Notes: Rei is now retconned some say... And so I was inspired to write this, even though I'd said I wasn't going to write anymore in this fandom at least until after Sotsu airs. Both series can fit and I think Gou is better if they do, but Sotsu may or may not end up totally going against the ideas/events in this story. In the meantime, enjoy! Though I hope it would be obvious from the summary: Major spoiler warning for both Rei and Gou.
One Last Fragment
The observer lay on her back, gazing into the crystal-like surface of the fragment. Inside, Rika blushed as Satoko put her arms around her to help her adjust the tail on her punishment outfit. Satoko felt embarrassed about Rika's reaction, so lightened the mood by pushing the toy tail up into her friend's face. Rika scrunched her face and sneezed before Satoko laughed. Rika giggled as well, pawing at the ribbon as if she were a cat. "I've got something for you too, Satoko," she said, taking out a box and pulling out some bunny ears.
"Hm? Rika?" Satoko began hesitantly. "What's this for?"
"I've been saving it for our next punishment game," Rika said. "And you shouldn't forget that you're being punished today too!"
The observer laughed as her past self reacted with dismay. After this, of course Rika would have to get very close while helping her best friend adjust the embarrassing appendages, which Satoko had thought were very childish at the time. Of course, the observer that spent over a hundred years by this point looking over these fragments also thought they were childish. But they suited her and Rika as younger children, props for the fun time they wanted to have. The disdain the younger Satoko had felt at the thought of wearing them, that wasn't any kind of suffering, just a bit of spice in their life. A low threshold uncomfortable feeling thrown in with all the rest of Satoko's feelings of enjoyment during times spent with her friends - especially Rika.
Had Satoko known how she felt toward her closest friend at the time? After watching herself over and over in many similar though still different fragments, it wasn't easy to say. Perhaps there was no need to put it into words, since things were going so well. Their feelings toward each other progressed as a natural development, no need to label it or otherwise describe it. They could just enjoy things as they were, and not worry about if it was love or if they were committed to each other or what the future might bring. It wasn't really something they dwelled on at that age. They just lived in the moment, and things got better and better between them.
Until Rika became obsessed with that school, of course. Things likely would have continued in this blissful direction if that cursed place wasn't involved. They could live together happily forever. Who could tell what the possibilities might bring?
With the power she'd been given, the observing Satoko eventually could, of course. And it shouldn't be that difficult for things to go the way she hoped after Rika got over that hyperfixation. All she needed was time, which she had control of as well. There was plenty of time, even enough for her to take to loll and enjoy scenes like this again.
"There you are."
Satoko sat up as she heard the voice. Even though she was annoyed at having her enjoyment of these old fragments interrupted, this entity had done much for her, and she wasn't about to be rude. "Good evening, Eua-san. Or is it good morning?"
Eua tittered. "I'll go with your decision on that. I see you're looking at that one again. Wouldn't you like to complete your goal?"
"Well, there's no need to rush, is there?" Satoko said. She was slightly embarrassed that she'd been caught loafing around, but what she said was true, wasn't it? "Being lied to, betrayed, and abandoned was very difficult, but it's not all I want to remember. Seeing who Rika truly is reminds me why I'm doing all this."
"Oh? So you think you've seen that?" Eua said, raising an eyebrow.
"You don't?" Satoko asked, honestly curious. Did Eua know something she didn't? Satoko was willing to listen.
"People are endlessly complex," Eua said.
Oh, so that's what she'd been getting at. People would continue to show other sides to themselves after one got to know them. Satoko nodded. "Of course. But I do think I knew Rika well enough before, and even better now. Everything she's locked away, I've seen it."
"Everything?" Eua laughed as she said it.
"Yes, everything," Satoko bragged. "I was about to mention it - I've gone through all these fragments, I was just taking a moment to enjoy certain parts again. But I really should get on with things. I'll thank you very much for your help before I do."
Eua's expression didn't change much, not that Satoko had expected much of a reaction. However, the entity's eyes went toward the floor. "All of them? Well, there's still that last one."
Satoko followed Eua's gaze, her eyes catching sight of something she must have seen before, but ignored. She picked it up now, frowning as she looked closer. It didn't look like the rest of the fragments, somewhat smaller, rounder. Instead of looking like a shard, it was almost as if it were a whole marble, except for a small chip. Besides not matching the visual appearance of the others, it had a different feeling from the rest just from holding it. It did seem to be a fragment after all though - Satoko looked in, seeing flashes of Hinamizawa, including herself and others she knew at the expected ages for the time period of these fragments.
"That's the final one."
Satoko raised her eyebrow at the declaration. "I just saw the final one... I guess I must have missed this one," she said curiously. What was one more?
"No, that one is the final one," Eua repeated. "Until you get started, I suppose." She smiled wider as she spoke.
Eua was so insistent, so Satoko assumed her helper was speaking the truth. But why? Where they'd helped save Rika and everyone else before Satoko had gotten her heart broken by being shunned in that terrible school a few years later - that really had seemed to be the end of it. So what was this, and why did it exist?
It would be easy enough to find out.
Satoko screamed in unison with her past self. She soon controlled herself, as the Satoko in the fragment kept crying. The observer had seen Rika killed before, of course, but not this kind of grotesque beheading caused by a vehicle impact, so she'd gotten surprised. Everyone else was upset as well, but the younger Satoko herself cried the most, held back by the others before she could go see her friend, who was truly dead and gone.
The observing Satoko noted Hanyuu nearby. The ghost, goddess, alien, whatever she was, often was quite upset at Rika's deaths as well, despite having the ability to correct them with her powers. But this time was different. Observing the ethereal-esque being, Satoko noted only a blank expression. Finally, Hanyuu closed her eyes, forcing a smile.
Because this could all be undone, of course. Satoko wouldn't fault Hanyuu for not showing much emotion. There was no reason to get too excited when this was a simple rewind. Satoko ought to rewind as well, see what had led to this. She supposed since this fragment was somehow different from the rest, she'd accidentally started from the end instead of the beginning as usual.
Before she could try to go back, the world seemed to go dark. As Satoko turned around, she saw things appear again, in the familiar setting of Hinamizawa School. Rika lay there, completely intact. "What was that then?" Satoko asked herself. Rika was waking up, a bit groggy, but just fine overall. However, Satoko noted the observed girl touched her head as she came to, almost as if recalling the impact.
Satoko noted herself entering the room, arms folded, eyebrow raised, lips pursed. Chie-sensei was next to that past Satoko. Satoko couldn't remember this scene, but of course, she didn't remember any of the past fragments even as she observed them beyond a sense of vague deja-vu. Even so, this scene felt a little more foreign to her than any of the rest. What had she been so upset about in this world? It must have something to do with the reason Rika had gotten hurt.
But as the Satoko of this world entered the room, her expression only became more cross, the tension in her body became tighter. Instead of approaching Rika to comfort her, the younger Satoko just turned away, as if annoyed by the sight of her hurt friend.
"Is she okay?" a familiar voice asked as the door opened again.
The observing Satoko turned to see who it was. She couldn't be hearing what she thought. Probably not, she'd forgotten the voice of the person she thought she was hearing. He'd always been gone after a certain date without fail. It was probably just someone who sounded similar.
But it was indeed her brother, Satoshi. Satoko shrugged upon seeing him, frowning. As Rika fully came to, the younger Satoko only became more annoyed. Rika seemed shocked as their conversation continued, and the observing Satoko ended up identifying more with Rika than 'herself'. It was plain to see, even before the conversation confirmed it, that Satoko didn't care at all for Rika in this fragment.
Had she really hurt her best friend - even if it seemed that Rika wasn't her best friend in this world? Had it been on purpose? Satoko usually knew exactly how the 'her' of any fragments was feeling, but this was different. Or perhaps, Satoko didn't want to believe what she was reading from 'herself' in this fragment.
Was she responsible for Rika's injury? This version of Satoko didn't want to be bothered by that. In general, Rika wasn't someone cherished at all, just an annoyance. Maybe she hadn't really hurt Rika, but she wasn't about to explain herself or apologize. Maybe it had been on purpose, without really meaning to hurt the other girl, but even if so, Satoko wasn't about to be told she was bad for it. Only with goading, she finally relented and apologized, at least in words.
Rika was, of course, devastated at the reaction of her dear 'best friend'. The observing Satoko herself didn't know how to feel. Why she'd done all she'd done - that was because of how much she cared about Rika. Yet observing this fragment, the feeling of 'herself' mixed in with Satoko's long held intentions. What was this?
The observing Satoko decided she didn't care much about what Rika was up to, at least for the moment, and followed 'herself' instead.
Outside after school, the elementary aged Satoko sighed loudly. Other girls approached her. The observing Satoko recognized them, Hinamizawa wasn't that big a place, but hadn't been that close to them. But here, they smiled at her, greeting her happily. "Good afternoon," Satoko greeted back.
"What happened with Furude?" one asked.
"Can't we forget about that," Satoko replied with a frown. "Furude-san is making a show of things again. A perfect little princess in distress. 'Help me, help me, I'm so frail and fragile!' You know her."
The other girls laughed at Satoko's overexaggerated impersonation.
"She's truly obnoxious, but she can't bother us any more today if she wants to keep up the act. Should we play?" Satoko suggested.
The other girls shouted in affirmation. They soon began playing a game of kickball before hide and seek, Satoko finding them all easily, laughing as she did.
"Satoko! Satoko!" Satoshi's voice called. "Satoko," he repeated as he came closer.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm here!" Satoko said, running toward him to greet him.
"It's time to come home now, okay?" Satoshi said.
"Right, I've got it. You should really worry about yourself, Onii-san. You've got dandelion seeds sticking all over your face," Satoko teased.
"I do? Where?" Satoshi began to rub his eyebrows. "I don't feel it... Wouldn't it tickle?"
"Right here," Satoko said as she approached him. She pinched her fingers together as if to pluck something off, but as Satoshi watched one hand closely, the other one came up, dandelion in hand, and Satoko blew it right at him.
She laughed as the seeds filled his vision and Satoshi closed his eyes and blinked. "Hey! That's not fair, Satoko." As Satoko laughed more, Satoshi smiled as well. He rubbed her head before turning around. "Let's go."
Seeing the scene of 'herself' happily walking with her brother, the observing Satoko felt something she hadn't for a long time. That wish for her brother to come home - here it was, granted effortlessly, as if all her hopes and struggles weren't ever needed. The siblings were just together, as if there was never any strife at all, walking home as if it were a place they had no trouble being. Dumped in her lap was the vision of Satoshi and her together again, both happy and healthy, something that seemed before might never come despite Satoko's wishing and trying to be worthy of it. Could it really be that perfect? What would it be like when she was home?
The young Satoko rushed through the door, only hesitating to take off her shoes, announcing their arrival loudly. Her aunt and uncle weren't there - instead it was her mother, along with one of her fathers, the one that had given her the often cursed 'Houjou' name and not much else. The observing Satoko was about to leave, when she got a burst of positive energy from 'herself' in the fragment, greeting her parents and accepting their greetings in return, happily sharing events and stories from the day.
Rika wasn't even mentioned.
Despite feeling a sort of dread when she'd first seen her parents, Satoko stayed upon seeing 'her' own happy reaction. The scene was full of a sort of calm, mundane joy. Satoko continued to observe as the days went on. In this fragment, 'she' was quite happy, and so was the rest of her family. Even Satoshi - though Satoko was a source of distress for Rika, her brother was still apparently able to live unburdened by Satoko's failings. He supported her as was typical of an older brother, but was still able to have his own life. They talked together, played together, but also had their own hobbies and activities. Satoko wasn't too dependent on him, but was still a part of his life.
However, she purposefully wasn't a part of Rika's. "Good morning!" Satoko's beloved best friend of many fragments greeted the self of this fragment happily. Satoko brushed by, purposefully ignoring her as if nothing had been said. That did seem mean, but it was just how things were in this fragment. Satoko, like most people, didn't consider the world worthy of being in her circle, and here Rika just wasn't in it.
How strange it was, seeing Satoko as being so popular with the class while the quiet Rika was ostracized. Not that it would last long, the observer soon learned while trying to discover the answer to what events might have led to this fragment. An easy guess was that the dam project didn't exist, but it soon became obvious that it did. In fact, it was to be implemented without controversy with them all moving away. Her father's ideas on the matter had apparently been discussed rationally, many being of a similar mindset. The people of Hinamizawa had apparently ended up agreeing for the town to be sunk, with them leaving without much fanfare. Many of them were already gone, the place being even quieter than usual.
Keiichi wasn't even there to begin with. Of course, with the current series of events, there was really no need for him to be. Mion wasn't there either - Satoko picked up easily that this 'Mion' was the one she knew as Shion. Even Rena seemed foreign compared to other fragments as she went by 'Reina' and also didn't seem too troubled by the fact they'd all soon be leaving, their hometown sunk.
This Satoko really wasn't all that troubled either. The observing Satoko channeled her feelings - it all seemed to be alright from her point of view. Of course, she didn't like that she and Rika weren't close, but it really wasn't that troubling, as this was just one fragment gone and done with. How vast were the number of possibilities? So much so that even the scope of the many, many fragments already observed seemed incredibly narrow in scope.
Even so, as she continued to observe, the question of how this fragment came to be remained unanswered. Perhaps such a stretch from the established series of events was Hanyuu's attempt at a win without all the complications. It seemed like it would work out, but obviously hadn't, and the question as to why was very curious. Everyone seemed so mellow, their true troubles all nonexistent, anything that might lead to the tragedy cut out of this fragment's existence, even as far as Takano Miyo went. It was perfect.
Rika must also be pleased. Like Satoko, she had her family back. With how things seemed to be falling, Oyashiro-sama's so-called miko would finally get to leave Hinamizawa, which had become apparent was her adamant wish. She might be an outcast here, but it was temporary. There was nothing objectionable about the series of events in this fragment. So what had derailed Rika's ultimate goal?
Satoko had mostly followed herself in the fragment, other than a few times she'd gone to see how Rika was doing, and found her happily engaged in a normal life with a family. Something was going to happen - otherwise this fragment would have been the end - so the observer kept her eye out for anyone who might be showing symptoms of the syndrome. Though she'd eventually expected someone to break down, she hadn't expected this.
After just a bit of teasing over an old book, it was Rika who snapped in a violent display. Surprisingly enough, all of Rika's ire ended up being directed at Satoko herself, though plenty of others had been involved. Rika hit Satoko with the chair over and over again, accusing her of impersonating her best friend, informing that Rika herself wasn't who this Satoko thought, before stopping.
A few others went to check on Satoko after Rika left, but she refused to cry, biting her lip through any pain. "Something is very wrong with darling 'Rika-chama'," she eventually commented after assuring others she was alright.
Other girls agreed, more bile coming out of their mouths to describe the previously demure girl who had just snapped and what should happen to this offender in retaliation. "Hey," Satoshi eventually interrupted. The girls stopped, all looking toward him. He smiled. "Let's go outside, Satoko."
Satoko agreed, and despite her tough demeanor, appeared to look around for anyone who might be near, then grabbed Satoshi's sleeve as she heard someone walking. It was just the principal passing the other way, so they kept going. Outside, they were finally alone, and sat near the path to the school.
"Onii-san, I'm not afraid or anything. I can go right back up there and stare 'Rika-chama' in the eyes," Satoko assured.
"Can you be kinder to Rika-chan?" Satoshi asked.
"Huh? What are you talking about?!" Satoko demanded, standing up. "She's the one who just assaulted me! I'm already being kind by not hitting her back! How much more should I have to do? It's her fault things are like this! No one likes her!"
Satoshi looked down, shrugging his shoulders sheepishly at Satoko's outburst. Seeing her brother's nonreaction, Satoko sat down and folded her arms, figuring that was the end of that. But then Satoshi spoke. "So, um... Should we not be kind to people who no one likes?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly before he forced a smile.
Satoko's eyes widened, feeling some guilt. Of course, she had a moment of empathy, realizing that the girl she playfully teased must be hurt all the more knowing without any remaining allies to defend her. Satoko had her friends crowd around her, but no one bothered with Rika at all. Though before the quiet girl had hid behind the group that had left and silently let them defend her at the expense of others, Rika must currently feel a great burden in standing on her own.
The observing Satoko also felt guilt from her own experiences. When they were younger, Rika had been her ally when no one else would, in fragment after fragment at that. Was it really the case that she wouldn't do the same? She'd been even worse than Rika had in that school. As bad as things were, at least Rika then had held back instead of adding to any sort of nonsense going on. How like her brother to be so gentle in approaching her, thinking of Rika when Satoko herself wouldn't.
The Satoko of the fragment sighed loudly. "It can't be helped. I'll have to try my best to be kind to Furude-san then."
Satoshi nodded, making a noise of relief. "Thank you, Satoko. If things kept going like this, I wouldn't have liked it."
"I can control myself," Satoko said.
"Right." Satoshi stood up. "Let's go back, then." As they started walking back to the room, he continued. "I know Rika-chan will appreciate the support of a strong person like you. I do."
Satoko laughed and ran forward to hide her embarrassment at the direct complement. The observing Satoko knew the feelings of her 'self' in this fragment were the same as her feelings now - knowing she wasn't very strong at all. In the end, Satoko was someone who could just kept going despite her many weaknesses. In actuality, she didn't have the strength to support anyone much at all, not even herself. If she could, maybe Rika wouldn't have decided she wasn't worth it when they were both at that school.
But she had, and that was why Satoko was here, having gone over years and years of Rika's existence to help make sure they were together. Satoko was weak without others to support her. She needed Rika in her life. She wanted a happy life with the miko girl more than anything.
But maybe she shouldn't be so selfish. In a fragment like this, things weren't so bad. Maybe this was the kind of end Satoko ought to aim for, since she had the power. Even if she couldn't be with Rika, have that perfect person she wanted in her life, at least they could both have a happy ending with their previously long gone families. Rika had decided in other fragments that was impossible, but the existence of this fragment proved it wasn't. Maybe it was much easier than Rika had thought.
And it did seem like things were winding down to that. Satoko greeted Rika at school the next day, speaking politely to her throughout the day, even eating lunch with her. Of course, Rika didn't seem to fit, not getting their in-jokes, but smiled somewhat as she sat silently eating. Satoko was proud of herself for being so kind. As she saw Rika at the end of the day changing into her shoes, she smiled. "Take care, Furude-san!"
Rika stared back at Satoko coldly. Satoko took a step back, clenching her fist and glancing to the nearby hall for who else might be nearby. Rika glanced to the ground before whispering, "Sorry."
Satoko relaxed and decided not to get annoyed by Rika's cutesy yet overly sad tone. "No worries," she said, tittering coolly.
"Hmph." Rika smirked, staring back up. "I can't really take this," she said, speaking much more seriously now, her mature tone showing through.
"Furude-san?" Satoko said.
"If you're going to use Satoko's face and voice to talk to me, this kind of act isn't enough for me." Tears started to fill Rika's eyes, but she rubbed them, trying to smile and hide it. Even so, she failed, a sob escaping from her throat before she wailed out her next words. "I want her! I want my best friend back! Just placating me as part of some kind of charity - That's not enough for me!"
Rika ran out the door, leaving Satoko dumbfounded. "What's wrong with her?" a girl asked as she approached, apparently having witnessed the end to their encounter.
"I don't understand that girl at all," Satoko said before brushing it off and asking her friends to play.
It had taken Satoko over a century, but she finally did understand, wholly and completely at that. As she continued to observe the fragment, it came to its inevitable close. Rika wasn't satisfied with this kind of ending, a mundane, drab existence without having the one she truly loved - without being in Satoko's heart. She sacrificed her mother to return to the previous fragment, per Hanyuu's advice.
As Satoko came to the completion of the fragment, she turned it around in her hands, not sure how she immediately felt. When the shock wore off, she realized she felt closer to Rika than ever. Seeing circumstances that related to her own so much, she'd numbed her pain.
But there was really no reason to feel shaken up by any of it at all. Satoko clenched the fragment in her hand, holding it close to her heart. What she'd just seen should be to her delight, not her suffering. It was violent and a bit sad, but it was the best she'd observed yet. This was what she'd needed to see to ease her burden. This was her validation that she was right to continue, her complete confirmation that Rika shared her feelings too.
Satoko's beloved had just forgotten what was really important. Rika's careless betrayal was endlessly frustrating, but Satoko would set her back on the right path, find the ending that they both truly wanted. With the power Eua had given, the past painful years could be erased, and everything could be put back on track toward the happily ever after they both deserved.
Satoko gingerly placed the fragment back on the ground. It rolled around before stopping at the end of the line of the others. "Oh?" Eua said, looking over at Satoko's alert expression. "So, you've finished your task?"
"That's right," Satoko said. It was time to really get started. Satoko would be sure to keep Rika's sentiments in mind as she went forward. She'd do whatever she had to in order to get Rika to recall what she herself wanted to hold dear. The same as her, Satoko wouldn't settle for any lesser sentiments or any half-baked outcomes that seemed good enough. She'd go right for what she really wanted and forget everything else. Also the same as her beloved Rika, Satoko would sacrifice whatever she needed to.
From everything observed in that last fragment, Rika would likely come to appreciate such efforts.