After an invigorating music lesson, Phantasia separated from the mob of students heading for their lunch break and found what she’d begun to dub ‘Dante’s Wall’. It wasn’t long before he meandered over, nibbling on a protean bar, which he slipped in a pocket of his oversized coat when he noticed Phantasia waiting for him. He sat down on the opposite end of the wall and pulled his clothes around him. Phantasia tried to engage him in pleasantries, but it was a while before he decided to speak.

“Ms Shimomura’s become clingy towards Kaori of late,” he said, “But it doesn’t make sense. Ms Shimomura was never like this before, so why all of a sudden?”

It was one of those inconsistencies brought about by the illusions, and because the teachers weren’t affected by them like their students were it was only a matter of time before some observant, like Dante, noticed the hints. Phoenie too would likely have a book filled with paranoid observations, which Theseus and John would delight in rebuking. If only it were easy to just tell them the truth outright!

“It’s making me suspicious,” continued Dante, “I dunno why, but I’m sure stuff’s been happening that hasn’t happened. I mean…” He paused, his face screwed up behind his scarf, head shaking as if disagreeing with an invisible voice. “I dunno if it’s all a dream. I’ve seen things in my dreams that—” He pulled his collar up around his scarf, increasing his defences. “No, it’s not important.”

Phantasia inched across the wall, watching Dante’s dark aura for the slightest hint he might flee her advancements. “I’d still like to hear about them,” she said, “I don’t really dream, so I’m kinda curious.”

“I told you before, didn’t I? I don’t trust you,”

At least he didn’t run away this time, though. A sign she was starting to break through his many defences, perhaps. He lowered the collar and looked at her for a moment with sad eyes, the rest of his face hidden behind the scarf and his dark hair.

“Well, if that’s the case,” she said, “Maybe you should come to the haunted mansion!”

Dante raised an eyebrow. “Haunted mansion?”

Phantasia cracked a smile and jumped down from the wall. This was too good an opportunity to lose! Dante could learn to socialise with his friends, she could dig further into his personality and maybe there was a chance she could observe what dark power he used in the Godhand incident, too.

“Yeah! Phoenie found out about it. You should join in. It’ll be fun! And you’re great at the whole observation and deduction thing, so you’d be the perfect contribution to the team. I’m surprised you’re not involved with them already!”

Dante looked away and Phantasia wished she could see his facial expression. “You really think Phoenie would invite me?” he snorted, “That girl’s got a grudge against me if you haven’t noticed. Besides, I doubt I’d be of any use anyway. That’s their thing; I’m not a part of it. If I wanted to do stuff like that they’d laugh at the very idea,”

Phantasia didn’t need to be a mind reader or empath to see through his blatant lies. “But, you do want to join in, don’t you?”

His aura receded and for a moment it looked like he might stomp off in another fit of self-loathing, but then he said, with a resigned sigh, “That’s not the point.”

“Of course it is,” she said, “If you want to come along, then you’re coming along! I’m making you!”

Dante glared at her with the sort of eyes she’d expect to see from Astrid, but his aura didn’t back up the appearance. It was flirting around in anticipation, confusion. “But why?” he asked.

She had him. “Because I can!”

*** 

Chapter 30
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