Two Sides Of The Same Feather

B4 Part Five

   I turn away from Hajime and march confidently into the Final Dead Room. I don't even turn to see if Hinata is following suit.

   Guns and knives are scattered all across the floor. Red curtains paint the entire perimeter. High above on a balcony, sits Floormaster Kokichi, with a smug, excited expression on his face. 

   "Welcome Komaeda!~" He greets me. I turn away from him, clutching tight to my gun.

   Heavy footsteps fill the room and a turn back to Hajime entering the room, a dark expression on his face, clutching his scythe with two hands.

   "And Hinata! Wonderful, you both really came! Alright, you have ten minutes to kill each other! Otherwise I'll gas ya both! The winner will go through there to the elevator," He points across the room at another door, "and start!"

   I drop to my knees in front of Hajime, shutting my eyes. "Go ahead, Hajime." I murmur.

   "Don't be an idiot, Ko! Get up!" Hajime responds angrily. 

   "Do it," I insist, "get out of here and live. You're smart enough to do it. Trust in me, Hajime."

   Kokichi leans forward in his seat, intrigued.
  

   "I...refuse to believe that! We're getting out of here together and only then will I kill you! There's got to be another way for us! And if you want to just sit around and wait for death, I'll find it!" He snarls. I let out a soft sigh.

   Hajime glances around frantically. I can practically see the gears turning in his brain.

   Suddenly, he glares hard at me, and attacks, scythe drawn.

   He tackles me, pinning to the ground, scythe positioned right over my chest.

   "You changed your mind." I comment dryly. Wow, excellent last words, Nagito.

   Hajime leans down to whisper in my ear.

   "I'm going to pretend to go the slash you but you'll fight me off. You'll aim the gun at my forehead, climbing to your feet. Once you're up, shoot Kokichi." He hisses rapidly. I barely have time to process that. 

   He...wants me to kill someone?! But, he has a point, it's our only other option, huh...

   I nod in the slightest.

   He raises his scythe high in the air and begins to bring it down. At the last possible second I kick up, throwing him off me. He growls, clambering to his feet.

   I strain to reach my gun and once I do I immediately point it at his head like he commanded. I stagger to my feet, trying to aim the best I can.

   Hajime begins to move towards me but I abruptly move my arm, aiming right for Kokichi's chest.

   I fire.

   The bullet seems to deflect away from him as if by some invisible force and I barely leap out of the way in time. 

   Bullet-proof glass?!

   Kokichi begins laughing hysterically.

   "You really tried that, huh?! You think I'm an idiot!? You can't kill me!" He giggles. 

   "Not when you're cowering behind there I can't! Get down here and face me like a man!" Hajime snarls, shaking his scythe at him.

   "Kill Nagito then we'll talk." He replies coldly. 

   "Kill me." I agree immediately. 

   "Hey Nagito...can a scythe break through bulletproof glass?" Hajime hisses. I think for a second.

   "Not sure. But I'm sure it's not fully surrounding him." I answer. He grins eerily.

   "That's good enough for me."

    Hajime advances, beginning to climb the steps up to the balcony and for the first time I see Kokichi look a little worried. Did he seriously not anticipate a situation like this? But then again, someone as cool and wild as Hajime is unpredictable. 

   Hajime grabs the short boy by the collar, holding him up in the air. "What are you going to do now?"

   His voice is empty but at the same time extremely disturbing and unsettling. Kokichi wiggles feebly but his actions are futile.

   "Remember...Hajime...you kill me there's no way out of here and you get gassed." He chokes out. Hajime shakes his head, annoyed.

   "Fuck you." He replies. He drops the small floormaster on the floor and in the same motion lashes out and slashes his throat.

   The blood comes pouring out of the fresh gash on his throat as he collapses to the ground, barely still breathing. I watch as he raises the weapon high above his head and plunges it into his chest, effectively dying his white shirt a vibrant pink. 

   The purple-haired boy's body shudders one more time before it stops moving forever.

   Hajime kicks the body lazily and removes the scythe from his body. "Good riddance." He mumbles. 

   "Well done, Hajime," I praise, "do you feel better now?"

   The brunet shrugs, making his way back down the stairs.

   "Not as much as I wanted but I guess." He replies. I gesture towards the door that supposedly leads towards the elevator. He extends one finger.

   "Hold on. I want to talk about this little 'death wish' you have going on." He sighs. I stare at my feet. "I'm all for killing you when we get out of here. But you keep trying to die before that..."

   He gently cups the sides of my face, staring into my eyes intensely. "I'm going to be the one to kill you and only when we get outside. So please...don't go dying on me."

   I stare back at him for a moment before finally nodding slowly. "We have an arrangement. You swore to Atua for me. You will be the one to kill me, once we are on the outside." I promise him. He smiles at me.

   "Good. That's a good marshmallow." He coos.

   Hajime lets go of me and begins strolling towards the door. "This door is most likely locked. I'll just smash through the glass window on the top half." He sighs. I nod.

   "You can do it." I encourage automatically. He reels back and surges forward with his weapon, easily smashing through to the glass. He then gracefully hops through it and gestures for me to follow.

   I walk right up to the door and he extends his hand, intending to help me through to the other side. I take it and he pulls me through the broken window, causing me to nearly collide with his chest.

   And there, luckily as Kokichi had promised, was the elevator. Hajime grins, still not yet releasing my hand. 

   "Alright! B4 cleared! Come on, Nagito, B3 awaits!" He cheers, tugging me towards the mechanical box. He presses the button and the doors obediently split apart. 

   Together we step onto the elevator, ready to face whatever awaits us on B3.