"So.. there's another whole world inside the TV, and Teddie was born there, and you have special powers. Oh, and Mr. Fox has healing abilities," Maika said, summing up the conversation.
"Yes," Nanako said, feeling embarrassed. "Look, I know it all sounds crazy -"
"Actually, it makes a lot of sense when you think about it," Maika replied.
"Wait, what? Really, you think it does?"
"Yes!" Maika said cheerfully. "Teddie has always been very different, so that explains that part. And you've always been really connected to him, so it makes sense you would be the one to get these powers. Oh, and Mr. Fox has always spent a lot of time with your cousin, plus the things he said just now about the TV…"
"Hmm," Nanako murmured. "I guess when you put it that way, it could be weirder, right?"
Maika giggled. "Absolutely!"
"I guess my next question is, will you help me?" Nanako asked softly.
"Oh, Nanako-chan, I would do anything for you, but I'm not sure how I would be able to help. I don't even have one of those persona things," Maika said thoughtfully.
"None of us had them until we went inside the TV, Mai-chan. And, well, I had a really special job in mind for you, anyway."
"Really? What's that, Nanako-chan?"
"I need… a fox translator," Nanako said with a blush.
"Ohhhhh," Maika said, as the meaning dawned on her. "If Mr. Fox is going to help you, you need to be able to talk to him."
"Exactly," Nanako said with a smile.
"I wonder why your cousin can talk to him, but you can't?" Maika said, thinking out loud.
Nanako let out a long breath. "I have no idea. Maybe… it's probably related to the cat thing, you know?"
Maika giggled again. "That makes sense. He definitely has a way with kitty cats! Foxes aren't all that different, right?"
"I have no idea," Nanako admitted honestly. "So what do you think? Will you be my fox translator?"
"I would love to!" Maika replied. "Oooh, this is really exciting!
Kiyotaka Shijima stopped in his tracks when he approached the Samegawa riverbank to find two of his classmates laughing and splashing in the water. He rolled his eyes. It just had to be those two, didn't it?! Miusagi Mochizuki had to be just about Kiyotaka's least favorite person, and he always had been. When they were kids, both boys had taken a liking to the same girl… the one clinging to Miusagi's arm at this very moment, Sanae Komaki. She was even prettier now than she had been then, her straight black hair falling just past her shoulders, and her dark brown eyes shining as she looked at him. Ugh, Kiyotaka thought. He didn't even like Sanae that way anymore, not really. It just still made him angry that she completely chose Miusagi over him, time and time again. He gave them one good glare with his light blue eyes before turning around and heading back the way he had come.
Unfortunately, turning around revealed that his little shadow had been following him again. God, she's so annoying! Yoko Mori was one of the most beautiful second years at school, with her long, brown hair streaked with blonde, and those warm brown eyes. She was petite and slender, yet curvy in all the right places. The problem was, Kiyotaka just wasn't into her, and she wouldn't leave him alone. "Why are you following me again?" he asked, running a frustrated hand through his light brown hair.
Yoko's face lit up in a sly smile. "I saw you heading down this way, and thought we could spend some time together by the river," she said with a flirtatious wink.
Kiyotaka sighed. "I told you, that's not going to happen. Stop following me." He walked off towards the shopping district, feeling more annoyed than ever when he heard her call out to him.
"Maybe another time then!" she said, much to his horror.
He kept moving as quickly as he could. He felt like he couldn't even breathe as he tried to block out the annoyance of Yoko and the pangs of jealousy he felt seeing Sanae and Miusagi enjoying each other's company. After a few minutes, the anxiety had churned up so high that he barely knew where his feet were taking him. He rounded a corner and slammed right into another person, knocking them both to the ground. When the haze left his vision, he found himself staring into the most beautiful violet-brown eyes he had ever seen. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" asked the girl.
"F-Fine," Kiyotaka stuttered. "How about you? I'm sorry I knocked you over," he said softly.
"Oh, don't worry!" the girl said cheerfully as she shook out her wavy, caramel-colored hair. She reached down and began gathering up the wildflowers at their feet. She must have been carrying them when he ran into her.
"Let me help," he said quietly as he picked up a bright pink daisy and held it out to her. When she looked at him, he couldn't help but smile. The happy smile she gave him in return melted his insides.
"Thank you! Oh, I'm Maika, by the way!"
"Kiyotaka. And it's no problem." He handed her the bundle of flowers he'd picked up off the ground. "Were you in a hurry? We must have both been moving pretty fast to knock each other over like that," he said with a slight frown.
"Oh! I was just taking some more flowers to the… shrine. I guess I should probably finish my errand, it was lovely to meet you, Taka-kun!"
Kiyotaka watched her walk away. He wondered why his head was suddenly so clear, even though his heart was still pounding.
Nanako expected her usual routine of heating up leftovers when she got home. To her surprise, Souji and Rise were waiting for her. "You guys know I have school tomorrow, right?" she asked with suspicion.
Rise giggled. "Of course, silly! We aren't going to keep you up all night again."
"We brought home sushi. Figured you could use a break," Souji said, nudging her towards the table.
The three of them enjoyed the meal, talking and laughing over things that had happened in all of their lives that week. Finally, Nanako mustered up the courage to ask a question.
"When you were the guest, what did the Velvet Room look like?"
"Uhh… a limo, actually," Souji replied. "Wait, is it not a limo for you? I was just there and it looked exactly the same."
"It was a limo when I went there in my dreams, but this morning when I actually opened it with the key, it was completely different."
"Oooh, what did it look like, Nanako-chan?" Rise asked curiously.
"It was a meadow full of blue flowers, and when he invited me to sit, Igor made an armchair appear out of thin air."
Souji rolled his eyes. "Show off," he mumbled. "But wait, why was it different for you to begin with?"
"He said the room reflected the contents of the guest's heart, whatever that means," Nanako answered.
Rise frowned. "That's odd. I mean, I get why Nanako-chan's would be a beautiful meadow, but why would the inside of your heart be a limousine?"
Souji shrugged. "No idea. Maybe they knew I was going to have to haul your shopping bags back from Okina all the time and figured a really big car would be come in handy."
Rise smacked his arm. "Oh, stop it!"
Nanako laughed. "You two were right. A break is exactly what I needed."
