#corpsewalker au

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First of all, let's talk about the Adeuce duo. Since they're, like, always with Yuu from the very beginning, it's only natural that they're the first ones who knows about Yuu's.. condition. (Other than Crowley and maybe the teachers?.. Including Sam, of course.)

Ace will definitely be the first one to find out, with the impromptu sleepover and all that jazz. And yes, he will have a mental breakdown. Knowing that the kid who saved your life and kept you from being expelled is actually some kind of zombie? Big fucking L, my dude. But don't worry, Ace will get over it. (Cue all the undead jokes. Yuusha is not pleased, my guy.)

And of the question on how Yuusha died.. It can be anything really! In my own personal opinion, I'd like to think that our beloved undead Directing Student has tragically murdered. By who, you may ask? IDK, but you have to unlock Yuusha's sad backstory first.

Other than that, it's free game! The CorpseWalker AU is made for my own selfish, gore-loving, dark writer heart. If it's either that Yuu died in a house fire or drowned in a lake, their death is completely up to you and me. (RIP Yuusha, they will never know peace. 😔👊)

I also mentioned that non-human characters could notice something's... wrong with Yuu. Like how the Savanaclaw students recoiling at their scent (because Yuu probably smells like a rotting body), or how Octavinelle students like the Leech twins are thrown off by them (mostly because they can smell the blood underneath their robes). Some Diasomnia fae students will also point out the eerie aura of death and despair around Yuu, especially those who are closely intune with dark energy.

Speaking of non-human students.. What about Grim? He's the one who opened Yuu's gate/coffin and the first character that Yuu officially met.

Well.. At first, Grim did notice that Yuu is strange, especially with the stench of blood and all that. But he was too desperate and focused on getting into NRC than actually figuring out on why Yuu feel like that. Of course, after cooling off, Grim.. finally sees Yuu as they truly are.

They're not some kind of fragile, magic-less human-- No, there's more sinister going on. There's this unmistakable air around that the feline-like monster sees, something dark, and cold, and oh-so malicious. However, Grim is a monster first and foremost, he doesn't know much about humans, and probably doesn't know the difference between Yuusha (the first human he ever met) and the other humans. Flaming Cat Son definitely thinks that Yuusha is like any other human, just a little different, like him. (Oh, Grim, you couldn't be more wrong.)

In conclusion, Yuusha is NRC's local cryptic and I will die on this hill.

And oh yeah, Malleus will definitely be put off by this.. zombie(?) walking around on school grounds. They'll still be friends because Yuusha will relate to Malleus' issue of people being intimidated by him, since technically they have the same problem too? (IDK, it's more like Yuusha have some dark vibes and people can see that, while Malleus is more of a power-level kind of issue.)

Anyways, have some random bloopers because I ran out of brain juice after writing this post.

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Malleus, concerned: Child of man, are you aware that your internal organs are spilling out of you?

Yuusha, in their death state: Yea, it just happens something. I've faced much, much worst before. Don't worry about it, Tsunotarou.

Malleus:

Malleus: Child of man, do you need help?

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(During Leona's Overblot fight.)

Leona, sweating and panting: wHY AREN'T YOU NOT DEAD?!

Yuusha, literally standing on one leg with their ribs exposed: Because Death is a social construct and I hate society.

Yuusha: Also, can you stop with this sandstorm? There's sand sticking to my intestines and it's REALLY itchy.

Ruggie, who's trying to fight back Leona's spells: can we please talk about this AFTER the fight?!?

==

Jack, nervous: Hey, Yuu, can I ask you a random question?

Yuusha: Hm? Yea, sure.

Jack: Why do you smell of blood?

Yuusha: Oh, that's because I'm dead, Jack.

Jack:

Yuusha:

Jack: Th-That's a joke, right? Right, Yuu?

Yuusha: :) *processes to walk away*

Dire Crowley stared proudly at the fresh haggle of students in front of him. He felt great potential in all of them, but he also sensed that some of them would be a bit troublesome. Like that newly sorted Heartstabyul student, isn't his name Trapo-something? Ah, nevermind, the crow will just learn his name later.

However.. Why does he feel like something's missing?..

Wait a minute, how many students did the carriages bring today? He could recall there being 37, but there's only 36...

A startling realization hit him.

Ah.

There's a student missing.

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Good Seven, Dire, your old age is getting to you.

Crowley cursed to himself as he speedwalked through the halls and towards the Gate Chamber. Oh, how foolish of him to forget one of his students! Did one of the staff not remember to double-check the Gates themselves, or were they simply left behind?

Nevertheless, that student should be grateful, for the great Dire Crowley will be fetching them himself! Ohoho, is he so gracious?

But the more closer he got to the Gates, the more he felt.. uneasy. Like a great tragedy will befall upon him as he went around each corner closer to the Gates. An old crow he may be, but his instincts did not fail him, yet.

One more left turn, and then he smelled it.

The familiar, sour, and awful scent of death and blood.

(The instructor part of Dire screamed at him to move faster, to see if his student was alright. The smell of blood, of death, of misery made him stop walking and made him start running towards the Gates. A student-- a child was in danger, under his watch, and he must save them. Before it was too late, before he was too late.)

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The new student was small, Crowley noticed as his lash of love wrapped itself around the unruly cat familiar.

They were even smaller than Perfect Riddle Rosehearts, practically swimming in their oversized ceremonial robes with the sleeves going way past their dainty hands. Their hood cast an eerie shadow over their face, only revealing the lowest half of their face and a few locks of dark hair while their lips were pouted in a small frown.

Yet, despite their petite figure and polite behavior when greeting him, Crowley was still on guard because the thick-- almost suffocating --stench of death oozing around them. However, it would be oh so rude of him to mistreat a student just because of a small inconvenience. (Besides, he was already used to that smell, once upon a time.)

As they scrolled through the gardens and forward to the ceremony, Crowley answered each and every curious question of the new student. Their cluelessness of what kind of school Night Raven College was, and the awe of attending such a prodigious institute was endearing to him, like a fledging trying to learn how to fly. His endearment only grows when he heard the new student told him that they were excited to learn all of the mystical arts.

Ah! Such dedication and willingness! This young fledgling will go along swimmingly with Pomefiore!

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Crowley burst through the doors of the Ceremonial hall with his new tiny student in tow, interrupting whatever statement that Perfect Kalim Al-Asim may say. (No, he was not struck in the bathroom! Mind your own business, young sir!)

However, it seemed that during their short talk with each other, the Headmaster somewhat forgot that the bitter stench of death would affect the other non-human students of NRC.

(A small, twisted part of him was slightly relieved at the fact he didn't make up that awful odor. Those days of ash and bloodshed were now far behind him.)

As the newest and tiniest student approached the mirror; at the corner of his sharp eyes, Crowley noticed how tense the Savanaclaw students near them would go as they pass by. Octavinelle students, at least the one who are merfolk, glanced at the petite teenager with wariness, even the Leech twins were a bit uneasy as he could tell.

And somewhere in the crowd of purple and gold cloak, Dire felt the questioning stare of Sir Vanrouge, the vampiric fae's own instincts probably told that something about the new student seemed.. off.

Divus soon joined him, the Alchemy teacher raising a single eyebrow at the student's reactions, and at the headmaster himself. Crowley gave him a look that promised to tell him later and Divus retreated, letting the crow fae taking his place among the school staff.

The Mirror of Darkness gazed down at the child before it and asked one question.

"State thy name."

A pair of pale and bruised hands reached up to lift move their hood just enough to reveal their face, the knuckles so marred that Dire could practically see the bone.

The sight that came after shocked them all.

(The child's face had small cuts, and spots of black and purple. Each gash was jagged with torn edges, with the largest one crossing right over their right eye. And their eye, oh gods, their eye. It was gouged out, a gaping, bloody socket stared blankly at the space of it.)

Next to Dire; Divus gasped silently, his hand clapping over his face in horror. Vargas jumped back, almost tripping after his own feet. Trein's eyes widened and in his arms was Lucius leaping out with a loud yowl. Sam, despite not being one of the teachers, grimaced and shuttered at the sight. The crowd behind them grew more curious at their reactions.

Still, the child ignored them, and ignored the crowd. Their one, fully intact, silver-colored eye looked up to the Mirror of Darkness, who was unfazed at their mauled face and waiting for their response.

With a slight sigh, the now undead student answered in a blank voice.

Crowley would be appalled, horrified, and absolutely devastated at the fact that someone would just.. murder their loved one like that. His research on otherworldly teleportation will be stalled and Yuusha will find themselves to be more coddled than usual with increasingly large allowances and sudden free days.

Crowley is already really overprotective of Yuusha now, but after the grand reveal? Let's say that Yuusha's classes will be a lot more chaotic with Crowley barging in ever so often. (Oh, be quiet, Divus! He's just checking in with his child!)

Crewel will immediately ask Yuusha if they want to have therapy, because good LORD, that's a lot of trauma to unpack. Crewel and Trein will be Yuusha's silent oasis within this whole ordeal. With all the spoiling and sudden sympathy, Crewel and Trein will treat Yuusha the same as ever, which is relieving for them because Crowley and Kalim can be.. overwhelming at times.

Trein felt immense sorrow for Yuusha. In this AU, Yuusha reminds Trein very much of his daughters and stepson, who have all moved out of the house. Mozus is a very family-oriented man, so he feel nothing but fury for Yuusha's murderer. In classes, Yuusha will receive nothing but gentle scolding from Trein, and even let them sleep in class. (Yes, everyone is quite jealous. But the ones who knew? They just let Yuusha have this one moment of peace.)

Now, here comes my favorite trio of idiots; Ace, Deuce, and Grim!! They've been with Yuusha since the beginning, even more so with Grim.

Ace will be much nicer than in canon if Yuusha ever tell him the truth, but still be playful. However, it's more like the gentle, almost hesitate kind of playful. He wants to take off Yuusha's attention from the past, so he makes Yuusha pull more pranks with him. Fortunately, Crowley's coddling comes in handy because he lets Yuusha get away with anything and everything.

Is it bad to say that Deuce's first reaction to the truth would be to beat their murderer into a blood pulp? He does feel horrified at the truth but he also just wants to bash that scumbag's skull in!! How dare they kill Yuusha while they clearly love them!!! In the end, Soft Deuce comes out and he will cry at the injustice of Yuusha's death.

Grim doesn't really know the utter pain of being betrayed by their loved one, mostly because Grim.. doesn't have anyone that close to him to begin with. But all he knows is that Yuusha is crying and Grim doesn't want them to cry. For the first time, Grim allows Yuusha hug him close to their chest, purring in hopes of keeping away the sadness, the pain.