26 -yesterday-
by Kit Lupin
Author's Note: This is the first in a two-part collection of 26 sentences about the 13 main characters of Akuma no Riddle. There will be events referenced that deviate from or are not mentioned in canon. Akuma no Riddle belongs to Yun Kouga. Please enjoy.
Tokaku- Death
Tokaku did not fear her own death, but when Haru was in danger, a strange feeling welled up inside of her, and if she was to describe it in words, she would call it absolute terror.
Haru- Mirror
When Haru first laid eyes upon Tokaku, that evening, she saw in those blue eyes a mirror to her own heart.
Otoya- Piranha
Otoya used to be afraid of blood, until her first taste; now, just the scent excited her, to the point where she wondered whether or not she wasn't more like a piranha than a spider.
Kouko- Tomorrow
She would never admit it, but seeing that American movie in any of its adaptations always made Kouko think the sun really would come out tomorrow.
Haruki- Hidden
Suicide was not unusual for the poor- Haruki still had the marks from her last attempt, hidden carefully behind bracelets and gloves and foundation, and she would never let Isuke-sama see them.
Shiena- Masks
Bullies always wore masks, Shiena thought to herself as Hitsugi poisoned her; masks that you couldn't see behind until it was too late.
Hitsugi- Empyrean
In Dante's Divine Comedy, the Empyrean was the highest place in Heaven, where God's divine love filled everything; Hitsugi believed that surely, her beloved Chitaru was destined for the Empyrean when her time on His green earth was over.
Chitaru- Malebolge
In Dante's Divine Comedy, sinners guilty of fraud were punished in the circle of Hell called the Malebolge, or so Chitaru had read; she wondered if Hitsugi, who liked to read, knew that as well.
Suzu- Idol
Suzu had tried being an idol once, a decade ago, to ease the pain of her loss; her hit single "Suzukaze" was still played by J-pop fans across the globe, and it gave Suzu some small comfort to know that there were people who could relate to her sorrows.
Banba- TV
"Kawashita yakusoku wasurenai yo..." the TV blares, playing Madoka Magica again, and even if Shin'ya isn't big on the show, Mahiru finds a sort of comfort in that world where that girl who looks so much like Haru can create hope for others like Haru did for her.
Isuke- Attention
Of all the things Isuke knew about herself, the foremost was that she craved the attention of others, and would do whatever it took to escape being locked back in the cage of silence and neglect.
Sumireko- Frail
Sumireko's cybernetically-enhanced body may have been strong, but her emotions and her heart were just as frail as the lies about her health.
Nio- Magic
Nio hated fantasy novels, with their nonsensical depictions of magic as a positive force; it was strictly for the creation of pain and confusion, or so the Kuzunoha family had told her (and they were right).