((Boy 21: Yoshitoki Kunibo continued from Nowhere to Hide.))
It hadn't taken the hunger ridden teenager very long at all to navigate his way to the Tangerine Grove. He could see it about twenty minutes after he left his resting spot under that large tree, and it had only taken him an hour to get there. There was some sort of terrible smell floating through the air, but investigation and departure could wait... He was hungry, and he wanted to save his rations. He at least assumed that the bread and water kept a little better than a fruit would. "Alright, get up there, pick a few Tangerines, and get out of here. The longer I'm here, the worse. I just got lucky back there... No one happened upon me. This island isn't that big though." He had made a resolution to spend the rest of his time on this island on the move, only stopping and sleeping for a few hours at a time. He needed to avoid being found by someone playing the game... As much as he didn't want to believe that anyone was playing, he watched it first hand. Poor Fumiyo... At least she was free.
He wandered over to the lowest hanging tree, taking the issued blue pack off of his back, and opening up one of the empty compartments. "Hmm..." He muttered. He didn't plan on keeping the fruits long, but he DID plan on keeping them for at least a few meals. He took one of the shirts that he had packed for the class trip, and lined the inside of the empty pouch with it. "That will work." He stood, meticulously checking each fruit that he picked to ensure that it was ripe. He figured he should probably eat two in one sitting, and that they'd keep for two or three days... He took twelve of the small orange orbs, and carefully placed them into his pack. Glancing around for a moment, he picked one more, peeling the skin back and taking a bite. He groaned a little, the first thing with flavor... Or hell, the first thing period that he had put in his stomach in over twelve hours. Nothing had tasted quite so good as that fruit did in that moment. He glanced around, zipping up his bag and wandering down the groves of trees for a bit. That smell was utterly repulsive... But hell, it might be a dead skunk. Something he might be able to eat? Eh, might. Probably not. He had no idea how to cook or skin anything, and unless he met someone here who did, all the thing would do is stink up his clothes.
After wandering for a few minutes, in and out of the lines of trees, he happened upon the source of the smell. And his face went white with shock and terror.
It was Yukata. Just lying there. In a pool of blood. He had heard his classmate's name on the PA, but... Seeing it like this... This was brutal. He took a shuffling step backwards, his half eaten tangerine landing on the ground, and rolling downhill to rest next to the body. "I..." He shuffled back a little more, his body beginning to shake. "Can... Can't..." He did a quick about-face, and bolted off. At least, he would have. If he had paid any attention to where he was going. He spun and slammed headlong directly into a tangerine tree. He landed flat on his back, the small orange orbs raining down on him, the odd rotten fruit bursting as it bounced off of his body. He felt the tangerines already in his bag get destroyed under his (admittedly light) frame, feeling a sharp jabbing in his back from where the odd hard object in his bag impacted him. He felt his head swirling and pounding, his chest felt like it was on fire. His nose had just cracked, and blood began to run down his cheeks, the shining red liquid dropping from his body into the soil. He was in intense pain, but he tried to push himself back up. No good. His arms felt weak, and he just wanted to rest. He barely even had the energy to roll off of his backpack...
He curled up as his eyes shut, slowly losing consciousness, not fifty feet from the body of his freshly deceased classmate. "Ow... Sleep..."
And Just a Quick Bite...
E8 - The Tangerine Grove
And Just a Quick Bite...
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(Takako Chigusa continued from Walking Proud)
Takako grew to hate her decision. Not only had she lost sight of Hiroki altogether, but she felt as though she was going in the completely WRONG direction. Her hand found it's way to her forehead and held it there, letting out a frustrated grunt as she kept walking ahead, looking left and right. She was sure that if she kept going she would eventually find him... she hoped. What they had to go on wasn't much - a bunch of footprints that really didn't leave much of an impression on the ground. However to Chigusa they were enough to go on. How stupid could she be?! Hiroki could get ripped apart and Takako would know nothing about it until it was too late! Fuck! Fuck Fuck Fuck!
"Sugi?! Where the fuck are you?!"
Screaming like that wasn't the smartest decision, but at that point and time Chigusa wasn't thinking straight. All logic and forward thinking was nonexistant to her, the only goal was to find Hiroki. In the back of her mind she had already registered that she was having a panic atack and a serious one at that. This wasn't like her at all. She was so damned composed most of the time, icy to the bone, but now losing Hiroki was like a stab to the chest.
Tangerine trees were the last thing she had expected to see. The Tangerine Grove was more like a Tangerine Community, with trees sprawling as far the eye could see. While Takako had the sudden urge to eat, she ignored it completely. Time to eat would be later. Must find Hiroki.
"Sugi?!"
Takako grew to hate her decision. Not only had she lost sight of Hiroki altogether, but she felt as though she was going in the completely WRONG direction. Her hand found it's way to her forehead and held it there, letting out a frustrated grunt as she kept walking ahead, looking left and right. She was sure that if she kept going she would eventually find him... she hoped. What they had to go on wasn't much - a bunch of footprints that really didn't leave much of an impression on the ground. However to Chigusa they were enough to go on. How stupid could she be?! Hiroki could get ripped apart and Takako would know nothing about it until it was too late! Fuck! Fuck Fuck Fuck!
"Sugi?! Where the fuck are you?!"
Screaming like that wasn't the smartest decision, but at that point and time Chigusa wasn't thinking straight. All logic and forward thinking was nonexistant to her, the only goal was to find Hiroki. In the back of her mind she had already registered that she was having a panic atack and a serious one at that. This wasn't like her at all. She was so damned composed most of the time, icy to the bone, but now losing Hiroki was like a stab to the chest.
Tangerine trees were the last thing she had expected to see. The Tangerine Grove was more like a Tangerine Community, with trees sprawling as far the eye could see. While Takako had the sudden urge to eat, she ignored it completely. Time to eat would be later. Must find Hiroki.
"Sugi?!"
((Noriko Nakagawa continued from Walking Proud))
Noriko was barely able to keep up with the furious pace of Takako, lagging behind by a few feet. It had become apparently that they had lost the trail, that didn't seem to matter to her companion. Noriko was somewhat worried. There had been an announcement some time back, but Takako hadn't even broke stride, seemingly ignoring the director's voice. Noriko had no choice but to keep moving. She was breathing somewhat heavily, and her side was cramping up. It was readily apparent that Noriko was nowhere near being in shape, and Takako's brisk pace made that apparent. Noriko was too afraid to say anything though, in case the other girl's patience ran out.
Takako began yelling out for Hiroki, which Noriko didn't think was a good idea in the slightest. She was too out of breath to say anything, although she was greatful that they had finally stopped under a dense crop of trees. Noriko all but collapsed onto one of the trees, trying to catch her breath. In her attempt to keep up, she hadn't been paying attention to where they were going, and it wasn't until the force she exerted on the tree jostled one of the fruits off and bounced lightly on her head she noticed what they were. The sight of the tangerines reminded the girl she was hungry, as she hurriedly plucked a couple of the ripe ones near her head, peeling the orange skin off the succulent fruit. She dug her teeth in, feeling the juices burst into her mouth, sending a wave of relief down her stomach. Despite what Takako was doing, Noriko would eat the tangerines, waiting for Takako to calm down. Her focus on the tangerines was such that she didn't even notice the odd smell, or the signs of recent activity in the area.
Noriko was barely able to keep up with the furious pace of Takako, lagging behind by a few feet. It had become apparently that they had lost the trail, that didn't seem to matter to her companion. Noriko was somewhat worried. There had been an announcement some time back, but Takako hadn't even broke stride, seemingly ignoring the director's voice. Noriko had no choice but to keep moving. She was breathing somewhat heavily, and her side was cramping up. It was readily apparent that Noriko was nowhere near being in shape, and Takako's brisk pace made that apparent. Noriko was too afraid to say anything though, in case the other girl's patience ran out.
Takako began yelling out for Hiroki, which Noriko didn't think was a good idea in the slightest. She was too out of breath to say anything, although she was greatful that they had finally stopped under a dense crop of trees. Noriko all but collapsed onto one of the trees, trying to catch her breath. In her attempt to keep up, she hadn't been paying attention to where they were going, and it wasn't until the force she exerted on the tree jostled one of the fruits off and bounced lightly on her head she noticed what they were. The sight of the tangerines reminded the girl she was hungry, as she hurriedly plucked a couple of the ripe ones near her head, peeling the orange skin off the succulent fruit. She dug her teeth in, feeling the juices burst into her mouth, sending a wave of relief down her stomach. Despite what Takako was doing, Noriko would eat the tangerines, waiting for Takako to calm down. Her focus on the tangerines was such that she didn't even notice the odd smell, or the signs of recent activity in the area.
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Hiroki was not here, that became very apparent to Takako. It would be a waste of time to keep wandering around screaming his name - it was clear that had he come here, he must have kept moving along. Chigusa grimaced, looking back at Noriko for a moment who had propped herself up against the tree. The oranges looked juicy, and even though Takako was dreadfully hungry the last thing on her mind was eating a single thing. Plus, all of that screaming she thought she heard was driving her nuts. Was it just her? Yeah, she was just going a little nuts. Who would be screaming like that? Had to be her imagination. Even so, it made her nervous.
"We can't stay here," she said as she walked further into the tangerines, losing sight of Noriko. She had calmed down to an extent, weaving in and out of the grove in a vague attempt to find Hiroki. Her voice grew louder. "We have to find him. Hiroki won't kill anyone on purpose. Doesn't have the nerve. He's a walking target. He'll-"
Takako hadn't been paying attention to where she was going, and with all her jiving around she bumped into something without realizing it.
Someone to be exact.
To be more specific, Yukata Seto with his chest practically opened up like a half-assed surgical procedure. Chigusa's blood went cold. What happened with Kayoko, getting stabbed in the head, paled in comparison to the true horror that laid on the ground before her. Kayoko was killed quickly, like a mercy kill. The killer showed him absolutely no mercy, and what is even worse is the fact that (while she hated to admit it) a sickle could easily - no, she was going crazy. Yukata looked like he had been dead for a while now. Flies were starting to swarm inside his exposed chest. Couldn't be Hiroki. Hiroki was a little kid at heart, he was always so fucking passive agressive. He knew kung-fu but never used it. He backed away from fights. He couldn't, WOULDN'T kill someone this way. Chigusa knew it. Besides... who the hell would hurt Yutaka? He was the class clown. She didn't really KNOW Yutaka but he seemed so meek, no way he would attack someone. Yeah, that's right. Whoever did this must have been a deranged psychopath and definitely not Hiroki.
"..." Chigusa gave Seto a grim look. She looked to his hand. An ice pick, dabbed with a coat of blood. She blinked, wrestling the pick out of his hand. It wasn't that she needed it but, well, it looked sharp. And apparently it managed to break skin, seeing as even the timid Yukata actually used it. She studied it, giving the tip a very light prod. It pricked her finger, and she quickly put it in her mouth. It was damn sharper than it looked. She gave Yukata another quick look, her face still very unreadable. She had to give him credit, Chigusa had expected Seto to lay down like a dog and die but apparently he put up a fight. Chigusa could respect that. She reached her hand over to his eyes and closed them with two outstretched fingers. Rigour mortis was in it's early stages, she had to tug to get his eyes closed but she managed. She let out a sigh. "Rest in peace you poor bastard."
She stood up tall, gun in one hand and an icepick in the other when she noticed another body laying on the ground. She rolled her eyes, like someone had just spilt a drink on her shirt. It was troublesome. Takako took a few steps forward. It looked as though he was being crushed by the bag on his back. What the hell did he have in there? It was stretched to the extremities. She took another step forward, almost ready to unzip his bag when she noticed that the corpse... wasn't exactly a corpse. Yoshitoki Kunibo laid there on the ground, breathing heavy but still very much alive. Chigusa blinked. The bastard was still alive. He was just sleeping. Takako rolled her eyes again. If there was one thing that she couldn't stand, it was lazy bastards.
"Yoshitoki." Chigusa said, knowing quite well that the boy wouldn't hear her. He was out cold. He was still breathing thankfully, so it wasn't like there was another dead body on her hands. Nothing to see here. Chigusa was pretty much ready just to leave him there, but she stopped herself. She looked over at Noriko. Weren't they friends? Chigusa didn't really know actually, she never really spoke to either of them in school. Yoshi was a friend of Shuuya who was... her mind suddenly lapsed over to the poor boy that died first. She blinked. From what she heard, both Yoshitoki and Shuuya were orphans in the same shelter. Best friends, just like Hiroki was to Takako. A small twinge of guilt rocketed through her system and she looked down at the unconcious Yoshitoki again. Sugi wouldn't leave him here. Sugi would feel bad for him, wake him up and see if he was alright. What would he think if he found out that I left this boy here to die?
... God damn it, you're going soft. Alright. Fine. Wake him up. But once he opens his eyes, it's back to looking.
"Get up," Takako said, giving Yoshitoki a hard kick in the side. She felt sorry for him, but the feeling was only slight. She had to find Hiroki. She was only stopping because she felt bad for the boy, but if he wasn't getting up then she wasn't going to bother wasting five minutes of her life just shaking him awake.
Takako sighed. She called out to Noriko. "Noriko! Get over here! It's Yoshitoki! He's fine! Out like a light though! Maybe you could do help me with-"
BANG
"Noriko." Takako blurted out, her eyes going wide.
That gun sounded way too far to come from the tangerine grove but even still it caught Takako by surprise. It was close. There was a bad feeling in the pit of her chest when she heard that loud gunshot, like she had heard it before. Every gunshot had a different concussion, a different tone. Takako was no expert in this field. She had heard so many guns that she almost grew used to them. Yet her mind kept telling her that that gunshot was a bad thing indeed. She couldn't... figure it out. Takako had to find Hiroki. She had to know that he was alive. She growled down at Yoshitoki and kicked him again.
"Lazy fuck," Takako spat, her proddings growing more urgent. She was almost ready to scream. "Yosh- Kuninobu! Wake up! God damn it wake up!"
"We can't stay here," she said as she walked further into the tangerines, losing sight of Noriko. She had calmed down to an extent, weaving in and out of the grove in a vague attempt to find Hiroki. Her voice grew louder. "We have to find him. Hiroki won't kill anyone on purpose. Doesn't have the nerve. He's a walking target. He'll-"
Takako hadn't been paying attention to where she was going, and with all her jiving around she bumped into something without realizing it.
Someone to be exact.
To be more specific, Yukata Seto with his chest practically opened up like a half-assed surgical procedure. Chigusa's blood went cold. What happened with Kayoko, getting stabbed in the head, paled in comparison to the true horror that laid on the ground before her. Kayoko was killed quickly, like a mercy kill. The killer showed him absolutely no mercy, and what is even worse is the fact that (while she hated to admit it) a sickle could easily - no, she was going crazy. Yukata looked like he had been dead for a while now. Flies were starting to swarm inside his exposed chest. Couldn't be Hiroki. Hiroki was a little kid at heart, he was always so fucking passive agressive. He knew kung-fu but never used it. He backed away from fights. He couldn't, WOULDN'T kill someone this way. Chigusa knew it. Besides... who the hell would hurt Yutaka? He was the class clown. She didn't really KNOW Yutaka but he seemed so meek, no way he would attack someone. Yeah, that's right. Whoever did this must have been a deranged psychopath and definitely not Hiroki.
"..." Chigusa gave Seto a grim look. She looked to his hand. An ice pick, dabbed with a coat of blood. She blinked, wrestling the pick out of his hand. It wasn't that she needed it but, well, it looked sharp. And apparently it managed to break skin, seeing as even the timid Yukata actually used it. She studied it, giving the tip a very light prod. It pricked her finger, and she quickly put it in her mouth. It was damn sharper than it looked. She gave Yukata another quick look, her face still very unreadable. She had to give him credit, Chigusa had expected Seto to lay down like a dog and die but apparently he put up a fight. Chigusa could respect that. She reached her hand over to his eyes and closed them with two outstretched fingers. Rigour mortis was in it's early stages, she had to tug to get his eyes closed but she managed. She let out a sigh. "Rest in peace you poor bastard."
She stood up tall, gun in one hand and an icepick in the other when she noticed another body laying on the ground. She rolled her eyes, like someone had just spilt a drink on her shirt. It was troublesome. Takako took a few steps forward. It looked as though he was being crushed by the bag on his back. What the hell did he have in there? It was stretched to the extremities. She took another step forward, almost ready to unzip his bag when she noticed that the corpse... wasn't exactly a corpse. Yoshitoki Kunibo laid there on the ground, breathing heavy but still very much alive. Chigusa blinked. The bastard was still alive. He was just sleeping. Takako rolled her eyes again. If there was one thing that she couldn't stand, it was lazy bastards.
"Yoshitoki." Chigusa said, knowing quite well that the boy wouldn't hear her. He was out cold. He was still breathing thankfully, so it wasn't like there was another dead body on her hands. Nothing to see here. Chigusa was pretty much ready just to leave him there, but she stopped herself. She looked over at Noriko. Weren't they friends? Chigusa didn't really know actually, she never really spoke to either of them in school. Yoshi was a friend of Shuuya who was... her mind suddenly lapsed over to the poor boy that died first. She blinked. From what she heard, both Yoshitoki and Shuuya were orphans in the same shelter. Best friends, just like Hiroki was to Takako. A small twinge of guilt rocketed through her system and she looked down at the unconcious Yoshitoki again. Sugi wouldn't leave him here. Sugi would feel bad for him, wake him up and see if he was alright. What would he think if he found out that I left this boy here to die?
... God damn it, you're going soft. Alright. Fine. Wake him up. But once he opens his eyes, it's back to looking.
"Get up," Takako said, giving Yoshitoki a hard kick in the side. She felt sorry for him, but the feeling was only slight. She had to find Hiroki. She was only stopping because she felt bad for the boy, but if he wasn't getting up then she wasn't going to bother wasting five minutes of her life just shaking him awake.
Takako sighed. She called out to Noriko. "Noriko! Get over here! It's Yoshitoki! He's fine! Out like a light though! Maybe you could do help me with-"
BANG
"Noriko." Takako blurted out, her eyes going wide.
That gun sounded way too far to come from the tangerine grove but even still it caught Takako by surprise. It was close. There was a bad feeling in the pit of her chest when she heard that loud gunshot, like she had heard it before. Every gunshot had a different concussion, a different tone. Takako was no expert in this field. She had heard so many guns that she almost grew used to them. Yet her mind kept telling her that that gunshot was a bad thing indeed. She couldn't... figure it out. Takako had to find Hiroki. She had to know that he was alive. She growled down at Yoshitoki and kicked him again.
"Lazy fuck," Takako spat, her proddings growing more urgent. She was almost ready to scream. "Yosh- Kuninobu! Wake up! God damn it wake up!"
Yoshi had been dreaming. Dreaming of when he was young. Sure, he remembered what had been happening, but in the dream, it just felt like a bad dream to him. He was back in the orphanage, with Shuuya, and Ms. Anno... They were young... They were playing together, just like old times. It had to be a nightmare, Ms. Anno promised that they would never be on the program. That night in front of the TV, she promised. Ms. Anno wasn't a liar, and she was one to keep her word. He smiled softly to himself at the comforting thought, throwing his ball back to Shuuya. They were in a large field... It didn't seem quite right now large it was, but he paid no attention to it. Hey, it was nice, they had more room than they'd ever had before. Infact, now that he glanced over... It looked just like their school! It was! He looked down over himself, and he'd aged almost 6 years in what felt like moments. Shuuya beckoned. "Hey, Yoshi! You seem like you just saw a ghost! Get ready, here it comes!" And with that he watched his best friend in the world throw the ball. He laughed, and the moment that he caught the ball, he heard a faint voice in the distance. It almost sounded like it was coming from the steps. He turned his head over to look at the source.
It was Taokako! What could she want? He leaned in just a bit. ""Lazy fuck."
Was it even me she was yelling to? He felt a sharp pain in his side and doubled over. The entire world started to fade black. He looked down to his side, and noticed blood... Blood on his... his friend... "S...Shuuya..." He muttered in shock again. His friend's head was pierced by a small round hole. A choked cry echoed from his lips. "Y...Yosh..." His eyes slowly closed, as he exhaled hard, blood lolling out of his mouth, staining his white, pristine teeth.
He turned his head back, tears rolling down his cheeks. What is... Why is this happening again...
Taokako was so much louder now. "Yosh- Kuninobu! Wake up! God damn it wake up!" Wake up? What? He was awake... He was awake and Shuuya was dead! He felt another extremely sharp pain in his side. The entire world finally went black.
--------------------------
"SHUUYA!" He sat bolt upright, panting with fresh, white hot tears in his eyes. He looked around in a panic, before noticing the body of Yukata. He jumped back, the pack jostling hard and pulling him back down to earth. He landed flat on his back. "Taokako?" The one thing he remembered from the dream. He voice was so prominent. He panted, waiting for his vision to come back to him. The blood on his face was dry, and caked. Every time his face contorted, another chip of dried blood would crack of fall off.
Light began to filter through. It took what felt like hours, but it had only been seconds in reality. He pushed himself up, looking for a sign of life... Well, other than his recently deceased classmate. Upon turning his head, he noticed himself face to face with the voice that had shaken him out of his nightmare. "TAOKAKO!" He screamed, latching on to her with joy. She was the first sane person he had actually seen yet througout this entire ordeal! Finally, someone who wasn't killing people on sight! He thought for a while that he may still be the only sane one left... And if so, what then? If he had played to win... Would he still be sane? Either way, it didn't matter. He had someone else who could at least be with him in his final few days. He continued to pant, finally letting go. "It's so good to see someone else who isn't playing... Thank you for stopping Chigusa." He had finally calmed down enough to resume proper ettiquitte and actually use her last name. "Are you alone?" He looked around, spotting another figure in the distance. Well, that answers my question. He thought to himself, trying to still calm down from the amazing amounts of adrenaline coursing through his body.
It was Taokako! What could she want? He leaned in just a bit. ""Lazy fuck."
Was it even me she was yelling to? He felt a sharp pain in his side and doubled over. The entire world started to fade black. He looked down to his side, and noticed blood... Blood on his... his friend... "S...Shuuya..." He muttered in shock again. His friend's head was pierced by a small round hole. A choked cry echoed from his lips. "Y...Yosh..." His eyes slowly closed, as he exhaled hard, blood lolling out of his mouth, staining his white, pristine teeth.
He turned his head back, tears rolling down his cheeks. What is... Why is this happening again...
Taokako was so much louder now. "Yosh- Kuninobu! Wake up! God damn it wake up!" Wake up? What? He was awake... He was awake and Shuuya was dead! He felt another extremely sharp pain in his side. The entire world finally went black.
--------------------------
"SHUUYA!" He sat bolt upright, panting with fresh, white hot tears in his eyes. He looked around in a panic, before noticing the body of Yukata. He jumped back, the pack jostling hard and pulling him back down to earth. He landed flat on his back. "Taokako?" The one thing he remembered from the dream. He voice was so prominent. He panted, waiting for his vision to come back to him. The blood on his face was dry, and caked. Every time his face contorted, another chip of dried blood would crack of fall off.
Light began to filter through. It took what felt like hours, but it had only been seconds in reality. He pushed himself up, looking for a sign of life... Well, other than his recently deceased classmate. Upon turning his head, he noticed himself face to face with the voice that had shaken him out of his nightmare. "TAOKAKO!" He screamed, latching on to her with joy. She was the first sane person he had actually seen yet througout this entire ordeal! Finally, someone who wasn't killing people on sight! He thought for a while that he may still be the only sane one left... And if so, what then? If he had played to win... Would he still be sane? Either way, it didn't matter. He had someone else who could at least be with him in his final few days. He continued to pant, finally letting go. "It's so good to see someone else who isn't playing... Thank you for stopping Chigusa." He had finally calmed down enough to resume proper ettiquitte and actually use her last name. "Are you alone?" He looked around, spotting another figure in the distance. Well, that answers my question. He thought to himself, trying to still calm down from the amazing amounts of adrenaline coursing through his body.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler T-Fox. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Noriko was snapped back to reality from her tangerine-related bliss when she heard someone conversing in the distance. One of the voices was distinctly Takako's. The other one was male, and it sounded familiar... Noriko immediately grabbed her daypack, walking briskly towards the source of the voices. As she passed the tree obscuring Takako and the boy, she got a good look at the other participant of the conversation.
"Nobu!" Noriko exclaimed, practially throwing herself onto the poor boy in a crushing hug. So focused on the fact she had found possibly the only male left she felt she could trust, she didn't even register the dead body laying a few feet away. She just sat there, squeezing Nobu as hard as she could, thankful he was alive. As much as she had tried for the past half a day or so, she just couldn't keep it in anymore, and wept. She buried her head into Nobu's shoulder, the tears making a wet spot on his uniform.
There were so many things Noriko wanted to say at that point, but nothing was forthcoming from her clenched throat. Of all the shit that had been going down for the last day, the lack of food, the lack of sleep, the killing, this moment was pure heaven for her. There was no need for words.
"Nobu!" Noriko exclaimed, practially throwing herself onto the poor boy in a crushing hug. So focused on the fact she had found possibly the only male left she felt she could trust, she didn't even register the dead body laying a few feet away. She just sat there, squeezing Nobu as hard as she could, thankful he was alive. As much as she had tried for the past half a day or so, she just couldn't keep it in anymore, and wept. She buried her head into Nobu's shoulder, the tears making a wet spot on his uniform.
There were so many things Noriko wanted to say at that point, but nothing was forthcoming from her clenched throat. Of all the shit that had been going down for the last day, the lack of food, the lack of sleep, the killing, this moment was pure heaven for her. There was no need for words.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the former handler Rocky.
Yoshitoki sprang up and started screaming Shuuya's name at the top of his lungs, which make Takako take a step back. The hell was wrong with him? It didn't cross her mind that he had been having a bad dream. Takako thought he was nuts. Then he started calling her own name, and she took another step back. Was he happy to see her? Chigusa barely even knew him! And then he got to his feet and hugged her! Chigusa's face distorted to one that could be mistaken for disgust.
"Ahh." Takako stammered, her cheeks alight. She wasn't used to people... touching her. "G-G..."
She wanted to tell Yoshitoki to get off of her but she was afraid of how he would react. Besides she kind of pitied the boy. He must have been having it very rough to react in such a way. So she put up with it, at least for the sake of being nice to him. He finally let go of her and she let out a sigh of relief. She stared at Yoshi, brushing her stomach off. "Noriko. Sug-Hiroki was with us but he ran off..."
Then there came Noriko, bounding around the corner and rushing up. Chigusa's eyes went wide. Please hug him. Please don't hug me. Thankfully she didn't, and she managed to keep herself at a composed manner, but now wasn't the time for small talk. Hiroki was still out there, and that loud gunshot was making her nervous. She grabbed her gun and placed the icepick in the band of her skirt, lifting her back up high and turning in the direction that the gunshot came from.
"..." Chigusa scowled, almost impatiently. "I'm sorry to break this reunion up but we have to get going. NOW. Can't stop here."
"Ahh." Takako stammered, her cheeks alight. She wasn't used to people... touching her. "G-G..."
She wanted to tell Yoshitoki to get off of her but she was afraid of how he would react. Besides she kind of pitied the boy. He must have been having it very rough to react in such a way. So she put up with it, at least for the sake of being nice to him. He finally let go of her and she let out a sigh of relief. She stared at Yoshi, brushing her stomach off. "Noriko. Sug-Hiroki was with us but he ran off..."
Then there came Noriko, bounding around the corner and rushing up. Chigusa's eyes went wide. Please hug him. Please don't hug me. Thankfully she didn't, and she managed to keep herself at a composed manner, but now wasn't the time for small talk. Hiroki was still out there, and that loud gunshot was making her nervous. She grabbed her gun and placed the icepick in the band of her skirt, lifting her back up high and turning in the direction that the gunshot came from.
"..." Chigusa scowled, almost impatiently. "I'm sorry to break this reunion up but we have to get going. NOW. Can't stop here."
"Noriko. Sug-Hiroki was with us but he ran off..."
And... And Noriko? This had to be a dream! This was too good to be true! It had only been a day since he'd seen them last in the classroom, but... It felt like he'd grown five years since then. Shuuya died... And he expected that she would be next. There was no way this was real. But why make a dream into a nightmare this soon?
As soon as he had unlatched himself from Taokako, he reached to give Noriko a hug... Before he was almost swept off of his butt by her own similar gesture. He was sure as hell being crushed, and this entire thing was making the spot where Chigusa had just kicked him hurt like a Son of a Bitch... But he just did NOT care! "Noriko..." For the first time in what felt like years, he was crying. But crying tears of happiness. He buried his face in her shoulder, closing his eyes, just never wanting the moment to end. At least he could die alongside someone he knew, trusted... Maybe even die happy.
As much as he knew that this happiness would need to end, he didn't want to admit it... But he was indeed snapped back to reality by Taokako's voice.
"I'm sorry to break this reunion up but we have to get going. NOW. Can't stop here."
Come to think of it... He had heard Gunshots. How many more were dead? The next announcement would come soon, and there was no sense of thinking of it now. There was no one else on this island he really cared about that much... Noriko... Was here! "Y....Yeah..." He sniffled, letting go of her very reluctantly. "Where though? Where can we go that's safe?"
And... And Noriko? This had to be a dream! This was too good to be true! It had only been a day since he'd seen them last in the classroom, but... It felt like he'd grown five years since then. Shuuya died... And he expected that she would be next. There was no way this was real. But why make a dream into a nightmare this soon?
As soon as he had unlatched himself from Taokako, he reached to give Noriko a hug... Before he was almost swept off of his butt by her own similar gesture. He was sure as hell being crushed, and this entire thing was making the spot where Chigusa had just kicked him hurt like a Son of a Bitch... But he just did NOT care! "Noriko..." For the first time in what felt like years, he was crying. But crying tears of happiness. He buried his face in her shoulder, closing his eyes, just never wanting the moment to end. At least he could die alongside someone he knew, trusted... Maybe even die happy.
As much as he knew that this happiness would need to end, he didn't want to admit it... But he was indeed snapped back to reality by Taokako's voice.
"I'm sorry to break this reunion up but we have to get going. NOW. Can't stop here."
Come to think of it... He had heard Gunshots. How many more were dead? The next announcement would come soon, and there was no sense of thinking of it now. There was no one else on this island he really cared about that much... Noriko... Was here! "Y....Yeah..." He sniffled, letting go of her very reluctantly. "Where though? Where can we go that's safe?"
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler T-Fox. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Noriko's moment of happiness was cut short by Takako's voice, telling them they needed to keep moving. The girl peeled her face away from Nobu's shoulder, wiping her face on her sleeve. She was right. If they just stayed there, crying to each other, then they would be sitting ducks for anyone who was looking for easy targets. Reluctantly Noriko raised up, holding a hand out to Nobu to help him up.
"So... where to next?" Noriko asked. She was vaguely aware that there had been gunshots, and if it was up to her, then they would be heading away from said shots. Something in her heart told her Takako would decide to go towards them and what they would find there would not be pleasant for any of them.
"So... where to next?" Noriko asked. She was vaguely aware that there had been gunshots, and if it was up to her, then they would be heading away from said shots. Something in her heart told her Takako would decide to go towards them and what they would find there would not be pleasant for any of them.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the former handler Rocky.
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The Director
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:29 pm
((Yoshimi Yahagi continued from Rumble))
It wasn't anything personal.
In her current state of mind, Yoshimi was far from capable of holding grudges. As it happened, Yoshimi Yahagi wasn't too far different from any of the other frightened kids still living on the island. There were however, two very key distinctions between her and the rest of her fellows.
Number one was her attitude. After all, Yoshimi had been part of Hardcore Souma's gang (amazingly still going strong at the halfway mark of the game) and as such, crime came a little bit easier to her.
Oh sure she'd been coerced into the majority of it by Mitsuko and/or Hirono, but Yoshimi still had to have that sort of disposition. It'd almost been drilled into her.
Number two was her weapon. Fact was, Yoshimi was scared much like anybody else. A scared girl with her finger on the trigger of a very powerful gun was a recipie for disaster. Who would trust HER anyway? She was a bad sort, in a gang... she had no hope of finding allies. Not even Yoji had been trustworthy in the end, and if you couldn't count on your boyfriend, who COULD you rely on?
Nobody, that was the answer to that.
Yoshimi's ears pricked up when she heard voices. She had been looking at the tangerine trees longingly, not for their fruit, but for how peaceful they seemed - reminder of better times. The voices had jarred her straight out of that temporarily tranquil mindset, jarred her out hard. Hefting her uzi, Yoshimi crept towards the source of the sound.
Kill them before they kill me, simple as that, simple as that. I don't get them, they get me. Who'd trust me? No-one. On my own. Strike first, survive. Simple as that.
It wasn't anything personal.
In her current state of mind, Yoshimi was far from capable of holding grudges. As it happened, Yoshimi Yahagi wasn't too far different from any of the other frightened kids still living on the island. There were however, two very key distinctions between her and the rest of her fellows.
Number one was her attitude. After all, Yoshimi had been part of Hardcore Souma's gang (amazingly still going strong at the halfway mark of the game) and as such, crime came a little bit easier to her.
Oh sure she'd been coerced into the majority of it by Mitsuko and/or Hirono, but Yoshimi still had to have that sort of disposition. It'd almost been drilled into her.
Number two was her weapon. Fact was, Yoshimi was scared much like anybody else. A scared girl with her finger on the trigger of a very powerful gun was a recipie for disaster. Who would trust HER anyway? She was a bad sort, in a gang... she had no hope of finding allies. Not even Yoji had been trustworthy in the end, and if you couldn't count on your boyfriend, who COULD you rely on?
Nobody, that was the answer to that.
Yoshimi's ears pricked up when she heard voices. She had been looking at the tangerine trees longingly, not for their fruit, but for how peaceful they seemed - reminder of better times. The voices had jarred her straight out of that temporarily tranquil mindset, jarred her out hard. Hefting her uzi, Yoshimi crept towards the source of the sound.
Kill them before they kill me, simple as that, simple as that. I don't get them, they get me. Who'd trust me? No-one. On my own. Strike first, survive. Simple as that.
Chigusa gave Noriko and Yoshitoku a glare, motioning her head for them to move with her. She stepped forward without really thinking, not bothering to peak out and make sure that anyone was coming. Maybe she would have avoided getting herself into trouble.
Chigusa stepped out into the open. It was smart that she looked to her side, or else she would be dead. Yoshimi Yahagi was a few meters away from her, with a big machine gun in her hands. Yoshimi was literally facing her, not looking in HER direction but pretty damn close and Chigusa, completely foolhardy, had stepped out from the row of trees into the line of fire. Yoshimi literally had a good shot of Chigusa, but Takako ran back as quickly as possible, trying in vain to dodge whatever rain of bullets that came from that gun.
Chigusa felt her blood go cold, and she could remember the exact words from the fat man at the big chair ringing in her ear.
"Third and fourth to die, in quick succession, Male Student #8, Yoji Kuramoto and Female student #19, Chisato Matsui - both at the hands of somebody who is rapidly emerging as top gun on the island."
Takako was a logical girl, and it only took her a second to register everything. There was a head killer on the island that has killed two plus people. That fucking play on words lead her to believe that this person had some type of gun and a machine gun could level the playing field pretty easily. Yoshimi had a machine gun. She was holding it like she was ready to spray anything that stepped out. Those were the only reasons she needed. Jumping to conclusions? Yes. Did she have reason? Had Yoshimi been ANY girl, no, but this wasn't just a girl. Yoshimi was a part of Mitsuko's gang, and that meant bad news.
Just as quickly as she had walked out, Chigusa spun around and leaped back. Yoshitoku and Noriko had to get out of there, hide way back in the trees or even run off.
"Hide." She growled under her breath, clanking the safety on her gun back. "Yoshimi's got a gun. She saw me. I'll lead her off."
She didn't elaborate. She didn't think she would have to. Takako had been thinking of no one but herself and her best friend ever since Hiroki left, but now when there was real danger, her mind suddenly shot to Yoshi and Noriko. Noriko had a gun but she never used it, and Yoshi didn't have any weapon at all!
What the hell was she supposed to do? Run?! Yoshimi was in the general direction of where she needed to go! Did she kill Hiroki? Oh shit, did Hiroki stumble into her, got cut up and is bleeding to death in a heap? Takako really, REALLY wished this wasn't the care. Even so, there was only two things she could do - stay here and fight, or run away and abandon Hiroki. To her the answer was obvious. She wasn't going to leave Hiroki. She had to find him. She had to keep Yoshi and Noriko safe too. So no matter how she tried to rationalize it, Chigusa was going to have to fight Yoshimi.
Chigusa stepped out into the open. It was smart that she looked to her side, or else she would be dead. Yoshimi Yahagi was a few meters away from her, with a big machine gun in her hands. Yoshimi was literally facing her, not looking in HER direction but pretty damn close and Chigusa, completely foolhardy, had stepped out from the row of trees into the line of fire. Yoshimi literally had a good shot of Chigusa, but Takako ran back as quickly as possible, trying in vain to dodge whatever rain of bullets that came from that gun.
Chigusa felt her blood go cold, and she could remember the exact words from the fat man at the big chair ringing in her ear.
"Third and fourth to die, in quick succession, Male Student #8, Yoji Kuramoto and Female student #19, Chisato Matsui - both at the hands of somebody who is rapidly emerging as top gun on the island."
Takako was a logical girl, and it only took her a second to register everything. There was a head killer on the island that has killed two plus people. That fucking play on words lead her to believe that this person had some type of gun and a machine gun could level the playing field pretty easily. Yoshimi had a machine gun. She was holding it like she was ready to spray anything that stepped out. Those were the only reasons she needed. Jumping to conclusions? Yes. Did she have reason? Had Yoshimi been ANY girl, no, but this wasn't just a girl. Yoshimi was a part of Mitsuko's gang, and that meant bad news.
Just as quickly as she had walked out, Chigusa spun around and leaped back. Yoshitoku and Noriko had to get out of there, hide way back in the trees or even run off.
"Hide." She growled under her breath, clanking the safety on her gun back. "Yoshimi's got a gun. She saw me. I'll lead her off."
She didn't elaborate. She didn't think she would have to. Takako had been thinking of no one but herself and her best friend ever since Hiroki left, but now when there was real danger, her mind suddenly shot to Yoshi and Noriko. Noriko had a gun but she never used it, and Yoshi didn't have any weapon at all!
What the hell was she supposed to do? Run?! Yoshimi was in the general direction of where she needed to go! Did she kill Hiroki? Oh shit, did Hiroki stumble into her, got cut up and is bleeding to death in a heap? Takako really, REALLY wished this wasn't the care. Even so, there was only two things she could do - stay here and fight, or run away and abandon Hiroki. To her the answer was obvious. She wasn't going to leave Hiroki. She had to find him. She had to keep Yoshi and Noriko safe too. So no matter how she tried to rationalize it, Chigusa was going to have to fight Yoshimi.
Yoshi had been blissfully unaware of everything going on around the trio since they'd woken him up. And he was perfectly happy to be that way. His mind was as far away from the game or the island or the killings as it probably could be when he was sitting ten feet away from a corpse. He just couldn't take his eyes off of Noriko. He couldn't believe it, she was alive. And here, beside him. They would be fine... Everything had to be just fine now. Sure his rib hurt like a son of a bitch, but hey, a few weeks of rest and he'd be as good as new!
That was, at least until he saw Noriko's face when she came darting back, her gun drawn as if they were in the middle of a firefight. Oh, shit. No, not now.
"Hide. Yoshimi's got a gun. She saw me. I'll lead her off."
Her voice was barely audible, but he was able to make out every single panic ridden word. He responded in kind, leaning in close to Chigusa, speaking as absolutely softly as he could manage with his side in as much pain as it was. "No, don't go off on your own. We can't lose you, we can just run."
In reality, Yoshitoki had no idea what their plans or destination really were, and he had no idea why. But damned if he didn't think getting shot at was a good enough deterrent, regardless of the reason. Then again, if Noriko was being held hostage by Yoshimi, wouldn't he risk his life to save her? Whatever it was, it had better have been good. "At least let's come up with a plan before you try and lure the girl with the gun away from us. Or even just some place to reconvene." He shook his head, this was crazy. They could really die here.
To have the only sane people left on the island (that he knew about anyways) wrenched from him not mere minutes after he'd met them...
He couldn't think about it. "Any ideas? We are getting out of here alive. I made a promise to someone to do just that... And I plan on getting you guys out of here too." Hopefully the waiver in his whisper didn't give away his uncertainty too well. He had no idea how the hell he could get off this island with the others in tact. He knew nothing about electronics or explosives, and he was pretty damn sure they didn't either. But he still had to try. I've got to avenge Shuuya... What better way than to beat the system?
That was, at least until he saw Noriko's face when she came darting back, her gun drawn as if they were in the middle of a firefight. Oh, shit. No, not now.
"Hide. Yoshimi's got a gun. She saw me. I'll lead her off."
Her voice was barely audible, but he was able to make out every single panic ridden word. He responded in kind, leaning in close to Chigusa, speaking as absolutely softly as he could manage with his side in as much pain as it was. "No, don't go off on your own. We can't lose you, we can just run."
In reality, Yoshitoki had no idea what their plans or destination really were, and he had no idea why. But damned if he didn't think getting shot at was a good enough deterrent, regardless of the reason. Then again, if Noriko was being held hostage by Yoshimi, wouldn't he risk his life to save her? Whatever it was, it had better have been good. "At least let's come up with a plan before you try and lure the girl with the gun away from us. Or even just some place to reconvene." He shook his head, this was crazy. They could really die here.
To have the only sane people left on the island (that he knew about anyways) wrenched from him not mere minutes after he'd met them...
He couldn't think about it. "Any ideas? We are getting out of here alive. I made a promise to someone to do just that... And I plan on getting you guys out of here too." Hopefully the waiver in his whisper didn't give away his uncertainty too well. He had no idea how the hell he could get off this island with the others in tact. He knew nothing about electronics or explosives, and he was pretty damn sure they didn't either. But he still had to try. I've got to avenge Shuuya... What better way than to beat the system?
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler T-Fox. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Noriko's happiness over finding a friendly face was getting lower and lower with each passing moment. Takako had told them to hide, which at this point the girl was not going to question why, ducking down. Subconsciously she wrapped her arms around Yoshitoki's part for comfort, and part to make sure they stuck together. Takako said Yoshimi, and Noriko immediately know that meant bad news. She was a delinquent through and through, being a member of Mitsuko's gang. Granted she didn't always seem to have her heart in it like Mitsuko or Hirono, but the fact still remained. Who knew what she was capable of?
Noriko stayed silent, letting Takako and Nobu plan their next move. As long as the group stayed together, then she would be fine with whatever they came up with. She was not losing any more friends if she could help it, and although her and Takako may not have been on the best terms before, but the last 24 hours or so really helped them bond, at least in Noriko's eyes. She trusted the girl to watch her back, and Noriko would return in kind if needed. For now, she just tried to keep her breathing steady, and hope that Yoshimi didn't come to find them.
Noriko stayed silent, letting Takako and Nobu plan their next move. As long as the group stayed together, then she would be fine with whatever they came up with. She was not losing any more friends if she could help it, and although her and Takako may not have been on the best terms before, but the last 24 hours or so really helped them bond, at least in Noriko's eyes. She trusted the girl to watch her back, and Noriko would return in kind if needed. For now, she just tried to keep her breathing steady, and hope that Yoshimi didn't come to find them.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the former handler Rocky.
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The Director
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:29 pm
Somebody appeared. Chigusa. The 'ice queen'. Not a person that the gang tended to mess around with too much. She was a pretty tough one - too much hassle to deal with when there were easier targets. Not today, it seemed.
Despite having heard the voices already, Yoshimi was slightly taken aback by how suddenly Chigusa showed up. She was supposed to be creeping up on them. As such, Chigusa was already turning tail when Yoshimi raised her uzi and fired off some rounds. She knew she'd missed the moment she fired.
Why do they have to move so fast? So much harder!
Yoshimi wasn't a very good shot with the uzi and it was telling. If she was better, she would have been able to take out Kusaka and Takaguchi in addition to Matsui back at the farmhouse. The recoil was far too much for her to deal with without losing her aim entirely.
She advanced, gun still raised.
"Just give up!" she called out. "Y-you can't hide! I have t-this!" to punctuate this, she fired off a few rounds, without much hope of hitting anything, just to keep up the threat.
Despite having heard the voices already, Yoshimi was slightly taken aback by how suddenly Chigusa showed up. She was supposed to be creeping up on them. As such, Chigusa was already turning tail when Yoshimi raised her uzi and fired off some rounds. She knew she'd missed the moment she fired.
Why do they have to move so fast? So much harder!
Yoshimi wasn't a very good shot with the uzi and it was telling. If she was better, she would have been able to take out Kusaka and Takaguchi in addition to Matsui back at the farmhouse. The recoil was far too much for her to deal with without losing her aim entirely.
She advanced, gun still raised.
"Just give up!" she called out. "Y-you can't hide! I have t-this!" to punctuate this, she fired off a few rounds, without much hope of hitting anything, just to keep up the threat.
(Noriko's actions were like totally Rocky's idea)
To be honest, Yoshimi had always struck Chigusa to be the less extreme member of Mitsuko's gang. Chigusa had always thought that the girl was a poser or something. Mitsuko's gang was bad news, and the fact that Yoshimi was packing heat and wasn't hesitating to use it made Chigusa nervous. Chigusa had been lucky (or unlucky, really depended on how you viewed it) to stumble far enough to see her before she was riddled with bullets. But the space between Chigusa's would-be attacker and Yoshitoku and Noriko was far enough for Yoshimi.
Chigusa didn't really show how much she was worried. In fact, it appeared as though she were agitated rather than worried. She grit her teeth. "Well I'm sorry Yoshi but we don't have time to come up WITH A PLAN!"
Noriko was one of those nice girls who wouldn't hurt a fly. Yoshi didn't even have a gun. Chigusa looked down at her piece and turned back to the opening. She grumbled. Looks like someone had to play hero here, and it wasn't going to be either of them. Chigusa didn't really want to but she was going to have to be a hero.
"Get going. Run away." She whispered, waving them off. "I'll distract her. You run the other way. She might think I'm alone and follow me."
Chigusa didn't have anything else to say. If they had all run away together, Yoshimi might catch up and start firing. Chigusa was the star runner on her team. She could outrun anything Yoshimi could throw at her, or at least she hoped, but that wasn't the case for the other two. They would be sitting targets. Chigusa could try to play human shield but that just seemed dumb. This idea sounded just as dumb but it made some sense.
Noriko spoke up before Chigusa had time to turn around. "Wait. You don't have to do this. We can all stick together. We'll be fine."
"If I stay with you, we'll be sitting ducks. You two just found each other. I don't want Yoshimi to end that."
Noriko felt very sad all of a sudden. "You're still looking for Hiroki, aren't you?"
There was no real response. Chigusa just stayed quiet. This was all the answer Noriko needed, and she quickly took her gun and handed it over. Takako looked down at the gesture. She wasn't confused, but it looked like she wasn't going to take it.
"You're going to need all the help you can get," Noriko said. "It sounds like she has a machine gun or something, a second pistol is about as much help as you can get."
Chigusa shook her head. "Can't. You guys don't have any other weapons."
Noriko frowned. "We'll be okay, really. Just take it."
Takako hesitated for a moment before taking the S&W from Noriko. She spun the barrel around with the edge of her other gun before quickly pocketing it. Chigusa looked at Noriko for another moment, forcing out a tiny "Thank you." Noriko just smiled and waved it off.
"Good luck," Noriko quietly encouraged, and Chigusa just nodded before turning around.
Chigusa leaped out of the trees and fired a shot at where she thought Yoshimi would be. Chigusa had no doubt that she would miss, but her plan didn't involve hitting Yoshimi at all. She fired off another round before quickly hightailing it. Chigusa ran off as fast as she could. And she hoped to god Yoshimi would follow or else they would be very screwed. Chigusa had no doubts that Yoshimi would follow her. All she had to do was lead Yoshimi away from the Trees. So damn simple.
(Continued in Crimson Sunset)
To be honest, Yoshimi had always struck Chigusa to be the less extreme member of Mitsuko's gang. Chigusa had always thought that the girl was a poser or something. Mitsuko's gang was bad news, and the fact that Yoshimi was packing heat and wasn't hesitating to use it made Chigusa nervous. Chigusa had been lucky (or unlucky, really depended on how you viewed it) to stumble far enough to see her before she was riddled with bullets. But the space between Chigusa's would-be attacker and Yoshitoku and Noriko was far enough for Yoshimi.
Chigusa didn't really show how much she was worried. In fact, it appeared as though she were agitated rather than worried. She grit her teeth. "Well I'm sorry Yoshi but we don't have time to come up WITH A PLAN!"
Noriko was one of those nice girls who wouldn't hurt a fly. Yoshi didn't even have a gun. Chigusa looked down at her piece and turned back to the opening. She grumbled. Looks like someone had to play hero here, and it wasn't going to be either of them. Chigusa didn't really want to but she was going to have to be a hero.
"Get going. Run away." She whispered, waving them off. "I'll distract her. You run the other way. She might think I'm alone and follow me."
Chigusa didn't have anything else to say. If they had all run away together, Yoshimi might catch up and start firing. Chigusa was the star runner on her team. She could outrun anything Yoshimi could throw at her, or at least she hoped, but that wasn't the case for the other two. They would be sitting targets. Chigusa could try to play human shield but that just seemed dumb. This idea sounded just as dumb but it made some sense.
Noriko spoke up before Chigusa had time to turn around. "Wait. You don't have to do this. We can all stick together. We'll be fine."
"If I stay with you, we'll be sitting ducks. You two just found each other. I don't want Yoshimi to end that."
Noriko felt very sad all of a sudden. "You're still looking for Hiroki, aren't you?"
There was no real response. Chigusa just stayed quiet. This was all the answer Noriko needed, and she quickly took her gun and handed it over. Takako looked down at the gesture. She wasn't confused, but it looked like she wasn't going to take it.
"You're going to need all the help you can get," Noriko said. "It sounds like she has a machine gun or something, a second pistol is about as much help as you can get."
Chigusa shook her head. "Can't. You guys don't have any other weapons."
Noriko frowned. "We'll be okay, really. Just take it."
Takako hesitated for a moment before taking the S&W from Noriko. She spun the barrel around with the edge of her other gun before quickly pocketing it. Chigusa looked at Noriko for another moment, forcing out a tiny "Thank you." Noriko just smiled and waved it off.
"Good luck," Noriko quietly encouraged, and Chigusa just nodded before turning around.
Chigusa leaped out of the trees and fired a shot at where she thought Yoshimi would be. Chigusa had no doubt that she would miss, but her plan didn't involve hitting Yoshimi at all. She fired off another round before quickly hightailing it. Chigusa ran off as fast as she could. And she hoped to god Yoshimi would follow or else they would be very screwed. Chigusa had no doubts that Yoshimi would follow her. All she had to do was lead Yoshimi away from the Trees. So damn simple.
(Continued in Crimson Sunset)