Work Text:
Life is quiet.
Gehenna Academy had enough fun for the day. Even rowdy students needed sleep to start up trouble, so the night was peaceful. There were probably some firefights out there in Kivotos, but a little cafe tucked in one of Gehenna’s districts was nowhere near them. The only fights going on were some jokes between friends about plushies, trends, or other various topics.
Onikata Kayoko was one of several others that sat alone.
She had a table to herself near the windows with her earphones on and eyes fixed on her laptop. An assignment finished, and with the press of a button, the last of her school related work was completed. A sigh escaped her lips as she closed her computer and stuffed it in her bag that was resting on the ground beside her seat. Kayoko’s eyes glanced briefly at her surroundings after zipping her backpack shut before returning her sights on the cup she let cool while she worked.
I don’t have a lot to complain about, especially after leaving the Prefect Team.
Kayoko gripped the handle of her drink tightly as memories of a more stressful time surfaced. She took a sip of her ordered brew to calm down.
It helped, but not by much.
I have my freedom back, and I don’t really struggle with my lessons. That should be enough…
Compared to other students, she had it easy for her last year of school.
…Right?
Laughing from a nearby table interrupted the answer that wasn’t coming. Two students were showing each other something on their phones. An argument about which Momo Friends character had the biggest following. There was a stray comment about a Trinity student’s obsession on attending every release of new variants.
Guns were drawn, but then they all stopped and broke into laughter again.
Idiots. Kayoko felt a smile tug at her lips. Civilized idiots, at least.
A pair of students were talking to the staff behind the counter, asking for recommendations on the menu. Another group had one sleeping student being used as a coat rack. Kayoko even noticed some members of the Hot Springs Department discussing something that wasn’t about blowing something up for a new onsen. She remembered Kinugawa going into hiding recently after her last run-in with Hina some weeks back.
“Onikata.”
Kayoko heard her surname spoken by a familiar voice just as a song ended.
“Gisa.”
Dressed in the Prefect Team uniform had a way of turning heads, but it didn’t last long since it was only one member. If there were no trouble, then Gehenna students did not need to fear the group. Gisa nodded towards the empty seat across from Kayoko, asking for permission without a word spoken. A nod was all she needed to give, and the Prefect Team girl sat down and took her cap off.
An awkward silence reigned over for the next few minutes.
“…Here on orders?” Kayoko decided to break it as she pulled off her earphones.
“No.” Gisa did not hesitate on the answer. “I came to check up on an old friend.”
“Were we?” Kayoko raised a brow.
“Maybe not in the same way as the others here.” Gisa nodded toward the other students talking. “Maybe it’s one-sided on my part?”
“It’s…not like that.” Kayoko sighed. “Sorry.”
“I know you didn’t mean it like that.” Gisa waved off the apology. “You’re easier to talk to than Amau.”
Not exactly a hard bar to surpass…
A comment best left unsaid. One of the robot waiters approached and asked if Gisa wanted to order anything. The Prefect Team officer ordered tea and snacks for two. Kayoko knew the girl long enough to know Gisa wouldn’t make her foot the bill.
“You didn’t have to—”
“I did.” Gisa stopped Kayoko. “I know you didn’t mean what you said before, so consider this ‘payback’.”
“Funny way of getting back at me.” Kayoko let out something between a huff and a chuckle.
The waiter returned with the snacks and Gisa’s tea. Neither spoke and chose to enjoy their drinks and food. Kayoko believed that the Prefect Team veteran was gathering her thoughts first. The sight of the Prefect Team armband on Gisa made Kayoko’s own drink taste bitter.
Bitter.
One word to describe a lot of her time in the Prefect Team.
All my effort and I still couldn’t—
“Sorry I came in uniform.” Gisa spoke up after putting her tea down. “Some days I forget I even have the standard school uniform in my room.”
“The usual workload keeps us in them.” Kayoko realized her wording and resisted the urge to groan aloud. “Well, for me, I just kept it under my jacket back then.”
“Amau always did love to get on your case about that.” Gisa chuckled.
“…How’s everyone else?” Kayoko didn’t want to talk about the Prefect Team, but the conversation just headed in that direction.
“There’s always work to be done and a reason to complain about work.” Gisa responded before sipping her tea again. “Of course, you’ll never hear it from the Head Prefect.”
That’s because she’s in the worst position possible where complaining publicly isn’t an option.
Kayoko might have left the Prefect Team on bad terms, but she still admired her former leader’s efforts to keep some order in Gehenna. The Eden Treaty was Hina’s only way out from a duty that would eventually burn her out. Last Kayoko heard of that situation, the General Student Council President was supposed to help continue pushing the procedure forward. A time and place had not yet been appointed because of a lack of response from anyone in the GSC.
“But enough about my work.” Gisa switched the topic. “Didn’t come here to talk about that or old days like I’m trying to bring you back.”
“I figured that was the intent.” Kayoko gestured at the snacks and drinks. “Paying a meal, showing up to me in uniform, and referring to me by my last name even though we’ve known each other for years.”
“Hey, even I can feel awkward too.” Gisa’s laugh took a more bashful tone to it. “I didn’t know where we stood yet, Kayoko. Especially after…”
“…Yeah. I know.”
The conversation slowed to a halt after Kayoko’s response. It didn’t help that there wasn’t much Gisa could say to her answer. The silence allowed the opportunity to enjoy the food and drinks. When the waiter returned with the bill at Gisa’s request, the girl paid with her credits before putting on her hat again.
“Have somewhere you need to be?” Gisa asked.
“Right now?” Kayoko blinked before slowly shaking her head. “No, I don’t.”
“Then I want to take you somewhere.” Gisa pointed her thumb towards the door. “Let’s go.”
Kayoko couldn’t help feeling suspicious at this request. She could just refuse right now and make her way back to the dorm. That would wrap up this awkward meeting and possibly burn another bridge with the Prefect Team.
It wouldn’t be the first or the last.
“…Fine.” Kayoko stood up, slinging her bag over one shoulder. “You must have your reasons for doing this.”
“And you’ll hear it later, I promise.” Gisa looked a little relieved. “Just so you know, I didn’t come here on foot.”
That was a given, considering this cafe was further away from the main campus grounds where the Prefect Team headquarters was. Gisa led the way out, saying nothing further and letting Kayoko see for herself why. Parked next to the curb was an issued Prefect Team All-Terrain motorcycle, fitted with compartments for long patrols and an extra seat behind for an additional passenger.
A perfectly normal vehicle for a Prefect Team officer to have under normal circumstances.
Except for one glaring fact to Kayoko.
My bike…
This was undeniably Kayoko’s motorcycle from the Prefect Team days. She had expected it to sit in storage forever or scrapped later on. The streetlight above it made it clear to her that either Gisa or someone else had been taking good care of it. Kayoko watched as Gisa hopped on, nodding behind her to take a seat.
“Why do you have it?” Kayoko had to ask.
“Would have been a shame leaving it to collect dust.” Gisa started up the motorcycle. “You know, the last person who owned it kept it in good shape.”
Kayoko couldn’t find the words to respond to that comment. She only sighed and got onto the backseat, putting on the helmet that was attached on the tail end. The sound of the engine roaring as Gisa started driving had a nostalgic feeling to it.
She had better memories with her old ride than some people in the Prefect Team.
We’re approaching the borders of our district.
Her previous worst-case assumption, that she’d see the Prefect Team headquarters, was proven wrong. Gisa parked the ride near stairs leading up to a hill that overlooked one bridge leading into the Utnapishtim District. If Kayoko remembered correctly, there was a gazebo here for potential tourists who wanted to sightsee one of Gehenna’s landmarks.
“I like to come here and unwind.” Gisa dismounted from the motorcycle. “Also helps that it’s a blind spot from surveillance from one of Amau’s hidden cameras.”
“…One of your girls?” Kayoko surmised.
“Who can say?” Gisa dodged the question. “I’m sure it’s somewhere in my written reports piled on my desk. Hopefully, no one placed it near the shredder machine where it could accidentally fall in it.”
“That would be a real tragedy.”
Kayoko decided to let that subject die there as they walked up the stairs. The gazebo was empty, but an owl was nearby, making noise. Gisa chose to look out towards the building belonging to the D.U. and leaned over the railings.
“Since when do you smoke?” Kayoko leaned against one column as Gisa pulled out a small box.
“Since never.”
The box opened to reveal candy sticks colored like a cigarette.
“Want one?” Gisa held out the carton to her.
Kayoko pulled one out and stuck it in her mouth. The taste reminded her of Hyakkiyako treats the last time she attended a trip to that school district. If Gisa’s candy did come from that school territory, Kayoko couldn’t confirm it now after the girl stored the box away.
“No one’s saying much yet, but parts of Kivotos are starting to shut down.” Gisa said as she pointed towards the D.U. sector on the left. “You know how Gehenna troublemakers are, Kayoko. If they see an opportunity, they’ll spill all the trouble they give to the Prefect Team into other places too.”
“More than half of delinquent related issues in the D.U. are reported as Gehenna students.” Kayoko recalled a data report in the past. “How’s that related to bringing me here?”
“Well, for starters, if there’s one thing Gehenna prides itself in is not waiting.” Gisa turned her head to Kayoko. “We’re a pain in the neck for everyone else in Kivotos, but if there’s something we want to do, then we go for it.”
Gisa held out her next gift.
“You should try it sometime, Kayoko.”
The familiar sights of Kayoko’s bike keys was within her grasp to take. Gisa released her grip on the keys, and Kayoko caught it without thinking.
“You took me all the way out here just to give me my old ride back?” Kayoko asked after looking back up. “You’re going to get in trouble for this.”
“Definitely.” Gisa laughed off her future punishment. “That’s my problem, though. Not yours.”
Kayoko watched as Gisa put some space between them with her closer towards the stairs. For the first time this night, the Prefect Team officer looked uncomfortable. Gisa awkwardly scratched her cheek and looked off to the side like she were being lectured.
“There’s something for you in one of the storage compartments on your bike.” Gisa said. “Check it after I’m gone.”
“…It’s not contraband, right?” Kayoko raised an eyebrow.
“No!” Gisa shook her head furiously. “It’d be less embarrassing than what’s actually in there.”
“So what is—”
“Nope! I’m leaving!” Gisa turned and jogged. “Goodnight, Kayoko!”
At a complete loss of words, Kayoko only watched as Gisa’s figure disappeared down the steps. Even the owl hooting nearby sounded like they were confused too. Kayoko pulled out her phone and waited for a few minutes before deeming seven minutes long enough. Curiosity made her impatient enough to head back down the hill to where her motorcycle waited for her.
Gisa said it was in one of them…Ah, this is it.
Secured in one box was a voice recorder and a pretty old device too from the make of it. Kayoko sat down on her bike and plugged in her earphones into the machine. She pressed play and adjusted the volume as static crackled loudly at first. It sounded like people were muttering in the distance until someone’s nervous voice came through.
“Uh…I-is this thing on?”
…Hanne?
“Onikata-senpai? I don’t know if you remember me, but it’s Hanne.” The girl introduced herself, even though Kayoko already knew. “I wanted to say thanks for everything you’ve done for me at the start of my year in Gehenna.”
Kayoko faintly remembered Hanne going through a rough patch during her first few months. Beyond that, the details were hard to remember.
“I wonder if you remember any of it? Even if you don’t…I do.”
It was a strange feeling to have such an admiring tone targeted at her.
“You helped me get back on track the few times I got lost on patrol without my phone.” Hanne laughed nervously. “Captain Shiromi got really angry at me during those days, but not so much anymore.”
It’s coming back to me a little. Kayoko started to get a clearer picture in her head of her last interactions with the young first-year. You were pretty bad at paperwork too.
“Then there was the paperwork I messed up.” Hanne followed up, proving Kayoko’s memory correct. “You stayed after hours to help me fix it. You always looked so cool, you know?”
I kind of get why Gisa ran now. Kayoko felt her cheeks heat. I also kind of hate her for it.
“Even after you graduate, I’ll always remember you as a cool senpai.” Hanne had to be blushing, as she could hear some small laughter in the background. “Especially when you carried me all the way to medical during a bad firefight. So…I hope you have an amazing last year, Onikata-senpai…and…and I…”
“Hanne! You look like you’re about to die over there speaking to a recorder!” Gisa’s voice could be heard in the background. “Somebody pull her out of the fire already! Her cheeks are cooking hotter than a flamethrower!”
“Okay, I’m up then.”
Laughter and shuffling mixed, but the other voice that spoke more confidently struck through it all.
“Onikata-senpai? This is Rasche.” The new person announced themselves clearly. “I want you to know that I almost quit the Prefect Team if it wasn’t for you.”
That was news to Kayoko concerning this second-year student. As far as her memories were concerned, the only issue that she recalled was that Rasche’s combat evaluations had been poor. Ako and Iori had a debate once, and Rasche had been part of the pool of students to be reevaluated. Kayoko knew Rasche had good potential, but it was not her battle talent that was the issue.
“I signed on with the Prefect Team to stop Gehenna fun when it gets too out of hand.” Rasche continued as the talking in the background went down in volume. “My combat efficiency was lacking, so if the higher-up people didn’t see improvements then they’d send me to more office related work.”
Your issue wasn’t your skill…
“I had no idea what I was doing wrong until you pointed it out to me one day during firearms training.” Rasche let out a dry laugh. “I was using standard issued weapons, thinking if I kept at it, something would improve…it didn’t. You took one look at the armory, shoved a new gun in my hand and said this was more my style. You fixed my problem in a few minutes when I was struggling with it for my whole first year.”
A heavy silence followed, and Kayoko wasn’t sure if the recording ended there or not.
“I wish I had gotten to know you better, Onikata-senpai.” There was a sudden sound of movement. “I hope your last year is a great one.”
“Um…Rasche?” Hanne’s voice spoke up in the background. “Why are you saluting the recorder?”
“…Bad habit.” Rasche had the decency to sound somewhat embarrassed.
“Gisa! Your turn!” Another voice in the background called out.
“Me?” Gisa sounded surprised. “This was my idea. That means I get to sit this out!”
“Absolutely not!” Hanne and Rasche responded at the same time.
“You can’t make me!”
“Grab her! She’s running for it!”
Kayoko couldn’t help but crack a small smile at the sound of Gisa struggling to escape her fellow Prefect Team members. There were arguments and laughter in equal measure, and others wanting to speak too. A sigh of surrender from Gisa meant she was sitting in front of the recorder now. Gisa’s last-minute awkwardness made more sense now.
“I don’t have a grand story to tell, Kayoko.” Gisa spoke as the laughter from everyone else died down. “Hanne and Rasche did most of the work there. If you’re hearing this now, I’m probably gone. Please don’t chase me down on your bike.”
…The temptation was certainly there.
“If I have to say something, then it’s about you leaving the Prefect Team.”
Kayoko tightened her grasp on the recorder.
“I’m not going to point fingers at who was right and who was wrong.” Gisa spoke seriously as everyone else was likely listening intently. “I understand why you left. What happened afterward made me start this whole recording session with the others. I’m just trying to say—”
“Onikata-senpai, go out and have some fun!” One voice cried out.
Like a domino effect, more people joined in.
“Do something stupid!”
“But not too stupid!”
“Preferably something that doesn’t have us hunt you down!”
“You all interrupted me after making me do this!” Gisa barked back at the others in annoyance. “Whatever, they said what I wanted to. You got all that time for yourself now, Kayoko. Go have some fun with it.”
The recording cut off just as somebody else was about to yell again. Memories of helping others below her rank had been instinctive for Kayoko back in the Prefect Team. They were just ordinary things to do in the group back then for her. She never thought from the other perspective that they were treasured memories.
Kayoko had been too focused on other matters in the past.
Tasks she failed that made her stop moving.
Stuck like her motorcycle had been before Gisa brought it back to her. Kayoko looked back at the keys in her other hand before she stuck it in the ignition switch. She turned it, and the ride roared to life, and some part of her felt more awake now, too.
Fine. I’ll stop waiting if that’s what you all want. Kayoko stored the recorder away and put on her helmet. You all want me to have fun? I’ll give it a try.
It was only fair.