A/N: I'm back with more TenMiko! This time, a fic that I wrote as a prize for a giveaway I did... a few weeks ago. I do apologize for how late it is. As usual, I hope you all enjoy how this turned out! I do have to warn this has massive spoilers for Danganronpa V3. It's time for femslash!
Moving Forward Together- a TenkoxHimiko fic
Tenko could still remember that moment- during the investigation into Angie's death, when Tenko gave her speech to Himiko about moving forward. For the first time in a couple of days, Himiko smiled at Tenko once the aikido master finished her speech.
Feeling encouraged by this, Tenko got ready to participate in a seance set up by Shinguji- but then everything stopped as Ouma, up to his usual tricks, stepped on the circle of salt, presumably to get a reaction out of Shinguji. However, Ouma's foot went through a floorboard in the middle of the circle. When the bleeding Ouma was removed from the floor and Saihara inspected the floorboard, he found that a crosspiece had been cut out.
With undeniable proof of his hidden murder scheme exposed, Shinguji gave himself up, and was dragged away before Tenko could get her hands on him. What Tenko would never forget was the horrified look on Himiko's face as she realized how close Tenko came to being murdered. Murdered in a fake seance that Himiko herself almost participated in.
Himiko did her best to be more open with her emotions, with Tenko's encouragement. Without Tenko by her side, however, Himiko probably wouldn't have been able to make it through- from Kokichi driving Gonta to murder, to the revelation of the "truth of the outside world", to the confusing case regarding the murder in the Exisal hanger- the entire time, Tenko stuck by her side, cheering Himiko on.
The darkest hour for the survivors was definitely when the Tsumugi revealed herself as the Mastermind of the killing game- and that everyone were actually "fictional characters" of some kind. One by one, everyone succumbed to despair. Kiibo was the first to object, declaring that he would never give up on hope. And then…
"Tenko doesn't care! You can say that's she's fictional all you want. But Tenko knows that her feelings are real," Tenko said, glaring at Tsumugi.
"You only believe that because I wrote you that way!" Tsumugi declared smugly. "You've always been pretty simple, Tenko. But to think you'd-"
"Shut up! It doesn't matter what you do to me. Nothing can ever make Tenko change how she feels!" Tenko yelled. "The pain from not being able to protect her friends… the resolve to end this killing game… and the love she feels for Himiko. Tenko will use these feelings to beat you!"
Himiko was in awe at the end of Tenko's speech. Not only that, but it urged Shuichi to go on his own impassioned rant against the killing game, which lead to his final gambit- destroy the killing game by abandoning it completely.
One by one, the survivors agreed to go with Shuichi's plan. Full of courage because from being with her friends, Himiko agreed to put her life on the line to end the killing game. Tenko ended up being the last one that needed to agree. "If it means that no one ever has to suffer again, Tenko will lay down her life. Tenko has always been willing to sacrifice herself if it meant her friends could live!"
While this did remind Himiko of the near fatal seance, she didn't get a chance to think about it- first Kiibo came under the control of the audience and Tsumugi, then the final vote happened, which ended in a tie. That left Maki, Shuichi, Tenko, and Himiko being able to only watch as Kiibo flew off into the sky, firing blasts everywhere.
"Tenko!" Himiko cried out, convinced that she would die. "There's something I really want to say to you!"
"You don't need to say anything!" Tenko called back. "Tenko is happy just to spend her last moments with you!"
Himiko shook her head. "You're the one that's always telling me to express myself, Tenko! You've been my close friend all this time. And I wasn't sure how to say this before, but I'm finally ready now. Tenko- I love you too!"
And the last thing that Himiko remembered was Tenko gripping her hands and leaning in for a kiss as they were surrounded by explosions….
"Himiko! Wake up Himiko!" Tenko did her best to wake up her girlfriend, who was tossing and turning in her sleep, in the grips of a nightmare. Thankfully, the mage did manage to rouse from her sleep, into Tenko's welcoming arms. "Don't feel scared, Himiko! It's not real. It's all in the past now," Tenko said, holding her beloved close. "Tenko is here for you."
"It's still hard to believe… that we were really part of a Killing Game that was part of some sick Ultimate Real Fiction," Himiko said, shuddering. "Were we… were we really all fans of something like Daganronpa?"
"Tenko doesn't think that matters," Tenko said, stroking Himiko's hair. "Maybe the people we used to be entered the game of our own free will. Personally, Tenko doesn't believe it."
"But even if that's true, the people we are now put an end to the killing games!" Tenko exclaimed with a smile. "So Tenko thinks we should be confident in who we are now!"
That was just like Tenko, to find the bright side of their situation. The aikido master got out of the bed they shared, stretching her arms. "Tenko is going to make breakfast, but Himiko can stay in bed if she still needs to rest."
"Nyeh… that's okay, Tenko. I'm not the same girl I was before, after all," Himiko said, smiling at her girlfriend. To prove her point, Himiko climbed out of bed, if slowly, and hugged Tenko. The aikido master gladly hugged her back. "Let's make breakfast together."
It was a small, but comfortable life that Tenko and Himiko had made for themselves. The survivors of the final game all coped with their new circumstances in different ways. Tenko and Himiko choose to embrace the "fake" talents they had. Himiko did genuinely love seeing people's smiles, so she continued to put on magic performances. Likewise, Tenko decided to open her own Neo Aikido studio, to teach others to defend themselves.
Shuichi, meanwhile, decided to use his voice- writing memoirs about his experience in the killing game, and staging speeches rallying people against them, to make sure a killing game would never happen again. To his few friends, Shuichi privately admitted that he was not used to being in the spotlight. Tenko and Himiko, at least, did their best to be there for him.
Maki more or less vanished from the public eye, and none of her friends could blame her. Naturally, she didn't want to be the assassin Team Danganronpa made her, but Maki didn't know exactly who she was now. Her fellow survivors made sure to stay in contact with Maki in case she needed emotional support.
After breakfast, Tenko and Himiko left for their respective jobs. Tenko enjoyed teaching Aikido to others, and Himiko enjoyed entertaining others with her magic. Every so often, however, they were reminded of the nightmare they lived- like today, when a well-meaning girl went up to Tenko and gushed about how strong Tenko was during the killing game. Or a small boy asking if Himiko was ever going to do an underwater escape trick again.
Neither of them meant harm. Even so, Tenko and Himiko both found that they needed to excuse themselves. Himiko went behind the stage, and Tenko into another room of her dojo. Then they called each other on their cellphones, waiting for the other to pick up.
"Is something wrong, Himiko?" Tenko asked urgently.
"I can't get the image out of my head! How the water just… turned red," Himiko said, feeling like she was going to hyperventilate.
"It's okay, Himiko! Nothing like that is ever going to happen again. You're an amazing mage," Tenko said, her voice soothing.
"I know, I know. But it's so unfair that I couldn't do anything for one of my friends," Himiko said, feeling sadness deep in her heart at the memory.
"Tenko does feel the same way sometimes," Tenko admitted, gripping her phone. "There are so many people Tenko wishes could have saved. But Tenko is happy to still have Maki and Shuichi in her life. And especially to still have you, Himko!"
"I'm happy to still have you too, Tenko," Himiko said softly.
"Do you need Tenko to go over there?" Tenko asked.
"I appreciate the offer. But I can manage on my own!" Himiko exclaimed. "I'll knock the socks off of the audience with my magic and tell you all about it when we're back home!"
"That's the spirit, Himiko! Then Tenko will go back to her Neo Aikido class knowing you'll be fine," Tenko said proudly.
The conversation over, the two girls ended the call. Instead of distraught expressions from earlier, however, Tenko and Himiko were now radiating confidence as they went back to tackle the day head on.
Once it was evening, Tenko and Himiko made their way back to their apartment. Not feeling up to cooking, Tenko picked up fast food on her way home, and the two of the enjoyed it while sitting on their living room's couch together.
There was a movie playing on their TV, but they barely paid attention to it. Instead, the were huddled under a blanket, with Himiko resting her head against Tenko's chest. "Are you still thinking about what happened today?" Tenko asked her girlfriend.
"Nyeh… maybe just a little. I managed to get through my magic show," Himiko said, huddling closer to Tenko. "But I want to do better next time. I don't want to let down all my fans!"
"All of Tenko's students also look up to her as a model of strength," Tenko said, an unusually serious expression on her face. "So Tenko can't let them see her when she's weak. But sometimes that's how Tenko feels, and she can't help it."
"That's okay. There's nothing wrong with that," Himiko said. "You can be honest with me, Tenko. After all, you've been there for me since the day we've met. I want to be there for you too."
"The reason Tenko always tagged along with Himiko is because you've always been amazing!" Tenko exclaimed, pure adoration in her tone. "And Tenko wanted you to see that. But if you ever need anything, Tenko will do her best for you!"
And that was a promise that Tenko intended to fulfill with everything that she had. Even after all the countless tragedies they were forced to endure, they managed to make it out together. Tenko planned to take on each day as it came, because she was a fighter to the core of her being.
What truly made Tenko happy was that Himiko finally embraced her magical spirit, and was now sharing it with the world. Maybe there would be difficult times ahead of them, but Tenko was confident that Himiko would be able to triumph over them.
The future was full of endless possibilities, and Tenko planned to explore them with Himiko, together.
A/N: This fic drew inspiration from two other DR fics: "Like real people do" and "No one's gone in vain", both by Konline. I highly recommend giving them a read over at AO3. The next piece I publish here is likely the next chapter of "Like a bad romance novel", so look forward to that. Until then, this has been Orion Fowl and thank you for visiting my Corner of Romance!