A/N: Hello, everyone! I played Danganronpa V3 a while ago, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I've also fallen into TenMiko shipping, so I wrote this as well. This fic is a gift for Saryana, so I hope you enjoy it! And I also hope everyone that reads this enjoys it as well. It's time for femslash!
An act of real magic
"Don't get close to me, you degenerate male!"
Another day, another public display of watching Tenko Chabashira yell at her hapless male classmates here at Hope's Peak Academy. Normally, Himiko Yumeno would roll her eyes at this and go back to her usual napping. And yes, Tenko still did tend to go off on males that didn't really do anything to deserve it.
Since the day they met when they first started attending this Academy, Tenko hung around Himiko pretty much everyday. While she was occasionally overbearing and annoying, Himiko didn't have it in her to tell Tenko to go away. After all, it was too much effort to send away someone that was always encouraging Himiko… attending every magic show… giving her gifts. Letting Tenko stick around much easier.
At least, that's what Himiko always told herself to explain why she let Tenko be her friend. Lately, however, the little mage couldn't stop herself from seeing the aikido master in a different light. Everything from her enthusiastic smile, to the way Tenko moved while working out, to even the way her hair ribbons made a cute little spiral.
Could Tenko have also been a mage all along? Himiko could never detect any MP from Tenko before, and still couldn't even now. Despite this, Himiko could find no other explanation for how she was feeling towards Tenko besides the possibility that Tenko managed to cast a spell on her somehow.
"Good morning, Himiko!" Tenko greeted cheerfully. "How are you this morning?"
"Nyeh… I'm doing okay, I guess," Himiko answered, finding herself unable to meet Tenko in the eyes. In fact, she could feel herself… no way… was she actually blushing?
"Himiko, your face is going red!" Before Himiko could stop her, Tenko rested her hand against the mage's forehead. "And you feel really hot, too! Tenko needs to take care of you right now!"
"That won't be necessary. I'm preparing to cast a spell to cure myself," Himiko said, hoping Tenko wouldn't notice she was getting redder. "I do need an ice pack… but it would take too much MP to go get it myself."
"Tenko understands! She will go get an ice pack for Himiko right away!" And with that, Tenko dashed right out of the classroom, much to the confusion of everyone else. The moment that Tenko left the room, Himiko removed her hat and used it to cover her face, so no one else could see her embarrassment. Tenko wouldn't be gone long, so Himiko decided to use this time to think about when she started to have these feelings for the aikido master…
Himiko made her way back to Hope's Peak, carrying bags full of mage equipment she bought from a nearby mage store. The academy was more than happy to provide equipment for its students, but Himiko preferred to buy her own spell materials. And normally Tenko would be carrying Himiko's stuff for her, but for once she was off on some personal business. With the way her arms and legs were aching, Himiko found herself wishing Tenko was with her.
So perhaps it was no wonder that she didn't notice the pair of boys approaching her until they were walking by her sides. At first, Himiko didn't react to her unexpected companions, not wanting to bother with them. Then they started pressing uncomfortably against her.
"So you're one of the students attending Hope's Peak, right? I can tell by your uniform," One of the boys said casually.
"Nyeh… that's right. I'm the Ultimate Mage," Himiko said, hoping that they boys would go away soon. They didn't, however, and in fact seem to be pressing closer.
"Well then I'm sure the academy gives you everything you need," the other boy said. "So much, in fact, that you wouldn't miss one or two things." And he reached for Himiko's bag of purchases.
"Don't you dare! If you do, I'm… going to cast a nasty spell on you!" Himiko shouted. But the way the boys were pinning her arms, she couldn't reach any of her magic equipment. The other boy began reaching for her purse, and there was nothing she could do about it, and then-
"Hold it right there, you degenerate males!"
One of the would be muggers turned around, only for one if his arms to be suddenly grabbed, and he felt himself get tossed away a few feet away. It was the other mugger let go of Himiko to get a good look at the sudden assailant. Himiko looked to see who her savior was- and that's when she saw her.
It was a tall girl with long, dark hair in pigtails, wearing a bright green domino mask to hide her identity, and wearing a martial artist's gi. For a moment, Himiko didn't recognize her, until she saw that her rescuer was wearing a familiar ribbon.
"Hello there, Himi- I mean fellow female! Do not fear, because I'm here to save you!" If the line about "degenerate males" or the ribbon didn't tip Himiko off before, that slip of the tongue gave it away that this was Tenko. Himiko had heard that a man and girl in masks were going around fighting crime with martial arts moves.
To think that one of those heroes would turn out to be Tenko. Himiko could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest at seeing her friend glaring at the remaining mugger. The mugger, meanwhile, took a knife out of his pocket, brandishing it at Tenko.
"So you planned to use a knife on a defenseless girl? You're dishonorable even for a degenerate!" The mugger screamed and stabbed at Tenko, but she dodged effortlessly and smacked the knife out of his hands. With a loud yell, Tenko grabbed his arm and threw him, where he landed atop the other, still unconscious mugger.
"Tenko? Is that you?" Himiko asked when she finally found your voice. Tenko started at the sound of her name, but put on a wide smile when she faced Himiko.
"I'm just a passing heroine that's looking out for girls everywhere," Tenko said, striking a heroic pose. "And you should be getting back to somewhere safe! Wherever crime is, I'll be there to stop it- so I'm off!"
Before Himiko could say or do anything, Tenko ran off. The young mage picked up her possessions, and went back to Hope's Peak Academy. The entire time, her heart beat fast in her chest, and she could feel her face become warmer…
Yes, that must have been when Tenko cast her spell on Himiko! To her knowledge, Himiko didn't know of any way to break such a powerful spell once it was cast, so she would just have accept being under the spell's effects, clearly. Now that it had happened, Himiko found that she didn't mind having these feelings towards Tenko.
However, Himiko's pride as a mage wouldn't accept being beat when it came to magic, at least not so easily. The least Himiko could do was cast the same exact spell on Tenko, so that they would be even. Tenko was always offering to train Himiko in Neo Aikido, and Himiko always turned her down because it was too much of a pain. Now, however, Himiko wouldn't just wait for another offer.
When Tenko returned with an ice pack, Himiko put it to her face and cast a cooling spell on herself. Then Himiko quietly asked if she could learn Neo Aikido from Tenko. Tenko, of course, happily and loudly said she would be more than happy to teach her, and arranged for them to meet after school in the gym.
Himiko spent the time before classes ended preparing the spell she would cast on Tenko. It ended up being a simple spell, not needing any external tools, but it didn't stop Himiko from feeling really nervous. Once she cast this spell, there would be no going back. But as Tenko herself would say, the best way to live was to move forward.
Then the last bell rung, and Himiko found herself in the gym with Tenko, both of them dressed in white gis. Tenko was eagerly showing Himiko Neo Aikido forms, which Himiko did her best to copy. The intense physical activity was draining her mana rapidly, however, so Himiko decided to make her move.
"Tenko, I'd like to learn how you throw people. Could you show me?" Himiko asked.
"Of course Tenko would be happy to show Himiko how to throw anyone that would dare attack her! It's useful for you to know if you run into an anti-mage," Tenko exclaimed. She held her arm out to Himiko. "Just to start out, I want you to grab my arm."
Himiko did indeed grab Tenko's outstretched arm- then suddenly yanked Tenko closer so that their faces were only a couple inches away. Being so close caused Himiko's heart to beat rapidly and her face to heat up. For once, however, it didn't matter that it was a pain- Himiko was going to see this through.
"You seemed more enthusiastic than usual today, Himiko, but this is new even for you!" Tenko said, her own face blushing brightly.
"It's because you cast a spell on me, the day that you saved me from those muggers. Don't bother denying it- I penetrated your disguise with my magic," Himiko said. "It was an impressive spell too, to ensnare the Ultimate Mage."
"Tenko did that? She didn't even know she knew how to use magic!" Tenko exclaimed in surprise. In the next second, however, she was all smiles again. "That must mean Himiko is an truly amazing mage, to teach Tenko how it use magic without a word!"
Was Tenko always this cute? It was actually starting to become distracting, but Himiko pressed on. "As the Ultimate Mage, my pride demands that I cast the same spell on you. But… if you don't want me to, Tenko, I won't cast this spell on you. Once I do, it can't ever be broken."
Tenko seemed to understand exactly where this was going, judging by how pink her face was. Even so, there was no denying how overjoyed her expression was. "I'd love it if you cast that spell on me! In fact, Tenko doesn't ever want these spells that connect us to be broken. So if that's what you want, Himiko, I will gladly fall under your spell, forever."
"Very well. I will now cast my spell on you, Tenko. Close your eyes…" Once the aikido master closed her eyes, Himiko rested her hands on Tenko's face. Then Himiko leaned up and kissed Tenko on the lips, and Tenko kissed her back with great enthusiasm. Himiko could feel the spell she just cast mix with Tenko's earlier spell, and they combined to make a spell that was so much more powerful- one that would bind their souls together, for eternity.
A/N: Tenko and Himiko are such dorks in this one-shot, it is adorable. Writing from Himiko's perspective was especially entertaining, because she's coming to terms with her crush in her own unique, Himiko way. So I'll see you all again soon with more DR content. Until then, this has been Orion Fowl, and thank you for visiting my Corner of Romance!