Interlude - On The Other Side Of The Door

Ami twisted free from Kento and Javier as the giant stone doors slammed shut, and hurried over as fast as her ankle would let her. Of all the times to trip and fall like an idiot...

"Ami! It's no use, they're closed!" Kento called out to her.

"Well help me open them! There's one of us still on the other side!"

"B-but so's that monster," Somebody from their group said hesitantly. One of the girls Ami hadn't met yet. "If we open the door won't it get inside?"

Ami took a breath, and turned back to the group of students gathered in the small room.

So many frightened faces. They're terrified.

"We still have to try," she smiled at them. "If it were any of you I'd want to do the same."

Maybe in an effort to pacify her, Javier came to where where she was standing and looked more closely at the door, running his hands along the surface. "I don't think it'll open," he shook his head finally. "I can't see anything like a handle, or... Pretty much anything. Sorry Ami, I think it's closed for good. I don't think that thing can get in here, but-"

"Very well," Ami cut him off. He didn't have to spell it out. There were a few nervous words exchanged between the others, as they imagined what might be happening outside as they stood here safely. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to find her center.

Not everybody was so concerned, though.

"Good riddance. We're better off without him."

Ami opened her eyes a sliver at the sound of the bitter words. It was the same boy who had punched Souma for no good reason. Souma who was now dead. What was his name again?

"Tenka," she remembered. "That's enough."

"What?" Tenka scowled. "You're carrying on like he was a saint, but didn't I tell you what kid of scum was? You really think we'd be better off with somebody like that here? Somebody who preys on young girls?"

Everybody fell silent. There was only the dull, monotonous thrumming from the blue glowing circle under their feet. Ami could tell Tenka was laying it on thicker than he had to, probably looking to distance himself from what happened. He wasn't stupid.

This is dangerous. This is about to set a precedent.

"We cannot," Ami said carefully, "turn on one another. We don't know what's out there, or why we were called to this place. We don't know what part we all have to play yet."

Tenka glared at her from across the magic circle. "Very altruistic," he said. "But I don't think you understand what that creep was capable of."

"We all have things we'd rather not have brought up. I'm sure you do too. But we can't turn this into a witch hunt every time we learn about somebody's past."

"I have nothing to hide," Tenka shot back. "What about you? Leader?"

Ami smiled, her face tight. "I never said I was your leader," she dodged, then turned to the others. She'd spent enough time talking to Tenka directly. It was time to appeal to the masses. "We don't know what's waiting for us out there. This world is... We've already seen that this world is dangerous enough without us fighting each other. If we don't work together... Make no mistake, more of us could die."

Tenka's face grew hard. "Don't try pin his death on me. Even if I did want him gone, he was on the other side of the door when it closed, that's all. That's not my fault."

Ami held her hands out in a calming gesture. She didn't want to let him think he could say whatever he wanted, but he didn't want to put him too far offside either. Maybe there was no good outcome here.

"What's done is done. We have more important things to worry about right now."

"Uh, Ami?" Javier said from beside her and pointed down at the floor.

Ami looked down. The pulsing beneath them was starting to speed up. Something was going to happen.

"Everyone, get inside the circle," Ami ordered. She couldn't say why, but it seemed like the right thing to do. The others exchanged nervous looks, but did as she asked.

As Ami limped after them, leaning heavily on Javier's shoulder to give her twisted ankle a rest. She didn't miss Tenka glaring at her, his face lit up by the brilliant blue light that was flooding up from beneath them.

She turned away, looking back at the door.

Souma. He'd saved her life, and now he was gone. Not barely minutes had passed since they arrived in this world, and already she'd let one of them die. Biting her lip, Ami recalled the light purple screen that had appeared before everything had gone wrong.

Unique Skill Unlocked: Hero

Some hero she was turning out to be.

The floor grew brighter, the thrumming louder, then all she could see was a bright white light, and they all disappeared.