Chapter Text
New Message from: Hanamaru Kunikida
Hanamaru: Test, Test.
Chika: maru? r u ok? (0_0)
Hanamaru: Oh, sorry Chika. Yoshiko told me to try out the messaging system on the eHandbooks. I didn’t mean to scare you.
Chika: o ok, just weird to send a message saying test but if ur ok then thats fine d(^_^)
Hanamaru: Good to hear.
Hanamaru: Hey, what’s with the little faces?
Chika: theyre emoticons. u use them to show how u feel in txts
Hanamaru: Really?! You can make little faces in text messages to show your feelings?!
Chika: yh
Hanamaru: It’s the future!!!
Chika: (o^∀^)
Chika: btw, can i ask u something about yoshiko?
Hanamaru: Of course!
Chika: how did she get invited here as ultimate lucky student?
Hanamaru: Hang on, I’ll talk to you. There’s a call button here…
Hanamaru Kunikida started a video call.
“Hey, Maru.”
“Uwaaa!!”
Video call ended.
“Heeeh?”
Hanamaru Kunikida started a video call.
“Omigod! That scared me, zura!”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’re here, on my screen, and I can hear you too! But we aren’t even in the same room, zura!”
“I know, it’s a video call. I can see and hear you too.”
“Really?!?! Mirai, zuraaaa!!! ”
“Hahaha. You’re such a tech newbie. It’s kinda cute, actually.”
“H-heh? Y-you think it’s cute, zura? I think it’s just trouble for you.”
“It is cute.”
“Aww, thanks Chika. Um… why did we start talking here?”
“I, think you were about to tell me how Yoshiko got here.”
“Oh, yes! It’s a bit of a long story, but I want to make sure I don’t miss anything, zura. Is that alright?”
“Yeah, that’s fine, Maru.”
“Great. Now, if I remember it was back in late January…”
“Come on, come ooon, it’s gotta be here somewhere…” Yoshiko rummaged through her bag, desperately trying to find the book she had to return today - even putting a sticky note on it to make sure she remembered. Her roaming hand soon found a tough cover, and her face lit up. “Aha! Keeper of Records Kaori, your faith in Yohane is rewarded. Behold, little demon, the tome of your desire!” She pulled out the book, and the librarian studied the cover - before giving it back.
“Yoshiko, this the book you lent out yesterday.”
“Wh-eh?” She took another look at the book, and while it looked similar to the one she needed to bring, there were no notes or labels on it. In other words, she forgot to bring it!
“Look, I know you friend Hanamaru works here - and often vouches for you - but this can’t keep going on, dear.”
“Y-Yeah, I know, I know. I’ll bring it tomorrow, I promise.”
“That’s a deal.” The librarian said. “But you’ll have to pay a late fee of a hundred yen.”
Yoshiko sighed. She didn’t want to have to pay the fee, but she also knew Kaori was much more lenient with her than with others who bring late books. “Fine. I’ll bring the book and the money tomorrow.”
“Excellent. I’ll see you tomorrow then, dear.” Kaori finished, just as Zuramaru showed up to sign out of work.
“Yoshikoooo! Shall we get going, zura?” Her amber eyes shone with her smile, gentle as a blooming flower.
“Of course. Lead the way, little demon.” The angel replied, and the two set out into the gentle snow, casual conversation drifting between them. January was a particularly pleasant time of year for Yoshiko. The weather was still cold but not as harshly as it is in the middle of winter. The time of year - with Christmas and New Years past and the next major holiday a few months off - meant the streets were quieter. And even better, school had started up again, which (aside from teachers teaching her more boring subjects) meant more time with Zuramaru.
She could go on for hours about her. Smart, loyal, pretty cute with her chestnut-hued eyes and hair - though she wouldn’t say that last part out loud. Most of all, however, she was Yoshiko’s oldest and best friend. They’ve been together since preschool, through thick and thin, and now there was nothing that could take this team apart.
“Yoshiko…” She stopped suddenly, in the middle of the park that takes them home. “We, need to talk, zura.”
“Very well, my little demon. I could sense an aura of uncertainty from you these last few days.” Yoshiko knew that much was true. She’s noticed her friend was thinking about something for a while, but didn’t want to push her about it. “Tell me, what has been troubling you?”
“Well…” Maru seemed to tense up. “The thing is… I’m leaving Umi-Mirai High in the spring.” Yoshiko simply stared at her, shock woven into her face.
“There’s a big school called Hope’s Peak Academy, zura. Apparently, the best and brightest high schoolers go there, and the only way you get in…” Maru pulled a letter out of her bag. “Is if the school decides they want you. I got this invitation before the holidays - to attend as the Ultimate Librarian. I accepted it as we came back, and -”
“Zuramaru…?” She couldn’t believe this. “You’re… leaving?” She didn’t want to believe it. “But, you told me we’d -
“Yoshiko, please.” She was trying to hold back the tears in her trembling voice. “I’ve spent days trying to figure out how to tell you I’m leaving, zura. I knew how hard it would be for you to take. I… I knew how much I’d miss you when I left. So please, Yoshiko, I know you’re upset, but please, at least be happy for me.” A silence fell between them, broken when the angel embraced her friend.
“I am happy for you, Zuramaru. I really am. Hope’s Peak will be blessed to have such a talented little demon join their ranks, but…” ‘I just don’t want you to leave,’ is what she wanted to say, but just couldn’t get the words out. “We should have a celebration in your honour. Does your schedule have time for us to gather under the morrow sun?”
“Er, yeah. I’m free tomorrow.” Maru knew she was changing the topic, but a day out sounded fun too. After all, she knew Yoshiko would want to spend as much time with her, before she left for her new school. “We’ll meet at your place aaaaat… ten, zura?”
“Ten sounds good, Zuramaru.”
“Then it's a day, zura. I’ll see you tomorrow then!” The brown-haired girl turned to leave, but stopped. “Oh, Yoshiko… I’m sorry, about leaving. I should have told you sooner.” Yoshiko watched her best friend walk away.
Soon, she’d be gone, and she’d be alone.
A brief fifteen-minute walk later, Yoshiko found herself back home. An empty home, at least for an hour or so when her mom came back from work. With the door locked and the fallen angel in the comfort of her room, the weight of Zuramaru’s words crashed onto her like a wave of fire.
She was leaving. She was leaving, and probably never coming back. Yes, there’d be phone calls and visits back, but it just wouldn’t be the same between them. ‘I just wish I could stay with Zuramaru, even for a little bit longer.’ She prayed to every god - and demon - who’d listen to her pleas. She was her precious friend, her most loyal little demon. Zuramaru was everything to her, and couldn’t bear to lose her.
She tried to pass the time with video games (she kept on losing), streaming (her camera broke as she was setting it up), schoolwork (she kept getting stuck on that one problem) - whatever she could think of, but it just didn’t lift her mood, at all. Eventually, she decided to do some housework. She did some cleaning, tidied her room, checked and sorted the mail, sorted out the food… double-checked the mail, because Yoshiko swore she saw a letter for her.
She had never got a letter from anyone before.
The angel took it in her hands, feeling the weight of both the letter and the words aimed at her, no doubt something important. Curiosity taking over, she broke open the envelope and took out its contents - a pamphlet about some school, and a sheet of neatly folded paper. It was this paper she decided to read first:
Dear Yoshiko Tsushima,
Every year, the recruitment board at Hope’s Peak Academy performs a lottery, with one high school student selected at random offered the opportunity to study at our school. We are delighted to inform you that you have been selected as this year’s winner, and as such formally invite you to attend Hope’s Peak Academy at the start of the next academic year as the Ultimate Lucky Student.
Attached with this letter is the Orientation Guide for the upcoming year. Please let us know as soon as possible if you will be attending, and if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to ask.
Hope’s Peak Academy…
She got onto the phone with Zuramaru, because she was sure that was the school she said had offered her a place.
“Yoshiko? Are you okay, zura?”
“I am fine, my little demon… I’m wondering, the school you’ll serve next year is Hope’s Peak Academy, right?”
“Um… yeah, it is. Why?”
“Well, it’s just…” Oh my God. “They sent me a letter today, saying…” Oh my God! “Zuramaru! They’re inviting me to the school!” It took a few seconds for the two of them to understand exactly what this meant.
“WHAT?! Are you kidding me, zura?!” The time for quiet conversation was over.
“I’m totally not! It says here they hold a lottery to let someone join the school and that I won it and I’m going as the Ultimate Lucky Student! It’s all here in the letter!” She read it over again and again. This was happening! This was really happening! She was going to Hope’s Peak Academy - the best school in the world! It meant she was… she was going to stay with Zuramaru!
“Oh my goodness! That’s amazing! Everyone else goes through testing and scouting, but you managed to get in on pure luck, zura!”
'Luck…? No.'
“Kehehe. This was by no mere chance, my little demon.” No, this was far bigger than luck. “This is clearly the manifestation of my will, my desire - to immortalise our bonds for eternity!” There was some laughter on the other end of the line.
“If you say so, zura. We’re still meeting up tomorrow, right?” Of course! No way was she gonna let this chance to celebrate go now! “Great! I’ll see you then! And congrats on getting into Hope’s Peak, Yoshiko!”
“My thanks, little demon. And one more thing before you go.”
“What is it, zura?”
“My name isn’t Yoshiko, Zuramaru.” She felt her familiar dark energy - her mojo - flow through her again. “IT’S YOHANE!”
The call ended with a smile on the angel’s face.
“Wow… so Yoshiko really wanted to stay with you, even though you were going to Hope’s Peak?”
“Yep.”
“And then she won her place here after that?”
“That’s right, zura. I couldn’t believe it at the time either. She’s always been unlucky, and it’s the first time I’ve seen her win something through luck.”
“Maybe… Maybe it was Yoshiko’s fallen angel powers at work.”
“It probably was… Sorry to cut the call short, zura, but I’m starting to get a bit sleepy.”
“That’s alright. You go get some sleep. We all need it. Goodnight, Maru.”
“G’night, zura.”
Video call ended.
The next day...
New message from: Yoshiko Tsushima
Yoshiko: Little Demon Chika, were you the one who shared the knowledge of emoticons with Zuramaru?
Chika: maybe, why?
Yoshiko: shes been txting me faces she made all morning! she says you taught her some too!
Chika: i can neither confirm nor deny this
Yoshiko: (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻