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Scenario Alpha/01
By EnigmaticSentinel
First Watch, August 1, 1983, Houjou Residence
(SLAM)
"Ugh."
"Get up you little shit. Make me some goddamn breakfast."
"Yes Aunty."
Satoko, I'm sorry that I'm not strong enough to save you. I'm sorry that your useless big brother has to watch you endure the brutality of our aunt and uncle. I would give the world to make things right for you.
"These kids are so fucking lazy. It's their parents fault for raising them this way."
Their aunt sat on the couch as she lit up a cigarette.
"Ah…"
As Satoko finished making steamed rice for her 'beloved aunt', Satoshi came up to his shaky little sister and reassured her with his signature smile.
"Satoko, I'll make us some breakfast. Just worry about getting dressed for school."
"Thanks, nii-nii", she says in her frail voice.
As Satoko leaves the room, Satoshi prepares making both Satoko and himself omelets; while occasionally eying their abusive aunt. As the food was ready, they both ate silently, hoping that their aunt doesn't attack them for even disturbing her peace. They both washed their plates and placed them back into the cupboard. As soon as they exited the house, both brother and sister felt a hint of serenity. They get to temporarily escape from their shattered home lives and talk to their peers and friends.
"Satoko, I think you should open yourself up more. I think that Rika girl wants to be friends with you."
"Nii-nii, your all I need."
Uh, I hope she makes a friend; it will give her more things to look forward to in life. She could mature and not gravitate towards me as much.
The Houjou siblings walk along their peaceful village, a bright, warm summer morning. They quickly drowned out their troubles as they were outside the entrance of their old, run-down, yet, well maintained school.
"Satoko, please try-"
"I get it Nii-Nii," his little sister said harshly and abruptly cut him off.
They walk up the flight of stairs and opened the shoji door. Satoshi and Satoko eyes met with baby blue eyes, those belonging to their blue haired teacher, Chie-Sensei.
"Glad to see you two made it today; now head to your seats."
"Okay Chie-Sensei", answered Satoshi.
As Satoshi's eyes scanned the small room that held all of Hinamizawa's school children. As he and his sister walk to their respective seats, he looked at some of the children that stood out. There was a brown haired boy with a very witty demeanor. He wore a really exaggerated grin on his face.
"Yo, Satoshi! How's it been?"
"I guess it's been alright Keiichi-san."
"That's good to know! But I'll have you know that I will not lose today!"
"Keiichi, you always say that, yet you lose every single time."
"Hehehe Keiichi… You should just call it quits and put on that swan dress RIGHT NOW!"
A girl with green hair tied up in a ponytail interjected.
"MION! I refuse to lose. You will never, EVER, see me wearing that 'thing' again!
"Are you sure about that Keiichi?"
"I-AM!"
"WILL YOU KIDS GET TO WORK ALREADY!?"
After Satoshi finished studying up on the Edo Period in Japan, it was lunch time. The whole gang came together; forming one table out of their small desks. They begin to converse while they ate their bentos.
"Keiichi-Kun is going to look adorable in that swan dress!"
"Rena!"
"Come on Keiichi, I'll make a deal with you, you can wear it right after our normal club activates and you will be spared from the numbing feeling of defeat."
"Hehe, you really think I would back down from this? I'm going to make you wear something even worse than that atrocity!"
"Well okay then, we'll have to see after school is over!"
Satoshi is enjoying the banter between Keiichi and Mion; but he looked towards his younger sister who was quiet the whole time. Satoko ate her lunch in silence while having a melancholy face. As he looked at Rika who was sitting alone in the classroom, he looked back at Satoko. He was thinking about convincing her to go and talk to Rika.
"Satoko, Rika looks pretty lonely over there, you should talk with her."
He had thought back to how Rika was an orphan. She had lost her parents at a young age and held an important position in the village of Hinamizawa. Perhaps it would help both girls out if they were friends; they may have some similar interests and can relate to each other with the burdens they have to deal with. But that notion was shot down by none other than Satoko.
"I don't want to."
Satoshi let out a sigh, already shelving further efforts to convince Satako. Then, a girl that looks identical to Mion with the exception of her hair being down and a different uniform spoke up.
"Satoshi-Kun, what's wrong?"
Satoshi had his elbows on the table; bracing his head up. Everyone in their club began to stare at the down blonde haired teenage boy. He began to immediately perk up.
"Oh, nothing is wrong!"
"Okay then… So are you ready for some games later?" the bold club leader asked him.
"Sure."
Time passed and eventually the class was dismissed; with the club left to play some rather 'risky' games. They were playing a game of rummy. It was a very heated game in the beginning; but the victors where quite obvious from the middle onwards. It was futile for Keiichi to be the looser. He sulks in the corner all alone knowing that his fate was sealed to wear that gawd awful swan dress, thing. Satoshi, spared from wearing such an atrocity of sown garments was only to wear something slightly less embarrassing; an elementary school uniform that was somehow big enough to be worn on a sophomore high school student. Shion; unfittingly had to wear cat ears, whiskers, and a tail. Rena only had to wear a novelty pig's nose. The winner, of course, Mion, was untainted by the wacky outfits that she had wagered in the game. Satoshi looked at Shion with her cat adornments; he admitted in his mind that she did look kind of cute with it on.
The club members start to pack up as the hot summer sun began to set. The group of students then began to walk out of the schoolhouse with their ridiculous outfits as pedestrians gave rather perplexed looks; some of them even chuckling in amusement.
"Aaaaghhhh…" Keiichi let out an annoyed sigh.
"So what happened to you saying you would 'refuse to lose'?"
"Shaddup…"
Keiichi looked away; embarrassed about his empty statement about winning. Now he was paying the price of being a sore loser.
"To be fair Keiichi-san, you had it coming."
"Come on Satoshi! I thought you were on my side!"
"I think if I was on your side, I'd have it just as bad as you."
As Keiichi sighs, a certain orange haired girl looms closely behind.
"He's… soo… adorable… IMGOINGTOTAKEHIMHOMEWITHME!"
"RENA!" Everyone yells in unison.
As they arrived at the crossroads, the club members began to say their goodbyes to each other. Satoshi and Satoko travel to the market in Okinomiya to buy groceries for the days ahead. The walk was long as it was miles away from Hinamizawa; but they make it to their destination. The customers in the market had confused looks when Satoshi was in the store still wearing the ridiculous costume for his punishment. They walk down the aisles of the somewhat modern looking grocery store as Satoshi had a question about what exactly to get.
"Satoko, I know we need rice, but what kind of meats should we get?"
The little girl had her head held low; still lost in her thoughts; that is until Satoshi spoke. Her head abruptly turned towards her older brother as she didn't expect him to say anything.
"Oh, we'll we need some steak and a carton of eggs. But we barely have any money. Aunty only gives us so much…"
His hand then rests upon her frail shoulders with a warm reassurance.
"Don't worry, I'll pay for it. I got that new job at the bakery so we'll be able to get more things."
Satoko felt only slightly better by Satoshi's pledge; as they had to go back to their prison of a home. The blonde teenager grabs the packets of meat and puts it in the basket. They eventually pay and check out as they had to haul the heavy groceries for miles. Night fell on the city with the street lamps providing limited light for the encompassing darkness. Although crime in Okinomiya had been relatively low; they were still in a vulnerable position. Just as they were taking the path back to Hinamizawa, a black sedan rolls up beside the Houjou siblings. Curiosity and apprehension lingers in their young minds. The older of the two then stepped in-front of his younger sibling expecting danger. The back seat window rolls down; revealing a girl with long green hair.
"Shion?"
The girl looked with sincerity towards the two misfortunate children on the dark, cold street. They knew that Shion had come from one of those expensive private schools before, but didn't actually expect her to be rolling around the city in a rather luxurious car.
"You really have to haul those heavy groceries all the way home like that?"
Satoshi simply nodded his head.
"Kasai, unlock the back door."
Just then, an audible click was heard. Shion signaled the siblings into the car.
"Come on in. We'll drive you back to your place."
Satoshi was somewhat reluctant to accept her offer, however, he began to think of Satako and how swollen her feet must be from walking. He decided that it would be best to take Shion's offer. They climb into the 1982 Toyota Crown. As they begin to drive off, the blonde teen told the gruff looking driver where his house was. He and Satoko began to relax and enjoy the car ride. Satoshi then remembered to thank Shion for the ride.
"Shion, thanks for picking me and Satoko up."
"Oh, it's no problem Satoshi-kun!"
The brief conversation left the interior of the car silent. Satoshi then notices his exhausted sister slumped against the door of the car, sleeping. Shion then begins to look at the sleeping blonde child as well.
"You must be a good big brother to her."
"Yeah, but I wish I was better."
"Don't worry your only doing your best with whatever your situation is."
Satoshi had a thoughtful look on his face as he starts to think about his circumstance. They near their destination, but asked to be released from the car at this point.
"Can you drop us off here?"
"Why are you getting out here", the green haired girl asked the blonde teen.
"It's a complicated situation. I'll explain it at some point in time."
Shion then looked concerned and perplexed, but accepted their request. The car parks near a bus stop while the Houjou siblings get out of the vehicle.
"If you need any help from me, don't be afraid to ask. I can have Kasai drive you if you're getting groceries."
"It's okay just this once. Anyway, have a good night Shion."
"You too Satoshi-kun."
Shion and Satoshi mutually wave to each other as the black sedan drove away. The Houjou siblings then walk solemnly towards their broken home.
Irie Clinic, August 3, 1983
"Hmm, this is quite challenging."
A small laboratory was in the inner confines of the building with a small group of people.
"We'll were going to see if this will help reengineer the syndrome so the parasites can be rendered dormant. Then we need to make vaccines for all the villagers."
"You're quite the philanthropist Dr. Irie."
The man with glasses looks at a blonde woman wearing a similar lab coat.
"Takano, do you have the vile from the primate we got from Gabon?"
"Yes. We are fortunate enough to find a subject with a rare strain of Ebola."
Takano then hands the vile over to the clinic doctor.
"As soon as it's complete, we need a villager to act as a test subject."
Doctor Irie looked at Takano; wandering if they have the ability to makes things change.
End…