Summary: Rika should have known her happy ending came with a price. When Hanyuu suddenly catapults them into a strangely altered Hinamizawa, an old rival gets another chance to steal her victory. Post-Matsuribayashi-hen.
Disclaimer: I don't own Higurashi, Umineko or Elfen Lied or else I wouldn't be able to write this fanfic without feeling guilty I'm contradicting my own story:p
Warnings: *SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T READ HIGURASHI, UMINEKO OR ELFEN LIED* (well it is post-Matsuribayashi-hen)
A/N: This is my first fanfic ever. Please no flames! I just want honest feedback; after all, I want to be an author in the future...i could use all the help I can get :)
So...enjoy :D
A warm summer glow spread over Hinamizawa. It was sunset, the horizon rimmed faintly with red, the clouds a pale orange hue. Everyone was still laughing over this afternoon's club activities as they left school together; Keiichi had lost again, of course.
Then again, you've been losing for nearly 100 years now, Rika thought, smiling. When was the last time she had been able to honestly smile? But you helped us win the most important game of all.
"Au au . . . Rika . . ."
She did not hear; Satoko was re-enacting Keiichi's wail of denial and defeat and revenge.
"Rika . . . Rika . . . RI-"
"What?"
When the voice was cut off she finally turned around. Hanyuu was frozen, eyes wide, a bead of sweat on her temple. Before Rika could speak a familiar blackness engulfed them, drowning out the laughter, the sunshine, the happiness.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Black faded to murky grey. Grey faded to blinding white. And eventually, something came into focus.
Her own face.
"You!"
"So we meet again."
"What are you doing here?"
"You mean what are you doing here."
"I-I . . ." And with that, Rika realized three things: she was sprawled on her back, as if she'd fallen, there were floating crystals - no, kakera around her, and she was face to face with the only other person besides Hanyuu who had been with her from the beginning.
The witch, Bernkastel.
"I-I don't know why I'm here again! We finally reached a Good End! You said it was over! I thought it was . . ." Oh no. It's supposed to be over. I don't want to go through it again, not again, not again, not again, not-
"I thought so too," Bernkastel grimaced. Or was she smiling? Nothing was clear here, in this place between worlds. "But Lambda never gives up, does she? After all, she is the Witch of Certainty." and the witch turned away, muttering things like ". . .couldn't stand losing. . .", ". . . keep the game going . . .", and ". . .new piece . . ."
"Wait, why am I here? Did you summon me or something? And who's this Lambda you keep talking about? And what do you mean by 'a new piece'-"
"Lambdadelta. That's her name. You have no right to call her Lambda." Rika stared at Bernkastel's straight blue bangs, hiding eyes that mirrored her own. "We are not the only ones in this game, you know. Remember Miyo?"
"Takano," said Rika gravely.
"Lambda has been helping Miyo. Manipulating her, actually. Miyo doesn't know it, but her relentless ambition stems from Lambdadelta's yearn to win. Subconsciously, she knows the existence of different worlds, and has been your ultimate enemy, along with Lambda, from the beginning. Yet, Miyo failed. She lost to you; Lambda lost to me. And now she has found a way to have a rematch, but with a different piece."
Rika shivered. If what Bern said was true, and Takano only being manipulated, then she was just a piece that could be discarded and replaced. Just a piece in a sick game between Lambda and Bern.
"Hey Bern, if Takano was Lambda-Lambdadelta's piece, am I your piece? Just a piece?"
"Technically? Yes."
"Then all we've been through, the people who died - my friends going insane - it was all just a - just a - GAME?" Rika spluttered. A GAME! ALL OF THIS, JUST A GAME TO HER! "It is your fault I'm here!"
"No, it's Hanyuu's -"
"What!"
"- and Lambda's."
Rika blinked. Hanyuu working with this Lambda person? Impossible. Come to think of it, Hanyuu looked pretty scared a few minutes ago. Like she'd done something wrong. "But . . . Hanyuu's on our side."
"Oh, I never said she wasn't. Though I believe Hanyuu was tricked somehow into using her power again. And Lambda is the most mischievous person I know." Bernkastel's lips curved into a smirk. Was she enjoying this?"But she gave us one condition. If we win, everything will be over. whe will accept defeat and you will get your Good End back. But if we lose . . . well, either we keep going until we win, or until Hanyuu get's too weak to reset time."
If we lose . . . Hanyuu, you idiot. Were you really tricked so easily?
"The game's already started; you should leave now, Rika."
This Lambda, if I could kill her . . .
"Hanyuu will be waiting for you in the next world."
Bern's voice is getting fainter. So it's really happening . . .
". . . make sure we win."
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
A warm summer glow spread over Hinamizawa. It was sunset, the horizon rimmed faintly with red, the clouds a pale orange hue. Everyone was still laughing over this afternoon's club activities as they left school together. Rika smiled with relief. So what just happened was really a dream (more like a nightmare). It was probably the summer heat getting to her head.
"Au au . . . Rika . . ."
She did not hear; Satoko was wailing with denial and defeat and revenge.
"Rika-"
Turning around, Rika cut Hanyuu off with a glare - and slowly turned back. Satoko was not acting. She was genuinely swearing revenge. What, was she defending Keiichi now?
"Satoko, it's okay. It's not like you really lost, nipaa~"
Instantly, everyone's eyes locked on the blue-haired girl.
"But you saw it yourself, Rika-chan," Mion explained, "after all, you're the one who beat her."
"But-" Rika glanced around. Had he gone home already? "I thought Keiichi lost."
Silence.
". . .Who's Keiichi-san, kana kana~?" Rena tilted her head, curious.
You're kidding me.
"I'm going to faint," Rika said clearly before, for the second time that day, she was plunged into darkness.