Mayumi’s scream for help snapped Yuichiro to his senses.
His hands were still trembling, as sweat swam across his brow, the headband neck-tie well past its limit for absorbing liquid. His heart threatened to leap up out of his chest and through his mouth any second, and he was almost certain that he was going to pee his pants for extra good luck.
But the images of Niida-san’s deaths stopped playing, at least for the moment. He peered between the leaves of the tangerine tree for any sight of Mayumi, but he couldn’t see her from his position. There were definitely people behind some of the trees, but who was whom?
In a moment of clarity, Yuichiro’s common sense pitched in from its neglected corner. He had heard the screaming coming from one direction, so whatever was moving in the other direction must’ve been the Hannya! What a bizarre thing to find on this island, but there was no time for rationalising that now. He wanted to be an anime hero, right? Well it was time to put up or shut up! Tendou-san needed him!
He reached for the uzi by his side, hesitating for one last time before clamping his hand down around it. He took a proper grip on it for the first time in what felt like an age, the handle pressing back into his hand. 'Well, well well, didn’t think we’d ever work together' it seemed to smirk at him, but there was no time for debating with any of this gun persona. He didn’t want to kill the Hannya, whoever it was, but he had to do something!
He peeked the barrel of the gun out from between the leaves, locking into the rustling position where their assailant was finishing reloading. He felt Niida-san standing over his shoulder, giving him a reassuring thumbs up with that ever-confident smile on his face. This was both of their dream, after all: to protect their classmates in their time of need, and keep them safe from harm. Through the gun, they could still do it together.
He squeezed his eyes shut as his finger pulled, hoping in his heart of hearts that it would just scare them off, not hit them. He wanted to protect everyone.
Tut.
….Huh?
Not the sound of bullets spraying, but an empty clicking tut. He pulled the trigger again.
Tut. Tut. Tut.
'Silly Yuichiro-bozu, you didn’t load me, remember? And not even accidentally: you left my belly empty on purpose! And now you need me? OHHHHH-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!'
He looked down at his useless weapon, face fixed in horror at his own stupidity. Just like that, as Mayumi bled out on the other side of the trees, he had frozen all over again.
Promise not to watch me go beyond the corner
Death thread
Moderator: BRAU2 Director
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DerArknight
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A new magazine was inserted, and the Beretta became deadly again.
The hannya wasted no time before rushing out from behind the tree.
One of her classmates targets had seemingly disappeared, but a blood trail told her where the other one should be. And indeed, upon closer inspection, the hannya could see Mayumi's hair lurking in the trees.
Once more, she raised her weapon and fired, this time taking a few moments to aim.
The hannya wasted no time before rushing out from behind the tree.
One of her classmates targets had seemingly disappeared, but a blood trail told her where the other one should be. And indeed, upon closer inspection, the hannya could see Mayumi's hair lurking in the trees.
Once more, she raised her weapon and fired, this time taking a few moments to aim.
Mayumi didn't hear from Takiguchi or the assailant. The blood was starting to come out of her faster, probably owing to the faster heartrate she was experiencing. She wasn't sure what to do now. She couldn't remember how many bullets were left in her gun, and she needed more ammo.
She grabbed her bag and tried to go through it with one hand, searching for the extra clip while keeping her gun raised towards where the masked villain was. Just as Mayumi found a clip in her bag, she suddenly felt the impact of more bullets against her person.
Mayumi randomly fired, expelling the remainder of her clip. Once it clicked empty, she dropped her arm, letting the gun fall to the ground. She looked down. There were several more bullets in her chest. And there was a lot more blood with that.
She slumped her head. This was it. She had failed to survive the game. She should have just sent Yuichiro away and remained in the shrine. Even when she wanted to no longer care about what people here thought about her, she cared too much about how one boy would perceive her, and that sent her to her death.
No, that wasn't fair. Mayumi always had the ability to make her choices. She chose to let her parents dictate her life. She chose to let those men take what they wanted. She chose to break her own code of survival because she felt sorry for Yuichiro. Her choices led her to this moment, not anyone else's.
Mayumi inhaled a subtle scent of tangerine that somehow broke through the scent of blood. If this was how she was going to die, maybe this wouldn't be such a bad place. Granted, she thought she would have died at a vineyard instead, a glass of wine in her hand, right as the sun dipped behind the hills of Tuscany. But now it was just another dream of hers that wouldn't come to be.
As Mayumi began to drift out of consciousness, she thought about the girl she let down. The girl whose happiness depended on Mayumi surviving Shiroiwa and surviving the Program.
She thought about Anya.
She grabbed her bag and tried to go through it with one hand, searching for the extra clip while keeping her gun raised towards where the masked villain was. Just as Mayumi found a clip in her bag, she suddenly felt the impact of more bullets against her person.
Mayumi randomly fired, expelling the remainder of her clip. Once it clicked empty, she dropped her arm, letting the gun fall to the ground. She looked down. There were several more bullets in her chest. And there was a lot more blood with that.
She slumped her head. This was it. She had failed to survive the game. She should have just sent Yuichiro away and remained in the shrine. Even when she wanted to no longer care about what people here thought about her, she cared too much about how one boy would perceive her, and that sent her to her death.
No, that wasn't fair. Mayumi always had the ability to make her choices. She chose to let her parents dictate her life. She chose to let those men take what they wanted. She chose to break her own code of survival because she felt sorry for Yuichiro. Her choices led her to this moment, not anyone else's.
Mayumi inhaled a subtle scent of tangerine that somehow broke through the scent of blood. If this was how she was going to die, maybe this wouldn't be such a bad place. Granted, she thought she would have died at a vineyard instead, a glass of wine in her hand, right as the sun dipped behind the hills of Tuscany. But now it was just another dream of hers that wouldn't come to be.
As Mayumi began to drift out of consciousness, she thought about the girl she let down. The girl whose happiness depended on Mayumi surviving Shiroiwa and surviving the Program.
She thought about Anya.
G014: Mayumi Tendou
More gunshots. More images of Niida-san. His weapon slipped out of his paralysed fingers, laughing at him as it fell down, only stopping when it caught on the strap slung around his shoulder. He sank down against the leaves of the tangerine tree, eyes wide open.
There was no scream. Why was there no scream? Tendou-san was dying right now. Niida-san had screamed when he had died. There was a demon killing Tendou-san. She should be screaming. Why wasn’t she screaming? Why was it so quiet?
Just a deafening silence. The only sound was the gun rattling on the ground as his whole body shook. He couldn’t see what was happening, he didn’t dare to even look. The images in his mind, fuelled by terror and late-night anime, filled in the blanks for him and more.
There was no scream. Why was there no scream? Tendou-san was dying right now. Niida-san had screamed when he had died. There was a demon killing Tendou-san. She should be screaming. Why wasn’t she screaming? Why was it so quiet?
Just a deafening silence. The only sound was the gun rattling on the ground as his whole body shook. He couldn’t see what was happening, he didn’t dare to even look. The images in his mind, fuelled by terror and late-night anime, filled in the blanks for him and more.
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DerArknight
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After seven shots, the hannya realized that Mayumi had ceased both sounds and movement.
There was another sound, coming from somewhere else not too far away.
Behind the mask, Noriko had trouble to locate the noise, her disguise dampening the world and restricting her field of view considerably.
But then she saw a movement maybe three trees away.
With careful steps, the hannya advanced.
There was another sound, coming from somewhere else not too far away.
Behind the mask, Noriko had trouble to locate the noise, her disguise dampening the world and restricting her field of view considerably.
But then she saw a movement maybe three trees away.
With careful steps, the hannya advanced.
Yuichiro could hear it. The Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. of Hannya feet on dirt and leaves. Why did the Hannya even have shoes on anyway? Weren’t they supposed to wear an old kimono and nothing more? He could only speculate, as he hadn’t seen any anime involving the jealous female demon, and only recognised the mask due to a single televised Noh performance he had watched for five minutes.
Not that it mattered. He knew she was getting closer. He knew that he had to do something. Otherwise she would do to him what she did to Mayumi, who was dead by now. There had been seven more gunshots, seven more flashbacks, attesting to that. Yuichiro knew he’d be next.
But he couldn’t do anything. He was still frozen to the spot, like the Hannya had cast a petrifying spell over him. A part of his brain was screaming at him to stop pissing himself and get up, and run, or shoot with the other gun in his bag, or something. Anything. Another part of his brain was laughing at him in a distinctly female voice, because why did he think he could protect anyone? The only part of his brain that was still truly his own was very quiet. Paralysed, just like the rest of his body.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
Not that it mattered. He knew she was getting closer. He knew that he had to do something. Otherwise she would do to him what she did to Mayumi, who was dead by now. There had been seven more gunshots, seven more flashbacks, attesting to that. Yuichiro knew he’d be next.
But he couldn’t do anything. He was still frozen to the spot, like the Hannya had cast a petrifying spell over him. A part of his brain was screaming at him to stop pissing himself and get up, and run, or shoot with the other gun in his bag, or something. Anything. Another part of his brain was laughing at him in a distinctly female voice, because why did he think he could protect anyone? The only part of his brain that was still truly his own was very quiet. Paralysed, just like the rest of his body.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
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DerArknight
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As she got closer to the tree, the hannya gripped her Beretta tightly.
Yuichiro hadn't fired back, but that didn't mean he was unarmed. She had to be careful.
After taking in a big breath, the hannya made a sudden jump around the corner, weapon drawn at Yuichiro.
Yuichiro hadn't fired back, but that didn't mean he was unarmed. She had to be careful.
After taking in a big breath, the hannya made a sudden jump around the corner, weapon drawn at Yuichiro.
But Yuichiro was not behind the tree. He was in fact several meters away from the Hannya.
What Noriko had aimed her gun at was instead much smaller than Yuichiro, and marginally less dangerous. It was a cat, lying in a pool of her own blood.
What had started as a lazy morning doze in the tangerine growths had turned into a nightmare. She tried to flee when the guns had gone off, but had been hit by two stray bullets in her hiding place. One had gone through her front leg; the other had scraped across her spine. She would be dead before too long. She had tried to climb up the tree in her delirious state, only to lose her grip and fall instantly. That was the movement that Noriko had seen.
She saw Noriko jump in front of her but had no ability to react. Her eyes looked into her murderer’s own, confused, and afraid, as she lay dying.
What Noriko had aimed her gun at was instead much smaller than Yuichiro, and marginally less dangerous. It was a cat, lying in a pool of her own blood.
What had started as a lazy morning doze in the tangerine growths had turned into a nightmare. She tried to flee when the guns had gone off, but had been hit by two stray bullets in her hiding place. One had gone through her front leg; the other had scraped across her spine. She would be dead before too long. She had tried to climb up the tree in her delirious state, only to lose her grip and fall instantly. That was the movement that Noriko had seen.
She saw Noriko jump in front of her but had no ability to react. Her eyes looked into her murderer’s own, confused, and afraid, as she lay dying.
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DerArknight
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Noriko (not the hannya) froze in shock, her tool pointing towards the ground as all strenght left the arm holding it.
It was just a cat.
Just a lonely cat, clueless about the Program, probably wondering why her owners had disappeared.
A cat that might have children.
A cat that will surely be missed by someone.
A cat that-
What is wrong with me? Noriko asked herself, forcing her train of guilt to stop.
She already had hurt so many of her classmates, friends even. What gave her the right to feel sad about yet another innocent soul caught in the crossfire?
It was obvious the cat was dying, leaving her with only one thing to do. Vehemently shaking her head to re-order her thoughts, the hannya (not Noriko) raised the Beretta and pulled the trigger.
A gunshot echoed through the rows of tangerine trees, and the cat's suffering was over.
"..."
The silence was deafening.
"..."
...
...
... I need to get out of here.
She pocketed her gun and started to run, rushing past Yuichiro without taking note of him.
She didn't know where she was going to go next. A part of her didn't even care that much.
For the moment, 'anywhere' seemed good enough of a destination.
((Noriko Nakagawa continued in IDK))
It was just a cat.
Just a lonely cat, clueless about the Program, probably wondering why her owners had disappeared.
A cat that might have children.
A cat that will surely be missed by someone.
A cat that-
What is wrong with me? Noriko asked herself, forcing her train of guilt to stop.
She already had hurt so many of her classmates, friends even. What gave her the right to feel sad about yet another innocent soul caught in the crossfire?
It was obvious the cat was dying, leaving her with only one thing to do. Vehemently shaking her head to re-order her thoughts, the hannya (not Noriko) raised the Beretta and pulled the trigger.
A gunshot echoed through the rows of tangerine trees, and the cat's suffering was over.
"..."
The silence was deafening.
"..."
...
...
... I need to get out of here.
She pocketed her gun and started to run, rushing past Yuichiro without taking note of him.
She didn't know where she was going to go next. A part of her didn't even care that much.
For the moment, 'anywhere' seemed good enough of a destination.
((Noriko Nakagawa continued in IDK))
The hannya was long gone before Yuichiro could finally move.
Tendou-san looked up at home. The cat looked up at him. Both asked him why. Both questioned what was wrong with him. Both wondered how, with both of his guns and all his hero posturing, he couldn’t do anything to help either of them.
Yuichiro took the gun from Mayumi’s one hand, the clip she had found from the other, and stowed them both in his bag, adding to his collection of dead friends’ weaponry. Her fingers were still warm to the touch. It was his first time holding a girl’s hand, and it was only happening because he had killed her.
Yes, the hannya had done the deed, but he had killed her by inaction. By being so afraid of guns that he had kept it empty, he had only succeeded in failing to keep his promise to Mayumi. She had entrusted her safety to him, and he had left her to bleed out behind a tangerine tree while he cowered for his life. Worse still, the hannya was still out there, still ready to keep shooting people, and what was he going to do about it?
He didn’t know why he was still alive, what the point of it was anymore. More than anything, he wished the Hannya had taken him instead of Mayumi.
((Yuichiro Takiguchi continued in When the seagulls follow the trawler))
Tendou-san looked up at home. The cat looked up at him. Both asked him why. Both questioned what was wrong with him. Both wondered how, with both of his guns and all his hero posturing, he couldn’t do anything to help either of them.
Yuichiro took the gun from Mayumi’s one hand, the clip she had found from the other, and stowed them both in his bag, adding to his collection of dead friends’ weaponry. Her fingers were still warm to the touch. It was his first time holding a girl’s hand, and it was only happening because he had killed her.
Yes, the hannya had done the deed, but he had killed her by inaction. By being so afraid of guns that he had kept it empty, he had only succeeded in failing to keep his promise to Mayumi. She had entrusted her safety to him, and he had left her to bleed out behind a tangerine tree while he cowered for his life. Worse still, the hannya was still out there, still ready to keep shooting people, and what was he going to do about it?
He didn’t know why he was still alive, what the point of it was anymore. More than anything, he wished the Hannya had taken him instead of Mayumi.
((Yuichiro Takiguchi continued in When the seagulls follow the trawler))