Hello, 初めまして, 你好

An issue I have with you.

I can’t accept that you’re a vampire.

Lucian visibly flinched when Barako said that, and it just kept going from there. Getting worse. She was– she was attacking him, mocking how he dressed and how he acted. This wasn’t like Ren saying they didn’t like him because he didn’t know boundaries, this was different. This was personal. And then she’s talking about dissection and lying through her teeth, right to his face, about it’s not that I don’t believe you.

And it hurt.

He wasn’t sure when exactly the tears had welled into his eyes, or when the lump rose in his throat. Hoshimi spoke up, and he was grateful, really. She still had his back.

“… So you were… just making fun of me because… because why? Because I wasn’t like you? Just because I look different, just because I’m not human anymore?” Lucian’s voice trembles, but there’s an edge of hurt defensiveness there. "Are you jealous because I’m… I’m comfortable knowing who I am?” But he’s not comfortable being torn down. He’s not.

“I’m not the only one! I run several of the blogs! The vampire who turned me was part of the medical community! I don’t… I don’t know everything, I’m just– I’m doing my best, okay? I got my title for a reason, because Hope’s Peak sees my research and sees that I’m making a difference!” Or maybe he wasn’t.

Maybe everyone who indulged him was just like Barako. Just like Yoshiro.

How many people were lying to him?

“Everyone else is just scared to come out of the darkness because of people like you.” His cheeks and nose flush a little and he is blinking back tears, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around himself.

“I’m dead. I don’t have a pulse. I’m not alive. And I don’t– I shouldn’t have to prove I exist to everyone just to have you stop making fun of me!” Lucian’s eyes squeeze shut and he leans forwards, finally uncrossing his arms to put his face in his hands.

It hurt. Everything about what Barako was saying hurt. Several seconds pass as he takes a shaky breath before continuing, softer. “… You even… you said it was your blood. You didn’t have to. You could have… could have just…” But he trails off instead of finishing the statement. “And you were just laughing at me while I believed you.”

... Barako isn’t sure how to respond to his words.

The vampire who turned him was part of the medical community? What? That part made her pause especially. But hearing everything else is what made her pause. So that was how it was, huh? Barako keeps a composed expression as she hears him.

“... yes Domnul Ravenholm. I’ll admit that I lied to you. I did it because I didn’t believe you. And my initial assumption was you were simply playing some kind of... insane game with myself. Perhaps that was wrong of me, considering your feelings are obviously hurt. I am sorry for that.”

Barako leans back and crosses her arms.

“And perhaps Abe-san is correct. Ultimately this isn’t my argument to make. So perhaps I should just leave you with my brutally honest opinion and let you to your own devices. But I will say this, Domnul Ravenholm.”

“I think you do know a lot about vampires. They’re a cultural touchstone over multiple different societies and countries. Studying such commonalities in mythology is hardly an unnecessary practice. In fact I do the same thing in my work with translation. It is my own talent in fact, to understand the nuances of a wide variety of people and put them into words others might understand.”

She leans back in forward.

“I also know for a fact you’re an individual who likes to wear ostentatious clothing, heavy makeup and has no compulsions about drinking other people’s blood. All of that describes you yes. And culturally, symbolically and according to myth those elements are associated with vampires. It’s clear you have an affinity for them. All of that... well... I wouldn’t necessarily like you, but I’d at least understand where you’re coming from. It’s what your claims say about the world at large, not just yourself that irked me.”

“My point is: I don’t think you’re stupid or anything. At least not anymore. Hearing you say all this I... actually have some doubts lingering in my own mind. Though I won’t say what they’re of since they’re mere hypothesis,” she finishes as she rubs her chin.

Hoshimi or Keiko or someone HAD to have checked whether or not Lucian had a pulse or a heartbeat at this point. Online he could’ve probably hidden that, so it’s doubtful Keiko could’ve gotten any real information.

Hoshimi HAD to have put her ear to his chest by now, right? Either out of affection or curiosity. So... maybe Lucian really didn’t have a heartbeat or pulse? But that wouldn’t make sense. There’s no way someone could live without a pulse-

... life without a pulse...

“D-domnul Ravenholm?” Barako began, “... would you mind if I listened to your chest? I mean... just so I can know for certain. AFTER ALL I... I figured you’d have no issue PROVING to myself that you are indeed one of the walking dead, correct?”

“Yeah, I know I was really pushing the idea that I wasn’t Sachiko and was just assigned to take her place after we assassinated her. You know, in order to seamlessly acquire her business as part of our plan for chocolate-based world domination. Super competitive industry which is very viable for taking over the world.  Alas, the facade has broken! It was really me the whole time. How terrible.”

She had never once said that to anyone, and in fact had just made it up on the fly. She really didn’t like to improv and wasn’t usually so much one for sarcasm as she was for being outright scathing, but desperate times (such as not getting upset over perceived insults) called for desperate measures. Despite the fact that I have very suddenly realized that timeline-wise it’s entirely viable for her great-grandparents to have been influenced by this ‘OneCar’, Sachiko either doesn’t realize it or chooses to ignore it in favour of shooting Barako a dark look for suggesting she could use more whimsy in her life.

“…”

It was probably better for the both of them to focus on the more pressing matter of ‘where, pray tell, the fuck are we.’ Shifting her weight slightly to rest on the other foot and crossing her arms, she looked anywhere but directly meeting Barako’s eyes as she pondered on the matter herself for a moment. “Doesn’t really matter if we know where ‘here’ is for now. It’s a bit more of an issue if the people who are allegedly rescuing us don’t know where ‘here’ is, assuming they even exist in the first place.”

She didn’t seem particularly convinced that anyone was going to show up, but equally didn’t seem to be too bothered by the notion. Hm. “If you want to find out that badly, I’d just suggest making sure you stay alive long enough to get answers. Just because we can talk face to face now doesn’t mean that whole ‘kill each other’ thing is necessarily over. We’re still stuck here, after all. I don’t think that the tangible evidence of permanent death  is going to dissuade people.”

Sachiko just shrugged, seeming almost a little bit smug for being so cynical about the situation. “Oh well. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised by our class for once.” With how dismissively she said it, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say she wasn’t expecting whatever surprised the future held to be pleasant.

“That’s some cold reassurance,” Barako nodded at the girl but smiled at her bit of improv.

“Again, Tsujiguchi-san, I’m sorry for laughing. You’ll have to pardon my occasional outburst,” she breathed deeply and proceeded to smile.

“Anyway. I suppose we should discuss this later? And you are right. I have no intention of dying. In fact quite the opposite, I fully intend to live through this to the best of my ability,” she nods at the girl.

“Oh, Rose-san, multumesc. I just didn’t recognize you.” He smiles apologetically. He glances at Hoshimi, wondering for a moment why Barako was addressing him instead of the one she had come over to talk to, until she started talking.

His smile drops instantly, and his brow furrowed a little. With each word that Barako said, it was almost like he deflated just a bit more.

His chest felt tight, and for a moment he was really glad that he didn’t have a heartbeat – if he had, it would hurt even worse against that awful crushing feeling. He opens his mouth, once, twice, his fangs obvious despite this being real life.

“… Really?” Lucian finally asks, his voice small. “You… why?”

He crosses his arms over his chest and looks down at a spot in the middle of the table. “I don’t understand. If you aren’t a robot, why did you pretend to be one?”

“... well...” Barako begins as she rubs the back of her head and looks away apologetically.

“I guess the initial impetus was that I didn’t know we’d be in a killing game of all things,” Barako admitted, “and I assumed things would be over quick or wouldn’t escalate as bad as they did but... well look at where we are now.”

It was the truth! It wasn’t like Barako would know Lucian would get his legs paralyzed or that Reina, Katsumi, Keiko and Emiko would all die. Things as they were now were drastically different than when Barako made the lie... though partially she can’t help but still internally blame Lucian a bit for buying something very obviously fake.

It almost felt even more rude to have to treat Lucian as a child about these things but... well here we are.

“Lucian... I’m sorry about what happened. To your legs and about my suspicions of you at the trial. If I offended in that regard, that’s my own fault and I’ll accept that,” Barako sighed.

“And I’ll also accept that telling you all that was also not something I should have done so casually... but it does all stem from a larger issue I have with you. As an... acquaintance,” Barako inhales and lets out an exasperated sigh.

“Domnul Ravenholm... I can’t accept that you’re a vampire,” she states simply, “it just raises too many questions. Like... okay, say you are immortal and over 200 years old. Are you the only one? Or are there more? If there are more than... where are they? Why does no political or scientific establishment talk about them? Why aren’t there official newspaper articles and webpages dedicated to discussing what’s going on in the immortal undead creature community?”

“Do they hold a masquerade to keep mortals from knowing of them? If that’s so then... why do you walk into every room dressed as Lestat going ‘Hello I am vampire man I am undead and immortal let me suck your blood’! Shouldn’t they have stopped you by now!?” Barako’s pupils have dilated a bit and she’s gripping her head. The thing here is... she doesn’t even sound accusatory or desperate. Just confused.

“And if you’re the only one then... why hasn’t HPA’s associates or some medical study come out about you? The literal MIRACLE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE. Most movies and indeed anything have taught me that if there’s something that defies normal convention science would do all that they could to know more about it! And again, you’ve never once attempted to hide or cloud this fact so... why is there no agency looking to dissect you? And yes I say dissection because if what you say is true they would technically be opening up a dead body,” Barako continues with an exasperated tone.

“There’s just so many things your claim makes me question that I can’t really accept it without something... very hard and concrete on top of that,” Barako admits, “It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s that I can’t believe you. Because to believe you would be to change my understanding of the world itself on faith alone which is... a lot to ask someone.”

This is Barako’s honesty. She might still think Lucian a fool, but a pitiable fool. She isn’t showing hatred or malice or... anything toward him other than the simple fact: she disbelieves. She disbelieves him just as much as if he were claiming to be Santa.

And then... she looks to Hoshimi. She certainly has a relationship with Lucian but given her talent... she’s not entirely sure WHY she’s so close to Lucian. Is there really something unique about him?

….

Who was that?

His smile dropped and was immediately replaced by confusion, and he tilted his head to the side while he tried to figure out who he was looking at. As for himself, he looked… surprisingly the same. Long blonde hair, wavy. He was notably smaller and very thin, and strangely enough he was wearing a BITE ME t shirt and skinny jeans instead of the extravagant stuff he wore in VR, but it’s no wonder that Barako identified him to herself quickly.

Misunderstandings in the trial… someone that Hoshimi thought it was nice to see…?

“Salut, uhhh…. Sssenchamoto-san…?” Wait, no, Ochako was paler, wasn’t she? Hrm. “You can join us if you like.” He nodded towards another seat at the table. [CW: eating disorder] A plate of food was in front of him, but despite it being a small amount he didn’t really seem to be eating much. [/cw]

Oh how to approach this. Damn. Damn damn damn damn... he still thought she was a robot didn’t he?

“Uhm...” Barako began as she coughed a bit.

“Domnul Ravenholm?” Barako says nervously before approaching the two, “It’s me... Sekise-san? You know... the uhm... robot...”

She takes a seat across from the two and swallows the bile in her throat before continuing.

“Domnul Ravenholm... the truth is. I’m not a robot. I wasn’t made by ‘Doctor Magnar’. And I don’t protect the earth from Aliens. All of that was... a lie,” she admits.

It was readily apparent to her that this was going to sour quickly, and she could only hope that their conversation about appearances wouldn’t be brought back up. Boy, this… definitely had been a pretty massive mistake on her part. But as with all things in life, she would simply have to own it! ‘Own it’, in this context, meaning growing clearly more annoyed by the second. That comment about the jacket, though, that one stung. Same shit as always. Not a single thing she’d said or done up to that point had mattered after all. She glanced down briefly, unconsciously, down to herself - same skirt, same shoes, same socks, same self. Nothing wrong. Nothing wrong. Why was this bothering her so much, then?

“Yeah, well, I like my clothes too! It’s how my dad, and his dad, and his dad dressed too, so I guess being formal just runs in the family. It’s a whole appearance thing you probably wouldn’t get unless you knew any of them like I did.”

Her dad. Mister Bucket. That one stung too, but the fact that Barako was laughing at her couldn’t have been anything good. It meant she hadn’t said that for the reason she immediately thought - Barako had no way of knowing anything about her family - but still, was laughing at her nonetheless. There wasn’t anything wrong. She hadn’t told any jokes. It probably would have relieved her annoyance a lot more to clench her fists without her gloves, but oh well. She would not show weakness. Even if she felt how much it hurt, if she just ignored that, pretended she was still in the simulation–

“Is something funny, Sekisei-san? Did I tell a joke and just forget about it or something? Really, I’m curious as to what you’re laughing at, Sekisei-san.”

Her cold tone seemingly faltered just a little bit for a moment there, but she collected herself just enough to drop back into that familiar iciness right at the end. Despite how clearly not composed she was, it was equally clear that she was trying to act like she was. Sachiko had been ready for it to be awkward, or for people to be surprised, and she thought she had been ready for people to laugh at her. She had, apparently, thought wrong. This was exactly why she’d crafted that appearance for herself - to avoid this exact kind of shit.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Barako said apologetically as she composed herself.

“It’s just... odd to see you in reality and remind myself you’re the same Tsujiguchi-san I met online,” she smiled at her wistfully, “I don’t know. I suppose my mind tricked me into thinking you’d be an entirely different person in reality but here you are and you haven’t changed a bit.”

Barako closed her eyes and smiled.

“Ah? Your family wore those clothes? Pardon. I was making an allusion to a rather famous children’s story about a Chocolatier. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? OneCar is the name,” she continued to smile until eventually she opened her eyes, “I apologize if you don’t like to be associated with such... whimsical characters. But then I think you could do with a bit more whimsy in your life.”

Barako proceeded to brush her hair back and give her a more serious expression.

There were a lot of things that Sachiko was, and scared was not one of them.

That being said, ‘mentally prepared to meet her classmates face to face’ was also not one of them. But they didn’t have to know that. They already knew who Sachiko was, the kind of person that she was. If they hadn’t changed their opinions of Keiko (rest in peace) after they discovered her real appearance, they probably wouldn’t change their opinions of her! Or, if they had, they would still be… intimidated by her or something? And wouldn’t say it? Ugh, the more she thought about it the less she wanted to leave, but the more she waited the less likely it was that she’d be able to keep the same composure that she had in VR when she finally did. One, two, and before she could get to three she straightened her back and walked through that door with her head held high and the same resting expression of vague displeasure that she always wore.

Sort of.

Aaand oh man someone else was already out and about, huh. It almost felt weird to not be looking down on just about everyone again, and if she had been less determined she might have just quietly crept back into her room right then and there, praying that she had gone unnoticed. But this was like, a second first impression, almost! She could not fuck this up. Especially not now when she really, really did not have the same sort of physical presence anymore. It’d have to be all personality now. You can do this, Sachiko. Even if it’s Barako, who is super pretty in real life. It’d almost be nice getting to talk to her as not-a-robot, were it not for the whole ‘oh shit I’m shorter than her now’ thing. Just start with a good ol’ neutral testing of the waters. Mmmhm. Safe bet.

“I guess I’m not the only one who couldn’t wait to get out of there, hm?”

The crossed arms weren’t really as disdainful-looking out in the real world. Dammit. Oh well. She’d been trying to seem at least a little more approachable. Maybe this mild disaster being able to talk to people face to face like… that, would help?

“I was just checking to see if there was a-” she pauses and stares down at the girl for a second.

“Tsujiguchi-san?” she smiles down at her with a somewhat pleased expression. It was bizarre. Seeing Sachiko like this... not a whole lot was different and yet everything felt oddly much more precious about her with her size adjusted. Her attitude, once cold and detached, seemed practically adorable now. Like a tiny dog trying to be intimidating.

“I see your sense of fashion does not change. Although I do like the dress suit over the lolita-dress. I think it gives you a bit of a mature edge,” she barely holds back a bit of a laugh.

After the counts were made and Kurokuma said his piece, all Barako could do was look at the theatrical makeup artist and sigh.

“Why? Emiko…” Barako closed her eyes and just looked down.

“Keiko was…” she grabbed her head and squinted harder “she was my friend. She and I… what was so important?”

Her expression changed from sadness to anger. Apparently remembering Keiko and their talks brought up some deep resentment in her now. You could see her clothes shift from a somber blue to a more dark navy.

“What was so important for you to hide that you’d kill to protect it? Why? Is there something under that mask of yours you really don’t want us to see? Tell me. Tell me RIGHT NOW why Keiko had to die so we couldn’t see the real you!”

“I understand,” Barako says to the first part, “I understand completely. And believe me. I’m not letting Morita-san off the hook with this.”

She gives Nao a look with her one eye and then looks back over to Hoshimi.

“I’m saying this has gone far enough now and we should re-focus on our investigation. And I would suggest anyone who has any spare evidenceplease show it now,” Barako huffs.

“And yes. In case you’re wondering. I did in fact suspect Lucian initially. But I wasn’t going to name any names for the sake of being courteous, and I wouldn’t have made such a forward accusation anyway considering as you said: yes he does have trouble walking. Unless Tsujiguchi-san heard anything unusual with the footsteps then we can probably rule him out,” Barako says as she meets Hoshimi’s glare.

“If that upsets you then I apologize. But it’s important to consider all angles when it comes to murder. Even the ones that might disgust or offend you.”

“Alright. That’s enough,” Barako says.

“Everyone stop insulting Morita-san right now. You can probably guess he doesn’t particularly care if all of you hate him and spewing vitriol like this is just going to make you all irrationally angry and distracted from the important part, Keiko’s murderer,” Barako says.

“The last thing Keiko would want any of us to do is throw out Schoolyard Insults when there are more important matters to attend to. I’m not asking you to like anything anyone says or acts. I’m telling you to suck it up for now and face a goddamn murder trial with some dignity and tact,” Barako scolds openly. Her expression is cold and she is clearly irritated by a lot of things right now.

Barako coughs.

“Before we officially start,” she says, “I would like it if everyone in the room helped me with something.”

Barako pulls out a book. The book displays a large, giant like figure with a person below casting what appears to be a spell.

“This is a book Keiko gave me… it’s a game she was hoping to run for us some time,” Barako sighs.

“She… she wanted each of us to write our names and what class we’d like to play as on this sheet-” Barako says as she holds the sheet out. On it are some words written out in different handwriting.

Barako Sekisei: Wizard

Nao Morita: Rogue

Yuki Aisaka: Bard

Michi Kishi: Paladin

Ochako Senchamoto: Rogue

Sachiko Tsujiguchi: Warlock

“I would like it if everyone were to write their name and class here,” Barako says, “as a… sort of farewell to Keiko, I suppose.”

“But… as for the trial itself,” Barako begins as she keeps the paper out, waiting for someone to come and write on it.

“… I believe the bruises on Keiko’s body were inflicted after she was murdered,” Barako says.

“The wound on her neck severed a vital artery, she would have died near instantaneously,” she continues.

“Furthermore, used bandages and a pair of bloody scissors were found near the body. As well as a roll of medical tape in her left hand,” she continues as she looks around the courtroom.

“I didn’t understand some of it, but… I think I did pretty well! I’d give myself, like, an A+ or something!” She puts the book down and applauds herself. Learning is always fun when it’s easy, I guess. “Are you sure you aren’t, like, a teacher or something? You remind me so much of some of my old teachers! There’s no way someone as mature as you is a high school student!”

Barako smiled at her. Good! She could read and write well enough it seemed.

“Yes, yes, you passed with flying colors!” she agreed with a nod and a smile.

“And no. I am no teacher. Just a dedicated student,” she smiled before turning a page and then suddenly giving Yuki a... slightly concerned look.

It was a day in the Translation room as Barako proceeded to do some typing out on her tablet. Smiling to herself as Yuki sat across from her.

“Alright Yuki. I’ll first be explaining the basics of English,” Barako said with a smile, “now the hardest part about being a native Japanese speaker trying to learn English is that English has many more word sounds than Japanese. As such trying to speak English without sounding stilted will be difficult…”

Barako placed down a sheet of paper in front of Yuki. There was a funny picture of a cartoon lion on it with the English word “Lion” below it.

What is she doing here… Sorry I’m late Yoriko-sensei, A tripped over a stray cat… No, Yuki. This is Barako, not that old mean English teacher… and that cat jumped out in front of you! Not your fault that you fell.

“Now let’s see... Yuki dear?” Barako pulls out a book and hands it to her, “can you please read me back chapter 1?”