"Yeah, I kind of am." She sighs. "Also I just feel terrible. I'm not looking forward to the stairs up to the attic."

"We'll help you get upstairs after you eat. We'll get through it."

"What's this about rope?", Sojiro asks while stirring. "Might have some somewhere."

"Proper rope is great for helping the rest of us follow up after her, but if we can find some paracord and the right bits of metal, I can show Akira how to make a grappling hook that will work in the Metaverse like the ones in movies and games."

Sojiro tilts his head patiently, waiting for a translation.

"We found a hidden stair that'd fallen in. There was a wrought-iron banister we could've gotten a rope through to get up if we'd had any. If we'd been more prepared we could've maybe avoided the fight that left me so exhausted."

She's just going to leave out the part where she, you know, should be dead now. 

Akira rubs her face. "Morgana says they know how to make a grappling hook that'll work in the other world like it was from a game or a movie. Then we should be able to get up that hidden passage and see what's on the other side."

He nods. "I see. Definitely worth seeing if I can find that rope after I close up for the night."

"Thanks, Boss. Morgana says some paracord and the right metal bits would help too." 

Akira lets out a long sigh. "So yeah."

"I don't think you should be talking so much right now, Akira. You're going to regret keeping yourself together like this in the morning."

Akira pushes up her glasses and presses her palms against her eyes. 

"Yeah."

He shakes his head and plates the curry and slides it in front of Akira, a little bowl set aside for Morgana again. "Eat up, kid."

"Thanks, boss!"

"Thanks, boss." Akira's voice has gone flat again. 

She eats. Slowly.

Ann steps over and gently lays a hand on Akira's hunched shoulders, against the base of her spine. 

"It's okay," she says. Her hand rubs gently back and forth. "You're not going to have to stay up for much longer."

Morgana wraps their tail around the wrist that Akira isn't using to eat while they finish off their curry.

Akira tenses a little — she's still not used to touch — then exhales softly.

It's really nice to have people who care for her.

"Thanks, you two." 

Sojiro smiles briefly at the exchange while continuing to clean up.

Ryuji watches and smiles as well. His friends are maybe gonna be okay.

Akira finishes her curry, then nods to Ann. 

"... Let's see about getting me upstairs." Her face is drawn and serious.

"Alright."

Ann helps Akira up from her seat in the booth and eases her along toward the back stairs.

Akira leans heavily on Ann, but she goes. 

The stairs are a bitch, but she lurches up them one step at a time with Ann's help.

Ryuji helps as well, as best he can. The stairs are narrow and there isn't much room, though, so the best he can do right now is bring the packs up and be there to brace the girls if they stumble.

Akira slips about halfway up, but falls forward rather than backward and just ends up leaning against the stairs on her front. 

"Ow." She laboriously picks herself up again.

Ann helps her up again, and then they can manage the last few steps together. 

The walk across the attic to drop Akira onto the futon at the other end goes smoothly, at least. Ann lets her down gently.

"You're a lifesaver," Akira says. She lays her head back against the pillow and lies very still.