Important Notes
# Minagi Mikoto doesn't exist in Hibashira, meaning the plotline will be drastically different. Instead, I have inserted Mikoto-Cat into this story.
# Elements from both the anime and manga have been taken to spice things up whilst twisting it with horror.
# Hibashira shares the same universe as Leoht Gaest and Impasse, so expect the impossible.
# CHILD designs are taken from Mai-HiME: Unmei no Keitouju.
# ORPHANs have been made to appear grotesque. Use Silent Hill and Dead Space as examples.
# This is strictly a hetero focused story.
CHAPTER 01: SCHWARZSCHILD VACUUM
Indescribable lights tore across the eventide horizon as Tokiha Mai clung to her CHILD's neck. Blasting into the groomy heavens, rain bore down upon them as they scaled above cirrocumulus clouds. Further and farther Kagutsuchi propelled towards the vacuum of space. The atmosphere was sparse, strangling the estranged HiME. Then, the thunderous roar of flame muted. Suspended in absolute zero gravity, the HiME and her CHILD were engulfed by an unimaginable cold silence. They had entered the Thermosphere. Tokiha Mai's very blood disintegrated as her body swelled in on itself.
T-There! The HiME Star…!
Disgusting tendrils were wrapped around the Moon as the HiME Star reacted to their arrival. Even through the quiescence of space, Mai sensed it. An enraged squall rumbled into her psyche, shaking her to the very core. This is what she had sacrificed herself for.
...Legend has it that every three centuries, the Earth is threatened by Armageddon.
A festival of earth-shattering weight descends upon the world, endangering reality itself.
This is called...
火
柱
HIBASHIRA
THE DESOLATE CARNIVAL
By Twisted Eternal Wolvetta
Mai was flung awake as the ferry was rocked by incoming waves. W-what… Heart hammering, her eyes shot skywards to the dark horizon. Earth. Relief flooded her for a minute moment until the anxiety spiked. That Godforsaken Star was still within the sky. Is she hallucinating? Batting her fingertips across her forehead, her nervous heart sank upon her discovery. Alas, she was wide awake. "Get it together, they're just dreams…"
"Sis?" Tokiha Takumi observed his sibling with worry. She had been a wreck for the past month now and he had no idea why. She hadn't been telling him anything at all. "Are you alright?"
"Just a bad dream, it's nothing to worry about." Mai sank back into her seat as she observed the waves. They should probably head on down below deck, the weather was getting rough. At that moment, an overweight feline waltzed on over towards them. "A cat?" What was it doing on board? Rubbing up against Mai's legs, the black feline meowed lazily before cantering off. Didn't that cat have a strange marking on its head…? "Ah, wait!" Making a move to stand, the ferry came to an unnatural stop. "W-whoa!" Flung off her feet, the wind was hurled from her lungs as she landed heavily on her back.
"Mai!"
Helped up into a sitting position by Takumi, Mai caught her breath. "U-uh… ow." Turning her attention to Takumi, she nodded as he guided her back to her feet. "Th-thanks." Realising they were suddenly alone atop deck, Mai paused. Wandering her gaze out towards sea, mist had abruptly pulled in. They couldn't see a thing, not even at an arm's length. "What on…?"
"Huh?" Takumi also looked around in confusion, nervously holding his sibling's upper-arm. "I don't hear anything."
Was this natural? Outstretching an arm, Mai led them aimlessly around the deck. Bumping into something warm, she jumped and took a hesitant step backwards with Takumi. "Hello?"
"Hey?" Turns out she had bumped into a man. The three huddled slightly to see one another. "'You two alright? The mist came out of nowhere." Looking the siblings over, they seemed alright enough. "Name's Tate Yuuichi."
"Ah." Mai blinked, taken slightly aback. "My name is Tokiha Mai, this is my brother." She gestured to him who stood faintly behind her.
"Takumi, hi." His face strained with stress. Whatever was happening here was setting his nerves off. He had no idea why either. This mist did not feel right.
"Do you know where the stairs are?" Mai asked their newcomer just as they heard what sounded like scraping. Turning to the noise, they quietened as the piercing sound echoed around them. It sounded terrible, straining their eardrums until they squealed mildly. Covering her ears in distress, Mai's panic started to escalate. "What is that noise?!"
The mist billowed as a figure abruptly strode before them. "Get off the deck, now!" The gruff voice commanded as a quake rumbled throughout the ferry.
Who? Mai's eyes strained as she stared into the back of the slim figure. A woman…? Dragged backwards, confusion and panic didn't relent. "W-wait! Stop?" It turns out Tate was pulling her back. What is happening?
The rumbling didn't subside as a monstrous drone silenced her. What had that been? Fear crept in through her mind just before the impossible happened. The ferry was smashed into by an unknown entity, sending her, Takumi and Tate flying.
Heart racing, Mai kept absolutely still as silence flooded the ferry once more. Then, within the distance she could see a light. It loomed within the blanketed horizon, hovering gently. Where had that person gone? What was that light? Where had the noise gone? A multitude of unanswered questions leaped within Mai's mind, creating infinite scenarios. "Takumi?" She looked around her in a panic, discovering he was no longer nearby. "Takumi?!"
"Mai?"
His voice was distant and she couldn't pinpoint which direction he was. No, no... no! This was starting to—a terrifying roar rebounded across the sea. Engulfed by dread, the ferry rocked powerfully as the mist was launched aside. The light from moment's prior now loomed before her. Shuffling back slowly, the shining faded. Centimetres from her face awaited the gigantic head of a decrepit corpse. Rotting flesh, dull scales and bone stared through her. Tokiha Mai would've screamed, but it never released from her lips. Rather, her breath caught as the skull's flaked lips moved. Tone guttural, it rasped words incomprehensibly. No matter how hard Mai tried to disbelieve this, it was terrifyingly real.
"N-NO!" Mai screamed, hooking her arms around her own head in some semblance of defence. Amazement and terror succeeded her as two metallic rings materialised around her forearms. Fire leaped from her, blanketing the skull which roared with rage. Bolting upwards and away from her, the mist utterly evaporated.
Towering above her was a demonic angler fish. Its appearance was as petrifying as its corpselight lure. Foul scales littered its diseased body that stunk with rot and grime. Barnacles were jammed within grotesque flesh, forming sickening patterns. However, it only got worse. Luminescent limbs of mangled rot extended from its body; these horrific arms were latched to the ferry, threatening capsize. Still, Mai couldn't decide what was worse. Monumental teeth were gorged within the angler fish's gums. Disturbingly, small creatures were attached to the gums and crawled within the gaping mouth. Then, Mai saw it. A disgusting white parasite had taken residence inside the monster's gullet.
She… ugh. Mai wanted to throw up. Heaving to her feet, she quickly glanced down to her quivering hands. She shook with fear, having no ability to think, let alone decide her next course of action. She had somehow cast fire…? This… this thing wanted to harm her? Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared dead-set into its mouth, watching the parasite wriggle around vilely.
"Mai?!"
Takumi's voice side-tracked her when she noticed the rings had disappeared. Thrown onto the floor, decomposing limbs swung for them. Her brother had saved her by a hair.
Shots rang out, ripping along and into the monster. An enraged howl emitted from it, the parasite shrieking in return as the angler fish submerged. Before the siblings could respond, the woman from before stepped over them. "Get out of here!" She yelled, snapping her pistols within her grip to release the cartridges. Now able to clearly see her, Mai was still unable to identify her. This woman was fully encased in bike leathers—helmet included. "NOW!"
Fumbling, Mai and Takumi were about to head towards Tate who had discovered the stairs. The angler fish disrupted this instead. Barraging into the ferry's hull, all four of them were slammed into the deck. Chaos ensued as a hole was torn into the ferry, initiating the countdown for sinking. Entering below deck was no longer an option, but neither was abandoning ship.
"T-Takumi." Mai could only stutter as she reached for the younger sibling. He did the same, unable to process the carnage.
Continual shots rebound alongside the surge of water. The woman—whoever she was—fired at the monster, enraging it further and harder. As their destiny charged them corpselight-first, an explosion below deck resonated. As though time stood still, Mai felt the floor beneath her give way. But rather than meet her doom below deck, she was flung skywards. Several hundred feet within the air, the four were suspended by an unknown force.
The horizon transformed into a brilliant crimson, the Star alternating hectically. Changing between azure and scarlet, a horizontal line pierced the skies. For the first time, they were witnessing a Phase Shift; a mythological and impossible event. Thereupon, the Star shone a dazzling crimson, and time was unpaused.
Crashing to the deck below, Mai was violently knocked out cold.
When finally coming to, rather than the endless pits of the sea, birdsong greeted Mai's ears.
Grumbling softly, she hesitantly opened her eyes to the blur of sunlight. Wincing, she covered her eyes with an arm. But why pray tell her, were short flames licking the lawn around her? Stunned, she warily stared at the ensou-esque blaze. "A-ah?!" Bolting up, she felt lightheaded from the sudden movement. Pulling her head downwards, she groaned before noticing Takumi, Tate and the unknown woman beside her. H-how in—?!
"—What are you doing?!"
Mai suddenly noticed that a large crowd of students were surrounding them. One in particular—a green uniformed blonde—shoved herself past them. "You, there!" She pointed at Mai. "Look at this!" Gesturing wildly at the flames, she fumed.
"U-ugh." Tate sat up with a hand smothering half of his face. "That hur—huh?" He too was as confused as Mai as he caught sight of the fire. Brow furrowing, he looked down to Takumi and the unidentified woman who were still motionless. "A-ah, you!" He gestured at Mai who sat beside him, his attention also being snatched by the blonde.
"Trespassing on private property. Shameless vandalism!" She berated, but soon recognised their blond trespasser. "Tate Yuuichi?!"
Oh, Gods'. Mai lamented her fate mentally. What is happening? She was unable to piece one and two together: On the ferry she had a nightmare, then… what? Her mind felt a little cloudy as she stared through Tate. There had been a… monumental fish that had attacked them through the mist? She had witnessed the impossible, but that surely hadn't been reality? But if so, how did it explain this? Her eyes wandered across Fuuka Academy as the crowd started to get even larger.
Lips parting agape slightly, realisation hit her like a brick wall.
...Did she cause this fire? She cautiously eyed it, noticing beside them was a geological dyke: It looked as though something had ploughed through the lawn—but what? Unless… her eyes widened in understanding. Inside her dreams, a gigantic chained phoenix frequented them. Its chest was a similar width and—
"—Who are the other three?" Another student was standing beside the blonde now. The spectacled woman eyed her oddly. "Haruka, we should bring them inside. Something doesn't seem righ—"
"—Yukino, look what they did to the lawn!"
"Yes, I am very aware of this. Which is more the reason to..."
Unfocusing, Mai's mind sent her in circles. Her dreams had become reality—no, her nightmares. She… what was she going to do? That Star had been grotesque and why had she been sacrificing herself? Pupils contorting, it wasn't until a hand landed upon her shoulder that she knocked out of it. "H-huh…?" She warily pulled her gaze to Tate who looked at her with concern.
"You alright?" Though he himself, Mai noticed, neither looked fine.
"I—" Say nothing. Holding her breath, Mai released it a moment later. "I'm fine." She strained a smile, making a motion to stand.
Nobody would believe her anyway, her anxious mind decided without logic. Even though Takumi, the woman and Tate had witnessed the same carnage as her. Dreams becoming reality? Not a chance.
"Ugh, fine." The blonde named Haruka grumbled. Stepping towards the fire, she hesitantly eyed it before propping her hands to her hips. "You two: Wake the others up!" She commanded, standing there awkwardly before the anger rose again. "Will somebody help but this fire out already?!" She twisted around, gesturing over three white-uniformed students. "Well? Go on! Get the tyre extinguishers!"
"...Fire?"
Once the flames were dealt with, Mai found herself within the student council room. Seated between Tate and Takumi, she wondered if her day could get any worse. That blonde—Haruka, or whatever her name is, marched in front of them relentlessly.
"Now, explain yourselves!" She slammed her hand against the table before them, making everyone except the biker flinch. "What were you doing sprawled out on the lawn?!"
"I-I don't know." Takumi stammered nervously, Haruka staring at him incredulously in response.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
How were they going to get out of this? The question repeated within Mai's mind infinitely. This blonde apprehended her next, causing her to sink slightly in her chair. "Neither do I."
Staring through her, Haruka spun on her heel. "Yukino! Did you find the CCTV yet?" The bespectacled student was seated in the front of the room before a computer. "Yukino?" She repeated, the entire room looking to her in response.
Yukino stared at the footage in disbelief. "The camera… exploded."
The four culprits glanced at each other uneasily. What is going on? Did that mean there was no way of knowing how they ended up in Fuuka?
"Kuga! Did you do this?" Haruka immediately accused.
"No?" The biker immediately responded. Ugh, she didn't have time for this. "Where's Shizuru, anyway?"
"Don't change the su—" "—'Terrible migraine, I am afraid." Haruka was flawlessly interrupted by another student who had remained quiet up until now. "She left earlier this morning." Taking a calm sip from his teacup, his gaze shifted to Mai. Throwing her a kind smile, he returned his attention to the incredibly impatient Haruka. "With all fairness, we should wait until the adrenalin has calmed. In the meantime, perhaps they can do community service in Saint Vlas Church?"
The what now?
"I haven't got time for this." Kuga stood up and picked up her helmet. Walking right past Haruka, she made a motion to open the door.
"Oh, no you d—"
"—Just send me a repair bill." The biker's voice travelled through the closed door.
"Yukino?! Why didn't you stop her?!"
The spectacled student could only sigh with lament.
. . .
Tristania: Deadlocked
You've had your last regrets
Reached your final depths
Deepest pits
Stepped aside for the world to pass you by
Chose to leave the fear
You are stuck in a world of deadlocks
This time it's real: This time it's for real
The world
Its evil ways
The pain that I hide
Let's make this happen
Left with the shame
Will somebody out there give me the blame?
Someone...
Show me, it's too far to see
What God made of us, tell me it's a dream
Was it meant to be this way?
Left with the shame
Give me the blame
Left with the shame
Will somebody out there give me the blame?
Someone…