A/N: I hate coursework, and theatre devised pieces and all the time that they consume. Anyway, finally, here is the next chapter of Restart. I'm going to try and stretch this fanfic out for about 5 or 6 story arcs. Just review, and tell me whether you think this is worth continuing.
The room was silent. Everyone had gone to the house that Rika and Satoko shared. Both groups had told their story, and neither knew what to say. Finally, Oz spoke.
"What happens if the cycle of tragedy you've endured begins again?" His question was met with silence, as everyone turned to look at Rika, who was sat on the windowsill with a glass of wine in her hand.
"Each year on Watanagashi, someone will become afflicted with Hinamizawa Syndrome, and kill the rest of us, as if nothing had changed. The only difference will be that you will be here, as well."
"But could we not work towards a better future as you did in this world?" Alyss asked.
"It depends on the world, who becomes afflicted, who remembers what, there's too many variables. We could go through another hundred years of Showa 58's, and still be no closer to returning to this world." Rika said, gazing out at the night sky, and took a sip of her drink.
"That's not quite true," Hanyuu whispered, looking at Alyss as she responded to Rika's words.
"What do you mean?" Rika jumped down from the windowsill and approached her friend, looking afraid.
"There's a reason that Hanyuu and I have not seen eachother for so long," Alyss replied, her voice cold and harsh. "The power of the Abyss is a destructive force that tears apart each of the worlds that you try to enter to prevent the tragedy, creating even greater tragedies. Because of this, Hanyuu and I used our powers to prevent my powers from coming into contact with this universe and interfering with your fates. Now that my powers are back in this dimension, made stronger by mine and my twin's contract to Oz, we probably only have ten worlds to try and make this work before we all succumb to Oyashiro-sama's curse."
The room filled with a silence even heavier than before.
"We'll leave Hinamizawa, then, and protect ourselves!" Shion said, looking around fearfully at the group.
"NO!" Satoshi and Rena screamed, looking even more afraid than before.
"You can't, leaving or desiring to leave triggers Hinamizawa Syndrome. These two have experienced this in every world, they know this better than anyone," Rika said, "We stay here, and we think of a plan together."
"We should go down to the Shrine. If there was something that brought them here, there'll be something to send them back, surely." Hanyuu said, with a rare tone of authority in her voice. Rika nodded in agreement, and walked out, heading towards the shrine, with everyone following uncertainly. Alice hesitated before following the group. She felt more afraid that she had ever felt before. As she began walking, she noticed that Oz had left his pocket watch on the chair where he had sat. Rolling her eyes, she stopped walking to pick it up for him… and heard a footstep behind her. Screaming softly, she spun around to see who was there. The room was empty.
A/N: Hopefully, I'll have got the explanations/introductions out of the way now, so hopefully I'll just be able to get on with turning everyone insane. Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter up soon.