White clouds beneath the sun, giving shade to two flowers. You're half way there.
It was dark and cold. She could hear her own breathing echo around. It seemed like she was trapped in an enclosed space with the floor being as cold as steel. She was scared and she didn't know what to do, she didn't know what may pop out of the shadows. There was no way she could produce a light with fear biting down on her skin; she could feel her own hands tremble as she hugged her knees. Just how long has it been since she got trapped in this strange place, that question she couldn't answer.
It wasn't like this a few hours ago. She remembered walking around in the sunshine while eating a lollipop. The sun and the clear blue sky, the memories she had completely contrasted with her current surroundings. She could still remember her sister's warm touch. Reminiscing that was the only thing that kept her from sobbing. She wanted to get out yet she didn't know how. She was too afraid to use her own powers. Something told her at the back of her mind that it would be no use since she was scared.
Something shuffled just ahead of her, making her jump and close her eyes. It was coming closer and closer, what should she do now? She wanted to run but she was trapped, there was no escape! The presence was just in front of her, she could imagine the sharp claws of a nasty monster approaching her. She was going to be eaten!
"Hey, Rom? You okay there?" asked a familiar voice. It was then all traces of fear disappeared with a pop.
Rom opened her eyes and immediately found her twin sister giving her a concerned look. Her lips parted and a single word managed to escape, "R-Ram?"
"I'll take that as a yes then," said Ram with an assuring smile. It seemed like she was close enough for her features to be seen. She then began to blink and look around while scratching her head while saying, "Uh… Do you know where we are? I think I just woke up from a nap."
Gulping down the lump on her throat, her twin sister immediately replied, "A-Ah… Well… I thought I was all alone when I woke up too. I don't know where we are. Ram, I'm glad you're okay."
"Thanks! So you don't know where we are either, huh?" the long haired twin had a thoughtful expression on her face as she crossed her arms.
"No. I have no idea where we are," admitted the short haired twin as she tightened her embrace on her knees. She jumped at the sharp sound of a clap which caused her to turn her attention to her sister.
Standing up, Ram rubbed her hands together while wearing a confident smile on her face, "Alright. Why don't we try busting our way out? We can't just sit here forever you know?"
Rom blinked in confusion as she tried to register her sister's words, only to crack a smile of her own in agreement, "Yes. Let's go home."
She took her sister's hand and stood up two. The two held each other as they felt their way through the small dark room they were in. Now that they were moving about a bit, they felt a little cramped. They only managed to hit what seemed like a dead end when the long haired twin walked right into it. She uttered a surprised yelp as she fell, rubbing her sore forehead as she looked at the dead end with angry eyes.
The blue clad candidate tapped the metal wall a few times before turning to her sister with a shake of her head, "It's no use. It won't budge."
"Then we'll blast it open!" the vigor from the pink clad candidate's voice echoed all around the enclosed space. With a single jump, she quickly got back to her feet and balled her hand into a fist.
"H-Huh?! Are you sure? W-Will that be okay?" asked Rom in an unsure tone yet it seemed like her sister was way ahead of her.
BOOM
A bright ball of light connected with the wall and destroyed it. A warm breeze entered the enclosed space along with the smell of wet asphalt. Lamp posts could be seen from the opening the girl made along with big black metal boxes. The stars were out so it was probably nighttime already, strange since the sun was up and shining an hour ago. Just how long were they trapped inside that box?
Punching a fist into the air, Ram let out a cry of joy and wasted no time running outside, her sister following suit. Looking around, they realized they were trapped in what looked like a freight container, how they got there was still a mystery to both of them. Still, it was a relief to be finally out of that cold place. The only problem now was that they had no idea where they were. The two girls looked at each other and came to an understanding.
They weren't home.
The air wasn't thick with the feeling of magic or shares. It was empty, hollow, and tasteless. Were they even in Gamindustri? The sky isn't that clear either and there was this weird smell like gasoline. Just what was up with this place? Somehow this area reminded them of the horrible place known as Gamindustri Graveyard, the desolated wasteland of darkness and home of monsters. The memory of freeing their sister and the other CPUs from that place still lurked at the back of their minds.
The atmosphere of the location they were in was the same. Unlike the Graveyard, it didn't give out an intimidating vibe and fear of high leveled monsters hiding at every corner. It was the same at the sense of that they were no longer in their home territory that they could no longer sit back and relax as if they were traversing a normal dungeon with beatable foes. They both felt empty and even with each other they felt alone.
"W-why don't we go and look around, huh?" Ram suggested while letting out a nervous chuckle. She had to be strong since she was the only one her sister could depend on at the moment. However as they were about to leave, spots of light could be seen at a distance, shaking and approaching closer by the second. It wasn't long until they could hear shouts with deep voices; they could tell that the owners were men.
Rom tugged at her sister's sleeve and said, "We should g-go."
"Right, let's—" the pink clad girl's words were cut off as the men ran out of the corner and came to a halt with wide eyes. They were wearing blue uniform and black shoes, baton like weapons were strapped to their sides along with very small guns.
One of them nearly dropped his flashlight as he set his eyes upon the damage while exclaiming, "Holy crap… The door was blown off!"
"What the hell? Is it a bomb? Oh my god, it hit a shipping company's cargo! Damn this is gonna suck for customers," said another as he inspected the fallen metal. Glancing around, he turned his flashlight on the two girls whom were rooted on the spot like statues. Of course taking in their bizarre appearance took some time for his brain to process yet it seemed like his partner was way ahead of him.
Advancing to the two girls, the man in blue then said, "You two, what are you doing here? This is no place for kids to play! Where are your parents? Hey! Where are you going?!"
"R-Ram!" stuttered Rom, surprised as her sister suddenly grabbed her hand and broke into a run.
"I don't know who these guys are, but I don't like them! Run as fast as you can!" yelled Ram as the two blue men were hot on their heels.
There were a lot of the metal boxes lying around, either stacked or tucked away in the corner. The number of warehouses seemed to be plentiful along with strange yellow vehicles that the long haired twin forgot their names. Still, she navigated her way through the maze like structure of their location. Strange since she's been catching the scent of the sea for a while now even though she's only been to one sea once. Could it be that they were near the sea? If so, then what were they doing there?
She held her sister's hand tightly and looked back. Rom showed her a resolute expression as she tried her hardest to keep up with her sibling's pace. She won't last long even if she tried so the long haired twin had to lose their pursuers at any cost. The ocean, she could hear it, just around the corner…
Ram stopped in her tracks at the scenery before her. The dark waters beneath them splashing and roaring in the moonlight, the lights which came from the large red cranes blaring brightly as their rays swept across the waters. Bells chimed and rang from the various boats along with the groans of the metal wires which lifted up the large metal boxes. At the background of these structures were lights… beautiful bright yellow lights. There seemed to be millions of them illuminating skyscrapers and other buildings.
However what really took their breath away was the bridge at the distance.
The cold and intimidating feeling from walking into this strange world seemed to have lessened quite a bit. This wasn't Lastation, and it would be too industrialized to be Planeptune. What kind of world the twins got themselves into as still a mystery even to them.
The two were dragged out of their stupor by the growing sounds of their pursuers behind them. Ram hesitated as she gazed into the murky depths beneath her; no way was she jumping into that. She was about to turn to her sister for a last stand but it seemed like the blue clad twin had other ideas. She held her sister's hand and pulled her away.
…..
….
…
"Huh? Where'd they go?"
"I don't know, search for them! They could be lost. Damned kids cosplaying, what the hell's going through their skulls?"
"Search for the east side while I had back to the entrance, they couldn't have gone far."
The guards spread out to cover more in their search. Yet little did they know that they made a mistake not checking out the area thoroughly. Ram and Rom sighed in relief as they hid behind a truck filled with sacks of sand. They would hide out there until the morning, find a way out of this place and go home. At least that was the plan when the truck roared to life all of a sudden, followed by a continuous beeping sound.
"Um, Ram?" whispered the blue clad girl in a tiny voice.
The pink clad girl blinked twice and stared at her sibling with a reply, "Yeah?"
"Where are we?" asked Rom as she timidly poked her head out of the truck. Orange lamp posts flew overhead as they headed to their unknown destination. She held her sister tightly as if afraid that she'll disappear at any moment.
Ram understood what her sibling felt. That's why she tried to sound as normal as possible, "Well… I think we're about to find out."
It seemed like it was going to be a long trip…
Morning came and a sneeze escaped a girl clad in blue as a butterfly landed on her nose. Groggily rising from her sleep, she rubbed her eyes and blinked a couple of times to clear her vision. The landscape that greeted her eyes was filled with green. A wide area of neatly trimmed grass lied before her with vibrant trees standing a few meters away from each other as a gray path cut through the ground. The birds chirped somewhere around her as the sun slowly rose up into the sky.
She noticed quite a few people walking around wearing tank tops and kitting shorts while listening to music. They paid no mind to her and the other girl sleeping peacefully at her side. A yawn escaped her as she stretched out her limbs and tapped at the barrier she had erected around them. Once her finger came in contact with the air around them, a blue pulse revealed countless of invisible polygons protecting them as they slept. Still, somehow keeping a spell with low mana cost all night felt exhausting as if she just cast a finishing move.
Shaking off that feeling, she looked above her and found out that the sky had a deep shade of purple on it as the transition from night to day happened. After escaping from the port which they found themselves in, she and her sister walked around aimlessly through the vast city with countless of lights. Of course, having two young girls without anyone accompanying them in the middle of a concrete metropolis was just asking for trouble; however it proved that the two were more than capable of protecting themselves with their powers.
Yet they soon found out that it wouldn't do fighting off every creep approaching them so they decided to beat it and head where they would be safe. Navigating through the city and after three hours of continuous walking, they finally managed to find shelter in a roofed bench inside a park. On that night, they've both come to a conclusion that they weren't in Gamindustri at all but in a whole new world. As strange as it was, there was no other choice but to find a way home… If there was ever one in the first place…
Ram would sure tell her off for thinking that way should she be awake.
"Hey Ram?" muttered Rom as she swung her legs back and forth, gazing at her sister whom stirred from her sleep.
The long haired twin rose up and stretched her arms before scratching the back of her neck while saying in a drowsy state, "G'morning… Eh? Where are we? This isn't our room."
"We got lost, remember?" reminded the short haired twin while her sibling stared at her for a few moments.
"Ah, right. We got stuck in this weird place," said Ram, slapping a hand on her forehead in exasperation. She released a small sigh before turning to her sister while saying, "You got any clue where we are yet? I'm getting kind of hungry… If we don't eat breakfast soon then we'll starve to death…"
Rom patted the other girl's head in an assuring manner and replied, "Don't worry. We'll find something to eat."
"You're right!" the pink clad candidate suddenly regained her vigor and stood up. She clenched her fist and twirled around, speaking to her sister in a confident tone, "We should get going! Blanc's gonna be so mad when we get home!"
Despite their current predicament, the blue clad candidate couldn't help but be amazed on how composed her sibling was. They were lost without any food or money and no idea where to go or what to do yet even so, her sister still had the strength to smile that brightly. She thought that it would be good to steel her own resolve and support her sibling. Doing so, maybe she'll receive the same confidence her sister had.
Still, she agreed though, they would really be knee deep in trouble for not getting home and spending the morning in some park.
They immediately exited the park to walk around the city once again. Navigating through the concrete jungle, they managed to see the various early morning cars driving by to an unknown destination. The streets were mostly deserted and they rarely encountered anyone unsavory. They strolled about for a few minutes, asking for a way back to their own world yet whenever they did people would only give them a weird look and shoo them away. Of course Ram didn't take this rudeness lightly and Rom had to restrain her sister from casting a dense spell to freeze an entire store.
As they travelled, the two girls failed to see any familiar faces that they would usually encounter in the streets.
They did manage to learn a thing or two about their location. If what the kind young man they passed by was to be trusted, they were currently in the city ward of Shinjuku which was just a few miles off Minato where they were trapped in that metal container. That could only mean that the large body of water they beheld could only be Tokyo Bay.
Seeing as the twins lived in the mountainous region of Lowee and rarely went to visit the land of Leanbox which wasn't that far off from the mainland, seeing the endless horizon of water back then seemed overwhelming. The cool sea air, the refreshing sight of the body of water, and the howling of the waves left a good impression on the two girls. It would be nice visiting that place sometime again.
"Whoa! Look, it's a train!"
At her sister's amazed voice, Rom was drawn back into reality. Before them was a large metal train just coming to a halt and opening its doors for the incoming passengers. The footsteps of dozens among dozens of passengers filled their ears; the random and broken conversation which floated in the air seemed lively enough to match the morning's mood. Seeing as the crowd of people came from both sides, the twins were caught in the incoming tide and were forced into the train.
Luckily for them, they managed to hold on to each other's hands to prevent themselves from getting separated. The two of them were breathing hard as getting stuck between the bodies of strangers left them breathless from the lack of air. Ram straightened her dress in annoyance with a huff while her sister grabbed her shoulder for support.
"Ugh… I feel dizzy…" muttered Rom, her head swaying from side to side in a daze, "Ram, help…"
Surprised at this development, the pink clad candidate tried to console her sibling as she ran through her mind for a remedy spell. Of all times to be struck with a status ailment, she clicked her tongue before replying to her sister, "J-just hold on! Um, um… I wonder if we can find a toilet and—"
A yelp escaped her lips as she fell down. The train began to move all of a sudden, thus causing her to fall on her hind. Rom on the other hand smacked her palms on her lips in shock. She gazed at her sister with teary eyes as if pleading for help.
"W-Whoa! Don't puke on me! Just wait here, I'll think of something!" said Ram as she looked from left to right for something her sister can expel her dinner. Unfortunately, she didn't find anything useful and unconsciously scratched her head to think up ideas. Her fingers touched the fabric of her hat which caused her to raise her eyebrows.
Taking off her hat from her head, she looked inside with a grimace before turned to gaze at her sibling. The look of resignation the blue clad candidate saw on her sibling's face made her feel a bit sorry. She then shook her head wildly before steeling her resolve. She could do this; all it needed was some guts. So with all her determination, she gave her sister a serious look while giving her a thumb up.
You can do it, sis. I respect your bravery, thought Ram while releasing a sigh. She would have to keep her sibling from making a mess in the train for as long as possible. It was news to her to know that Rom could easily get motion sickness. Patting her sister's back, she led her to a vacant seat and sat there.
Looking around, there were a lot of unfamiliar people surrounding them. The train wasn't exactly crowded but full enough to have the benches occupied. Maybe the large number of strangers was also part of the reason why Rom felt sick. She noted how different the outfits these people wore from the ones back home.
A group of girls wore yellow blouses with a school emblem and short navy blue skirts, a business man in a suit dozed off peacefully at the side, there was a boy dressed in a black uniform listening to his phone, and a young man wearing a blue jacket with his hood on at the corner of the car, the scene before her eyes was bordered on surreal. Not too many people back in her home wore such simple designs; the little girl wondered if this was some new fashion trend she wasn't aware about.
Then again, she mentally kicked herself for not remembering that she wasn't in Gamindustri anymore. The mere thought of it still felt unbelievable, however after going through one dimension once she kept in mind that it was possible for another dimension to exist other than the one she went to.
Scratching her cheek, she slowly wondered how and why she and her sister got sent into this kind of place.
She usually left the thinking to Nepgear and Uni whenever something like this happened. Now that she was in a more or less similar situation, she somehow understood their pain. Looking beside her, she noticed how her sister's hands were trembling while an uncomfortable look was on her face. There were big fat tears gathering at the sides of her eyes as she focused all of her will on one task.
"You don't need to push yourself, you know?" said Ram as she leaned forward to get a better look on the other girl's face.
Rom gave her a pathetic look and uttered what seemed like a whimper. An air of gloom could be easily noticed hanging above the blue clad candidate's head.
Cracking a smile, the pink clad candidate crossed her arms while saying, "We'll be going off at the next stop, so you can hold it in for a few more minutes, right? Honestly I don't even know where we're headed in the first place, ahahaha."
Giving her a look of horror, the short haired twin took her palms off her lips and flailed her arms in the air. It was a comedic sight due to the fact that she had her cheeks puffed up as she tried to tell her sister off yet found it impossible without opening her mouth. She disliked it whenever Ram acted stupid and she disliked it even more that she did something rash while she let out a dry laugh. Rom always saw a bad premonition whenever she heard that laugh.
The long haired twin managed to catch on her sister's discomfort and opened her mouth to speak, "If you move like that then—!"
It was then did the train decided to stop.
"Um… Sorry Ram…"
Growl~
Putting one foot ahead of the other, the twins sluggishly made their way through the busy streets of Akihabara. Since the sun was high up in the air during that time, the number of people they encountered increased tenfold. Foot traffic became heavier and the smell from the exhausts of the many vehicles passing by the road made them dizzy. To top it all off, it was as if butterflies flew within their starving stomach since they had nothing to eat ever since they got into this world.
Rom had it worse after her little accident in the train. Luck merely glanced at them back then and allowed them to escape just before a commotion erupted. It didn't abate her increasing hunger though and without any money, they wouldn't be able to purchase anything delicious.
"Wahh… So hungry," sighed Ram as she rubbed her belly. She now wore a simple gray dress over a white long sleeved blouse which was hidden underneath her pink coat back then. The reason she took off her coat and hat was because of her sister's 'little accident' which was by no means pretty.
Rom glanced at her sister before turning her head towards a stand in the distance. She shared her sibling's pain, she too rubbed her tummy as words escaped her lips, "Me too… I wanna go home…"
"Well, we can't just go home just by sitting around, right? We need to keep walking… find… answers… So hungry…. Ugh…" with a thud, the long haired twin collapsed on the floor. The warm concrete caused her skin to protest a bit however her mind was too blurry to process the pain. She really needed food, it seemed like she was starting to hallucinate. The people walking by were slowly morphing into sweets and cupcakes with legs.
There was a delicious scent in the air that she couldn't explain yet it made her mouth water just by thinking about it. She felt some pressure on her back which was moving back and forth. Gazing at her side she found her sister prodding her with a similar dazed look in her face.
With a bright smile, the short haired twin said, "Come on… We need to go… You can't sleep here…"
"Can't… I wanna eat Gear's pancakes… Hey, you hear that sound?" asked Ram with a confused tone at that last sentence.
The two girls looked directly at the incoming truck with surprised looks. They visions immediately cleared and the haze enveloping their minds suddenly vanished. Unfortunately, their reaction time wasn't that quick enough to escape the approaching metal steed in time. They were going to be hit.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
"Hup!"
A slender arm quickly scoop Ram from the ground and lifted her with ease while another grabbed Rom by the collar and dragged her along. The truck had enough speed to generate wind as it passed by; the mere sensation of it hitting the long haired girl caused her heart to rattle within her rib cage. The blue clad candidate on the other hand felt her stomach flutter once more at the near death experience. That was way too close for her comfort.
If they hadn't been dragged off, they would've gotten injured or worse…
The twins sat on the other side of the street, staring at the Ram's soiled coat in the middle of road which was run over by the truck's wheels. Between the two of them, they could hear a series of strained breathing. It could only be the person who saved them.
It was a girl. A young woman in her teens knelt between them, wiping her forehead as it accumulated sweat. She fixed her lush brown hair which was tied in a braid and allowed it to cascade down her shoulder before standing up. She massaged her temple as she decided to replace her labored expression into a warm smile.
Extending a hand each to help them up, this new person then said, "That was dangerous. Are you two okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Ram and Rom could only blink at her words. Somehow the air this girl gave out reminded the twins of a certain someone. A person who looked after them and terrified them, the one their elder sister trusted with their safety whenever she went out. They were reminded by Lowee's one and only Oracle, Mina Nishizawa however it was impossible for her and this girl to be the same person.
The long haired candidate would have never expected the following events to happened, but it seemed like her sister was the first one to break the ice, "Angel… You're an angel..?"
"W-What?" asked the girl in a flustered manner. She regained her composure as she noticed the number of people gathering around the three of them. Maybe it would be better to take them with her. She felt sorry for them due to their looks. It was clearly obvious that they needed some food to speak clearly so being the soft hearted person she is, she had no choice but to take them to 'that' place.
She released a small sigh through her nose before shaking her head to say, "Never mind what I said. If you two aren't hurt anywhere, would you like to eat something with me? After that, maybe we could call your parents or your guardians. You girls look lost."
Ram only caught on to the 'eat' part before the rest faded into nothingness. As long as she ate something, she was good. Even if she was a CPU candidate, she would definitely be in debt to this angel right now. Sometimes her sister would just choose the best words to describe the situation. Losing all of her remaining strength, she fell forward into the girl's foot.
"Food…" she grumbled with drool dripping out of her lips.
The girl's jaw hung from her face and slowly placed a palm before it. She stepped back and fell on her knees, giving the little girl a bear hug as she squealed, "Cuuuuuute! Thank god that I'm alive! This is just priceless!"
"Wha-what's happening?" asked Rom as the girl's sudden reaction woke her out of her stupor. She let out a yelp as a hand grabbed her out of nowhere and forced her into an embarrassing embrace. Her face becoming more and more similar to a tomato's color, the blue clad candidate let out a defeated breath as her brain broke down. She could feel her face get hotter and hotter, she was being hugged by a stranger, it was too much for her to stay conscious.
A loud growl from her stomach created a cat like smile on the strange girl's lips, "Whoa! Your tummy just went *Ugrururu*! We'll stop by a restaurant before I help you girls find your parents. I obviously can't leave you two like this!"
The twins could only resign to their fate as the girl dragged them off. They were too weak to fend her off anyway, so what's the worst that could happen?
"What do you mean it's a crime? I'm playing the role of a good Samaritan by helping out little kids! What's so wrong about that? You idiot, I'm not going to get arrested! Shut up, I'm feeding them now. Yes, yes I have enough money to pay."
Ram eyed the young woman before her and her sister with a suspicious eye. She's been yelling and talking to that phone of hers for the last six minutes and it really looked like she disliked the person she was talking to. It was already twenty minutes since they met this girl whom had taken them to the nearest restaurant to eat. The long haired twin didn't trust her completely yet so she merely crossed her arms and refused to eat her meal until she got some answers.
Unfortunately, she hadn't expected that this call would take up a lot of her time. She was getting insanely hungry again and with the food before her left untouched for a long while now, she may not be able to resist and indulge herself into satisfying her stomach. Her sister on the other hand was uncharacteristically eating away at her side, sipping on her drink before nibbling on a hamburger.
"This is good, Ram! Would you like some?" asked Rom as she offered her sister a bit of her share.
The long haired twin's lips trembled just as she shook her head and said, "N-No! Not yet! Besides, how can you eat? The food's gotta be poisoned or something!"
"I tested it with a small bit of magic and found that it was clean. Please… You'll get hungry soon," replied the blue clad candidate with a smile.
Growl~
"Hm? Oh no, why aren't you eating yet? Is something wrong?" questioned the brown haired girl. Her little call seemed to have ended just then and had been observing the two girls for a few seconds with a dreamy expression. It quickly changed to a worried look the moment she heard that stomach growl.
Ram tensed as the girl's sudden gaze turned to her which caused her to quickly look away, "Gah! W-We can't just accept things from strangers you know? I mean, we don't have any money and—"
"You probably heard this, but you don't have to worry about that," cut off the young woman as a warm smile appeared on her visage, "What you need to do now is regain your strength, we'll look for your parents afterwards since they might be worried sick. Can you tell me your names? I don't know why, but I think I've seen you two before…"
"Tch," the long haired twin clicked her tongue as she said, "Why don't you tell us your name first? We can't just trust you just yet."
"Ram, that's very rude…" pointed out Rom, giving her sister a helpless look.
The other girl crossed her arms and let out a huff, she certainly was stubborn as she kept that glare, "I don't care, we have to be careful! Well lady? What are you waiting for?"
"Uh… Now if do put it that way…" the young woman scratched her cheek as she gave out a nervous smile, "Sorry for being rude and all. Ahem, my name is Dia. I was just on my way to work when I came across you two; really, I have no ill intentions or anything. Besides, you two almost got into an accident, I couldn't just stand there and watch get run over you know?"
"I-Is that so, huh? Thanks, I guess… We almost got turned into pancakes," Ram bashfully scratched her head as she stared at her knees. However something clicked within her mind which made her raise her head while saying, "Hold on, didn't you say you'll help us get home?"
Dia blinked twice and gave the ceiling a thoughtful look, "Well, I did say that. Maybe I'll have some time to spare and help you out. So how about your mother and father's contact number? Do you know it? Can you find your way home?"
"We… Don't have a mom and dad… We have a big sister but she's busy with work," muttered Rom after taking a sip from her drink. What she said was the truth of course, Blanc would always be out working and the three of them didn't have any parents. The closest person they had to a mother was Mina; even then, she was just their Oracle.
"Hmph, we don't even know where we are but I think we're really far off home. There's not enough mountains and colors. This place looks really boring," commented Ram as she started shoving food into her mouth. Her stomach felt way well now it was being filled up, even the dizziness she felt was now slowly vanishing. Not only that, but these strange delicacies were top notch, she just had to bring this home with her. It'll make a killing.
"I see… Well, if your home's in the mountains then do you at least know how to call your sister?" asked the brunette, leaning back in her chair with an uncomfortable expression, "Knowing your own address and a few contact numbers will make getting you home a whole lot easier."
Munching on value meal with bright eyes, it took the long haired twin a few seconds to reply, "Nope. Not gonna work. Rom, explain."
"But…" sighing, the blue clad candidate had no choice but to do as her sister requested, "We're from a different world. We could… Tell that we're in some far off place… Magic isn't abundant. It's hard to make spells. We get tired easily. Something's wrong with this world. We don't know what it is, but we feel like we're weakening. Like that time, right Ram?"
"If you mean that time when we almost lost all of our shares, then yeah, it's just like that," the other girl chimed in between bites of food, "What I can say is *munch* Phe ar nit in Ga'dusti an'mo." She swallowed hard while chugging down her drink, "Ahh~. Well lady, if you can get a lick of sense in what we just said, then I'll eat my own hat. Not too many people understood what we were saying when we asked around and we got really confused when they said that we're in a Landmass called Japan. I think we're in the same boat now, huh? We don't this place while you don't get us. What do you think now?"
"Ah…" Dia stared at the twins for a few seconds with a look of surprise. Her face then adopted a serious expression in which her eyes gained a piercing gaze, "This is bad…"
Taken aback, Ram sat up and grabbed the edge of the table, "W-What's wrong? Why aren't you laughing like those adults back then? Aren't you going to say that this is a joke?"
"How can I joke about this? We've been keeping an eye out for beings like you two," answered the brunette in a firm tone, "Because of you, a close friend of mine almost died. An incident three weeks ago nearly got him killed because he wanted to save one of your kind even when he knew it was dangerous."
"You… know about us?" whimpered Rom as she tried to get as far away as possible from this person. Somehow the comfortable atmosphere earlier had all but vanished. At that moment, the food started to look unappetizing with the cold air. The blue clad candidate felt goose bumps all over her skin as her eyes met with the human girl.
The long haired twin felt hostile intent from the brunette and quickly got up, "Who are you?"
Dia cracked a smirk as she twirled her fork and pointed it at the candidate, "I'm Dia, remember? I'm a member of an organization that handles supernatural being like you two and from our records, the energy readings you two are emitting could only mean that you girls are Goddesses… From another dimension nonetheless…"
"Rom, we're getting out of here—"
"It's no use," cut off the brunette. She tapped her fork on her fruitcake and explained further, "Everyone in this store is a part of our group. Should you do anything rash, then we'll be forced to resort to violent means of restraining you."
Ram gritted her teeth as she realized how bad the situation was. They were surrounded; all of these people around them were enemies. The adults, the students and even the children, just how powerful could this so called group to have them all working for this girl. She felt the cold, unforgiving fangs of fear sinking down in her heart. Her hands trembled as she thought of ways to get her sister out of this place safely. If push comes to shove then she'll have to transform and let her sister escape.
Clenching her fist, she got ready to use her most powerful skill. Her eyes shined like bright sapphires as the air hummed with energy. Despite that, the girl named Dia remained unfazed.
"Ram, stop. She's lying,"
"Huh?"
Rom placed a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder and shook her head, "She's riling you up on purpose, see?"
"Eh?" following her siblings finger, she found out that the brunette was doing everything she can to stop herself from laughing. Her cheeks were swollen while tears formed at the edge of her eye. Lowering her head, a stream of giggling fit escaped her mouth while she hit the table. She only stopped as she ran out of breath and was breathing hard, massaging her ribcage as she gave the girls an amused look.
"Alright, I never expected that to actually work. Pfft, but seriously, are you lot really that gullible?" sniggered Dia as she restrained herself from laughing any further, "I think my acting skill are getting better, hm?"
"You were joking," muttered Ram in a deadpan, her eyes were hidden under her fringe as her fists shook in anger.
With a smile, the human girl then replied, "Of course I was joking~"
"ICE COFFIN!"
The twins sat on one side of a store with bore expressions. It's been a long while since they left the restaurant with a bang. The huge block of ice they left still wasn't removed, that should be enough for the media to flock on. They were watching the news now while a few customers gathered around and took their pictures; it's not that they minded though so long these people didn't get in the way of the television. It was the only thing they could do to pass the time while they waited patiently for that weird girl to finish her part time job.
Turns out that she was still willing to help them even after almost getting turned into a huge block of ice. All she asked them was to sit in a corner and watch some T.V. shows while she worked, she didn't say anything about people swarming the store just to take their picture. The result was that the bakery they were in was brimming with people, causing all of its workers to double up the effort on serving them all. It didn't help the fact that there were only two people working at the place.
A yawn escaped Rom which somehow caused some of the customers to squeal as the adorable hit them.
This ticked off Ram enough to say loudly, "Can you guys be quiet? We can't hear Alucard speak, for Lowee's sake!"
The clock ticked by and the anime the twins were watching ended, the customers whittled down to a few people and the person they've been waiting for has been finally released of her duty. Someone poked the longhaired twin in the cheek which woke her up. She seemed to have fallen asleep at some point with her sister at her side.
Her eyes settled upon a young woman wearing an orange hoodie and long skirt standing near her, it was Dia.
"You'll hurt your back if you sleep like that," she said as she reached in to path Rom on the shoulder, "Hey, wake up, it's time to go."
"Nn?" the blue clad candidate woke up and rubbed her eyes, her sleepy state causing her to sway slightly from side to side, "We going home?"
Ram got up from her seat and stretched her arms. She gazed just outside the bakery only to see the orange rays of the setting sun behind the buildings. Turning to the human girl she crossed her arms and said, "Well? You said you were going to help us, so let's go!"
"Aren't you going to wear this first?" asked the brunette as she brought up some freshly laundered clothes. Inspecting it further, it was the long haired twin's pink coat, all dry and clean with no signs of Rom's little… accident on it. Ram reluctantly took them and examined it. Giving it a sniff, the scent of the fabric conditioner was so pleasing that it made her smile. It looked like it was brand new.
"But why?" she asked as she glanced at the human girl, "We didn't do anything so you didn't have to do this for me. I guess I should thank you for now."
"It's not much of a problem, really," replied Dia with a nervous laugh, "Besides, girls have to wear cute clothes at all times, you know?" To the still dazed Rom she said, "Come on, chop, chop. I'll explain what you need to know on the way back. I'm sure you two have no place to stay, right? Good thing my house isn't that far from here, we'll just ride the last train back into Shinjuku then you two can hit the bath afterwards."
"Back?" piped up Ram with a frown.
"Train?" whimpered Rom as she cast a fearful look at the human girl.
The twins didn't get to say much more as the brunette grabbed them by the back of their clothes and started dragging them out. They heard her shout a goodbye to her manager before strutting out of the bakery and into the streets. After a while, the two began to struggle in which Dia was forced to let them go. They were already near the station when that happened.
"Sorry about that, I can't have you two out of my sight now. Last time I went looking for a Goddess in this city was till I dropped and gained a cold. I had to sit through a one hour lecture of my friend on my stubbornness," she apologized yet still retained that casual air around her, "Ah, right. I think you two haven't given me your names yet, come on now, I introduced myself earlier so you two should do the same."
"I'm Rom," said the blue clad candidate, avoiding eye contact with the brunette as she spoke.
"And I'm Ram, CPU candidates of the Land of White Serenity, Lowee!" finished the pink clad candidate with much pride. She then crossed her arms and gave the girl before them a smug look while saying, "Which is why you should give us proper respect since we're Goddesses! You better be scared!"
Dia scratched her head as she replied, "Well, I think I'll die from blood loss instead of being afraid…"
"Um… Miss Dia?" muttered Rom.
"Something wrong?"
"I was wondering if it's okay to ask… How come you know so much about us..? That we're Goddesses and about our abilities..? Those mean people last night, they all looked so… scared when Ram fought them…. Why are you different from them?" the blue clad candidate asked, holding on the back of her sister's coat. She felt so awkward under the human girl's gaze, she knew this person wasn't an enemy but she was still a stranger, and she didn't work well with strangers.
It didn't take long for the brunette to answer, "I'm kind of used to it by now. You two aren't the first ones to come in this world. In fact, I've already met three Goddesses and I always helped them out. I may not know much, but the friend I have knows much more than I do. You could try asking him for a way back. As for how I knew what you two were, let's just say that the people that dress weird whenever I encounter them are not human. Not that you two are wearing weird clothes or anything, it's just that you have some other sense of fashion than normal have."
"So these clothes aren't what people usually wear here, huh?" chimed in Ram as she walked behind the human girl.
"Yup," chirped Dia with a smile, "Though those clothes are cute by the way. Some people might think you two are cosplaying if you go out in public like that. Good thing you two were hanging around Akiba or else people might look at you two strangely."
"Question!" exclaimed the pink clad candidate while raising her hand in the air, "Where are we? I know we're in the Landmass of Japan and all, but where exactly are we? What the heck is this world?"
Seeing the girl's enthusiasm, the brunette decided to choose her words carefully while trying to be as informative as possible, "Well, you two are from this place called Gamindustri, correct? This world is a separate plane from that one. This world is known as Earth and it has a lot of countries, cultures and people. Each and every single one of them being different from the other so they're never the same. Goddesses or magic don't exist here as well as monsters. Japan is better known as a country, an island nation with magnificent sights and bustling cities. I don't know how else to say this, but in this world, you two are fictional characters from a game."
"Wait… a game? Fictional? I don't get it," muttered Ram with a confused expression.
This time, it was her sibling who spoke in turn, "We… Are characters in this world? In a game?"
"I don't know the specifics, but that's how it is," admitted the human girl with a defeated sigh, "My friend's investigating the matter but despite that he wasn't able to get any answers from that Page of his. But it's not like you two aren't that all important! What's good is that you're here and that you're safe. You can worry about the existential mumbo jumbo later, right? Ah, we're at the station. You two stay close now."
There wasn't that much people on the car they went in so it was fine to continue their discussion. Dia had the twins sit on either side of her as they gazed out of the moving train's windows. Their eyes were greeted by the city lights and its dazzling beauty. Fortunately, Rom didn't get sick unlike last time so they were able to enjoy the view as much as they can. It sure was a refreshing sight from the scenery of Lowee, but they both knew that their home was still better.
Reminiscing the clean air and the beautiful sky made them both a bit homesick.
"I wonder if Mina and Blanc are okay…" muttered Ram in a low tone. She pressed her hand against the glass as she gazed into the distance. She knew the feeling of being separated from her elder sister and she disliked that feeling. This had been the longest time she had away from her elder sister ever since the ASIC uprising. Those three years where she and Rom fought for their existences… The memories of the past gave her the shivers. It was like having a weird case of déjà vu.
Rom noticed her sibling's worried voice and held her hand, warmth transferring between their skins. She gave her sister a small smile and said, "Don't worry. They'll be fine."
"Heh, you should be the one worrying now, you worrywart," giggled the pink clad candidate.
Unlike the night before, they now had someone helping them. Finding a way back was no longer impossible. They weren't alone anymore and they were probably a step closer to getting home.
Nicolas Notes:
Hello there and greetings once again. Been awhile, hm? Worry not, friend, I was just taking a short break. Morale has been at an all time low so I won't be saying much. Need more time to finish other projects.
As always, any mistakes, inconsistencies, errors, or whatnot will be addressed to if the complaint is polite enough. I'll be lending you guys my ears once more and I'll be doing my best to correct myself.
Thank you for taking your time in reading. I hope that you will also enjoy this arc.