#amane told everyone to go away so she could pray

[good-beans]

Miscellaneous Milgram logistics headcanons:

The bell rings in the morning and evenings at regular times. At night when it rings, it marks curfew: the cells don’t lock, but Es takes one lap around the panopticon to make sure prisoners are in their cells. The only time the bells ring otherwise are during interrogations, and when prisoners are summoned before Es in the courtroom to receive their verdict.

In the second/third trial, guilty prisoners’ doors do lock. Innocent prisoners are not allowed to spend the night with guilty prisoners, but those with alike verdicts can share cells overnight.

Requests come in from Es’ room. Prisoners aren’t allowed in their, or jackalope’s, room without one of them as escort. Es is never around when requests arrive, but they can’t seem to find any doors or hatches that would allow entry (or exit). There are warm/cool breezes to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the prison, but no one can find any vents or openings. 

“Increased physical restraint” punishments occur at random, unexpected intervals and appear like the trailer shots (aka, more restraints/equipment than just the uniforms are put into place.) The guilty prisoners could potentially leave their cells during this time, but usually they don’t want to be seen like that. Can happen at any point, day or night, and last several hours. This is when Kotoko planned her attacks. Enforced by mysterious Milgram magic – no one remembers how the restraints fastened, only that they wake up trapped.

(I’ve been picturing an interrogation room, but only just realized it may be done in their individual cells? But in my head,) it’s a room near that courtroom at the end of the hall. There’s a table, prisoner chair, and guard chair. The machine is integrated into the wall and invisible until paneling starts separating – when that noise plays in the voice dramas. Then, it reveals wires, tubes and pretty stereotypical sci-fi nodes/needles that Es needs to attach to the prisoner. A screen also becomes visible to play the video.

From some of the prisoner reactions, I’ve pictured the chair itself changing very suddenly to lock/strap them in place.  Es walks to the opposite wall to pull a lever with their famous line.

Someone mentioned it already, but I like the idea that the interrogation is placed before (rather than the more logical after) the extraction because the machine works off of priming. Es is instructed to bring up their crimes and past just enough to get the idea in their mind. They have to finish by saying “sing your sins” to really ensure the prisoner is thinking of their murder before it begins. The prisoners then enter a dream-like state in which they experience the raw emotions and thoughts that go into the video, but they don’t see or hear it. Afterwards, they’re aware of the kinds of things Es saw, but it's more abstract to them.

[oboetemasuka]

A much more restricted existence

(An "Order of Attack" side story)

How Amane and the other unforgiven prisoners dealt with the physical restrictions prior to Kotoko's attacks.

Only knowledge of the high concept is needed (that the injuries are swapped around so Amane loses an eye). Actually, if not for the last two sections, this could stand entirely on its own.

This one... This one's 2300 words! How? This is supposed to be a side story. Yet I've edited this with even more scrutiny than the Fuuta VD.

Huge thanks to @good-beans, @purgemarchlockdown, @lostxmelody, and @amugoffandoms for going over it multiple times and helping me figure out words. I also dragged two Discord servers into the making of John's dialogue (which I posted about earlier).

(cws: cults, child abuse, canon-typical violence)

(Sorry for the inconsistencies in quotes. I finally caved and switched from TextEdit to Google Docs so updating the preview would be less of a hassle.)

-

Two weeks after Kotoko's verdict was finalized, the new restrictions were put in place. Everyone else had long been aware of their verdicts, but having it manifest in such a concrete manner was much more distressing.

Amane was unnerved to wake up with her arms wrapped up in front of her, but she shrugged the feeling off and shifted to her knees to pray. She would soon find out she was taking it the best of anyone. 

In the next cell over, Mikoto was loudly freaking out and asking for someone, anyone to help. His cries soon gave way to screams of unfiltered rage. 

From across the panopticon, Amane could hear Fuuta's panicked shouts and swears directed at Yuno.

None of this was her business. In times like this, she had to focus on herself. She tried to tune out the voices and continue praying, only to realize quickly that Mikoto and Fuuta's voices weren't the only ones she could hear. No, these voices were coming from inside her head. 

“She was just following orders, no?”

“But those orders were morally wrong.”

“She needs to understand that she was in a cult.”

“We can’t support the ideology imposed on her.”

“We have to give her tough love.”

“The only way she can break away is if we deny her beliefs.”

No, they got it all wrong! It was an obligation of faith that she willingly carried out. It was a trial that she had passed.

…Had she passed it?

She looked down at the straps binding her arms. The only things she was going to "break away" from were these.

Eventually, Mikoto quieted down. But before Amane could refocus on her prayer, the door opened. Kazui.

"Amane-chan, are you okay in there?"

"Yes, I am fine."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kazui sounded like he was choosing his words carefully, which Amane thought was pointless.

"I just told you I am fine." But instead of shooing Kazui away, Amane stood up and walked towards the door to observe the commotion in the panopticon.

Yuno was trying to calm Fuuta down in an embrace, but he continued to swear at her just loudly enough to be heard from the other side of the panopticon. Mahiru had her face buried in Shidou's shoulder, and her shoulders were shaking.

"Kazui-san, your efforts would be better spent helping Fuuta-san over there."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to leave you alone in here. What if you need something later and can't open the-"

"I can figure out how to open the door on my own. You should leave me alone." 

Kazui conceded and left. Amane tried her best to ignore the voices and pray that this trial too would come to pass.

-

Amane felt a surge of relief as the restraints disengaged and her hands dropped to her lap. She shook her arms to ensure they hadn't gone numb and noticed her sleeves had gotten considerably longer. After she spent a few minutes trying to get her hands out, the door to her cell opened.

"Oi, Amane." Fuuta still looked tense from the events of that morning.

"Fuuta-san, what are you doing here?"

"Everyone's in the dining hall except you. Come on, you've got to eat. You're still growing."

"Very well." Amane stood up and headed out with Fuuta.

A few paces later, Fuuta looked down at Amane's sleeves. "You need help with those?"

"I can figure out how to pull the sleeves up on my own."

"Well, I wouldn't want you to take too long. Breakfast won't wait for you forever, ya know?"

"If I fail to figure it out after a few minutes, then you can help." More paces. "By the way, I was expecting Mahiru-san or-" Amane cleared her throat. "-Shidou-san to come and bother me. Why did you?"

"I'll be damned if I let anyone miss breakfast."

-

Not long after Amane retreated to her cell, her uniform buckled itself, trapping her arms again.

That was the beginning of the strict routine of the unforgiven prisoners. The straps would disengage at specific times throughout the day so they could tend to their basic necessities. The others didn’t take well to being ushered into a schedule. Fuuta in particular complained vocally about having his day dictated for him. But Amane got used to it pretty quickly. She had been living according to routines all her life, so she didn't mind.

Moving around wasn't too much of a hassle. The doorknobs were easy to turn, and it didn't take much to push doors open. Pulling doors open was more of a challenge, but Amane quickly figured out how to hook the handles onto her sleeve strap and lean away until she could prop the door with her foot.

In the moments she had her arms free, she found that biting the sleeves was the most efficient way to get her hands out. (Looking over at Mikoto, she realized she wasn't the only one who thought to bite the uniform.)

And so she used this free time to make more free time. From the dining hall and the warehouse, she pocketed some scissors, straws, and skewers, among other things.

She tried to cut her sleeves, but the scissors were too flimsy to make more than a little slit in the elbows. Better than nothing, she supposed. She wasn't about to go for the kitchen scissors and draw attention to herself. She would just have to make do with the other items to extend her reach. Soon enough, she had a system to open books and turn pages and write. Despite all the restrictions, it worked out really well.

-

After Amane settled into the new daily rhythm, she figured she could impart her knowledge to the other unforgiven prisoners.

Excluding Mikoto. He seemed to be fine and free, and he held that over her the one time she visited him. 

“Oi, pipsqueak, you take one more step in and I'll crush your skull. Don’t think I’d let you off just ‘cause you’re a helpless little cocoon. Didn’t your parents ever teach you manners?”

She turned around and left right then and there, bristling at the remark about her parents. It was all she could do not to charge in and headbutt him. She wasn't about to find out the hard way if the threat wasn’t just a bluff.

She thought Fuuta might be more receptive, but he wasn't interested in becoming a laughing stock.

"Come to mock me? No thanks. I'm not going out there to be seen like this."

But, of course, he would always get her whenever she was just a few minutes late for any meal, so that was her invitation to keep bothering him. He always let her in anyway.

Mahiru was the most agreeable one, unsurprisingly. She was glad to accept Amane's help in figuring out how to pull her cell door open. The difference in uniforms made it a bit more difficult, but the girls were crafty enough to figure it out. Mahiru was more than content to be able to go around the panopticon on her own, regardless of the restraints.

"Oh, these? They don't really bother me anymore. It's like I'm giving myself a nice, big hug."

For some reason, though, Amane found it draining to be cared for in turn, so she spaced out the visits with Mahiru more.

Talking to the forgiven prisoners was more of a hassle. She was especially exasperated with the older adults. They would always look at her with pity whenever she walked around, so she went out of her way to avoid them. Unfortunately, the schedule imposed on the unforgiven prisoners made it impossible for her to stay away entirely.

“Amane, how are you holding up?”

“I am fine,” she would say, settling at the far end of the table.

“Do you need any help with those sleeves?”

In response, Amane bit her sleeve and yanked it up to her elbow in an exaggerated motion.

“Are there any items you would like? I can fill out a request on your behalf.”

Amane stopped answering.

“If there is anything-”

“Oi, Shidou, this steak is undercooked. You mind fixing that?”

Amane was glad Fuuta had caught on quickly. Mahiru and Yuno too.

And yet.

“It’s quiet around here. Have a chat with me.”

Amane thought Yuno was staying away from everyone. Why would Yuno talk to her of all people?

Amane responded with curt phrases to kill the momentum of the conversation.

-

It was supposed to be another normal visit. Amane was supposed to stroll into Fuuta's cell unannounced and preach to him until he cussed her out the door. She never thought she'd find him bloody and beaten on the ground, under Kotoko's shadow. 

Kotoko didn’t even need any descriptive threats. Fuuta’s sorry state clearly conveyed what she was about to do.

Amane was caught in a chokehold of fear. Running was no option (even if she physically could), but she wished she had the willpower to stand or at least speak.

She finally snapped out of it at the first strike. By then, it was already too late.

Adults would get on her case for raising an arm to defend herself from being hit. They would punish her for taking a quick detour to get her bearings. Surely they wouldn't have approved of her crafting her idle time to fulfill her frivolous desires.

Maybe this was her ultimate punishment. For running and avoiding pain all the time, now she was trapped completely. For meddling in other people’s business, she’d have no more nose to stick where it didn’t belong.

-

It turned out that the solution to cutting the fabric was the kitchen scissors after all. Amane was miffed that Kirisaki Shidou did that for her. She would rather have done it herself.

When was he going to let her leave his watch? It was so suffocating. If he was going to steal people's trials, the least he could do was leave her out of it.

At least Shidou wasn't the one cutting the straps when they engaged again. He was preoccupied with Fuuta. Yuno was the one tending to Amane.

Once Amane was deemed fit enough to move out of the doctor's cell, Mahiru wasted no time making permanent sleepover arrangements in her cell. She and Yuno weren't going to let Amane stay so close to the two that had gotten in a brawl, ceasefire or not.

Tired of the overbearing attention, Amane snuck back to her cell while her new roommates were asleep. She pulled off the eyepatch and all the bandages and went to lie down.

She was still awake when the day turned over, lying on her side and staring into the void. 

All of a sudden, her arms were yanked in front of her again. The sleeves were intact again. Her ribs were squeezed so tightly that it would hurt more to scream.

It was quiet. So quiet. She could hear her breath catching in her throat. The voices started up again, loud and clear in her mind.

“She has to be held accountable for her actions.”

“So what if she is a child? The sooner she learns, the better.”

“Even if it wasn’t her fault, we can’t get behind what she did.”

“It’s the only way she can be forgiven later on.”

Those wretched voices only compounded the suffocating feeling.

There were no sounds to ground her to reality. Mikoto must have been oddly at peace since he was free. Fuuta was in no shape to complain loudly enough to be heard across the panopticon. Mahiru no longer worried about the restraints.

Amane was all alone.

In the darkness, she could make out the shape of Kotoko's boots. She could see Fuuta lying nearby. She blinked, trying to get rid of the vision, but there was no light to dispel it.

Kotoko was attacking her, and she could not run.

The opening of the cell door startled her out of her trance, but all she let out was a whimper.

"Amane-chan! There you are!" Mahiru rushed to her side. "Hold on. I'll get those off." She fumbled with the kitchen scissors. 

Amane continued to stare blankly.

"The uniforms reset, but you weren't with us, and I was so afraid of what that meant for you-"

"Mahiru… san… I'm fine…"

Mahiru finished cutting Amane's arms free. "Now you are." 

Amane tried to breathe slowly, making up for lost air without agitating her injuries. Mahiru waited for her to speak.

"W-why did you…" Amane had no real question in mind, just a sentiment.

Mahiru extended a hand to help Amane sit up. "Look, I get that I can be… overbearing at times… all of us, really. But I really can't bear to see you so distant.”

The way Amane averted her eye only proved Mahiru’s point.

“So afraid.” 

The light from the door shone on Amane’s face. She hated that it let Mahiru see her expression.

“So hurt.” 

Amane moved her hand to cover her right eye, but Mahiru gently pushed it away and clasped it in both of her hands. Despite Mahiru’s calm demeanor, Amane could feel her hands trembling.

“If you could just let us in, wouldn't it help us all?"

Amane didn’t respond for several minutes. She thought she would break if she said anything. She just let Mahiru hold her hand in silence.

Until.

She leaned forward and rested her head on Mahiru’s shoulder, gripping the sleeve with her free hand. If anyone asked, she was not crying. Not even a little. Mahiru softly patted her on the back.

Amane used to be the one who went around offering help. Why was she the one relying on others now?

[deadly-departed]

Hello! I thought of this request while I was in online class lmao. Ok so how about a yandere scenario with Hanako, Tsukasa and Teru seeing their darling s/o trying to escape from them??

Oh hell yes! We love yandere Tsukasa in this household- like, please, I would let him yoink me and throw me into his boundary. I'm such a simp istg

Hanako-Kun The Bathroom Ghost, Wonder No. 7

You had escaped, neither your nor him know exactly how you got out but you did

And now, you were hiding, hoping that he would eventually give up on looking for you and then you could finally get out of this cursed school.

But you forgot one thing

Unlike you and your human friends, ghosts don't need to sleep.

So while you were hiding in your little storage closet, trying your hardest not to doze off because of the lack of sleep you'd had in Hanako's grasp, the apparition was searching the school from top to bottom.

And after he recruited a handful of Mokke, he had found you, sound asleep on the floor.

He couldn't help but laugh at how weak you looked when asleep, it was adorable!

He watched you for a moment, your chest rising and falling softly as you breathe

Hanako thought of all the things he could do to you, but of course he doesn't do anything! Because that's wrong and he doesn't want you to hate him!

But he does pick you up, making sure not to wake you as he carries you back to your little prison.

Once you woke up, the first thing you saw were Hanako's sad eyes looking at you.

"Moon, why did you try to escape? I thought you loved me." Hanako asks, hurt glossing his amber eyes.

You look away from him. You are not letting him guilt trip you. You know that's what he's trying to do, he's done it before.

"I hate it here." You mumble, watching the Mokke stack themselves into a small pyramid.

Hanako felt himself about to cry, his vision blurring as he tries to come up with an excuse for you.

You were just tired! Yeah, that's it! He's been keeping you up for days on end because he forgot that humans need sleep!

"Moon, just get some rest, that's all you need. You're tired." Hanako says, smiling softly at you.

"I don't need sleep! I need you to let me go!" You cry out, tugging at the chains on your arm.

You were always so difficult. You were never satisfied with anything that Hanako did for you.

"Tell me what I'm doing wrong." Hanako says, grasping your hands in his cold ones.

"Tell me how to make you happy and hoe to get you to smile! I want us to be together! Please!" As he begged, his grip on your hands subconsciously became tighter.

"Tell me why you hate me so much!"

His grip was unbearable.

"Ha-hanako, you're hurting me...!" You whimpering out, tears pricking at the corner of your eyes.

Hanako's eyes widen and he immediately let's go, his hands moving quickly to his chest.

"I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry..." He kept mumbling apologies as he basically ran out of the room, leaving you tied up with nothing other then the Mokke to keep you company.

Tsukasa Yugi, The Rumor Spreader

Sakura was bound to Tsukasa. She had to do what he said even if it pained her. That was why she took care of you so often.

Tsukasa told her to keep an eye on you to make sure you didn't escape. She hated it, taking care of you.

Not that she hated you or having to take care of another person! She liked you, but she hated the events that lead up to your meeting.

And after months of worrying for your safety, she finally had enough and decided to help you escape.

"Please, just be quiet, I'll get in a lot of trouble for doing this. I just can't stand seeing you suffer anymore." She states quietly as she takes you out of the Boundary.

You two were so close, you could see the front doors.

Yet as soon as you were close enough to open them, you heard an all too familiar laugh behind you.

Both yours and Sakura's eyes widen as your blood runs cold. You knew who it was, you had no need to turn around, especially with the arms and legs wrapping around your shaking form.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tsukasa whispers into your ear, giggling softly.

You shook more as you felt him lick the shell of you're ear.

"Well?" He smirks, before looking to Sakura.

"Take them back to the boundary. Now." He says, his eyes darkening.

Sakura looks down at the ground before nodding, grabbing your wrist tightly before walking back into the depths of the school. "I'm really sorry, you know I don't want to do this." She mumbles

Back in the boundary, Sakura cuffed you back down to your chair before backing away from you.

Tsukasa held a sharp knife, the sadistically cute smile grazing his lips as he looked at you with darkened eyes.

Though you prayed that this was an empty threat of harm, it seemed all too real to be fake.

"Why'd you try to escape? Do you not like it here?" He asked, a mocking innocence threading his voice as he helped you and brought his pointer finger up to his bottom lip. "Amane said that people like being taken care of by their partners. And Amane never lies!"

"You're not taking care of me." You whimper as you watch the apparition play with the knife in his hands.

"Yes I am." He says, smiling at you before turning his attention away from you. "That's not the big problem though." He states as he stares at Sakura. "You helped them escape. You can't disobey what I say!" He yells like a child, throwing the knife at her, missing her face by a few inches.

Sakura stood there, her normally blank expression showing clear fear as her form shook.

Tsukasa then once again turns back to you, a big smile on his face.

"You made me so scared! I thought someone was gonna hurt you or try to take you away from me!" He cries out as he glomps you, wrapping his limbs around your body in a tight hug.

"I need to make sure that everyone knows you're mine!" Tsukasa exclaims happy as he opens his mouth and bites down on your neck harshly enough to draw blood.

You scream out in pain, tears pricking your eyes as you writhe underneath the boy.

Sakura turned away and covered her ears, wanting to cry herself.

"You need to learn your lesson!" Tsukasa chimes, smiling happily as a bit of blood trailed down the corner of his mouth.

Teru Minamoto, The School Prince

He'd be upset, not only at you, but at himself and anyone who tried to help you.

He'd punish you and threaten the helpers.

Kou sighs, scratching at the back or his head as he looks at the mess he'd made in the living room.

Where has Tiara's Mokke gone? He's looked around the entire house and couldn't find it.

As one last resort, he walked to the basement door. Yes, Teru told him not to go in there, but it was for their sister, he would understand, right?

He grabs the cold handle, pulling the door open. Kou looks down at the dark stairs.

He pulls out his phone, turning on the flashlight before descending the staircase, keeping the light on steps so that he wouldn't slip.

You looked at the Minamoto, refusing to make any noise. Hoping that he wasn't here for you

You watched as he first went to the other half of the basement, shining his phone light in some boxes and digging around a bit before moving to the next.

"Not here either where could it have gone? It's not like it could ha-" Kou's eyes widen as he turns around, his flashlight illuminating the other side of the room, and thus you.

"Wh-what are you doing in our basement?" Kou asks, trying to sound brave as he looks at you.

"I... Um..." You tried to this k of something, anything to say that wouldn't make you sound weird.

But you also count say that his brother kidnapped you, what would Kou think?

"It's not what you think," You say, panicked.

"That doesn't answer my question." He says, taking steps closer to your shaking frame.

"What are you doing in my house?" He asks, a slightly more demanding tone in his voice.

You curl up into a ball, your kneed to your chest and covering your head, causing the chains on your ankle and wrist to rattle loudly, shining them in the light.

"Pl-please don't hurt me." You beg, shaking more.

Teru never hurt you, of course not, but you were always so scared that he would.

Kou's eyes widen as he looks at you and the chains tethering you to the bed and wall. "Why are..." He stops himself, only walking closer to you to get a better look at the cuffs.

"How long have you been down here...?" Kou questions, setting his phone down on the bed, the light illuminating the ceiling.

You life your head up slightly, taken slightly aback by how close he suddenly was.

"...A few months maybe? I have nothing to tell time with other than Teru coming in to say good morning before he goes to school and goodnight." You mumble looking down at the bed, slipping your arms under your knees and hugging your thighs closer to you.

"Teru-nii? What do you mean? Never mind, I need to get you out of here, what's you're name?" He asks, looking for a way to get the cuff off your ankle.

"Uh.. Y/N. I'm a third year." You state, watching him analysis the cuff.

You watch Kou, thinking that maybe, just maybe, you'd be able to escape this hell hole.

That is until you hear someone clear their throat at the top of the basement stairs.

You freeze, eyes widening as you refuse to look up, knowing exactly who it is.

Teru sighs as he walks down the steps, shaking his head softly.

He looked at the scene unfolding in front of him, his dear little brother had found his darling, who happened to be locked in the basement.

"T-Teru-nii, why is Y/N-Senpai in our basement?" Kou asked, his voice changing slightly.

"Better question," Teru starts, his eyes glaring daggers into his brother. "Why are you in here? I told both you and Tiara not to go in here, didn't I?"

Kou's eyes widen slightly as he stood up right.

"Well, yeah but-" Kou starts.

"Then why are you here. And why are you trying to help them escape? They're here for a reason Kou." Teru states, crossing his arms as he stands in front of his brother.

"I knew I couldn't trust you with something like this." Teru mumbles as he turns his attention to his darling, still unmoving in the bed.

"Darling, are you alright? Did kou do anything to you?" He asks, kneeling down next to you.

"Get away from them!" Kou shouts, causing you to jump.

Teru stands up straight again, looking over to his brother as his eyes darken. "Kou, you have no idea what I'm doing. They're here because they need to be protected, they need someone to look after them. And I'm that person, I love them and they love me."

Kou looks up at his brother, slight fear glossing over his eyes as he does so.

You felt useless. Like a toy that two toddlers were fighting over. You were powerless.

"T-teru please, leave him alone... He doesn't understand." You say quietly, trying to calm your captor down.

The older Minamoto looks over at you, a small smile gracing his lips. "Darling I know, but he's getting in the way."

Kou looks at you, shock evident on his face. "Senpai, are you really taking his side on this? He kidnapped you!" Kou stresses.

"He did it for my own good." You fake a smile as you look at Kou, ready to break down.

"Now, Kou. Leave the basement, never come back down here and never tell anyone what you saw here." Teru orders.

Kou sighs, his head dropping as he grabs his phone and slowly makes his way back upstairs.

Teru turns once again to you. "Now, for you."

"How should I punish you? Isolation? Sleep deprivation?" Teru chuckles, thinking of all the things he could do.

"I think sleep deprivation sound suitable, don't you?"

[crystalmoonarcher]

Surname, Given Name: Kawaguchi, Makoto Birthday: August 20th (Leo) Age: 20 Height: 183 cm (6 feet) Weight: 66 kg (145 lb) Pronouns: He/Him Blood Type: AB Marechi: No

Rank: Hinoe (past) Weapon: Pink Nichirin Knives Breath Style/Blood Demon Art: Breath of Lotus - derived from Breath of Flower and Breath of Flame.  This style is a manifestation of the user’s inner peace and tranquility.

First Style: Tranquil Wrath - A powerful vertical downward slash.

Second Style: Divine Lotus Strike - A quick succession of 6 diagonal slashes.

Third Style: Murky Water, Sunken Roots - Two horizontal slashes followed by a vertical slash.

Fourth Style: Lotus Wheel - An attack that launches shockwaves.

Fifth Style: Dance of the Lotus - A mix of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal slashes that mimics a dance.

Sixth Style: Flaming Lotus Wheel - A spinning wheel-like attack.

Stats:

Breathing Technique - 3/5

Speed - 3/5

Strength - 6/5

Stamina - 3/5

Intelligence - 3/5

Charisma - 1/5

Abilities:

Fighting Ability

Enhanced Strength

Immense Speed

Quick Reflexes

Personality:

Stuck up

Thinks highly of himself

Does not like it when someone is acknowledged before him

Does things mostly for himself

Does not think highly of other people

Would fight you for having a differing opinion

Is jealous his sister is higher rank than him

Mostly because he became a demon slayer before her

Is not aware that people hate him

Gets annoyed easily

Likes Vanilla ice cream

MBTI - ISTJ

Appearance:

As a human

Blue eyes

Black hair tipped pink

Wears a pink sash around the waist

Has a reddish vest with yellow trimmings on

Standard demon slayer uniform

Often looks like he is frowning

People have called him grumpy face because of this

Voice Claim Japanese: Phinks, Hunter x Hunter (Kenn)

Voice Claim English: Billy Kametz (Ferdinand, Fire Emblem Three Houses)

As a demon

Blue slitted eyes

Black hair tipped pink

Dark blue yukata

Pink sash around the waist

Red and yellow vest

Voice Claim Japanese: Phinks, Hunter x Hunter (Kenn)

Voice Claim English: Billy Kametz (Ferdinand, Fire Emblem Three Houses)

Background: Makoto grew up in a mountain home with his mother(Amaterasu), father(Mamoru), older sister(Amane), younger sister(Amaya), and two younger brothers(Masaru and Masaki).  He cared deeply for his family and usually did most of the housework so his older sister didn’t need to work.  He had always looked up to his father and would follow him around the house whenever he could.  Everything had been perfect, and he believed nothing could change it.

Fate did not allow things to stay the same, and a demon attacked the family when Makoto was 12 years old.  He had always believed he was strong enough to protect his family, but he was too afraid to move.  The demon terrified him to his core, and he froze up.  The next thing he knew, his older sister, Amane, was laying over him and Amaya.  He couldn’t bring himself to scream as the demon edged closer, and he silently prayed for it to all be over.  His prayers were heard when a demon slayer arrived and defeated the demon.

Numbly, he allowed the demon slayer to lead him and his sister away from the home and to the village and the foot of the mountain.  Months had gone by, but Makoto could not get over losing the rest of his family.  He wasn’t used to staying with the elderly woman who had taken them in.  He wasn’t used to spending time with Eri and Eiji.  He couldn’t bring himself to care.  Eventually, Makoto stopped joining in on games the kids of the village played and would watch them from the sidelines.

Then one day, a demon slayer stopped to rest in the village.  Makoto began to sneak off and secretly train under that demon slayer to learn his own breath style.  When he was 15, he told Amaya he was going to become a demon slayer.  Despite his sister’s pleas, Makoto had made up his mind.  He left the village without saying goodbye to anyone, but he told his sister she should become a demon slayer if she wanted to travel with him in the future.  He had passed the final selection and rested at one of the wisteria houses until a swordsmith delivered his Nichirin Blade.

Makoto went on mission after mission, only stopping when he was too injured to continue fighting.  After he had recovered from one particular mission, he ran into Amaya on his next assignment.  His sister had been excited to see him, but he could feel nothing but disgust and jealousy.  It had taken him years to learn a breathing technique, but his sister had learned one in a shorter time.  Makoto had not hesitated in pushing her out of his life, telling her he never wanted to see her again.

He never looked back to see her reaction, and went on to complete the assignment. He hadn’t seen Amaya since, but he often heard about her from other demon slayers.  Makoto had never asked any of them, but they always found out when he would introduce himself with his full name.  He would always stop them from continuing the conversation by changing the subject to their mission.

During a particular mission, Makoto learned that his sister had become a hashira from one of the demon slayers that had also been sent on the mission.  The demon slayer had thought that Makoto would be proud, but it had only fueled his resentment even more.

Makoto had nearly been defeated during his next assignment, but the demon didn’t kill him.  Instead, they gave him an offer: become a demon to get stronger.  Makoto did not hesitate to accept the offer and became a demon.  He began extensive preparation to one day face his sister and take her down.

Taisho Secret(s):

Makoto actually dislikes having his hair tipped pink.  He tried dying it black when he was younger, but his older sister found out and scolded him for it.  He has never tried to dye it again since then.

Makoto isn’t very good at working with other people.  He often tries to get the people he is paired with to leave him alone.  He believes he is capable of handling jobs on his own and thinks it is weak to rely on others.

During his childhood, Makoto stole some food from a few kids because they annoyed him.  He had never been caught for it because the kids were afraid to tattle on him.

Relationships:

Amaya Kawaguchi - “My younger sister… I hate that she actually became a demon slayer.  But I hate that she passed me in ranks even though she came later.  It just isn’t fair!  How is this possible?!”

Kasumi Maeda - “She’s just a suck up to everyone, gives them whatever they want.  Absolutely pathetic.”

Atsuko Suzuki - “She is annoying.  I don’t want anything to do with her.”

Misaki Fujimoto - “She is just a waste of space.”

Ren - “She is a brat.”

Sayuri Yukimura - “I wish she would stop watching me like she knows me.”

Yuka Yukimura - “Yet another brat…”

Yoshi Yukimura - “How many more brats are there?”

Yusuke - “What a weirdo…”

Kiku Inoue - “Hate her.”

Eri Mori - “She was pretty annoying.  I stopped talking to her a long time ago.”

Eiji Mori - “At least he is cooler than his sister.  But he stopped responding to my letters for some reason.”

Tsubasa Kurahawa - “He knows my sister for some reason…”

Ishikawa Rei - “Don’t want to associate with.”

Nomura - “She is… strange.  Kind of scares me.”

Tsukasa - “He is interesting but not the kind of person I’d talk to.”

Akira Sato - “Stop getting my name wrong!”

Minoru Maki - “Why did this guy even become a demon slayer?”

[hedevimaiyya]

7,24 for Jeeshi

Character(s): Jeevan and Khushi | 7. Necromancers and 24. Zombies

@bhallaladev You hate me? You hate me not?

Spooky Fic Prompts

“What was that?” She gulped and tried to lift her head to listen but it kind of was difficult with her situation… “Jeevan!” she hissed. Instead of actually listening to her though, he growled and nipped at the skin right under her ear, making her squeal and just almost forget all about it. Sighing, she slid a hand up into his hair, grabbed and tugged until he pulled away, not looking very pleased.

“What now?” he scowled.

“I think I heard a noise.”

He rolled his eyes. “Maybe it’s just the wind, Khushi.”

She hastily slid from under him, up to the headboard as he started to lower his head again, shivering when he looked up at her. “It was definitely not the wind okay.”

He sat up. “Right. What was it then?”

She hugged her knees to her chest, looking from him to the door and back to him. “I don’t know… It sounded like an animal…”

“Okay, so,” he smiled gently and inched closer to take her hand in his. “It’s probably a dog. Or a wolf maybe, which is just a precious little wild doggo. Nothing you should be afraid of as long as I’m here, right? Besides, we locked the door, they won’t get in. Okay?” He squeezed her hand and although it didn't do much to smooth the frown off her face, she scrambled into his arms and allowed him to hug her and rub her back and reassure her. Still…

“Can you just check around?” she whispered. And he went still. She pulled back to look at him. “Just to make sure, like see if you see it - whatever it is, or ask the people around if it’s normal for wolves to come so close to the chalets. Please, Jeevan?”

His lips were twitching as if he was trying not to laugh at her. The sight made her sulk but he drew her in to place a kiss on her pout, chuckling. “You are such a scaredy cat.” Sighing, he got up and pulled his shirt on again, frowning slightly at her. “Wait here, I’ll go and ask. And lock the door behind me, don’t open it unless you hear my voice, alright?”

She caught the sleeve of his jacket just as he opened the door. He lifted a brow and she raised herself on her toes to kiss him on the jaw. “I love you.” He didn’t say anything. Just smirked that crooked, dimpled smirk and dropped a kiss on her forehead. And then he was gone. 

Khushi locked the door and sat down on the bed, her thick woolen cardigan wrapped snugly around her. Already, she was biting into her knuckles and fingers out of anxiety, ears strained for that sound again. An owl screeched in the distance. She was low-key starting to regret this trip to Matane. Maybe it would have felt better in summer but Jeevan had only been able to free himself now and she shouldn’t be complaining really. But the autumnal wind howling through the trees, blowing the crisp, dry leaves around did not help. They sounded like eerie whispers in the night…

A sharp rap on the door startled her. She jumped to her feet and tiptoed closer to the door, uncertain and waiting till he called her name and she knew it was him. He was quick to shut the door and lock it once he was inside. But he didn’t look at her, not even to reassure her. His eyes frantically searched the room instead, before he darted across the room and started pushing the dressing table to the door.

“Jeevan what are you doing?”

He shoved the furniture against the door and leaned against it. “I’m not sure actually… but better be careful.”

“Careful about?”

He grimaced at her. “I’m pretty sure the boy said something about… zombies.”

She stared at him, not quite sure if she had heard him well. “Excuse me, what? Zombies?” He nodded, very serious, and a snort escaped her, soon turning into laughter. He lunged for her and blocked her mouth with his hand.

“Shh! You don’t want them to hear us and know we’re here!” he hissed at her, then flicked the lights off.

“Okay, I know I was being paranoid earlier but don’t you think you’re being too ridiculous here, with your silly prank to make me feel silly about that?”

“Khushi, do I look like I’m joking?” He didn’t.

She snickered. “You cannot be serious.”

“I fucking am, woman!”

“Zombies don’t exist, Jeevan!”

He pulled her down next to him, so they were sitting at the foot of the bed, wrapped his arms around her protectively. “Listen, that boy looked really terrified, okay?”

She blinked. “Okay, what did he say exactly?”

His frown changed from worried to flustered. “I… I mean… I don’t fucking remember, okay! All these crazy ass people here speak French, I don’t know. Plus they have that fucking weird ass accent, I just can't… But there was definitely something about zombies, you have to believe me!”

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. “Right. And what were the others doing?”

“Running.” He caught her expression in the dim moonlight that streamed in through the curtains and his frown deepened. “Seriously, Khushi. They’ve set up a camp at the school maybe? I think that’s where they were heading.”

“So why are we huddling in the chalet here?”

He scowled down at her. “Do I look that stupid to you, that I’ll take you to where everyone is gathering? It will be noisy and those things will just sniff us all out and get everyone. The two of us alone here should be safer. Just keep it down so they don’t hear us. Can they even hear?”

She nodded thoughtfully. “That does make sense… but shouldn’t you know more about zombies than me? With all those games you and Aman never get tired playing… It’s actually hard to believe you two are almost thirty.”

He gritted his teeth together, probably trying to convince himself to ignore her jibe at his age. He opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by a noise from outside. It was the same wail she’d heard before and there was nothing human about it. Now, suddenly, Jeevan’s words weren’t that much absurd anymore. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around his neck, half-sitting in his lap. “Jeevan, do something!”

“Shit, Khushi! The only thing I know about goddamn zombies is from fucking Plants vs Zombies!”

“So? What are we supposed to do?”

He tightened his arms around her. “Well you fucking plant alien plants in your garden and they do the fucking job for you but I’m not really sure where to get the alien ass plants right now.”

“Oh my god, Jeevan… How do you always come up with the stupidest ideas?”

“Right. Because you could do so much better, couldn’t you? Pray, tell me, what other option do you have? Spending your whole childhood reading about that band of little necromancers must have done you some good.”

“Necromancers??”

He rolled his eyes. “Fucking British kids going off to that stupid shady ass necromancy school with owls and flying broomsticks-”

“Do you mean Harry Potter, Jeevan?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“It’s not freaking whatever, oh my g-“ 

A loud creaking noise made them both freeze. “You know, they probably have the stuff to fight zombies with,” she whispered after several long minutes of silence. “Down at the school. Since they gathered there.” He gulped and nodded. “Shouldn’t we just… run for it?”

Without saying anything, he pushed her to her feet and got up himself, hauled the dressing table away from the door so they could open it and grabbed her hand tight. “Don’t let go of my hand whatever happens. Don’t make any noise. Do not scream. And for fuck’s sake, Khushi, once in your life, try to run. Properly.”

She didn’t even realise when he had flung the door open and dragged her along. She just knew she was running and her lungs and muscles were aching and the cold air was burning. The wind was slapping her hair in her face - she had not actually thought of tying it back. And the only cardigan, unbuttoned, over her rather thin nightdress was not shielding her from anything. He stopped at some point and she leaned against him, gasping for air.

“Where the fuck is the bitch ass school now?” His hold on her hand was so tight, she felt like it was going to crush her hand but it was fine. This was absolutely fine. “Khushi, I think we’re-”

They were lost. She knew it. She just didn’t want him to say the words out loud and make it real. Except, he had stopped talking altogether. She raised her head from his chest to look up at him and found him staring right ahead, his eyes open wide with fear. And that’s really when she heard it, when the drumming of blood in her ear intensified, ironically. The slow footsteps. The hungry groaning.

Her better sense advised her against turning around but she ended up listening to her instincts anyway and turned around. And screamed like she never had in her whole life. And like she never would again either, to be honest.

***

“Don’t touch me. You will never touch me again.” Despite the grin he was trying to hide, he at least had the decency to look shamefaced when she glowered at him.

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t know Khushi, I mean it,” he pleaded, sincere but also shaking with laughter.

She looked away at the floor. “You wouldn’t be laughing if you mean it.”

“I do mean it, babe! It was just… I was just so funny, now that I think about it. But hey, I was right! The boy was saying something about zombies!”

“About a zombie parade,” she spat at him. “It was a fu- a zombie parade. Because it’s the weekend before freaking Halloween.”

“I told you I don’t get their accent!”

“You don’t even get French!”

He snorted. “Yes, Your Majesty. I don’t. I’ll take you and your expertise with me next time, okay? No, you know what? Next time, we’ll just stay the fuck away from fucking Quebec, okay? We’ll stick with civilization. Now, will you please forgive me and come over here?”

“It was the trees making those noises I heard!”

“I didn’t know that, baby, not until they told us. Forgive me? Please?” He tilted his head and move to be in her field of view again when she turned away. “Baby, I love you.”

“Fuck you.”

He chuckled. “You should.”

Her face crumpled and she leaned towards him to hit him in the chest. “That was so embarrassing! Screaming at a whole parade… I will die!”

“You won’t,” he laughed, catching her by the wrist. “Come here. Please.” She didn’t drop her scowl but scooted over anyway, refusing to look at her. “Oh come on, Mrs Zombie, you won’t even look at your husband now?” She glanced at him, only the hint of a smile teasing her lips, and saw him smirk like the devil before he lifted her from the couch. “I think Mr and Mrs Zombie should go to bed.”

She laughed, wrinkling her nose with distaste. “Eww! Zombie sex sounds so disgusting, Jeevan! Do not!”

“Hmm, what should we do then?” he thought aloud as he strode over to the bed, then threw her on it unceremoniously, making her shriek. He crawled on top of her, on all fours. “What about,” he caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “I’ll be a werewolf and you can be my human mate.”

She furrowed her brows. “Why can’t I be a werewolf too?”

“Khushi, you’re terrified of dogs. You being one would be odd.”

“Point… But then why should I sleep with you?”

“I am your mate, woman, I will take care of your fears. Now, shut up, will you?” he growled.

[oboetemasuka]

Prev tags:

#very personal hc but i think yuno stayed outside fuutas cell the first time to talk him down from panic#and shidou did the same for mahiru#amane told everyone to go away so she could pray#and mikoto got really really quiet and told everyone he was fine but some people still tried to keep him company

Ooh, these are some nice headcanons.

Though I do prefer to hc that Mahiru and Fuuta (?) stay in Shidou's cell so he can look after them.

I might hang on to the "random physical restraints" hc. I think it's cool. No other reason. Goes hand-in-hand with my hc that Kotoko attacked the guilties when everyone else was away. And your idea that Kotoko thinks they are dangerous monsters and that she has to attack them at their most vulnerable.

I'm glad you made the MV extraction machine post to elaborate.

Good for Fuuta and Mahiru for having someone adjacent to them who cares. Maybe Kazui also cares for Amane, but she just tells him to get out. Poor Mikoto, though. He's alone with John. Adjacent to him is the woman who wants him dead. :(

Miscellaneous Milgram logistics headcanons:

The bell rings in the morning and evenings at regular times. At night when it rings, it marks curfew: the cells don’t lock, but Es takes one lap around the panopticon to make sure prisoners are in their cells. The only time the bells ring otherwise are during interrogations, and when prisoners are summoned before Es in the courtroom to receive their verdict.

In the second/third trial, guilty prisoners’ doors do lock. Innocent prisoners are not allowed to spend the night with guilty prisoners, but those with alike verdicts can share cells overnight.

Requests come in from Es’ room. Prisoners aren’t allowed in their, or jackalope’s, room without one of them as escort. Es is never around when requests arrive, but they can’t seem to find any doors or hatches that would allow entry (or exit). There are warm/cool breezes to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the prison, but no one can find any vents or openings. 

“Increased physical restraint” punishments occur at random, unexpected intervals and appear like the trailer shots (aka, more restraints/equipment than just the uniforms are put into place.) The guilty prisoners could potentially leave their cells during this time, but usually they don’t want to be seen like that. Can happen at any point, day or night, and last several hours. This is when Kotoko planned her attacks. Enforced by mysterious Milgram magic – no one remembers how the restraints fastened, only that they wake up trapped.

(I’ve been picturing an interrogation room, but only just realized it may be done in their individual cells? But in my head,) it’s a room near that courtroom at the end of the hall. There’s a table, prisoner chair, and guard chair. The machine is integrated into the wall and invisible until paneling starts separating – when that noise plays in the voice dramas. Then, it reveals wires, tubes and pretty stereotypical sci-fi nodes/needles that Es needs to attach to the prisoner. A screen also becomes visible to play the video.

From some of the prisoner reactions, I’ve pictured the chair itself changing very suddenly to lock/strap them in place.  Es walks to the opposite wall to pull a lever with their famous line.

Someone mentioned it already, but I like the idea that the interrogation is placed before (rather than the more logical after) the extraction because the machine works off of priming. Es is instructed to bring up their crimes and past just enough to get the idea in their mind. They have to finish by saying “sing your sins” to really ensure the prisoner is thinking of their murder before it begins. The prisoners then enter a dream-like state in which they experience the raw emotions and thoughts that go into the video, but they don’t see or hear it. Afterwards, they’re aware of the kinds of things Es saw, but it's more abstract to them.

[oboetemasuka]

Ah, I forgot to bring up the tags in @good-beanswrites's headcanon post:

#i imagine the first time the physical restraints went into effect caused a lot of panic :(#very personal hc but i think yuno stayed outside fuutas cell the first time to talk him down from panic#and shidou did the same for mahiru#amane told everyone to go away so she could pray#and mikoto got really really quiet and told everyone he was fine but some people still tried to keep him company

Yeah.

I opted to make Mikoto panic and have John front, though.

A much more restricted existence

(An "Order of Attack" side story)

How Amane and the other unforgiven prisoners dealt with the physical restrictions prior to Kotoko's attacks.

Only knowledge of the high concept is needed (that the injuries are swapped around so Amane loses an eye). Actually, if not for the last two sections, this could stand entirely on its own.

This one... This one's 2300 words! How? This is supposed to be a side story. Yet I've edited this with even more scrutiny than the Fuuta VD.

Huge thanks to @good-beans, @purgemarchlockdown, @lostxmelody, and @amugoffandoms for going over it multiple times and helping me figure out words. I also dragged two Discord servers into the making of John's dialogue (which I posted about earlier).

(cws: cults, child abuse, canon-typical violence)

(Sorry for the inconsistencies in quotes. I finally caved and switched from TextEdit to Google Docs so updating the preview would be less of a hassle.)

-

Two weeks after Kotoko's verdict was finalized, the new restrictions were put in place. Everyone else had long been aware of their verdicts, but having it manifest in such a concrete manner was much more distressing.

Amane was unnerved to wake up with her arms wrapped up in front of her, but she shrugged the feeling off and shifted to her knees to pray. She would soon find out she was taking it the best of anyone. 

In the next cell over, Mikoto was loudly freaking out and asking for someone, anyone to help. His cries soon gave way to screams of unfiltered rage. 

From across the panopticon, Amane could hear Fuuta's panicked shouts and swears directed at Yuno.

None of this was her business. In times like this, she had to focus on herself. She tried to tune out the voices and continue praying, only to realize quickly that Mikoto and Fuuta's voices weren't the only ones she could hear. No, these voices were coming from inside her head. 

“She was just following orders, no?”

“But those orders were morally wrong.”

“She needs to understand that she was in a cult.”

“We can’t support the ideology imposed on her.”

“We have to give her tough love.”

“The only way she can break away is if we deny her beliefs.”

No, they got it all wrong! It was an obligation of faith that she willingly carried out. It was a trial that she had passed.

…Had she passed it?

She looked down at the straps binding her arms. The only things she was going to "break away" from were these.

Eventually, Mikoto quieted down. But before Amane could refocus on her prayer, the door opened. Kazui.

"Amane-chan, are you okay in there?"

"Yes, I am fine."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kazui sounded like he was choosing his words carefully, which Amane thought was pointless.

"I just told you I am fine." But instead of shooing Kazui away, Amane stood up and walked towards the door to observe the commotion in the panopticon.

Yuno was trying to calm Fuuta down in an embrace, but he continued to swear at her just loudly enough to be heard from the other side of the panopticon. Mahiru had her face buried in Shidou's shoulder, and her shoulders were shaking.

"Kazui-san, your efforts would be better spent helping Fuuta-san over there."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to leave you alone in here. What if you need something later and can't open the-"

"I can figure out how to open the door on my own. You should leave me alone." 

Kazui conceded and left. Amane tried her best to ignore the voices and pray that this trial too would come to pass.

-

Amane felt a surge of relief as the restraints disengaged and her hands dropped to her lap. She shook her arms to ensure they hadn't gone numb and noticed her sleeves had gotten considerably longer. After she spent a few minutes trying to get her hands out, the door to her cell opened.

"Oi, Amane." Fuuta still looked tense from the events of that morning.

"Fuuta-san, what are you doing here?"

"Everyone's in the dining hall except you. Come on, you've got to eat. You're still growing."

"Very well." Amane stood up and headed out with Fuuta.

A few paces later, Fuuta looked down at Amane's sleeves. "You need help with those?"

"I can figure out how to pull the sleeves up on my own."

"Well, I wouldn't want you to take too long. Breakfast won't wait for you forever, ya know?"

"If I fail to figure it out after a few minutes, then you can help." More paces. "By the way, I was expecting Mahiru-san or-" Amane cleared her throat. "-Shidou-san to come and bother me. Why did you?"

"I'll be damned if I let anyone miss breakfast."

-

Not long after Amane retreated to her cell, her uniform buckled itself, trapping her arms again.

That was the beginning of the strict routine of the unforgiven prisoners. The straps would disengage at specific times throughout the day so they could tend to their basic necessities. The others didn’t take well to being ushered into a schedule. Fuuta in particular complained vocally about having his day dictated for him. But Amane got used to it pretty quickly. She had been living according to routines all her life, so she didn't mind.

Moving around wasn't too much of a hassle. The doorknobs were easy to turn, and it didn't take much to push doors open. Pulling doors open was more of a challenge, but Amane quickly figured out how to hook the handles onto her sleeve strap and lean away until she could prop the door with her foot.

In the moments she had her arms free, she found that biting the sleeves was the most efficient way to get her hands out. (Looking over at Mikoto, she realized she wasn't the only one who thought to bite the uniform.)

And so she used this free time to make more free time. From the dining hall and the warehouse, she pocketed some scissors, straws, and skewers, among other things.

She tried to cut her sleeves, but the scissors were too flimsy to make more than a little slit in the elbows. Better than nothing, she supposed. She wasn't about to go for the kitchen scissors and draw attention to herself. She would just have to make do with the other items to extend her reach. Soon enough, she had a system to open books and turn pages and write. Despite all the restrictions, it worked out really well.

-

After Amane settled into the new daily rhythm, she figured she could impart her knowledge to the other unforgiven prisoners.

Excluding Mikoto. He seemed to be fine and free, and he held that over her the one time she visited him. 

“Oi, pipsqueak, you take one more step in and I'll crush your skull. Don’t think I’d let you off just ‘cause you’re a helpless little cocoon. Didn’t your parents ever teach you manners?”

She turned around and left right then and there, bristling at the remark about her parents. It was all she could do not to charge in and headbutt him. She wasn't about to find out the hard way if the threat wasn’t just a bluff.

She thought Fuuta might be more receptive, but he wasn't interested in becoming a laughing stock.

"Come to mock me? No thanks. I'm not going out there to be seen like this."

But, of course, he would always get her whenever she was just a few minutes late for any meal, so that was her invitation to keep bothering him. He always let her in anyway.

Mahiru was the most agreeable one, unsurprisingly. She was glad to accept Amane's help in figuring out how to pull her cell door open. The difference in uniforms made it a bit more difficult, but the girls were crafty enough to figure it out. Mahiru was more than content to be able to go around the panopticon on her own, regardless of the restraints.

"Oh, these? They don't really bother me anymore. It's like I'm giving myself a nice, big hug."

For some reason, though, Amane found it draining to be cared for in turn, so she spaced out the visits with Mahiru more.

Talking to the forgiven prisoners was more of a hassle. She was especially exasperated with the older adults. They would always look at her with pity whenever she walked around, so she went out of her way to avoid them. Unfortunately, the schedule imposed on the unforgiven prisoners made it impossible for her to stay away entirely.

“Amane, how are you holding up?”

“I am fine,” she would say, settling at the far end of the table.

“Do you need any help with those sleeves?”

In response, Amane bit her sleeve and yanked it up to her elbow in an exaggerated motion.

“Are there any items you would like? I can fill out a request on your behalf.”

Amane stopped answering.

“If there is anything-”

“Oi, Shidou, this steak is undercooked. You mind fixing that?”

Amane was glad Fuuta had caught on quickly. Mahiru and Yuno too.

And yet.

“It’s quiet around here. Have a chat with me.”

Amane thought Yuno was staying away from everyone. Why would Yuno talk to her of all people?

Amane responded with curt phrases to kill the momentum of the conversation.

-

It was supposed to be another normal visit. Amane was supposed to stroll into Fuuta's cell unannounced and preach to him until he cussed her out the door. She never thought she'd find him bloody and beaten on the ground, under Kotoko's shadow. 

Kotoko didn’t even need any descriptive threats. Fuuta’s sorry state clearly conveyed what she was about to do.

Amane was caught in a chokehold of fear. Running was no option (even if she physically could), but she wished she had the willpower to stand or at least speak.

She finally snapped out of it at the first strike. By then, it was already too late.

Adults would get on her case for raising an arm to defend herself from being hit. They would punish her for taking a quick detour to get her bearings. Surely they wouldn't have approved of her crafting her idle time to fulfill her frivolous desires.

Maybe this was her ultimate punishment. For running and avoiding pain all the time, now she was trapped completely. For meddling in other people’s business, she’d have no more nose to stick where it didn’t belong.

-

It turned out that the solution to cutting the fabric was the kitchen scissors after all. Amane was miffed that Kirisaki Shidou did that for her. She would rather have done it herself.

When was he going to let her leave his watch? It was so suffocating. If he was going to steal people's trials, the least he could do was leave her out of it.

At least Shidou wasn't the one cutting the straps when they engaged again. He was preoccupied with Fuuta. Yuno was the one tending to Amane.

Once Amane was deemed fit enough to move out of the doctor's cell, Mahiru wasted no time making permanent sleepover arrangements in her cell. She and Yuno weren't going to let Amane stay so close to the two that had gotten in a brawl, ceasefire or not.

Tired of the overbearing attention, Amane snuck back to her cell while her new roommates were asleep. She pulled off the eyepatch and all the bandages and went to lie down.

She was still awake when the day turned over, lying on her side and staring into the void. 

All of a sudden, her arms were yanked in front of her again. The sleeves were intact again. Her ribs were squeezed so tightly that it would hurt more to scream.

It was quiet. So quiet. She could hear her breath catching in her throat. The voices started up again, loud and clear in her mind.

“She has to be held accountable for her actions.”

“So what if she is a child? The sooner she learns, the better.”

“Even if it wasn’t her fault, we can’t get behind what she did.”

“It’s the only way she can be forgiven later on.”

Those wretched voices only compounded the suffocating feeling.

There were no sounds to ground her to reality. Mikoto must have been oddly at peace since he was free. Fuuta was in no shape to complain loudly enough to be heard across the panopticon. Mahiru no longer worried about the restraints.

Amane was all alone.

In the darkness, she could make out the shape of Kotoko's boots. She could see Fuuta lying nearby. She blinked, trying to get rid of the vision, but there was no light to dispel it.

Kotoko was attacking her, and she could not run.

The opening of the cell door startled her out of her trance, but all she let out was a whimper.

"Amane-chan! There you are!" Mahiru rushed to her side. "Hold on. I'll get those off." She fumbled with the kitchen scissors. 

Amane continued to stare blankly.

"The uniforms reset, but you weren't with us, and I was so afraid of what that meant for you-"

"Mahiru… san… I'm fine…"

Mahiru finished cutting Amane's arms free. "Now you are." 

Amane tried to breathe slowly, making up for lost air without agitating her injuries. Mahiru waited for her to speak.

"W-why did you…" Amane had no real question in mind, just a sentiment.

Mahiru extended a hand to help Amane sit up. "Look, I get that I can be… overbearing at times… all of us, really. But I really can't bear to see you so distant.”

The way Amane averted her eye only proved Mahiru’s point.

“So afraid.” 

The light from the door shone on Amane’s face. She hated that it let Mahiru see her expression.

“So hurt.” 

Amane moved her hand to cover her right eye, but Mahiru gently pushed it away and clasped it in both of her hands. Despite Mahiru’s calm demeanor, Amane could feel her hands trembling.

“If you could just let us in, wouldn't it help us all?"

Amane didn’t respond for several minutes. She thought she would break if she said anything. She just let Mahiru hold her hand in silence.

Until.

She leaned forward and rested her head on Mahiru’s shoulder, gripping the sleeve with her free hand. If anyone asked, she was not crying. Not even a little. Mahiru softly patted her on the back.

Amane used to be the one who went around offering help. Why was she the one relying on others now?