A/N: Written as a Trick or Treat 2017 exchange gift for ried (riiiied).
Misaki believed herself to be a rational, down-to-earth type of person. She didn't believe in silly things, or ever get overexcited about something that didn't make sense. For example, she wasn't spontaneous like Kokoro, and she didn't have Kaoru's charisma. Kokoro flew off to the next adventure the most often in Hello Happy World, and Misaki felt like she was trailing behind her after every practice, although Misaki guessed she had fun with her bandmates.
But on that fateful mini-live, she didn't have fun.
Things went smoothly at first. She did what she usually did as DJ. She did everything like usual. The crowd screamed and cheered and it was great.
That was, until Misaki glanced out at the audience.
In the front row, the doppelganger appeared. The round pink and white face, the big, glossy black eyes, the pink, waving pink paws… It was the whole nine yards. The bear cheered and roared in beat to the music. Michelle sat in an empty seat by herself, bouncing up and down in her seat. Misaki blinked, stunned. Now, Michelle was suddenly hopping up and down between the audience members.
Misaki's hands—bear paws—all but slammed her stand. A screech and buzz went across the whole room, and everyone covered their ears. Michelle, horrified at the sound, fled directly out of the room, tail flicking behind her on the way out of the door.
Misaki's heartbeat droned so harshly in her chest she couldn't breathe. Everyone gave her looks and she hated that and she started to play again, trying to control herself. Puzzled, it was difficult to find her groove again, but she did it, and the rest followed.
Hagumi tried to ask her about it first afterwards, but Michelle shook her head and said she'd tell Misaki what had happened. She didn't know what to say. It hadn't been that bad. But it had been noticeable.
After the performance while everyone was putting away instruments, she approached Kanon, who Misaki hoped would fill her mind with sanity. She never thought she would have to stoop to this.
"Huh?" Kanon glanced at her, frowning. They were still on the stage and Kanon kept up Michelle being in character. "I didn't see anything weird, Michelle. What did you see? I was worried when you made that mistake earlier. Are you sure you're okay?"
No. No, Misaki didn't think she was okay.
She had to be imagining that. Misaki had to be.
Michelle wasn't real. It was a bear costume. Bear costumes didn't move, and they didn't run. They didn't appear in places while she was playing.
Perhaps… Kokoro was rubbing off on her…?
She thought about it even as she slipped out of the costume later. She stared at the smiling pink bear head in her hands, perfectly static and… normal.
Misaki rubbed at her eyes. She was tired. That was the realistic scenario. She had been practicing too much recently and the weariness had overtaken her at the worst time. Studying was getting to her, too. Exams were coming in several weeks, you know!
"I need to go home and sleep," Misaki mumbled. A good night's sleep always did the trick. She sighed and closed the door to the changing room and slumped back against the wooden frame. "I need to have dinner. Dinner makes everything better."
Dinner made nothing better. She slept well that night, but she had a dream. Misaki heard a bear growling and walking towards her in the distance. She ran, not knowing why, just wanting to get away.
Misaki downed her drink. The Circle Café was quiet at this time, and she hoped she could forget. But the thoughts kept plaguing her. Kokoro chatted away next to her. Band practice wasn't today, but Kokoro was excited, and she just wanted to be there.
"We need a really happy, happy song for next—"
And, from the corner of her eye, Michelle appeared. She pawed at the nearby trashcan. When she realized there was nothing edible in it, she wandered over to a table and ate a hamburger off the plate. Then, she trotted towards Misaki and the rest of the people outside closer to the counter, waving.
Misaki's entire body froze. Instinct went into overdrive first. She pushed Kokoro down to the ground by the arm, shielding her. Michelle didn't do anything wrong. In fact, she paused mid-step, all four paws on the ground. Her round ears turned back and she sniffed curiously at the air.
"G—Go away!" Misaki sounded like an idiot. People looked at her, but she didn't know if she should care. Why didn't anyone else see the roaming bear!?
"Huh?" Kokoro looked up at her, wide-eyed. Head tilting, her eyes brightened. "Are we going diving for treasures? Because I want to look for treasures—"
"Why would we look for treasures?" she shouted. She didn't have patience for her imagination. "I'm trying to protect you from… from… the bear!"
"Michelle!" Kokoro glanced over her shoulder, pushing Misaki away. She peered from each side and frowned. A rock plummeted in Misaki's stomach. She understood the meaning of it before Kokoro even opened her mouth and confirmed it. "I thought you meant Michelle. I wanted us all to have a meal together, because we never get to hang out!"
If Kokoro couldn't see it...
Where did that leave Misaki?
No one screamed or panicked. Everyone around the café tables went about their business, and Misaki helped Kokoro to her feet and apologized. Michelle curled up next to a table and went to sleep. Misaki wanted to get to the bottom of this now, but she didn't even know what she should say at this point, and she told Kokoro she was too sick to stay.
And it didn't get any more rational.
Michelle appeared every single day.
Michelle walked through the aisles of desks in her classroom. She slept outside her window at home. Sometimes, she would be there in the corner watching the band practicing, cheering like she—and Misaki did during a performance—had back during the performance Misaki first saw her.
No one was attacked, but… Misaki was always on guard for to see her, prepared to do something.
Misaki, as a last resort, did not want to go anywhere. Because she would see Michelle and she would have to face her. She lay in her bed and pushed her face deeper into the pillow. Here, the darkness made sense. She didn't have to see a pink bear wandering around that even the neighbors didn't call animal control about, or think about Michelle…
When she woke up an hour later, she heard her phone buzzing. It was a day off from school, so she shouldn't have anything to do right now. But when she looked at the text message, she remembered the extra practice that they had scheduled.
Misaki was up in a heartbeat. Things had gotten hectic lately. She dreaded going, but she was too wrapped up in her adrenaline for a moment to think about the consequences, and she raced outside.
Michelle glanced up at her and rose to her feet.
"Misaki!" The voice was gentle, warm, and inviting like a lullaby. Michelle bounded after her.
Misaki dropped her bag and nearly tripped over it. Could it be…? No, she had never spoken to Michelle before and heard what her voice sounded like. She had never spoken to herself, obviously, that was impossible! But no one else was around. Misaki hurriedly retrieved the bag and speed up.
"No, no! You can't talk! Stop it!" Misaki's pace increased and her footfalls harshly fit the pavement. She screwed her eyes shut and narrowly averted a street pole. "I have to hurry! I'm really, really late for practice! And I can't blame you! I'm going insane!"
"But, Misaki, I can help!"
Misaki highly doubted that, but unfortunately, she didn't have enough time to have that thought. She bumped into a warm, fuzzy body and crashed backwards. Luckily, she landed on grass and jolt up her spine wasn't too bad. But all the same…
Michelle shifted paw to paw. "Sorry…"
"Then don't appear in front of people like that!" Misaki snapped. Checking to make sure she wasn't injured, she stood up again, thoroughly aggravated. "I can't believe I touched you. I can't believe, I can't believe, I only touch a costume, not a bear."
Michelle frowned, but she smiled again easily.
"See, that's why I can help," Michelle said her, puffing out her chest. "I know how to get to your practices after watching you go meet your friends each day. Please let me help! Grab my fur!"
"Why should I do that?" Misaki wobbled, catching her balance. "So I can go crazier? It's getting the more and more I talk to you. Stop. Just stop."
Michelle shot her a pleading look. She looked so… meaningful and sincere. Kind of like how Kaoru looked after Kaoru charmed the girls at school. Despite her better judgment, Misaki did feel a little bit bad for this bear, the bear she shouldn't have been upset with. Michelle was her. Misaki was Michelle. Surely, she couldn't be that terrible.
Hesitating for a brief moment longer, Misaki shrugged. She put her hand on Michelle's fur. Soft, short fur met her fingertips must like the costume. Misaki couldn't get over the difference.
"Okay, hold on tight!"
There was no time to prepare herself. The scnery changed and morphed, and Misaki's entire chest heaved, gasping for air. Her eyes watered from the stinging sensation. But most importantly, no longer was she down the street to her home. Now, she was standing in front of Circle. People passed her by and didn't seem to notice she was just… there.
Wildly, from side to side, Misaki looked for Michelle. Michelle was no longer there—physically, anyway. She could still feel her warmth and feel her presence at her side. Waves of confusion overtook Misaki.
"And we can do this all the time," Michelle's gentle voice echoed in her ears, "forever and ever!"
MIsaki didn't know why, but she shivered right down to her bones from her tone, entire future falling like a crumbling tower on fire before her eyes. She didn't bother and walk to practice. She sat at the café and ordered a fruity, relaxing drink that didn't help.