The coffee was served to her scalding hot, and for once the young detective didn't take this as an excuse to down it instantly. Kyouko let it sit there, and she stared at it intently. The cup was pooled with dread, and she hoped something would create a distraction so she wouldn't force herself to drink it.
Tons of cases happened in coffee shops. Which is why Kyouko Kirigiri decided to spend the next few hours at one.
Legs crossed and back straight, she sat at her table for two and thought to herself ("No, thinking is bad," she reminded herself. Because then she would remember that she was slacking on other important things - "no, not slacking, you're doing your job."). It was times like this that she wished the Kirigiri name was a bit more known, so then someone might just stumble upon her and ask for help on a case. Some detectives seemed to run into three dead bodies a day - did it have something to do with popularity? While being a detective did tend to increase the frequency of cases around her, there were many days that just ended up being sluggish... for example, today was one of those days.
The detective had managed to snag a table right next to the window and had a seat facing the doors. She was just ready for something to happen. (Of course, being prepared usually meant it wasn't going to happen at all, but Kyouko kept herself hopeful.) She subconsciously grabbed the coffee cup and brought it up to her lips as her eyes wandered to the busy streets outside.
The bell above the entrance rang softly and Kyouko instantly became alert. Apparently she let her mind wander too, since she didn't notice someone approaching the shop. She took a drink - keeping her face completely neutral as she did, despite the desire to squint and spit - and openly stared in the direction of the figure who walked in. They seemed to be a student - around her age, most likely - female, short black hair - and were those green eyes? Maybe blue? A plain button-up white shirt and a skirt... She seemed very conscious of her surroundings and kept her head up as she walked (in the direction Kyouko was - there was empty tables behind her, she remembered). Such a serious face, as if she was on a mission! She also looked incredibly familiar. It took a moment of shuffling through all the people she could remember (which thankfully was only about two years worth of people plus some), but she managed to remember at the exact moment--
"...Kirigiri-san?"
She had stopped at her table and looked on with shock. Kyouko felt like their situations should have been reversed, however.
"...Ikusaba-san. Is that correct?"
Mukuro nodded and laughed awkwardly. "Ah, you remember... But I guess a detective doesn't forget easily, huh..."
That's certainly not the only thing I remember, Kyouko thought, putting a cork on her questions and possible outbursts for now. Certainly there was an explanation for this. Because there was always a single truth... No matter how unlikely...
"Sit down," the detective snapped - she didn't mean to sound harsh but hopefully it would get things moving quicker at least.
"Are you... um, alright..." Mukuro seemed to recognize her expression and gently sat herself down across from her classmate. Kyouko could clearly see she was confused and ready to be defensive if need be. In that case, it was best to come straight out with it.
"Why are you alive?"
"Ex-Excuse me?!" She expected that reaction - typical for a soldier. Mukuro was shocked at the question and immediately put herself on alert. It probably seemed threatening to her - if she didn't know what the detective was talking about. Kyouko continued, keeping her voice slightly hushed so there was less of a chance for people to eavesdrop - especially after that outburst.
"I watched you die. At least a dozen spears pierced your body. I checked--" She added when Mukuro opened her mouth to protest. "--that tattoo was on your hand. And you were wearing a wig - disguised as your sister."
"Disguised as...?" A flash of horror was on her face for just a moment before the soldier composed herself and continued. "Um... that sounds kind of silly. Why would I disguise myself as her - I mean everyone can tell the difference between us..."
This was odd. Reactions, but to all the wrong things... Perhaps it was one of those scenarios again, but there was still some things to make clear... But speaking with a soldier - Kyouko had to tread carefully, especially with how much loyalty Mukuro had to her sister. Her classmate probably wouldn't hesitate to put a knife in her gut, even in a public area like this.
"Please hear me out for a moment - I have a feeling on what is going on here. Our class woke up locked in Hope's Peak Academy, and a robot bear told us to kill each other. ...Very few of us actually made it out alive. You were one of the students who died."
Mukuro was trying to keep a straight face, but Kyouko could tell she was getting anxious. Straight to the conclusion, then. "Judging by your reaction... This is the plan you and your sister have to cause despair, is it not? I believe this meeting has something to do with alternate realities, in that case."
Kyouko had a sneaking suspicion that she just saved herself from a very quick death by adding that last line. The super soldier across from her dropped her worries just a moment to suspend her disbelief. "Alternate realities...?"
"Yes. I have no doubts about experiencing it - and I have no doubts about the Mukuro Ikusaba I knew being dead. But here you are - and you seem very protective of your sister's plan. The Kyouko Kirigiri you know should be... mostly oblivious. Perhaps entirely."
Mukuro visibly relaxed, but she still kept herself carefully straightened. She was all business - and Kyouko knew exactly what she was going to ask.
"...Who kills me?"
There it was. The violet-eyed detective paused. What if she screwed up the events in the other world? Maybe her word would mean nothing - after all, it would mean Mukuro would have to betray the person she trusted the most.
But honestly, Kyouko was rather fond of the soldier. She was quiet, and she regrettably didn't know much about her aside from what she found in files (courtesy of the mind-wipe, of course). If she lived her version of the despair game, maybe they could communicate some time...
"You won't believe me one bit, but this is only what was proven in my timeline... It may as well be very different in yours. It was your sister."
"My...?" Mukuro looked shocked. She looked like she didn't know how to process this information - like it was a completely foreign string of words. Once she did, she eased up completely and laughed. It was a very loud laugh - Kyouko didn't think such a volume was capable from such a quiet girl. Once the soldier had calmed down, she gave that big grin that Kyouko was accustomed to seeing on Enoshima's face.
"Hey, don't worry about me! My sister wouldn't do that! Um, I mean, I don't know how it was in your timeline... But it's probably super different in mine! Yeah!" She laughed again - shorter this time. But she sobered up after this one and went to her usual quiet self again.
"But, uh... Thanks for telling me that, Kirigiri-san. I'll be extra careful, I guess, at that time... But hey, why tell me this? I mean. I was... partially responsible for... what happened to you guys."
Good question. Kyouko didn't entirely know how to answer it herself. "I don't know you very well, Ikusaba-san. Two years... are entirely gone. In my mind, we have never talked. But I think you're an interesting character. I don't have the chance with the Mukuro Ikusaba-san I know, but perhaps, if there's still time before that event occurs, or you make it out alive, we may stumble across each other again, and... communicate."
Mukuro seemed oddly happy about that; a genuine smile slowly making its way onto her face. "Um, I mean, we didn't talk much, but I guess we used to be... kinda friends. I thought you were pretty cool and stuff... Umm, yeah, okay! We can become better friends, then! ...If that's what you were saying, I mean..."
"Yes, that was it." Kyouko smiled softly. Mukuro probably didn't have many friends, and instead spent most of her time following her little sister's orders. Maybe they could get along.
"Coffee? I didn't drink very much - I'm not fond of it."
Mukuro accepted it with confusion - probably wondering why the detective had it in the first place - but she guzzled it down anyways after making sure Kyouko didn't want it.
Already, several things had been revealed about Mukuro Ikusaba. One, that she was uncaring about whether she was consuming food and drink from other people (rather like Kyouko, but it was probably a habit from the army). Two, that she was stunningly loyal to the people she could consider friends (in an almost naive way).
Three, that she liked coffee.
