Poolside Banter
Little Sister: "Shaved ice is the best! Strawberry's gotta be number one."
Little Brother: "Nah, Blue Hawaii's the king. No contest!"
Little Sister: "Wanna bet?"
Little Brother: "Bring it on!!"
Me: "Guys, you're at a pool. Swim already!"
Why do we come to the pool and not swim? Even if they did, they'd probably just dunk each other under. Man, we're such a weird bunch.
Now, onto the main story…
Mash Burnedead and the Power of Stories
"—And so, looking at the fox, he said…"
In the detention center of Trinity, Mash Burnedead sat among Arius Branch School captives, reading aloud from a picture book he'd brought as a gift.
"Kon… it was you all along… the one who kept giving me eels…" sniff
"KOOOOOON!"
The captives, alongside Mash, were in tears, swept away by the story. The book was a classic, the kind found in Kivotos' early childhood education—beloved picture books and fairy tales, some even featured in elementary school textbooks. Among them were stories that lingered in the heart, tugging at emotions even into adulthood.
For the captives, this was their first taste of such sentimental education. Though their gas masks hung around their necks, their faces—usually hidden—were now drenched with tears.
"Kon… what a brave little guy…" sob
"Hyousuke's story just breaks me… nobody ends up happy!"
"That's the total opposite of Kabutaro and Gintaro from earlier…"
"Maybe I should've picked a happier story," Mash said softly. "I'm getting kinda sad myself."
"No… it was fun to listen to," one captive replied. "Really. It taught us something important."
"That's good to hear," Mash said with a nod.
In the heart of the prison—not outside, but inside—Mash sorted through a stack of picture books. As always, he'd broken the lock with sheer strength, with permission, of course.
As he read to the dozens of Arius students held captive, Mash watched their faces closely. Some were excited, others listened intently, some cried, and others flashed bright, joyful smiles—expressions so fresh, so new, that Mash quietly realized they'd likely never experienced anything like this before.
"…Can I ask you something, Mash Burnedead?" one captive said.
"Just Mash is fine. It's a mouthful otherwise."
"Okay, Mash… why are you doing this all of a sudden?"
"I figured you guys must be bored out of your minds in here."
"Bored… yeah, that's true."
"And I wanted to talk to you all. Not about politics or anything—just as people."
"You've… changed a bit, Mash Burnedead."
"Changed?"
"Yeah. You seem… smarter than when we last met."
"Really?"
"Really."
"…Guess I have changed," Mash murmured, a faint smile on his lips.
It had been months since Mash became the advisor for Schale in Kivotos, taking on the role of a teacher. In that time, he'd soaked up knowledge and experiences, growing in ways he hadn't expected. From a sweet-toothed kid to a teacher fighting for his students, his mindset was inching toward adulthood.
But that shift wasn't entirely a good thing. It meant losing a bit of the old Mash—the carefree, goofy kid he used to be. He paused, weighing his options: Stay like this, or go back to who I was?
"It feels like I'm talking to an adult… and I don't like it," one captive said, pulling her knees to her chest.
"You don't like adults?" Mash asked, then caught himself. "Oh, right. Sorry."
"Don't worry about it. But adults? I hate them. Always have."
"Yeah, I get it."
"And kids who act all grown-up? I hate them even more."
The leader of the captives, designated Number 270, spoke bitterly. She was the one who'd fought Mash in the gymnasium that night, who'd surrendered after witnessing his victory over Mika. The other captives kept their distance, watching the exchange.
"They act all high and mighty, spouting big words, but in the end, they just look down on us and use us. That's what Madame was like."
Mash stayed silent, listening.
"The Federal Student Council, Trinity's leaders, Gehenna's top dogs, politicians, student council officers—I hate them all. Their vibe, their attitude… you're starting to sound a little like them."
"What about Mika-san?"
"She's different. Childish, selfish, immature in the best way. I don't hate her at all."
"And the 'smart' me? The teacher version? You don't like him?"
"The adult-like you… yeah, I'm not a fan."
"Got it. Maybe I'll ditch teacher mode for a bit."
"You can just… switch like that?"
"It's a skill I picked up here."
"…I'm not even gonna comment on that."
Mash had always tried to be a reliable figure for Kivotos' students, adopting a "teacherly" demeanor. But if the person he was talking to couldn't stand adults, maybe it was time to go back to being his old, kid-like self.
"…Can I ask you something else, Mash?"
"Sure."
"Don't you ever get lonely here? Don't you miss your old world?"
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't. Not seeing my grandpa, my only family… that's tough. But for some reason, Kivotos feels more like home."
"Why? A single bullet could kill you here. And there are people like us, targeting you. Yet you say Kivotos is easier to live in?"
"Bad phrasing, maybe. To explain it properly, I'd need to tell you something… but is it okay if I share it with you all?"
"Please. Everyone here… we want to know you. No matter what the truth is, we'll accept it."
"Alright then. I'll tell you everything."
Mash opened up to the Arius students, sharing his story.
In his old world—a place called the Magic Realm—everyone was born with the power to use magic, much like the mysterious abilities of Kivotos' students. Mash, abandoned as a baby, was raised by a kind man named Regro, a saintly figure who took him in. But Mash was born without magic, a "magicless" outcast. Unable to live openly, he and Regro kept to themselves, living quietly as a family of two.
"I only recently learned how people like me and Grandpa—magicless or weak in magic—were treated. Persecuted, shunned, living on the fringes."
He'd overheard this truth from Regro during a visit to a ramen shop in Kivotos, a conversation that shook him to his core.
"I don't care what the world thinks of me. My fate is my own."
That had been his stance at first, brushing it off. But after the battle in the gymnasium, where he'd been injured, something shifted. The weight of his situation—the danger, the responsibility—hit him hard. He was hated in the Magic Realm, and in Kivotos, he carried the burden of protecting students and his only family. One wrong move could cost him everything. Overwhelmed by fear and loneliness, Mash had spiraled into reckless self-sacrifice, risking his life without a second thought.
"…Hah… haha…"
"Uh, was that… funny?" Mash asked.
"No… no, Mash! We… I… we tried to kill you! Just like the people who persecuted you in your world!"
"Oh, I see."
"You finally found a place where you're loved, and we… we tried to take that away!"
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry!"
"I'm sorry… truly…"
Not just the leader, but all the captives were crying, wracked with guilt. Beatrice's magic had poisoned their minds, turning them into tools of destruction.
Mash clenched his teeth, fury rising. Not as a teacher, but as a person, he burned with anger toward the witch who'd bound these girls with her vile magic.
"We… we don't deserve to be happy…"
Before the leader could finish, Mash gently placed his hands on her cheeks, lifting her face to meet his gaze.
"Listen. I don't hold anything against you for trying to kill me. That's in the past."
"But… even if you forgive us, the past doesn't just vanish!"
"You're right. The past doesn't disappear. So we paint over it with the present."
"Paint… over it?"
"Turn a painful past into a happy present. Transform old sins into new purpose. If you don't, you can't move forward—or even look back. That's what I think."
Releasing her face, Mash reached for the gas mask around her neck. It was a shackle, forced upon them by Beatrice to strip away their individuality, their freedom, leaving them as mere tools.
"Goodbye, old self. Hello, new you."
"Is it… okay? For us to stop being Beatrice's slaves?"
"Of course. Arius Branch School doesn't belong to her. Your fate is yours. You don't have to be anyone's slave anymore. You're—"
Mash gripped the gas mask in both hands and, with a surge of strength—
CRACK! CRUNCH! SNAP!
"—free."
The captives gasped, stunned.
By shattering the gas mask, Mash broke the curse binding them. They were still children, with every right to enjoy their youth. No one could take that away.
Tears streamed down their faces as relief and hope flooded in. One by one, they thanked Mash, their voices trembling with gratitude.
"Sorry it took me so long," Mash said, raising his right fist with a thumbs-up. "But we'll make up for lost time."
The leader, eyes still wet, looked at him and managed a shaky, "Thank… you…"
"You're welcome. But I was late, so… anything you want? Name it."
"No, no, just helping us… that's enough."
"Yeah, we're already—"
"Come on, you're free now! Go wild with some selfish requests. I'll allow it."
Despite his encouragement, the captives hesitated. They'd been so controlled, so stripped of agency, that they didn't know how to ask for what they wanted.
Then, the leader spoke up.
"…A name. I want a name."
"A name? Wait, you guys don't even have names?"
"Yeah… we've always been called by numbers or ranks."
"But Saori-san and Azusa-chan have proper names, don't they?"
"They're 'Named'—high-ranking, important to Madame's plans. For grunts like us, names were never needed."
"…That's one more reason to punch Beatrice," Mash muttered.
"I want a name… something that says I'm me, that I exist."
Mash couldn't refuse such a heartfelt request. Naming someone was a big deal, and he felt the weight of it, nerves creeping in.
"What were you called before?"
"270. My unit number."
"Two-seven-zero… Nina-na… Got it!"
"Really?"
"How about Nina? Nina-chan?"
It was a simple idea, maybe too simple, but it came from the heart. The leader—no, Nina—loved it. She pressed her hands to her chest, repeating the name softly, savoring it.
"Alright, I gotta go. I'll leave the books and this bear plushie here, okay?"
"Mash!" Nina called out.
"Yeah, Nina-chan?"
"Do what you want to do. Not as a teacher, but as a person. Please… save Arius. Save everyone from that place!"
"Leave it to me."
With a thumbs-up, Mash left the cell, heading toward his next destination. In that moment, he made a choice.
"For now… I'm done with teacher mode."
For this chapter, Mash decided to act not as Schale's advisor, but as himself—Mash Burnedead, the man.
He's back, our Mash-kun! From now on, for a little while, we'll see Mash with his teacher mode switched off. He'll still understand the big stuff (kinda), but the goofy, short-circuiting Mash is making a comeback!
As for Nina-chan's appearance, think Arius mob vibes—ponytail, about 160 cm tall, roughly 16 years old. Wish I had a better imagination!
Comments and feedback are super appreciated. Thanks for reading!
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Hey everyone, thanks a ton for following my story till now. If you wanna read ahead, I've already uploaded about 30–40 extra chapters on Patreon. Your support really keeps me going and helps me bring you more cool stories!
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]