Blue Archive - Story of Joshua Sensei

Chapter 96 - Down Time XXV

Looking down, there's a big gash on the side of the skirt, almost making it resemble Hasumi's. "You don't have a spare?"

"No. Plus the seam might rip if I move too much... It will have to do until a new one arrives." The blackette says. "I would borrow one, but Hasumi's would never fit, and Tsurugi's are always covered in the blood of her enemies." Or the blood dribbling from her halo. "Getting replacement Justice Task Force uniforms can be a real pain, even within Trinity."

"Sound like a pain." I grimace.

Mashiro nods, before a thought strikes her. "Are you curious as to why our uniforms are black, whereas the regular students wear white?"

"Kinda." I admit with a shrug.

"It's so the blood we spill of our unrighteous enemies- like those from Gehenna- won't be noticeable on our uniforms." I had a hunch. "Again, take a good look at Tsurugi's uniform. I can slaughter my enemies without worry so long as I'm wearing this uniform."

I raise an eyebrow. Is she fucking with me?

"That... was supposed to be a joke. Did I push it too far?" She asks, cautiously.

"Jokes are supposed to be funny, Mashiro." I deadpan.

She hums. "I'm well aware that I have not been gifted with a sense of humor. People tend to be terrorized whenever I crack jokes. I wonder why that is."

"You looked pretty serious when telling that one. Maybe that's why." I theorize.

"That is one possibility." She smiles. "I should clarify that we do not wear black uniforms for fear of bloodstains."

"Of course. You'd wear red if that were the case." I joke, making sure to smile.

Thankfully, it gets a chuckle out of her.

The two of us went to an empty classroom and talked for a while as she sewed up her skirt.

...Mashiro has nice thighs. That's what I'll take away from this meeting.

----------

After going separate ways from the sniper, I sat out to find Hifumi, which wasn't too hard in the end. She, too, was in an empty classroom. As I entered, she sighed despondently.

"That was a long sigh." I comment.

"Wah?!" She jumps, whirling around to see me, a smile on my face. "S-Sensei! When did you get here?"

"Just now." I shrug. "I figured I'd come to check on ya."

"You were worried after that text, huh?" The blonde asks, earning a nod from me. "Sorry. I didn't mean to concern you..."

"It's fine. What's gotcha so worried?" I ask.

"Actually, it's not me I'm worried about. It's one of my friends..." She admits, slightly sad. "The thing is, my friends often come to me for advice. Maybe it's because I look so calm. One of them came to talk to me today, but there was nothing I could do for them... All I could do was repeat what they were saying. I added nothing... Maybe if I weren't so ordinary and had real talent, I could have helped them... I'd be so happy if I could just be there for them, It's been weighing on me a lot today." She laughs sardonically. "I'm pretty pathetic, aren't I?"

I sigh. "Beating yourself up like this is what's pathetic. I have no idea how you got the idea that you're ordinary or boring into your head, but your kindness clearly isn't ordinary. An ordinary person wouldn't be beating themselves up over something as simple as not being able to help a friend once."

"But... I wasn't able to do anything for them..." She weakly argues, slightly blushing from my praise.

"You listened to them, Hifumi." I say slowly. "You're giving them your support. They depend on you. So stop thinkin' you're useless."