Uh, have we met, kid?" Asks Hirozaku. "I'm that skunk from the other world! The name's Kap!" Kap exclaims. "Wait, so that WASN'T a dream! Jesus Christ! so, whaddya want?" He asks. "I just need your help and the other two people too!" Kap replies. "Why? What in the hell are you? One minute you're a skunk and next minute you're a 5-year-old boy." Hirozaku asks. "I've been trying to figure that out myself. All I know is that I woke up at a park on the benches. With no memory of who I am. The more I think, the more I can't remember. I do know is my name is Kap because of this backpack." He shows him his bag that has Kap on the side in a sticker. "Weird ass name." He mutters. "Yeah. Though I did find out about the metaverse as I was wandering around. It's called Lethe. A world where one would forget their true selves. I figured that I could find the answer should I enter that world. But alas, I turn into a skunk of all things." Kap explains. "I know the truth lies in Lethe! I just know it!" "And where do I come in?" "You have your own persona and your own melee. With it, you and I can help each other! You scratch my back and I scratch yours!" Kap says. "I don't care for that shit. Frankly, that sounds like it ain't my problem." He replies. "Come on! You could be a hero!" The child replies. "I don't care about that." Hirozaku says. "Come on! Please! If you don't help me, where am I supposed to go?! I have no one in this world!" Kap begs on his knees with some tears coming out. "For all I know, I could be a missing boy that couldn't find his mom! Please please please!" Kap cries. "Fine! Dammit! I'll help! Shit!" Hirozaku gives up. "But I don't know what the fuck I'm supposed to do for you. I can't give you a place to stay." He says after that. "That's ok! I've made my little fort!" Kap replies. "Your own little what?" Hiro asks before Kap rushes off, parting ways with the red-haired delinquent.
After school, Kap was waiting for Hirozaku outside the gate. "So we doing this or what?" Hirozaku asks. "Yep! Let's get in!" They look around and enter the world in the statue again. As they entered, Hirozaku is seen with his baseball bat suddenly and sees Kap in his skunk form holding a shovel, a hand-held entrenching tool with a splintered handle, while standing on his back feet like a cartoon character with the entrance having what appears to be a door reminiscent of the classroom doors with a lock on it. "Hey, the rumors that I've heard normally say that this takes place in Midnight. How is it that I entered last time and now? It was still afternoon." Hirozaku asks. "I think that was just a rumor. A bit of an exaggeration. Lethe is one big mystery. This world has some strangeness to it. The soldiers you fought the first time you came here are called shadows. They are a deep representation of humans that they reject." Kap explains. "So like the dark side of humans that they hide?" "Exactly! Everyone has a shadow self here but once they accept it, they often vanish and the person feels like they've taken a step forward in life! I'm hoping to find my shadow and ask him many things!" "Good luck with that. Is this the only gateway to La la world or whatever?" "Lethe! And it's more accurate to say this is the only gateway opened. There are many ways to enter Lethe. This is one I found so far. There are around 10 passages to different points in Lethe. But finding them is the hard part. I came across this one by chance after months of searching." Kap explains. "So how does this place work in terms of landscape? Is this just something like a dungeon that's the same in some roleplaying games where there is some massive reward or boss at the end or is it just one big labyrinth that changes every time you go inside?" "You really are asking a lot of questions, I like that, a cautious fellow." "Well, considering that last time I charged headfirst into battle, I got hit by lightning from the heavens, so yeah, I am a bit on edge." Hiro responds. "Touche. Well, there are still some questions I haven't gotten the answers to, and I really can't fight these guys too much on my own." "Why's that? You got this JoJo stand thing that I got, don't you?" "Not really... I only have a melee which is this shovel, as it references how I am willing to dig deep into my past!" "Is everything here some representation of something?" "Well, from what your persona and our melee are, I'd say yes, there is a lot of deep representation." Hiro sighs at Kap's response. "All right. Let's fucking do this shit." Hiro says as he twirls his bat.
Meanwhile, Rikiya is at the photography club room reading the news. There have been several cases of KROWBAD-21. This disease is a strange occurrence. It takes place specifically in those who are going through depression. In a broad scope, it's basically depression with extra steps and with some increased chance of death. "Damn. This world has gotten dull nowadays. Tomomi-chan has already left and frankly, I'm still here. Thinking about it, I think the chief called off today's meeting. Guess his uncle's been affected by it. Poor guy. But, I gotta somehow get that scoop!" He turns to the statue out front. "It'll be dangerous but dammit it will work out! I gotta uncover this to the world!" Rikiya gets to the statue and looks around. Nobody is around. "Hee hee! This is perfect!" Rikiya enters the statue.
Meanwhile, Hirozaku and Kap are making their way through Lethe, striking down the shadows in their path. Hiro smacking the flying ones such as the Slipping Hablerie, which are just some Pac-Man-like creatures with tongues and teeth sticking out and a mask at the back with his bat. "Yeah, that's right!" Hiro shouts. Kap jumps and smacks another shadow with his shovel, which is a hand-held entrenching tool with a splintered handle, the shadow being the Cowardly Maya, which is a half-melted black goo with claws and a blue frowning mask that seems to be latched onto its face. "Hit the bricks, pal! You're done!" Kap shouts. "Damn, this is a hell of a place. How the hell would none of this affect me on the other side?" Hiro asks as he wipes some sweat off his face. "Think of it like you only have your wounds in this world. Even if you returned to the other world with a broken arm, you wouldn't have a broken arm in the real world. And you can come back to Lethe with no broken arm. Time doesn't really make sense here." Kap replies. "Guess that explains why I didn't get third-degree burns from that lightning strike." Hiro says. The two then find what appears to be a gate that is encased in vines. "Hey, skunk. What is this thing?" Hirozaku asks. "I don't really know, I never got this far. I think it's a way for us to be closer." Kap theorizes. "Well, guess we gotta go through if we're gonna find out then."
Hirozaku and Kap enter the gate and see a flowery field. Everywhere they look, it's like a paradise. It is beautiful. "Is something supposed to be here?" Hirozaku asks. "I don't know. I've never seen anything like this!" Kap panics. "Holy shit, dude!" They turn and see Rikiya there, looking all around him with his jaw wide open. "You! The hell are you doing here?!" Hirozaku exclaims angrily. "I just thought I could look more into this, this is a big break!" Rikiya exclaims with a smile. "Is that really true or are you just trying to run from home?" A voice was heard. Then they turn around to see a reasonably tall man with slick black hair. He seems to be pretty well built and has a punchable smug face. He also bears a suit and tie like you see businessmen wear as well as a necklace that has his employee's card with his face and name. "What the hell?! Kōhei?! How did you get here?!" Rikiya exclaims in utter disbelief. "Yo skunk! What is this shit?!" Hiro asks. "That has to be the cognition of whoever Rikiya knows!" Kap replies. "You never considered yourself to be one of us. After all, you are just a bastard child." Kōhei tells Rikiya. "You joined the photography club just to stay away from home. We all know it, you are nothing but a stain in our family." "Shut up! Shut up! You think I don't know that?!" Rikiya exclaims. "This is bad! Skunk! Let's rock!" Rikiya draws his bat as Kap draws his shovel but is more hesitant. "The hell's up with you?" Hiro asks. "It's just that this cognition, it's bigger than everything we've ever faced. We don't know what it's capable of and could even spell our doom!" Kap responds. "So this guy's a bit bigger, what the hell kind of bullshit do we gotta loose?" Hiro responds. "I don't know! I only ever made it so far! I don't know anything about this! And that isn't mentioning how Rikiya is here, he could die!" Kap replies. "Fine! At least let me stall him because he doesn't want us to leave! Go Beast!" He summons his persona which appears by his side. Beast swings at this shadow but the shadow blocks with what appears to be a cutlass. "Let the family talk, boy!" Kōhei says. "As I was saying, you're nothing but an outcast!" Kōhei exclaims. "SHUT UP!" Rikiya delivers a right hook on Kōhei's face who laughs and vanishes. "We gotta leave. Right now!" Kap says. He grabs Rikiya and they drag him out of Lethe.
"All right, dumb ass! What do you gotta say for yourself?!" Hirozaku says angrily. The three are now outside of Lethe with no students or faculty being around at this time. "What you did was dangerous! If we weren't there, you could've been left in Lethe!" Kap adds. "Look, I just... wanted to get a scoop." Rikiya says trying to fake a smile. "That's not how I remember it. That freak, Kōhei went on and on about how you see yourself as a stain in your family. You're just trying to get away from home." Hirozaku says. "Okay fine! I'm... a bastard. I've taken the job of a photographer. Helps me get away from home mostly and makes sure I am far from my... fake folks." Rikiya says. "Wow... that's rough..." Kap says. Hirozaku starts to reflect on what he says. "Oh, boo hoo! Nobody gives two shits about you because you are the different one!" Hirozaku says sarcastically due to his lack of kindness. "Hiro!" Kap says massively shocked with Rikiya looking at Hiro. "I don't care what you say! Listen, nobody without a death wish would just enter the exact place where death could be looming at every goddamn corner! You wanted those fucking shadows to take it all away! So what if you're some illegitimate child! Tough shit! You're still a human being! You got actual people to rely on you for god's sake! Life ain't shit if you don't enjoy it at all! Frankly, you got an actual friend in that fucking shrine maiden! WHO IS A CHILDHOOD FRIEND, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY! THINK, TANIMOTO, THINK!" Hirozaku says very annoyed at Rikiya. "Look, we all got some shit, but killing yourself ain't the answer at all, dammit! How about instead of trying to pull the trigger, you think about how that would affect the actual people that are around you?!" Hirozaku says. "Maybe, just MAYBE if you ever consider the bright side to jack shit then you could actually have a reason to live! Not one sane person, regardless of whatever the fuck goes on in their life, ever wishes for death when everyone else discourages them! You absolute dumb ass!" When he was done, he breathes heavily after what he told Rikiya. "The point is, try to find out what it is that is the issue instead of setting up a noose. Jesus fucking Christ, when we first met, I never saw you as the suicidal guy. Now, let's get your ass home and confront these ass wipes. because the way I see it, these people may be the cause of your problems. And I am not gonna stand by and let them drive you to suicide unless there is something that can actually be done." Hirozaku says. "Yeah. Okay." Rikiya replies. "If this doesn't work, I am giving you the suicide hotline. Not even a joke, a bastard that is contemplating suicide, I would prefer that people spend their lives alive regardless of their past." Hiro says.
"Now it's time to address the elephant in the room. Kap, how the fuck did Rikiya get in when you said nobody else should be able to due to the lock at the door?" Hirozaku asks the skunk. "I think it's because Rikiya first came in like he has an automatic key of his own." Kap responds. "And you didn't bring up something THAT important why?!" Hirozaku asks. "How was I supposed to know?!" Kap asks to which Hirozaku scowls. "I am going to make a rug out of you!" Hirozaku says angrily.
Meanwhile, the shadowy figure from before takes out their cellphone. "Hi. It's me... Somebody else has found Lethe... Right, deal with them like everyone else... Gotcha..." The figure hangs up. "Hirozaku Chiba. Rikiya Tanimoto. And that little Kap. How to take you three down." The figure asks himself.