Queen of Diamonds (x Chishiya)

Chapter 1 - Choose

Author's note: Well first of all, here's a disclaimer. I don't own any of the original Alice in Borderland characters or the original games.

Anyways, back to what's important. This story will be a slow-burn between Karma and Chishiya. I don't want to rush their connection and I also want to stay true to Chishiya's character as it's not really in his nature to be compassionate or so quick use the L-word. Don't worry though! It will happen slowly but surely ;)

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Karma's POV

"Mira... it's over." I gasp.

My eyes dart from the blood-soaked gym arena to my only remaining friend before I engulf her in a tight hug. I take in a deep breath and let out a heavy, much needed exhale, dropping the broken mirror shard I had clutched in my hand.

My hands are still shaking, messy drops of blood fall from my fingertips to the ground, and all I can think of at this exact moment is how grateful I am to still be alive.

The system chimes, "We cleared the final game."

Mira and I exchange a knowing look. We finally get to know exactly what this place is and how it runs. We've grown so tired of the vague answers.

Tears well in Mira's eyes before she gently peels my arms off of her and her face remains blank as crystal tears fall. I wish I were a pretty crier like her. I don't even think I'm capable of crying right now as an annoying stinging-soreness under my right armpit causes me to wince and I discover a gash.

I use my jacket sleeve to hold pressure on it while warm blood slowly seeps through my fingers. I honestly didn't even realize I was injured. How could I be so careless?

Nope, I'm not careless, it was just adrenaline. Survival instincts.

"She was a child..." It comes out barely a whisper as Mira interrupts my thoughts and looks in horror at the 15-year-old girl lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood, twin daggers in her hands. She was fighting spirit who didn't fight hard enough. A boy around the same age as her, who I assume was her boyfriend, is crouched next to her body, sobbing into her chest.

I want to empathize, I do, but this is too interesting. I bring a hand to my chin, trying not to bask in our recent victory.

So she was the Queen of Spades, which isn't all that much of a surprise to me. I guessed between her and Lisa, but I was honestly leaning more towards Lisa considering the girl's young age. I completely underestimated her, but how did a child manage to make it this far? She must have been trained.

I nod to Lisa, who smirks back. She's the one who ended the girl's life and I admire her strength. Not just physical, but mental and emotional. Not a lot of people would kill a kid to win, at least, not by their own hand.

"I'm sorry... I- I'm so sorry!" The boy chokes between sobs knowing he failed to protect her. He was obviously in denial of her position, but I highly doubt he would have been willing to die for her. I do feel bad though, but naturally, he did what he had to do to survive by not interfering with her battles.

The game we just cleared was a simple battle royale with a twist: if the Queen of Spades were to be killed, the game would end and be cleared for all the remaining players, including those who were sworn to the Queen. A surprising 7 of us still stand out of the 20 we began with. I certainly wasn't expecting Kuzuryu to survive this Spades game, nor was I expecting him to join it in the first place.

I look to a pitiful hand trapped under a pile of weights and rubble on the ground, clenching my jaw in pain before raising my gaze to the glass ceiling to see an influx of colors greeting us. Fireworks.

It's a shame that very few could enjoy this glorious moment.

Grief has tainted it for many.

The only thing I'm thinking of as of now is a dying curiosity of what happens next. I already thought of the possibility of Joker cards considering they are technically in the typical deck of cards.

Perhaps there will be a phase 3?

"Congratulations players! The final game has been cleared! You will now be presented with two options: You may choose to accept permanent residency in this country or decline."

Permanent residency. Citizens. We just killed their citizens, who were the face cards and their accomplices. I wonder...

Well, I don't have much of an interest in returning to an inevitable solitude and Mira already made up her mind that she doesn't want to go back to her unfulfilling life.

I wonder what happens if we do choose to stay, considering this world has been taken over by nature. Does it reset? Do we wake up elsewhere? Is this even real? Or is this an endless cycle and those who accept are only present to replace their fallen face cards?

"I accept!" Lisa glares to the sky, smugness radiating off of her. "And I won't just be a citizen. I want to replace the Queen of Spades." She wipes the blood off of the throwing knives she retrieved from the former queen's neck.

Someone's eager.

While I was content with my life in our world, this world makes me feel alive and free unlike the responsibilities and commitments I was sentenced to back there. It's not like I have a family waiting for me. I lost them all in my first game, which was unfortunately a 9 of Hearts game.

And who's to say denying residency doesn't grant you a laser through your head?

"I DONT WANT IT! PLEASE I WANT THIS TO BE OVER!" cries the grieving boy, muffled into the girl's chest. I remember feeling that way. I had to protect myself and detach from those emotions. Thinking rationally and logically saved my life, emotions would have interfered with that.

Even if we do get to go home, I'm not too eager to face our old world all alone. I'd end up depressed and lonely, just living like a robot repeating the same routine, except with no one to go home to, no mom to check in on how my days were, no brother to interrupt my studying, and no father to motivate and push me.

I lost most ambition to build my future as a lawyer because who would I even do it for? Myself is not enough.

I don't really care about strangers enough either and the friends I had will be fine.

"I want to stay here." Mira turns her head to look at me, compassion in her eyes and a small smile. I break eye contact and fix my vision to the ground to rationalize my choices.

"I accept" Kuzuryu states simply, resting his eyes before sitting back into a wall. His head tilts back slightly and his chest rises and falls, almost as if he instantly fell into a slumber.

I have no family in that world, no ambition, and my friend is staying here, so I might as well stay too.

What about everyone else?

I'm here for me.

I close my mocha eyes tightly before nearly choking on my final decision. A single tear rolls down my cheek.

I cared for people there, but they'll be fine without me.

Perhaps I'm acting on impulse.

"I accept."

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