Are all adults like this?
For the record, Asuka doesn’t have a problem with fighting or holding grudges. She’s the champion of holding grudges, after all! It’d be kind of hypocritical if she didn’t. But the more she watches the trial go on, the more she has to wonder: is adulthood all about being self-serving? It’s all the girl can see, and there’s a few seconds where she lets herself feel horribly, horribly lost.
Abel had some kind of alcohol issues - or mommy issues or whatever, Asuka got the gist of it from that little speech no issue - and Fenna had done something bad while liking alcohol. That meant it was okay to yell at her, to assume as much as possible, to make every point personal and razor sharp. It would make Abel feel better, certainly. It wasn’t even really about the murder, was it?
Fenna’s son was in danger, so it was okay for her to kill somebody else? Lives had different values - so long as you were the one assigning them. Asuka could understand caring for yourself - who else would protect you when you’re disposable? - but deciding one life weighed more than another? Deciding it was okay to lose a person for whatever reason? Fenna had clearly felt she could act that way - because it benefited her to do so, calmed and soothed her nerves in some form. Asuka was almost envious - would Fenna’s son even be able to appreciate this?
Viper is angry - and it makes sense to be angry. But that anger is meant to justify assault. Fenna killed, so she lost the right to be safe, to be protected. It’d be easy to spin it as vengeance, if not for the fact Viper seemed just as quick to turn on others. Why had Asuka found her cool? Would Viper attack Asuka like that if she did something wrong? The idea bothers Asuka more than the idea of people attacking her usually does, and so she reaches her conclusion. Atsuko’s death and Fenna’s confession were an excuse for Viper to work through her own feelings - it wasn’t about the death, it was about getting even. Making Viper feel better.
Remember when you attacked R.N.A.? Do any of you remember pursuing them and their alibi? Viciousness was wielded like a hammer with no real purpose. At least Asuka knew why she wielded it - could anybody else say the same? Or would they come up with some excuse above “you lost the right to decency, so we can be as cruel as we want in turn?”
Gami, you would have loved it here. None of them would have looked at you twice.
Her heart aches, but nothing makes it hurt than seeing Viper’s blow connect with Haruka. Real panic seizes Asuka’s heart, and she stares, looking lost and exactly her age.
“Haruka!!!” The panic is undeniable, Asuka’s eyes locked onto the blood. Without another thought, Asuka abandons her post, rushing over to Haruka’s side as she desperately tries to assess the extent of injury. She doesn’t care about anybody else around her - why should she - as she takes in the blood on Haruka’s scarf and awkwardly starts muttering words Asuka hopes are comforting.
Even with her fussing, however, Asuka can’t help but glance at Viper from her periphery. There’s nothing there to be read.
People hate Asuka, even when she doesn’t want them to. She won’t ever complain though; as much as people hate her, they let Asuka stay on stage. Maybe having somebody to hate is as exciting as it is to have somebody to adore, to fawn over. A villain for every hero - or maybe the racket Asuka made was enough. Whatever. So long as their eyes were on Asuka, she usually didn’t care.
If things worked out, however….
Viper probably trusted Asuka somewhat. From their last conversation, Viper had been nice. Very nice. There were probably plenty of small, sharp objects around. Nothing lethal - Asuka wasn’t an idiot, but she was a fighter, and she could do damage, as Jack could attest. Maybe she could even do it with just her fists.
Asuka wasn’t self-righteous either. It wasn’t for Haruka - it was because Haruka getting hurt made Asuka angry. Asuka wanted that pain shared, demanded it.
That was for another time though. For now, Asuka takes one of her sleeves and starts futilely trying to wipe the blood away. This isn’t an ideal place for medical treatment, but Asuka can handle it later. Her parents certainly weren’t patching her up after fights in the end. Asuka had endured worse than this, and she could do better for Haruka as a result.
Maybe, in some twisted way, this was the justice that was deserved.
