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[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Normally when Kohaku approached her like he did, Mineko would immediately back up out of intimidation. Now, however, she could stand still as he stepped closer to her. She laughed at his words a small bit and brushed a flyaway piece of hair from her face, “Mr. von Korona, you’ve said that so many times I’d be hard pressed not to understand what you believe, but I don’t believe it myself. If you can, you would have already, right? Especially in a situation like this.”

When Kohaku grabbed her hair though, she let out a yelp of pain but otherwise let the action go unacknowledged. Why should she? Seeing her in pain was what he wanted, yeah, but she didn’t like getting hurt just to make him happy. If it was the only thing he wanted from her? Sure, maybe if he was a bit closer to her. Now though, she knew he wanted servitude as well and he was only getting one or the other.

She let out an annoyed sigh, “Mr. von Korona, we’ve been over this before, sir. You can go to whatever realm you want after you kill me, but I will only be in one and what realm is that? The spirit realm or astral realm as you call it. Please remind me who is the spirit medium between us though. They’re the ones who will hold power there. Not the other.”

“Well, why is that? Is it connected to the glove you wear, too? Do you sleep with the mask on? With how pointy it is, I can’t imagine that it’s very comfortable, Mr. von Korona.”

✧ Fearless, But No Hero ✧ OPEN

Kohaku’s expression soured at Mineko’s words of delight. There was no effort made to hide his disgust, punctuated by a scoff at the girl’s suggestion of a splash fight. Standing firmly by the poolside, he seemed to be entirely finished with swimming for the day. The comment about his swimming ability went unacknowledged, a brief glint of confusion in his eyes serving as the only indication that he had heard it. He stood his ground as Mineko approached him.

“Running from reality as always,” he mocked imperiously, folding his arms. “Pitiful. You still don’t understand? It would be all too easy for me to kill you.” Kohaku took a step closer to her, already expecting the result of such a move. 

“Tread lightly, spirit keeper. You open your arms to danger without fear. ” He tipped his head to one side, peering down at her with a malicious smile. “Will it be you who everyone finds dead on the ground next? Kehehe … I wonder, will they cry for you? You can be sure that I’ll be laughing your spirit into the next dimension.”  He knew that his words would inspire no fear. He knew he would not be getting the response he looked for, yet he still flung an arm out to grip her harshly by the hair.  “And even then, you won’t escape me, not even in death. In another realm, on another plane, I’ll find what remains of you and obliterate you into nothing.”  Kohaku kept a tight hold on her for a few more seconds before abruptly releasing it and stepping back, the vicious fire in his eyes diminishing.

“And if it’s my mask you’re curious about, I’ll tell you this—it’s secure for a reason. The raw cataclysmic power behind it could shatter galaxies, should I lose focus.”

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

When Kohaku began his anticipated lecture on how humans were “below him” and they were “weak creatures”, Mineko listened but laughed at some of his words. She had heard them before after all, there wasn’t much impact with her. She had a feeling Kohaku wouldn’t actually hurt anyone fatally. Probably. Well, 60:40. On a good day maybe. Those were her thoughts. She did giggle at his skill in the water. He clearly didn’t have a spirit teach him how to swim.

“Maybe so. Still, it’s nice for people like us. You probably have no need for the powder, Mr. von Korona but for someone like me...Look! I can talk without being scared of anything anymore! I don’t stutter because I’m terrified of talking to people that aren’t dead. It’s amazing!” Her mood did dampen at the fact that he might grow bored of her. As silly as it sounded, she had grown attached to the pinkette and would feel like she had lost someone important to her should he leave. “Well, I won’t ever fight you so I hope you won’t bore of me. However, I will have a splash battle with you! The girl by the river and I used to always do that.”

Mineko let out a bit of a laugh when he said he could drown her, “Mr. von Korona, where are you going to drown me? The shallow end? You can’t swim very well, can you? I can swim away from you before you could even try to drown me. I’m not trying to be mean, just honest.”

She sighed a bit when he started up on the “below me” talk again, “Everyone’s existence means something. Everyone’s.” Mineko said and jumped back into the water, swimming over to the edge of the pool and pulling herself up with ease.

Standing toe to toe with Kohaku, she looked up at him with a curious expression, “How does your mask not fall off? Shouldn’t it have fallen off when you fell into the water?” 

✧ Fearless, But No Hero ✧ OPEN

Kohaku looked amused as Mineko began to talk—it was the look one might give a bug trying to escape a web. His smile grew at her darkened expression, but he blinked when the girl smiled back at him. From where he sat, there was no time to act even when he saw it coming—a strained sound was all that escaped him before he was dunked under water, running his arms through it clumsily until he broke the surface. He needed only look up at Mineko on the chair and see the look in her eyes to know how strong this pollen was.

“The taste of an existence without fear is undeserved by a weak creature like you, like all of you.” Kohaku swept a gloved hand through the air. “Now that you are even a few lightyears closer to an almighty being of my caliber, I wonder … will I grow bored in toying with you all?” Kohaku began to tread water over to the nearest ledge. “Or will you finally make for worthwhile opponents?” He heaved himself up to stand at the poolside and ripped a towel from a nearby chair, drying himself off. He seemed unbothered by the mug of hot chocolate that now lay at the bottom of the deep end.  “I could drown you, you know.” The words were icy and cutting, spoken with his back to her. For a moment he was completely still, towel draped over his shoulders, water dripping from his hair.  “But rejoice,” he said with a smile, turning to face her. He splayed both arms out at his sides. “Your meaningless existence lives another day.”

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Of course the first thing Kohaku would do to Mineko was insult her. Why wouldn’t it be? It had been every other time and Mineko had grown to just be used to it. If he thought her normal state was pitiful than so be it, it was better than her being angry at him. She...really didn’t like doing that. She’d never really been mad before and apparently she was not very nice in that state.

“I am however you see me to be, Mr. von Korona. I have told you before though, I’m a spirit medium not a spirit keeper. I have no control over the spirits. They just do as they please.”

When Kyo was brought up though, her expression hardened immediately. She had just spent a good week or more getting over all of that and he brought it up?! Did he have no tact?! Perhaps Kyo wasn’t the shining example of heroism she had seen him to be originally but he was still a human being she had held close to her heart!

So, a mischievous smile over took her face, “No, I got more enlightenment from it. Ōteki-san may not have been as perfect as i viewed him as, but he was still a human being with talents and emotions. However, I’d like to reflect on the ‘skills’ he had. How are you at swimming, Mr. von Korona?” Thus, she jumped on the back of the float and managed to tip it over. She immediately clambered on top of it and knelt, now it was she that stared at him as if he were prey.

“His spirit though, that is for me to know about. I feel his presence. He is here somewhere. There is energy in the air now. There wasn’t before. I wasn’t so wrong. He was still incredibly kind to me so he must have been at least some of the person I saw him as. Perhaps you’re just jealous you’re half the man he ever was?”

✧ Fearless, But No Hero ✧ OPEN

Kohaku gave Mineko a cutting smile as she entered the pool room. It was as sinister an expression as ever, but there was something else in his eyes that showed that he was less at ease—the sight of the girl irritated him on some level. 

“Oh? Back to this pitiful state, Spirit Keeper?” Kohaku scoffed and took a sip of his hot chocolate, glancing down at the water that had splashed across his chest but giving no further reaction. 

“Did the pollen wipe away all of your enlightenment? Or was that the work of your beloved coach?” Kohaku wore a cruel smile, a gleam in his eyes as he looked over at the swimming student as though she were prey.  “Kehehe … Does his spirit laugh at you? Or perhaps it doesn’t visit at all … You were so wrong about him, after all.” Kohaku drifted his hand absently through the water.

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Being fearless, Mineko decided, was the greatest thing in the world. It gave her the ability to do things she never would have dreamed of doing beforehand. It was honestly the best way to start off her escape from the project she had been working on for such a long time. It was...freeing. Energizing, even. She could stick her feet in the fountain in the courtyard and not feel guilty about it not even ten seconds later!

Walking onto the second floor, her eyes grew wide when she saw the sign for the pool. She hadn’t been up here yet and they had a pool? This day just kept getting better and better! She immediately ran into the room and looked around, she caught a glimpse of pink hair who she assumed was Kohaku, but ignored him. She had to get a swimsuit and there had to be a changing room around here somewhere.

She eventually found the changing room and rummaged around in the room until she found a bathing suit that fit. Mineko immediately ran into the room, ignoring the whole “don’t run by a pool” rule. Her eyes found Kohaku again and she immediately jumped into the pool and swam over in the opposite direction of him before going underwater and swimming behind Kohaku and resurfacing right behind his head. Skimming her arm on the top of the water, she caused a wave to form and jump over the rim of the inflatable chair, some of it maybe hitting Kohaku.

“Hello, Mr. von Korona! How are you? I’m doing swimmingly, hehe!~ This whole no fear thing is...really great honestly. I don’t see how it’s a bad thing really. Do you? it just makes life more enjoyable!” She said, hoping that if the water didn’t get his attention, her words did.

✧ Fearless, But No Hero ✧ OPEN

Kohaku had been taking up his usual spot in the back of the group, off to one side and leaning a shoulder on a tree as he listened to Monokuma’s latest announcement. It seemed there would be no grand party this time—the ursa beast had other plans, Kohaku reflected with an inward smile. 

As blue powder erupted into the air, he found that the crowd intercepted its spread and that not a speck had reached him. Some of the students had been hit by very little, while others had a visible layer of blue caked onto their clothes. For the most part, they seemed to be wanting to be rid of the power, to avoid the ailment altogether. 

“Bravery?” Kohaku repeated Monokuma’s words with a scoff. “And yet so many of you try to escape it.” 

He took a few paces through the crowd towards the thickest patch of flowers. Like the demon ursa had said, this substance was infectious. Even an Overlord such as himself might soon fall victim to its influence. Why, then, should he wait? 

“Allow me to enlighten you all—the Tyrant of the Web of Realms is already without fear!”  With a dramatic flourish, Kohaku swept a hand across the flowers and all the dust that had settled on the ground, brought a thick handful up in front of him, and promptly smeared the blue powder all over his face. 

“Heh! Consider me infected, mortal wrecks.” 

With that, he ran a hand along his cape and exited the courtyard.  ✧   ✧   ✧ Within the next half hour, Kohaku could be found lounging on a large, inflatable chair that drifted across the pool. He was without most of his usual attire, but his mask and decorated glove remained. If swimsuits had been provided, it seemed he had not investigated, as he was dressed in only his boxers. In his hands was a large mug, which he took small sips from every so often with his usual self-satisfied smile. 

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Her eye and smile twitched when Kohaku touched Kyo with his foot again. What was his problem?! Would he want someone to do that to his body?! Surely not! Even still, she continued to smile brightly albeit with her lips twitching every now and again.

“I am not acting. You have enraged me thus I am presenting myself in a way that shows my emotions, Kohaku-me. Before, I was being civil with you, trying my very best to make friends with you. Do you not see that? Open your eyes! I was being nice to you while you were nothing but cruel to me. I did everything you wished to show you kindness you were not getting from most anyone else as you had spited them and they were acting as they should have.”

She listened to what he said, but in a rare act of defiance, she looked away, sighed, and took out another mint, placing it in her mouth. Mineko laughed a bit at his words though, “You’re acting very silly. I don’t believe you understand your own power over people or lack thereof.”

Mineko shook her head, giggling a small bit, “Is that what you think of people? That’s very sad. When people do things for you, it is because they re being nice, not doing it out of obligation. We do not have to do anything for you, nor must we be your enemies. You may need to rethink your words. If you are accused for any reason during the trial or ever need help, watch out, I may chose not to help you if I remember how you disrespected someone who I held close to my heart and is no longer here. How would you like it if I did the same to someone you “cared” for? If there’s room in your heart for such a thing.”

“I also highly doubt you could break anyone in this palace like a stick. Me? Yes, probably, but not everyone here is small and fragile. Watch your tongue, von Korona. You may find it lashing out at the wrong person.”

✧ First Blood ✧  OPEN

Kohaku turned to peer at her over his shoulder, distaste reflected in his eyes. This girl did not bear any resemblance to the one he had been tormenting over the past few days. He did not know which version he preferred, but the abruptness of it all left him sour—unexpected things were not something he took to kindly.

“Playing powerful now, you little pest? This little act of yours is almost as bad as your first, but put on all the airs you like. Your bones will be dust in the wind soon enough—maybe then you can join your so-called coach.” For emphasis, he ground his toe into Kyo’s arm again, though he did not linger long. He closed the distance between himself and Mineko.

“Heh, as if I only now chose to make an enemy of you, spirit keeper. Open your eyes; you’ve all been my enemies from the moment I arrived to this realm. All seven billion of you!” He flung a hand into the air. Quieter, he spoke again as he leaned in inches away from Mineko’s face.

“I don’t keep allies. If you are not my enemy, you are my servant. The choice is yours, Mineko Ibuka, but make no mistake—an almighty being such as myself needs no protection from earth scum like you. So let them all target me—I could snap them like twigs with as little as two words.” Kohaku flexed his gloved hand and rose up to full height. A sudden, sharp laugh escaped him.

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Tilting her head with a closed eye smile, Mineko let out another small giggle, placing her hand over her mouth. She then opened her eyes which gleamed with malice and sparkled with laughter at some unsaid joke or perhaps it was what Kohaku had said? In any case, she spoke with a light voice, “Oh, okay, Kohaku-me. This is your true self? Mmmm, I see. Well, I will leave you to awaken when you realize you are not as great and mighty as you think. I do hope you have fun with that, Kohaku-me!” It seemed as if all concern for politeness had left her body and an apathetic girl was left.

“I am a child of the astral beings I serve. Earth may hold me now, but it will not forever. It can hold none of us forever. I am not trying to make an enemy of you, you are choosing to make an enemy of me, Kohaku-me. Maybe that will be your fatal mistake? Who is to say?” She said, looking right up to Kohaku as he approached with her sweet smile still plastered on her lips, a sliver of bright white teeth showing.

She simply laughed when he turned with such flair, “Do you think you are impressing anyone? Are you a bird of paradise? Trying to impress female with flair and showy actions? It’s very endearing, Kohaku-me!”

Mineko pulled a braid in front of herself and began playing with its tail, “Maybe it is you who needs to look around. I see you fighting with others. I am one of the only people who has tried time and time again to be your ally. You may be powerful, but eventually, if you gain too many enemies, you may find yourself as the biggest target, Kohaku-me. It is you who will have the lackluster ending then, will it not?”

Looking away but still watching him out of the corner of her eye, she said, “Just a thought, Kohaku-me.”

✧ First Blood ✧  OPEN

Kohaku watched Mineko with a mix of amusement and interest, his brows raising as her voice grew stronger with anger. He let her speak without interruption, as if attending a show. A small laugh escaped him when the girl withdrew her previous offer to speak on his behalf, but he was otherwise silent. 

The look of smug satisfaction in his eyes softened as Mineko adopted a completely different tone. It had clearly taken him aback, but he folded his arms and listened to her with curiosity. 

“So you’ve finally woken up,” he said, sounding strangely pleased considering the threatening words he had just received. With the theatrical flair that was so common for him, Kohaku swept his hands to either side.

“Take a good look, spirit keeper. Do you see it now? My true image.” He muttered the last words darkly, a sinister grin spreading on his face. 

“Kehehe~ How tragic for you. Making an enemy of me now does nothing to change the sorry fate that awaits you, wretched child of earth.” Kohaku tipped up his chin and took a step closer, leering down at Mineko.

“The one named Tyrant of the Web of Realms is upon you all—those astral servants you send after me will soon learn what it is to die twice.” 

Kohaku turned away with enough speed for his cape to catch the air. With his back to Mineko, he spoke again. 

“I suggest you look around. What a shame it would be, for you all to die by the ursa beast’s hand and not my own … Heh, but maybe such a lacklustre ending befits you.”

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Mineko sat by her departed friend’s body, spaced out. This was surreal. Her best friend was laying in front of her. Gone. He had left her for the spirits. She should be happy for him, the astral world was such a beautiful place after all! He would make it into the most elite level of it and would live the rest of his afterlife happy until he was reborn. Why was she so upset about him leaving then? It just meant he was happy! Yet, here she was, wishing for him to leave perfection and come back to the physical plane just so he could be here with her. It was stupid!

Letting out another sob, she shook her head, trying to get the selfish thoughts out of her mind, but they just continued to return. “Come back Coach Kyo-kun.” “I don’t want to be left here without you.” “Why did you leave?” Stupid, stupid questions! Grabbing her braids, she pulled on them and shook her head even quicker than before. She was being ridiculous! She should be wishing him the best and instead she is wishing him back! Stupid, stupid girl! She really was selfish, wasn’t she?!

She hardly even noticed someone place a jacket over Kyo. When she did, she was appeased. At least someone had some respect for the departed. It was a breath of fresh air to her. She would have to find this person and thank them personally later, it took a lot of heart to respect the dead enough to cover them so people can remember them for what they were instead of what they were now.

Simply sitting there, still trying to grasp the situation, Mineko didn’t even hear the footsteps from behind until they were right behind her. Looking back, she was relieved to see Otoya. He had been gone a while and she was starting to get concerned. When he held out an envelope for her, she took it cautiously and wiped the tears from her eyes so she could properly read it and not smudge or distort anything on the beautiful script on the front and opening the letter she was shocked at the pure neatness and beauty behind each stroke. This made her quirk a little smile.

Reading the letter though proved to be a little bit emotional. Though she had not known Kyo before meeting him here, she did grow to view him as something like a father in the short time she had known him. Mineko was touched by the honesty in the letter and the offer to write to Otoya. She had never had a pen pal or anything of the sort, but she figured now was a good of a time as nay to have her first.

Her eyes scanned the room in search for the boy who had given her the letter. When she found him, she wasn’t surprised to see him in an empty part of the ballroom. She held the letter to her chest and smiled brightly at him mouthing “Thank you” with watery eyes.

hwat the REDACTED//Body Reveal//Mineko

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

“This...This must have been random...Coach Kyo-kun didn’t do anything to make people not like him, he’s much too nice!” Mineko said rubbing her eye so she could see clearly again.

“....You can i-if you would like. I-I don’t want you to be uncomfortable and I don’t think he would want you to be either.”

hwat the fuck//Body Reveal//Mineko

“…I guess we’ll find out who’s behind this at the trial….it was dark…it could have been anyone….was it random….or did they already have a target…?….”

Alistair turned away from the sight of Kyo’s body. “….I just wanna lie down….I don’t really care for…blood….”

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Mineko quirked an eyebrow when he let out a sound at her getting the mint out. He was a bit strange, not as strange as people might view her but still. Where else was she to keep something? She had no bags, was nor provided one, and pockets on a dress were nonexistent. It wasn’t like he was seeing anything weird.

After he had taken the one she offered him, she took one out for herself and placed it in her mouth, trying to distract herself from the situation. Mineko took one of her braids and undid it before beginning to redo it, taking deep breaths every now and again. 

When Otoya said he was going somewhere and would be back, Mineko nodded weakly and said, “Okay, I-I won’t be leaving f-for a bit, Mr. Tegushi.”

She stole another glance at Kyo and felt her stomach drop once more. She didn’t know why she had thought it wouldn’t hurt to look again, but clearly she had been mistaken. The tears had just come back again. Her only hope at this point was that spirits still functioned as they usually did in the palace and she may be able to talk to Kyo once more and apologize to him. This was her fault. It had to be her fault. 

hwat the REDACTED//Body Reveal//Mineko

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Pushing more stray hair back into place, Mineko looked to him in concern when he looked to be trying to stay steady, even on the ground. She steeled herself to talk to him as well as she could. She slipped a hand down the front of her dress and pulled out a mint, holding it out to him.

“H-Here, maybe this will help. Me and C-C-C-Coach K-Kyo-kun and I m-made them.” She said, blinking away tears, trying hard to not think too hard about what the mints now would mean to her and tried to focus solely on the purpose of her offering it to him.

hwat the REDACTED//Body Reveal//Mineko

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Sniffling, Mineko nodded, “Y-Yes, trial. I-It’s making us do such horrible things! I don’t want to go to a trial, I just want to know who killed Coach Kyo-kun!” Her eyes widened a bit when the other brought up the poison, “Oooooh, that teddy bear did lie to us! Or else he would have given us all the antidote. I-I can’t believe Coach Kyo-kun died for a stupid fake lie!”

She shook her head despairingly, “I just don’t get any of this. No one is a bad person so why did someone kill? It’s just not right, sir!” And she let out another small sob.

hwat the fuck//Body Reveal//Mineko

Trial? That caught Alistair’s attention.

“….Trial…?….I must have zoned out during that part…” He yawned and looked down at the ground. “….I didn’t mean that…I meant the poison….did he really poison us…?…if so…wouldn’t have we been given an antidote…?…tell a bunch of teen’s something to increase the paranoia….let the chaos unfold”

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Her temper flared even more as he nudged Kyo’s body with his foot once more. Who did he think he was?! No one would do that to his body so why was he doing to someone who did him no harm?! It was completely disrespectful and uncalled for in every way! Then, he had the nerve to smile at Kyo.

When asked if she had been upset, Mineko snarled a small bit and glared at Kohaku, “Yes, you have. Very much so. You have also upset many spirits in the general vicinity if there were any, Kohaku. You dare treat someone’s physical manifestation as if it were a bag of dirt because their presence has left it? You’re completely out of line!”

“I can avenge him! I may not be able to beat you in a fight, but I sure as hell can make sure that your afterlife is as unpleasant as possible! I will not speak on your behalf when the chieftains come to ask for someone who will protect you. In the physical world, I am weak. In the astral world though, you will find no one stronger. I dare you to challenge me there. No matter how much you flail, you will always lose.” She said this with an incredibly angry tone, putting force behind many of her words.

Then, she hit her limit. He had blatantly insulted her precious Coach Kyo-kun and blatantly disrespected him as well. The anger faded from her expression and her face adopted a sweet smile instead. Gone was the snarling tone and to replace it was a calm and kind one. She giggled and her eyes were a bright blue, it was almost supernatural, “You know, Mr. von Korona, as death approaches, the aura becomes more and more purple. I do wonder why yours is so violet, sir. I hope when the spirits come for you, the malicious ones open their arms to you and give you the most despairful welcome they can, sir. Hehe!~” She couldn’t actually tell when someone was going to die, but Kohaku had no way of knowing as such.

✧ First Blood ✧  OPEN

As Mineko began her scolding, a corner of Kohaku’s mouth twitched up into an amused smile. At first he kept his eyes on Kyo’s corpse, nudging it a second time before settling both of his feet on the ground. 

When he looked down at the girl’s face and saw the anger reflected on it, a satisfied sheen brightened his eyes. That kind of self-righteous determination was something Kohaku was used to, even something he sought in his challengers. 

“Aaah, have I upset you, spirit keeper?”

There was not one apologetic note in his words. Smirking, he turned to face Mineko and flung a hand dramatically up into the air. 

“Get as angry as you like—send an astral servant or two after me! It will make no difference. Are you naive enough to think you can avenge your friend?” Kohaku scoffed and tilted up his chin to look down at her further. 

“Useless, both of you. The weak are devoured even in this primitive world.” He landed the edge of his boot on Kyo’s arm and ground it down, doing no harm to the body or the evidence but making his disrespect clear all the same.

“What happened to him is simply nature’s law.”

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

She hiccuped and sniffled once or twice before she found her voice again, “Y-Yes, I s-suppose we will have to. I-I-I need to find the p-person so did this to Coach Kyo-kun. I-I have to...”

Mineko nodded at the other’s statement, “I-It hasn’t l-lied to us y-yet so I don’t see why it would lie to us about the trial. W-We’re here for the teddy bear’s amusement s-so it would make sense for it to be true a-as well don’t you th-think?”

hwat the fuck//Body Reveal//Mineko

Alistair decided against patting the crying girl’s back to try and calm her down, he had no clue with it would actually work or just make things worse. “…We’ll find out who did this….somehow…” You sound so hopeful.

“….I’m just curious if what the Koala said was really true….I know it’s not a Koala, I’m not gonna refer to that thing as a bear….never ever…”

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Hearing the hiccup, though it would have been hard not to, she turned to him and looked over him once in concern. She didn’t examine him as carefully as usual as that would be difficult with blurred vision, but she still wanted to make sure he was okay.

“Are you alright, Mr. Tegushi? Perhaps if you hold your breath for ten seconds the hiccups will go away? It always works for me. I-I hope you don’t mind if I continue to speak though. M-Maybe speaking will make me realize how selfish I am being and look on the bright side...” She said in a flat tone and wiped her eyes again, once more in vain.

hwat the REDACTED//Body Reveal//Mineko

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Mineko saw Otoya lower himself by her out of the corner of her eye, though she couldn’t bring herself to immediately greet him. She was unsure of why he came over to her, after all from what she remembered he didn’t really like being in public so to her, from him it was a sweet gesture.

She loosened and unloosened her grip on the end of her dress skirt, brushing back the few strands of hair that had fallen into her face and wiping her eyes the best she could to keep the tear tracks from collecting underneath them. She could not bring herself to smile at him, but she did eventually greet him, “Hello, Mr. Tegushi. I do hope you are holding up well. F-Forgive me f-for not greeting you sooner, s-sir. I-I’m just not feeling so well right now, sir.”

hwat the REDACTED//Body Reveal//Mineko

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

As she heard the boy speak, she looked at him out of the corner of her eye, nodded, and looked back to Kyo. She hiccuped a few times and let out a couple more tears before she gave an answer to the boy’s words.

“I-I like to think that w-we were. H-He was m-my best friend, I-I don’t know his opinion on me though a-and i guess I-I won’t know for a while now. H-He was such an amazing person a-and so nice and funny a-and now...s-someone k-k-k-killed him! I-I-I don’t know why I’m so upset though! I-I shouldn’t be!” Her shoulders shook with tears again and she covered her face once more.

hwat the fuck//Body Reveal//Mineko

Alistair overheard a girl speaking somewhat loudly towards the ceiling, she seemed deeply upset about Kyo’s death… perhaps they were friends?

“….Guessing you were friends or something..?..Kyo was okay…a bit jumpy…but not deserving of this…” He only showed being slightly disturbed by the body, he was freaking out more in his mind.

[afriendontheotherside-blog]

Mineko watched from her place knelt next to Kyo’s corpse with watery eyes and a confused expression as Kohaku began his actions. Why was he clapping? Someone had died! Someone had been murdered! She watched him with suspicion as he approached her friend’s body even more and she eyes grew large when she noticed he had the audacity to snicker at him! How dare he!

She tried to keep her breathing as even as possible through her tears and clenched and unclenched her fists on her lap, trying desperately to not get too mad at him. Maybe he simply did not know the severity of the situation. She could not get mad at him for such a thing. It was impolite and she would not stoop to his, hopefully accidental, level.

This all went out the window the minute Kohaku insinuated that Kyo might have been weak and pitiful. Mineko sprung to her feet with her fists clenched tightly at her sides, her eyes narrowed and filled with a fire that had not been there ever before. He had insulted her best friend and no matter how mistaken he might have been no one did that to her friends. No one.

“Kohaku von Korona! Coach Kyo-kun was not weak not pitiful and I am offended on his behalf that you would even allow that notion to enter your mind! How dare you speak ill of the...the...the dead!” Her voice cracked on the last word, quite noticeably, but she continued to speak, “Do not do such things to his body! You’re completely out of line!” Her voice had gone from the soft and happy tone it usually had to a forceful and angry one that was incredibly different from something that should be coming from a person as docile and polite as herself.

✧ First Blood ✧  OPEN

When the lights snapped back on, Kohaku encountered what he thought to be a rare sight—not the corpse itself, but something he had not expected. One of these cowardly creatures had actually stained their hands. 

The ursa beast appeared shortly after with another one of his announcements. Kohaku listened with a smug smile, glancing around at the range of emotions etched onto the students’s faces. 

With an uneven smile, the self-proclaimed overlord took a few long steps towards Kyo’s body, coming to a stop about a foot away from the blood that had seeped onto the floor. 

With a sharp, sinister scoff, Kohaku began a slow clap that reverberated across the high ceiling.

 “Well done, children of earth! It seems one of you has some bloodlust after all!” 

Kohaku snickered under his breath, taking a final step closer to Kyo and peering down at the empty shell that he had become.

“Kehehe … were you weak and pitiful or just unlucky?” Kohaku gave Kyo’s back a little nudge with the toe of his boot. “Or was it both? Aaaah, what a tragic ending you’ve been given.”