This was the chapter I was trying to post about 2 weeks ago. I actually did have a good portion typed out, it was just the ending that needed a bit of work.
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN KHR
Dear diary,
Everything hurts
"You look terrible, Onee-chan!" commented Chika from across the table. She stood up on the chair, reaching over towards Michiko's forehead. Chiaki looked up from his breakfast as Chika slammed her palm onto her face.
"It's sweet of you to show concern Chika, but could you please not do that?" she asked, removing the hand. "I just haven't gotten much sleep lately…"
"Is everything okay? You've been out late the past few nights." commented her mother.
"Yeah it's just a temporary after school thing." Michiko mumbled out.
"If you're not feeling well you can take a day off. You shouldn't overexert yourself, it's important to know your limits." she advised.
She snorted at the irony of her mother's comment before heading back to her bedroom.
Michiko lay on her bed staring at the ceiling, trying to empty her head. If she didn't think about anything she would feel better. Not thinking about Lambo, last night, the next four nights. Not thinking about the rings, the Varia, the mafia. Just not thinking.
As she continued staring, she felt her lids growing heavy, struggling to stay open. Immediately, she harshly slapped her hands against her cheeks.
"I'm not falling asleep…" she muttered, shaking her head.
Pulling out her journal, Michiko began to write. There was no way to fall asleep if she was moving. Flipping to the last page, she frowned at the writing that had been scrawled in the dark last night. She shook her head and flipped forward to the next page.
I…really….don't….know… what…I'm…doing…..
Michiko sighed. "Just write out anything, it's not that hard."
Everything feels stuck. It's like something inside of me needs to get out, but it's not budging. Everything is twisted.
She clicked her tongue, throwing her notebook and pen aside. She grabbed the pillow behind her, pushed her face into it and screamed. Tossing the pillow aside, she grabbed the pen and resumed writing.
I am tired of watching them get into these ridiculous situations. I am tired of them actively living to die. I am tired of being helpless. I am tired of being tired.
It was dark. The whole school was in shambles. Everyone was bleeding. No matter how many times they stood up, they just kept getting knocked down. At some point I had just wished they would stay down, even just to avoid any more damage. It didn't make a difference because even when they had fallen, the other side would just stomp on their corpses. I was terrified. I wanted to run, get away somehow, but it didn't matter. It was all over anyway. They had killed everyone. While they had died, I had watched. I thought maybe I would be next, but I was so insignificant that being dead was no different from being left alive.
Michiko's eyes shot open and she jumped up. Looking around, she realized she had fallen asleep. Her body completely engulfed in a cold sweat.
'Of course it was the same nightmare.'
She couldn't do this anymore. Looking at the clock, she noted the next battle would soon be starting. Yamamoto had warned her to stay away, but she knew it would be the same whether she went or didn't. She'd still be worried and she'd still feel sickened.
Walking to the school, Michiko ran into the group at the gate. Yamamoto's expression quickly hardened upon her arrival.
"I know what you're going to say." she started. "You told me that I shouldn't come anymore, but I am not done with this. You're all idiots!"
They stared at her questionably, but she merely continued. "You're all seriously a bunch of idiots. I am sick of it. I have no idea why you think it's okay to go around putting yourselves in danger, yet have the nerve to act like you're suddenly protecting everyone by doing this. Do you think I'd much rather have no explanations for why you all have a broken arm or leg? Or god forbid one of you actually ends up dead in the fight and the next time I see you it's as a bloody corpse!"
"Are you okay?" asked Tsuna, confused as to what brought about the sudden outburst.
"No I'm not! You're all so stupid and I can't leave it alone because you need someone to constantly tell you that what you're doing is dumb. None of you have the slightest bit of common sense. You're eventually going to die without it! Yesterday you even sent a five year old out into a battlefield thinking it'd be okay. Who does that? In what situation do you think a child can hold his own against some freakish murderer?"
Tsuna uncomfortably shifted. "Sending Lambo out there was my fault…"
Michiko groaned, interrupting what she knew would be a guilty apology or acceptance of blame. "No Sawada, do not give me any of that. As the one voice of reason here it's also my fault. I know I can't do anything to physically help, but the least I can do is remind you all to not be idiots."
Yamamoto spoke up. "I take it you're feeling much better than before then?"
She inhaled a deep breath. "It's an improvement I suppose, but if any of you look like you're ready to actively walk into your death, I will drag you back here and do it myself. Speaking of which where is Gokudera? He's the one who needs to have the most sense talked to him."
"Maybe he was stopped by Shamal?" suggested Reborn. "He wouldn't let his disciple enter a battle with no chance of winning."
"At least someone is looking out for him." she shrugged.
As the group headed into the building, Yamamoto slowed his pace to walk beside Michiko. "You're feeling better, but if you ever need a shoulder to cry on…"
"Shut up." she lightly elbowed him, rolling her eyes.
A second before the clock struck 11, Gokudera made his appearance. Michiko raised a brow, hearing the referee's explanation of this death match. As if the matches weren't brutal enough, they had to install a bomb to go off 15 minutes into the match that would actually kill the participants. Of course this was just when she was beginning to accustom herself to the idea of fighting against murderers.
She grimaced, her stomach lurching at the thought of the bomb going off. Feeling someone take hold of her hand, she knew it was Yamamoto attempting to calm her.
"Don't worry. We won't let anything happen to him, not after the last match." he whispered.
She meekly nodded, taking small breaths to recompose herself. He's right. Tsuna wouldn't let something happen to anyone else. However, the referees demolished that thought when they activated sensors to prevent interference. Michiko tried to swallow the growing lump in her throat.
Wonderful.
The only way to describe this horrible situation. I am currently filled to the brim with complaints, beginning with that goddamn laughter.
I haven't the slightest idea as to how an assassin has a maniacal laugh that would most definitely reveal his location considering the needs of the job, but here it is. He lives with people who are out killing teenagers, yet they haven't killed the closest one in proximity? Unreal. His laugh is enough of a reason to get rid of him.
And then there's Gokudera coming out as if he was ready to model on the runway. He's always had a distinctive fashion sense which I couldn't have cared less about, but wearing basically nothing but bandages and a wide-open shirt? That's the easiest possible way to get brutally mutilated. Of course the boy who missed the common sense speech came out like this.
Michiko watched in frustration as Gokudera played a game of cat and mouse with his opponent. The self-proclaimed genius put up a ruse that he was so skilled in reading wind currents that his knives were sure to hit the target every time. It didn't take a genius to know that with those levels of wind pressure he was obviously using a cheap trick to guide the knives towards Gokudera. The problem was what method he was using. Fortunately, Gokudera revealed the thread attached onto his shoulder that had been placed at the beginning of the battle.
Although he lost blood, he progressed through the match victory within his reach. However, his opponent lunged forward, clawing for the ring. Everyone shouted for Gokudera to drop the ring and return, but he was adamant.
Once again, why he felt the need to come in late and miss the speech I do not know. It's fate playing a cruel game. Thankfully Sawada's outburst had more of an effect than my outburst would have ever had on him. He returned in one piece. Soon after Hibari Kyoya arrived, challenging everyone on the premise for destroying his beautiful school.
Michiko watched with a smirk as Hibari tripped the man who had fought Lambo. To her disappointment, he left the man with just that, fervent to move to the next opponent. Yamamoto's opponent taunted Hibari while Michiko eagerly awaited the brawl to begin, clicking her tongue when Yamamoto stepped in.
Who better to face against the mass murderers than someone who is just as sick as them? Last I recall he also went rushing into Mukuro's murder den out of his own volition. Following the commotion, Dino came in (late as always). He explained that Yamamoto's opponent, Squalo was his former schoolmate and was known for defeating other swordsmen. Also he was supposedly next in line for Varia leader and got passed up for Xanxus. Apparently it's such a mystery as to why he's so loyal for someone who got his promotion stolen. Maybe Xanxus is just abnormally strong and Squalo realized that trying to take the position wasn't worth his life? Is that really that odd?
The bigger concern here should be Yamamoto's battle. He's not worried at all, although that is just like him…
"What's this?!" screeched out Tsuna at the sight of the battlefield. The room was flooded with water and broken debris. Large holes filled the ceiling, tides of water rushing through.
Another death match, what's new? Why does it seem like these arenas get more dangerous with each day? Two days ago it was electrocution, yesterday it was explosions, today it's drowning. What's next? Fighting on a 3-foot wide stadium 50 feet above ground?
As everyone bid farewell and wished good luck to Yamamoto, Michiko stood opposite him, fiddling with her fingers. Her lower lip caught between her teeth. He could tell she was nervous.
"Don't be so anxious." he laughed, ruffling her hair. "I'll be back soon."
She glared up at him. "You better not die. If you die I will drag you back to life just to kill you again, got it?"
He smiled. "Got it."
Michiko couldn't stop fidgeting. Her hands moved endlessly watching Yamamoto's battle against Squalo. The match was going well or so it seemed, but Squalo had little difficulty countering the attacks. The relaxed look on Yamamoto's face was unnerving. Here she was, worried out of her mind, while he remained calm even while profusely bleeding.
"Kobayashi?" she looked over to see Tsuna's concerned expression. "You don't look very good."
"He's bleeding out. I don't think anyone watching this would look good."
"Give me your hand." he replied holding out his own. Michiko released her intertwined fingers and slowly outstretched her hand. He held on tightly, consolingly smiling back.
"Whenever you're nervous Yamamoto holds your hand. He's busy right now, so I thought this could make do."
"Well of course he's busy." she muttered. "Thanks."
Squalo showed no sign of stopping his barrage of attacks, deliberately blinding Yamamoto's right eye as well. The situation looked hopeless until Yamamoto's counterattack had finally hit him. Reborn then explained the basis behind Shigure Souen style and its constant evolution. Yamamoto also came off lucky as his spontaneously created attack landed a finishing blow on his opponent.
Michiko sighed in relief when he attached the ring together. The battle was over. When he leaned over to pick Squalo up off the ground, she mentally face palmed. Leave it to Yamamoto to save the person who had just attempted to kill him. However, Squalo's pride was too great to let himself be saved after defeat.
Ignoring his death, the referees proceeded to announce the following match.
"So you guys have no idea who this person is at all?" Michiko questioned.
Everyone shrugged. They were all in the gymnasium, a surprisingly mundane arena. She had expected much worse, but took this as a blessing. She wasn't expecting today's battle to be explicitly gruesome based off the setting. As Tsuna awoke, the mist guardian entered.
"My name is Dokuro Chrome." she introduced herself.
The accusations flew wild over her identity, the result of walking in with Mukuro's former gang.
"Mukuro was a lot creepier." Michiko bluntly stated. "Even when he was faking being a nice person he gave off this vibe."
Tsuna agreed. "She's not Rokudo Mukuro. It's just a feeling but…."
The girl was obviously touched by Tsuna's defense and reciprocated with a light peck to the cheek causing everyone to shriek out in surprise, including Tsuna.
"Thought you had a thing for Sasagawa?" Michiko teasingly questioned, side-eying his bright red face.
"Of course I do!" he responded flabbergasted. "It was just so sudden!"
As the girl headed towards the center of the gymnasium, Michiko was curious as to how she would fight. The other side's representative was a baby who resembled Reborn, but it completely eluded her as to how this child was a part of a murdering gang.
You'd think after time travel I would have stopped questioning things. Let's just say if someone had told me I inhaled some kind of hallucinatory drug at some point in the day it would have legitimized what I had seen.
"What the hell is happening to the floor?" Michiko asked clinging onto Yamamoto's arm for her life.
"It's an illusion." explained Reborn, the floor slowly returning to normal.
She blinked rapidly trying to make sense of what had happened. Her eyes hadn't been playing tricks on her if everyone else had just undergone the same experience.
Illusions? At this point they could tell me humans are able to fly and I'd probably just go along with it.
The battle grew more intense when pillars of fire sprung from the floor. They were countered and the opponent overtook the girl. When he had destroyed her weapon she collapsed, her abdomen caving in. Meanwhile, Michiko's nausea was building up and the throbbing in her head increased. The illusions combined with sleep depravity were taking its toll on her. She struggled to focus on the match, squinting into the mist that was slowly coating the gymnasium. Her vision blurred and her balance felt unsteady. A familiar low chuckle reverberated through the walls and then everything went dark.
Michiko's eyes shot open and she jolted up.
"Kobayashi-san, how're you feeling?" asked Dino, sitting on a stool at the edge of the bed.
"Where am I?" she asked, observing the room.
"You fainted at last night's battle, so we brought you to our private clinic. Have you been feeling all right? Reborn said you might have fainted from oversensitivity from illusion exposure, but you've been knocked out for most of the day."
"I've just been having some difficulties sleeping. It's nothing really. What happened with yesterday's battle?"
"Tsuna's side won. Kyoya's results will be the same, so I suggest you rest up instead of going out to watch."
Michiko nodded, slipping out of the bed and preparing to go home. Dino threw her a confused look. "I told you to rest up, where are you going?"
She reciprocated the look. "Home? If I've been out all day my parents are obviously worried."
"Actually Reborn already took care of that." he explained. "We called your house and told them you would be staying the night at a friend's house because the event took much longer than expected. Besides if you're not sleeping well at home, a change of environment is always a good idea. You're free to stay here for a while."
As reluctant as she was to agree with Dino, he was right. She hadn't gotten any decent rest since the beginning of these matches until she had fainted.
"Another day wouldn't hurt I suppose." she muttered.
Dino smiled. "Good. You just focus on getting better."
The hospital hadn't been as bad as I would have thought. The food was decent and people left me alone. It was relaxing and stress free, something I wouldn't have used to describe my environment of the past week.
The next day arrived and Michiko already heard the news of what happened at the previous battle. A mental health day became pointless knowing they would all be forced to fight all over again.
As the sun began to set, she decided it would be best to head out, but before that she wanted to check up on Lambo. She knew all the guardians were required to be present in this final match, but bringing in someone with such extensive injuries would be excessive. She hoped they would have the slightest bit of sympathy and leave him be, but of course that wasn't the case. When she slid open the door, it was no surprise to see the referee cradling him in her arms.
"Put him down." Michiko growled, seething with rage.
Did they think they were going to get away with putting him in this battle when he wasn't even conscience? He was still hooked up to an oxygen tank, how do they expect him to survive?
"All guardians have been summoned to the sky ring battle. The rules dictate we bring him there."
Michiko stomped up making more forceful threats. "No, put him down right now or I swear to god I will make you. There is no way you are putting this child through more hell!"
She reached out to retrieve Lambo, but the woman easily pushed her back. "Do not interfere."
Michiko clicked her tongue, frustrated by how powerless she felt. She was not going to let this woman do as she pleased. Glaring up at her, Michiko charged forward trying to tackle her. She sidestepped the attack, once again warning her to back down. Relentlessly, Michiko made another attempt, which she expertly dodged. However, Michiko failed to realize the appearance of a second woman, who proceeded to strike her from behind. An electric shock struck Michiko's back and she keeled over.
"What should we do with her?" they discussed. "We need to bring the guardian to the field. Should we just leave her here? No, it would benefit Xanxus-sama if the other side had a handicap. She willingly interfered, so we should give her what she wants."
As Michiko came to, she felt the wind gently blow against her skin. Her body felt numb and her mind was groggy. She vaguely remembered trying to interfere with the referees' plans, but not the aftermath. Looking around, she was definitely no longer in the hospital, but what appeared to be the school rooftop. She pushed her hand against the ground, trying to stand up. Finally on her feet, she moved forward only to feel a force tugging her left wrist back.
"Handcuffs? Why would –"
A barrage of sudden explosions interrupted her thoughts, snapping her to the realization of her current situation.
I'm going to die aren't I?
Thank you so much to anyone who reviewed, favorited, or put the story on story alert! It's nice knowing that people are enjoying the story. Varia arc will most likely finish in 1-2 chapters and then it's time for the future arc. Also to answer some questions without giving away too much Kobayashi will eventually gain some combat skills, but I wouldn't say it's a particular focus. I always thought it was very weird how everyone in KHR is just automatically good at fighting, so having a civilian of all people suddenly showing up a bunch of trained mafia members is a bit much lol. And as of now the plan is to have the twins show up in the future arc in their TYL form. I'm honestly very excited to type out the future arc bc I have it all planned out. Anyways thank you or reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
