Disclaimer: I don’t own anything except the original scenarios these characters are placed in and both original characters. Anyone got any ideas for a title for this fic?!
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Something hot and viscous dripped down the back of his neck, trickling underneath the damp collar of his shirt. Choked noises gave way to a sickly bubbling of fluid and finally a dull thud. It was a full minute before Hiroki Sugimura realised he was still alive. His skin gave a disgusted shudder as he shifted round. In the grass bordering the shrine’s crumbling steps another student lay dead. His face was bent mercilessly out of sight, but Hiroki could still see the wooden stem of Renzo’s axe buried deep into yielding skin and bone. At Hiroki’s feet was a crossbow, loaded and ready to shoot him in the back.
“I scared you.ESugimura glanced back round, his gaze fixing on Renzo, who was leaning almost casually against the shrine’s outer door as if he hadn’t just taken someone’s life. Infact the amusement was blatant in his sardonic smile.
“Y-you saved me.E
“You honestly thought I was going to kill you hmm? I suppose everyone does.EFor a fleeting moment Hiroki swore he saw something closer to pain in the older boy’s eyes. “N-no..well maybe, but...I’m sorry.EHiroki bowed his head shamefully, it was unlike him to judge someone so superficially. Chigusa had always said that his tolerance was the thing she liked best about him.
With a grunt of acknowledgement Renzo stepped past him and leant over, pulling the axe free with a sickening crack.
“Kazushi Niida, no great loss there.EHe commented with an air of disdain. Hiroki nearly jumped as Renzo flicked his wrist and sent blood splattering over the stone steps, “You might want to clean up Sugimura-kun.E
“Huh?E
Renzo sighed and tucked the axe into his waistband, kneeling down infront of Hiroki he began to undo the buttons of his creased shirt. “Kibugami-kun!EThe brunette raised his hand to bat Renzo’s fingers away. Renzo gave him a condescending look, “There’s blood all over your shirt baka. I don’t strip people for the fun of it.EAgain, Hiroki lowered his head embarrasedly, a hint of pink settling over his cheeks and let Renzo slip his ruined shirt off. “You’ve got a spare right?E He nodded and fumbled for his backpack, pulling out a freshly pressed gym shirt. Before he could put it on, Renzo’s hand closed over his shoulder and his looked up sharply, “I don’t want to fight you know.EThe red-haired boy’s expression lay somewhere between dour and defiant.
“Come with me then...I’m going to look for--E
“Takako? Mimura? I know who you hang out with.E
Hiroki nodded, managing to smile for the first time since he’d woken up on this god-forsaken island, “Yeah, I just know they’re still alive.ERenzo returned his smile slowly and got to his feet, waiting until Hiroki was properly dressed to offer him a hand up. As an afterthought he picked up Niida’s abandoned crossbow and handed it to the other student, “Now we can both defend ourselves. Let’s go.EHe didn’t wait for a reply before setting off down the stairs back towards the dirt track below. Hiroki shook his head silently and wondered how he could have been so wrong about someone. Renzo was almost at the bottom of the steps when he ran to catch up. It was always the same, no matter who led the way, Hiroki would follow.
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The sound was so soft, caught on the breeze as it whistled through the clearing surrounding the building that not even the most perceptive listener could have noticed it.
*giggle*
Ryuhei Sasagawa clasped one hand over his mouth and tried to stop laughing. This whole situation was just so comical though. It made his stomach ache even considering his fellow classmates running round like headless chickens, children with toy guns and knives who didn’t have a clue. He’d already come across several battlegrounds where blood ran freely and bodies had just begun to wilt in the afternoon sun. The smell had made him sick at first, but now it was only a minor annoyance. He pondered if this was what killing someone did to a person, made all their earthly concerns fall away like pathetic scraps. It brought another laugh bubbling to the surface as he remembered the last few hours.
*giggle*
Numai had been so trusting, like a faithful puppy dog who sat and waited for him to unpack his weapon. He’d clapped and grinned ignorantly as Sasagawa showed him the sleek 9mm sub-machine gun. Of course his mirth had ended abruptly when Ryuhei unloaded several bullets into his smiling face.
It became a game of cat and mouse after that; some had fought back, especially that little bitch Kanai who’d had the gall to lob a grenade at him from the trees. He’d never liked her to begin with. She gave it all up though, staggered from her hiding place with eyes full of fake tears, her voice was so whiny and high-pitched he had to shut her up.
And then he’d found the best prize of all.
Huddled under a tree by the roadside a poor little geek with nowhere to go and no friends to defend him now. Naturally he’d put up no fight at all, at least he had some common sense, unlike all the others. Ryuhei’s lips curled up into a gleeful smile at the memory.
Poor little Motobuchi-kun.
And now he could see that someone had taken pity on the sad freak. Across the clearing a familiar face was comforting his prize. They were both so oblivious, so naive.
Ryuhei giggled again brokenly and braced himself for the kill.
This was going to be fun.
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“Oi, get back in here.EKazuo felt Kyoichi’s skin flinch beneath his fingers and glanced round. In the doorway Kawada shouldered his shotgun and beckoned them back inside. It suddenly struck Kazuo in a rush how stupid they both were. Anyone, anything could just waltz into the clearing and even without Kawada’s vigilant eyes pick them off-- then they’d be just two more bodies to bag up and send back home. Two more victims of a senseless struggle. He shivered visibly and snatched Kyo’s hand, pulling him back towards the building.
“W-what is it?EKyo asked once they were back in the marginally safer confines of the abandoned warehouse. He pushed his glasses up and regarded Kawada anxiously. The other student merely nodded in the direction of the upper level. “Ask hacker-boy he seems to have some answers.E
Kazuo didn’t wait for Kyo to reply before sprinting upstairs, his knuckles bleached white as he gripped the rusted railing. “Mimura?E
Shinji didn’t look up, not even for a second. His fingertips flew over a modest keyboard and all around him lay the corpses of what looked like a couple of mobile phones and a silver video-camera. A faint sheen of sweat clung to his temples, the concentration etched on his face was absolute.
“Shinji?EKazuo repeated a little louder as he approached the cargo boxes his friend had botched together to form a workspace.
“Shh, I’m working on a way into their computer systems, to get these damn collars off.EHis voice was tight and blatantly distracted. Behind him, Kazuo felt another presence and turned slightly. Kyo stood flanked by Takeshi, whose eyes were bright with hope.
“There’s no way--no fucking way I’m getting blown up.EMimura spat, his typing becoming more vicious for a moment. Kawada laughed with rich amusement from where he leant against the stairs, “Each to their own.EHe muttered and returned to a silent vigil.
Kazuo ran a hand through his damp hair and perched on the edge of the boxes, “Can we help?EHe knew the sentiment was useless, but Shinji’s smile told him it was appreciated nonetheless, “Just give me a few more hours.E
Takeshi made a sour frustrated face at Kazuo, who could only try and placate him with a smile.
For now all they could do was wait and hope.
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In the cool shaded haven on the foliage Ryuhei scowled, his narrow, almond-shaped eyes were laced with a deep-seeded bitterness that had only festered beneath the surface before. His hands were wrapped in such a fierce grip around the grip of the Uzi that each knuckle was bleached a pallid shade of white.
“Kawada.EThe name was less of a word, more a feral growl that emanated from somewhere in his constricted throat.
That bastard was working with HIS victims, HIS kills and he had firepower that more than equalled Ryuhei’s. Plus, Sasagawa suspected, the guts and skills to use it from the casual way he’d carried the shotgun when he called those blind fools back inside.
“Kuso.EThe lanky boy hissed to no one in particular, “Ku-so-yar-ou.EEach syllable felt like a small spike driving into his skull. So much so that he flinched, running his free hand through the greasy strands hanging obscuring his vision.
Suddenly, all his plans were scattered to the wind.
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“You wouldn’t dare.EHirono flicked her fringe from her eyes with a nonchalant toss of her head and stared down the barrel of the handgun. Her own weapon hung from trembling fingertips, that were the only sign of distress betrayed by her lithe form.
“Y-you, how could you?!EThe boy facing her shook with suppressed rage, a polar opposite to her frigid calm. A few meters behind him another student lay slumped against a tree trunk. Each rivulet of bark on its rough surface was edged with crimson threads that dribbled slowly down to stain the dark-haired boy’s shirt.
“Easily, Seto-kun. I want to survive.EShe replied matter of factly, taking a step forward. He backed away, pointing the gun at her as steadily as his treacherous hands would allow. “b-b-but--EBefore he could complete the sentence Hirono sprung forward, raising her arm. The blade she wielded caught the sunlight in wide arch of silver and Seto stumbled back, momentarily blinded. A shot rang out and when he finally looked up Hirono was staring at him in disbelief. A strained smile twisted her lips as a scarlet blossom erupted over her chest, “I should have given you more credit Seto-kun.E
“Hirono?!E
The girl tilted her head and Seto watched in horror as a faint glassiness spread over her gaze and she tottered forward, collapsing at his feet. For a long time the only sounds in Yukata Seto’s world where those of his own ragged breathing and whispered pleas for forgiveness.
E..Se-to-kun...E
With a horrified yelp Seto leapt to his feet, sweeping the handgun over the dense bracken surrounding him. He realised after a panic-stricken moment that he was hearing the voice of a ghost.
“Forgive me Kieta, I couldn’t save you.EA tiny sob welled up in his throat, just as the first drops of rain touched his face like a strangers tears.
“Baka, I’m not dead.ELiijima chuckled, dissolving into a coughing fit that wracked his entire body and caught Seto’s attention immediately. The diminutive student rushed to his best-friend’s side, not even thinking as he flung his arms around the taller boy and hugged him tightly.
“Kieta-kun, I thought you were gone.EKieta’s flushed cheeks gained a little colour and he ruffled Seto’s hair affectionately, “Nope, you’re stuck with me.ESeto sniffled against his blood-splattered shirt, staining it further with guilty tears. “Hey......shh...E
In the shade of the cedar tree, as raindrops strung each leaf and branch with shimmering moisture, yet the sun continued to beat down upon them, the two friends sat in silence until it was time to move on.
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