The Crown Thrust Upon Me

Phantom Hitman 1412

A moment of inspiration hit when I went looking for the full version of "My dearest". The line came up on a CD cover or something. But it really struck a chord with me, and I think it totally represents the anime.

This is set around episode 15 and 16 and does contain spoilers to what happens in these episodes. Certain things I say about Gai will only be relevant up to that point in the story.

One girl, one bullet, one vial.

Three simple things. Three little tiny things that changed my life forever.

The girl.

I was stupid, trying to save a girl I didn't even know personally. But it was her. A singer I had had a crush on; I would spend forever watching her music video.

So there I go, trying to be a hero, trying to do something with my life. To do something out of the ordinary. I rush in, wrap my arms around her, pull her to my chest. All I wanted to do was protect her from those machines.

The Vial

Her mission was to get it to Gai, whilst it was hidden in Funell. Yet those men interfered, found her at my hideout and took her away. And I had felt so guilty at the time- I hadn't done anything to stop her capture. I just pathetically laid on the floor, more concerned over my own safety. So in my own self-serving way, to try and ease the guilt, I followed the map the little robot had produced.

And met Him.

Gai. I could blame my burden on him, twice over in fact, if not more. First of all, he used those words of his to infiltrate my mind, to wrap it around his little finger. Those words he used burrowed right under my skin, feeding the doubt inside of me. He knew what he was doing. He knew how I would react. Trying to make me feel better about myself… Ha, don't make me laugh. Those words were carefully chosen out of the millions he could have used, to create anger in me, to drive me towards action.

And like the stupid fool I am, I fell for it.

So there I go trying to ease my conscious and make up for my mistake. To do something for her this time round.

The bullet.

And with her in my arms, the Endlave fires a bullet at us. They had been firing bullets at everyone. No discrimination there. One of these machines is directly behind her, setting its target on her. So with her in my arms, I turn to put my back towards the threat. Protecting her- The only manly thing I've done to date. And it shoots, fires the bullet at us, pierces the glass

And the King is born.

I heard a voice in my head. A girl's voice, faintly familiar in a painful way. I should have known that voice, but all instances of it had been wiped from my mind. It says: This is power. The guilty crown given shape through the bonds between hearts.

And for the most part she is right.

And with those words of his, with plans formed in that devious mind, Gai pulls me into his world, makes me a prince. He turns me into a knight, into someone important, someone needed, someone useful. And eventually we come to the second and third thing I can blame on him.

Mana.

If Gai had treated Mana differently, then maybe I never would have been in this situation at all. Maybe the girl, the vial and the bullet wouldn't be in existence. And the third thing… He goes and dies. In that act, he practically thrusts the crown into my hands, leaving me no choice but to take it. The prince needs to finish what the old King started.

Finally we become trapped like rats in a cage. Only this cage is the School. And with the threat staring me in the face, what else can I do but place the crown on my head? Well, I could have returned to the old me and hidden in a corner, not caring about anyone else but myself. But instead I stand forward and take control, the crown in my hand a sign of leadership. No one else can contest against that. And as weird as this power maybe, with death looming all around us and Shinigami walking beside us, they had no choice but to accept what I was offering.

Without a choice, I grew into my power, find ways to use it that will once again ease my conscious. But I'm too malleable, too changeable. Too pathetic. I can't even make my own mind up. Like most humans, I agree with the views of the people around me, making different and colliding promises.

And even then I was hesitant. I wasn't like Gai. I couldn't twist the situation to suit me. I didn't have any master plans to get everyone out alright. And then came the final straw.

Hare died.

Something inside of me broke, something warm turned cold. My heart became stone. I will use this power to protect everyone I can, to get rid of the threat facing us, so that no one like Hare dies again.

I will well and truly become the King.

The right to use a friend as a weapon, that is the sinful crown I shall adorn.

I decided to write something other than Detective Conan and Hitman Reborn for once. Speaking of which, make sure to check out my DC KHR crossover, The Thief that changes the Mafia. Crossovers need more love on this site!

Phantom Hitman 1412

First Published 16 Feb 2012