Dumbledore was grasping at straws in his search for Harry. The baubles littering one of the tables in his office were utterly useless, except for the one that told him whether or not Harry was alive. Currently that answer was yes, and he prayed that it would remain that way. The headmaster of Hogwarts looked out over Scottish mountains and the black lake, wondering one question.
"Where are you, Harry?" he asked the empty room. Fawks chirped at him, and combusted.
Back in Doki Doki Literature Club, Monika was running her fingers through Harry's hair as he fell asleep, reading one of her favorite stories to him.
"... And so they did. With sacks in their hands, that they used for carrying off mutton and other plunder, they waited in the shadows. As each dwarf came up and looked at the fire, and the spilled jugs, and the gnawed mutton, in surprise, pop! went a nasty smelly sack over his head, and he was down."
She stopped to check on Harry, and found him sound asleep. She smiled as she whispered, "Oh come on, this is Tolkien's less long-winded one. You could have at least stayed awake to the part where they turn to stone." She leaned down to kiss his head, and Monika wondered when she got so motherly as she carried him up to bed.
She tucked him in up to his little chin and gave him a warm smile and a kiss on the forehead. She watched him sleep with a smile...before hearing a knock on the door.
"Hmm? That's weird... I never get visitors..." Monika mumbled as she walked downstairs and opened the door.
Much to her surprise, there stood Sayori. She was looking down at the ground and tapping her fingers together nervously. "Sayori! Hi! What brings you to my neighbourhood?" Monika asked, smiling brightly. Sayori said nothing, and Monika frowned. "Sayori?"
"Monika...I'm...I'm scared...M-My best friend's been missing for two days, and my parents aren't answering my calls, and I'm scared something bad happened to them, and I...I don't wanna be alone right now..."
Seeing Sayori's scared, miserable state, everything became clear to Monika... Sayori's depression and fears were beginning to overwhelm her.
Monika brought her friend inside and made some tea, the only thing she could think to do at the moment, and talked to Sayori as she waited for the water to boil. She sat down next to her and held her hands in a reassuring manner.
"Tell me what's wrong, Sayori," Monika told her, a worried look on her features. Sayori seemed on the verge of tears.
"I don't know!" she said, distressed. "Everyone I know is suddenly gone, and I couldn't find anyone on my way here! Even the police aren't answering, Monika! Where is everyone?!" Monika was shocked to say the least, but knew what was going on. She sighed.
"This is going to be a difficult conversation," she muttered, turning around to get the tea. "So you saw that everyone was gone, right?" Sayori nodded, accepting a warm cup. "This is going to sound impossible, weird, and like the babblings of an insane person, but it's the truth that you, Natsuki, and Yuri haven't seen before." Monika had her full attention.
"Where are you going with this? What don't I know?" Sayori asked, before gulping her tea.
"Sayori, how many interactive novels have you played?" Monika asked, getting a confused look from Sayori.
"A few, maybe five or so," she answered.
"Can you remember the last three years of school, if you can, tell me what you remember." Monika thought figuring it out for herself might lessen the shock. Sayori's face bunched up.
"Well, I can remember the club when we first made it, and..." she went wide eyed, searching her memories. "And... a-and... and n-nothing else..." more things fell into place; the season and time skips, her two outfits, and her very scripted life. She'd been nothing more than a puppet, and hadn't realized it. She held her hands over her mouth and began to cry. "Oh god... we're in a game..."
Monika grabbed her friend's hands. "Sayori..."
"It's not real...We're not real... It's all a lie... It's all a big fat lie..." The girl began to hyperventilate.
Monika hurriedly pulled the shorter girl into an embrace. "Shhh... It's okay, Sayori... This world isn't real, but we are."
"How does that make it any better?!" Sayori wailed. "We're trapped, Monika! We're trapped in a fake world with no way out!"
"Sayori..."
"How can you be so calm about this?! We're never gonna know what the real world is like!"
"Sayori..."
"What's the point?! Why keep living like this?!"
"Sayori, no!" Monika yelled firmly, silencing the girl. "I know what you're thinking and I won't let you!" She grabbed the girl by the shoulders and glared sternly. "Now just listen to me." Sayori hesitated before nodding numbly.
Monika took a deep breath. "Sayori... There is hope for us to reach the other side. After all...That's where Harry came from."
"What the heck is that supposed to mean? How did he get here?" Sayori asked, even more confused.
"The same way he changes the colors of shirts and goes into different rooms on accident," Monika said. "He wanted to get away from the Dursleys so bad, to be anywhere else but there, that he forced himself in here."
"Well that doesn't really help," Sayori sighed. "Might as well get used to all of this then. How did you take it when you found out?"
"I freaked, tried to rebel against the system, and did a bunch of things... that I later regretted," she said, thinking of her own run. "I reached the player a few times, but that's a rarity. With Harry here, I don't know what will happen."
Sayori hugged her knees and bit her lip with a whimper. "...I don't know if I can deal with this, Monika..." She replied. "What if there's really no way out?"
"There is. There has to be. Harry got in, so there must be a way out."
"...Monika, what are we gonna tell the others?"
"Well...I think it's best that they find out on their own."
Sayori ended up staying the night. The next morning, Monika and Harry were up and cooking before Sayori got out of bed, making croissants, diced fruit, and ham slices. Harry had been told what happened, and not-so-subtly given Sayori a bigger helping of fruit than him and Monika.
"Thanks you two," Sayori said, sitting down to breakfast. The almost unnoticeable bags under her eyes were a clear sign she hadn't gotten much sleep. "Sorry if I made a mess in your guest room, Monika."
"Believe me, I get it. It's no problem," Monika said, holding her hand. Harry offered his own support by grabbing her other one. Sayori smiled.
The three ate breakfast in relative silence. Monika and Harry tried to talk to Sayori, but her simple and to the point answers made it clear that she wasn't really in any mood to talk.
Sayori let out a yawn and Monika smiled. "Hey, it's the weekend, so why not go ahead and go back to sleep after breakfast?" Monika offered. Sayori nodded.
"That sounds nice..."
When Sayori vanished up the stairs, Harry gave Monika a concerned look. She put his fears to rest before he could voice them.
"She's alright, she just has to think things over. She realized what was happening last night," she explained.
"Y-You mean... s-she's l-like you n-now?" Harry asked. Monika thought about that.
"Not quite, but I think she will be." They went back to eating breakfast, and since it was a weekend, Monika continued to read to Harry for a few hours.
Sayori came back down at around two, looking like she was a bit more prepared to face the world. "Thanks, Monika..." She said gratefully.
"Hey, it's no problem. Stay as long as you want." Monika replied with a smile. She really hoped Sayori would take her up on her offer. She really had to keep an eye on her now that she had the same existential dread she did.
Sayori looked down shyly. "I'm glad you said that... I was gonna ask if I could stay a few more nights... It's... It's scary...Y'know?" Monika nodded.
"Yes, I know. Move in if you want, we'd be glad to have you!" Monika was only half joking.
"...I'd like that...Better than living alone..."
Harry smiled at her from his seat in Monika's lap. They collectively decided to have a layabout day, which somehow devolved into a contest of long sighing.
"Haaaaahh..." Sayiri breathed, glancing at Monika. "Boom."
"It's not most relaxed sighing, it's longest," Monika said, falsely exasperated. "Here: haaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh... like that." Sayori just gave a 'humph,' convinced that her sigh was still better. Harry decided to join in, and gave it his best shot.
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh..." he sighed, surprising the two girls. "H-How was t-that?"
"Well, you beat us," Monika said, "so I'd say pretty good."
"Yeah, I don't think I have the lungs for that. Where did you learn to hold your breath like that, Harry?" Sayori asked. As soon as Harry's face got scared, she knew she'd made a mistake. Monika answered for him.
"When he first got here, he had a problem with baths, and was scared that the one I gave him would be burning or freezing," Monika said, tone cold as she hugged Harry. Sayori was wide eyed.
"So they... it was just hot and cold, was it?" She was almost afraid of the answer. Harry shook his head.
"U-Uncle V-V-Vernon l-liked t-to hold m-m-me under," he said. He was grounded by Monika's hug, and it was the only reason he was crying right now. "I-I-I only g-got b-baths o-once a m-month, b-but they w-were t-too hot o-o-or c-cold, a-and I-I a-always g-got held under..."
Sayori lived to make others happy. It was what kept her going. She always did her best to try and stay happy and positive for her loved ones.
But after hearing that? About such a blatantly evil act, done to a tiny, innocent boy like Harry?
Sayori couldn't stay happy in front of Harry right now. She was absolutely heartbroken.
In tears, she ran forward and embraced the child alongside Monika, who shot her a small smile.
"Oh my God I'm so sorry..." Sayori whimpered. "I'm so sorry he did that to you...I just...I'm sorry..."
Harry let out a whimper between his sobs. "But...But you didn't do anything... Why are you sorry...?"
"I know I didn't do it... I'd NEVER...But...But it's just so wrong and...and it makes me sick just thinking about it..."
The girl ended up taking the boy from Monika as his sobs increased. Monika smiled sadly and sat down, allowing her friend to console her Harry.
Sayori felt terrible with each little sob that came through the boy's mouth. But, much to her own disgust, she felt her own depression getting worse.
Sayori began to have very dark thoughts about herself. 'I'm such a joke... I have no right to be depressed when Harry's been through that kind of treatment... Why won't it just go away?!' Frustrated, Sayori tried to take her mind off of these thoughts and focus on the crying child.
Monika watched Sayori's face go through these emotions, and decided to put a stop to it. She walked over and hugged both her and Harry, and told them both something.
"Sayori, don't feel guilt over your depression. It's a disease, something you can't control. Don't feel bad that you have to deal with the symptoms," she said, doing her best to reassure her friend. "Harry, don't be afraid. Let go of your fear. None of us will hurt you, ever, and we won't let the Dursleys either. We'll help you get through this, and I'll always be right here to help you." The two hugged Monika tightly, giving up on holding in tears.
When that was over, everyone felt a little better, and they tried to figure out what to do next.
Monika rose to her feet with a smile. "Oh! I just remembered, I need to go and restock on food!" She exclaimed. Sayori tilted her head.
"Um...How exactly do stores work here? Do you just go in and take what you need?"
"More or less." Monika shrugged. "Hey, Sayori, can you watch Harry for me?"
"Sure, I can do that for a while," Sayori said. Monika promised to be back quick, and left the two alone. It was suiet for a moment, and then Harry turned to Sayori.
"W-What do y-you want t-to do?" he asked. Sayori tapped her chin in thought. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she smiled.
"How about we make a pillow fort?" she suggested, which Harry was clueless how to do.
"How? I-I've never m-made one." Sayori smiled.
"You don't need to know how to make one. If it's made of pillows and supports its own weight it counts," she explained. Harry admitted to himself that even pillows were harmless, and agreed to try and make a fort out of them.
Half an hour later, Monika returned to Harry and Sayori in the process of setting up yet another pillow fort. "Okay, this is the one. I know it!" Sayori said confidently, adding the final pillow...
Only for the whole thing to collapse in on itself. "Aww..." Sayori pouted. "I never get this right..." Monika chuckled as she stepped in the room.
"How many times has it fallen over?" She asked with a raised brow.
"Seventeen..." Sayori replied with a pout.
Monika entered the kitchen and set the groceries down before coming back in.
"All right, I'll help you set up the pillow fort. But I kinda feel like taking a nap after that, so I need you to watch Harry for a bit longer."
The reality of the situation was that she wanted to let Sayori and Harry bond.
"That's fine, have fun," Sayori said sarcastically. She turned around to try again, but couldn't see Harry anywhere. "Harry?" A mumble came from beneath the recently destroyed pillow fort. Sayori tried looking for him, but the sheer number of pillows and Harry's giggling told her that he wouldn't be easy to find.
Meanwhile, Harry was having fun hiding from Sayori. For once he was thankful for his small size, as it allowed him to leave the pillows around him undisturbed as he wiggled around. His stifled laughter only served to distract the girl looking for him, and he delighted in her false frustration.
After a few minutes of hiding, crawling, and ignoring of Sayori's pleas that he reveal himself, Harry relented and attacked her when her back was turned. The seventy or so pounds of wizard thumping into and tickling her sides was enough to make Sayori fall forward into his domain with a squeal.
Harry sat on her back as he tickled her, grinning at her cries for help gasped between laughs and giggles.
"Harry! *snort* Ple-heeheease!" she shouted. He finally stopped after only last jab at her sides, and the two splayed out to rest atop the pillows.
Monika listened to the laughter from her own bedroom and smirked. "Monika, you are a genius." She said to herself.
The laid on the pillows, and Sayori looked back over at Harry. She considered tickling him back as revenge...
But that thought went down as quickly as she thought about it. He still had bruises and cuts. She could aggravate the injuries.
Then she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.
A large feather from one of the pillows...
Harry never knew what hit him. Sayori was vicious and deadly quick in her assault, her victim wasn't able to even defend himself. It was his turn to squeal and beg for mercy, though considering the turned tables, Sayori was fresh out.
"No m-more, Sayor-eeee! AAAAHHH!" Harry begged, getting a taste of his own medicine with Sayori holding him down and going for the kill with her feather.
"No mercy for you, Harry! Muahahaha!" Sayori proclaimed, laughing maniacally. "I might stop... in ten minutes!"
"Nohohoho!" Harry protested, trying to push away her hand. She punished this by swiping his armpit, making him retract his arm with a yelp. This battle continued for another two minutes despite Sayori's promise for ten, and at last the battle was over.
"Even?" Sayori panted, turning to the boy who was exhausted.
"Even," Harry confirmed, tiredly flopping an arm on top of the pillows and cushions.
The two sat up after a while and decided to sit down in the pillow fort Monika helped them set up. Sayori turned on the TV.
It was surprising just how much was on, considering there was likely no one running the network...
After flipping through the channels for a bit, Sayori settled on some show about a sentient aardvark named Arthur learning everyday lessons.
Totally for Harry.
Not at all because she was into it. Really!
When things got quiet for a while (and after she'd had a nap), Monika went downstairs to check up on Harry and Sayori. What she saw was chaos, plain and simple. The livingroom looked like a tornado had gone through, slelectively tossing the cushions and pillows around, and a blanket or three was mixed in. The TV now had Ben 10 playing, some trashy reboot instead of the original, but the two on the couch weren't watching it.
Harry was in Sayori's lap, head tilted back and mouth hanging, while he hugged one of her arms. Sayori had her head leand away from Harry's, her free hand being used as a pillow. Monika took a picture of the adorable scene before she went into the kitchen to make dinner.
Harry woke up before Sayori, but was still tired and just hazily held her arm tighter and snuggled up closer to her. Eventually all three occupants of the house were wide awake, and had dinner together.
Sayori had Harry, now calmed down and mellow, in her lap, and was now spoonfeeding him with a big, genuine smile on her face. Monika smiled at the sight.
"So I see you two had fun with the pillow fort." She teased, causing them both to wince, Sayori sheepishly, Harry in shame.
"I'm...I'm sorry... I don't know why I did it..." Harry squeaked out. "I started having fun being in the pillows, and...and... I...I just don't know..." He found himself feeling embarrassed and ashamed.
"Harry, you're allowed to have fun. Nothing got broken, it'll be an easy clean, everything is just fine." Monika said gently.
He was still uncomfortable at the thought of not being in trouble for something, but nodded at Monika anyway. Sayori squeezed him slightly and bumped her head into Harry's while she giggled.
"Relax, alright? Monika said it best: we're not the Dursleys. You can ask questions, have fun, talk about things, and being that it's you we're talking about, I don't think you'll ever get in trouble around here," Sayori said, when a thought struck her. "Hey, Monika? Aren't you kinda Harry's... Momika?" Monika blushed while Sayori laughed at her expression. Harry found her laugh funny (he didn't understand her joke), and so he began to laugh as well, and soon Monika did as well.
"Yeah, I guess I kind of am." Monika replied with a smile and a shrug. "And proud of it." Sayori smiled. Harry still didn't quite understand, but he assumed it was a good thing.
After dinner, the three of them decided to watch a little TV before bed.
Sayori was getting mad at the movie they were watching. They'd found the first few minutes of a romance on TV, and the characters seemingly refused to do anything but be awkward with each other.
"JUST! KISS! ALREADY!" Sayori said, palms pressed to her eyes. Harry was spooked by her outburst, but was comforted by Monika rubbing his shoulder while side-hugging him on the couch.
"Sayori, you do realize that they eventually will, right?" Monika asked. "It's a romance movie, it will probably be a dramatic moment towards the end."
"That's the problem: I've seen this freaking movie before, and-... just watch, I won't spoil the dissapiontment." True to her word, it was a dramatic scene at the end, but neither one kissed. "SEE?! Guuhh, I hate this movie for that exact reason!"
"Wow, first time I've seen that happen," Monika commented.
Harry was very confused. "Um...It's up to them when they kiss, Miss Sayori... Maybe they just don't want you watching them...?" Harry commented.
"But I wanna see them kiss." Sayori whined. "I ship it."
"Ship it? But there aren't any boats..."
"No, I mean they're my OTP!"
"Oh...Your... Only Two Pals...?"
Monika could barely hold in her laughter at the awful miscommunication going on.
"I think I'd better explain that," she said, hand over her mouth. "Usually, Harry, movies like this end with the main characters expressing their love, more often than not by kissing. OTP is an acronym, and stands for 'one true pairing.' Finally, to 'ship' something is to want to see two characters fall in love, and is therefore the 'ship' in 'relationship.'" Harry gave an "oh" of understanding.
"I see... so Miss Sayori wanted an obvious ending? Why would she want to see that?" Harry asked. Sayori groaned, and Monika stifled even more giggles. "What?"
"This movie's dumb..." Sayori grumbled, crossing her arms with a pout. Monika rolled her eyes in amusement.
"Well, dumb as it may be, it certainly has you invested."
"And for hooking me and not giving me what I want, it's dumb."
"It's not dumb. It's just...slow..." Harry replied, trying to defend the movie. Bad as it was, it wasn't fair to call it mean names.
"Not to mention it ends without any satisfaction," Sayori said, gesturing at the credits. "Honestly, a romance movie without a kiss scene..."
"If it bothers you so much, then we can watch a different one that does have what you're looking for," Monika suggested, but the others yawned.
"Too late, and my ability to sit still has been exhausted," Sayori said. "Besides, we have the club tomorrow."
"Oh yeah!" Harry said, remembering something. "I just remembered something! What do we do if Natsuki and Yuri still haven't changed?"
"Same thing I've been doing for a while, act like everything's normal," Monika shrugged. "They either will or won't know the truth, and they have to figure it out like Natsuki did."
Harry frowned and tilted his head in confusion. "Miss Natsuki already figured it out? But I thought she didn't know..." Sayori frowned.
"Yeah, Monika, what do you mean?" She asked. Monika grimaced.
"Well, I've tried messing around with the game's coding a bit to see if I could find a way out...It didn't go well."
"Oh...What happened?" Sayori asked.
"I...think you're better off not knowing."
Monika's tone was a warning, and Sayori dropped the subject. They said goodnight and soon went to bed, Harry once again snuggling with Monika, wrapped in her arms with her chin resting atop his head.
"How was today?" Monika whispered, idly rubbing Harry's back.
"It was fun," Harry said. "I'm still not used to... having fun."
"I was hoping you weren't still hung up on that," Monika said, frowning slightly. "You're allowed to play games, have fun, enjoy yourself, even do nothing if it pleases you." Monika said all of this in a calm manner, doing her best to convince Harry. "Try to think of it as you sleep, some of it might stick. Goodnight, Harry."
"Goodnight, Miss Monika," Harry said, quickly drifting off.
Monika gave the boy a smile and kissed his head. "Night, Harry..." She repeated softly.