Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni Ato Yosomono
When They Cry, A Stranger
Disclaimer: I do not own Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni (When They Cry Higurashi) nor do I ever hope or dream of owning Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni or any of the original characters from the series. I do, however, own my own characters or elements present in this story that are not normally present from the series.
((Note: Was racking my brain coming up with a name for this one... Still wasn't quite sure. But, I think this should work fine if what I have planned for this chapter actually works. I hope I do it right and I hope you enjoy this chapter.))
"Itsuninai-hen Sono Yon - Fuseikaku " (奇怪し編 其ノ四 確)
"The Unusual Chapter Four – Uncertainty"
Xezion and the others enjoyed school until about lunch. Everyone began getting out their food and pulling desks together to eat in groups. Xezion sat by Rena who had his food. Rika and Satoko ate together while Keiichi and Mion ate together. Xezion, of course, had been still dressed as a girl the entire day, considering that he didn't have a clean change of clothes. He picked up his chopsticks and began to shovel down the food that Rena had set in front of him.
Xezion smiled brightly, "Oooh, Rena-chan! This is just as good as what you gave me last night. Did you make this yourself as well?" She nodded at him and he smiled, returning to his food.
Mion caught sight of him, leaning over towards him, "Hehe, you and Rena-chan seem to be enjoying yourselves. Did anything special happen last night? I know you had to stay there."
Xezion looked at her, his mouth cracked open slightly, "We uhm... She had me tied up in her closet for a while.. Then she hand fed me while I was tied up and asked me a bunch of questions. Then when it came time for sleep, I asked her about the Watanagashi Festival that my father had told me about. It sounds like loads of fun!" He smiled at Mion, who cocked her head.
"Ooh, I see. Did she tell you what we do at the festival?" She questioned him suspiciously.
Keiichi grabbed Mion's shoulder, pulling her back, "Mion? Why haven't I heard about the Festival?"
She shrugged, "It never came up."
Keiichi arched an eyebrow at the girl, the girl turning back to Xezion, "So, what did Rena tell you about?"
Xezion quickly swallowed some food, "Well, she told me that we play all kinds of games and that some give prizes and such."
Mion laughed at Xezion, "Oh, but you forget, Rena. The punishment game counts for double." Mion put a hand behind her head, laughing a bit. "Yeah, each stall be use as a game. The one with the most stall games won, wins."
Xezion scratched his chin. He laughed, returning to his food, thinking to himself, 'Why didn't she mention the deaths? Maybe she forgot.' He finished his food, giving Rena his box, thanking her for the food. He noticed that Keiichi had his head bowed, and hadn't touched his food. It seemed he felt as if his friends were keeping things from him. Xezion shrugged it off, thinking that Keiichi would get over it soon. Everyone finished their food and class started up again. After a few hours of doing random studies in groups, the teacher let out class and the club gathered at the back of class as usual.
"Okay everyone, listen up." Mion began, standing on her chair scanning over her friends. "In a few days, the Watanagashi festival begins. We all know what we are doing on that day right?"
Everyone nodded, and Rena stood up, "Rika is the Miko for the festival. We need to go watch it."
Mion nodded, "Of course. And the day before the festival we are going to be helping set up the stalls and things."
Keiichi hopped up from his chair, "That sounds like a great plan!"
Xezion arched an eyebrow, 'Back to normal already?'
Mion ended the club meeting for the day and they all left the school for the day. Xezion told Rena he was going to go get a change of clothing and he would be at her house later that day. She nodded saying that she wanted to go to the junk piles that she loves going to. Xezion nodded saying he would probably go there to meet her instead. She nodded, grabbing Keiichi and running to the dump, hearing her yelling, "Keiichi, come on, you can help me move some of the big things. You and Xezion can help me get new things to my house." Keiichi didn't have much time to argue, and Xezion laughed, heading home.
He pulled out his key, unlocking the door and entering his house. Heading up the stairs and grabbing a change of clothes for the next day and putting them in a bag outside his room. He then grabs some clothes and changes into them, heading into the bathroom and washing his face off. He pulls out the pigtails and ties his hair up in a ponytail behind his head. He nodded, smiling, finally being able to be in normal clothes again. He headed out of the bathroom, grabbing up his bag and heading downstairs.
He opened the door, seeing a seething Mion standing in front of him. He arched an eyebrow as she stood there in front of him, "Hey Mion... uhm, what's wrong?"
She growled, "Oh, that Rena. I thought she liked you. But she grabbed that Keii-kun and dragged him with her to the junk pile, alone." Her eyes seemed to tear up and she hid her face, "I wish he would see how I feel about him.."
Xezion frowned slightly, pulling Mion's chin up, her eyes meeting with his own, "I am sure he does. It seemed to upset him when you didn't tell him about the festival... I just wonder though... Why didn't you tell him about the deaths that occur each year."
Her eyes darted to the left as she looked away from him. Xezion shook her gently, causing her to look back at him, "I... I didn't want him to freak out or think the village was any less than he did already... How did you know about them?"
Xezion smiled, "Rena told me that she trusted me because I trusted her. So she told me about it. I don't see the village any less."
Mion turned away from him, "Yeah, but you aren't Keii-kun.."
Xezion began to push her outside. "Look, I am sure he won't have a problem about it. Let's go to the junk pile." He saw her nod and the began to head in the direction of the dump, Mion leading the way.
After a long walk, they arrived at the junk pile. A man with a camera was walking from the direction of the dump. "Hello Mion." He nodded at the girl.
"Oh, hello, Tomitake-san." Mion laughed.
"Yes." He nodded. "Just saw your friends. I think I scared Keiichi when I took his picture." He laughed to himself. "Bye. Take care. I have things I must attend to." He walked away, waving at the two.
They turned the corner, seeing Keiichi rummaging around in the junk, and Rena a ways away trying to move some big items of junk around, a rather uneventful effort of course. Rena fell backwards, tripping over some trash. Xezion jumped down, running down after her, grabbing her hand and helping her up. "You alright?" He asked her, looking into her eyes. She smiled, nodding.
"Hey there Xezi-chan." She got up and and she pointed to a dresser. "I want that, it's so cute! Can you help me get it." She puffed her cheeks and he walked over to the dresser, looking around. He moved a few things around, grabbing the dresser and moving it out of the pile easily. Rena smiled, grabbing it from him, hugging it. "Ooh, thank you Xezi-chan!" She smiled brightly. He scratched his head, looking in Keiichi's direction.
Keiichi had been looking at a magazine and looked a little shocked. Mion grabbed him from behind, yanking him around to face her. They exchanged a few words and Mion ran away at a quick pace. Keiichi frowned, looking like something was bothering him. Keiichi made his way over to Xezion and Rena and they both waved at him.
"Hey Keiichi." Xezion and Rena said at the same time.
Keiichi looked away for a second then looked back at Rena. "Hey.. Do you know about an incident that took place here 4 years ago involving a dam?" Rena nodded slowly.
"Yeah, they tried to put the village underwater and kick people out of homes. Xezion lived in Okinomiya and knows all about it as well." She smiled at Keiichi, who looked away and at the ground.
Xezion could see Keiichi's lips moving, and could make out the words. "You two are both in on it too, it would seem." Xezion arched an eyebrow, looking at Rena, who hadn't seemed to hear it. Keiichi turned running away from them. Xezion reached out to grab him and stop him, but didn't get him in time. Xezion frowned, looking at Rena.
"Xezi-chan.. Do you know what is wrong with him?" Rena asked confused.
Xezion shrugged slightly, "I don't know exactly, but I think it has to do with the fact that neither of you told him about the fact that there was a festival or any deaths." Rena looked away quietly.
"I wonder if that is really what is wrong." She spoke quietly.
They returned to Rena's house where they ate supper and prepared for bed. It was late when they returned to her house. Xezion got in the covers, and Rena got under them with him, hugging him from behind like the day before. Xezion slowly fell back to sleep.
Rena couldn't sleep, thinking about how Keiichi was acting. She shrugged it off, closing her eyes and finally drifting to sleep.
They woke up in the morning, Xezion changing into his new clothes in the bathroom and stepping down the stairs. Rena met him and they went outside, heading to school. They met Keiichi who was acting a bit strange, and Mion who only sighed. They made their way to school together. The next couple of days at school seemed to be just like usual, only difference being that Keiichi was acting strange each day.
Xezion had finally started staying at home, considering that his father was back and he would be able to get his own food and so on from now on. It was now the day before the festival, and Xezion was getting excited. He left his house, meeting up with Rena, Keiichi, and Mion at the post. Keiichi was still down about being left out of so many things by his friends. They arrived at the school, meeting up with Rika and Satoko and heading inside, as usual. They took their seats in their class, waiting for Chie-sensei.
((Note: Alright. So, Keiichi is starting to get suspicious of his friends. Sooo, things should start getting interesting next chapter.))