Maruki didn’t catch Hamuko’s words at first. Something felt off. His body suddenly betrayed him, doubling over as he hunched forward with one hand clutching his chest. His hoodie shifted over his dark brown hair, casting a harsh shadow across one side of his face. He sucked in a sharp breath, feeling like he had just run a marathon. His heart pounded erratically—not fear exactly, but exhaustion so overwhelming that it felt like it had dug into his very soul.
What the hell... Why now?
He squeezed his eyes shut, grounding himself as he’d done countless times before after grueling battles in Mementos. A brief mental acuity check. He slowed his breath. In. Out. Measured. Steady. He was good at keeping a level head in moments like these, but even so, his mind still felt like it was drifting.
When he finally straightened up, he glanced over at Hamuko. He barely registered her outstretched hand or her expression of concern.
Maruki immediately took note of the pale tint to her skin and the tension in her frame. She was drained too.
Maruki’s clipboard had already slipped from his fingers, clattering to the foggy ground. Without hesitation, he rested a steadying hand on her shoulder as if worried she might trip, his gaze soft but full of concern.
“I’m... okay. Physically,” Maruki said slowly. His voice was steady but tinged with uncertainty. “But my spirit feels... drained. Hollow. Like whatever energy we had, this place is sapping it away.”
His eyes widened slightly as a sudden realization struck him. Heavy Almighty attack. His mind flashed back to that blinding light Messiah had summoned. The devastation of Morning Star. Almighty energy demanded quite a lot of stamina and vitality before but Hamuko-san wouldn't have landed the attack if she couldn't handle it. Hell, Maruki has used those attacks too and he never-
“Wait—what about you?” Maruki’s hand tightened just slightly on her shoulder. He searched her eyes, the fatigue still weighing on his chest like an anvil. “You just unleashed one hell of an attack too. Are you really okay?”
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What the hell... Why now?
He squeezed his eyes shut, grounding himself as he’d done countless times before after grueling battles in Mementos. A brief mental acuity check. He slowed his breath. In. Out. Measured. Steady. He was good at keeping a level head in moments like these, but even so, his mind still felt like it was drifting.
When he finally straightened up, he glanced over at Hamuko. He barely registered her outstretched hand or her expression of concern.
Maruki immediately took note of the pale tint to her skin and the tension in her frame. She was drained too.
Maruki’s clipboard had already slipped from his fingers, clattering to the foggy ground. Without hesitation, he rested a steadying hand on her shoulder as if worried she might trip, his gaze soft but full of concern.
“I’m... okay. Physically,” Maruki said slowly. His voice was steady but tinged with uncertainty. “But my spirit feels... drained. Hollow. Like whatever energy we had, this place is sapping it away.”
His eyes widened slightly as a sudden realization struck him. Heavy Almighty attack. His mind flashed back to that blinding light Messiah had summoned. The devastation of Morning Star. Almighty energy demanded quite a lot of stamina and vitality before but Hamuko-san wouldn't have landed the attack if she couldn't handle it. Hell, Maruki has used those attacks too and he never-
“Wait—what about you?” Maruki’s hand tightened just slightly on her shoulder. He searched her eyes, the fatigue still weighing on his chest like an anvil. “You just unleashed one hell of an attack too. Are you really okay?”