Fanfic / The Grinning Snake

The Grinning Snake is a one-shot My-HiME and Hell Girl crossover fic by F91, taking place after the main story of the former. Konoka Kokuto, the daughter of one of the men killed in Shizuru's attack on District 1's headquarters, hears her father identify his killer with his dying breath. She sets out to bring Shizuru to justice, but when all else fails, her only remaining option requires her to pay the ultimate price.

This fic contains examples of:

• Alliterative Name: Konoka Kokuto, the main character.
• Bittersweet Ending/Downer Ending: Depending on your perspective. If you believe that Shizuru got what she deserved, then it's the former, as Konoka's also going to hell. If you believe that any use of Ai's contract is tragic, then it's the latter. If you believe that Shizuru doesn't deserve this, it's definitely the latter.
• Daddy's Girl: Konoka was quite close to her father.
• Dragged Off to Hell: Shizuru's ultimate fate, in which she suffers all manner of painful indignities, combined with insincere apologies.
• Dramatic Irony: Konoka doesn't understand why Shizuru would turn on District 1, which ostensibly shares the Himes' goal of dealing with the threat of Orphans. She doesn't realize that District 1 serves The Obsidian Lord.
• Faux Affably Evil: Shizuru exhibits some traits of this, being outwardly polite to Konoka, but being largely unrepentant about killing the First District, and showing a certain level of condescension toward Konoka when she protests.
• Foregone Conclusion: Since the story is based off Hell Girl, it's essentially a given that Konoka will go through with sending Shizuru, along with herself, to Hell.
• Gilligan Cut: When Konoka decides to go to the police to report Shizuru, the narration says "Surely, justice wouldn't fail her," and the next scene begins with "Justice had failed her."
• Hope Spot: Konoka finding evidence of Shizuru's wrongdoing seems like it might give her a way to bring her to justice without having to make a contract, but no one believes it.
• Karma Houdini: The trope is referred to by name in the author's notes, when the author complains about how Shizuru got off too easily, and for Shizuru, it's ultimately averted by Konoka using the contract.
• Karmic Death: Shizuru being Dragged Off to Hell by the daughter of a man she killed, with the experience itself showing her that not everything can be fixed with an apology.
• The Name Is Bond, James Bond: How Konoka introduces herself to Shizuru.
  Shizuru: Now, what would you like to discuss, Miss...
  Konoka: Koukuto. Konoka Koukuto.
  Shizuru: Miss Koukuto.
• Madness Mantra: Shizuru's repeating "It was all for Natsuki" as she's Dragged Off to Hell.
• Oh, Crap!: Shizuru has a somewhat understated example when Konoka mentions District 1, with her eyes opening wide as she hears about it.
• The Password Is Always "Swordfish": Konoka's father used her name as his password. although Konoka tries several other ones first.
• Police Are Useless: Konoka goes to them first, but gets no help from them, leaving her two choices- confront Shizuru and get her to turn herself in, or send her to Hell.
• Precision F-Strike: Enraged by Shizuru's lack of remorse for what she's done, Konoka screams, "DON'T FUCK WITH ME!"
• Revenge Before Reason: Zig-zagged. On the one hand, Konoka ultimately decides to condemn Shizuru to hell, even knowing that means she'll go there, too. On the other hand, Konoka only does so after exhausting all other options that she can think of.
• Revenge Fic: Against Shizuru for her killing the First District members.
• See You in Hell: Konoka says this to Shizuru when sealing her contract, making this a literal example.
• Trash of the Titans: Konoka's father only cleaned his office once a month, leaving her with quite a mess to get through after his death.
• Villain with Good Publicity: Shizuru's status as a idol among Fuuka Academy endures even after the Carnival, and Konoka finds it a bit surprising that someone like Shizuru could be the one responsible.
• We Will Not Use Photoshop in the Future: Averted. Even though Konoka's video of Shizuru using her Element and Child to destroy the District 1 Headquarters is genuine, the police officer who sees it laughs at her and says that it has great special effect.