ink-induced gangrene

"...No, I don't have a disease. Yes, I've tried washing my hands." [rp blog for prisonofdespair's calligrapher (in prison)]

[shslgyoshogirl]

[shsl-ghost-hunter-kaoru]

Kaoru suddenly remembered her bag.

"Well now that you mention it, I di- huh?"

She searched frantically for her lost bag, not only did it contain things that you would normally need for school, pencils, paper, and other things, but also her trusty ghost-hunting phaser. She never left home without it, for she never felt safe when she did.

"What!? Don’t tell me they took my bag, too! What if there’s evil spirits nearby? This isn’t funny anymore! I want to go home!"

She backed herself into the wall, and started to tremble in fear once again. Her family taught her to see the positive side of almost every situation, but nothing good could come from this! What did she ever do to deserve such a thing?

[shslgyoshogirl]

Kazue wasn't superstitious but the 'ghost hunter' in front of her was acting a bit too genuine for her liking. Her growing fear was starting to cause a reaction in the normally-apathetic calligrapher. 

"D-don't worry so much! It's p-probably for the atmosphere, y'know?"

To prove her point, Kazue ambled to the bunk bed on the opposite wall and knocked on the metal supports.

"See? You know, I bet these are going to be our beds! They'll come get us for the ceremony once this prank is over and then.....well, these'll be regular dorms again?"

She retrieved the keycard from her pocket and gestured to it.

"Why else would the door have a key scanner? Real prisons just have real keys, right?"

[shslgyoshogirl]

[shsl-ghost-hunter-kaoru]

Kaoru rested her head in her hand, trying to think.

"Hmm… while an actress by the name of Shimatani does sound familiar, I don’t recall any soccer players. But then again, I was never a really big fan of sports, so…”

An actress, a soccer player, and a calligrapher, all in the same family. Quite a variety, she had to admit. She never had any siblings of her own, and was jealous of those that did, especially those with older brothers and sisters. She continued:

"So, calligraphy, huh? That seems like a rather fancy talent! Do you write in multiple languages, too? Our school only taught the bare minimum of everything that isn’t science, so I don’t really know much about any language other than Japanese and English. Speaking of my school, W.A.G.G. stands for ‘Warriors Against Ghosts and Ghouls.’ It is a private school, but also a bit of a military school, too. There were a lot of strict rules there, and most people there were just serious folks that never even smiled, no matter how hard I tried to get them to do so. I thought that Hope’s Peak would be a more cheerful place, so I immediately accepted the invite."

She stopped talking for a moment. Hopefully, they would become friends! She hasn’t talked this much to a fellow student in a long time! It made her really happy, despite her dreary surroundings.

[shslgyoshogirl]

Kazue immediately perked up a bit. It was weird that somebody was actually interested in her talent - and somebody who hadn't heard of her brother. That was.....well, fantastic.

"Yeah. I mean, I've been doing Japanese calligraphy longer, but I can do Chinese and English as well. My favorite and best script is gyōsho style, which is technically Chinese, but...oh, hold on.

She leaned over almost mechanically, reaching for the schoolbag she'd packed just in case they had to show off their talent. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't at her side. She twisted around a few times, taking in the sparse bunk bed and barely-translucent shower curtain in the the corner before realizing her stuff was gone.

Just to be sure, she patted her pockets. The keycard was the only thing that stuck out to her.

"...I was going to show you but my bag isn't....."

She gestured around with a floppy hand.

"...In here. Did you bring anything by any chance?"

[shslgyoshogirl]

[shsl-ghost-hunter-kaoru]

Kaoru gave a nervous laugh, holding on to Kazue’s outstreched hand to push herself back up.

"Hmm. What a coincidence! I was just on my there for orientation, too! And y-yeah, maybe that’s it! It looks a bit too realistic to be a prank, though. I’m honestly kind of scared. I’ve never liked closed spaces such as this."

She was still shaking, her eyes were darting everywhere they could, then suddenly stopped.

C-come on, Kaoru. Stay positive! If this really is a prank, there shouldn’t be anything to be afraid of. Right? Right?! Now, introduce yourself…

She put on a brave face and pointed to herself with her thumb.

"Anyway, the name’s Kaoru Urameshi. I was invited to hopes peak as a SHSL Ghost Hunter! I just transferred there from W.A.G.G. Academy! What’s your talent? Also, do you mind if I call you Kazue-chan?"

[shslgyoshogirl]

Kazue exchanged a laugh with her and dusted her hand on her flimsy black skirt, taking the time to finally stand up all the way. Her back practically screamed in agony but at least she could get a full view of the room.

A.....ghost hunter? 

She recalled one of the emails the school had sent her mentioning her class would consist of some pretty strange talents, and the ghost hunter one was probably one of the most vivid alongside a 'time traveler'.

Whatever.

Don't be rude, Kazue. This could be your first chance to make a new friend.

The calligrapher smiled at Kaoru and bowed her head politely.

"Oh, yeah, you can call me that - I mean, we are kind of working the buddy system together now, right?"

"Anyway, it's.....nice to meet you,. I'm. not familiar with the W.A.G.G. Is it a private school?"

For crazy people? Or spirit mediums?

....Actually, Kazue paused, having a medium friend might be nice. I could have a conversation with my favorite artists.

"Er, anyway, I'm a Super High School Level Calligrapher. You might be more familiar with my siblings though: Moriko and Kise Shimatani? They're an actress and a soccer player, respectively.

She cursed inwardly. 

Do you always have to bring up your siblings everytime you meet somebody new?

Well, yes.

[shslgyoshogirl]

Paradise, Prison Style | | Chapter Zero

[shsl-ghost-hunter-kaoru]

Kaoru fluttered opened up her eyes a little and relectantly sat up, her tired eyes still half closed, her body aching. This was supposed to be her first day at a brand new school: a school that had no other path but one full of hope and happiness. So why was she so nervous? 

Think of all the adventures you could have, Kaoru. Think of all the friends you could make! Surely you would have a wondrous time at this... prison cell?!

Kaoru immediately opened her eyes wide to completate her surroundings once more. Surely she must be seeing things! In of all places in which she could possibly wake up, why a prison cell?! She had done nothing wrong as far as she could remember. So... why?! She frantically tried to calm herself down. 

This has to be a mistake! I'm a brave warrior that fights monsters, not some criminal!

She then finally came to notice the girl that was in her presence. At least she wasn't alone. She gazed into her eyes for a moment. She didn't seem the type to belong to a place such as this, so she could probably trust her.

"H-Hello, stranger! What's your name? Do you happen to know what I'm doing at an awful place?"

[shslgyoshogirl]

Kazue leaned back, expecting the girl to rear up in fear once they met eyes. At least she was being rational- oh, and not screaming. That was always a plus.

"....Shimatani. Kazue Shimatani." 

She half grazed her teeth along her lower lip and offered her hand to life the girl up. An outfit like that looked hard enough to lay down in, much less to get back up in. Again, not that Kazue was jealous or anything but..

Then again, she was still wearing her old school uniform, so there was that.

"I can't be much help, sorry. I just woke up a few minutes ago, actually."

She gestured over her shoulder with her blotchy thumb, somewhat awkwardly.

"I was supposed to be going to Hope's Peak for orientation - and I think this is just part of it. Eh, you know, maybe the graduates are playing a prank?"

[sayheyhollis]

[shslgyoshogirl]

Paradise, Prison Style | | Chapter Zero [Kaoru Urameshi]

Hope's Peak Academy was supposed to be her ticket out of that depressive shadow Kazue was supposed to call 'life'.

And she quite remembered almost rolling out of the car door and away from her parents when they'd arrived in front of the school, not even bothering to throw a 'Goodbye!' or 'I love you!' their way.

But now, laying on the grey cement with something akin to a keycard in her hand, Kazue felt a bitter sort of regret for not saying goodbye to her parents. She sat up and looked to the ceiling, cracking her neck rather audibly, and groaned.

Why, exactly, was she laying in a prison cell?

Kazue Shimatani, a calligrapher of all things.

The far wall was home to a door with a small slot on its surface, and when she held the card up she noted that it was likely her key to getting out.

She prepared to stand and, as if on cue, thought she heard somebody take a sharp breath. Kazue covered her mouth to silence a surprised yelp - because she really hated sudden noise and movement - and hesitantly turned to her left.

Oh, somebody's still sleeping.

The calligrapher slipped the pass into her cream-colored sweater and hesitantly reached for a puffy sleeve - a....black, puffy sleeve. That couldn't be school regulation. She looked more like a casual lolita than the average student.

Kazue was undeniably jealous though. Her hair was a beautiful color.

She changed course at the last second and instead gripped her arm with her unstained hand, giving it a few light shakes to prevent her from doing anything abhorrent - like screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Hey, get up please."

[prisonofdespair]

Awakening

Hope’s Peak Academy. Arguably the most prestigious school in the nation. The letter you received in the mail gave you a once in a lifetime opportunity you simply couldn’t pass up. Only a number of students get these invitations, and your talent was recognized enough that such a school has sent you one. 

The first day of school, you stand in front of Hope’s Peak, it surely looked as respectable as it sounded. Things are looking good, until the moment you step onto the school’s property. 

That’s the moment where everything goes black.

When you open your eyes, you find yourself lying on the floor of… Hold on. Where were you? You sit up and look around, only to find yourself in what seemed to be a prison cell. Your body aches from lying on the floor, and you notice another person in the room. Otherwise, it seems to be rather empty, and you still aren’t sure where exactly you are, but at least now you know you aren’t the only one. In your hand you hold an odd keycard of sorts, which you assume is the key to the cell door, perhaps something more.

[shslgyoshogirl]

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST HUMAN MEMORY?

My first memory?

Well…..it had to be when I was around four, actually. My brother was big into football (or soccer? He flipped between terms often.) and I remember sitting with my mother and sister during one of his games. Incidentally, he went for a goal and tragically miscalculated, and the ball smashed right into my face.

Your nose doesn't really grow in the same after that, you know?