"Yukari," IA cries through the darkness of the hotel room, "what in the world, are we going to do?"
After having a short, manic episode... IA has requested a bottle of wine and half a container of Benzodiazepine to escape from the hellish nightmare. Their current reality. Luckily, the self-diagnosing, her irreverent dosing, seems to have not had an effect on her health. But rather, the nostrum seemed to have passed through her system faster than she had anticipated. Her eyes are red-rimmed and sober at four o'clock, in the morning!
Having refuted the temptation of substances, Yukari gasps and says, "Ari, first of all, before we address that... are you doing alright?"
"Of course I'm not!" the words trigger a malignant wail, "How am I supposed to be fine, when my only friend was slaughtered, mercilessly, in front of my very eyes!"
"I don't expect you to be. I'm just really worried about your condition."
"IT ISN'T MY DAMNED CONDITION THAT'S CAUSED THIS!" IA screams, "IT'S THIS DAMNED WORLD! THIS DAMNED WORLD MAKE THE TRIALS IN PURGATORY SEEM LIKE A FAIR SHAKE!"
"Calm down," Yukari whispers, trying not to shush her distraught girlfriend, "there are people looking for us, me especially, and we don't want them to find us. I apologize. If," the purple-haired woman pauses with uncertainty, "if we can make it out to the country, you can yell to your heart's content. But, in this city, no one ever sleeps and we're barricaded together like lab rats."
IA lets a hail of acrid tears wash over her peach-shaped face.
"Ari, did you know that the direct translation of the word, trauma, is wound, isn't it strange?" Yukari says with a beguiling smile, internally searching for something to grasp ahold of, "Isn't that such a powerful Greek word, to use in our everyday lexicon?"
"What does it even matter?" IA whimpers into her hidden wrists.
"It means that all things heal," Yukari proposes solemnly, "it means that there must be a point where failing things get better."
"By the logic of Nietzsche's eternal recurrence," IA mutters, in a deafened haze, "things will only repeat, over and over again, forever and ever."
"Doesn't that mean that, as long as you and I are alive, that we can always be happy again?"
IA lifts her head from the darkness of her hands.
Yukari has a sidelong stare, her smile becomes more sincere upon seeing IA's face pop out of their nest.
"I really hate you sometimes," IA says with a childish laugh, littered with sniffles and sobs.
"And, why is that?" Yukari asks, her grin snaking into a look of discomfort.
"Because you can be so freakin' careless!" IA explodes and, all at once, she leaps into Yukari's frail embrace. Yukari pats her hiccuping head and says softly, "You're such a baby, Ari. Seriously!"
IA hair becomes static with rage and she spits out, "You're the one who's going to get yourself killed."
"I have a show tonight," Yukari admits, with her arms in a shrug, "I can't let my fans down and that's that."
"You have to cancel, Yu!"
"Nope!" Yukari sinks one of her shoed feet onto an upholstered cushion, "Not going to happen!"
"You're a wanted person, for God's sake!" IA exclaims, "Are you crazy?"
"Listen," Yukari sighs vacantly, "it isn't just about my fans, okay? It's about the band. I need to do this one last show with them, before I go AWOL. I have to let them know what's happening!"
"But," IA struggles to agree to the terms that Yukari is laying on the table, "won't they come after your friends, then?"
"I have collateral for that," Yukari says confidently.
"What?" IA growls, dejectedly.
"There are high-precision camera at the Blackcat Café," Yukari explains, "which means, they can see and hear everything that goes on, in and around the vicinity. And there is proof, from the recording devices around their apartments, that I've never been there. They have nothing on the lot of them! I'll tell them that I'm quitting and that's that. Akari will understand, but be concerned; Maki might punch me; Kiritan will try to play detective. But, that's all that will happen."
"They won't be against taking hostages or playing dirty, you know," IA grouses, "just look what they did to Teto! One of their own! They killed her to get me to surrender and to pin her murder on you!"
"I know that," Yukari replies, trying to calm her down, rubbing her chin, "I will try to pass along a non-verbal message to Akari, giving her clearance to my hideaway. So, at the very least, they'll have ammunition to defend themselves with. I think if you and I make a run for it, they'll be more preoccupied with finding us, than with them. For safe measure, I'm probably going to openly insult them, in front of our fans even, and make it seem like I'm breaking up the band because I think they're losers."
"But," IA says with a trembling inflection, "won't your fans think of you as a jackass for doing that?"
"It doesn't matter," Yukari muses, "as long as it keeps them safe, and keeps the fans coming to their shows. You know, they could get Zunko to join them. I heard that she's an outstanding guitarist — though her humble beginnings came from her learning taiko drumming, with Kiritan."
"I mean, yeah?" IA contemplates, "I suppose, but who will replace you vocally. Your chops are next to none!"
"Akari," Yukari answers immediately, "she really is good at everything. Her and I are equals in our singing abilities. Fans that have heard her solos have even said she's better than me; there's a spit in opinion on that, up to personal preference more than anything, but she's good. Like, really good. Akari has a natural aptitude at more things than I can imagine. The only department that I excel above everyone at, is lyric writing. And I'm sure that either Kiritan or Akari can do that, probably Kiritan, since Akari is so busy at the restaurant she's working under!"
"What about Maki?" IA asks with a befuddled gaze.
"Oh, her!" Yukari says with a laugh, "She's a one-trick pony, she's insanely good at guitar and is super-model levels of pretty, but she's also an insane drunkard and lazy!"
"Super-model looks, eh?" IA carefully catechizes her partner, "Why haven't you messed around with her, then?"
"I'm not superficial," Yukari throws back a laugh, "plus, she's already tried!"
"What?" IA fumes, "WHEN?"
"You know that day you told me about the Hatsune Miku clones?"
"Yeah?"
"We were so absorbed in our conversation, that I forgot to mention that she came onto me!"
"When we were together?" IA's face turns bright red.
"Yeah," Yukari explains, "she wasn't sober for sure, but she kept going on about how she could be an affair. And to give her a chance; things like that."
IA silently smolders, and Yukari pats her head, saying, "That would never happen. Don't worry. I'm going to head out now, when I get back, let's start thinking of a way that we can eulogize Ms. Téa. Alright?"
Through tears, IA says, while rendered almost speechless, "Okay."
With that, Yukari turns around and walks out the door, leaving both keycards with IA. IA clutches them close to her chest, like a pair of numismatic charms. Yukari flips up her hood and every other second, she's looking over her shoulder. Her shadow is engorged under the street lights and she feels like someone is watching her.
When she climbs up on stage, her bandmates smile at her, but she casts a glance of disdain towards them. They uncomfortably look at each other, Akari seems to have a knowing look, but her eyes glossed over in a sheen a worry, too. After the remaining fans have finished filling up the venue, Yukari snarls into the mic, "S'about fuckin' time that you layabouts came in! Who in the hell do think you are? Makin' me wait all night?"
There are disgruntled whispers looming through the gig, a few dozen onlookers abruptly walk out, and she hears them mutter the words, "Asshole."
Gritting her teeth and baring her canines, she roars, "Now, let's give these useless people what they asked for!"
Even the belligerent Maki is stunned by Yukari's sudden change of heart. Reading the urgency of the mood, Akari and Kiritan immediately start jamming out—Maki shrugs and follows their lead. The opening verse comes on, and Yukari jives with the choice of theirs to start playing the Hatsune Miku cover first, she starts singing sadly.
TO BE CONTINUED