divine!

Yonaga’s sudden embrace surprised Kiibo. His chest didn’t exactly make for something soft to rest your head against, but seeing as Yonaga had initiated this physical contact Kiibo figured that wasn’t bothering her. This was the first time he had received a hug from anyone. Although he wasn’t quite sure how to return the embrace he couldn’t say he disliked it.

“I only arrived here recently as well. I haven’t been able to meet up with everyone yet, but it seems we were given a second chance. This is more than I could ever have asked for. It is only appropriate that I show my gratitude by devoting myself to helping others.”

Kiibo hadn’t been able to make sense of this strange city just yet, but for some reason or another he felt like he didn’t necessarily have to. How, when and why might not be the most important questions to answer. Instead he would make sure he knew the answer to the question: what is it I want to do? 

Still, Kiibo couldn’t pretend the 53rd Killing Game Semester wasn’t on his mind. To be able to move on he had to close that chapter of his life. Trying to explain to truth to Shinguji hadn’t exactly gone well, so Kiibo wouldn’t be sharing his knowledge with the others again until he felt the time was right. That said, he did need to know what everyone knew to avoid conflicts in the future.  

“This might be a strange question to ask, but what is the last thing you remember before waking up here?”

          “kiibo, that is wonderful~!” angie cheers and jerks back suddenly, throwing her arms out to the side. she’s thrilled to hear such a positive line of thinking coming from him; she believes everyone deserves as much, especially those with such a pure heart ( and even if kiibo technically didn’t posses the organ; angie knew he had a soul just as human as anyone else! ). “your gratitude is appreciated! kami-sama has surely heard your will and will guide you in the right direction on your journey. good for you, kiibo!” 

          she beams, her happiness for him knowing no bounds. it’s a new feeling to feel so happy for someone for reasons other than devotion to god─ but ever since the killing game began and she discovered friendship, angie had been discovering all sorts of new emotions. she’s sure it’s god’s will she experiences this and, while she doesn’t understand them fully, is thrilled to learn about all the new aspects of friendship. 

          ...speaking of the killing game, he’s brought it up. not that she minds, though. this is kiibo she’s talking to; their bond formed through their makeshift student-council has left her with the utmost trust for him. besides, maybe now she can figure out what happened after her... departure. her chest aches at the thought─ another different feeling, but a few quick thoughts of her god and friends brings her right back to her usual mood. 

          “well, angie had just finished preparations for the resurrection ritual. but angie needed just one more item! so she went to find it so the ritual could be complete! it was kami-sama’s will, after all~!” she bird-walks the point but quickly composes her thoughts, “but then angie discovered something bad! definitely not what kami-sama would want!” once more, angie pauses; it’s strange, she thinks.

✝ : something about her reaction said a thousand words. someone who spends as much time reading humans as he does can decipher such. a reoccurring theme of each classmate showing up with different spans of memory was prominent, but how far did her knowledge go? this was his first time seeing her, but with a reaction like that, perhaps she has a bit more knowledge than she should. it was possible with amami, so why couldn’t it happen again with her. 

the dead coming back. 

“you speak as if it is not a terrifying thing that takes over one’s being. do we not remember what was a result of this mess? a break in a group over something as ridiculous as religion is rather absurd. where i seek eternal peace is nowhere with your god.” 

          “no, no~! that is ridiculous!” regardless, angie shakes her head, retaining her chipper tone, “kami-sama doesn’t take over anyone, there are simply people who believe in them and people who do not.” she explains. she tilts her head and claps her hands before her chest, letting her gaze fall from korekiyo.

          “oh? it appears you are the one who remembers incorrectly,” she starts, her voice dropping, “the mess you speak of was not kami-sama’s doing! they have only unified people together. and, therefor, you cannot be speaking the truth!” she says with absolute certainty, “however... a certain sin would have lead to misfortune~. that is what kami-sama is telling me.” her smile falters a mere moment, dazed by the recollection of the very last thing she remembers seeing. 

✝ : “my, even beyond the killing game, you are still so diligent in getting people to believe in that god of yours. do you plan on converting this whole city? careful, the people here are not as bright. they might just fall for it.”

what a familiar face. he’d smile with faux innocence as a hand fell upon his cheek. 

          “oh..?” she pauses. that face jump starting a vivid string of memories─ much different than those she shares with her other classmates. after all; he’s the last face she’d seen before that. it’s a different feeling─ one she’s yet to feel. 

          but she recovers quickly. 

        “kami-sama is a god to all, you see~. i simply spread their word, as their divine vessel. there is no converting, only believing! and those who believe will be forever blessed by their presence.” she claps her hands together with a passive smile and dark eyes before leaning forwards slightly, jutting out a finger towards the man before her.

          it's NO secret that angie has some rather.... unique practices in due to her upbringing. one such practice required another person and, since she’d only been within stella city for a few days now, she didn’t really KNOW anyone that she could ask to volunteer. and, so, angie would take to the next best thing: finding a stranger to help her out. it wasn’t like the artist had any boundaries to begin with. 

Yonaga’s cheery voice reached Kiibo before he saw her. A jolt of electricity went through him when he turned to face the direction her voice had come from and he made eye contact with her. There she was, just like he remembered her to be. She was like the sun: warm and radiating life. 

“Yonaga-san! If you say this is Kami-sama’s will, then it has to be! We should thank them properly later. And I am quite well, thank you for asking. This city is strange, but I know I will get used to it in due time.”

While Kiibo’s reunion with Gokuhara had made him metaphorically teary eyed, this reunion had the opposite effect on Kiibo. Yonaga’s positivity was too infectious to not rub off on him. Some might say all Yonaga’s presence did was turn Kiibo’s brainwashed mode back on, but that wasn’t how Kiibo saw it. 

Wanting to express even more how happy he was to see Yonaga, he decided he had to touch her. Sharing physical contact was a sign of trust and closeness, was it not? He had wanted to hold her hands, but fearing he would accidentally turn it into a handshake again he tried something he had never done before instead. 

“It is good to see you,” Kiibo beamed as he gently rubbed her head. It surprised him how soft her hair was. His own synthetic hair felt nothing like this! “Is this an appropriate way to show you I’m happy to see you? I apologize if this is rude of me.”

          there’s an odd, foreign feeling that wells up within her the moment kiibo responds with such familiar enthusiasm; angie was FAR from someone who was properly socialized and, in turn, never had anyone she was particularly attached to ( other than her god, but, that’s a pretty unique case ). she can’t even really say she was close to the people on her island: they were connected by tradition and formalities. her classmates, though, were another story─ even if angie herself didn’t quite understand yet. 

          so, maybe.... perhaps THIS is what it feels like to miss someone.

          whatever the feeling, angie can’t help but let out a small cheer of delight. it appears kiibo hasn’t changed since she first met him, and it’s an absolute delight to see him again. she’s never really known what it feels like to be so thrilled over someone other than her god but, hey, there’s a first for everything! it’s a bonus that he hasn’t seemed to forgotten his devotion, either─ she always knew he was brilliant in that sense!

          “yes, yes, we have all the time in the world to thank him, now~! he will be very happy to hear from you!” she chirps delightfully, clasping her hands together. she can’t truly describe how thrilled she feels; and it isn’t JUST because kiibo had decided to follow her in the past ( or, what some would consider the ‘brainwashing’. angie never saw it like that ), but because he was a rather enjoyable companion. a friend.

          it’s a bit of a surprise when kiibo reaches forward to stroke her hair. she immediately relaxes under the touch, though. it’s different than what she’s used to, having nothing attached other than warm familiarity and no underlying intentions─ but it feels good all the same. impossibly so, angie’s smile widens. instead of responding verbally, angie moves forward to embrace him in a hug. en even-leveled, genuine hug. 

          "nyahaha~! of course it is okay! angie is happy to see you too!” she confirms, “even though it is surprising... angie was almost worried she wouldn’t see anyone again. how silly, yes? of course kami-sama wouldn’t let anything bad happen, for now we are together again! how long have you been here? angie has just arrived!”

          perhaps waking up in this city hadn’t been some confusing, worrisome thing after all─ even if not by her choice, necessarily, angie was coming to appreciate the fact that she ended up here. a sort of blessing in disguise from god himself, perhaps? it was better than the alternative, anyway. besides, she’s been finding more and more friends here, maki being no exception. 

          angie first spots the girl looking gloomy, as per usual, outside one of the other housing districts within the city. at first, angie hadn’t been sure whether she would see anyone she knew after waking up. but now, she’s sure that all of this MUST be where everyone was meant to be. right...? 

          material things weren’t always of high importance to angie; anything she needed could typically be found somewhere close when she had been living on the island. however, now her circumstances were much different. she wasn’t able to find what she needed in the room she had woken up in, and that was something she needed to change. fortunately, her god was on her side and she was able to find the mall rather quickly ( or: she was able to wriggle the information from some poor pedestrian ).

          but now, angie faced another problem. not only was everything scattered about the mall, but her.... height wasn’t exactly accommodating. the city must be damned to have everything at such an inconvenient location, she thought. her island was much better at keeping things organized. but, thankfully, a solution was presented to her in the form of another mall-goer; one tall enough to reach the very items she needed.

          quite frankly, angie isn’t TOO surprised to see kirumi of all people tidying up the lobby of their living quarters on the way to her room. okay, well─ maybe it’s a little bit of a surprise to see her here at all, but angie isn’t too concerned over those details. sure, her last memories of the other aren’t the best, but angie isn’t concerned. in fact, she completely disregards the memories and moves to lean on the table kirumi seemed occupied with. she leans in, smiling as she does so.

          it’s while she’s exploring her new school ( hopefully, this one won’t end up like her last... transfer ) that angie happens upon yet another familiar face─ and instantly brightens her features. angie skips around the other students littering the courtyard to land in front of shuuichi saihara, a face she knows quite well.

          it’s initially the smell that catches her attention. she didn’t intend to stop for something to eat when she headed out that morning, but she’s suddenly reminded about just how hungry she is when she passes by ( even god’s vessel needs to eat-!! ). she swings open the doors and trots to the counter, eyes widening at all the different selections─ some of which she’d never seen before! but it isn’t what’s on display that really catches her attention; it’s whatever the boy behind the counter is currently working on. without thought, angie moves over to get a closer look. rather, as close as she can without hopping over the counter. 

          “how divine~!” it was pure coincidence the artist stumbled upon the little flower shop, but she’s almost positive it was her god’s will─ the amount of colors and variety of flowers that adorn the shelves are simply stunning. some even resemble the floral life angie remembers from her island, though she’s sure they can’t be an exact match. what she IS sure of, though, is that she absolutely needs some for her room. and.. maybe a ritual or two, as well.

          “yahoo~!” she calls out, eyes searching for the master of the plants, “angie would like some of these! kami-sama says so!” she hums, gently prodding at one of the pedals, “i simply must have some! what sort of offering do your people take~?” she leans from side to side, not bothering to look up from the flowers to meet the eyes of whoever’s around─ surely one will feel honored to carry out her kami-sama’s will, right...? 

          the city is a bit confusing, to say the least. angie had a long way to go before she was anywhere near adjusted to city life─ and it was so vastly different from her island! the islander ends up wandering the streets with no real destination in mind, ending up somewhere that has the potential to help her learn a little more about this place: the library.

          the wide array of books is magnificent; any person with an interest in reading could likely spend hours scouring the shelves for something to read. however, angie isn’t just any person: there’s a specific set of interests she’s got on her mind right off the bat. but she’s never been to a library of this size and, therefor, isn’t quite sure where to begin... 

          until an official-looking person meanders on by. what a poor, poor soul.