CHAPTER TWO: REBIRTH

Keiichi, Mion, and Rena lay on the grass, staring lazily at the drifting sky, occasionally breaking the silence by pointing out a cloud's amusing similarity to mundane things. The world seemed perfectly quiet.

Somewhere in the distance, a cicada chirped, it's melancholy cry cutting through the air. It seemed a rather grim reminder of times past. Times when these lazy days would have seemed an impossible fantasy. Keiichi sat up and looked around.

As far as the eye could see in all directions were mountains. These monoliths of rock looked to Keiichi like silent sentinels, guarding the sleepy town of Hinamizawa from the negativity of the outside world. He smiled a little at the thought.

"What's up, Kei-chan?" Mion asked nonchalantly. She had shifted her eyes to the grinning Keiichi, taking a break from her observation of the world's turning.

"I was just thinking about everything. About how lucky we are to have made it this far. And about-" BONE CRACKING BENEATH THE WEIGHT OF A CHILD'S BAT. PLEES FOR MERCY IGNORED. PRIMAL INSTINCT DRIVING THE- "-How nice it is to be able to live out here." Keiichi said happily.

Mion laughed and poked Keiichi, "Not getting all sentimental on me are ya, Kei-chan? Didn't know you could be so-" PRIMITIVE URGES DRIVING HER SHE SWINGS THE BLADE, DEFENDING HER LOVE. DEMONIC POSSESSION IS HER EXCUSE FOR- "-poetic."

Rena giggled a little, "Keiichi-kun is a poet, Keiichi Allan Poe… hau… I want to take-" THE HEAVY INSTRUMENT FALLS ON THE BAD MAN'S HEAD, SPLITTING HIS ROTTEN SKULL OPEN. THE BLUNT BLADE CRASHES DOWN UPON A FOREHEAD SPLIT BY GREEN- "Poet Keiichi-san home!"

Everything felt right. If a care was to be had in this world, the trio hadn't found it yet. The only troubling thought today was the question of where Rika and Satoko were, and even that was just a little thing. It nagged at Keiichi nonetheless.

"Say, Mion, where are Rika and Satoko?" He asked offhand.

"They're preparing for the town's Autumn Equinox festival. I think some of the younger kids in town are performing a ritual to honour the departed souls of the dead. It's kinda creepy if you ask me." Mion responded, showing an uncharacteristic lack of respect for the town's rituals.

"Why do you say that?" Keiichi asked, interested as to why Mion would protest a golden opportunity to avoid school for a day.

"It's just… after everything that happened this year, it seems kind of unpleasant." She paused for a moment, "You know, I had nightmares about what happened for two months. If it weren't for the fact that we're sure everything's back to normal, I'd probably go crazy. I'm still not comfortable, what with Takano out and about. But I guess if Tomitake and Irie say she's alright now…" Mion trailed off as she turned back to the sky. As if cued by the distressing conversation, the sky had started to darken. It looked like rain would be falling by that evening.

Keiichi stood up and shook his head, "I think I'd better be heading home, if I get caught in the rain, Mom's gonna throw a fit." He looked past Rena and Mion toward the road that led to his home, but something was amiss.

"Hey, who's that?" Keiichi asked, pointing toward the road. Mion and Rena stood and followed his gaze to two figures in the distance. Two teenagers were approaching them. One held a large stuffed bear in his arms.

"No… no… no no no no no no…" Rena stumbled backward and fell to the ground. Her eyes had widened to horrified circles. Keiichi turned around to help her up, but paused as he heard Mion speak.

"Sh-Shion… is that? No. It can't be!" Mion cried. The two strangers were mere feet from them now, and Keiichi recognized Mion's sister Shion, but who was this guy she was with? He looked eerily- HE TRANSFERRED, KEIICHI-KUN. -familiar.

Shion smiled at her sister, "Yes. It's him. I have so much I have to tell you guys."

Everyone went silent. Keiichi looked apprehensively at the strange boy in front of him. He was about Keiichi's age, with messy blonde hair and a rather shy expression. Other than the hair, he and Keiichi appeared almost identical. It was a tad unnerving.

Rena finally got back to her feet. For reasons unknown to Keiichi, a grim expression had come to her face. She pointed forward in a puppet-like jerking motion.

"Satoshi."