CH. 33 Sadistic Music City
With their day at the beach settled, the group makes their way to Tengu city. Despite stopping mostly for a beach trip, they are here to search for Origami. While Hiro was researching this time, he noticed a recurring theme. Miku is referenced in all forms of media in Tengu city in this time. He was able to link the ship's computer to look up various things on the internet and found various articles, but his research on the other spirits showed almost no results, but he did catch glimpses of them dressed as maid outfits tending to Miku in public shots.
The city itself looks normal, except the every corner and every store has a picture of Miku plastered somewhere. The group is maybe thinking that Miku has become a super idol, but this is suspect when they read that this time if fifty years apart from the base timeline. Despite the massive jump in time, the spirits shown in the pictures look the same. Kotori brings up the notion that maybe Miku has done something in this time that caused the spirits to stay young even after their powers are sealed.
Out of caution, the group only sends Shido, Shiori, and AkI. The others on the ship are going to survey the area as this time gives them an uneasy feeling. The streets look just as fine from the ground and there is something sweet smelling in the air. They walk to the source and look inside a café that is packed with girls. Each of them is surrounding Miku, who is drinking a glass of tea while eating a plate of delicious looking sweets that appear to be the source of the aroma.
There must be an excessive amount of women in this one area. Shido can't help but get an air of familiarity right now, but not in the good way because it makes him remember when he first met her when her school showed up for the festival preparations.
Shiori enters the café to say hello to this world's Miku as she does miss her mother, plus she's anxious to meet a younger version of her mother. Upon entering the café, Shiori is treated rather hostily as the other girls push her out the door. This also reminds Shido of when he tried to get close to Miku at first as well when he dressed as a girl.
Aboard the ship, Akane and Kotori have just made a startling discovery as they have found a game changer for this timeline. Something that disturbs them greatly, as Kotori shouts into the communicator.
"Shido! You and Aki need to get away from that café right now!"
Shido is a bit startled from the loud shouting and he couldn't properly hear what Kotori just shouted as the communicator goes static for a minute.
Miku exits the café and tells the other girls to back off as she apologizes to Shiori for their rudeness.
"I'm so sorry about that. My friends and followers tend to get carried away."
Miku is wearing her astral dress in public, and she suddenly puts her palm between Shiori's legs, much to her chagrin, with a slight look of distrust. Shiori becomes flustered and pushes Miku's hand aside while squealing.
"What are you doing!?"
Miku waves her hand with a blush and a smile as she apologizes yet again.
"I'm very sorry; I thought you were somebody else. But now that my confusion is out of the way, why don't we get someone as enchanting as you into something more comfortable."
Shiori shakes her head and replies while slightly lifting her skirt just a little and replies.
"This outfit was a birthday present from my mother, and I very much enjoy wearing it."
Miku inspects the dress and compliments it.
"I must say it is a stylish outfit. Your mother has good taste indeed. But I want to see you in more "comfortable clothes"."
Miku comes closer and tells Shiori.
"Take off your clothes."
Miku is trying use her powers, but Shiori becomes flustered as backs away while shaking her head.
"I won't do that."
Miku is a little surprised. She then asks.
"What is your name?"
Before Shiori can respond, the women from the café spot Shido and Aki as they point and shout.
"Men!"
Miku turns her head and notices the two as she becomes shocked and at the same time infuriated as she asks with anger in her eyes.
"How did you filthy men escape the camp!?"
Shido and Aki point themselves and Shido gets it. He grabs Aki by the arm and tells him.
"We need get out of here now!"
Aki doesn't get it, but he doesn't argue with it. The two begin to run away with a mob of women chasing them. Miku appears angered as she is thinking to herself. Shiori asks Miku.
"What do you mean by "the camp"?"
Miku smiles at seeing Shiori's cuteness as she replies.
"You don't know? I guess it has been over thirty years since I cleaned this city. I took all those dirty men, and I threw them into a camp under the city. Then I turned this city into an all women's' wonderland."
Shiori gets mad at this point and says.
"That's horrible. Why would you do anything like that? Men are just a good as women."
Miku shakes her head and explains.
"Men are disgusting. They lie, they're shallow, and they use us for our bodies and throw us away when our beauty fades. So I got rid of them all."
Shiori slaps Miku and angrily rebukes.
"My daddy is nothing like you described. He's never lied to me, he loves my mom, and he's always there to comfort her. Not because she's beautiful, but because that's who he is."
Miku is a little shocked by the sudden slap, but smiles as she gives a flirtatious smile and says.
"Oh, I like a challenge. Your more my type than I thought."
Shiori points at Miku and declares.
"You're nothing like my sweet mother. I reject you!"
Miku's eyes widen a little as she seems to remember a similar conversation. She then spots a nearby flowerpot with roses growing in it, plucks it, and hands it to Shiori. She then asks.
"Oh, and what would you do if I forced to be mine?"
Shiori gives a serious look and answers.
"I'd do everything I could to push you away from me. No matter how much it would hurt."
Shido and Aki manage to hide in a dumpster nearby and have temporarily eluded the women. Inside the dumpster, Aki asks Shido what's going on, and he explains.
"Miku, or at least the ones we know, used to have a big issue with men. Something happened in her past and she became sour on humans, especially men. She used to hate them more than anything, and I guess this world's Shido failed. I guess…."
Aki is probably thinking the same thing as Shido, and then he realizes.
"What about Shiori? We just abandoned her out there!"
Shido shakes his head and adds.
"She's better off not being affiliated with us right now. Miku won't do anything to hurt her, she'll probably make her very uncomfortable, but not hurt her."
Shido pokes his eyes out of the dumpster to see what's going on, and the women are gone, but he decides that they should stay in this dumpster until they can make contact with the ship again.
Miku is still talking with Shiori as Miku sniffs her rose and makes a proposal to her newly sighted target.
"I want you to understand that it is rare for any women to reject me. However, this makes you all the more desirable to me. I know you're a spirit if you can resist."
Shiori rejects the notion, but can't deny it either, so she doesn't say anything. Miku simply continues.
"But the other spirits in my collection are not immune, so this makes you a rarer treasure. So I'll make you a deal. I'll play a game by your rules. Defeat me, and I'll grant you one wish within reason. You can make me be your slave, you can have all the money you desire, or you can even become the new ruler of this city. But if you lose to me…well."
Miku gets closer to Shiori and puts her fingers to her chin and declares.
"Then you become a permanent part of my collection."
Miku raises her hand and snaps her fingers and immediately all of the other spirits show up in maid uniforms much to Shiori's dismay. Miku then offers.
"You may also use any of these ladies to assist you whatever game you choose."
Shiori isn't prepared to back down from a challenge if it means that she can stop Miku. She nods and submits her game idea.
"Fine, I want us to do a performance contest. Best two out of three, and the winner will be decided by both men and women."
Miku's eyes close more as she replies.
"Forget the men. They'll have no part in our contest. Besides, you shouldn't challenge me to a singing contest."
Shiori shakes her head and rebukes.
"Only someone who doesn't love music would say that. If that's the case, then you're not an idol at all. You're a simply a singer without a soul."
Miku's eyes widen as she grips her rose and replies.
"Don't insult my music. Who do think you are saying such a thing."
Shiori points at Miku and declares.
"Then let the men help decide our contest. If you don't accept my terms, then I won't even consider singing for anyone, let alone you."
Miku finally caves and suggests.
"Fine, but the men won't leave the camp. I'll have them vote electronically and they'll watch through a television."
Shiori agrees to the term, and says.
"Our contest will be three days, at Tengu Stadium."
Miku smiles and replies.
"Great location, and three days waiting will be fine. You're welcome to stay with me in the mean time."
Shiori shakes her head and says.
"I'm fine where I am thank you."
Shiori walks away as Miku watches her. Miku then reenters the café with the spirits as she is anxious to win in three days.
Shiori walks away in a cold sweat as she feels as if she's walked into a mine field. Aki and Shido exit the dumpster and look around before trying anything else. The smell of dumpster was too unbearable to stay in for too long. They catch up with Shiori, and they are suddenly teleported back to the Bifrost with Kotori and Tohka sighing with relief. They were worried after communications got lost. They then show Shido what was freaking Kotori out; footage of the underground camp. The men down there are slaves in the worst ways possible. They grow the crops in artificial climates, sew clothes and shoes according to designer specifications and are whipped mercilessly if they mess up, and some of them are kept in farms for the women who want children, and the children aren't exempt from this treatment either. Shido, Aki, and Shiori are mortified by this sight.
Shiori then explains to everyone about her challenge in three days against Miku. This gets everyone worried as Miku is more than likely to cheat. Akane also brings up that anyone who doesn't have Shido's blood in them is liable to become victim to Miku's power. Shido then assures everyone.
"But Shiori here is Miku's daughter. One that grew up in a happier environment, and is a very talented singer."
Hiro then points out.
"But that won't do much good against Miku's powers."
Shido shakes his head and adds.
"Then we'll support her in any way we can."
Shido gathers Aki and Hiro together as they will have to do something embarrassing. The plan is this, the three boys will dress as girls while Akane and Miyuki come with them and serve as Shiori's instrument players so that they won't fall under Miku's brainwashing. The others are to remain on the ship wearing earplugs to block out Miku's voice as they remember what happened last time. But Shiori is nervous about facing her own mother in such a contest as she shudders at the thought.