A/N: Brought about by thoughts on the development in Nogi Wakaba is a Hero Chapter 13, my theories on Takashima Yuuna, and a bit more coffee...


"...It's...okay...Gun-chan..."

Those were first words of reassurance that came to mind. Instinctively muttering them, while caught up in gently patting the crying girl on the head, it wasn't until the crying girl abruptly paused and looked up with, concerned, dark green eyes, that Yuuna realized those words were the wrong ones.

Who was this black haired girl? She felt like she should have known. Like the answer should have been obvious. But it wasn't. Closing her own eyes Yuuna focused and tried to remember as much as she could.

'...Everyone was talking about going flower viewing...'

'...Even Wakaba had agreed...'

'...She had, with a bit of effort, convinced Chikage to go...'

'...A forestization warning happened that evening...'

'...Anzu used her fairy Yukijoro...'

'...And Tamako and Anzu-'

'...xxx...'


Her thoughts were cut off by the return of the unseen pressure. Only this time, there was no pain. In fact, nothing was there. It was almost as if a wall had blocked the flow of her memories from beyond that point.

"Hey Tougou, I think I've gotten over your relative lack of worry for me, but don't you think it's embarrassing to be the one comforted right now?" Getting back up on her feet, the girl in the back rubbed her skirt. For some reason her cheek was slightly swollen. "And sheesh, Yuuna learn to hold back will you?"

"Huh!?" surprised at being called she snapped back into reality.

"Be glad Karin~" the strangely cheerful voice from earlier stretched. "You can heal~ my bookshelf can't~"

"But Yuuna-chan's-" those green eyes that were a flooded mess of tears earlier, in such a short time, gave way to an almost sharp, analytical, efficiency that reminded her of Anzu.

'Anzu...Anzu was...xxx'

"Don't just, "But Yuuna," me Tougou, that's literally the only thing you've been saying for the past few hours!"

"It's not good to be that one character that keeps saying the same line over and over, Wasshi~, Yuyu might get sick of you~ Hehe that rhymes~"

Tougou blushed furiously and fell silent, dejected at that comment.

These people knew her name. But she didn't know who they were...

...Did that really matter though?

These girls were openly concerned for her wellbeing...somewhat, and depending on how she answered now, that concern may turn to tears. And as far as she was concerned, as a hero she'd accept no less than tears of joy.

Remembering could wait.


'Her name was...Tougou...-san right? For some reason it feels nostalgic...'

"That's right Tougou-san," She really, hoped, or rather felt like it was the right honorific. She secretly wondered if it would be as easy as convincing Chikage. With a simple smile and somewhat honest words. "It's not good to worry you know? You'll get wrinkles!"

Having her cheeks pinched, Tougou's face relaxed into something of a relieved smile. Now reassured she could pull this off, Yuuna focused on the others she knew the names of.

"Ehehehe," rubbing her head own head in mock seriousness, she didn't know what happened between her and the girl named Karin, but instinct told her it was best to break the tension with a laugh and an apology. Based off her height, and how she was called "Yuuna" without an honorific, they were probably fairly close...maybe...no definitely. "Sorry Karin-chan"

"Hmph! You better be!" crossing her arms indignantly, Karin turned her head, both cheeks, swollen and un-swollen, getting progressively redder. "Don't worry us like that..."

The exchange felt almost like a rehearsed practice.

"Oh? Aren't you the shy one?" a tall blond said in the back. Her hands were making somewhat strange gestures.

"Big sis, girls shouldn't make those kinds of gestures!" A younger blond was standing next to her trying to cover said gestures up.

"Ahaha, sorry~ sorry~...wait...how does my cute little sister know what these gestures mean!? Itsuki!?" The two sisters gave off the same feeling of Anzu and Tamako's antics, but with the roles reversed.

Thinking of those two, she didn't know why, but she almost let her smile fall. Holding onto it through sheer force of will, she reminded herself that she had to stay strong.

'Just like those two...' Or so she felt was the case. But as far as Yuuna was concerned, just who were "those two" referring to?

"Waah~ Nibosshi's become a tomato~" turning her head Yuuna almost froze. The source of the voice that kept reminding her of Hinata, seemed to belong to none other than their leader Wakaba.

Yet on closer inspection, she seemed somewhat different. Her hair was shorter, she looked younger, had lighter hair, her face wasn't nearly as serious, and most importantly, she seemed to have an easygoing smile that never waned.

After all that happened, did Wakaba resort to substance abuse as a method for coping? No the serious Wakaba would never...But maybe...After all they've been through...

What...have they been through again?

"Yuyu~? You okay~?" seeing the girl wave the small old book in her hand playfully, Yuuna focused and found it harder and harder to believe this was Wakaba. Even under the most stressful of circumstances.

But just to be sure. She thought about testing the waters.

"Mhm!" she tried to steer the conversation in her favor. "Er...I'm sorry about your shelf? I'll fix up when I have the chance."

"It's fine Yuyu~ don't worry about it~"

"No, no. I insist!" she tried her best to make it sound natural. "A reward for everything right?"

"Hmm~?"

"Ahaha" she tried to laugh it off, the confused expression confirmed her suspicions. This definitely wasn't Wakaba. Yet she felt so familiar-

"Thanks Sono-chan~" the reply came out automatically. It took a moment after for Yuuna to realize that it came from herself.

"Ehehehe~ don't mention it~"

"Are you sure the Nogi household is going to be okay with that though?" Karin interjected.

"It's fine~ I'll just pretend I slipped and fell~ It happens a lot~"

"You breaking things is normal?" Itsuki asked from the back. For some reason her older sister was sitting on her knees in the corner. A bump that wasn't there earlier mysteriously appeared on her head. Just how did it get there...?

...Wait...Nogi? Karin did say Nogi right...?

"Mhm~" looking at her this girl did certainly resemble Wakaba. "They've given up scolding me~"

...Physically at least...

But Wakaba admitted to being an only child, or rather never admitted to having any siblings so...

"Hey, hey~ Sono-chan?" the name once again came out instinctively. It felt right.

"What~?"

"Speaking of your family," a little question couldn't hurt right? She tried to phrase it as vaguely as she could. She didn't want anyone to be suspicious after all. "Wasn't there someone named Wakaba in your family?"

"Mhm~ Hmm..." the response came as a slight, predictable shock. But as it continued, it turned into something more than unexpected. "Did you forget Yuyu~? Before you passed out, while we were checking the storeroom, we found out that she was my great, great~ ancestor."

Oh, okay they were just great ancestors. For a minute there she almost thought Sono-chan was somehow the lovechild of Wakaba and Hinata...

"...Eh...?"

"But you passed out right~ after we opened her Hero's Record."

"...Eh...?"

She signaled towards the old book in her hand once again and steadily flipped the pages until she reached the last one, intent on not stressing the book's binding. "We were so worried~"

As she was handed the book, Yuuna certainly saw the name and picture of Wakaba. And realized the current state of her predicament.

"..."

This wasn't good, just exactly how long had passed since this picture was taken?

"Is something the matter Yuuna-chan?" Tougou voice suddenly asked from the side. The concern for her wellbeing was evident.

"...It's..."

"...It's...?"

"...It's...nothing..." Barely mustering a smile, she closed the book as gently as she could. Being as careful as she could with her friend's belongings.

She felt like fighting back tears.

Or rather she had to fight back tears.

Until she'd learned more about just where exactly she was, exactly how long had passed, and what exactly had happened, this little untruth had to be upheld.

"You're right Wasshi~ Yuyu really can't tell a lie~"

...Or at least that was what she intended to do at least...

Karin interjected, "Seriously, did you forget as basic as Hero Club Tenet # 4? If you're troubled talk to someone!"


"Hey that was my line!"

"You snooze you lose Fuu"

"Itsuki...I think my status as the club president is being ignored."

"Don't worry, 'Sis, that's not the only part of you we ignore."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

Turning around, Fuu was met with blank stares. She walked back to the corner, before turning around and walking back up to Yuuna. Putting her hand gently over Yuuna's shoulder she made her feelings known. "Yuuna...Itsuki's starting to go into her rebellious stage...help..."

Fuu was slowly dragged back into her corner by Itsuki with the help of Karin.


It might have been her imagination, but Tougou's grip on Yuuna's hand was starting to tighten.

"Yuuna-chan, you might not realize this, but you blink twice whenever you lie."

"..."

"..."

"...Seriously?" did she really blink twice?

"Seriously."

"Wow...was I always that obvious?"

"No," Tougou responded bluntly, "That was a lie. You were actually doing pretty well too."

"Uh...oh..."

Her notion of Tougou resembling Anzu shot up dramatically.

"Which brings me back to my first point." Tougou's grip steadily began to feel more and more like an iron vice. "Yuuna-chan who normally can't tell a lie in the slightest, was actually doing pretty well at tricking us."

"Um..." It was official, Tougou's ancestor must have been Anzu...

"Care to please explain why?"

"It's not what you think, I-"

But that was besides the issue because right now dark green eyes were staring intently into her own.

"So, who is this Gun-chan?"

And Yuuna had a lot of explaining to do...