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- Primarily Prefer Female
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- I like nearly all genres as long as they are anime-themed, anything can be made interesting.
[fieldbox= Kyouko Himura, #3DA3C2, solid]
[ December 18th, Late-Afternoon / Town of Hisakawa, Saionji Hot Springs, Front Lobby ]
It wasn't often that Kyouko Himura's feelings told her to back down. To give up. To lose. For the pirate who listened more to her gut than brains this was maybe even a whole new experience. It had to be because any form of opposition would make the situation only worse for Sagawa. Kyouko realized that. The bliss of ignorance that allowed Kyouko to challenge this opponent was quickly filled in by the enemy's very own wisdom.
Sagawa slipped out of her grasp.
This can't be it.
Yuri, who opened a door for a shameful retreat.
Mana, who offered herself in exchange for the hacker had visibly given up.
Vitri, who was quickly tamed by the kind-of-opposing Ayame who somehow ended up not caring at the end and left.
Michio, the Fool which actions were the Sign, the final nail in the coffin, that he was finished with the Chapter called Sagawa.
They weren't people Kyouko could rely on. Not that she ever intended to.
Kyouko gave Leo a murderous glare. His words, his reasoning, he wasn't exactly wrong but... not right either. Sagawa had certain skills but she wasn't the only one. Certainly not.
"Don't speak like you know everything."
Was all Kyouko threw towards Leo's direction. He probably didn't care that much either and just wanted to chase the Boxer Brigade that Kyouko put serious effort into ignoring so far.
With Kane out of the picture the blonde now concentrated back on matters at hand. She was at an impasse. An impasse brought forth through her own weakness. Feelings that the one-eye managed to suppress started to swell up again. Anger and frustration aimed at the World and herself all the same.
There had to be something. Anything. She could do. Kyouko Himura was fine to burden everything by herself if it meant to help her friends... .
"...!"
It hit her like a Revelation. Stupid. Stupidstupidstupid. The fact she hadn't thought of that in the first place made her look miserable?
"Fine." Kyouko finally spoke up - way more calm and confident. Aimed at Kokoro and Sagawa alike. A smile of confidence. Her broken mask restored to one-hundred percento. It was easy. Really.
"I take on Sagawa's dept and she is free to go, no?"
It sounded so simple, so easy, so naive. Yet it was a battle she had only just started. Not only was Kyouko aware Sagawa would oppose but she also lacked the same capabilities the meat-bun lover had.
Still, Kyouko wasn't completely unprepared. Just, maybe, for the 0.0001% possibility that this one simple sentence did its magic would mean Kyouko didn't have to show her weak side in front of anyone but Sagawa. It meant she wouldn't need to admit part of the feelings she tried so desperately to ignore. Only if... .
"...What?"
"Kyou! Do you know what you're saying!? Stop it!"
Kokoro Amane see,ed to need to take a moment to even accept what the pirate had just put forward. Take all of Sagawa Mizunohara's debt on for herself so that she'd be able to enjoy going to the hot springs today.
Just how simple minded was this person?
"President?"
Yuri looked over her charge. Typically her scathing commentary didn't take so long for her to process through. But it seemed like she was having difficulty for once.
"Sorry, the thing that I just heard was so preposterous that I'm not sure if this person is trying to mock me or not... but. You're really serious aren't you, Himura Kyouko?"
Kokoro Amane crossed her arms. Ultimately answering the question was easiest to just answer truthfully. But of course, she was interested in extracting some form of amusement from this entire farce. So, she looked the meat bun lover.
"What do you think Mizunohara-san? Your friend wanting to sacrifice their financial future for you? Really now, I wonder what you must've done to them to make them feel that way."
Sagawa Mizunohara shook her head.
"I won't allow it! I appreciate how you feel Kyou. But you can't! That's going too far!"
"I'm dead serious."
Of course both Sagawa's and Kokoro's replies were something she had expected. Tough, while Kyouko didn't know just how much debt her childhood friend had acquired, there seemed to be a misunderstanding on the class president's side.
The pirate would get to that in a second however, for now, she focused solely on Sagawa. With most people already being on their way more-or-less this was a lot easier. It had to be easier. Sacrifices had to be made.
Giving Sagawa a determined look that seemed to forcefully blank out everyone around her, Kyouko started with a soft smile.
"Of course you wouldn't allow it. I know very well how you try to shoulder everything alone and, thanks to your techno mumbo-jumbo, seem to be pretty good at it. But... do you know how I feel? I can not blame you considering the ability of fooling myself seems to be my only strong point..." A self-mocking grin formed on Kyouko's lips for a second. Finding the right words... wasn't easy, but then again, saying whatever came to her mind was probably the closest to her truth.
"... but, you see, I am slowly getting sick of it. The past days, no, months, maybe even years, I told myself to look ahead. To be stronger. To cherish what I can still hold onto rather than mourn what I lost. Over and over I told myself to continue walking forward. Over corpses, for a brighter future." The blonde could tears swelling up her eyes.
"Kimura Yuuki, Misheru, Nyoko, Kira, and even the unspoken promise with Iori. In jail, no-contact, missing, in coma, whatever. It hurt. It hurt every single time one of them was lost. And I am not just talking about the pain they are causing by simply being... gone. No I am talking about myself. My own feeling of worthlessness. Of having no power over anything. Of being able to do nothing." Despite the blonde's tears she continued tomonologue speak rather calm, though agitated.
"Each and every single time I told myself to not give up to give it my best to be stronger. With a confident smile towards the sky. Higher and higher. Back then I used to think I could solve everything with guts and simply putting my mind to it. Pfsh, who am I kidding, even now I want to believe," A genuine chuckle. "I'd sell my soul if it meant I could make my friends happy." There was no reason to drag this out any longer. With her own feelings hopefully more-or-less conveyed she now brought the conversation back to the current matters.
"And now, here we are, you and I. This exploiting Snake wanting to use you for her personal enjoyment despite it being clear you don't like it. Here we are, again, where I am just supposed to watch how someone that is dear to me is suffering? Do you want me to be say 'I am glad my little Sagawa-chan is being held captive instead of being killed?'" By now, Kyouko's tears already stopped, her weak side already buried once again.
"That isn't better than being dead in the first place! A walking corpse, or something." The second time Kyouko had to smile, spiting herself. "And you know what's funny? The day I told myself to finally confess to Kira was the day she disappeared. The day Iori and I promised each other to become closer was the last day I saw her. How am I supposed to know nothing like that will happen to you, too?" With the red-hair out of the picture talking about this seemed awfully easier... though still sad.
"So, once again, here we are. You with your convenient leet-knowledge and me who can only rely on her brute-force and undying willpower. The only thing I see myself being able to do, right here, right now, is doing exactly what I said. Be selfish like a certain someone in the hospital told me and take on your goddamn debt and be over with it." With that, Kyouko was done. Closing her eyes for a second she sighed. Slowly acknowledging those around her again.
Looking at Kokoro, as if she wasn't aware that the Snake hadn't been around despite all she had just said, the pirate pointed one of her nine fingers at her. "Listen up, Amane Kokoro! I am very well aware that I don't have the same skill-set as my dear Sagawa-chan. I am very well aware how preposterous my request is. This isn't just about some goddamn hot-spring visit. I am willing to work my ass off just all the same. I don't care what you going to put me through or how dirty it'd get. For my friends, I am willing, no, I am going to move mountains." As if she had forgotten something Kyouko thought for a second before quickly adding.
"Also, since you're just as manipulative as Nyoko. When I said I take on her debt it'd obviously includes whatever interest!"
Mizunohara was speechless. Seeing Kyouko like this, she couldn't believe what she was saying.
Go so far as to sell their soul to make others she cared about happy? She didn't want! That was.. the exact thing that was wrong.
She wanted to protect Kyouko from it. All of those things that were encroaching on her and the others. Because certainly if she got involved then, she feared that she really would lose her.
Just like...
"This is the only path for me now."
"In order to become the hero that could save every person he cares about, I would willingly become the most hated villain."
...him.
I'm acting just like him.
Seeing Sagawa's mute nature at this point, Kokoro continued:
"Haaa? Move mountains you say? Certainly, if stupidity was able to generate physical force, you'd no doubt have no trouble in such a feat, I'd say. But you know? That doesn't do anything to bring in any money, you know?"
"Money comes from useful things that people want. Like skills, or things that are valuable. Like bodies for example."
"Amane-san..."
Yuri meekishly voiced her protest.
"Let me clarify. Going from what you're saying Himura - and barring the unlikely possibility that you happen to have enough transferable assets to buy a small company, you're saying you're going to work off Mizunohara's debt in her stead, right? What skills would you have beyond trying to beat up people? I don't have any real need for anyone like that. I have plenty on call for that role. The only way you'd be useful in that regard, is if you could prove to me you're even better than one of my best in the roster."
"Do you think you'd even last three exchanges against my personal bodyguard?If you're going to move mountains for me, then surely you'd have enough zeal to last that long?"
Kyouko was met only by Sagawa's silence. Did... she actually manage to convince her? Ignorant of Sagawa's thoughts that more-or-less mirrored Kyouko's agenda, the three of them weren't that different in the end?
Kokoro, on the other hand, had plenty to say. In fact, the girl gave the pirate even an actual chance! Or maybe she just wanted to legally beat the blonde into an unrecognizable mess. A smile of confidence. Pushing any doubts, especially with that still not fully-recovered body of hers, aside the blonde accepted. "Clearly you haven't realized how awesome I am if all you think I'm just some thug! But fine by me. I accept your... proposal!"
"Very well then. I guess we'll have to wait for that chance to test your mettle until a more appropriate time then. In the meantime, I'll have to make use of Mizunohara until then."
Kokoro said this as she turned around.
"No... I don't."
"Good. It's not like you had the option to begin with."
That snake...! Did she just lead her on just now just...!?
Kyouko's next reflex was immediately stopped when she felt a slender hand grip her shoulder. Turning to face them, she was greeted by Yuri, with a sad smile.
"That's enough. You've done enough at this point. Everyone on duty today shall have a chance to go to the springs eventually, so please rest your worries for the time being."
Kyouko after getting such a chance from Kokoro, didn't have much further say. She couldn't save Sagawa right now, but the possibility of it had just opened. She couldn't waste it.
"...!"
Kyouko needed a second. In the end, Sagawa was still lost. And the blonde was now supposed to enjoy herself? How could she possibly do that? Still, in the end, with the chance given, and the time to prepare, this might have not been too bad. Kokoro's confidence did not come from nothing after all. For now, she really had to give it a rest.
"Take care, Sagawa-chan."
Kyouko could only hope by the time her chance to shine it wasn't already too late.
"Guess I'll try to enjoy myself for her sake then, huh?"
Kyouko sounded sarcastic as she acknowledged Yuri before also heading to the women's changing room... .
@Ehb (duh)
@Luma (Technically still around more or less?)
@Rithas (Innocent bystander)
@darnerdemons (Also still around...?)
@Accelerator @RedArmyShogun (Were briefly enough around to maybe have caught onto something)
@_AnyoneIForgot
[/fieldbox]
[ December 18th, Late-Afternoon / Town of Hisakawa, Saionji Hot Springs, Front Lobby ]
It wasn't often that Kyouko Himura's feelings told her to back down. To give up. To lose. For the pirate who listened more to her gut than brains this was maybe even a whole new experience. It had to be because any form of opposition would make the situation only worse for Sagawa. Kyouko realized that. The bliss of ignorance that allowed Kyouko to challenge this opponent was quickly filled in by the enemy's very own wisdom.
Sagawa slipped out of her grasp.
This can't be it.
Yuri, who opened a door for a shameful retreat.
Mana, who offered herself in exchange for the hacker had visibly given up.
Vitri, who was quickly tamed by the kind-of-opposing Ayame who somehow ended up not caring at the end and left.
Michio, the Fool which actions were the Sign, the final nail in the coffin, that he was finished with the Chapter called Sagawa.
They weren't people Kyouko could rely on. Not that she ever intended to.
Kyouko gave Leo a murderous glare. His words, his reasoning, he wasn't exactly wrong but... not right either. Sagawa had certain skills but she wasn't the only one. Certainly not.
"Don't speak like you know everything."
Was all Kyouko threw towards Leo's direction. He probably didn't care that much either and just wanted to chase the Boxer Brigade that Kyouko put serious effort into ignoring so far.
With Kane out of the picture the blonde now concentrated back on matters at hand. She was at an impasse. An impasse brought forth through her own weakness. Feelings that the one-eye managed to suppress started to swell up again. Anger and frustration aimed at the World and herself all the same.
There had to be something. Anything. She could do. Kyouko Himura was fine to burden everything by herself if it meant to help her friends... .
"...!"
It hit her like a Revelation. Stupid. Stupidstupidstupid. The fact she hadn't thought of that in the first place made her look miserable?
"Fine." Kyouko finally spoke up - way more calm and confident. Aimed at Kokoro and Sagawa alike. A smile of confidence. Her broken mask restored to one-hundred percento. It was easy. Really.
"I take on Sagawa's dept and she is free to go, no?"
It sounded so simple, so easy, so naive. Yet it was a battle she had only just started. Not only was Kyouko aware Sagawa would oppose but she also lacked the same capabilities the meat-bun lover had.
Still, Kyouko wasn't completely unprepared. Just, maybe, for the 0.0001% possibility that this one simple sentence did its magic would mean Kyouko didn't have to show her weak side in front of anyone but Sagawa. It meant she wouldn't need to admit part of the feelings she tried so desperately to ignore. Only if... .
"...What?"
"Kyou! Do you know what you're saying!? Stop it!"
Kokoro Amane see,ed to need to take a moment to even accept what the pirate had just put forward. Take all of Sagawa Mizunohara's debt on for herself so that she'd be able to enjoy going to the hot springs today.
Just how simple minded was this person?
"President?"
Yuri looked over her charge. Typically her scathing commentary didn't take so long for her to process through. But it seemed like she was having difficulty for once.
"Sorry, the thing that I just heard was so preposterous that I'm not sure if this person is trying to mock me or not... but. You're really serious aren't you, Himura Kyouko?"
Kokoro Amane crossed her arms. Ultimately answering the question was easiest to just answer truthfully. But of course, she was interested in extracting some form of amusement from this entire farce. So, she looked the meat bun lover.
"What do you think Mizunohara-san? Your friend wanting to sacrifice their financial future for you? Really now, I wonder what you must've done to them to make them feel that way."
Sagawa Mizunohara shook her head.
"I won't allow it! I appreciate how you feel Kyou. But you can't! That's going too far!"
"I'm dead serious."
Of course both Sagawa's and Kokoro's replies were something she had expected. Tough, while Kyouko didn't know just how much debt her childhood friend had acquired, there seemed to be a misunderstanding on the class president's side.
The pirate would get to that in a second however, for now, she focused solely on Sagawa. With most people already being on their way more-or-less this was a lot easier. It had to be easier. Sacrifices had to be made.
Giving Sagawa a determined look that seemed to forcefully blank out everyone around her, Kyouko started with a soft smile.
"Of course you wouldn't allow it. I know very well how you try to shoulder everything alone and, thanks to your techno mumbo-jumbo, seem to be pretty good at it. But... do you know how I feel? I can not blame you considering the ability of fooling myself seems to be my only strong point..." A self-mocking grin formed on Kyouko's lips for a second. Finding the right words... wasn't easy, but then again, saying whatever came to her mind was probably the closest to her truth.
"... but, you see, I am slowly getting sick of it. The past days, no, months, maybe even years, I told myself to look ahead. To be stronger. To cherish what I can still hold onto rather than mourn what I lost. Over and over I told myself to continue walking forward. Over corpses, for a brighter future." The blonde could tears swelling up her eye
"Kimura Yuuki, Misheru, Nyoko, Kira, and even the unspoken promise with Iori. In jail, no-contact, missing, in coma, whatever. It hurt. It hurt every single time one of them was lost. And I am not just talking about the pain they are causing by simply being... gone. No I am talking about myself. My own feeling of worthlessness. Of having no power over anything. Of being able to do nothing." Despite the blonde's tears she continued to
"Each and every single time I told myself to not give up to give it my best to be stronger. With a confident smile towards the sky. Higher and higher. Back then I used to think I could solve everything with guts and simply putting my mind to it. Pfsh, who am I kidding, even now I want to believe," A genuine chuckle. "I'd sell my soul if it meant I could make my friends happy." There was no reason to drag this out any longer. With her own feelings hopefully more-or-less conveyed she now brought the conversation back to the current matters.
"And now, here we are, you and I. This exploiting Snake wanting to use you for her personal enjoyment despite it being clear you don't like it. Here we are, again, where I am just supposed to watch how someone that is dear to me is suffering? Do you want me to be say 'I am glad my little Sagawa-chan is being held captive instead of being killed?'" By now, Kyouko's tears already stopped, her weak side already buried once again.
"That isn't better than being dead in the first place! A walking corpse, or something." The second time Kyouko had to smile, spiting herself. "And you know what's funny? The day I told myself to finally confess to Kira was the day she disappeared. The day Iori and I promised each other to become closer was the last day I saw her. How am I supposed to know nothing like that will happen to you, too?" With the red-hair out of the picture talking about this seemed awfully easier... though still sad.
"So, once again, here we are. You with your convenient leet-knowledge and me who can only rely on her brute-force and undying willpower. The only thing I see myself being able to do, right here, right now, is doing exactly what I said. Be selfish like a certain someone in the hospital told me and take on your goddamn debt and be over with it." With that, Kyouko was done. Closing her eyes for a second she sighed. Slowly acknowledging those around her again.
Looking at Kokoro, as if she wasn't aware that the Snake hadn't been around despite all she had just said, the pirate pointed one of her nine fingers at her. "Listen up, Amane Kokoro! I am very well aware that I don't have the same skill-set as my dear Sagawa-chan. I am very well aware how preposterous my request is. This isn't just about some goddamn hot-spring visit. I am willing to work my ass off just all the same. I don't care what you going to put me through or how dirty it'd get. For my friends, I am willing, no, I am going to move mountains." As if she had forgotten something Kyouko thought for a second before quickly adding.
"Also, since you're just as manipulative as Nyoko. When I said I take on her debt it'd obviously includes whatever interest!"
Mizunohara was speechless. Seeing Kyouko like this, she couldn't believe what she was saying.
Go so far as to sell their soul to make others she cared about happy? She didn't want! That was.. the exact thing that was wrong.
She wanted to protect Kyouko from it. All of those things that were encroaching on her and the others. Because certainly if she got involved then, she feared that she really would lose her.
Just like...
"This is the only path for me now."
"In order to become the hero that could save every person he cares about, I would willingly become the most hated villain."
...him.
I'm acting just like him.
Seeing Sagawa's mute nature at this point, Kokoro continued:
"Haaa? Move mountains you say? Certainly, if stupidity was able to generate physical force, you'd no doubt have no trouble in such a feat, I'd say. But you know? That doesn't do anything to bring in any money, you know?"
"Money comes from useful things that people want. Like skills, or things that are valuable. Like bodies for example."
"Amane-san..."
Yuri meekishly voiced her protest.
"Let me clarify. Going from what you're saying Himura - and barring the unlikely possibility that you happen to have enough transferable assets to buy a small company, you're saying you're going to work off Mizunohara's debt in her stead, right? What skills would you have beyond trying to beat up people? I don't have any real need for anyone like that. I have plenty on call for that role. The only way you'd be useful in that regard, is if you could prove to me you're even better than one of my best in the roster."
"Do you think you'd even last three exchanges against my personal bodyguard?If you're going to move mountains for me, then surely you'd have enough zeal to last that long?"
Kyouko was met only by Sagawa's silence. Did... she actually manage to convince her? Ignorant of Sagawa's thoughts that more-or-less mirrored Kyouko's agenda, the three of them weren't that different in the end?
Kokoro, on the other hand, had plenty to say. In fact, the girl gave the pirate even an actual chance! Or maybe she just wanted to legally beat the blonde into an unrecognizable mess. A smile of confidence. Pushing any doubts, especially with that still not fully-recovered body of hers, aside the blonde accepted. "Clearly you haven't realized how awesome I am if all you think I'm just some thug! But fine by me. I accept your... proposal!"
"Very well then. I guess we'll have to wait for that chance to test your mettle until a more appropriate time then. In the meantime, I'll have to make use of Mizunohara until then."
Kokoro said this as she turned around.
"No... I don't."
"Good. It's not like you had the option to begin with."
That snake...! Did she just lead her on just now just...!?
Kyouko's next reflex was immediately stopped when she felt a slender hand grip her shoulder. Turning to face them, she was greeted by Yuri, with a sad smile.
"That's enough. You've done enough at this point. Everyone on duty today shall have a chance to go to the springs eventually, so please rest your worries for the time being."
Kyouko after getting such a chance from Kokoro, didn't have much further say. She couldn't save Sagawa right now, but the possibility of it had just opened. She couldn't waste it.
"...!"
Kyouko needed a second. In the end, Sagawa was still lost. And the blonde was now supposed to enjoy herself? How could she possibly do that? Still, in the end, with the chance given, and the time to prepare, this might have not been too bad. Kokoro's confidence did not come from nothing after all. For now, she really had to give it a rest.
"Take care, Sagawa-chan."
Kyouko could only hope by the time her chance to shine it wasn't already too late.
"Guess I'll try to enjoy myself for her sake then, huh?"
Kyouko sounded sarcastic as she acknowledged Yuri before also heading to the women's changing room... .
@Ehb (duh)
@Luma (Technically still around more or less?)
@Rithas (Innocent bystander)
@darnerdemons (Also still around...?)
@Accelerator @RedArmyShogun (Were briefly enough around to maybe have caught onto something)
@_AnyoneIForgot
[/fieldbox]
