A nauseating mixture of dust and ashes began to suffocate Himiko as she tried to take a breath. The crackling and dancing flames resembled a sick audience, clapping from delight and excitement that the recent explosion gave them. Somewhere in the distance, stifled by this chaos, was the noise of an approaching siren and the even less discernible commotion of students standing outside.
Himiko was certain that death was near and began to sob softly, until she had to stop because of bouts of coughing that it caused. Everything seemed like an unpleasant vision; nothing mattered besides the approaching flames. Nothing – unless. Here she remembered something and, regaining all of her energy, she lifted herself up to look for Kokichi. He was lying motionless to her left after having been evidently more harmed by the explosion. She crawled towards him, noticing just then how miserable Kokichi looked: his white attire almost turned black, pierced in many places by various debris and splinters and was coloured by blood in places where the debris managed to cut through. His eyes were closed; lips locked in a thoughtful frown. Himiko quickly looked at herself and realised that Kokichi must've had protected her once the explosion happened as her mage attire was not damaged. She leaned over Kokichi's face, shouting for him to wake up.
''Kokichi! Please, please...'' She sobbed, hope slowly leaving her. Then Kokichi's eyes opened with a rapidness that made it seem as if he was waiting for the right words to be said before opening them. He arose, looked around and grabbed Himiko's arm.
''Let's hurry downstairs,'' he said. His voice carried an unusual dreamy tone. Himiko was glad that she wasn't the only person to whom this situation appeared like a horrific nightmare.
The floor below was no better. Flames engulfed a great part of it and the alarms didn't work. One difference was a fire extinguisher that they managed to find.
''And now we will request assistance!'' Kokichi exclaimed. Himiko was surprised how quickly he regained his sarcastic mischievousness.
''How?'' She asked.
''We'll head to the windows that overlook the school's front, and you'll wave for help in distress!''
''Alright... Wait, why am I the one that has to wave for help?''
''Are you not stuck in a burning school, Himiko?''
''Yes - with you!''
''That's very romantic of you, but I'm more self-reliant than you think...'' He looked over his nails smirking, the ashes on his face making his smile no less devilish. Himiko stared at him in disbelief but remembered what he did for her and she, for the first time in her life, experienced a perfect balance of affection and annoyance for someone.
''Will you then do the honours?'' He asked, directing his gaze at her.
''Yes,'' Himiko relented, and they headed to one of the classrooms at the front, helping themselves with the fire extinguisher. Himiko looked out of the window, stunned by the amount of people, cars, and sirens gathered about the school's entrance.
''What the hell?!'' She heard Mondo shout as everyone raised their heads. The commotion that the people then made completely overtook the sound of the crackling flames.
''HIMIKO! HIMIKO! SOMEONE, DO SOMETHING! SHE'S BURNING ALIVE!'' Tenko cried frantically below and rushed towards the entrance but was stopped by the police and firefighters who, with great difficulty, were extinguishing the fire.
''Stay there, Himiko, they'll take care of the fire! If not, then we will for sure!'' She heard Kaede shout.
Himiko nodded at them thankfully, but grew suspicious about something.
''Kokichi, why don't you show yourself as well?'' He was staving off the flames with the extinguisher or by blocking them with some objects, pretending that he did not hear anything. Himiko thought that his presence here would be apparent sooner or later so she left the matter and told him that they must hurry downstairs. However, she asked him about something else.
''Kokichi, did you protect me?''
''What do you mean?''
''After Tsumugi's lab exploded, you ended up like this while I didn't.''
Kokichi halted and looked at Himiko thoughtfully. Then he smiled.
''Why don't you read my mind to find the answer? You're a mage, after all,'' he teased her.
''Nyeh, alright, you win...'' She said, annoyed, and covered her face with her hat. Despite Kokichi's slyness, her liking for him continued to grow.
YOU ARE READING
A Destructive Prank (An Oumeno story)
Fanfiction*Discontinued In this story, all the ultimates live normal highschool lives. Kokichi is dissatisfied with DICE and is determined to perform pranks that will bring him infamy and respect, however, in the process, he throws himself into a conflict wi...
