The Name Tateyama Ayano
Disclaimer: I do not own any aspects of Kagepro, that wonderful honor is claimed by the troll, Jin.
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"Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy." - Guillaume Apollinaire
...
Amamiya Hibiya does not fully understand what's so special about the name Tateyama Ayano.
Ever since he was forced into being Member Number 08 of the Mekakushi Dan, the name has been around everywhere he went. Being neither the girl's sibling nor friend prior, Hibiya couldn't see the appeal in her that was found by the surrounding people. Ironic how he was supposed to have the "Focusing Eyes."
The only facts he knew about her was that she was Hiyori's niece and had a personality consisting of being ditzy, dumb, and happy-go-lucky. Basically, a similar personality to the Oba-san, which he has no clue on how anyone could find enjoyment in her company.
Tateyama Ayano was just a name to him, that he has no relations to, and that's something he wasn't so bothered about.
...
"Hey Hibiya, today's a perfect day to test you and see if you know everything about your fellow members!"
"Kano, what idiotic idea are you doing now?"
"It's nothing Danchou, just testing our little kohai to see if he knows about the people he's working with."
A swift kick to the shin, "Ouch!"
"Idiot. He just needs to know that you're an idiot. Don't think you can weasel out of cleaning the toilet."
"Saa, guys. You don't need to be so violent over this!"
Hibiya blankly looked over the scene of another bickering between Kido and Kano, with Seto trying to play peacemaker and Marry etching roses onto a sweater on the sidelines. As entertaining as the bickering usually gets, Hibiya was quickly getting bored of it. Wracking through his mind for a perfect subject, he remembered a past idea that fits the previous topic.
"So who's Ayano?"
The commotion immediately died, as all members stared at him at the mention of the certain topic. A somber mood hanged in the air.
Kano grinned, though it looked to be unnatural and strained. "Ahh, Ayano-nee? She's the founder of the Dan, and was actually called Member Number 00. She was really nice, though she had a scary mode whenever we did something wrong."
Kido continued on, eyes looking towards open space as if she was lost in a memory. "Ayano-nee and her parents adopted us together from the same orphanage, and was the one to encourage us to embrace our eye powers. She even made each of us our own hoodies."
At this fact, Marry gasped in surprise and hugged the sweater she was fixing. "You mean the sweater given to me was made by her?"
Seto kindly nodded to her. "Yep, she gave them to us in celebration for making our own superhero group." Seto sighed. "She really was a hero to all of us."
Marry viciously hugged Seto. "If she's Seto's hero, then she's also my hero for helping you become who you are today! And I'm glad for that!"
A blush covered Seto's face due to embarrassment. "Saa, thanks Marry! I'm sure she would've liked you too!"
"Aww, are the lovebirds flirting~"
"Shut up Kano!"
SLAM. "OWW!"
"Ignore him Marry. He's just being an idiot."
Hibiya watched the tense atmosphere lifted, as the scene shifted back to an argument between Kido and Kano, and a flustered Marry and Seto. More questions filed into Hibiya's head about the topic of the enigmatic Ayano
'A hero, huh. But what makes her one?'
...
"Master, oi Master! Hibiya wants to talk to you."
Shintaro sighed from the interruption, but nonetheless moved his eyes away from his cellphone screen and looked up to Hibiya. "What do you want? "
Both Shintaro and Hibiya were in the living room of the Headquarters, with Shintaro lazing on the couch. Momo was out with few others to buy dinner that night, so it was a perfect time for Hibiya to confront him without much of an audience.
"..." Although now that he had Shintaro's attention, he wasn't really sure how to start off the conversation. The guy was someone that he doesn't really talk to, with the hikki-NEET being as antisocial as he was. Though Hibiya was still confused on why many people compared the guy to him.
Shintaro glanced at Hibiya for a few more seconds, but decided to drink from his beloved Cola can after he was responded with silence. Drinking in that heavenly, sweet, God-made beverage-
"Do you know Tateyama Ayano?"
Then Shintaro did a marvelous spit take as the liquid flew a fine distance.
"Eeeww! Smooth Master, real smooth. That must've set a new World Record!"
But even Ene's remark cannot bring Shintaro out of his stupor from the sudden question.
Seeing that the boy wouldn't get out of shock soon, Ene looked over Hibiya's direction to see a face of disgust. "While Master is processing, I'll tell you a few things I know about Ayano!"
Hibiya raised an eyebrow. Even the cyber being knows about her?
Sitting in a pixelated chair that appeared out of nowhere, Ene pondered on what to say. "Let's see now... Well Ayano was my kohai back in the days, and man you can't find a character like her! She was the most optimistic person I ever saw that helped everyone, though she had horrible grades. But she made it up with effort and help from Master."
By then, Ene's face softened at the thought of her late friend and the memories associated with her, only to then darkened. "Her family is also weird, I mean, don't get me started on her father! That Kenjirou-sensei was a horrible teacher that shouldn't even have a degree for teaching. What kind of teacher leaves two students alone in a classroom only to go and buy a useless piece of junk! Grrr, just thinking of him makes my metaphoric blood boil!"
Hibiya sweatdropped at the change of topic as Ene continued to rant about what seems to be irresponsible, stupid, teacher, he shifted his focus to Shintaro. The older teen still had a blank look in his eyes, though his hands were tightly clentched onto the Cola can.
"Ayano..."
Stopping her rant, Ene and Hibiya listened onto the soft whisper coming from Shintaro.
"Ayano, she was my classmate who always had a smile on her face that brightened the room. She had lousy grades that can compete with Momo's, but smiled when she got them and will make paper cranes out of them. I used to offer my test papers as well to fold else she would bother me either way. Then there's her weird obsession with that red scarf of her's, would wear it anywhere, even in the summer and in school. I had asked her why she wears it, and she replied that red was the color of hero."
Noticing the intense stares directed at him, Shintaro blushed and quickly straightened up. "But she was an idiot that could never get higher than a seventy, would follow a stranger if was asked to, don't know suspicious even if it hits her in the face, and was a horrible liar!"
Ene gave a look towards Shintaro. "Surrre, Master. We all know you have something towards her. Though you should do something about those pornos in your computer. Don't want people to think you're only interested in 2-D girls."
Shintaro's face darkened in anger. "I do not have pornos! Shut it, Takane."
"Make me, Baka-Shintaro."
"Good morning everyone. Is the negima ready yet?"
"Konoha, it's almost evening."
"Oh."
Hibiya looked at the just awoken android standing at the doorway holding a triceratops plush toy. Konoha, the (only to him) ex-rival for Hiyori's love.
"What were you guys doing?" Konoha curiously asked.
Replying for the other duo whom are still locked in an argument, Hibiya curtly replied, "We were talking about Tateyama Ayano."
"Ayano... who's that?"
Ene's face dropped at the still amnesiac boy, though it quickly reverted back to a grin. "Ayano, she was a brown haired girl that was always selfless. She also wore a red muffler everywhere she went."
"Red scarf..." Konoha trailed, "I think I met her."
"EHH?!"
Oblivious to the shocked faces around him, Konoha continued on. "Or least, I met her in the past. I remember a red scarf girl always giving me free food. She was nice."
Leaving everyone to process what he just said, Konoha made his way to the kitchen to find some food to muntch on. Hibiya was especially distraughted out of all of them.
'Even scatter-brained Konoha knows about her? He's always one step ahead of me! What's so special about this Ayano?'
...
Kisaragi Momo was having a stressful day. From being chased by her crowd of fans at the supermarket due to an accidental deactivation of a eye power, only having to go back and get chased again due to forgetting to buy the eggs, the last thing she needs was an angry Hibiya glaring at her. This time she didn't even do anything wrong!
Hibiya, though, was concentrating hard on the subject of Ayano. Of the members, only Momo had not been questioned, and he'll seriously eat his sock if the Oba-san knew more about her than him. He refuses to be the most ignorant out of all the people!
Momo cautiously glanced at Hibiya. "Alright brat, what do you want? Stop staring at me so hard!"
Hibiya couldn't take the curiosity. "Do you know Ayano?"
"Ayano," 'Please don't let her know!' "who's that, your new girlfriend?"
Hibiya glared, though internally he sighed in relief. "Girlfriend? Oba-san, you're the one in need of a boyfriend, though I don't see why anyone would want you."
"You brat!" Momo gave an exhausted sigh. "Never mind, I'll let that slide, I'm too tired today. Why are you curious about that name?"
"Because everyone seems to know her, although now you're the most ignorant about her. Apparently she was your brother's classmate."
"Onii-chan? Ayano, Ayano, ah! I've heard about her!"
"Really?" Hibiya was curious to hear what Momo knows about her.
"Yep! I'd heard about her from Oka-san gushing in the past about Onii-chan finally getting a future wife. She was the reason why he went all hikki-NEET on everyone."
That was news to Hibiya. "Huh, interesting."
Momo sighed in sadness. "Shame how I was never able to meet her. She sounds like a person I would like to meet."
"Yeah." For once, Hibiya was glad to be on the same page as someone, even if it was the Oba-san, on the view of a person they'll never meet.
...
Hibiya glanced around the dreamscape he was in that eerily resembled the Heat-Haze Daze that he once escaped from. Even though it was a dream, why did he have to be back to that wretched place.
Walking though the pathway, the same telephone poles that struck Hiyori's heart, and to the swing set, that sidewalk where Hiyori was splattered by the truck, Hibiya sat in the right swing, because the left swing was suppose to have Hiyori sitting with him and laughing, and just reminisced. Reminisced bitter days when a day spiraled into an endless loop, as he failed time and time again to save his precious person.
Hiyori sprawled in various angles as she laid in her puddle of blood.
Hiyori always just there, but then gone.
His hands just inches away from her as he screamed her name.
All those failed attempts as her blood splattered onto him.
The laughing haze mocking him.
Wake. Fail. Rewind. The forever looping cycles.
Hiyori's bitter smile to him, as if a final farewell.
Drip. Drip. Again teardrops made his way toward his laps, though Hibiya lets them fall. 'Life's not fair, why, why do things turn out like this. Is it wrong to be wishing for a happy ending?'
"Hey, are you okay?"
Hibiya almost jerked out of his seat at the sudden voice and presence of a person in the just unoccupied seat next to him.
Dark brown locks flowed free, though some were trapped by a red scarf. One side of bangs were secured by two bright red clips, allowing the girl's red eyes to be clearly seen. Dressed in what seems to be a school uniform, the girl seemed like an average person, except for the match in description of a certain person.
The girl giggled sadly. "Silly me, of course you're not alright. Here's a tissue." Handing a sheet to the dumbfounded Hibiya, who had automatically excepted it, the girl asked, "Got something on your mind that you'll like to enlighten to a stranger?"
Hibiya, still confused, decided to humor her seeing as he was in a dream and she was most likely a figment of his imagination.
"Well, there's this girl that I liked. A lot. To the point of me chasing her across regions."
"Oh my, you must really like her."
"Yeah." Why was he talking to a figment of imagination again? "Except I might never see her again."
At the reassuring nod given by the girl, Hibiya felt a dam of emotions broke.
"It's just not fair! If I could've been stronger, faster, or stronger, I could've done something to make a difference. I'm just a selfish boy who wanted to be with the one I love, and because of that I damned the both of us to a never-ending tragedy cycle!" Dull nails dug into his palms, though the pain did not register. "Hiyori... Hiyori is a girl who doesn't deserve to be stuck all alone when it should've been me!" By the end, Hibiya had stood up from his seat and was crying nonstop.
Rumpling the tear soaked tissue paper to his still wet face, a crumpled paper crane was shoved into his face by the girl.
"What?" Hibiya muttered in confusion.
Also standing from her swing, the girl smiled. "Did you know that paper cranes can represent happiness?"
With a nod from the boy, the girl continued. "Why should you feel sad when you can fight on for your happiness? If you believe as hard as you can and do whatever it takes to achieve it, I'm sure the effort would be worth it someday! As long as you believe that Hiyori is out there waiting for you, then don't disappoint her and find her! Yes it's sad to not be able to change the past, but focus on the future. You don't need to change yourself, you are you and there would only be one you. So go and be a hero!"
"..." Hibiya was speechless, though the waterworks had stopped midway through her speech. This girl, with her red muffler and passionate voice, he couldn't help it.
"HAHAHA, OH MY GOODNESS, HAHAHA- my stomach- HAHAHA- how old are you still playing superheroes- HAHA!"
The girl pouted. "What's so funny?"
But Hibiya was still laughing, not in mockery, but the whole absurdness of getting a prep talk from his dream of all things, and for it to make sense. It was so funny how the girl resembled Hiyori with the forcefulness in her words, and with them being in the same positions. The girl just needed a black cat, and he'll be laughing due to the irony.
Tears formed in his eyes from not only laughing, but for the gratitude he feels towards the girl. He felt so muck lighter and, dare he say, happier about the issue that plagued him wherever he goes.
Calming down, though with a few chuckles still in his system, the girl asked, "You done yet?"
Replied with a nod, the girl beamed. "Great! Now you're feeling better?"
Hibiya gave a bashful nod and a quiet, "Thank you."
"No problem! I'm glad I can help someone be happy."
Now that he had a clear mind, there was a huge question buzzing in his mind. The red scarf, the hair, the crane, the mention of heroes, all of them were a match so... "Hey just asking but... are you Tateyama Ayano?"
The girl, Ayano(?), only smiled mysteriously. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not, it depends on what you decide. Still..."
The girl placed her hands on Hibiya's and gave a light squeeze. "Please take care of everyone for me, okay Hibiya? I'll get that happy ending for all of you guys, and for you to see Hiyori. I promise."
With that promise made and a smile as bright as the sun, strong gusts of wind suddenly blew against the two and amongst Hibiya's stuttering "Wait!" Hibiya fell to unconsciousness, with the last sight being the girl's red bright eyes.
...
Waking up from bed, Hibiya was alert and recounting the recent event. 'Was that a dream? Wow, I can't believe I was even dreaming about Tateyama Ayano, but the talk did help.'
Preparing his daily routines, a sudden thought struck him weird. "Strange, had I ever saw a picture of her before? Or else why did I imagine her so vividly. Even weirder, I don't think I ever mentioned my name to that girl. So how did she know?"
Amamiya Hibiya would never understand why the name Tateyama Ayano was a name praised by all, seeing as he would never meet the girl. But maybe now he could understand. Just a little though.
In a corner of his room and tucked away from prying eyes was a origami of a paper crane.
...
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A/N: And that's a wrap! MC here and Happy Friday the Heat-Haze Day! Because who's scared of Friday the 13 when August 15 is obviously more dangerous. Pfft, not me, especially not both days... Horoscope of the day, do NOT pick up any stray cats, especially if it's black.
In celebration of this day, I'm posting this one-shot centering around Hibiya and Ayano. Because a re-telling of the Daze is boring, but mentioning isn't. Plus you barely see a story having the two focused together. Still can't believe I actually made it to 3k words. The story is sometime that while Takane's identity is revealed, Kano's huge *SPOILER* hasn't. Nor confrontion with all the big guys. As for the ending... you decide. Was it Hibiya's hallucinations or did he really meet Ayano XD
While I'm at it, self-advertising: are you interested in Pokemon Special cast? Then watch them deal with the Heat Haze and similar aspects as the story, "Your Hand That Brought Change" unfolds based off of KagePro. Just posted the second chapter around the same time as this. All pictures are drawn by me.
Thanks for reading guys and leave a comment on anything. Reviews, criticism, I'll feel loved by all! Hoped you enjoyed it and I just didn't wasted a moment of your life. Ladies and gentlemen, have a nice day!