Beta Memories One-Shots (Completed)

Beta! Hajime Hinata: My Demons

The aftermath of the Killing School Trip was bittersweet.

Hajime always told himself that he wasn't going to get far in life unless he went to Hope's Peak. Now that he did, they treated him like a lab rat. The Izuru Kamakura project changed him forever; both mentally and emotionally. It was like another side of him was born: a twin brother he never knew existed and excelled at everything he wanted.

When he shut the Neo World Program down, their personalities merged into one. A completely new hybrid of nature and science. It scared him to death.

"Hajime? No, Izuru?" He would look in the mirror at times, calling out those names to see which one fit better.

Chiaki and the others didn't seem to mind the changes. They just saw him as 'Hajime, our friend and leader.' True as that may be, he felt that gaping hole in his heart. Something was missing and he could never get it back.
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One morning, he found himself lying awake in bed. The island they found themselves on after the shutdown had cabins so everyone shared. Four people in each; all of one gender. Hajime shared his with Nagito, Gundham, and Fuyuhiko. They were the closest friends he had both online and offline.

He felt too lazy to get out of bed, but he hated wasting the day. Sitting up, he sighed as he rubbed his shoulders and back. He could feel his reflection in the mirror and told himself not to look.

The island itself was much calmer than the Neo World Program. It was like a rehabilitation centre after their time as Ultimate Despair. Those memories were coming back slowly, and everyone regretted their actions. Hajime felt the most guilty. Not only he did he allow Hope's Peak do experiments on him, but then to be brainwashed by Junko. The school that he idolized for so long...stabbed him in the back.

"Hajime?" Chiaki called him from her cabin. "Good morning."

He waved at her, smiling. She was one of the few good things that came out of this whole mess. She was a breath of fresh air in his mundane life. Despite this, he still held the guilt in his heart.

"Jesus, Hinata..." Nagito groaned, pushing his friend on the back. "You are such a bad liar."

"What? What did I say?" Hajime asked.

"It's not what you said, but what you are doing. You are standing out like a sore thumb." The white haired boy sighed. "What is wrong with you?"

Hajime's eyes shifted back and forth, trying to find the right words. How can you explain that you were having a mid-20s life crisis? He began to feel goosebumps emerging on his arms as a chill shivered through. Was it Izuru?

"Should I take you to see Mikan? Seriously, you are turning pale, for God's sake."

"No...I doubt she would even help." Hajime's voice deepened, like he was a completely different person. "How can she correlate the fact that two minds are stuck in one body? One full of innocence and one of pure talent?"

Nagito's expression darkened as the voice triggered a bitter memory...the days of Ultimate Despair. "...Long time no see...Kamakura."

"Hmph. You're like a cockroach...you just never die." Izuru chuckled with a weary smile.

"Unlike you, I have a will to live." Nagito shot back to which Izuru nodded in defeat. "So...what's the problem? Can't handle sharing the glory with another person?"

He remained silent, but looked at him with his heterochromia eyes. His red one was faintly glowing, signalling Kamakura's presence in the body of Hajime.

Nagito shook his head while crossing his arms. "You should be happy, doofus."

"How dare you say that to me?" Izuru growled, grabbing him by the shirt.

"Face it, Kamakura...you are jealous of Hinata." Nagito seethed, fists clenched. "Can't say I blame you."

"What are you babbling about?" Izuru screamed. Suddenly, he felt like his soul was being sucked back the darkness. He became more lighter, no longer in a human prison. "W-why?"

"Why?" He heard that voice...Hajime's. Looking up, he saw the boy in question. "Why...what?"

Izuru stared him down, trying to get a grasp of what was happening. 'This is the body...I am inhabiting? I know him...'

"Look...I get it." Hajime said. "We both despise each other for our own reasons...but are we better off working together?"

"Explain..."

"Learn from each other's faults. I'll learn from your confidence and you'll learn from my humility."

"Hmm...now let's say I believe in this idea of yours..." Izuru pondered, walking towards the boy. "What happens if we cannot settle these differences of ours?"

"We can continue to bicker to the point we lose all sanity...which in turn...ends up killing the both of us." Hajime bluntly replied.

"I see..." Izuru closed his eyes and thought about his predicament. "We are both in the same boat when it comes to dominance of this body...however, considering that you were the first soul attached..."

"Jesus, can you be any more cryptic?" Hajime sighed. "Just say what you mean."

"I'll let you resume control of your body...and I'll give you advice. In return, I expect you to help me understand humility."

"Fine...shake on it." Hajime extended his hand to Izuru. "I would do it quick if I were you. Nagito would think we went brain dead."

"Heh. Possibly."

The two boys shook hands as Hajime's conscious resurfaced to reality. Nagito held his body up, bored out of his mind.

"Huh?" Nagito looked down at him. "Finally. I was close to thinking you were dead. I would hurry and get up. I told Chiaki that you were taking a nap."

Hajime did as he told, scratching his head. "Well thanks for covering."

"So...did you guys sort it out?"

"Yeah...for the time being."
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The End

A/N: I'M ALIVE!

Sorry. With the writer's block and the move, I couldn't get this done to save my life. 😞

Anywho, hopefully I can get more done soon with the oneshots and The Tactician. Thank you all for being patient.

Luna