#bdb2m

Aoiko raced out of the castle doors, followed shortly by Midoritarou. The pair ran up to Maru and Kumi, Aoiko putting herself between Maru and the fallen Kumi, and Midoritarou kneeling at the fox-person’s side. The exorcist reached up to put her hand on Maru’s, her other going to the woman’s shoulder and patting her there. 

“Would you be so kind as to let go of Kumi-san, madam?”

Slowly, hesitantly, and with a thoroughly baffled expression, her grip on them relaxed, the locations where her talons had been held against Kumi’s face clearly marked in blood… violet blood, to be precise. The liquid oozing from Kumi’s injuries was not human red, but rather a purple substance.

Maru backed up from Kumi, and Midoritarou helped the fox-person up, bringing a sewing kit out of his shirt pocket, and attempting to stitch up the tear in Kumi’s robe. They walked forward towards Maru, putting the dagger back inside of their robe, and they growled at her, Midoritarou trying his best to keep up with them as they approached the cat-woman. Aoiko inserted herself between the pair again, her expression positively radiant, and she bowed to Maru.

“Hello! It is nice to meet you again. But please refrain from killing one another, there are students here.”

She looked at the remaining people, and for the first time, it set in that you were outside and in the company of strangers. Unsteadily, the two groups approached one another, until they merged and there was simply one big line of students staring at the exorcist. The groundskeeper reluctantly stopped his attempts to sew Kumi’s ripped clothes, and spoke.

“It’s ni...ice to m…. Meet you. I’m M midoritarou for t those of you who d don’t know me, and t t this is A a aoiko.”

He bowed deeply, joining the exorcist where she stood between Kumi and Maru. It was Aoiko that spoke next.

“We finally got you out of the castle! These are your missing classmates for those of you who don’t know each other… welcome! Unfortunately, you can’t get very far, but the good news is that there’s a village to explore!”

Midoritarou straightened up, and said in a practiced and rather steady tone,

“W welcome to Niji Town!”

The pair posed at the students, both beaming widely, before a growl from Kumi brought their attentions back to the pair.

Rushing after Midoritarou, everyone finds themselves going down a few levels, following the snarls and yelling until they’re standing at something they aren’t sure what to do with. The main gates were large and imposing… and they were impossible to open. Many students have tried, and all of them have failed. It was the only clear exit from the castle, but it had always been sealed.

Until now.

Heck, who cares about Maru? This is a way out! She can yell at who she wants; you’re going to leave. It seems like Midoritarou has a similar idea as he rushes out after the source of the voices, and the dwindling remains of students follow.

They don’t get far, because there’s a new unfamiliar face. Maru, as always, is standing at her imposing height; it’s not stopped many people from picking fights with her, but it makes whoever it is she’s talking to seem much smaller than they are. A cat lady, and… a person in a fox mask. Their clothes are reminiscent of each other, but their face is completely hidden by that mask. Another cat person?!

No, what was more important was that Maru was extremely unhappy to see them in the first place.

“Get away from me, you beast!”

It’s hard to tell when Maru isn’t facing them, but it doesn’t look like she’s totally listening to the person now brandishing a knife at her. She takes a step forward, and lifts the hand that a few are familiar with at this point. The razor sharp claws that once slashed Kuroi’s face were ready for action once more.

“Watch who you’re calling a beast, you fool.”

They pointed their dagger at her. Wait, is this person going to attack Maru? What’s going on? Do they know each other? Do they hate each other? It did seem like Maru had a thing for people dying, but to attack a random… fox… person…

“I am more powerful now. I’m going to hold my ground… and thusly, we shall settle this now. Let’s fight.”

After the execution, the room is filled with the normal, uncomfortable tense atmosphere. Another student dead. They were running out of students - people to be murdered, and people to be executed. There must be a way out. There has to be a way to end this. Ayano and Kazue started an argument with Maru partway through this trial, so perhaps, following up on that is a good idea…?

Before anyone can ask, Maru is off of her throne as always. She isn’t full of the normal frivolous words. No, ‘trial is dismissed’, or… anything. Midoritarou fidgets uncomfortably in his seat, while Hunter stares at the cat woman unsurely.

“You may leave.”

Her voice is clipped, distant; as it has been all trial, it seems like Maru’s mind isn’t totally there. She’s down the staircase before anyone can do a thing. Hunter goes after her, as he always does, but Midoritarou seems to linger behind by a few steps.

And that is when they heard the voices. Going down the expansive staircase, two voices reached the students. One, at this point, they recognized as clearly belonging to Maru, but the other was totally unfamiliar.

A loud whirring sound accompanies lights flickering on in the room. Rather, what Jo had assumed to be a room. Now they weren't so sure what the were in. They pressed their hands against the glass in front of them, trying to figure out where they were. Some sort of glass case? No.

A computer screen.

When Kuroi submitted her vote she really wasn’t sure what to do. Asa? Default? What was the best option they were most likely going to be wrong anyways…so why the hell did it matter. Kuroi voted though for the person who had the most signs of being correct though…which was Asa. She slammed her vote in and then waited…

But when the results ended up being in favor of being right Kuroi was shocked speechless. No witty comments. No asshole remarks. Complete silence from the Sukeban.

She stayed that way for a good while too, long enough that most of the people who could speak right away (including the explanation…) she did not interrupt.

“…………..”

So Asa, as she thought was not their real name…even if it was she was expecting at least a last name with it… just like with Rini. You can’t just have one name…right? Even her alias had a last name to it…but her name wasn’t hidden..anyone could access her actual name. People had their reasons.

Her gaze was adverted from Josef…that was their name now right? She refused to look at them until her thoughts were collected…which they quickly fell back into place once hearing the full story.

“….So the quack was trying to kill you so you only killed him in defense? Figures after hearing what was in his notebook. Hes the one who seemed to have needed psychological help..”

Yuuki was going to object. He wasn't being snarky..! He wasn't trying to frame anyone or accuse anyone... But the trial slipped by him, not like he cared too much for that anyway. He found the killer, and voted accordingly.... Why did it feel like an empty victory, then? Is this what it should have felt like with Rini? Yuuki looked into Asa's (Josef's) eyes and furrowed his eyebrows.

He took the ONIbook and pressed it against himself, trying hard to hold back a scowl. He felt like he was going somewhere with these people... He might have even made a friend or two. Now one of them was going to die. He didn't regret it, of course, but that didn't mean it wasn't going to hurt at least a little. He pursed his lips and looked away.

"... I didn't do anything spectacular... Don't call me kiddo, Asa.. Or Josef.. whatever you want to be called."

He bites his lip and looks down at the ID. He steps back from the other as they moved back to their podium and inhaled for a moment to reply with a sense of timidity.

"You have done some bad stuff, but I think it's forgivable.. Just maybe a little. I have a question... Because well, for reasons-'

Yuuki rubs his neck.

(TW Suicidal Ideation, mentions of Unhealthy Relationships)

"You can call me by my name, you know? Pretty sure you know it, after all, Maru-chan. Josef Amsel. That's me. I think I can use it now."

They sigh, the podium supporting practically all their weight now. Then, slowly, they lean back and pull the edge of their shirt up, revealing several bruises, each almost perfectly circular in shape.

"Haru had the hammer already. Bastard was all set up to use it on me. I just happened to be faster. If that wasn't the case, y'all would be sitting here debating how I died. But I foiled his shitty fuckin' plan of trying to manipulate me and control me and then betray me. Asshole."

Jo pulled their shirt down again, and was back to leaning on the podium.

"Well, you guys got me. Barely. Guess I wasn't as thorough as I thought. Or maybe I wanted to get caught. That was the original plan, after all. Murder my love, then suicide by execution. He promised he'd never leave, after all, and I was going to make sure he'd never break that promise. Too bad I wasn't fast enough to ensure that."

Removing their ONIbook from their pocket, Jo stepped away from their podium and headed towards Yuuki. Once they were close enough, they held out their ONIbook for him to take.

"Congrats, kiddo, you win the prize! The attention only got drawn towards me 'cause of the evidence you found, after all. I'm proud of you."

Just for a moment, the smile they've been forcing wavers as they look at Yuuki. Slowly, as if waiting for Yuuki to stop them, they reach out to ruffle Yuuki's hair.

"I mean it, I am. I know you don't want to hear it, and want to believe otherwise, but you're better than I could ever be. I, uh, left some messages on there. Just in case. It's cliché as hell, but can you deliver them for me? I believe that you can make it through this."

Then they stepped back, and returned to their podium.