Honoka's Bizarre Adventure: µ's Is Unbreakable
Chapter 10: Wonder Zone (Part 1)
Previously on Honoka's Bizarre Adventure!
I went another chapter without getting punched, alright! … Oh! Um… Well! Things are going way faster than even I thought! We of µ's decided we don't need a true leader, even though that's the norm for Idol groups. We put up our new song, Korekara no SOMEDAY, and became even more popular!
More than that though, Love Live is coming! With my friends we saw a recording of the announcement but… something doesn't feel wrong.
It feels like the calm before a terrible storm. I don't want to fight anymore, I want to sing and dance, but I have the feeling that there's going to be more terrible things before then.
That before we can dance on that stage, we'll have to let our fists fly first.
"Love Live really is just that amazing, huh?"
Honoka took a deep breath and withdrew her Stand, sighing as 「All Star」 disappeared. Hanayo and Umi chose not to press on right away, Hanayo returning her gaze back to the screen, once again hyperfixating on the news.
"Love Live is the event to end all events for Idols! School Idol groups from all over the nation will gather here in Tokyo for the chance to win it all! I'm sooooo excited! They'll determine who the top group is… I had heard rumors that there would be another one soon, but I had no idea it'd be THIS soon!"
"Can't say I'm surprised. School Idols are really popular now," Umi noted, with Rin giggling besides her.
"This is gonna make everyone go crazy, I bet! It's gonna be so much fun I bet, nya!"
Hanayo quickly looked up on the most popular groups to show her friends, although she didn't need any introduction to them. "The most popular group is of course A-RISE, and right below them is LOVE PARADE! Littelle Tokyo, Lucky, Hello! Hello!, and girlish season are probably all going to make it unless someone outranks them before the event… I can't wait for this! I wonder when the tickets are going to go on sale!? And all the merchandise…!"
Honoka blinked. "So… you're going to see it?"
Hanayo glared at the insinuation of missing an event like Love Live. "Of course I am! It's the greatest event in the history of Idols! The fact another Love Live is happening means the world of Idols is finally healing from the corruption that almost destroyed it years back! I absolutely can't miss it, and neither should any of us! I should talk to Nico-senpai, watching this will help us think about what we can be!"
"When it comes to Idols, it's like a switch gets flipped," Maki said, Rin still smiling.
"I love this side of Kayochin!" The orange-haired first year declared. "So pumped and full of energy!"
Honoka gave a nervous smile. "Oh! I just thought you meant like, we should compete in it or something, you know? Work our butts off to make it up the ranks?"
Hanayo gasped, backing into the corner of the room. "Y-you're kidding, right!? This is totally out of our league! They'd destroy us on the stage!" Hanayo's demeanor became timid once more. "I-If they all had Stands I bet they'd be able to kick our butts, too…"
"Who the hell are you, even?" Maki asked at the change of personality, Rin giggling again.
"Well whoever she is, I sure do like her!" Rin proudly exclaimed, earning a blush from Hanayo.
"Well… we are School Idols," Kotori said. "Would it really hurt to just give it a try? In a worst-case scenario, we just don't place in the top 20, right?"
"Nonono, Kotori-chan! What you mean is we absolutely gotta try!" Honoka replied, stepping forward.
"You need a reality check," Maki replied.
"She has a point…" Umi agreed. "Based on last week's data, we're nowhere near high enough to participate. Most of the Idol groups Hanayo talked about have been doing this for one, two, maybe even three years and have dedicated followings," Umi replied, Honoka's thunder shot down to nothing. "Let's see, right now we're… w-what!?" Umi's eyes shot opened as she checked µ's profile. "H-hey! Check this out!"
Honoka walked over. "What? You going to rub it in my face even… what!?"
"N-No way!" Kotori replied. "W-we went way up in the rankings!"
"Are you serious!?" Maki shot up from her seat to rush over, followed by her fellow first years.
"We even got a feature in the 'Rising School Idols' section!" Kotori said, smiling wide.
"Guuuys, look at the comments!" Now Honoka was excited again. "'That's so awesome! You have seven members now!' 'I love µ's so much! I want to see more music from you all!' 'I was so happy you girls didn't quit after your first song!' 'I love that I can feel your hard work paying off in your videos!' 'I want to-' … Umi, can you flag and report that one?" Umi nodded and wasted no-time doing-so. "… And look at this! 'Every time I see you all dance, my heart flutters!' It's happening! We got fans now!"
Maki walked over, leaning in. "Do you think Nico-senpai did this? What if she just got her followers to support us? That's not real popularity…"
"No, she didn't," Umi took a moment to check Nico's profile, seeing she had been inactive for a while now. "She didn't announce she was joining an Idol group… I mean, who knows if she Skypes them or anything, but I don't think she got her followers to support us. I think she wants this to be her own accomplishment…"
"Regardless, things have looked up since she stopped attacking us online," Kotori said. "Even most of the bad comments and negative ratings are gone."
"… That certainly explains it…" Maki said, starting to blush. "I-I'll talk about it during practice."
"Nya?"
Maki sighed as she rested on the rails of the school's roof, knowing there was no way out of this. Everyone had dressed into their exercise clothes, and practically surrounded her on the roof of Otonokizaka. "The other day, while I was leaving school…" Maki remembered as those two middle schoolars approached her outside the school's gates.
"Excuse me! Can we take a picture with you!?" One of the girls had asked her, much to Maki's shock.
"N-no, sorry," Maki had said, before seeing how disappointed they now were. "Uh, well…" And sure enough, Maki had posed for pictures.
"Maki-chan, you got real fans!" Hanayo said. "That's such an honor for an Idol!"
"No fair!" Honoka replied. "That hasn't happened to me, and I was a founding member!"
"That's just how it is!" Hanayo replied. "The harsh reality is that the world of Idols is full of inequality! Some members of the same unit just become more popular than others, even if they're new."
"Still though, you've opened up a lot if you're willing to pose with strangers, Maki-chan!" She even got right in Maki's face. "Behind all that moodiness you're really nice, I bet!"
"W-who said I was willing!? I was just caught off-guard! A-and I'm not nice!" Maki snapped, her blush returning as Rin zoomed in.
"And, you're cute when your cheeks glow! Did ya know that?"
But Rin could only poke at the sleeping dog for so long, her actions earning a weak karate chop to the forehead.
"Owowowowowowwwww! Maki, that hurt!" Rin complained, Maki's icy demeanor returning.
"Yeah, well you deserved it," she scolded. "… Speaking of which where's-"
"Hey guys, you're not going to believe this!" Nico burst through the door leading to the rooftop. "I got amazing news!" She was grinning. "Now, don't pass out on me or anything when you hear this… But it's finally happening! After years of stagnation after Idols valiantly destroyed the old, corrupt industry, it's finally here! This summer! The one, and the only! The School Idol Festival!"
There was silence.
"… Love Live! Why aren't you excited!? What the hell is wrong with you-"
"We already knew that," Maki replied.
"Ah."
Of course, there was one obstacle that surpassed even making it into the top 20 for the girls of µ's. A barrier that could not be shaken through the skills of their dancing, or even the fists of their Stands. A barrier that to them was akin to an ant fighting an elephant.
The girls were dressed back in their school uniforms after practice, Honoka ready to knock on the Student Council's door.
"There's no point," Maki said, laying against the wall. "You know how she's going to respond."
Rin stuck a pose, trying to mock Eli with her tone as well. "'You want our permission? I refuse!'"
Honoka sighed. "I know but… Love Live could be the break we've waiting for! If we competed in Love Live, you know lots of people will be interested in Otonokizaka! It'll draw in a bigger crowd and everything. I know Ayase-senpai kind of… umm…"
"Hates our guts?" Kotori offered.
"Hates our guts, yeah. But if it's for the school I bet she'll listen!" Honoka reasoned. Nico opened a door next to Maki, scoffing.
"Ayase has always been stuck up and pretentious, even when she was a first year! I don't know why Nozomi hangs around her so much!" She declared. "She couldn't care less about any of that stuff! Its like they said, she hates us!"
"I don't understand why though," Hanayo said. "What did we do to make her dislike us so much?"
"Because…" Nico began. "… She's afraid I'll become more popular than she is!"
"In your dreams," Maki said, closing Nico's door before she could talk back. "Look, here's the thing. Why do we even need her approval, anyways? Why can't we just enter the contest?" Nico was about to say something from behind the door, her face in the glass, before hearing Maki.
"Getting the school's permission is a prerequisite to enter," Hanayo explained. "So we need Ayase-senpai's approval…"
"No, that's not what I mean. I mean, why don't we just go straight to the director?"
"Wait, we can do that!?" Honoka asked.
"Generally, its expected we go to the Student Council to go to her… but strictly speaking, there is no rule against it," Umi said, having never thought of the possibility before. "It's Ms. Minami's approval we need, not Eli's."
"And she's your mom, so that's another advantage we have," Maki said, looking directly at Kotori, who gulped as she noticed all eyes were on her. "I say we don't even waste our time with Ayase," Maki said, heading over to Minami's office, the rest behind her. And when at the door, Honoka gulped. She had been in this room a few times, never for good reasons…
"Man, I'm getting chills…" Honoka said.
"This is no time to back down," Maki said. "If we can't even do this, how are we going to compete for Love Live!?"
Honoka sighed, knowing she was right. "I got this…" And right as she was about to knock the door opened, Nozomi behind it.
"Oh? What are you all doing here?" Honoka smiled at seeing Nozomi's face… and said smile quickly faded as the door further opened, revealing Eli next to her.
"What do you want, Kousaka?"
"A-Ayase-senpai!"
Nico groaned. "We're doomed…"
"What's this all about?" Eli demanded. But Maki took charge, gently brushing Honoka aside. "Excuse us, but we're here to speak with the director."
Eli stepped forward, not backing down. "Club requests to see the director must go through the Student Council."
"I didn't say we're requesting," Maki snapped back. "I said, we're here to talk to her."
"Wait, Maki," Honoka said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "She is our senior…"
"At least she has something resembling sense," Eli snapped, not even facing Honoka. Maki was about to fight back, before a knock on the door broke everyone's attention; there stood Kotori's mother, smiling at the group. "Hello, girls."
"Director!" Eli looked back. "I was just informing that in order to see you-"
"There's no need for that kind of formality," Minami explained. "I'm not busy at all. There's no reason to go through a request, just come in."
"D-Director!"
Honoka looked at the first years. "You guys sit this out, OK? Let your seniors handle this," she said with a smile, the rest nodding, although she could hear Maki muttering something about not messing this up under her breath. Eli had no choice but to stand aside and let the fledging Idols inside.
The second years approached Minami's desk, Nico behind them, and the Student Council looking from the side. Nozomi had a friendly smile, while Eli's glare remained. "Now then, girls, what do you need? I'll assume this is related to the Idol Study Club, or Kotori just would have told me at home."
Honoka nodded. "We wish for the school's approval to participate in the Love Live tournament!"
"How crass…" Eli muttered. "Director, they don't even quality to participate in it."
"Love Live… the big Idol tournament? I remember those from years ago. I had heard some commotion in the hallways about it. Kousaka-san, would you are to explain the details?" Honoka couldn't help but be nervous; Kotori's mother always demanded a strong presence. Even in Kotori's house, there was an air around the woman that always demanded no nonsense at all. The second years knew they had no real advantage despite Kotori being her daughter; despite what Maki thought, they were sure she would reject them if they could not make a convincing argument.
"Love Live is a tournament between Idols, specifically School Idols this time around," Honoka began. "As Idols grow in popularity, the demand for another Love Live was sky-high. Now another is going to happen, and whoever wins will gain a lot of publicity for their school! Everyone will know it was the School Idols of that school that won… and people will look up that school!"
"Interesting…" Minami replied. "And you believe with our school in a crisis, this can help us?"
"Yes," Umi said. "It will be broadcasted on the internet, so anyone with a stable connection online can see it."
"We believe it would be good exposure to our school," Kotori explained. "We are confidant more students will be interested in applying if we preform and they see us, especially if we do well. As long as we can enter the top 20 ranked School Idol groups registered in the School Idol Festival Association, we can participate… as long as we have the school's permission."
"I am opposed to this idea," Eli challenged, walking in front of her juniors. "It was made clear to me that we were not to sacrifice our everyday livelihoods in order to save the school," Eli said. "Is that not correct?"
"It is," was all Minami said, and Honoka felt her heart sink and looked down. "But in this case, I think we can still allow them to enter," and Honoka looked up from her feet, smiling.
"Really!?" Honoka asked.
"Yes," Minami replied, the second years and Nico smiling.
"Wait just a moment!" Eli said. "I don't understand why you're siding with them!"
"I'm not, this isn't about sides," Minami replied. "This is a case of one of our clubs preforming in an event against others. If any club, let's say our Baseball Team wished to enter a major tournament, I would allow it as well. I will recognize the Idol Study Club, a club which regularly practices dancing and other forms of physical activity, participating in the Love Live as one of our school's clubs participating in an athletic event against the School Idols of other schools," Minami replied, Eli clenching her teeth. It's a loophole! All the students in the room realized. She wasn't allowing µ's to sacrifice their everyday livelihoods to save the school officially, but nobody would object to allowing an athletic club from participating in a prestigious event they qualified for.
That's mama for you! Kotori thought proudly. No matter how much hardship she had ever faced, she had never once seen a single instance where her mother had been defeated in any kind of debate.
"Then… I would like to request you to allow the Student Council the opportunity to try to revitalize the school!"
Minami frowned. "I'm afraid not."
"I don't follow!"
"Really? Its common sense to me," Minami explained. "Is there any kind of tournament the Student Council can actively participate in? If so, do give me the details and I will see if you can enter," Eli clenched her fists. "You still have free reign over the open house, Ayase-san. I would encourage you to focus your efforts on that, for the time-being."
Eli stormed out without another word. "Elichi!" Nozomi tried to stop her, but sighed.
"Hmph! It serves you right!" Nico replied, smirking. Seeing Eli knocked down a few pegs was something she had wanted to see for years, and was glad she'd graduate having seen that.
"Don't think it's that easy," Minami said. "I have one condition for this," and with that they all turned back. "In addition to the fact you must enter the top 20 as Kotori said… you are not to neglect your studies as well. If any one of you should fail your final exams, even just one of the seven of you, then Love Live will have to go on without you," Minami said. "Do we have a deal?"
"… W-we have a deal! Just watch us, Minami-sensei!" Honoka assured. "Just you wait, we're gonna be just fine!" Honoka said, with a nervous laugh, heading over to a corner. "W… we'll befine…"
Nico and Rin were also in despair as well.
"Oh God, we're doomed," Maki whispered out loud.
Once they got there, the Idol Study room became filled with excuses.
"We're sososososososososooooooooo sorry!" Honoka and Rin cried in unison, heads pressed to the table.
"Honstly, you've been this way since elementary school…" Umi said, looking at Honoka. "You're really in danger of failing, though?"
"It's just math! I have a respectable C-average in everything else!" Maki groaned at that, hiding her face in her hands. "It's just one really bad grade! That's all, just one!"
"I already know Rin-chan is super bad at English," Hanayo said with a sigh.
"We're Japanese! Why do we even have to learn this language anyways!? It's not like I'm going to America or Britain anytime soon!" Rin defended, puffing her cheek out. "I should go protest this to the director! Explain that it's just this one useless skill and I'm fine with everything else!"
Maki's eye twitched, slamming her hand on the table.
"Can you please quit whining!?"
"Y-you're scary, nya…"
"What's scary is how embarrassing it'd be if we couldn't enter because you three messed it up!" Maki said. "And we were finally getting one over on that stupid Student Council president too… Hmm?" She looked over at Nico. "Weren't you panicking back there, too?"
"H-huh!? Don't worry about me… we have to enter Love Live, so we'll pass all our tests for sure, right!?" Nico was holding a book away from her…
"That book is upside down."
"… I-It stimulates your mind to read like this!" Sure enough, every deadpan stare in the room was now directed at Nico.
"How are your grades, Nico-senpai?" Kotori finally asked.
"… Nininini… ninini…" And with a smile on her face, the peace symbols were by her face. "Nico nico nii~! Nico nii could never fail her exams, oh no~!"
"What are your grades, Nico?" Umi asked.
"… I-If I get at least an 80% on this exam, I'll be in the clear, I swear!"
"T-that's even worse than me!" Honoka replied.
"I guess it can't be helped…" Umi said. "Kotori and I will tutor Honoka with her math, Hanayo and Maki will help Rin with English, and… I guess I can try to help Nico too."
"I-I said I'm fine!"
"Screw that!" Nico's, Honoka's, Umi's, and Hanayo's attention were all drawn to 「Circus」 as she manifested, tapping her foot. "Honestly, this is disgraceful! And you call yourself Idols!? How can such an amazing Stand like me belong to someone like you, Nico!"
"S-shut up!"
"Kayochin, what's going on…?"
Hanayo leaned in. "Nico's Stand just appeared. She's really mad at all of you…" And Rin frowned once more.
"I refuse to be the Stand that couldn't go to Love Live because her idiot owner was too stupid to pass her exams! So rest assured, I'll look after Nico so you can focus your efforts on those two idiots!"
"Hey! I'm not an idiot! I'm just bad at math!" Honoka defended.
"If she called Honoka an idiot then she called me an idiot too I bet!" Rin replied.
"And it's not just her…" With a quick motion of her hand, 「Circus」 whip tied around Nico, fully constricting her.
"W-whoah! Hey! What the hell, 「Circus」!? … Wait! Dontdontdont-" but her pleas were for nothing as she quickly undid her constriction, spinning Nico like a top until she crashed into the room.
"I didn't get to use this technique fighting Honoka… but from now on! Anyone who slacks off… will be subjected to extreme spinning until they puke!" 「Circus」 declared, Honoka seeming on the verge of tears while the rest look confused.
"「Circus」 said if Honoka, Nico, or Rin goof off she's gonna do that to them too," Hanayo explained to Maki, Kotori, and Rin, much to Rin's despair.
"T-t-t-that's totally not fair, nya! I don't even have a Stand, so I can't see her! That's totally unfair!"
Hanyo looked behind her, then back to Rin. "She said she doesn't care."
"This Stand stuff is confusing, but this is a good thing as far as I'm concerned," Maki said. "It just means even if they think they're safe, Nico's Stand will force them to study again if they goof off."
"OK then…" Honoka tried to smile to comfort her fellow idiots. "Starting tomorrow, we study our butts off!"
"Starting today you study your butts off," Umi said, Honoka's demeanor collapsing one last time.
"… Umi-chan, I can't help out today…" Kotori told her. "J-Just for today, though!"
"Oh right, your thing…" She didn't know what was going on lately, but Kotori seemed more secretive than usual lately. "And I have archery… dammit. Honoka. Do you promise you'll start studying today?" Umi's look was serious, and Honoka finally relented.
"Yeah, I"ll study today. I'll do it here in the classroom too," she assured. "You two, don't suffer because of me, alright? I'll be fine, I promise!"
"I'll keep an eye on her," 「Circus」 assured Umi. "The sooner you awaken your Stand though, the easier this'll be! I mean, if it's an amazing Remote Stand like me…"
Umi frowned. Not since the early days of when this began did the voice in her head talk to her. She had tried to make contact with it multiple times, and she could see other Stands, but there was no power she could summon like her friends. And she wanted that power. If what they had said about those delinquents were right, there were more hostile Stand users in the city. And no matter how hard it was… Umi wanted to be there for them. Even if it meant physical pain and despair, she wanted to protect her friends. "I'll keep that in mind."
Kotori smiled, making her way out. "Just what are you doing, Kotori? Its not like you to keep secrets," Umi asked, Kotori frowning at the question. Hanayo approached as well, needing to take a bathroom break and leaving Rin with Maki.
"Just… something private for me, alright?" She said, flashing her a smile. It was her secret, her private world. What was wrong with not sharing it with the rest of μ's? She shared everything with them, she just wanted to keep this one thing for herself and herself alone.
"Something's bothering you," she said, advancing towards Kotori. "Listen, if you want to do something privately that's fine, but… your mood. I don't know. Ever since we released the last song you've seemed… out of it. Are you sure you're really OK?"
Kotori paused, before sighing. "… My dad says even if we make it to Love Live, he won't be able to come watch us."
"… Oh," Umi frowned, giving her friend a supportive hug. "I'm sorry…"
"Umm…" Hanayo bit her lip, looking at the other two. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overhear… J-Just…"
"Its ok, Hanayo-chan," Kotori assured, smiling. "I don't mind. Its just… I don't get to see my papa much, so it… kind of hurts. I was really hoping he'd be able to come if we met up…"
"Her father lives in Hokkaido," Umi said. "I haven't even seen that much of him, and I've known Kotori since she was little."
"Did they divorce?" The moment she said that Hanayo gasped, covering her mouth. "I-I-I-I'm sorry! That was so rude, I didn't mean to ask that! P-Please ignore it!"
But Kotori kept on her smile. "No, its fine. They never married at all, actually," Kotori told her. "'Minami' is my mom's last name, ya know. Because she was raising me directly, she felt I should have her name, and he agreed. He's always lived really far away… pays for child support and all, though. Talks with me on the phone a lot, and we have Facebook and Skype too. Comes down for my birthdays too. He's far away, but he's always been a good dad," and Kotori's smile faltered, even if it was still there. "It still hurts though, and I don't' see him as much as I used to…" Umi's hug didn't falter, with Hanayo walking close to her and nervously stretching out an arm, before pulling Kotori in. "When I was still a little girl, he took me for a vacation in Egypt, like he did on a vacation with his parents when he was our age..." Kotori sighed. "I just… I really hoped he would be able to come here."
"M… Maybe he could watch the stream?" Hanayo suggested.
"He will probably… but its not the same," she admitted.
"A-Again, I'm sorry, I didn't-"
"Shhh, don't worry. I like talking about it. Not everyone knows this, its nice to let other people know," she assured, lifting Hanayo's spirits slightly. "I have to go for now though, alright? Hanayo-chan, make sure Honoka doesn't goof off, alright?"
"R-right, Minami-senpai!"
If nothing else, even if her father wasn't around, at least she had her friends and her job. A job that doubled as her own private experience, one that would help her become a better Idol to boot.
"Welcome home, master~"
Kotori loved being a maid, honestly.
And here in Akihabara, she had her own private little corner of the world. As a fashion designer she had always loved anything in Lolita fashion; and these maid outfits had always been especially cute in her design. Elegant, too!
Kotori's smile was genuine. She enjoyed this job sincerely. She enjoyed making people happy in any way she could, both her parents had commented on it in the past. Something about this place, about Akihabara just made her feel alive and confidant.
Her anxiety was nowhere near as bad as Umi's, but she could not pretend that the Idol routine made her nervous. Even when they preformed to that mostly empty auditorium, she was nervous. What if she messed up a step or a note? Even if Hanayo couldn't have noticed, she would.
"Have a pleasant evening, master~" Kotori smiled, waving as a few guests left. Still, to think she'd have a reputation as a 'Legendary Maid' was something else entirely! She giggled as she thought of her alias, Minalinsky. She had wanted something that sounded foreign and exhausted, and so far, it had been a success! It felt like some kind of dream; this couldn't really happen, right? Even becoming a School Idol felt less surreal than working at a maid café. Even more surprising that she was really good at it, and that people were coming just to see her! To think, Nico had even bought her autograph online!
"Can I take a picture, ma'm?" One customer asked, earning a laugh from Kotori.
Kotori giggled. "I'm sorry master, but pictures are strictly forbidden! I can only hope that Minalinsky-chan's presence will be reward enough to make up for it, master," and she bowed. That was a crowd pleaser, along with her smile. You do this for µ's, she told herself. And that wasn't a lie; she did this primarily because she though it would help her become more confidant as an Idol, and she thought it was working. If it hindered her as a member of µ's she would quit. But still… there was no harm in enjoying your work, she reasoned. It made her happy, helped her, and made her money as well. Of course, she had to keep it a secret from even Honoka and Umi… and especially her mother. She knew her mother would never approve of this, no matter how much she would argue for it.
She sighed, shaking her head. Nonono Kotori, don't think about that right now, she told herself. You have work to do. If you stop smiling, you'll be letting everyone down! She told herself. The stress was piling on-and-on. µ's in danger of not being able to participate in Love Live, the danger of their newfound Stand-wielding enemies, and now this with her father. You knew he probably wouldn't be able to come, she told herself. You have no right to be upset about it. You need to suck it up, for him and everyone else!
But scolding herself didn't actually do anything except pile on the worry, Kotori struggling to maintain her demeanor as a maid as she continued. The customers didn't seem to notice much, happy to be weighed on by such a cute girl, but her coworkers did.
"Are you OK, Ko-Minalinksy-chan?" One of her coworkers asked her once Kotori was on her break.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she tried to assure. "I'm just having a few problems outside of work. I'm sorry for letting my performance drop…"
"Hey, don't sweat it. If you need some time off why don't you talk to the manager then me? I could use some extra hours," her coworker offered, smiling. "You're also busy with all that Idol stuff, aren't you? There's no way I could do this if I was doing all that too!" She said to boost her spirits, earning a small smile from Kotori.
"I… I might think about that," she felt bad she had to basically abandon µ's during such a critical time as it was. Could she really neglect work as well? At least the day was almost over. She really needed a good night's sleep, to go sleep in. Maybe give her dad a call.
But work was work, and she took a deep breath and smiled as she headed back into the cage, ready to greet the café's guests, the honorable masters of the household!
"Welcome home, master~" She said, her eyes closed and not paying attention.
"… Kotori-senpai?"
Her eyes snapped open at the sight of Nico and Hanayo in front of her, their eyes wide.
"I… I… um… ah."
Oh, well. Uh.
Oh no.
"… And that's the story."
Kotori sighed as she sat at the opposite end of the table. They were willing to wait until the end of the shift to speak to her, and Kotori knew she couldn't blow this off.
"T-they really gave you a job just like that?" Hanayo asked, her eyes wide. "O-On the street?"
"Yeah… they said I had an air around me they just had to have. The manager tried really hard to recruit me on the spot," Kotori gave a chuckle at the memory. "I never thought I'd still be doing it, or that I'd be famous for it… I just went for it."
"That easily?" Nico asked.
"Yeah... I'm... Ehehehe, I'm not the most... decisive person in the world. It was the first big thing I've done in a while that I didn't ask Honoka or Umi about, I usually let them make decisions like that for me," the other two girls seemed a bit concerned by that, but didn't press on.
"That's amazing, Kotori-senpai! No wonder you were able to give away all your fliers the other day! I just… I never thought you'd be the Legendary Maid!" Hanayo seemed as passionate as she usually got about Idol, amazed that she could call such a person her friend. But Nico just sat there, glaring daggers. "N-Nico-senpai?"
"Do you have any idea how much I paid for your autograph!?" She finally snapped. "And now you're friggin' telling me the Legendary Maid Minalinsky is part of my school club!? If I had waited, I could've gotten your autograph for free!" The table went quiet, before Hanayo and Kotori laughed a bit. "H-hey! I'm being serious, guys!"
"Sorry… but I wouldn't have done that," Kotori teased, bringing a finger to her lips. "It's a secret… and even if it wasn't, a good maid has to treat every master equally, not just her friends! If I gave you a free autograph, I'd have to give everyone one too!" Nico sighed, tapping her finger. "I… never thought any of you would come all the way out here…"
"I busted my ass studying the last few hours and everyone was going home. Hanayo asked me abut the autograph, so I decided I wanted to come here in person and she came along to see if we could actually meet Minalinsky," she explained. "Friggin 「Circus」 span me like a top three times… I worked hard and I deserve a break, OK?" The fact 「Circus」 did not choose to manifest was a good enough sign that she was at least tolerant of the idea. "I just thought we'd get some coffee or something… I didn't think I'd actually get to meet her. Let alone that I'd know her."
Hanayo nodded. "Don't worry Kotori-chan, we're going to keep this a secret… right, Nico-senpai?"
"… Fiiiiiine," Nico said with a sigh. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to keep something to ourselves…" She finally smirked. "Besides, its kind of cool being able to know I know Milansky…" She leaned in. "We'll keep it a secret… if you don't mind me coming here to study," Nico said. "This is a nice, relaxed area… while studying with the rest of µ's is good, I wouldn't mind coming here by myself afterwards to digest it," despite her earlier demeanor she seemed serious about this. "I want to compete in Love Live. I promise I'm not gonna be here to goof off," and at that, Kotori nodded.
"I won't be here every day of course, but we don't mind people staying around for an extended period. The management might ask you to buy another cup of coffee now and then or leave, though," Nico nodded.
"That's fair…" she said, opening up her backpack and taking out her books. "And you sure this isn't affecting your performance? I've noticed you being moody lately," Nico scolded. Kotori gulped; It's that noticeable? She thought to herself. "µ's should take priority! If this stressing you out, quit!"
"Y-you can't just tell her to quit, Nico-senpai! It's her life too, a-and maids can be just as charming as Idols!" Hanayo defended, glaring at her senior.
"Girls, girls, please! I promise it's not what's bothering me… it's a dumb, personal thing," Kotori said. "I just need to toughen up and get over it. I promise that µ's won't pay for my weakness, OK?" Nico, looked at her for a few seconds before nodding.
"Fine… but I want to say this. We may not have an official leader, but I am still the president of the Idol Study Club. If something is impacting your ability to perform, I expect everyone to deal with it, alright?" The other two girls nodded, before she started taking out her notes. "Anyways, I want to study by myself. If you two stick around fine, but don't bother me," she told them.
"I should go home, my parents get worried if they get home and I'm not there," Hanayo said, and Kotori nodded.
"Mama doesn't know I do this… I need to get home before she starts getting really worried about what I'm doing," and as Kotori stood up, Nico gave a small scream.
"EW! EWEWEWEWEW!" And she stomped on the floor besides her.
"N-Nico-senpai!?" Both Kotori and Hanayo asked.
"Spider! Ugly one, too!" Sure, enough there was the squished remains of a spider right next to her. "Just… ugh! I hate bugs so much!"
"Hey! What did the bugs ever do to you?"
The girls turned around to face a girl sitting not too far away from them. A short girl, but probably around their age. A freckled face, curly hair, and extremely large glasses. But what drew Hanayo's attention was the dyed black streak in her hair. It reminded her of the enemies from a few days ago… "Bugs are amazing, I'll have you know!"
"W-who asked you!?" Nico asked. "Those things are disgusting! And it was ready to start crawling on my shoe… gross!"
The girl adjusted her glasses, walking over and leaning down. "That species of spider is probably iwogumoa insidiosa. Its rare to see one away from stone, they love making their home in stone walls and paving stones… of course you squished it so hard its hard to tell…" Kotori gagged as she pressed her finger against the spider's remains, with Hanayo shivering.
All three paled when she brought the spider's guts to her mouth to taste it. "Yeah… iwogumoa insidiosa alright. I can tell by the taste…"
"You're nasty, lady!" Nico jumped out of her chair, shivering. "Who the hell knows what a bug tastes like!?"
"Y-you could get sick…" Hanayo said, Kotori saying nothing as she felt just a tad bit quesy.
"Hehe… when you love something as much as I do, you learn everything about them," the odd girl told the group. "Personally, I love ants the most, but I think all insects are amazing. I've done a lot of studying on all the kinds of insects in Japan, and I keep a fire ant colony in my house! When I go to college I want to get a PHD in entomologist, specializing in ants and spiders."
"Good for you. Can you please stop creeping us out and go away?" Nico demanded, as the girl chuckled. She reached into her own backpack, taking out a large glass jar containing a praying mantis.
"This is an idolomantis diabolica, a giant devil's flower mantis… I call him Henry… beautiful bug, isn't he?" Even Kotori was impressed by the insect's colors. "Bugs are all pure, even if you think they're ugly! I had to buy him from a special breeder, since they're native to Africa, around the location of the Horn of Africa…"
"A-and!?" Nico challenged.
"Nico-senpai, maybe we should just-" But the other girl cut off Kotori.
"What I'm saying is… if you're meant to insects, you should expect them to be mean to you. Would you have crushed this beautiful guy? Of course not! You would have admired its beauty… but you killed that spider just because he thought it was ugly!" She adjusted her glasses once more. "Humanity should respect insects… did you know the Schmidt pain index, which is used to calculate how painful an insect's bite or sting is done by one man? He let bugs bite him and personally recorded how painful each was and ranked it… now that's respecting bugs!"
"He sounds like a nutjob, and so are you!"
The girl smirked, finally getting up. "I'm just saying… The only way to measure how painful an insect's bite is has to be measured by man! So you better hope you don't have to feel the pain we do…" And with that she finally started taking off. "Unless you want to feel the insect's revenge…"
"God, what a weirdo. Forget studying here, I'm going home," Nico said, standing up. "That chick ruined my… ow!"
It wasn't just her; Hanayo and Kotori also gasped in pain, all swatting hard at their necks, and finding nothing on their hands. But upon inspecting eachother…
"N-Nico-senpai, you have a bite!" Hanayo said, as Nico looked over.
"So do you and Kotori! Big ones too… damn! Oh, this is gonna ruin my entire week even worse than the studying!" Nico replied, glaring daggers. "Did that girl do something!? I should go kick her ass!"
"It was probably just coincidence…" Kotori reasoned. Still, the bite marks already seemed rather large. Could bites get infected that quickly, or was there venom?
"Ugh… I'll put hydrocortisone when I get home. Just ignore it," Nico said, walking off in the other direction. "I'll see the two of you tomorrow, alright? Damn bugs…"
Unbeknownst to them, the girl lingered in the nearby allies, grinning as she made a phone call.
"Talk to me."
"They've both been bitten, Yanigihori-sama," she explained. "They've been marked… so now, the swarm can fly in! I trailed them to some maid café… what luck, a third member of µ's was there as well!"
"Good work, Kobayashi," Yanigihori said on the other end. "Remember, don't kill them… but if they don't submit, incapacitate them. Blind them, cut off their arms or legs, I don't give a shit- but if they don't submit, make sure they'll never be a problem to us ever again. We need to isolate Ayase and Tojo from any potential allies they might gain."
"Of course, Yanigihori," Kobayashi said, hanging up her phone and looking at her right arm, grinning as holes opened and her ants crawled out of them. "Honestly, I'd do it even if you didn't tell me to do it…"
She glared, before punching the wall.
"I'll never forgive anyone who messes with bugs! Kyahahaha! Tomorrow... March on, 「Worker Bees」! You know your enemy!"
"I think it's amazing you can do all this," Hanayo said. As they walked in the same direction, she tried to ignore the rather bizarre incident that just unfolded. "You're an Idol, a maid, and you do µ's choreography and dresses! You're amazing, Kotori-senpai!"
Kotori smiled. "Thank you, Hanayo-chan. I'm used to doing a lot at once, to be honest," still though, it was a big load even for her. And she knew Nico was right; something had to be done about the stress before it started seriously impacting her ability to sing and dance. Did that mean having to give up being a maid? She really hoped not…
"Again, I'm sorry I was so rude earlier about… that…"
"Don't be sorry, you had no way of knowing. And it helped me get some weight off my chest," Kotori encouraged. "I'm going to be fine. I promise. I've just been… thinking. That vacation in Egypt was the only time I've ever really spent a lot of time with my dad, you know?" She looked up at the clouds. "He's a hero, you know. He saved me back there."
"R-really?" Hanayo asked, intrigued.
"It's a story that nobody believes. Do you want to hear?" She was happy to see Hanayo's nods, walking forward. Talking about her father and her pride always helped her feel a bit better and helped erased the loneliness she felt regarding him. "I was seven during that vacation when we were in Cairo for two weeks. He went on vacation as a teenager, and he wanted me to experience it. Something really terrible happened when we went to a gas station, though…"
To her, the memories were like they happened yesterday.
"Papa! Papa! What kind of toys can I take with me back home!" The seven year old her asked her father in a gas station. Her father had just come in to break some Egyptian pounds into smaller change by buying some snacks, laughing and ruffling Kotori's hair as she looked at the cheap toys for sale.
"Kotori, we'll get you a proper toy to take back home later," he assured her, but sure enough Kotori pounded and went silent. "Well, we do still have a week here... I guess there's nothing wrong with you taking a little toy for now. Don't blame me if it breaks though, OK?" Kotori's eyes lit up as she hugged her father's legs, looking again at the cheap plastic dolls. It wouldn't matter that it wouldn't last long, a gift from her father was all she really wanted at the moment.
And then there was some kind of loud bang, and people screaming the next. Kotori looked around the corner and saw an imagine that would be burned into her memory; a man on the floor, lying in his blood and dead from a gunshot wound. She saw three grown men wearing masks, and one was harassing the cashier and screaming in his face, the horrified man opening the register and complying. The man she could assume just killed him leaned down, taking off his watch and wallet, as another man went around to other customers and demanded their money.
Kotori almost screamed, but her father pulled her aside behind the shelves, a hand on her mouth and instructing her to be quiet. It was a terrifying situation, and even the young Kotori assumed they would hide. Her father's face was fearless, and rather than hiding, he stepped forward. "Papa!"
"Let your father handle this..." He instructed. "I promise you, I'll be fine. Just don't look. Close your eyes and don't look until it's over."
"Papa, no!"
"I'll show these men what it means to 'stand proud.' These are the kind of men who might kill just to leave no witnesses... I cannot let that happen! Even if you weren't here... I'd protect them nontheless."
And he stepped forward. "Papa, I don't understand!"
Her father smiled, looking down at her. "It is the responsibility of those with powers to watch over those who do not... I promise you, your father will be fine."
She whimpered and began to cry as her father stepped forward, covering her face as she heard the man who shot the first victim at her father. But her father remained quiet, even as the rest of the men yelled.
Then, he heard him yell those words, and many loud crashes a moment later, intense enough that her entire body shook. "... Kotori-chan. Its over... You can open your eyes now..." And so, she did, not hiding her sobs as she hugged him as tight as she could, sobbing loudly as he returned the hug and held her tightly back. "I'm so sorry you had to see any of this... but it's over now."
Kotori sobbed more, looking away from him at the sight. The gas station was almost completely destroyed, but the three men were unconscious.
"We have to go, Kotori. Before the police come, we have to leave. I cannot explain this to them..."
"D... don't wanna... see it..." The corpse was still there.
"Then close your eyes and let me guide you, I will keep you safe, I promise."
As utterly terrifying as the ordeal had been, it was one of Kotori's most precious memories of her father, by far. The time he had done... something to save her.
Hanayo was amazed as well, her jaw wide open as she listened to the story. "T... That's amazing! Your father... did... something, huh?"
"I have no idea what, and to this day he won't tell me... but I know he did it! Maybe... he had some kind of weapon or something. I don't know how, but I know he did. He told my mama something about a gas explosion... but I know that isn't what happened. He did something... he saved me, and maybe everyone else inside as well! I trusted his decision instead of begging him to turn back... and it worked out."
"You said he shouted out something?" Hanyo asked. "What was it?"
Kotori smiled. "I want to... keep it to myself," she admitted. "It's a phrase I try to think of now whenever I'm scared... when I say it to myself, I think about that day, and what my father did. My papa said I should do that. So I do, and it always makes me feel better. Even before our first concert, I was saying it to myself in my head. So I'm sorry, but that's something just for me," Hanayo nodded and smiled, clearly OK with her request. "Ahh... My home's in the other direction," she said as they reached an intersection. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kotori-senpai!"
"You too, Hanyo-chan!" And the two waved and went their separate ways, Kotori's spirits in somewhat better moods. She felt closer to Hanayo and Nico now, their relationship seemingly evolving from clubmates to real friends. She was looking forward to them visiting the café, and spending time with them without Honoka and the others.
"Mamaaa! I'm home!" She announced as she finally made it to her house, leaving her shoes by the entrance.
"Welcome back, love. How was everything after our meeting?" Minami asked, Kotori's smile never fading.
"Good! Everyone is gonna study super hard so we can enter Love Live! Thank you so much, mama!"
Minami smiled. "Remember you need to study too. I know how your grades are of course, but all of you need to keep it up or I won't let you participate, alright?"
"I understand! I'm gonna go do some homework now, OK?"
"Take your time, dear. I'll cook that fish for dinner soon, I'll call for you when we're done."
"OK, mama!" And with that she headed towards her room, closing it behind her and throwing her backpack to the bed, looking over at a photo on her desk of her and her father in Egypt.
"I'm gonna make you proud, papa."
"Welcome home, master~"
And the next day, Nico and Hanayo did indeed return after they were done studying at Otonokizaka. This time Kotori had managed to help Honoka a bit ("I'm gonna die at this rate, Kotori-chan!" She had complained, but Umi and Kotori showed no mercy as they helped her study), enjoying her time with Μ's before heading to the café, now accompanied by Nico and Hanayo. And once Kotori's shift was over and it was time for them to leave, they started to walk home together. Kotori frowned however as she saw Nico scratch at her neck a lot. "Nico-senpai, you're going to irritate the bite..."
"It's so damn itchy! What bit us anyways!?" She demanded, resisting the urge to keep scratching. "If I see that girl again, I'm gonna give her a piece of my mind!"
"Nico-senpai, it's not her fault we got bit," Hanayo said. "It is kind of weird it was all of us at the same time..." She admitted, also resisting the urge to scratch.
"It's bad enough we have to worry about Stand users too, creepy bug chick is NOT something I'm ready to deal with!" Nico complained. As they walked forward though, her eyes widened and she stretched out her arms to stop her friends. "W-what the hell is that!? Look at that!"
Hanayo's eyes widened. "I... is that an ant!? It's so huge!" She exclaimed, Kotori blinking.
"... What ant? I don't see anything," Kotori said, both looking at her.
"Are you kidding? That's the biggest ant in the world! How can you not see it!?" Nico snapped.
"I-I-I just don't! Are you two playing a prank on me!? It's not funny!"
Nico leaned down to inspect it. It was an ant with a black body and a red head, with four antennas on its head. The mandibles seemed even large even for the ant's large size, nearly two inches long. And it... seemed to stare right back. "God, what an ugly thing..." Nico took a step back, before grinning and looking around. "Hey, Ms. Bug Lover isn't here..."
"Come on, Nico-senpai! I want to go home..." Hanayo complained, staring at the ant. And she looked towards the corner, seeing a sewage drain with several of the same ants coming out. "H-hey... Over there, can you at least see that?" She asked Kotori, pointing at its direction, to which she shook her head.
"You two are scaring me..."
Nico grinned as she brought her foot down on the ant below her. "Dumb little bugs should know better than to mess with the one and only super Idol Yazawa Nico!" She declared with a giggle, before frowning. "... Hey, that was a bit bug, I should've felt something when I..."
That's when things fell apart.
Nico's eyes widened as she screamed in pain, taking several steps back and falling on her butt. "OW! OWOWOWOW!" She inspected her right foot, gasping in shock as she saw she now had a gash on her foot. Something had cut her deep enough that it went right through her shoe to get at her! "W... what the hell!?" She scurried back, noticing the ant was perfectly fine. "Hey, something's wrong!"
Hanayo gasped as she saw these ants had wings, one flying towards Kotori. Kotori had no reaction even when one landed on her leg. She did however very much react when it bit into her with those mandibles, screaming as she looked down. "W-what's happening!? Something cut me!? I don't see anything though!" She swatted at her leg trying to swipe away at what had attacked her, but Hanayo saw her hand phasing through the ant.
"Oh no... Nico, look at that...!"
"Oh shit!" Nico seemed to understand what was happening now. 「Circus」 wasted no time manifesting, stomping on the ant that had bitten Nico... and that ant was squished.
"I can attack it when you couldn't, Nico! You know what that means!"
Hanayo frantically reached for a yen coin in her pocket. "「Momoiro Clover」! Swap!" And on command the yen and the ant swapped, 「Momoiro Clover」 squishing it between her fingers at lightning speed. "There's no doubt it! These aren't really ants... it's an enemy Stand! We're under attack!"
"Protect Kotori! She can't defend herself against these things!" Nico commanded both 「Circus」 and Hanayo. 「Circus」 took the situation seriously, willingly following her master's command despite the lack of direct control. The ants poured out the sewer, coming in swarms of dozens. "Holy hell!"
「Circus」's prehensile whip made for both a good defense and offence. She swung the whip in a circular motion, fast enough it blew a few bugs away before slashing them in the air. 「Momoiro Clover」 lacked such a power, but its Stand rush was rapid enough to destroy most of the incoming bugs. "At least they're not too durable!" Hanayo said. "They seem to be as frail as real bugs... of course, there's so many of them... Do you think it was the girl from yesterday?"
"Of course it is! I didn't think I pissed her off enough to want to kill us!" Nico observed more insects coming, glaring. "This way!" She limped onwards into an alleyway. "Try to lose 'em!"
"Can you run like that!?" Kotori asked.
"No, I can't! This is the fastest I can do... we need to think of a strategy! We killed at least two dozen bugs and there were more coming! We need to find the user... but how!? She's nowhere in sight... and there's so many of them! 「Circus」, what do you think?"
"It has the traits of a Remote Stand, but I don't think that's it... I was awakened with knowledge of most Stands, but since there's infinite kinds of people, there might be infinite kinds of Stands too! I don't know what to call this... But there's so many, and bugs live in hives... colonies... Let's call it a 'Stand Colony' for now!"
"That doesn't help us win!" Hanayo exclaimed.
"It helps to know what we're fighting! It's like this... we're basically fighting a Remote Stand! It appears to operate an infinite distance from the user and is auto-targeting us! Damage probably isn't reflecting on the user... But unlike Remote Stands like me where it's just one target, we have to deal with a ton! Their small size means it's ideal for sneak attacks too... It could be hiding anywhere! And it has wings..." 「Circus」 yelped in pain as she was bitten, the ants crawling from behind garbage cans to nip at her legs before she got them off. "It's a trap! They wanted us to come in here!"
Sure enough, the girls were soon surrounded by the ants, who were crawling out of trash cans, cracks in the ground, and even the storm drains. And they were now in a more confined area. Kotori couldn't see their foe, but she could tell from Hanayo's and Nico's expressions they were in trouble.
"Clever deduction," sure enough that girl's voice came out of every single ant, albeit much higher pitched. "'Stand Colony...' I like the sound of that! It sounds better than 'Remote Stand' personally!"
"Bitch..." Nico said, sneering at the ants.
"Let me introduce myself! I'm Kaori. Kobayashi Kaori! But I only like my friends calling me by my first name..." Kobayashi said, the ants laughing. "You were right yesterday, about the bites on your neck. Yesterday I had the queens of my Stands bite you and injected you with venom! And now, my 「Worker Bees」 are homing in on you! I've tested my Stand's range extensively... It can cover all of Shibuya! Isn't that something!?"
Nico was about to tell her off, but Hanayo rose a hand to stop her. "So... all of Shibuya, huh?"
"Yup! Isn't that amazing!"
"It sure is... and they're on autopilot? They just home in on your target while you get to sit and watch?"
"Huh... yeah! Cool, isn't it! I only have a vague idea of what they're doing... but I can speak with them! I'm sure you got caught in the trap, hehehe... did you know this is something a lot of stinging insects do? When one stings you and injects you with venom, all the others know to home in on you!"
Nico was about to ask what the point of this was, before it came to her. She actually covered her mouth to hide her grin. This idiot is like 「Circus」! She just keeps blabbering on and on... she's going to reveal all her Stand's secrets! She thought to herself.
"The Arrow Hunters want to extend a formal partnership with you," Hanayo gulped at that. So it's Akeno's and Miano's allies after all! "We are an organization of teenagers who have obtained Stand powers. We are looking for the arrow that has awakened our powers, and the 'Pink and Black Stand' apparently in possession of the arrow. If you join us, you will have a seat among us, and our boss' promise of wealth and power! We will change Japan itself... and you'll be part of the new order! The right to use the arrow to make your dreams come true and power that will bring the Yakuza to their knees!" She boldly declared. "'Power' has become a diluted, meaningless thing! Power belongs to the rich elites of our society who never had to work to obtain it... whereas our power is a reflection of ourselves! Our Stands are powerful because we are powerful! Your Stands are powerful because you are powerful! We will bring back honor and glory to this miserable nation!"
Oh, great, she's crazy, Nico thought, still looking for an opening and finding nothing.
"We need all the allies we can get! School Idols of µ's... we also know that Kousaka Honoka has Stand powers as well!" Hanayo's eyes widened. Did Akeno and Miano break their word? She didn't seem to mention them at all... "I will not kill you... but make no mistake, if you do not submit, I will destroy you! I won't kill you... but I will destroy your dreams!" A few of the ants spat on a metal garbage can, their spit melting it. "Those ants should have just destroyed a garbage can to make my point... my 「Worker Bees」 mandibles alone can bite through solid oak, and their venom when spat is extremely corrosive! Now then... have you ever seen a School Idol with only one leg? Or maybe you'd prefer losing an arm? If you're gonna take poison, why not let you chose what kind?" Kobayashi was clearly having a good time with this. "It's what you monsters deserve, being so horrible towards innocent bugs!" She ranted. "I'd have my Stand just eat you altogether for your murders if my boss would allow it!"
"Jesus Christ lady, it was just a spider!"
"What was that!? Just a spider!? And you're just a human, Yazawa! But as you can see, you're clearly outnumbered by the creepy crawlies you hate so much!" Kobayashi said with a laugh. As she did, Nico started to reach into her bag.
If I can just text Honoka while she's like this, I might be able to get another ally here... Eh!? But when she reached into her purse, she felt her hand brush against something moving, and her cell phone in pieced. "You have got to be kidding!" The ants of 「Worker Bees」 had invaded her purse, eating and destroying everything inside. "Girls! Get your phones! Call Honoka!"
But as they did they saw all their possessions had been eaten as well. "When did she..." Hanayo came to a realization. They had all been so preoccupied by their conversation, the small ants had the perfect opportunity to attack!
"Kyahahahaha! Did ya think the creepy insect lady just liked yapping for no reason?" Kobayashi taunted through her ants. "Revealing a few secrets to catch you off guard was totally worth it! It's a gamble to reveal this much about my Stand to an enemy, but by the time they realize they're isolated I've already won!"
"... So you were telling the truth?" Hanayo asked. "You didn't lie even when you could?"
The ants' laughter all paused. "... Uhhh..." Came after the awkward silence. "... Anyways! Join us or suffer! I have no more reason to talk now that you can't contact Kousaka Honoka! It's your only chance... you can be super Idols through us! Wealth! Power! Its more than you deserve! How about it, Yazawa? We know about your unfortunate first year in highschool..."
Nico paused, looking at her own Stand, and back at her still bleeding foot. She closed her eyes, thinking only of her siblings back home.
"Super Idol..."
"Did the paparazzi harass you again, neecan!?"
"When I grow up, I want to be a super Idol just like you!"
"... How the hell can I take such a cowardly offer and ever face my loved ones again?" Nico asked with a spit.
"Our pride... even more than charisma, it's the most important thing that an Idol can own, you idiot!"
"... I want to make my mama proud my own way! Not like that!" Hanayo replied. Of course, Kotori said nothing, only able to hear half the conversation.
"We won't join you... but let Kotori go, Kobayashi!" Nico demanded. "She's not a Stand user like me and Hanayo! Let her go!"
"Heh! You of µ's are now our enemies... even if she's not a Stand user, crippling her as well will send a strong message to your group!"
Hanayo went quiet at that, looking over at Kotori with a smile. "Kotori-senpai... I'm really happy I met you and µ's. You've all taught me so much so quickly... I'm going to return the favor for you."
"Thanks to µ's, for the first time in years, I'm no longer a failiure," Nico declared, much to the shock of both Kotori and Hanayo. "I'm already a third year, I'd only have for the rest of this year to do this anyways..." She said with a chuckle. "The truth is, at the arcade, I was cheating at every game."
"Eh?" Kotori replied.
"I was already familiar with that song in karaoke and that dancing game... you're all leagues above me. I just wanted to be the center like when I was a first year again... You two have a real future, though," Nico's smile was sad, but sincere as well, something unusual from her. "As your club president... I won't let this bitch ruin your future as Idols! Hanayo, you run too!"
But Hanayo shook her head. "You know I can't run either... thanks to µ's, I don't feel like a mistake anymore. I'm just sad my mom might not be able to watch me dance more... Even if she was paralyzed later, who would have thought the unplanned teenage pregnancy could do this, if only for a little while? I have µ's to thank for that too! That's why I'll fight to protect µ's!"
"Alright, you girls just made this a lot more fun!" And with that, 「Worker Bees」 began to home in. And as they did, Hanayo grabbed another coin, having her powerful Stand throw the coin.
"Swap!"
Kotori gasped as she was out of the ally, her friends still trapped inside as the coin was then swapped back to Hanayo's side. "Girls!"
"Run, Kotori! Run as fast as you can and get Honoka! We'll hold her off... make your choice, Kobayashi! You focus your Stand on us, or the one without a Stand! From the sound of it, your Stand isn't the best at multitasking, huh?"
"You bitch!" The ants swarmed in. 「Circus」 and 「Momoiro Clover」 did the best they could do, destroying dozens of ants per second. But now they were outnumbered by the hundreds, many ants getting through to them. And as they did, 「Worker Bees」' pincirs made quirk work of their flesh and Stands, biting through them like a hot knife through butter. Hanayo could barely stand, first from sheer pain, then scarcely able to move as more and more chunks were taken out of her legs.
"I don't need to be saved, I don't need to be saved, I don't need to be saved!"
"I don't care what happens... I won't give in!" Nico collapsed to the ground as 「Circus」 whipped near her legs to scare some ants away, but the ants had bitten into her tendons and she could no longer Stand. Nico didn't even try to hide her tears, the agony intense. At least I don't gotta lie to the three about being an amazing Idol anymore...
Nothing was attacking Kotori right away, a sign that Kobayashi's Stand was indeed focusing on the two immediate threats, even though she was sure they'd come after her once they were done with those two. I need to do what they told me to do! Go and get Honoka! She thought. She didn't see how even Honoka could fight against such a power, but she should trust them, right? The tears ran down her face as she ran off, before stopping. Think of those words, think of those words!
But that isn't what she was thinking of. Instead, she thought of what her father had said to try to comfort that night, and to try to explain what happened. She hadn't thought of that conversation in a long time, much longer than the two words that brought her so much strength. She remembered crying, holding onto her father. Why... why am I thinking of this?
"I have a 'power' Kotori," he had told her.
"Power...? What kind of power?"
"A power I hope I never have to use in front of you ever again. A very destructive power I awakened when I was a young boy... it is a power that flows in my family. As you are part of that family, perhaps one day it will awaken in you too..." And he grasped her tiny hands. "It is up to you how you use this 'power...' but without doubt, once it awakens, you will become subject to an unwritten law of the universe. That people with this power attract towards others with the same power. Kotori... if you obtained such a power, would you use it to do good?"
"O-Of course!"
"Remember... it is your choice what to do with power. Not Honoka-chan's. Not Umi-chan's. Not your mother's. Not mine. Just remember the words I cried out... when you are scared, remember them. And if you obtain this 'power,' put those words into it, like I have to my own power."
"I don't understand, Papa..."
"And I hope you never have to understand. But, if you do..."
Kotori turned around.
"Kotori!? No, go back!" Hanayo begged. She was on the ground now, also unable to stand, her own Stand damaged heavily as well.
"You can't be here, idiot! We lost! This Stand is something else... the only hope is to find the user!" Nico told her, watching as Kotori walked down the alley towards them. "Idiot!"
"Please don't, Kotori-senpai!"
As she walked forward, she felt what felt like daggers pierce her legs. And she cried tears of pain, but progressed. "Not... without you two...! I won't leave without you two!"
"Kyahahaha! Amazing! She's even stupider than I thought!"
"At the least, I'm not as stupid as bugs."
Everything stopped. "S... she heard me!?"
Every step felt like agony, her legs being eaten alive, a chunk of flesh even falling off as some of the ants bit into her. She still didn't think of those two words, but the rest of what her father said instead.
"Don't ever let anyone take your pride," her father had told her. "When 'pride' is stolen, it can never be restored to exactly how it was... so stand, Kotori, against any hardship."
Hanayo and Nico gasped at the sight of a greyish aura surrounding their friend. "... D... did... Kotori, are you...?" Hanayo asked, Nico remaining quiet.
The arrow!? No... I don't think it was that. But then...? Is it possible...!? Stand power... is it possible for it to awaken in people 'naturally!?' I thought it was definitely related to the arrow alone!
"Go forward with pride Kotori. And don't ever back down."
She glowed even brighter. The ants began to swarm on her, focusing on her, ignoring the other two users in a desperate attempt to defeat the awakening Stand user. "It makes no sense! Stand users can exist without the arrow!? What is this nonsense!?"
"And in the face of danger... let those fists fly free, and with hallowed vision, Kotori..."
Kotori could see the ant's approach, as her own power manifested.
"Stand proud!"
A large gust of wind manifested behind Kotori, more than enough to easily blow away every single one of the ants away. And from the wind something else flew out; two glowing feathers, landing right into Nico's and Hanayo's chests. But there was no pain, even as the feathers slunk deeper into them. And their own bodies slightly glowed. "What the... Hanayo, look! Your legs!"
"Nico, your legs too!"
As they looked down, the flesh was regenerating. The pieces of them had been eaten alive or dissolved returned to them.
"Amazing..." 「Circus」 said. "What kind of Stand...?"
Behind Kotori, it had manifested.
It was a beautiful, birdlike figure. The torso and head were humanoid, but the legs were the talons of a bird, and in place of arms had wings with grey feathers. It wore an outfit, Hanayo noticed, like the one Kotori had worn for the first concert. The Stand's grey hair was packed into a tight bun, its face behind a grey mask. And from behind it, a loud bird's coo filled the alleyway, as the Stand landed next to Kotori. And its left wing turned white as it slashed its user, the wing phasing through her, but healing her wounds nonetheless.
"A healing Stand..." Nico noted.
"Kobayashi..." Kotori glared at the ants who were beginning to return.
"This is a load of bullshit! I was winning!"
"You hurt my friends... insulted and belittled us, and threatened to destroy our dreams. Our dreams! That which we treasure most dear to us! Both Nico and Hanayo have always dreamed of becoming an idols... and you wanted to cripple them so they could never dance again! I won't forgive you! That is why..."
This confidant was foreign to her, but she welcomed it. She made a gesture, a peace sigh made with her right hand pointing to her side, and her left hand pointing to the sky.
"Remember this! My name is Minami Kotori, named after my mother and not my father, and for your attempts at destroying our dreams I will utterly defeat you!"
Next time on Honoka's Bizarre Adventure!
Chapter 11: Wonder Zone (Part 2)
God, that took a lot to write, and I got pretty tired too. I still had a lot of fun, though!
Hope you all enjoy, may every road take you to a memory of Great Days!