Author's Note: This is slowly turning into the size of a book. The document itself has close to 95,000 words. This is much longer on this site because of these author's notes. Anyway, I just had to focus on Noriko-chan this time. I seem to enjoy putting her through trauma and mentally breaking down. Why is that? Maybe because authors and writers are sadistic people? Anyway, more kept coming out as I kept writing, and here we are. All of the Christmas specials are finished and waiting to be posted on Saturday. I can't wait! After Christmas, there will be one more halo for 2021. I already know what that is going to be. For now, enjoy this week's halo.

Halo Twenty-One: Noriko:

-Noriko-

I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm starting to remember things that don't make any sense. I think was married and had a baby. But I'm only eighteen. I haven't even been on a date. I haven't even kissed a guy. But yet here I am remembering what it was like to be in love. What it was like to have a soulmate. What it was like to be loved.

Artemis…

How could I forget about her? Where is she now? I think that was her guiding me out of all those weird rooms. It had to be her. I have to find her again. Find her and tell her thank you. It's the least I can do.

My doorbell rang. Huh? I sat up on my bed. Who could that be this early in the morning? I got off of my bed and wandered out of my room.

"Who is it?" I asked as I looked out the peephole. Ryugamine stood outside trying to look in. A confused look came over my face as I opened a crack.

"Ryugamine-kun? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"How are you doing?" he asked. I blinked at first.

"Why didn't you call me?" I asked. "You didn't have to come over just to ask me that."

"I did," Ryugamine said. "But you didn't pick up. The operator said you were out of range or turned off." I stood there for a moment before I caught up to what he said.

"Oh! I forgot I turned that off," I said. "Sorry about that." I opened the door wider. Ryugamine had an odd look on his face.

"What?" I asked.

"Are you sure that you are okay?" he asked.

"Of course I am," I said, smiling. "Why wouldn't I be?" It hurts to smile. It's all I can do to keep from screaming all of the time. I noticed the serious look on Ryugamine's face.

"Don't lie to me," he said. I could feel my smile dimming away.

"Something happened after you listened to that message," he said. "You were crying and unresponsive. You even fell to your knees. What happened?" I looked down at my hands.

"I don't know what's real anymore," I said. "There's just so much going on in my head."

"Let's go inside so we can talk," Ryugamine said.

"Okay," I mumbled. He followed me into my living room.

We sat in silence at first. I laced my hands together in a ball. Ryugamine kept his eyes forward.

"What all do you remember?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I don't know where to start," I admitted.

"Take your time," he said. I closed my eyes and took a breath.

"I think I might have been married," I said.

"Married? Married to who?"

"I don't know. I can't see his face." I tried to picture him, but I drew blanks.

"Anything else you remember?"

"There was a baby."

"Boy or girl?"

"Boy." I felt myself smiling. "He looks so cute." But then, I started to get sad. Ryugamine shook me on the arm.

"Hey, hey," he said. I opened my eyes and turned to him. He had a concerned look on his face.

"Oh," I said.

"Is there anything else?" Ryugamine asked. I tried to think for a moment. I lowered my eyes.

"There is one thing," I said. I got up and hurried down the hall.

"Ishikawa?" I heard behind me. I couldn't stop. I made it straight into my room. I didn't have to look around for it. I reached under my bed and pulled that journal. I hurried back to the living room.

"There is this," I said as I held it out. Ryugamine stood up.

"Where did you get this?" he asked.

"It was mailed to me a couple of months ago," I said. "I don't know who it was." Ryugamine snatched it out of my hand.

"Hey!" I shouted. He opened the diary without even looking up. I felt a prickly sensation in my chest.

"Please!" I pleaded. Ryugamine looked up at me. He noticed how worried I looked.

"Please… Could I have that back?" I asked. Ryugamine gave me a strange look.

"Why?" he asked. I lowered my eyes.

"It's mine."

"What did you say?" he asked. For a moment there, I seemed to have disassociated myself in a way. I could see my body acting on its own. I saw myself reaching forward and snatching my diary out of Ryugamine's hand.

"What are you doing?!" he yelled. I didn't know that he had such a strong grip now. But I still wouldn't give up. A small tug-of-war ensued. I managed to yank the diary out of his hand. He fell back onto the couch. I held my diary to my chest. I kept my head down. I didn't say a word as I turned around and marched out of my apartment.

"Ishikawa!" Ryugamine shouted after me. I disappeared from my own apartment as the door slammed shut.

Aya and Junko were in good moods today. All of them had to do with a certain girl from Raira Academy.

Junko snickered to herself. It was a good thing that she sent that diary. Now, she just had to wait until all four players realized their purpose. Yes, all four of them. The fourth was going to be joining them in a few days. But she wasn't focused on that right now. Number three was slowly starting to get her memories back. It was thanks in part to that audio file in the Dollars Chat Room. (Yes, she lurked there from time to time.) Thanks to the hackers for cleaning up most of the audio file to be playable long enough to hear. When Junko heard the girl's name, she couldn't help but grin.

"Well now," she said. "Things just got more interesting." Kimiko looked up at her with a confused look on her face.

"What does that mean?" she asked. The nurse only grinned at her like a madwoman. The line of questioning died from there. Kimiko learned a long time ago not to ask too many questions.

Back in present day, Junko sat back in her chair and grinned. She couldn't track Noriko at the time, but she could still see how this was going to play out. If she was correct, Noriko would try to meet up with Makoto and try to get the truth. The nurse looked over at her board game across the room.

"Okay, Mako," Junko said. "What will you do next?"

Meanwhile, Aya felt joy of her own with Noriko's own recollection. That meant she could play her mind games on players one and three again. Who was going to crack this time? The therapist smiled to herself at her desk in the clinic.

"Heh, looks that Scottish bitch has her uses after all," Aya said. She picked up the phone and dialed up her number.

"Hello, it's me," the therapist said. "I am ready to cash in for another round in the mini game. How soon can you meet with me? Same place? Excellent. See you then." Aya hung up with a smirk on her face. Now to see what was coming next.

-Noriko-

I didn't know where I was going. I had my head down with my diary to my chest. I kept my eyes down as I walked. I didn't even put on my shoes. I just walked out the door. The strange thing was I could see myself walking around the city, but I was also in the sky. None of this made any sense.

A sharp pain ripped through my head. Gah! I can't think straight. There are too many memories in my mind. I don't know what's real anymore.

Where are you trying to go?

"Huh?" I turned around but I couldn't see anyone else near me. Who was that? My heart started pounding in my chest.

It's okay. It's only me. It's only me.

"Artemis? Is that you? Where are you?" I looked around, frantic. No one. Nothing. She was nowhere in sight. My throat began to tighten.

I can't let you see me yet. But you have to calm down. I can't help you if you start panicking like this. Do you understand me?

I couldn't speak. I could barely make out what she was saying. A pair of hands grabbed me by the face.

Do you understand me?

I slowly nodded. She breathed out a breath that she didn't know that she was holding.

Good. Now listen to me. You are starting to get your old memories back. How much are you starting to remember?

"I think I was married and I had a son."

Yes. What else can you remember?

I pressed my lips together. Everything came together as hazy puzzle pieces in my head. I pursed my lips together as one more name sat heavy on my tongue. Still, there was one more thing that I had to know.

"It was you, wasn't it?" I asked.

Yes.

"You were the one who has been guiding me out of that dream maze?"

Yes.

"And the audio file? Did you-?"

Yes. I had to wake you up. It's happening again. One of the horsemen is about to reunite with her horse.

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense." The grip around my face tightened.

I will explain everything as we go along, but you have to try and remember everything. If you don't, you'll be doomed to repeat this cycle again.

"But I don't understand anything you are saying!" The air shook around me. Waves of darkness filled my eyes.

You have to try and remember!

I shut my eyes at the shouting surrounding me.

Meanwhile, the me on the ground kept walking through the crowd with the diary to my chest.

Two detectives made it down to Narita airport. They were tipped off about a locker that Morikawa had a locker being used as storage. Terminal two in the basement. Kita had been spending a huge amount of money for over a year to keep the locker. She even went as far as to double the payment. No one at the airport even asked any questions. The staff didn't ask any questions when the police came with a warrant.

The detectives walked up to locker number eighteen as the woman at the front desk told them. One of them pulled out a coin and turned the knob. The door flung open. There wasn't much inside. Just a small manilla envelope sitting at the bottom of the locker. The other detective reached inside with gloved hands and pulled it out. The envelope was glued and taped shut.

"What's inside?" his partner asked. The detective ignored him as he pulled out a small knife. Carefully, he cut open the top. The men looked inside.

"Keys?" one of them asked. The other detective slid them into his palm. They were just two small pieces of flat metal.

"But to where?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Morikawa sat in a jail cell, refusing to talk. She sneered to herself as she guessed what the cops were doing now.

-Noriko-

There's too much going on in my head. It felt like I was being pulled around in different directions. I covered my ears and screamed.

Stay focused!

"It's hurting me!"

You can do this.

"I can't!" Tears ran down my cheeks.

You have to try!

An icy grip grabbed me by the face as I heard a baby crying. My son. My son! I have to go to him. My eyes darted around in the wavy lines. Where is he? Where is my baby?

I'm so sorry, Hya-chan. But he's gone.

My eyes widened. "Gone? Gone?!"

I'm sorry.

I shook my head. "That can't be." The crying grew louder. He can't be gone. He can't be. My son needs me. I have to go to him. I tried to run, but my limbs felt so stiff.

"Let me go!"

I'm not doing anything to you. Don't get distracted.

"But I have to go to my son!"

He's gone! You can't help him. Not anymore.

I shook my head. "But that can't be!"

I'm so sorry.

Her words felt like being splashed with cold water. Tears welled up in my eyes. My heart ached for a child that I never even met. My hands began to tremble.

"Why does it hurt so much?" I asked.

It's your old memories. A pair of hands grabbed mine as I sniffled.

I know that it's going to hurt you. But you have to suffer through this to get to your happy memories. If you don't, you and everyone else will be doomed to go through this cycle again.

"Why are you hurting me?"

I'm not hurting you. I'm trying to help you. You have to focus. Try to remember who you are. You have to try!

The pain in my head grew worse. I couldn't tell if I was the one screaming anymore or not. Too much kept flooding in my mind. A pair of strong hands wrapped around my throat. I couldn't see who they belonged to. But I noticed that he, I think it was a he, was crying. I couldn't make out what he was saying. Was he even talking at all? I didn't want to see this. I don't want to see this. Please… I don't want to die.

Another pair of hands covered my ears. Tears were running down my cheeks.

"I died, didn't I?"

Yes.

My lip started to tremble. "Did he kill me?"

Yes, he's killed you before.

"Do I know him?"

Yes.

"How many times?" She didn't answer.

"How many times?"

About fifty. Maybe more.

Tears ran down my face. "Why would you do this to me? I don't want this!"

You have to get through this pain. You have to know the truth. Haven't noticed that everything in your past feels fake?

I froze. Something about what she said cut through me worse than a knife. My life was a lie. I didn't know anything about my past before I met Yuki. But I did have parents. I did have a home.

No! That is all a lie! That was what your current life was. You have to remember what your real life was. Try to remember! Her voice ripped through the waves. My heart jumped in my chest.

"Then… who am I?"

You are Hya-chan. You are loved by your husband, son, and me.

"I'm… I'm Hya-chan?"

Yes.

"T-T-That can't be. I'm Noriko. I'm Ishikawa Noriko!"

Yes. You are both Noriko and Hya-chan.

I shook my head. "This can't be. It doesn't make any sense!"

It will all make sense. You just have to remember!

"I don't want to."

But you have to. This is for everyone. Do you want to end up in another time loop?

I shook my head.

Then you have to remember.

"I can't!"

You have to try! Try and remember! Please!

Everything shook around me. It felt like my ears were going to burst. I covered them as I winced. I staggered backwards before I vanished from wherever I was.

I opened my eyes and found myself in front of Michiko's apartment. I don't know how I would know how to get here. But I was standing here with the diary to my chest. Somehow, I had to be here. I walked up to the door and knocked. My arm trembled as I held the diary to my chest. I had been holding this thing all this time? My feet felt so sore.

I looked up when I heard the door open. Michiko stood in the doorway.

"Ishikawa-chan?" she asked.

"Is Mako-kun here?" I asked. She didn't say anything. I tried to look inside. I spotted Mako-kun sitting on the floor against the back wall in the living room. I pushed past her and ran into the room. Mako-kun, (I don't know why I started calling him that), didn't even notion his head towards me. He didn't speak as I stood in front of him. There was only one question that came out of my mouth.

"I was your wife, wasn't I?" I asked. Mako-kun stared at me with his blinded eyes. He didn't have to say anything, but what he said next made it worse.

"No," he said. My eyes began to well up with tears.

"You're lying," I said. I couldn't stop myself from crying. Mako-kun also had tears in his blind eyes.

Yuuko sat on Daichi's bed while she was getting dressed. The kanji for "war" was tattooed on her left inner thigh as she rolled up her stockings. She looked up when she heard a knock on the door.

"Enter!" Yuuko shouted. The door opened and Daichi poked his head inside. Her heart flipped in her chest.

"Daichi-sama!" she said. Her handler raised his eyebrow.

"You heading out tonight?" he asked.

"Uh-huh!" the deity said. She leaped up to her feet with a smile on her face. The sound of galloping hooves and neighing rang louder in her ears. She closed her eyes and took in the sound.

"Mmm," Yuuko said. She opened her eyes and giggled. Daichi slid his body into the room.

"You will not kill her yet," he said. "You do know that, right?" Yuuko puffed up her cheeks as she frowned.

"There, there," he said, putting up his hands. "You will get to kill her in a couple more days. I promise. Can you just hold off a little bit longer?" Yuuko snorted.

"Fine," she grumbled. Daichi gave her a sympathetic smile as he walked over and patted her on the head. Yuuko tried to resist smiling but caved in easily.

"Okay," she said. She looked up at Daichi as his smile deepened.

"What is it?" Yuuko asked.

"I do have a little something for you," he said. Daichi turned around and reached into the empty space in the air. Yuuko cocked her head to the side. The man grinned as he pulled out a dark purple and black kit. The deity saw stars in her eyes.

"Are you serious?" she asked.

"Yes," Daichi said. He started to hand her to the kit but then paused.

"However, there is one caveat," he said. Yuuko wrinkled her nose.

"And what is that?" she asked.

"You are not to open it or kill her until the tenth," he said.

"And what day is it?" Yuuko asked.

"It's the fourth," Daichi said in a calm tone. She looked up at him and frowned.

"That's six days from now," she whimpered.

"Yeah," he said. "If you can hold off for that long, I will give you something really nice after you kill her." Yuuko looked like she was ready to fly away.

"Really? You mean it?" she asked.

"Yeah," Daichi said, nodding. "It's going to be really nice too." The deity ran over to him and hugged him wildly.

"I love you so much! You are the greatest, Daichi-sama!" she shouted. He smiled and patted her on the head. Anything to keep his dark princess happy.