Bibi's Backstory - Desecration Arc

"Come on in, Bibi," Hiroshi told his friend politely, gesturing her inside. Bibi, who was usually a big bundle of joy, had her head hanging low in shame and guilt. She stepped on inside, and sat down on the couch, her breathing uneven. Wisteria raised an eyebrow, but Hiroshi signalled to leave her alone.

Tomokazu followed her inside, also looking glum. He shook his head at Hiroshi, and Hiroshi nodded back in return. She was completely scarred emotionally, and it wasn't like her to be not talking.

Hiroshi got down on one knee, looking up into Bibi's eyes. They were dead inside, as if she had seen a ghost. Methaporically, she did. Her father was apprently living and breathing, and currently in the middle of hating her to an unhealthy extent.

"Bibi? I'm not mad or upset," Hiroshi said with a smile, trying to comfort her. It did not seem to have any effect.

Bibi didn't respond. A bead of sweat dripped from her head and onto the floor. She looked terrible. Hiroshi was stunned. He had never seen Bibi like this before. 

"Why are you comforting her? She's the one that hit you!" Wisteria pouted, feeling very little sympathy.

"With all due respect, Babe? Shut up."

It was now Wisteria's turn to be stunned into silence. Hiroshi had never spoken to her like that before. She decided to back off, not because she wanted to, but because she wanted Bibi to finally start talking and answering questions. A small smile curled on the edge of Bibi's lips, before dying against immediatly. Hiroshi sighed deeply.

"Please Bibi...at least tell me you are alright?" Hiroshi asked. He knew it was pointless. If Tomokazu couldn't get anything out of her...

"Ten years ago."

"W-what?" Hiroshi's eyes bulged open in shock. Bibi could speak. Hiroshi didn't say anything else. He needed those words to flow like a river, the more information the better.

"My father died...ten years ago...along with my sister," she said, not lifting up her head. Wisteria opened her mouth to say something, but Hiroshi held her back, refusing to let her get a word out. She needed time and space to talk about this. Hiroshi knew how hard it was to talk about a traumatic experience.

"My father knew I was weak. Alongside my sister, who was two years older than me, I was nothing but floor trash. My father loved us both very much, but Aiai just had so much more potential. Her manna reserves were revoluntionary for our family tree."

Bibi took a deep breath, then continued. She knew if she stopped, she wouldn't speak again. She put her hands on her knees, which were shaking side to side involuntarily, making her feel even more nervous.

"My mother died in childbirth with me, so I already was off to a bad start. Still, I feel like father had more of a grudge to me that I had no more manna than I killed my mother. But that doesn't matter. My father wanted me to be like Aiai, a perfect daughter, capable of taking on any threat. He wanted us to be heroes, to show the world that his daughters were the best in the world, only behind the Ardors."

"However, giving me power was very expensive. Hence why, he went to the Ardor of Hope himself, Zetsubo Onuki, and asked for funding, as none of the banks would give him loans because we were too poor. Zetsubo answered his call, and he gave him a labratory in the capital, and all the money he could ask for, for a deal, that he would work under him and build him weapons and inventions that could help win the war."

"On my eighth birthday, he offered me up to the lab for a 'present', which I found out later was my explosion wires I had during the Great Encounter Battle Tournament. Aiai was there in the lab too, helping him. I walked into the capital, found the lab, and just as I was about to open the door...they..."

Hiroshi put his hand on Bibi's shoulder, and put his hand on her chin. For the first time since she walked into the house, she looked up at him. Her eyes were bloodshot red with stained tears. She sniffled, trying to catch her breath.

"It's alright, Bibi, you can stop there if you'd like?" Hiroshi asked, genuinely concerned for his friend. Bibi shook her head. She was so close to the end. She had to say it. She needed to say it.

"No, i'm almost done...I got to the foot of the lab, and it just...blew up. Right in front of my face. Massive explosion. If I arrived one second later, I wouldn't be talking to you here and now. After the intial explosion, I ran inside, praying that they were alright. I found my sister's body, who was barely breathing. I never found my father's body, so I assumed he was annihilated in the blast. I pulled my sister into my arms. Her last words to me..."

"We tried to make those explosives for you. This was your fault. If you were never mannaless, we would still be alive..."

Bibi couldn't hold back the tears anymore. A wave of them crashed over her like a tsunami of emotions. She had never felt so vulnerable before. Hiroshi look back at his two friends, his eyes cold.

"Leave."

"What?! I'm Bibi's boyfriend!" Tomokazu gasped. "You always tell me to provide for her and keep her safe!"

"Not this time. Now, she needs a friend. Not a boyfriend. This is my house. Leave. Now." Hiroshi's voice became low and cold as ice. Wisteria and Tomokazu shuddered, before relunctantly leaving the house.

Hiroshi looked back over his shoulder and waited until they had gone, before sighing in disappointment.

"Bibi. I understand. I just need clarity that you won't hurt us again when going for these clone Hiroshi's. At the end of the day, we are all friends. And we will die for you, but not against you," Hiroshi said in a soft voice, as if speaking to a child. Bibi looked up, her tears welling up again.

"Oh Hiroshi, I'm so sorry."

"Don't mention it. Just..." he paused, before slowly opening his arms wide, as if showing off his wingspan. "Bring it in. I won't tell the others if you..."

Bibi didn't have to be told twice. She accepted the offer, pulling herself into Hiroshi and sobbing uncontrollably. Hiroshi rubbed her hair. It was the first time he had ever comforted anyone.

Maybe Kuro-Yami was right.

Maybe he was going soft.