Two Sides Of The Same Feather

B5 Part Two

   (check out the new cover illustration!)

The first thing I notice when I come to is that I'm lying on top of something soft. The gurney perhaps?

   After attempting to move and shift around I little, I find that all of my limbs have been strapped down. 

   Standing in front of me, is...Kamakura Izuru. He had switched out his old mask with his fresh magenta one and had a large, sharp scalpel in his hand.

   "You have remembered me. And judging by your despair-filled eyes you have remembered everything else."

   The plane, the kidnappings, the illnesses, the deaths, the abandonment, the loneliness, Izuru Kamakura, Jabberwock, the rejection, suffering, suffering, suffering... 

   That's right...I shouldn't...be alive...

   I remain silent, not giving this despair-filled being the satisfaction of an answer. 

   NO ONE'S POV

   "You've returned to despair...I can see it. All hope, all will to live...it's all gone. Your eyes are empty and precious the way they used to be...yes...I'll release you from your restraints now." The dark-haired man chuckles eerily, moving forward.

   The fluffy-haired protagonist stares blankly at the ceiling, showing little to no interest in what's currently happening. A tan hand reaches for the final restraint but before he can do anything he hunches forward suddenly, blood spewing from his mouth.

   Startled, shaking hands come to grasp at the scythe sticking through his chest. A combat-boot-clad foot kicks him hard in the back and he collapses onto the floor, dead.

   "Heh...hahaha! Oh my, Kamakura, the hope in your eyes when you looked at that marshmallow...ah, that was far too much for me to bear! I just had to stab ya!" The brunet from the floor underneath cackled manically.

   Kamakura lets out one finally groan before his entire body goes limp. The brunet grunts, pulling his weapon out of the Floormaster and walks over to the boy laying on the table. He grins, the tip of his scythe lightly pressed against the center of Nagito's chest.

   "Now then, if you want to live, you better start running!" The criminal sneers. The man on the table doesn't flinch, he doesn't even move. He looked...so utterly hopeless. Like he wanted the brunet to rip him to shreds, just so he could die.

   "Well, aren't you going to run?!"

   Nagito shut his eyes. The brunet groans, retracting his weapon. "You suck, man."

   Suddenly, the speakers all around them blare to life once more.

   "THE MASTER OF B6 HAS KILLED THE MASTER OF B5. THAT IS A VIOLATION OF THE RULES AND THEREFORE HE IS NOW A SACRAFICE AS WELL."

   The brunet groans once more. "...Fuck. I better bolt."

   The brunet spins on his heels, slinging his weapon over his shoulders, and darts out of the room. 

   It's silent for a moment. The only sound is the faint buzzing of an air conditioner from somewhere nearby as the white-haired boy remains stiller than a statue on the gurney. 

   Why? Why was he alive?! He should be dead-no, he deserves to die. It's not right for him to keep living and breathing when-

   The boy slowly sits up, trying his best to smooth down his long wavy hair. He throws his legs over the side of the bed and pushes himself onto his feet. He glances down at the dead body now at his feet, and sighs.

   He steps over the bloody mess and makes his way out of the room. Looking at the ground, he can see faint footprints that that killer must've left behind. He follows them down the hall for quite a while before he hears noise up ahead. 

   There was the brunet kicking an elevator, letting out loud noises of annoyance and frustration. "Damn thing won't open." He grumbles, kicking with all of his might. 

   Nagito slowly draws nearer, his moments soft and feathery-light like a ghost. The criminal, seeming to notice him out of the corner of his eye, turns around and gives him a hard stare.

   "What do you want?" He demands harshly. Nagito folds his hands together.

   "...I need a favor."

   The brunet raises an eyebrow. "Is that so? What is it that you want, then?"

   Nagito bows his head solemnly. "Please...kill me." 

   NAGITO POV

   He looked queasy, like he felt the urge to vomit as he stared across at me. He looked stunned, like that was the last thing he expected to come from my mouth. 

   After a moment of silence he finally spoke.

   "What the fuck?!"

   I stepped closer to him, trying to get all up in his face. "Please," I repeated a little more harshly, "kill me."

   He frowned down on me. "....You don't think you should talk to a therapist or someone instead of asking me to kill you? It's kind of fucked up in my opinion."

   "I know what I need," I insist firmly, "so please kill me."

   "Who hurt you? You're absolutely hopeless. Literally. I'm not into killing people filled with despair from the start."

   "Please," I beg, growing a little more desperate, "kill me."

   He lays a gloved hand on my shoulder with a heavy sigh. "Alright, I heard you the first time, you know? How about this...I'm not that good at puzzles and sorts...I'm not too bright. So, if you help me get out of here and show me some hope...then, I'll kill you."

   I brighten. "You promise?" I demand. He rolls his eyes. 

   "If you're useful." He affirms. 

   "Thank you."

   "Then, do you have a name? Or something I can call you?" He asks casually, looking me up and down.

   "My name is Nagito Komaeda." I answer automatically. He tilts his head slightly.

   "I see. Nice working with you then, Ko."

   Ko? Is that...supposed to be a nickname? Wow...I've never had one before. Interesting...

   "What's your name?" I ask shyly. He snorts in response.

   "Hajime Hinata. At your service." He replies mockingly.

   "Nice to meet you, Hajime." I say politely. He chuckles.

   "Is that so? After I tried to kill you and killed that other guy in front of you? You sure are interesting." He mumbles under his breath before turning back to the elevator. "I've tried to get it open but the button doesn't seem to be working," He explains, "do you know how to fix it?"

   I glance around helplessly. "There must be an elevator control room around here somewhere. If I find it and get this elevator working, will I be useful to you?" I ask. He smirks slightly.

   "Yeah, that's useful."

   I nod dutifully and turn away to begin my search. As I walk away Hajime calls out to me, saying;

   "Maybe search Kamakura's body for a key or something. He was the master of this floor after all."