STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING! Are you up to date with the current events of Marionette? (Minimum reading up to Cosmos, Chapter Twenty). These are NOT for new readers to read. These contain SPOILERS to the main book, and as such, read at your own risk. All Supplement chapters should not be read until Cosmos Chapter Twenty at the minimum, but it's recommended for readers to be COMPLETELY up to date. If you spoil yourselves by reading this while you're still in Oceans arc, then thats your own choice, but be mature and don't post spoilers from here onto the main book before a character even turns up. I wouldn't want to have to permanently mute you.

Where fortune is absent, resent and animosity often grows.

A world wrought with tragedy brings nothing but hate and pain.

Those were ideals that he never felt true.

Humble dwellings of familial circumstances, of a comfort he'd long since grown attached to.

At sixteen years of age, he was content with his life – He felt like he'd reached a higher plain of peace seldom reached. Parentless due to misadventure a great many years ago, he didn't feel like his life was any worse off than those around him.

In fact, he found comfort in the simplicity of such conditions.

Katsuragi Toji was never one to smile, in spite of the peace and tranquility that had been his adolescence.

A serious soul from birth through to a teenager, a stark contrast to the other half that made up his closest family.

Yet he wasn't unkind. Truth be told, he'd heard that while he wore a seemingly sour expression as a neutral appearance and his attitude was brisk and testy, he was pleasant to those who put the effort into him.

Perhaps that just made him outwardly quite surly?

The sun lifted in the skies as dawn rolled on towards lightening morning, casting a gentle hue of cool yellow into the small room that was his personal dwellings. Teal and white were the colours that splashed the modestly furnished room in eloquent lines of trim and design. A futon upon the floor, a simple closet and a study desk were the only furnishings that resided within the room.

The scent of morning dew hung in the dusty air, just as the early spring morning began to evaporate the water back into the air. It wasn't warm enough for the cherry blossoms to bloom, though, they would soon.

It was the last two weeks before the end of the school year, making this the last two weeks of second year high school.

Katsuragi Toji sat at his desk, fully dressed in his school uniform, his gaze tracing the characters of the text book he had open in front of him. His uniform was black, adding to his rather surly appearances and dark features with a rather cold edge.

End of Year exams were this week, something he had been studying for without end.

He wanted to make something great of himself, to support and care for the guardians who had made his life so comfortable and kind ever since he'd been taken in.

He was eternally grateful to the kind souls that were his grandparents, though he often felt they were more like actual parents to him instead.

So he worked hard to do everything he could, ever since he'd been old enough to understand how hard it was for his grandparents to look after two young children at their age.

It was at the very second that Toji turned the page of his Chemistry book that the door of his bedroom opened up all of a sudden, allowing a familiar form to wander inside.

And yet Toji didn't even lift his gaze from his book, even though he was fully aware of his visitor's presence.

Delicate, lilly-white hands pressed down onto the edge of the desk right next to him, just as their owner leaned over to peer at the text book he was reading.

'Ne, Toji-nii, you've still got your nose glued to your books.' A playful, musical voice hummed in amusement. 'How are you supposed to get a girlfriend when all you do is try to fuse with dead trees all day long.'

'Must you make it sound like some B-grade Science Fiction concept?' Toji responded in his usual surly edge, though the corner of his lips had tugged slightly upwards in amusement.

The bright giggle he received in response brought him to straighten up slightly and turn to the one person closest to him of all.

Katsuragi Etsuko, who had been standing over his shoulder until now, turned to fix him with a grin. She was also dressed in her school uniform, a black blazer completed with a black skirt and leggings. However, unlike how the uniform gave Toji a stronger appearance of a sour personality, Etsuko's bright and kind neutral expression defused the sombre colour from its more original connotations.

Her long, raven black hair was left mostly loose to hand down to the small of her back, with a small braid running across her head like a hair-band, separating her bangs from the rest.

She was his twin sister, the elder of the two by a handful of minutes. They looked rather similar, however unlike Toji's amber colour in his eyes, Etsuko's eyes were a cat-like cobalt blue.

'So, what brings you to invade my room, Etsuko?' Toji questioned of the bright girl as he stretched his arms above his head, his eyes squeezing shut as he felt his back pop in a couple of places. 'You should still be resting in bed, after all.'

'If I stay in bed any longer, I'm going to stop burning off all the food you keep forcing me to eat.' Was Etsuko's response.

'I don't force you to eat all that much.'

'Yeah, I'm sure all girls are used to eating five meals a day for a week straight.'

'Claims the living trash-compactor.' Toji responded, a smirk playing across his lips as Etsuko turned to slap his arm with a pout. 'Pretending to be upset with earlier rest-orders doesn't void my original question.'

'I'm not the only one who needs to be careful with their health, Toji-nii!'

'Yes, but at least my condition is not severe enough to require a hospital checkup after every P.E. class.' Toji responded easily as he observed his sister's displeasure. 'Now answer my question.'

The pout melted from Etsuko's face as she took a couple of steps back.

'Fine, I actually want your opinion again.' Etsuko responded, turning on her right foot to head towards the door.

Again, meaning it was a topic that she had gotten his opinion on before.

And in that regard, there was only one.

A sigh escaped Toji as he picked up his chemistry textbook and rose out of his seat.

'So, another hormonal teenager has approached you, I take it.' Toji commented with a sour edge as he followed his sister's retreating form, his gaze falling back to his book as he walked. 'They are getting desperate. Perhaps its because they realized there's only a year left before you graduate school entirely?'

'If I didn't know you're normally this churlish about everyday things, I would think the topic bothers you.' Etsuko teased as she wandered into the room situated opposite Toji's own.

'I'm glad you know me so well.' Toji rebuked as he shut the door behind him.

The room belonging to Etsuko was very similar to Toji's own, in terms of furnishings and colour, however where there was teal to Toji's room, a warm, leaf green was the colour for Etsuko's room.

And different to Toji's room was the fact that Etsuko had a wood-frame bed, instead of a futon that could be folded away.

This wasn't due to a case of differing fondness from their guardians, but rather that Toji himself had insisted it.

While stereotypically it was the elder sibling who looked out for the younger, in Toji and Etsuko's case, he was always the one trying to look after his sister, both in terms of physical health, and emotional wellbeing.

'So! You know that bag of papers you brought back from Kana-sensei for me yesterday?' Etsuko announced as she made a dash for her desk, leaving Toji to lean himself against the wall next to the door and continue reading.

'Indeed, it was a tediously organized amount to try and fit into my bag.'

'That's because you carry a whole library in your bag all the time, not because of the bag from Kana-sensei.' Etsuko dismissed in good humor. 'Anyway. It wasn't just assignment papers and class notes, but a few letters, too.'

Toji shook his head slightly as he kept reading.

'Two of them, I don't know who they are, but the other I got is from Takahara-kun.'

'What are their names?' Toji questioned distastefully.

'Oda Kousuke-kun and Misaki Yuki-kun.' Etsuko responded after a few seconds, turning to look at her brother. 'Do you know who they are, Toji-nii?'

Indeed, he did.

Because mystery letters weren't uncommon for Etsuko, Toji always made sure to commit the names and roles of everyone he met to memory.

Though he pretended to think about it for a few seconds.

'Oda-kun is the Photography-club President, from Class 2-D, Misaki-senpai is on the soccer team. He's from class 3-B.' Toji answered slowly, lifting his gaze from his textbook to fix Etsuko with a small frown. 'You should turn down Takahara-kun.'

'I know, I know.' Etsuko waved her brother's curt remark off rather quickly. 'Takahara-kun is the promiscuous type.'

'I believe the term you should be using is womanizing bastard.'

'So in other words, you mean a general tavern bard?' Etsuko questioned brightly, earning a pointed frown from Toji.

'Medieval fiction aside, Etsuko, you need to turn him down properly.'

'Aww, but I like medieval fiction.'

'Very well, to put it in the correct terms, if you don't cut him down soon, he will merely presume you're a regular tavern wench.' Toji continued as he turned his gaze back to his book. 'Unless of course, you do actually have a thing for being utilized by crude bards.'

'Very funny.' Etsuko rolled her eyes as she tossed the two envelopes not from Takahara back onto her desk. 'So? What's your opinion on Oda-kun and Misaki-senpai?'

Toji this time rolled his eyes as he mulled over the question for a few seconds, though he was quick to return his gaze to his book.

'I do not think either would be suitable for you, with or without your condition.' He responded, lifting a hand to open the bedroom door and leave. 'Considering that, like usual, you didn't even know them enough to place their names, they have never bothered to speak with you, therefore they really should not be worth your time.'

'Cruel as always, Toji-nii...' Etsuko huffed slightly.

'You asked my opinion, and you have it.' Toji responded as he stepped out into the hallway. 'Instead of contemplating mystery admirers, you should instead confess to Shido-kun that you fancy him. Even if he doesn't like you in exactly the same way yet, he won't say no.'

'Toji-nii!' Etsuko cried out, though she quickly slapped a hand over her mouth as she realized her volume was carrying much too far. 'I-I-I can't do that! Every time I go to talk to him, he runs away!'

Toji rolled his eyes once again, turning to cast Etsuko one final look.

'Then you should try to approach him without dragging me along with you. Your chances will improve greatly without someone as churlish as myself in tow.'

Etsuko huffed slightly as she turned her head away, leaving Toji to smirk as he shut the door.

The issues of the male gender when it came to Etsuko was a constant headache for her, while for Toji it merely exasperated him.

Unlike Toji where he was vastly unapproachable for anyone due to his surly and disagreeable disposition, Etsuko's looks and her bright personality made her very popular with everyone at school – At least, while Toji wasn't within ear-shot of her.

Especially in a country town such as the one they lived.

Toji wasn't an openly protective sibling, however his disposition tended to scare people away from Etsuko if he was around, so, most people with an affectionate interest in Etsuko tended to try and win her over through correspondence, more than just asking her face-to-face. It was rather backwards in comparison to the usual stereotype of the girl sending letters, though Toji himself made Etsuko's admirers hesitant to approach her otherwise.

It was something that never failed to exasperate Toji, who honestly wanted his sister to find her own happiness relatively easily.

And he was of the firm belief that if someone couldn't come right out and say it to his sister's face regardless, then they obviously didn't like his sister enough to be worth the effort.

'They never fail to amaze me...' He sighed as he turned the page of his book, his footsteps reverberating against the mostly-silent hallway. 'Gutless teenagers...'

Their morning preparations before school were completed without incident, breakfast with their grandparents before gathering their belongings and leaving for school. Lunches were made, by Toji no less, and as usual, he made sure to fill Etsuko's with as much of her favorites as the household budget could afford, while leaving his own moderately plain.

Both their Grandparents were leaving for a two-day stay over in the next town for hospital checkups – Their grandmother in particular had been feeling quite unwell for a few weeks now, so Toji and Etsuko got organized with less disagreement than usual.

The walk to school was a short one, considering, just under a kilometer towards the only high-school in town.

A lot of students attended the school, but the town itself was rather modest, considering.

There were many farming families within the area, and the closest town was a good number of kilometers farther than here was.

'Toji-nii?' Etsuko spoke up as they neared the school-grounds.

Her brother gave a small hum to show that he had in fact heard her, though his gaze remained firm upon his textbook.

'I'm ... going to try and confess to Touma-kun ... like you said.'

Toji was silent at first, though he lifted his gaze to glance at Etsuko once her words had sunk in on him.

'You should. It will stop the majority of those others from sending you notes all the time.' He agreed, looking back down to his book. '...What time were you considering?'

'Hmmm? Oh, during lunch-break I think.' Etsuko's response was slow, a sign of her distracted train of thought. 'I mean, he has Kendo club after school.'

The smallest ghosting of a smile touched Toji's face as he thought on that for a few seconds.

'I see. I'll make sure to spend that break in the library instead.' Toji responded as he turned the page. 'It will be easier if my mere presence doesn't complicate things.'

'...Thank you, Toji-nii.'

'Oi! Etsuko-chan!' A girl called out from behind, causing Etsuko to turn her head in response. 'Come walk to school with--'

The sudden halt in the called words were sign enough that Toji's presence had just been noticed.

Etsuko cast a concerned glance back at her brother, though all he did was nudge her away with an elbow.

'I will see you in class.' He remarked, drawing a sigh from Etsuko with little effort.

'Fine, but we're going to have to talk about making you more approachable later!'

'That's unnecessary.'

'You need a girlfriend!'

Toji looked at his sister with an eyebrow raised.

'And you feel you have the sole right to criticize me, boyfriend-less sister?' Toji responded as he picked up the pace, leaving a pouting Etsuko glaring at his disappearing form.

Just as every other day for his whole life, nobody ever approached Toji unless there was an important reason to do so, and people tended to avert their gazes from him if he walked past.

It didn't bother him, exactly.

He just placed his attention on his studies, which was more important than the act of making "friends".

He couldn't care for his sister and his grandparents if he didn't study and get a good career to fund his plans, after all.

And most of the people in this town were clicky at best, somewhat deranged at worst.

Toji took up his seat in the classroom before the warning bell had even sounded, and just before the final bell sounded, classmates began to filter in. First period was English, second being Physics.

Both were subjects that Toji was quite proficient in, so beyond answering questions that he was asked to answer during exam-prep, he otherwise spent both of those subjects reading his textbooks, cramming as much into his skull as he was capable of managing.

Etsuko three seats away however was having a harder time – During English, her worst subject, she remained face-down at her desk in a despondent mess whenever she answered each of the questions asked incorrectly. Her desk-neighbor, Tachibana was very quick to pat the crestfallen girl on the shoulder every time she ended up face-down at her desk. And unfortunately physics wasn't any better for her.

Third period however, was something that Toji loathed almost as much as Etsuko.

P.E. came along painfully soon, and even though the day was meant to be spent on exam preparations, because of who their particular P.E. Teacher was, they weren't given permission to conduct self study like everyone else.

As soon as the bell for end of second Period sounded, Toji felt that fearful glance from Etsuko across the room.

They just had to get through P.E for the next two weeks, and they could elect to drop it next year.

Just two more weeks.

'T-Toji-nii, we should hurry up...' Etsuko mumbled as she made her way towards Toji's desk still stacked with books. 'If we're late, Saitou-sensei will be harder on us...'

Toji's gaze narrowed dangerously at the mention of their assigned P.E. Teacher, though he otherwise said nothing as he rose to his feet.

He disregarded his books and left everything be to save time – It wasn't like anyone had the guts to tamper with his belongings to begin with, anyway. He did however, grab is gym bag and wallet from his desk before he left.

They made their way to the Gymnasium down by the Sports Oval on the school premises, with both siblings in varying states of displeasure – Etsuko was legitimately trembling like a leaf from fear, while Toji had his jaw locked tight as he tried to reign in his hatred for the teacher they were to spend the next hour with.

Or two, if the man deemed it necessary to give them detention once again.

No lunch-break was safe around this man.

By the time they reached the oval, everyone else from their class was already changed into their Gym Clothes and standing on the grass.

And, much to Etsuko's dismay, Saitou was already strutting out across to the front of the group.

He was a particularly tall and muscular man with his ash grey hair trimmed to a butch cut. Dressed in a dark blue tracksuit, his sharp eyes scanned the thirty or so students until he spotted the Katsuragi siblings just arrived.

'You're late! No excuses!' The man barked with venom in his words, throwing a hand in motion towards the changerooms inside the gymnasium. 'Get yourselves in gear and back out here within two minutes, otherwise you will be serving your lunch break in detention!'

'C-come on Toji-nii...' Etsuko mumbled as she grabbed his sleeve, tugging him along.

She'd made her decision in decent time – A few seconds later, and Toji probably would have said something.

His sister walked with her head hung as they walked into the large building, her grip of his sleeve trembling just the slightest.

'Did you bring your medical certificate, this time?' Toji asked.

'Y-yeah ... but I don't think he's going to accept it...'

'It's legal documentation, he has no choice.'

'But you know how he is ...'

Toji sighed as he came to a stop at the door to the boys change room.

'Two more weeks, and then we're free from the tyranny of this self-righteous swine. Focus on that, instead.' He replied as he opened the door. 'Now, we should do as he says, lest your lunch is spent here instead of how you've planned.'

There was no response from Etsuko, though she did cast him a wavering smile as she disappeared into the girls changerooms.

Toji then decided to do as instructed, his movements brisk as he got himself organized.

Their Teacher was in the process of issuing their assignments for the lesson by the time both Toji and Etsuko had re-emerged, just within the time-limit issued by the sharp-spoken man. His gaze shifted to their approaching forms with malice as he dismissed everyone else, sending them dashing quickly to run laps around the oval as warm-ups.

'You're late by twelve seconds!' Saitou barked as he looked down at the stop-watch in his large hands. 'If you were three longer, you would have detention!'

Toji grit his teeth as he willed himself to remain silent as he approached the unpleasant man, a hand outstretched with papers.

'Huh? What's this?!' Saitou snapped, fixing Toji with a look of undiluted vitriol.

'As you insisted last week, Saitou-sensei, paperwork from our licensed doctors into our conditions.' Toji responded slowly, his tone measured as he practically shoved the papers into the man's hands. 'You wanted legal binding proof that we have conditions that limit our ability to participate in physical-orientated tasks. Here they are.'

Etsuko meekly held her own handful of papers to Saitou, who then snatched them right out of her hands.

His gaze scanned the papers scathingly, his expression becoming more livid with every sentence.

'Do you seriously believe I will fall for these fraudulent papers, boy?' Saitou seethed, lifting his gaze to fix Toji with a look of utter disgust. 'There is no such thing as mitral stenosis! I've never even heard of it!'

'These are legal papers, and mitral stenosis also happens to be a known genetic heart condit--'

'DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL?!' Saitou roared in outrage as he ripped up the papers countless times, and threw them back in Toji's face. 'I have been around far longer than you, boy! And I will not accept any excuses you give me into this matter!'

Etsuko whimpered as she hid behind Toji's taller frame, her entire form trembling with every word.

And all the while, it took every ounce of willpower in Toji's whole form to not smite the man where he stood – His clenched fists were white from the struggling in his form.

'Now, get out on the oval and run laps until I tell you to stop!' Saitou commanded as he jabbed a large arm in the direction of their running classmates. 'Otherwise, I will call your guardians and explain to them that you both are suspended for the rest of the school year!'

Toji's motion to retaliate was cut short as Etsuko latched onto his arm desperately as she began to practically run towards the track, earning a victorious sneer from the disgusting man in charge.

'Grandmother doesn't need any more stress, Toji-nii...' Etsuko whimpered as she tugged Toji along, her head still hung. 'She had a rebound last time...'

'But, you're--'

'I'll be fine ... we don't have a choice anyway...' Etsuko cut in, lifting her head to fix Toji with a watery smile. 'I don't want Grandmother and Grandfather to know...'

Toji let out a breath as he ran a hand over his face.

He couldn't argue with his sister when she was so upset, no matter how much he wanted to.

'Okay, fine... I'll go with you on this until he says anything else.' Toji eventually agreed, though he didn't hesitate at all with fixing their P.E. Teacher with a venomous glare. 'But you have to make sure you don't over-work yourself.'

'I know...'

Toji cast a concerned glance at his sister, before he let out a small breath.

'Come on ...' He huffed as he nudged her towards the track, tearing his gaze away from the painful man staring at the edge of the oval.

The silence that had descended the two of them was almost suffocating, though preferable to talking, given Toji's volatile mood. He jogged, keeping equal pace with Etsuko as she struggled to maintain regular breathing.

Like usual, his chest was aching rather early into the jog, though he never had anywhere near as much trouble as his sister.

As they neared one lap, with many of their rather apprehensive classmates overlapping them a second time, Etsuko was slowed to a pained gait, her right hand clutching tightly against her chest.

'Faster, you two! Your peers have overlapped you at least thrice!' Saitou shouted out at Toji and Etsuko, waving a trunk-like arm at the two of them aggressively. 'You need to pick up the pace, you layabout children!'

Toji grit his teeth, willing himself to maintain his silence in spite of the anger that was building up inside of him.

Could that man not even see that the girl he was harassing was having legitimate trouble trying to comply to his demands?!

'T-Toji-nii, go on without me...' Etsuko gasped out, her hand not clutching to her chest lifting to push her brother sharply by the shoulder.

'Do not be ridiculous, you're in no condition to--'

'If you don't, we'll both end up with detention!' Etsuko was quick to snap.

The stubborn edge that had crept into Etsuko's pained exclamation was enough to show that she was beyond listening to reason right now.

'Etsuko-chan, are you alright?' One of the passing classmates questioned, apparently concerned enough to ignore Toji's presence.

'I'm fi--'

'No, you are not!' Toji snapped.

'We can stay with her for this lap, Katsuragi-kun,' Another classmate spoke up as they slowed to jog even pace with Etsuko,fixing Toji with the smallest semblance of a hesitant smile.

'Leave her with us!' The original overlapping student agreed.

Toji didn't like this – Not one bit.

His brow furrowed dangerously as he glanced back at Saitou over his shoulder for a second.

'J-just go...' Etsuko whimpered as she tried to push him further along.

'Fine... Do not strain yourself!' Toji shot back at Etsuko, before he picked up the pace to start a quicker jog.

The sooner he overlapped, the sooner he could make sure his sister did not need medical attention by the end of this nightmarish P.E. class.

'I knew you weren't even trying!' Saitou was quick to shout across the oval as Toji passed him again, impatience clear in his tone. 'Your so called medical condition isn't even real, is it?! Neither your or your sisters!'

Dealing with this short-sighted man was far worse than trying to draw blood from a stone.

Toji turned his head to try and locate Etsuko's form along the edge of the oval, his sharp gaze tracing the whole expanse of greenery.

He located her a good half a lap behind, a sizable handful of their classmates along with her as she tried to jog.

She was looking horribly pale, even worse as Saitou made a move to leave his position at the separating line between laps to approach.

Toji hissed out a string of profanities as he picked up the pace to try and overlap her before Saitou could wander over.

A man with such vitriol in charge of students like this was an absolutely appalling joke.

Still, there honestly was nothing he could do about it just as he was – He neither had power, nor the skill of persuasion.

He longed for the moment this cruel man ended up paying for his arrogance.

The tightening of Toji's chest became uncomfortably painful, a burning sensation that he was painfully familiar with. He made sure to maintain his breathing, maintaining his pace so he didn't raise his heart-rate any higher.

He'd only done that once in his life, and the pain of having the blood vessels of his insides bursting from the excess of blood building up was an agony he never wanted to repeat again.

Unfortunately, that was a pain Etsuko lived with constantly.

The constant to and from hospital whenever she had another relapse was undoubtedly stressful enough for the girl.

That was likely the reason her academics had been poor ever since the start of this school year.

She was far too stressed about the next relapse to be able to study at all, and she had missed quite a lot of school time.

Toji had to get a good job with good pay, so he could save up for her operation – If he could just do that, then his sister would never have to go through all this pain again.

She would be able to take up dancing, like she'd always wanted her whole life.

'You are not getting out of running laps with everyone else, Katsuragi! Now pick up the pace and get those laps done!' Toji faintly heard Saitou shout at Etsuko as he neared the group stopped in front of the volatile man. 'You will not be going to lunch, nor will you be going to your other classes or even home until I have gotten thirty running laps out of you!'

'But Saitou-sensei! Etsuko-chan has a heart-condition!' One of their classmates shouted, utterly disgusted with the angered man. 'She keeps having to stay weeks out of school because you keep forcing her to run!'

'Silence!' The man roared, earning frightened squeaks from two of the girls righting the trembling Etsuko on her feet. 'All of you, return to your laps! And you Katsuragi! Start running this instance before I suspend you for failing to follow instructions!'

The leer Toji received as he caught up was one of utter hatred, accompanied with a venomous sneer as he said 'Did I tell you to stop?!'

Lap after lap, they were forced to run, over and over with no end in sight.

Some of their classmates completed their ten laps and had left for lunch break, if only to get as far away from Saitou as they could.

A few classmates sat on the edge of the oval, the more friendly towards Etsuko.

They sat, calling out words of encouragement as Etsuko continued running as best she could with Saitou following along after her, bellowing out demands that she pick up the pace.

He antagonized and goaded at her relentlessly like some wannabe drill sergeant, constantly shoving Toji away every time he tried to help his sister. The last time Toji tried to drag Etsuko away, the man had practically elbowed him in the face and hurled him across the lawn, prompting Etsuko to beg him to stop before anything worse happened.

The exchange wasn't unnoticed by those watching on the sidelines – Toji had heard the girls let out a startled gasp of fright.

'You're doing great, Etsuko-chan!' Their classmates on the side of the oval called out, a nervous edge to their words every time Saitou cast them a deathly look. 'You're almost done!'

Toji grit his teeth as he completed his eighth lap, as fast as he could manage so he could drag Etsuko away at the end of his tenth.

She couldn't argue if he'd already completed the same amount as the rest of the class, regardless of whatever Saitou said.

But then, just as Toji got half-way through his tenth lap, gasping and wheezing through the sensations of his lungs starting to fill with fluids, he noticed something from the corner of his eye that didn't fail to turn the blood in his veins ice cold.

He noticed first of all that a couple of the classmates sitting on the side of the oval seemed to make a move to drag themselves to their feet.

So, he turned his head towards where Etsuko was, to find that she'd crumbled to her knees, a hand clutched to her throat as Saitou stood over her, hurling an assortment of abuse at her.

And that was enough to have Toji throw himself off of the designated track into a desperate dash towards Etsuko's crumbled form.

'Get to your feet, Katsuragi!' Saitou commanded, red in the face from whatever aggressive emotion had take over - He paid no heed to the heaving convulsions that had taken hold of Etsuko's form.

The very second that Toji could reach, just as Saitou had made a move to grab Etsuko by the arm and drag her to her feet, the boy shoved the man off his feet, sending him crashing several feet away.

'Etsu--' Toji had begun to say, but he knew at that very second he'd been too late.

With an almighty, convulsive heave, she slapped her hands over her mouth to try and stop herself from vomiting.

However, it was all in vain.

A shower of crimson fluids stained the grass below Etsuko's trembling form, gushing from her nose and through her fingers as Toji tried desperately to help her. Over and over again, as her body tried reflexively to purge herself of all the blood flooding her internals.

They couldn't call an ambulance – They were outside, well away from telephones.

'E-Etsuko, hang on!' Toji cried out, trying his best to help Etsuko to her feet. 'I've got you, come--'

His breath hitched as he felt the struggling breaths she could scarcely take from beneath his hand to her back – He could hear that her lungs were filling.

'ETSUKO-CHAN!' One of their classmates shrieked out in horror as the bulk of them came tearing over. 'AZAKA-SAN'S RUNNING TO GET AN AMBULANCE ON ITS WAY! JUST HOLD ON!'

Toji didn't wait for anything else – He frantically lifted Etsuko up as kindly as he could, in spite of the convulsions that had overcome her and ran as fast as he could back towards the main building.

They couldn't wait for a damn ambulance!

They had to find her some help, and fast.

And all the while, their so called teacher sat sprawled on the grass, horror etched across his disbelieving face.

The writhing, as well as the blood she continued to cough and vomit wouldn't stop no matter how hard Etsuko struggled. He could essentially feel just how much blood she'd lost by her very weight, and it terrified him.

But it was too late, proven more and more with every passing second, with every step he took.

As Toji threw himself through the doors of the main building shoulder-first, he felt Etsuko's body fall limp within his arms.

Her right hand previously clutching the front of his bloodied shirt loosened to fall limp towards the ground.

He slid to a halt dead in his tracks the moment he'd noticed, his eyes wide as he looked down at her.

Her eyes were closed, the skin around the sockets a dark, sunken grey, and no breath escaped her any more.

'E-Etsuko--?!' He gasped out, struggling to carefully jostle her.

And yet there was no response, no matter how desperately he tried to wake her.

She remained broken, never to awaken again.

-Notes-

I have had this in the works for quite some time, and as some of you are aware, I meant to submit this on the 10th of this month as my own way of celebrating my Birthday. Alas, that didn't happen due to my family having me spend the whole of the 10th-12th gaming with them among other things that kept me away from my computer. I'm very sorry about that. It happens every time I plan something, which is why I generally keep my updates unplanned.

Some backstory on Katsuragi Toji before we see/know of him from the main story of Marionette. I hope you all found this enlightening in some way. And for those of you who have read Ramblings of an Insomniac (My basic journal of things), you have likely seen a sketch of mine I did of Etsuko a couple months ago.

Now, defining the title, for I am aware a lot of you won't be familiar with the word

Vicissitude
vɪˈsɪsɪtjuːd,vʌɪˈsɪsɪtjuːd/

Noun - a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.