-Shin-
"Rhongomyniad!" isn't the most awe-inspiring rallying cry I've ever heard but it does the trick and throws L'Étranger off for a split second. That's all Lilly needed to hurl her collapsed cane like a billy-club to knock him back a foot and give Kenji enough clearance to encase him in a barrier without also trapping our unconscious friend. I retrieve Shiina, carrying her limp form in my arms, as the other three Fixers converge on our captive.
"C'est bon! Très bien, Fixers! You did not disappoint." L'Étranger laughs as he applauds. He knows who we are… That does not bode well.
"Glad to know we meet your expectations, Stranger. Now who the hell are you and how do you know who we are?" Molly asks, brandishing her electrically charged spear menacingly.
"Talk, asshole or I swear I will crush you into mulch." Kenji growls, showing a darkness I had never imagined him capable of. The box-shaped barrier begins to shrink slowly in a disturbing display of intent.
"Now, now, Kenji. Watch that temper…" L'Étranger admonishes with a waggle of his finger. "I assure you, Shiina is unharmed. Just a little sleepy right now."
"He's correct, Mr Setou. Miss Mikado is still breathing." I reassure my bespectacled friend, having eased Shiina down into a slumped sitting position against me so I can check her pulse. The night air is just chilly enough for me to note the wisps of breath escaping her lips. Kenji looks at me relieved before turning his attention back to our mysterious stranger.
"See? Shin will take good care of her. Empathy is something he does very well…" L'Étranger states and I furrow my brow at him. Why do I get the nagging feeling he knows something about me that I don't…
"Hmm. Interesting." Lilly comments, hands on her hips. "His heads-up display is advanced… Each of us is tagged, even Shin. Not that I can see him, even through this guy's eyes …" Lilly's continued frustration on the matter is evident in her voice, even after our little exercise the other day.
"So you know who we are, but who are you?" Molly sternly demands once again and L'Étranger tilts his head towards her.
"No need to threaten me, Molly. I'm happy to introduce myself! I am L'Étranger, dashing rogue and worlds-renowned thief, at your service." He says with a dramatic bow. "Well, not at your service…"
"So who do you work for?" Kenji asks and the masked thief turns to him.
"Now you're asking the right question! I'd be glad to tell you more but…" A hissing gust of air draws my attention behind me as L'Étranger gestures in the same direction.
"Why are you playing with them, dumb-ass?" The Miki Miura we met on Tau-8521, the medieval world, stands before a doorway which closes behind her. Her voice is deep and matter-of-fact, exuding a coldness that I've never heard with that face. If I had a spine, I'd no doubt feel a chill up it. No wonder Molly felt intimidated.
"Not all of us can pull off silent and menacing, Miki!" L'Étranger sighs in an annoyed voice.
"Why are you bullshitting this hard though? They can't hold you." Her cold stare glances down to Shiina and I before focusing on the others once more.
"Well thanks for spoiling the surprise!" He chides, appearing before my very eyes with an other-worldly 'vop' sound, painting in hand. "You honestly have no sense of theatri-OW!"
Miki cuts him off by smacking the back of his head with a harsh, metallic clap. Her left hand has a skeletal gauntlet covering it.
"Get in the fucking Slideways, dumb-ass." She scolds as the doorway opens once more.
"You are no fun at all, you know that?" He sighs before giving a final flourishing bow to all of us. "It was fun meeting you all! À bientôt!" He waves cheerily before hopping backwards through the doorway. Miki casts another glance around at all of us before settling on Molly. Her lips curve into a sinister grin before she turns to step through the Slideways and the doorway closes.
We're all left in stunned silence as we all come to the same conclusion on our own. We have met the enemy, and they are us.
We return to the Shanghai after leaving Sae Saionji somewhere the authorities can easily find her. Shiina wakes up soon after we return and is given a clean bill of health by Yuuko. The others turn in for the night and I retreat to the seclusion of my room and begin my research.
-Shiina-
I wake with a start and almost tumble out of bed. I grip the mattress to right myself into a sitting position along its edge. I peek over my shoulder at the mass under the sheets to find Kenji's still sleeping, thankfully. He'd have laughed his ass off if I actually fell. I cautiously rise, turn to my best friend's back and bow respectfully.
"I'm sorry for intruding." I whisper before sneaking towards the door. As I close it behind me, I let out a wistful sigh. I need to stop this. For Kenji and for myself. Having support is one thing but this… This is just ridiculous. I guess getting my sorry ass knocked out by that new guy shook me more than I thought… I didn't even have a night terror last night, I just wanted… Comforting.
"Arrrgh, what the fuck is wrong with me?" I quietly growl, lamenting my inability to handle my own feelings.
I'm a big girl, I should be able to deal with my own shit without having to hop into a boy's bed for comfort… Wait, that sounds lewd… God, I hope my dupes don't do shit like that, that would just be depressing. I tap the side of my head a couple times to knock those thoughts out or maybe to knock some sense into myself as I slink back to my own room in quiet shame.
Maaaan, that felt good. I think having my own en suite bathroom is probably the best thing about this gig, though I guess that would make me a little shallow… I scratch my head in bemusement as I stare into the open wardrobe in nothing but a towel, pondering what to wear.
Fresh clothes are the order of the day but I'm still not comfortable wearing the stuff Yuuko put in here… The others don't seem to mind but this whole deal still weirds me out. Thankfully, my uniform is always freshly laundered every day… I wonder if Yuuko is actually doing laundry or simply transmutes fresh clothing for us.
Does she require raw materials to do that? I know Takashi did and he could never create something as complex as clothing or food. God, I must be home-sick if I'm thinking even remotely fondly of that jackass. I've never liked that beret-wearing little ass-hat, not that many did anyway, but what always really bugged me was his lazy approach to his element.
'An Ace-Class element like that is wasted on an artist with no vision.' That's what Taro used to say. Man, I do miss that lovable butterball. He'd geek out something fierce at all these universe-hopping heroics. So would Ikuno and Miki and Haruhiko for that matter… I think everyone would really… Fuck, I really miss them.
Knock-knock
"Shii-naaaaah~! Wakey-wakey, eggs and bakey!" A cheery voice calls through the door after knocking twice.
"Hana? I'm just getting changed! I'll be out soon." I call back but she's already opened the door and slipped inside. "Or you could just come in, why not…"
"Sorry, Shiina! I couldn't hear you through the door." She pouts and narrow my eyebrows at her.
"You know how I know that's bullshit?" I ask with an accusing point. "Lills sneezed in her room the other day and you said 'bless you'."
She tilts her head curiously, her eyes wandering upwards as if the answer is going to be written on my ceiling.
"We were in the lounge at the time, Hana."
Her mouth curls into a mischievous smirk and she titters quietly to herself before leaping from the door to my bed.
"Okay, I heard you but I haven't seen your room yet! I've seen everyone else's! Lilly's and Molly's and Kenji's…"
"What were you doing in Kenji's room?" I ask accusingly and she lays on her back, stretching out her arms and legs like a starfish.
"Nothing naughty, I promise. I'll leave that to yooou~" Oh for the love of…
"We're not like that, Hana. Never have been, never will be." I groan, almost wanting to bash my head against the door of my wardrobe in frustration. Hana's nice and all but I really don't need this today…
"Are you alright, Shiina?" She asks and I can't help but chuckle sarcastically.
"I don't think I'm ever going to be alright, Hana. With this place, with what we do and what me and Kenji have left behind…" I admit a little too freely and cough awkwardly before trying to deflect my abrupt honesty with a dry chuckle. "Heh, sorry, I'm just feeling a little homesick." I shake my head but two slender arms slink around my torso and squeeze hard.
"Oof! Hana! That wasn't me fishing for a hug!"
"So? Hugs make me feel better. Hoping they do the same for you." Her muffled voice reverberates through my skin and I can't stop myself from smiling. I pat her arm tenderly and she lets go, standing a few feet back with her arms behind her. Her positive attitude is almost infectious. I don't know if that's because Hana is naturally cute or because she seems like a playful puppy most of the time. Regardless, I do feel a twinge of guilt for what I'm about to ask.
"Hana, do you mind giving me the room? I'd like to get changed."
"Suuuure~ Sorry to interrupt. I guess everyone's rooms look the same for the most part… Still need to sneak into Shin's though." She ponders aloud, tapping her chin as she takes exaggerated steps towards the door. I follow and make sure to lock the door when she leaves. Finally… Now I can get dressed.
-Hanako-
As I walk towards the lounge, I check Shin's door to find it locked. Hmmph. Maybe next time. I enter the large open area to find everyone but Shiina milling around and chatting.
"So that's why Molly is from 12 years in the future by our perspective?" Lilly asks and I'm immediately lost. Is Molly a time traveller? When did that happen? I guess any time if she's a time traveller… I take a seat at the bar, Lilly sliding a cup of tea towards me with a warm smile while everyone else talks.
"Exactly." Yuuko states with a smile, turning away from Lilly and I and focusing on the table with Kenji, Molly and Shin. "The Nexus, as well as being a multiversal Lagrange point, also emits a tachyon field. In layman's terms, it's a limited form of time travel. I'm not saying we could alter the course of human development drastically but that also explains how I have information on the events of various universes ahead of our missions."
"Ugh… My head hurts. Why did I even ask this question first thing in the morning?" Kenji groans as his head slumps onto the table in front of him, Molly patting his back sympathetically.
"I find it quite fascinating. So, from your perspective at least, these events have already happened and we are simply fixing the timelines." Shin offers, picking up his mug to drink.
"I wouldn't say simply…" Yuuko grimaces. "There's a lot of complicated mathematics and algorithms and such involved that I don't even know how to begin to explain…"
"So, hypothetically, we could go back to before our origin points and stop the events that brought us here?" Molly asks, causing Yuuko to tug at her collar nervously.
"Conceivably, yes… Though I don't know for sure. There's all manner of paradoxes that could occur from that and I think it would just cause more work for us in the long run."
"Can we just have a normal breakfast now, please?" Kenji grumbles and everyone laughs, Yuuko returning to her waitress duties. She sidles up to Lilly behind the bar and Lilly moves out of her way, walking to the other side and sitting next to me.
"How are you settling in, Hanako?"
"Good, so far. Everyone is super-fun and really nice. I'd love to be out in the field with you guys but seeing all the tech gizmos Yuuko uses is fun too!" I offer and Lilly nods.
"I appreciate the extra help covering the video feeds." Yuuko chuckles softly. "An extra pair of eyes and hands is always helpful. Good morning, Shiina! The usual?"
Shiina enters the room and sits at the bar next to me and nods to Yuuko. "Please. What'd I miss?"
"Kenji's brain melted when Yuuko explained why I'm from 2020 while the rest of you are from 2007." Molly comments with a small giggle and Lilly interjects.
"Each universe operates along it's own temporal axis. Some vary by months but Molly's is a rare case where the timeline is more advanced." Lilly sums up the explanation I must have missed.
"Too much nerd for you, Kenny? Wow… Wonders never cease." Shiina jabs playfully at her friend and he gestures rudely at her, making me giggle.
"Now, now children. Play nice…" Lilly utters airily as she sips at her tea.
I notice Yuuko's right eyebrow raise curiously and her gaze go sideways towards the book at the end of the bar. She reaches across and begins flicking through it. She studies the pages carefully, her eyes flickering over the information before here before closing the book.
"Now that's a pretty interesting coincidence… Looks like I'll get to show you the how the Nexus' temporal capabilities work in practice." Yuuko mutters, adjusting her glasses. "If you'd please turn your attention to the main monitor, I'll show you Earth Lambda-3."
The holographic projection kicks into life and the image of yet another Yamaku Academy fills the floating screen. This one is like something out of a sci-fi manga. It's undoubtedly Yamaku but with chrome metal all over the place and solar panels lining the roofs.
"Holy crap… K-Kenny…" Shiina all but whispers as her heart skips a beat, looks like Lilly noticed it as well.
Kenji lifts his head and turns around to look at the projection and his heart does the same as Shiina's.
"It's… I can't believe it. It's all still there…" He stammers and Shiina rushes to his side, grinning widely as she throws her arms around his chest.
"It's home, Kenny! We're going home!"