Review Responses
KevinCruelz: I don't consider myself an atheist, but I'm not in any one religion so I guess that makes me an atheist? I don't know.
Nexus Infinity: I swear I underlined your name. I don't know why it keeps happening.
MiloMilkshake: I'm going to try and make this chapter longer.
Msmusicful: Plus the fact that Eri thinks that Nozomi would handle the cards better says something, doesn't it?
Revengermajestyliberator: I thought that having the originals wanting their reincarnations to live as they did would create a plot for this since it's not really following the anime. Everyone is twisted around, so the energetic are not as energetic, and the normally serious ones are more about having fun. It would make it much more interesting.
GAT-X105VividPanzer: I kind of want to play the game, but the server is in Japanese so I can't play it yet.
Enya Talisman: The original Muse want a second chance to live as they did before. The reincarnated Muse have had their past memories sealed off. Even if Eri is more like Nozomi now, I don't think it has gone so far that Eri will do a washi washi at all.
S3C0NDG0D: Yup, I just drew the name from the anime.
anto334: No worries. Hibiki won't fall in love with Honoka.
Since almost everyone voted for Hibiki to show up in the story, she will. Starting this chapter, Hibiki will join the cast, though she'll still play more of a background character. If you are not familiar with Hibiki from Kantai Collection, please look it up. She will no longer look like Maki but her personality will be the same as when she was in Eternal.
And since Hibiki is a Fleet Girl now, Muse will now take a training camp trip to the ocean. Just saying.
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live or Kantai Collection.
"It's time for a camping trip!" Eri announced once they were all already gathered at the club room afterschool. "We're leaving tomorrow so get your things ready!" Maki, Umi, Rin, and Hanayo cheered, reacting to the waves of enthusiasm coming from Eri.
"Could you have at least given me a few days notice?" Nozomi wondered. "You know I have to get permission from my parents before I can go anywhere with everyone." Eri looked crestfallen and the blonde sat back down. "But knowing you, you probably made the reservation to use a vacation home with your parents already. I'll give them a call now." Eri perked up immediately as Nozomi left the room to call her parents.
"But why so suddenly, Eri-chan? You do usually ask us if we want to go first." Kotori asked. Umi grabbed Kotori's hand. The blunette's eyes gleamed excitedly.
"Does it matter?! We're going to the beach! The beach!" Once again, Honoka had the sense that something was wrong with her friends' behavior. But they had always behaved that way, based on her memories. Umi and Maki were always the most excitable whenever something new came up. As far as Honoka knew, neither of them had ever seen the ocean.
As they waited for Nozomi to return from her phone call, they all came to the same realization, except for Eri. They pulled out their own phones and dialed their parents' number. While their parents were more lenient than Nozomi's, they still had to inform them of their plans.
"They said it's okay!" Nozomi said, coming back into the room just as the others were finishing up their own phone calls.
"Then…dismissed for today! Meet at the train station tomorrow at 9 AM!" Eri announced.
Honoka woke up on the floor of her bedroom for the second morning in a row. She sat up, yawning tiredly. On her bed, Maki and Umi slept back to back with each other. She vaguely remembered that she had fallen asleep on the bed next to Umi, but the blunette must have knocked her off the bed at some time during the night again. She checked the time with the clock sitting on her desk.
"Woah…it's already 8:30?" Honoka muttered to herself. Then the reality of the time struck her. "We have to meet at the station in half an hour?! Umi-chan! Maki-chan! Wake up!" She climbed on her bed and shoved the two sleeping girls off onto the floor. She had no time. She quickly fixed her bed after sending the other two off to the bathroom. Thankfully, the two free-loaders had packed up their things the previous night before coming to her house and crashing. She joined them in the bathroom, brushing her teeth and washing her face as quickly as she could even as Umi was slowly brushing her hair out and Maki seemed to be on the verge of falling asleep again.
Somehow, Honoka pushed the two out of the door and they made it to the station at exactly 9:00 AM, according to the clock in the middle of the station. They were the last three to show up. Honoka bent over, her hands on her knees, as she panted. Umi and Maki, on the other hand, were still full of energy.
"Now, you may all be wondering why I announced the sudden camp trip." Eri said, having waited until they were all on the train and off before starting to explain herself. Not that all of them were listening. Rin had fallen asleep as soon as she got on her seat, before the train even left the station. Niko had spent the entire trip so far either in the bathroom or looking miserable in her seat, the motion sickness medicine obviously had no effect. Since she wasn't in her seat…she probably was in the bathroom again. Nozomi gazed out the window with Maki, pointing out landmarks to the obviously excited younger girl. Umi was digging into her lunch, made by Kotori of course, long before it was even time to eat while her best friend watched happily. Honoka wasn't sure where Hanayo had gone, then spotted her across the aisle, playing a hand-held video game.
"Sorry, Eri-chan. No one's listening." Honoka said, hating to cut her friend short. Eri shrugged, seeming relieved that no one was interested in why they were heading out, and pulled out her tarot deck again. She kept looking between her deck and Nozomi, as if continuing her thought that the cards would suit Nozomi better. Not that she'd ever say it out loud though. With nothing better to do, Honoka decided to follow Rin's example and take a short nap.
It will happen again. Honoka wasn't sure who that voice belonged to, but it sounded familiar to her. She looked around but saw only darkness. I couldn't save her. A wave of fear washed over her heart, coming not from her, but whoever the voice belonged to. I caused her death. She saw Maki lying in a pool of blood, much like how the girl had described her dream. She felt the self-disgust emanating from the speaker. "Who's there?" She finally had the courage to ask. You should know. Now that Honoka had spoken, it seemed to have realized she was there. She could feel it, the regret and sorrow and despair, coming from all around her. Protect her…please.
"Honoka?" Maki was shaking her awake. The red-head stepped back as Honoka opened her eyes. She wondered who that voice belonged to. "Honoka…you're crying…" She reached up and felt the skin below her eyes. Her fingertips came away wet. She could still feel the sorrow and despair from the voice, in her chest.
"It was just my dream." Honoka said, pushing off any concerns Maki had for her. "Are we at the villa? Is that why you woke me up?"
"Yeah. The train is slowing down so I thought I'd better wake you up before it got to the station so we could all get off." Fortunately, Maki was used to Honoka brushing her off and never questioned why. When they were children, Honoka's pride as the older child wouldn't let her tell Maki what was wrong at times and Maki stopped trying after a while.
"Thanks, Maki-chan." Honoka grabbed her bag from where it sat on the floor by her feet and followed Maki to where the other girls were waiting. The strange but familiar voice still troubled her but like always, Honoka pushed it aside to keep the mood of her group up.
"I have been waiting, Ayase-sama." A young girl with ice blue hair and eyes was waiting in front of the train exit for them. From her looks and school uniform, Honoka would have guessed that she was only fourteen years of age. So young, and to be working for the Ayase family in such a way…
"This is the Fleet Girl, Hibiki." Eri said. The young girl bowed politely. "She has been given to my family to maintain for the time being." Fleet Girls were a new class of androids that were still in the process of being made. They would replace the navies of all the countries, since they would be easier to maintain and take up less room. However, no android ever created had their own personalities, though they were trying to grant that to the Fleet Girls. Even the first android, created by Kousaka Honoka, had no personality of her own. Or so Honoka had read, as the only information about the very first android was that it was made by her namesake. She never learned about what happened to the robot.
"So this is a Fleet Girl…" Maki said in awe, looking at the android from all angles, though the robot showed no concern about being viewed in such a way.
"I am the second ship of the Akatsuki Class of Destroyers." Hibiki said as a form of self-introduction. "Please take care of me from now on until my sisters are made."
"What does she mean by sisters?" Honoka whispered into Eri's ear.
"Sister ships, as in ships of the same class." Eri whispered back. "I think." Not much information remained about the World Wars of the past, other than they were never to be repeated ever again. The group followed Hibiki out of the train station and up the hill to where the beachside villa was waiting for them.
"Aw…it looks like rain is coming…" Maki noted, looking out at the ocean, where dark clouds were heading their way.
"Yeah…Guess we'll have to wait and see if we can even play tomorrow." Honoka commented, taking a hold of Maki's hand and leading her on as the red-head had stopped to stare at the clouds, almost as if she were transfixed by them.
"Hey, do you think it'll come here?" Maki was still looking at the clouds as she spoke.
"Most likely." Honoka responded. Maki fell silent after that and just kept pace with Honoka the rest of the way, not letting go of Honoka's hand.
"I'm going back to the dock." Hibiki made this announcement as rain lashed against the glass windows of the villa.
"It's too dangerous! Just stay inside tonight!" Rin shouted, trying to convince the younger girl.
"Don't worry, Rin. By dock, she means her allotted room in the house." Hibiki nodded at Eri's statement and left the room silently. They had decided they would sleep together in the same room, so no one would feel alone in such a large house. The doors were shut and the lights on, as none of them wanted to go to sleep yet. Maki kept looking at the glass windows fearfully. Umi eyed the closed doors warily. And Eri went around the room, installing night lights wherever she could.
Then the worst possible thing happened. Lightening flashed and thunder boomed and the whole room was thrown into darkness as the power stopped. Even the nightlights Eri had just spent minutes plugging in were not working.
"All right, nobody panic! I'm gonna call and see if everyone's okay!" Honoka shouted. "Nozomi-chan!"
"Here, Honoka-chan!" Nozomi called from somewhere to her right. "Uwah, Eri-chi, get off!"
"Niko-chan!"
"Over here!" Niko's voice came from the left. "No, Eri! When Nozomi tells you to get off of her, it doesn't mean come to me!"
"Rin-chan!"
"Here nya!" Rin responded. "Ow! I think someone just pushed me over nya!"
"Hanayo-chan!"
"I'm here, Honoka-chan!" Hanayo called out. "I think it was Maki-chan, Rin-chan!"
"Kotori-chan!"
"I'm here!" Kotori responded. "It's okay, Umi-chan…"
"Fear of lightening?!"
"H-H-Here…" Maki's voice seemed muffled, as if she was hiding under a blanket.
"Fear of darkness?!"
"H-Here!" Eri shouted, her voice higher-pitched from fear.
"Claustrophobia?!" There was a small whimper. "Okay, we're all here still. That's better than nothing." Another flash of lightening came and lit up the room for a brief second. Eri looked relieved for that moment while Maki cowered deeper within her blanket.
"We should all try to get to sleep anyway. Niko-chi, you and I have Eri-chi. Rin-chan and Hanayo-chan, get Maki-chan to calm down. Same goes to Honoka-chan and Kotori-chan with Umi-chan." Nozomi said, taking charge of the situation.
I am waiting. Honoka knew she was dreaming. Once again, the presence was with her. She had decided that the presence was a female, from the inflection of the voice. "Who are you?" She asked again. You should know. Again, the answer was the same. Did she hear the slight tease in the voice, or was it just the way the voice always sounded? Honoka decided to try something different. "What are you?" I don't know. Now Honoka was stumped. "Why are you in my dreams?" I don't know. "Do you have something to tell me?" Don't get too attached to Maki . "Why not?" It will happen again. Before Honoka could ask another question, she woke up.
Unbelivable. Umi frowned in her dream. I am not claustrophobic. "Well, I am." Umi retorted. The presence pulled away from her for a bit before returning. Are you still friends with Honoka? "Of course I am." Umi muttered. The presence had been asking that question at least once every time she felt it in her dream. Keep it that way. The presence released her and Umi's mind wandered into another dream.
Is everyone still okay? "What do you mean?" Kotori asked. Nobody's fighting, right? "Well, no." That's a relief. Kotori and the presence both fell silent. "Hey, who are you anyway?" You should know. Kotori didn't get to continue talking with whatever was there as she got placed back into her dream before the presence interrupted.
Those cards don't belong to you. Eri sighed. The presence with her in her dreams always told her that. "I know, they were my ancestors." Give them back. Be the leader you are supposed to be. "I'm only Student President because Honoka campaigned for me. I don't actually want my position." I can't accept that. "Well, it's not your life, is it? It's mine." Your life and my life are the same. This was what confused Eri the most, but as always, the presence refused to talk any further. Eri wandered the darkness of her dream until she woke herself up.
My spiritual power will cleanse your soul. "You sound too much like Eri-chi." Nozomi pointed out. Eri-chi sounds too much like me. Nozomi sighed. Here, in the darkness, she was alone except for the presence. Believe in the power of the spirits. Take your power back. "I don't believe in that. Only Eri-chi does." Nozomi scoffed. She felt overwhelming sadness from the presence and it retreated from her, letting her escape to the conscious world again.
I want to be an idol. "We are idols." Niko said. It felt a bit weird, just sitting in darkness, talking to something she couldn't see. Right now, you aren't. No practice. Only fun. That's not what Muse is. "It is what we are! Leave us alone!" Niko shouted. The presence was getting on her nerves. Muse is not like this. The presence faded away.
What's your favorite food? Mine is rice. "I don't really like rice that much…" Hanayo said hesitantly. At first, being alone in such a dark place with only a voice had been scary, but now, she was used to it. You have to like rice. "I don't have to do anything." She responded unhappily. No, you don't. But I do. Hanayo felt the presence wind around her before it flitted away, leaving her to her dreams again.
I like you. Rin grinned. When she had first found herself alone, she hadn't realized it was a dream. But the presence didn't seem to be malicious to her. "I like you too nya." Being in Muse…is fun, right? "It's lots of fun!" I'm glad…
Don't let it happen again. "Don't let what happen again?" Maki was confused. The presence wasn't telling her anything. I don't want to leave everyone again. The girl sighed and sat down to listen. If she stayed quiet enough, maybe the presence would tell her something. Please, be careful. Maki realized too late that the presence had left her.
I'm pretty sure that the true identity of the presences are fairly obvious but I'll explain that next time if you still don't understand.
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