Monday night, November 15, 2010 – The park across the street from the Furukawa Bakery


"Three… two… one… zero, the probe is away." the voice sounded in their ears. Kotomi watched her screen as the data started coming back. As hoped, the weather was much better on the other side. And as expected, the date was far from the current date. In fact it was…

May 9, 1993...

"Earth to Kotomi-chan!" Melissa called out loudly.

"Huh? I apologize for my inattention. I need to make sure that I am not getting anomalous data."

"Anomalous data?" Tomoyo checked her watch and asked, "But it hasn't been five minutes yet, has it?"

"Yes… that is why I must be sure. There is something I need to check on."

They're still alive… they're still alive! I can see them again! Maybe… I can even save them? Her heart was racing and the excitement was building in her chest as she thought of the possibility that she had been presented, "Is… is that really too much to wish for?"

Kotomi ran through the cold rain and wind. She slipped in the mud, but she finally got to the gateway where she touched the keyboard to execute the command that would take her to see her long lost parents.

In the time it took for a long blink, she was through to the other side. It was night time but it was warmer, not as windy, and there was no rain. The air smelled sweeter too. The scent reminded her of the days in her childhood when she and Tomoya would chase butterflies with a net.

I must tell them what I've done. Tomoya-kun will be angry with me, but… it can't be helped. Kotomi opened her laptop and sent a quick message of explanation and apology and hit the icon to send it back to her world.

Transmission Error.

The sweet world suddenly seemed darker and more terrifying. The fear of being along again began to gnaw at her. Trepidation gave way to panic when the next message popped up on the screen.

No Connection to Prime.

"No!"

No Connection to Prime.

"No… I don't want this."

No Connection to Prime.

"Why?" she mumbled through desperate sobs. "I just… I just wanted to see them. Just once… Why!"

No Connection to Prime.

.

Wednesday morning, June 16th 1993 – Ichinose Residence


"Noooo." Kotomi moaned as her eyes fluttered open. She felt a stab of depression as she awoke from the recurring nightmare. She wiped the tears from her eyes, then rolled over to look at the clock. Before she could check the time, she noticed her mother standing in the doorway looking at her with sadness in her eyes.

"You had that bad dream again, didn't you." Mizue stated.

"Yes." Kotomi admitted while she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"You must not give up hope. They are still trying to find you. I'm sure of it." Mizue told her daughter.

"How can you be sure of that?" Kotomi asked the question from a practical perspective. "Without the ability to communicate with my home universe, it should be impossible to be sure of such a thing."

"Not that kind of surety," Mizue sat down on the side of Kotomi's bed and explained, "I guess it's more like faith. I've looked at all those amazing pictures on that computer of yours many times. It fills me with joy that you have so many friends in the world where you come from. They are good friends too, aren't they?"

"Yes, they are the best." Kotomi replied with enthusiasm, even though this conversation was making her homesick to see them all again.

"I just can't believe that so many good friends would give up on you. They don't seem like that kind of people. And now that I've met the Furukawa's in person, I am sure of it." Mizue leaned forward and hugged her daughter. While patting her back, Mizue softly told her, "They are still looking for you. So, you don't have to suffer those bad dreams any more. It may not be today… or tomorrow. But rest assured that you will be going home to see all of them again… some day."

"Thank you, okāsan." Kotomi said as they separated from their hug.

"Of course, that means that your time here is very special. You should enjoy and make use of every moment you have with us. You don't have time to be getting depressed and dwelling on negative thoughts." Mizue lectured her daughter, but with a compassionate smile.

"Yes, okāsan!" Kotomi sat up straight and felt a rush of nostalgia from her childhood. This was the way her mother used to encourage her when she felt down in her youth. The old reflexes kicked in and she knew what she should do next. She glanced at the clock and asked, "Do we have anything scheduled for today?"

"Pffft!" Mizue laughed.

"What?" Kotomi looked at her mother as if she were studying an unexpected reaction in a laboratory test.

"You certainly are my Kotomi. Even your mannerisms and reactions when I fuss at you are the same." Mizue said as she recovered from her fit of laughter. "But, to answer your question, yes we do have something on the calendar. You are going to visit my obstetrician today."

"Ah yes, thank you for arranging that." Kotomi knew she was now four months along in her pregnancy and everything felt normal, but it was always good to be sure.

.

Wednesday late morning, June 16th 1993 – Prefectural Hospital


The appointment was at the professional building that was connected to a regional hospital. It wasn't too far away, but not nearly as convenient as the new hospital that was built in Hikarizaka back in Kotomi's universe. As she walked through the halls of the buildings with her mother, Kotomi spied equipment here and there that made her smile. Having worked with Ryou to get the right equipment for her recovery team, she was familiar with the newer versions of what she saw. Ryou had told her that medical equipment had made rapid advances in the last twenty years, and she was now seeing the truth of it.

A nurse took her height, weight, blood pressure, and pulse… like they do in any medical visit. Then the two of them waited in one of the examining rooms for the doctor to arrive. It didn't take long before a woman and a man both came into the room.

"Good morning, I am Hikaru-sensei, and this is Fujibayashi. He will be observing our session as a part of his training, if that is okay with you." the woman with the stethoscope around her neck announced as she greeted the two.

"Fujibayashi… sensei?" Mizue asked.

"..." the man was about to respond when someone else spoke up for him.

"No, okāsan. He is here to become a hospital administrator. He is the father of the Kyou-chan and Ryou-chan that I told you about." Kotomi recognized him from his appearance. He looked a lot younger now than he did when she met him before coming to this world, but she was certain that this was the same person.

"How do you know my children?" the man asked curiously. He wondered if she was a teacher from their school or the mother of one their classmates. It was odd that he didn't recognize her though. The purple hair and purple eyes were extremely rare and should have stuck in his memory even if he had seen her only once. After all, his own daughters had rare hair and eye color so he tended to notice things like that.

"Sensei, would it be possible for Fujibayashi-san to stay for a conversation with my daughter after you are done with her?" Mizue asked the doctor before Kotomi could reply to the man's question. Given Kotomi's tendency to be blunt and her inability to keep her otherworldly nature a secret, this could quickly become a very awkward conversation.

"That works for me." The doctor said as she moved into position to start her examination. "I'll be going to lunch after this, so feel free to chat as long as you like."

Mizue sat next to Fujibayashi-san while the examination took place. Fortunately, Kotomi remembered to answer certain questions vaguely as her mother had instructed, so no-one heard anything to suggest that she was a time or dimension traveler. However, there was one thing that did peak the doctor's interest.

"I notice that you call Mizue-san, okāsan – and she referred to you as her daughter. But your ages…" the doctor started to ask.

"It's an honorary thing." Mizue answered quickly.

"I see." the doctor suspected there was more to the story, but none of that was any of her business, so she decided to wrap it up, "Everything looks fine. Please make an appointment to see me again in a month."

They said their thanks and farewells to the doctor, then Kotomi turned to Fujibayashi. But Mizue turned to Kotomi.

"Do you want me to stay for this, or would you like to speak with him privately?" Mizue asked her daughter.

"Please stay. This shouldn't take long." Kotomi replied then turned back to the man who was looking a bit confused. "Fujibayashi-san. Your daughters will grow up healthy and smart. They will both pursue their dreams and they will achieve them. However, due to personality conflicts with you, they will have less and less to do with their family. Kyou-chan especially will suffer the most from her constant conflict with you."

"What!" Fujibayashi had expected some pleasantries involving the elementary school where his girls attended, or something along that nature. This terrible fate that the purple haired young woman predicted was intolerable. He demanded to know, "What are you, some kind of scam fortune teller?"

"I am a scientist." Kotomi replied without acknowledging the man's accusation or emotion.

"Like hell you are!" Fujibayashi fumed, "A scientist would have proof to back up any hypothesis. You..."

"Would you like to see the proof?" Kotomi asked in the same calm demeanor that she had held from the beginning.

"Wha… how can there be proof of something like this?" Fujibayashi demanded.

"Would you like to see the proof?" Kotomi asked again.

"Sure, let's see this proof." Fujibayashi said with a huff. He watched as the purple haired woman opened a silver case that appeared to be some kind of small computer. He was amazed at the strange device when she spun the screen around and locked it down into tablet mode. Her fingers swiped across the screen this way and that until a series of pictures came up. There were dozens of them but they were very small and he couldn't really make them out.

"Your daughters have similar appearance, although they are fraternal twins. Both have lavender hair. Kyou-chan has purple eyes and Ryou-chan has blue eyes." Kotomi said.

"Yes, yes… anyone who's seen them once would know that." Fujibayashi chided.

"They both have blood type O. Kyou-chan is the more physical while Ryou-chan is more empathic." Kotomi finished the verbal check and rotated her Toughbook so that it would display the selected pictures to the stubborn man.

"Yes, that's… true." Fujibayashi answered as his eyes opened wide. There on the screen of the small computer was a picture of two women. They were older… much older than his two little girls. But they had an uncanny resemblance to his daughters nonetheless. The hair color, eye color, facial structures, the way they smiled… He was about to ask if this was some kind of age-progression software when the picture went away and was replaced with a new one.

This new shot was of a grown up version of his Ryou along with a brown haired girl that looked of similar age. They were both wearing college graduation robes and had delightful smiles.

Another picture appeared with Kyou in a comfortable chair and breastfeeding a baby. The small child was holding onto Kyou's finger with her whole hand and looking up into Kyou's eyes. Fujibayashi reached out to touch the screen but it changed again.

There was a scene that looked like some kind of medical triage. Vats or large tubs of water were set up and pairs of people were in them. In each one, one of them appeared to be in distress while the other was assisting them. But, leaning over the side of the tub, with a stethoscope around her neck, was the adult version of his Ryou.

"A… a doctor?" Fujibayashi wanted to ask about this picture, but another one with Kyou came up just then.

Kyou stood in the middle of a classroom of children of varying ages. She was in the process of showing one of the older students something in the textbook on the boy's desk.

"Kyou is a teacher?" Fujibayashi asked.

"She is more than a teacher. She has been endorsed by the MEXT to attempt a new way of teaching that may revolutionize education all across Japan." Kotomi replied and for the first time since she started the conversation with Fujibayashi-san, she allowed a little emotion into her response.

Mizue could hear the pride in her daughter's reply and wondered if the stunned man had caught it.

"I come from another place and time that is very similar to yours, but more advanced along the timeline. I met your daughters in high school and know them as adults now."

"Rubbish! Do you honestly expect me to believe a story like that?" Fujibayashi laughed dismissively.

"No, I do not." Kotomi startled him with the frank answer. But the shock continued as she explained her answer, "I have met the future you. We did not get along well. You are too hidebound, strict, and conceited for my liking. Unfortunately, it was exactly those faults that alienated you from your adult daughters. I am not that good at interacting with people, but I do believe that their estrangement from you and their mother is their greatest sorrow in life."

Fujibayashi just gaped at the purple haired woman in disbelief. He wanted to believe that she was just a loose crazy… but those pictures. Or, perhaps it was an elaborate scam, but she hadn't asked for any money… yet. He decided to test her, "So, let's say that I believe you. What do you want me to do?"

"Get help, Fujibayashi-san. Do whatever it takes to become a better father and save the relationship that you have with your daughters." Kotomi glanced down at the Toughbook and made a few swipes. A picture from their high school days when they were in the Karate club came up. Kyou was standing next to Kotomi while both of them were in the middle of a workout routine. She touched the edge of the picture and it started moving. It was a repeating cycle of the two of them stepping forward into a balanced stance and practicing the basic punch. "I always wanted a sister, but I was an only child. To me, Kyou-chan is like a protective older sister. Without her by my side, I…"

"Kotomi." Mizue put her hand on her daughter's arm in a supporting gesture.

Kotomi shook herself, looked up at the confused man and told him, "I just want Kyou-chan to be happy. So please… please become the father that she will always admire and love. That is all that I ask of you."

"Yes… well, if you will excuse me." Fujibayashi was shaken, but he still couldn't accept this strange woman's story. He needed something more tangible before he could believe such fantasy.

Leaving the professional building as quickly as he could, he made his way to the hospital's cafeteria. As expected, he found Hikaru-sensei there, sitting alone with her lunch and a book. Skipping the line for food, he sat down with the doctor.

"Well, did you find your little chat educational?" the doctor asked without looking up from her book.

"What do you mean?" Fujibayashi had come to her to find out what kind of people he had been talking to. This question caught him off guard, but it might lead to the understanding he was looking for.

"Have you heard of the Ichinose physicists?" Hikaru-sensei asked.

"Sure," Fujibayashi replied, "they're famous across Japan. Didn't they get caught up in that investigation about the plane that crashed?"

"That's right." Hikaru-sensei said between bites, "There was an anonymous call that said the plane would crash. The airline did a thorough investigation of the plane but didn't find anything wrong. The airport police were extra cautious about the people that boarded the plane too."

"But it crashed anyway." Fujibayashi recalled the news story.

"The Ichinose's were the only ones to cancel their flight at the last moment. The authorities questioned them, but they were cleared because they had a believable reason for canceling that trip." Hikaru-sensei told him.

"Oh, what was it?" Fujibayashi asked offhandedly. He was tired of this story and wanted to get back to discovering something about the Ichinose's strange daughter.

"They canceled their trip because it conflicted with their only daughter's birthday party. She turned eight years old on that day." Hikaru-sensei said as she looked up at the man. It was the first time she had glanced at him since he arrived. She wanted to see if he was able to process the implication or if he lacked the mental chops to deduce the conclusion she had come to.

"Eight? So… their daughter is the same age as my daughters?" A ridiculous thought came to his mind but he couldn't imagine what other possibility could explain all that he had seen. Seeking verification or denial of his conclusion, he asked the doctor, "Have you ever seen the Ichinose's daughter?"

"I delivered her. Since then, I've seen her a few times when they come in for a checkup." Hikaru-sensei replied.

"How would you describe her?" Fujibayashi asked.

"She is the quiet type. Bright though. I have no doubt she will be every bit the genius that her parents are. But you want to know about her physical description, don't you?" Hikaru-sensei smiled and took a bite of rice before continuing, "She looks like an eight year old version of the woman you just met. Same purple eyes, purple hair… same type A blood too."

Fujibayashi's eyes were open wide. He hadn't directly asked the question and she hadn't directly answered it, but he was certain that Hikaru-sensei already believed what he was suspecting. "How… how can this be possible?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to know." Hikaru-sensei went back to eating her lunch as she quietly told the young administrator, "The Ichinose's are involved in research projects that have big corporate and government backing. I do not plan on putting my nose where it doesn't belong and getting a reputation as a problem magnet."

Fujibayashi shuddered at the thought. He knew what was expected of management when someone was discovered to be more nuisance than useful. Quickly becoming unemployed was only the beginning. They were blackballed so that they could not get a job in their chosen profession anywhere in Japan. At that point, their only options were to leave the country or change professions. A sobering thought for a man who was looking forward to becoming a reputable hospital administrator.

"You should get some lunch." Hikaru-sensei told the contemplative man sitting across form her.

"Will you be here when I get back?" he asked as he got up to head for the food lines.

"Nope. I've got rounds to make," Hikaru-sensei said unsympathetically, "but you don't need conversation now. I'm guessing they told you something important that has to do with your daughters. You should take some time to think about that. Think about it hard and don't screw up. That would be my professional advice."

"Right. Thank you for the advice." Fujibayashi said a bit more formally than was necessary, but he was still trying to get his balance after the strange meeting with the purple haired woman.

Hikaru-sensei watched the junior administrator walk away and smiled. Not bad. At least he isn't the slacker or mental midget that most administrator's are. He might go far. He might go far indeed.

.

Mizue sat next to Kotomi on the train that took them away from the hospital. She was proud of the way Kotomi had handled herself with the difficult man. But there was something that Kotomi had said that had been bothering her.

"Kotomi-chan… how long ago was it when you wished you had a sister?" Mizue asked.

"I guess it was when I was in Kindergarten. Some of the other girls were picked up by their older sisters and I wished that I had one too." Kotomi replied.

"So… you wanted an older sister?" Mizue asked, knowing that she wouldn't be able to fulfill that wish.

"I realized that it was an impossible wish later. But yes, I have always wished that I had a sister." Kotomi told her mother.

"I don't know what kind of strides genetic engineering have made by 2011, but here in 1993, it isn't possible to program the sexual characteristics of a human baby. So, even if I had another child, you might end up with a little brother instead of a little sister." Mizue reminded Kotomi.

"A little brother would be nice too." Kotomi smiled and patted her tummy, "My little Michiko will soon have a little brother. I hope she likes him."

"I'm sure she will." Mizue said reassuringly, as she put her hand on her daughter's and leaned into her.

.

Monday early evening, June 21st 1993 – The Ibuki Residence


"Ibuki Kouko?" Kotomi asked the girl approaching the house that she had identified as the residence of the Ibuki family with two daughters Kouko and Fuko. She had timed this visit so that she would be arriving about the time that the teenage Kouko would be getting home from school.

"Yes, can I help you?" Kouko replied. She didn't show a lot of concern about being called out in front of her house. It was a big neighborhood and she was known to take the occasional babysitting job for the mothers in the area.

"Do you love your sister? You don't want anything bad to happen to her, do you?" Kotomi decided to jump straight to the heart of the matter that she wished to discuss.

"Excuse me?" Kouko suddenly wondered if she had enough time to run into the house and call the police before this threatening woman did something regrettable.

"Ichinose Kotomi! What are you thinking?" Furukawa Sanae scolded, "That is no way to approach someone unless you are some kind of heinous criminal."

"But, that approach had the highest probability of getting her attention." Kotomi replied to the rebuke.

"Sure, it got her attention. Now she is probably thinking of calling the police to have you arrested for threatening the welfare of a child." Sanae said in a lecturing tone.

"Um, excuse me but… who are you people and why did you bring up my sister?" Kouko still wondered if she should run into her house to call the police, but this second woman seemed much more reasonable than the purple haired woman.

"Your sister's future is in peril if you don't… mmmwrrf! " Kotomi started to answer the teen's question but was silenced by Sanae, who seemed to be reaching the end of her patience.

"Kotomi-chan!" Sanae used every bit of her school-teacher voice to rein in the energetic genius. "Please let me handle this."

"Okay, Sanae-san." Kotomi could tell from the way Sanae had addressed her that she had made another social faux pas, and a pretty bad one this time. While she let Sanae handle the interaction with the teen version of Fuko's older sister, Kotomi went over everything she had said since they found Kouko to try and figure out what she was doing wrong.

"Kouko-chan, my name is Furukawa Sanae. My husband and I run the Furukawa Bakery across the street from the park."

"I thought I recognized you. I have bought bread there before." Kouko responded. She also felt a lot better about these two women who had brought such strangeness into her day.

"This lady is Ichinose Kotomi. She is a genius scientist who knows something about the future. Unfortunately, her social skills are somewhat lacking." Sanae continued the introduction on Kotomi's behalf.

Kotomi knew that she must have done something terribly wrong from what Sanae had just said, which made it all the more frustrating since she still hadn't identified what she had said that was so egregious. She couldn't help but have a defeated look that both of the others noticed.

"Don't worry, Kotomi-chan." Sanae patted the head of purple hair and promised, "After we are done here I will give you a full critique of your introduction and greeting so you know where you went wrong."

Kouko was surprised to see the genius scientist person brighten up considerably at the offer of having her poor social skills spelled out to her.

"If you like," Sanae offered, "we could meet in a public place. It might make you feel safer… in light of what Kotomi said earlier. There is a cake shop near the train station. It would be our treat, so please come and hear what we have to say."

"I have to admit that this sounds like a scam… or some kind of cult." Kouko said worriedly.

"Oh!" Sanae clapped her hands together in praise of Kouko's deduction. In this case, the teen was wrong, but it was good to have a degree of skepticism when dealing with strangers after all, "You are so bright. I was just thinking the same thing… that we must seem awfully untrustworthy to you. But the truth is, we really aren't doing anything shady."

"I guess… the cake shop sounds like a good place. But why would someone that works in a bakery want to go to a cake shop?" Kouko asked.

"I want to see what kinds of pastries are popular in other stores and maybe… I'll be able to make them for our store too." Sanae said with glowing optimism.

"That's a good idea. Your store has a reputation for coming up with some pretty strange things, you know." Kouko said as she remembered a couple of the crazy concoctions she had tried… and regretted.

"Oh?" Sanae prompted. It wasn't visible, but her glowing optimism had just taken a critical amount of damage. Any more and…

"Just last week I bit into something that almost broke my teeth." Kouko said something that should have been an exaggeration… but it wasn't. "It had an interesting smell. It was as if it was supposed to be a Dashi peanut brittle bread. I don't know why it was so hard though. Maybe I just had a bad piece."

"So, my baking breaks the teeth of children?" Sanae's body automatically prepared to run away from the truth, but a hand closed over her shoulder before she could make her escape.

"Akio is not here and I will not come running after you… not in my condition." Kotomi warned her friend.

"Eh?" Sanae snapped out of her comic panic routine and looked around for the missing Akio, before remembering where she was and what she was supposed to be doing.

Kouko was doing everything she could to keep from bursting into laughter. If she didn't know better, she would swear that their antics must have been rehearsed and this was a staged street performance just for her. In any event, she no longer felt frightened by them. "I can meet you at the cake shop in an hour?"

"Thank you Kouko-chan." Sanae said with a polite bow.

"An hour? In that case, we should have time to drop by a book store…" Kotomi started.

"No no no no!" Sanae fussed again, "Mizue warned me that you loose all track of time in book stores."

"But, the book store is on the way to the cake shop." Kotomi pleaded.

"I thought we could go straight to the cake shop. Until Kouko-chan arrives, I could spend that time giving your critique and answering any questions you may have about better ways to approach people." Sanae turned away from Kotomi and shrugged her shoulders while adding, "But if you are no longer interested then I suppose…"

"Yes! We must go to the cake shop now. I will hear all of your observations." Kotomi sounded like a child who had been promised candy, rather than someone who was about to hear a lecture about her failings.

Kouko laughed at the two adult women as they headed off toward the train station. She wondered what kind of mischief her little sister could have gotten herself into that would warrant the attentions of a baker and a scientist.

.

Monday evening, June 21st 1993 – The Cake Shop across from The Train Station


Kouko's mirth didn't last long. Two hours after she promised to meet these two women, she felt so awful, she thought she might get sick all over the table full of fanciful cakes. It all started when the purple haired lady pulled out a silver case. At first she kept it closed and started by telling an amazing story about Kouko and her sister's future – as if it had already happened. It wasn't a happy story, and it only got worse when she opened up the silver case to reveal a small computer that could display incredible pictures. Some of those pictures were wonderful, but others… not so much. From Kouko's perspective, it had all started so innocently…

"Kouko-chan, please listen to everything Kotomi-chan has to say. I know that it will sound impossible, but there is a lot of credibility to what she will tell you." Sanae warned the teen sitting across the little table from them.

"While she was in middle school, you noticed that Fuko did not have any friends among her classmates." Kotomi made her initial statement, then looked to her friend for approval.

Sanae nodded her head in agreement, but didn't seem too happy.

What kind of foolishness is this? Fuko is still in grade school! Maybe they have the wrong set of sisters? Or maybe this is some kind of strange joke? Kouko looked back and forth between the two women but both of them seemed to be quite serious.

"In the summer before Fuko started high school, your family went on a beach trip. You noticed that Fuko made no effort to play with the other children. She hid behind you and played with starfish in shallow pools of water." Kotomi said these things without emotion. It was as if they were elements of a theorem to be studied and learned.

Well… Fuko is very clingy with me, so it does sound like her. But the ages are all wrong. Fuko is nowhere close to high school age!

"In the spring break before her first year in high school, you made the decision not to give her any attention. It was your hope that she would stop relying on you and make some friends at her new school." Kotomi made the comment without condemnation. It was merely a statement of fact.

"I would never…" Kouko shouted but silenced herself when she saw that a lot of people in the little shop were looking over at her now.

"Kouko-chan," Sanae said sympathetically, "keep in mind that Fuko was fifteen years old at this point, and she had never had a friend. In her whole life, not even one. You were blaming yourself for this and the guilt drove you to such measures."

"Could I… could I really do such a terrible thing to my little sister?" Kouko asked aloud as she thought of the possibility.

"Kouko-chan," Sanae said as she reached across the table and took the teen's trembling hands, "I'm afraid this isn't the terrible thing that we came to warn you about."

"Huh?" Kouko turned from Sanae back to Kotomi who was opening the silver case up as she spoke.

"On the first day of school, there was an accident…" The Toughbook was open. It's screen was turned around and pictures of amazing detail and color were displayed for Kouko's horror. "That morning, she promised you that she would try and make friends at her new school. But, before she was able to attend a single class, she was involved in a traffic accident and ended up in a coma."

The screen of the little computer showed Kouko a bigger version of Fuko lying in a hospital bed with tubes running into her mouth and nose. Kotomi's finger hovered over the screen and tapped it every few seconds. Each time she tapped it, the screen changed to another picture of Kouko's little sister. The beds changed. The machines that she was connected to changed. The background of the room she was in changed. But she was never awake.

"Fuko?" Kouko reached toward the screen. She wanted the horrific pictures to stop. She didn't want to think such a thing could happen to her little sister. But she also wanted to know… if the Fuko in the pictures ever got better. She could feel the bile rising in her throat from the knot in her stomach and felt like she should run… run away from this madness.

"Ah!" she cried out as the screen finally showed a picture of Fuko awake. She was still in the hospital bed but her eyes were opened and she seemed to be talking. A wave of relief hit Kouko that her sister at least didn't die from all of this. "When..."

"Wednesday, the twentieth of October… 2010." Kotomi said slowly. From experience she knew that she had to give future dates gradually so that people could fully grasp them.

"Then… she's alive, but… she was never able to make any friends?" Kouko asked desperately.

"She has many friends now." Kotomi cocked her head at this strange assumption.

"But how? If she missed out on all of her high school years, then..." Kouko asked.

"I… cannot tell you the details, but rest assured that she has many friends now. I am one of them. It is because of my friendship with her that I am here to warn you of this possible future." Kotomi skirted any conversation about Fuko's ikiryo since she didn't fully understand it herself.

"Then… what should I do?" Kouko asked the two women.

"Start now by trying to get your sister to make friends." Sanae took over the conversation while Kotomi shut down the laptop and locked it back up. "I know it will be an inconvenience for you as a high school student, but to avoid a future like this… Don't you think it would be worth the effort?"

"I'll do it!" Kouko said with determination. I don't know how, but I will do whatever I can."

"If you like, I will help you. I have a daughter her age." Sanae offered.

"Thank you!" Kouko bowed to the kind woman then turned to Kotomi and asked, "Will you help me too onee-san?"

"I..." Kotomi started to answer but Sanae cut her off.

"Kotomi-chan doesn't live here and will be returning to her home soon, so… it would be best if you relied on me." Sanae said as gently as she could.

"Thank you, I will be in your care." Kouko bowed to the two women that had begun their presentation so suspiciously but now seemed like guardian angles.

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Friday late morning, July 16th 1993 – Prefectural Hospital


"Fujibayashi-san." Kotomi addressed the man that seemed to be waiting for her in the professional building's lobby. She and Mizue had just come from her five month checkup and were ready to head back to the house to await the homecoming of Tomoya's father. But running into this man was not unexpected.

"Ichinose-san." the father of the two girls that would play an important role in Kotomi's life, replied respectfully. He did notice that he had been addressed in a rather antiseptic way – like the way a scientist would regard a specimen on a tray. Despite that, he pressed on, "I… thought carefully about what you said the last time we met. Honestly, I found it very hard to believe. But I asked my girls what they wanted to be when they grew up..."

"Ryou-chan wants to be a nurse and Kyou-chan wants to be a kindergarten teacher." Kotomi finished the man's sentence.

"Yes!" Fujibayashi said in surprise, "But you said they were a doctor and some kind of revolutionary educator?"

"Nurse and kindergarten teacher were their childhood dreams. I… may have given them a push to go a little further." Kotomi admitted.

"I see. Then… well… I guess I have you to thank for that." the man seemed lost in thought for a moment then continued, "I still wasn't convinced… until I talked to my wife."

"Oh?" Kotomi's impression of the twin's mother was that she was as unyielding as their father and stood by all of his decisions, so this was a bit of a surprise.

"I told her that I was concerned that I might be too stern and inflexible with the girls in the future and that I might need some professional guidance to become a better father. I fully expected her to deny all of it." his face took on a bitter look at the memory of that moment.

"But…" Kotomi prompted when it looked to her like the man had forgotten what he was trying to say.

"But she started crying. She told me that she was afraid of the same thing and that it might some day lead to the girl's hating us. She said they would hate us and not just me because… she would always back me up even if she hated it." the man looked down at the floor as he admitted his failure.

"The Fujibayashi-san in my universe may be just as intelligent and educated as you, but you may very well be the wiser." Kotomi said in a voice of appreciation and admiration. It was a tone of voice that she had never used on him before.

Fujibayashi noticed the immediate change and looked up to see a matching smile from the elegant woman. "I promise that I will do my best with the guidance counseling but… is there anything else I can do? Is there anything you would have me do to assure that their future is as bright as the one you have shown me?"

"..." Kotomi hadn't expected this reaction from the man she had squared off with in her own world. But she was rescued by her mother.

"Actually Fujibayashi-san, there is!" Mizue pulled out a card with the directions to her house and handed it to him, "We are having a little party this evening to celebrate the return of a dear friend. There will be several children there and I would like for you to bring your girls over to meet them."

"Yes, yes of course." Fujibayashi studied the card for a moment and recognized the neighborhood as one of the nicer ones in Hikarizaka. "Shall I drop them off or…"

"Please bring your wife along. I'm sure we will have much to talk about since our children may be going to the same school and getting to know each other… rather well." Mizue smiled.

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That evening, plans were made for the children to meet and play with each other as much as possible, during the coming summer vacation.

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Thursday late afternoon, July 22nd 1993 – Hikarizaka Train Station


Naoyuki was counting his blessings. The wonderful woman with the magic list of numbers had kept paying him even though he hadn't gone back out to buy more tickets and collect more winnings. By his count, he had now collected over two hundred million yen for her and she had intimated that he would be starting it up again at the end of the summer break.

He didn't know what she needed the money for and he didn't ask. It was enough that he was making enough money to pay all his bills off, put some in savings, and not have to do backbreaking jobs for it. If anything, it was the opposite of a backbreaking job. He rode trains and ferries, stayed in nice hotels, visited onsens, parks, and historical places. The only thing that could make it better would be if he could have his son with him. But, until a few days ago, his son had to be in school.

"They should be arriving soon." Kotomi said as she looked up at the lighted arrival board.

"Okay." Naoyuki responded to the comment that broke him out of his reverie. He glanced around and saw that his son was still playing with the younger Kotomi. They were sitting on a bench just outside the station doors and blowing bubbles into the warm afternoon wind. His attention went back to the tracks when he heard the shriek of metal wheels on metal rails from the arriving train coming around the last bend.

"Who are these friends that we're here to pick up?" Naoyuki asked as the train slowed down to a stop. Kotomi had been strangely vague about this errand other than to say that she needed his help.

"Someone very special to me… and to you." Kotomi replied.

"To me?" Naoyuki could see the excitement in the normally placid woman's face and turned toward the train car to see… his mother. "WHAT!"

"Naoyuki?" Shino was pulling a rather large suitcase with one hand and holding onto the hand of a young girl with the other.

"Nao… yuki?" the little girl said as she hid behind her grandmother's legs. She was surprised that the man's name was so similar to hers.

"Naoyuki-san, get your mother's suitcase while I greet your niece." Kotomi said with a smile.

"Uh… yeah, okay." Naoyuki's shock wore off with Kotomi's direct instructions. Suspicious of what this surprise visit meant, he approached as a worker instead of a son. Taking the luggage, he gave her a polite, but unfamiliar "Excuse me."

Shino watched with sadness as her estranged and exiled son treated her like a stranger. Of course, it was only fair since it was her family that had sent him away so many years ago. But to see her son treat her with the coldness of a stranger was heartrending to her.

"Hello, my name is Okazaki Kotomi." the purple haired woman said to the shy five and a half year old girl.

"Okazaki?" the little girl's eyes opened wide. "Are you my obasan?"

"No, I am your cousin," Kotomi leaned aside and pointed to the bench where Tomoya and the younger Kotomi were playing and said, "That boy over there is named Tomoya, and he is your cousin too."

"He is?" the little girl sounded amazed to find out she had family she had never heard of before.

"My grandson… he's grown so much." Shino muttered as she also looked over at the boy.

Little Yuki noticed the girl that her cousin was playing with and asked, "That girl over there looks just like you. Are you her mama?"

"No, I am… her sister. Would you like to meet them?" Kotomi asked the young girl.

"I don't know… I'm afraid." Yuki-chan said as she clutched the fabric of her grandmother's kimono a little tighter.

"Do you like ice cream?" Kotomi asked. This trick had worked with Michiko's shyness and she had a feeling it would work on the young Yuki as well.

"Yes." the little girl answered as her eyes lit up.

"What is your favorite flavor?" Kotomi noticed that the grip had loosened quite a bit.

"Banana!" Yuki answered with a happy yelp.

"We are all going to eat at a family restaurant near by, and you can have anything you like. If you eat a proper meal, I promise you can have some banana ice cream. Would that make you happy?" Kotomi asked as she watched the child release the grandmother's garment altogether.

"Yes!" Yuki clapped her hands together.

"Then take my hand and we'll go get your cousin and we'll all talk about our favorite ice cream. Does that sound like fun?" Kotomi offered her hand and smiled as the child happily grasped it.

Naoyuki and Shino watched as Kotomi took off at a trot with little Yuki leading her to the bench where the other two children waited.

"Your friend is… amazingly good with shy children." Shino said.

"She used to be very shy herself. And… she has three children of her own and another on the way. So, I guess she knows a thing or two about mothering." Naoyuki replied.

"A family that big in this day and age?" Shino sounded impressed and skeptical, "I hope she knows what she's doing."

"She is a genius and she's rich." Naoyuki said testily.

"I'm sorry son, I didn't mean to imply anything about your friend." Shino apologized.

"Don't… don't call me that." Naoyuki said quietly but angrily.

"What?" Shino asked from confusion. She could see that her son was upset but she hadn't called him anything terrible.

"Don't call me 'son'. You don't have that right anymore." Naoyuki hissed. "You didn't want me. You didn't want her. She's dead now, so I guess you got what you wanted. Have you come to gloat?"

Slap! Shino's hand left a red imprint on Naoyuki's face.

"How dare you say that to your mother!" Shino was shamed, devastated, and angry at her son's outburst, but it was about to get worse.

Slap! Naoyuki slapped the old woman back. He had held back enough that he didn't knock her down, but just barely.

"I don't have a mother! I used to, but she disowned me when I was just a kid." Naoyuki yelled.

Slap! Naoyuki backhanded Shino across her other cheek.

"She gave up on me. She ruined my life. She killed my wife. She's the reason my son and I live in poverty!" Naoyuki's rage at the years of torment were released on this most unwanted visitor.

Slap! With his rage unleashed, so too was the control of his strength and this time he did knock the woman down to the ground.

"That… woman… should just die!" Naoyuki screamed the pent up hatred at his mother. He was about to throw the suitcase he was carrying across the train tracks and into the field beyond, when he felt hands on his arms. At first he thought it might be the police come to arrest him but the touch was too light.

"Naoyuki-san, you know that I have knowledge of many things, do you not?" Kotomi asked the man who was still trembling with anger and resentment… but not towards her.

"Yes, Kotomi-sama." Naoyuki took a deep breath and tried to calm down since it seemed that this is what his benefactor wanted.

"Then you must believe me when I tell you that your mother was the dissenting vote when your family decided to exile you. She was overruled and did not have the courage to disobey them." Kotomi told him.

"I was not a coward!" Shino said defensively as she got back to her feet. "It was a family choice and I am a part of that family. It was right of me to conform to the family decision. Family is family after all!"

"Yes, family is family." Kotomi said as she stepped around Naoyuki and confronted the mother, "About ten years from now, all of those family members will have fallen away like rotten fruit from a dead tree branch. About sixteen years from now, the only one who will be by your side will be Naoyuki. Unfortunately, his body will be broken from long years of hard labor. His brain will never be quite right after years of alcohol and drug use to escape the pain. And worst of all, he will have physically damaged his son in a way that will have ruined a potentially promising future. And his son will blame him, much like the way your son now blames you."

"No!" Shino now looked like she might fall over without any provocation. Kotomi had delivered her message with emotionless factual precision. There had been no hatred, contempt, or condemnation. But neither had she softened the blow or offered any forgiveness in her words. It was as cold as a list of the dead, after a natural disaster. "Why do you curse me with such terrible words?"

"Those were not my words. I was paraphrasing your own words. You said them to me about seventeen years from now." Kotomi said with a raised eyebrow.

That doesn't make any sense! Shino wanted to shout, but someone else spoke first.

Did you really vote against my exile?" Naoyuki asked while staring fixedly at the empty train tracks.

"Yes." Shino admitted. "I never wanted it, and I have regretted it ever since. But… I guess I was a coward after all."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Naoyuki said in a tired and sad voice. "Why did you let me hate you all these years?"

"I… don't know. I didn't know what I was doing then and I'm not sure what I am doing now." Shino admitted.

"You are here to reconcile with your son, and to bring Yuki into this jurisdiction so that we can begin the legal proceedings to strip her mother of her parental rights." Kotomi said matter-of-factly.

"What!" both Shino and Naoyuki both gaped at the same time.

"At this point in time, Yuki's mother has already started to abuse her daughter and will get progressively worse over time. Shino-san, have you not already begun to suspect this?"

"I… I have, but I thought it was just the imaginings of an old woman." Shino admitted reluctantly.

"Do not fear for her future. She will enjoy living in this town with her cousin and the camaraderie of all of his friends." Kotomi said confidently.

"Um… speaking of Yuki, where are the children?" Shino asked in an effort to both change this weird conversation and because she just noticed that her only granddaughter was missing.

"They are with my parents at the restaurant. I did not think it advisable that they should witness your… reunion." Kotomi replied with a tinge of disapproval.

"You knew we would have a fight?" Naoyuki asked.

"I believed there was better than an eighty percent probability. So, I arranged to have my parents take the children away, and I asked Kobayashi-hakase to make sure the police did not get involved." Kotomi replied.

You have that kind of power? Shino was about to ask but remembered that Naoyuki had said she was wealthy. I guess money can buy you that kind of thing too.

"Now come. We have many things to talk about." Kotomi said to both of them then turned to Shino and bluntly told her, "Your grandson and his future wife are in second grade."

"WHAT!" Shino gasped.

"Did you not understand what I said? Did Naoyuki hit you that hard?" Kotomi asked worriedly as she peered at the older woman's head.

"No no no, this isn't the Heian period! I mean, how can you talk about arranging the wife of a second grader?" Shino asked.

"You ask that question when you show up wearing a kimono?" Naoyuki mumbled to himself.

"Self interest." Kotomi explained in a way that no-one could understand, "I believe that my second grade self from this universe will be that wife."

Shino said nothing but looked at Kotomi like she had antlers.

"Kotomi-sama, I think it would be best for you to start from the beginning." Naoyuki suggested.

"Very well then…"

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Friday early morning, August 20th 1993 – The Furukawa Bakery


It had been three weeks since Shino had returned to Hokkaido… without her granddaughter. In that time, Kotomi had assembled a small kindergarten of her own. Okazaki Yuki was surrounded by her cousin's growing collection of friends. Kouko came over with her little sister Fuko. The Fujibayashi's picked up Nagisa on their way to drop off Kyou and Ryou. Kotomi had planned to collect Sakagami Tomoyo and Miyazawa Yukine by now, but her growing pregnancy was slowing her down.

Almost every day of the summer break they would assemble at the Ichinose house to head off for one activity or another. The adults in the party varied, but always included Naoyuki, Sanae, and the very responsible teen Kouko.

Sanae had been torn between her duty to the bakery and wanting to watch over her daughter and the little girl's growing friendships… until Kotomi made the decision easy… or rather, logical. Since her pregnancy meant it would be difficult for her to keep up with a bunch of active children, it only made sense that she should help Akio out in the bakery and Sanae should join the adults in watching over the children.

Akio endorsed this idea with enthusiasm. A little too much enthusiasm. He had to run five blocks before he finally caught up with his wife.

The most recent outing was arranged as a ten day voyage on trains and ferries, to retrace Naoyuki's Takarakuji trek down to Kyushu and back. He had seen lots of interesting things to do on his recent travels, and looked forward to experiencing them with his son and his friends. Along the way, they would visit amusement parks, beaches, aquariums, and other attractions that struck their fancy. Some of those things Kotomi might have been able to handle, but they would also be climbing hills, horseback riding, and rafting down rivers. All of these things would be memorable for the rest of their lives, but it would be too much for Kotomi when she would be coming to the end of her second trimester.

But her physical condition wasn't the only reason Kotomi had for staying behind. Thanks to her mother's encouragement, she remained ever hopeful that a rescue party from her universe would come for her some day. And when they came, she did not want to be too far away from The Park.

She tried to hide her sadness from her reunited family and newfound friends, but it was always with her. The feeling of loss and separation. The fear that she might never go back to her world… to her family. Every night, she would gaze at the pictures on her laptop as she settled down for sleep. Her trusty Toughbook had been her capable ally at convincing many people that her outrageous story was true, but at night the little machine was her friend that gave her the sharp and vivid pictures of the people she missed the most.

Tomoya. Even though she had the young version of Tomoya around her every day, she missed the man that she had married and created a family with. It was good to see the young Tomoya again, but she longed for her husband's strong arms and broad chest.

Kyou. Like a counterpoint to Tomoya's hard muscles and roughness, Kyou was soft and warm. Kotomi knew that she was very strong too, but her gentle side was the thing that Kotomi missed the most. Discussing family things over coffee or tea. Relaxing in the pool sized bath with her lavender haired friend after a long day.

The children. The mischievous twin boys – Shuichi and Shuji, and her shy but ever so cute daughter Michiko were ever on her mind. Perhaps Kotomi spent more time looking at their pictures because they had no counterpart here. It was the thoughts of the children that brought her to tears more than anything else. She hoped they did not hate her for abandoning them, or forget her after being gone for so many months. She remembered how she had run through her house, looking for the parents that would never be coming home. Feeling the terrible alone-ness.

But my children will not suffer so horribly. I have made sure of it. They are already surrounded by parents who love them. They… they will always be loved by someone, even if it isn't me there to hold them. NO! I must believe that I will go home some day! I must believe. I must believe…

"Kotomi-chan, are you okay? Do you need to lie down for a bit?" Akio asked when he saw her leaning heavily on the counter next to the cash register.

"I'm fine. My back hurts a little from standing but I'll be okay for a little while longer." Kotomi replied. She decided not to tell him about the troubling thoughts that had been bothering her since they both had to concentrate on the Bakery's business for now.

"I've got a tall chair that you might find helpful. At least it might take the strain off your back a bit." Akio offered.

"That… that might be nice after all." Kotomi was about to decline the offer, but she felt a pang of pain just then that changed her mind.

"I'm sure the kids will be fine." Akio said as he disappeared around the wall to where the chair was stored.

"What?" Kotomi wondered if the man had read her mind a few minutes ago when she was worried about her children.

"Nagisa and little Kotomi, and all the other kids. They have a lot of people along with them, so you don't have to worry about them. Okay?" Akio said as he put the chair down behind the counter. "Besides, you shouldn't be worrying about them so soon. They haven't been gone that long and they'll be back before you know it!"

The vacationing adults and children had been gone only three days and wouldn't be back for another week. Despite the truth that she had actually been thinking about her own children, Akio was right in that she missed them all. Kotomi wished she could join them on the trip, but that was impossible for various reasons after all.

"I suppose you're right." Kotomi said as she took her place on the chair and tried to find a comfortable position. She looked up a moment when she heard the Bakery entrance bell ring. A pair of young women in summer dresses and sun hats came in and started to peruse the various baked goods.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Akio asked yet again.

"Yes, Akio-san." Kotomi reassured him yet again, "I had my six month checkup just a few days ago and they said that I was perfectly healthy.

"All right. I'll go check on the ovens. You take care of the customers, but don't do anything else. Call me if you need anything moved!"

"Yes, Akio-san." Kotomi appreciated the care that Akio was showing for her, but it was also a little embarrassing. She felt a bit relieved when he finally disappeared into the back of the store. Hoping that they hadn't been too much of a spectacle, Kotomi glanced at the women to discover that they were both staring at her. Oh dear. Surely they are not thinking that I have replaced Sanae in Akio's household? Perhaps I should explain that I am a friend of the family and just helping out while Akio's wife and daughter are away on vacation? She glanced up at the two women again to see if they were still concerned about her.

The two women were no longer looking at her, but it almost seemed that they were intentionally not looking at her now. They moved together and whispered to each other, but kept their faces turned away from Kotomi while they looked over several displays of pastries.

Kotomi thought their behavior odd and tried to analyze it. Since they weren't looking her way, she had the freedom to study them a little closer. The clothes they were wearing were feminine and quite attractive. And, whereas the women might be attractive as well, they weren't as feminine as they had originally seemed. There were muscles in places where most women had softness. They looked like their bodies had been assembled from different kinds of athletes. Powerful swimmer's legs ran up into the hem of the summer dresses. The strong arms of weightlifters or fighters ran up into the sleeves. Their movements were smooth like those of a dancer or… martial artist. These girls reminded her of Sakagami Tomoyo from her world.

Bullies! No, they might be criminals here to rob the store! Either way, I must notify Akio-san. Kotomi concentrated on moving carefully so she could get down off the tall chair without making a sound. She put her hands on the counter to brace herself and slowly lowered her feet to the floor. Unfortunately, the chair made a loud sound when it skittered back from where she was slowly climbing down.

Wondering if the two women had heard it, Kotomi froze in fear, then slowly looked up to see that they were right in front of her and watching her closely. "Eep!"

"You have a very interesting hair color." the taller girl with the… classic Japanese build said.

"And eye color." the shorter and bustier girl said, "It is very rare."

"Very rare indeed." the taller girl reached into her big woven purse as she said, "We happen to be looking for someone with your description."

"Oh?" Kotomi wanted to yell for Akio to come to her aid but she was petrified like a rabbit staring into the eyes of a pair of serpents. She watched the taller of the two as the dangerous looking woman pulled her hand out of her purse with a flat piece of metal and glass in her hand. It was laid down on the counter with an audible thunk while both women continued to watch Kotomi's reactions.

"Would you mind putting your hand on this piece of glass? I promise, this isn't something that will hurt you." the shorter and more buxom woman said in a way that made it sound more like an imperative than a request.

Kotomi looked down at the counter and fully took in the device for the first time. Her fear was suddenly gone and wonder filled her mind as she looked at the sleek tablet that shouldn't be there. Instead of placing her hand on it, she picked it up to be sure of what she was seeing. "A Folio? You can't get a Folio in 1993."

"Ah!" the taller woman gasped and seemed to have completely lost her carnivorous aura.

Kotomi touched the screen and watched the tablet come to life in her hands. The colors and the big twenty-six centimeter screen were both telltales that this device could not possibly be from this world. Her trained mind raced through all the possibilities and came up with only two conclusions. However, before she could ask any questions, the shorter woman touched the side of her hat and said something.

"This is Kishiyami at the bakery. We found Kotomi Prime."

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Glossary

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Dashi: A savory broth made from fish flakes. The base for miso soup.

Folio: an android based tablet made by Toshiba in 2010.

Heian Period: 794-1185AD

Obasan: Aunt

Takarakuji: lottery