Watashitachi wa Nozomi
Inside Kanda Shrine's inner sanctuary, Nozomi looked on from her throne as she bounded Maki and Nico by the ropes. Nero looked mockingly at the two captives, prowling about them like a vulture around cadavers.
"So you're the Superintendent!" Nico cried.
"The one and only, you expect some fat old government bureaucrat," Nozomi laughed, "I fought my way to the position, y'all should gimme credit for it~"
"Then you should know everything," Maki said, "I demand the truth now! No more games!"
"Ah, I make the rules 'round here… but since we need to kill time… Why not!" Nozomi teased, "Ask away. I'm game."
"The Avatars and the iDols! What are they?" Maki demanded.
"Avatars eh… of who…" Nozomi smirked, gesturing to the statues by her side, "Of them… actually just the guy. These here are very, very artistic representations of the Coupled Gods."
"But that cult was destroyed, killed all of their people!" Maki cried.
"Oh, that was a lie. It spread and transformed, reaching to our shores and taking root in Japan." Nozomi said, "But yeah, back to the Coupled Gods. The Avatars are the incarnations of the Sky Father, all seeking the Earth Mother."
"Huh?" Nico wondered.
"Long story short, the Avatars are finding the Omphalos." Nozomi said.
"The navel of Gaia…" Maki said, "The Nazis found it in Greece during the war, the Americans took it with them, and now it's somewhere in Tokyo."
"Yup, but its exact location is a secret, even to me with all the clearance I could get. The secret most likely died with the builders to be certain," Nozomi added, "Glad you've been doing the readings I gave y'all."
"You gave them!" Maki exclaimed, "I thought Nero was a bit too competent…"
"Oi, watch your mouth, little lady," Nero threatened.
"C'mon, we are diverting!" Nozomi laughed, "These Avatars take on different shapes and forms, all of which having once roamed the ancient land and their visage is remembered by all forms of life. A genetic memory, if you will."
"That's why their names are from mythological figures," Maki cut her off.
"Not all, just the fallen gods and monsters. That's why they exist as monsters in our folklore," Nozomi said, "All the world's cultures remembered the fearsome Avatars that once treaded and crawled the land we stand, hence the Coupled Gods was built in the image of all the gods."
"And the iDols?" Maki probed.
"Formed from the carapace of the Template, codenamed Lilith." Nozomi said, "It was quite an innovation, originally conceived as a weapon for war."
"So the iDols did come from the Avatars." Maki affirmed.
"You figured it out yourself, shouldn't be much of a shocker." Nozomi said, "Ah, I know! Tell me something y'all found out. Bounce off your theories."
"Avatars emerge more frequently with more iDols," Maki remarked.
"Why yes, I've worked out nine as a reasonable number to get them going. They're innately linked to the Omphalos and will always seek it, so more Avatars make it easier to find it," Nozomi said, "Minami was a fool to send her daughter away at such a crucial moment, but I cancelled her placing and ticket."
"What kinda power you have?" Nico asked.
"Just the standard Superintendent authority… I've did decide on the subunit groupings and the no sempai ruling." Nozomi revealed, "Y'all should thank me for putting you two together. Eli-chi thinks you're quite a lewd couple."
"Me! With her!" Both cried in outrage.
"Talk about compatibility!" Nozomi laughed, "But disclaimer, I did not suspend Honoka-chan. Minami does act like she's in charge sometimes, even though she's just another puppet on strings… as y'all right now."
"Who else is in on your plot?" Maki demanded.
"I'm more of a solo player really," Nozomi said, "But I have to use a whole lot of people to get to this stage… like Nico-chi's father."
"What do you mean?" Nico yelled.
"Your daddy used to procure sites for a certain cult, finding some old apartments built in the 60s," Nozomi explained, "It has to be the 60s. Got some post-war reconstruction… or that's what they say officially. The Omphalos was definitely built over those sites, so the cult sent property agents to find it… And well, let's just say that some were badly built…"
"You guys killed my father! You bastards!" Nico yelled, struggling against her restraints.
"However, your father's death will not be in vain." Nozomi said solemnly, "The hopes of all the living and the dead… the cult, those who perished in April Fool's Rampage, your father… they will be fulfilled… That's why I chose my name as such…"
"Hope… Nozomi…" Maki muttered.
"Oh my, I've revealed it…" Nozomi mused, "I am the last remnant of a succession since the Church of Coupled Gods, and I will fulfil the ambitions of those who died for it and those living in pursuit of it. I am the embodiment of their hope. I am Nozomi."
Back in Phoebus Apollo, the absence of Maki and Nico were not unnoticed. Everyone was trying to find the two missing iDol pilots, with Eli frantically searching about.
"Oh God, Where are those two?" Eli screamed, looking around her.
"Ayase-san!" Hideko called out, with Mika and Fumika trailing behind.
"Hideko…" Eli snapped out of her frustration.
"I've checked with the surveillance system and found Nishikino-san and Yazawa-san leaving the base and on a cab," Hideko said.
"I have to go find them!" Eli cried.
However, she did not move at with the three technicians holding her back.
"Please calm down, Ayase-san." Mika cried.
"This base cannot have no iDol pilots!" Fumika added.
"Then what do you suggest?" Eli cried.
"I suggest we get help," Captain Minami's voice called out, approaching Eli and the technicians, "Hideko, call the others and give me their status. I will need another pilot with Ayase-san here, while the rest can find the missing two."
"Roger," Hideko replied, running off to contact the rest of µ's.
Meanwhile, in the Kousaka household, Honoka had just finished her dinner and was watching a movie with her family. The scene was more of her typical everyday life, lying down on the floor and lazing about.
Then, the phone rang.
"Honoka, get the phone." Her mother cried.
"Uh, Yukiho! The phone!" Honoka pushed the job to her sister.
"The Heck! Nee-chan!" Yukiho exclaimed, grabbing the phone anyway, "Yes? Nee-chan, for you!"
Yukiho gave the phone to Honoka, before returning to her chair and watching the movie.
"Hello?" Honoka asked.
"Honoka! Glad to reach you!" Hideko's voice called out.
"Hello, Hideko-chan!" Honoka beamed, "How's work?"
"Yeah… about work…" she began speaking.
Back in the Kanda Shrine, Nozomi walked about her two hanging prisoners. In her hands was a packet of yakiniku, greedily devouring the grilled meat. Every now and then, she would stuff the meat in the mouths of her captives.
"C'mon, let momma feed ya~" Nozomi cooed, with Nico resisting.
"I'm not…" Nico protested, but was cut off by the meat in her mouth, "… Gonna be treated like a kid!"
"I'm only giving ya some sense of hospitality here, don't be so mean 'bout it." Nozomi grumbled.
"You'll never get away with this!" Maki cried, "The rest will find us."
"So? Let them find us. It's all but fulfilled," Nozomi declared, "I already know they're now looking for y'all lovebirds."
"Enough with that lovebirds thing…" Nico bemoaned.
"And as for your fate henceforth…" Nozomi continued, taking out a card.
The Fool.
"Oh, her again…" Nozomi mused, "Tis fate then…"
"The Fool… who?" Maki wondered, "No, wait… it couldn't be…"
"Nero-san, stand guard at the gates. Only one person is allowed to enter the sanctuary," Nozomi instructed, "And her name is…"
"Kousaka Honoka-san will be reinstated, in light of current events." Captain Minami announced, rubbing her forehead, "Can't believe it. Even Toujou-san's missing in action, and the Superintendent's not answering at all."
Before the Captain, her three loyal technicians and Eli were there with her in the Central Command.
"Could this be a kidnap attempt?" Eli wondered.
"In any case, I am recalling everyone back to base, while field agents search for the missing three." Captain Minami addressed, "Don't worry, Ayase-san."
The Captain's phone then rang, which she picked up immediately. The worrying look on her face grew darker, as she received the call. After the call, she looked grimly at the rest.
"One of our agents was at the Kousaka residence to escort Kousaka-san and…" she spoke, "Kousaka-san apparently ran off on her own, wanting to find them."
"What?! Is she mad?" Eli exclaimed.
"No, she's just being Honoka," Hideko corrected.
The night only darkened the Akihabara scenery, illuminated only by street lamps. Honoka ran about alone, on empty streets devoid of other presences. She turned her head at every moment, making sure not to miss a single corner.
"Maki-chan! Nico-chan!" Honoka cried, but to no avail, "Oh God, this is all Honoka's fault! The Superintendent must've done something bad to them! No, I have to find them!"
With her renewed resolve, Honoka continued her personal search and scoured the streets even more.
Meanwhile, Nozomi merely stood near the door to the sanctuary. Despite Maki and Nico yelling away, her mind was somewhere else…
Many years ago, in an old traditional house, a much younger Nozomi sat on an altar. Opposite her was an elderly man, whose kindly face smiled at the young Nozomi's uncertain face.
In his hands, there was a set of Tarot cards. And he was holding the High Priestess card.
"Oh Oracle our Goddess, it befits your nature that The High Priestess has selected you." The elderly man explained, "You are the spokesperson of the Coupled Gods; the agent by which the cards will reveal the fates of all and the hopes of all the faithful."
The young Nozomi meekly nodded her head, followed by a kowtow from the elderly man.
"Remember well, that the cards speak of divine will and that they are always accurate… though in ways we may not anticipate." The man reminded, "Learn these lessons well, my goddess."
"Yes, Toujou-san." The girl replied.
"Can you please uphold the silence on hallowed grounds?" Nozomi snapped.
As her voice raised, the ropes binding the necks of her captives tightened and threatened to choke the life out of them. They stopped barking and their nooses were loosened.
Nozomi continued staring at The Fool card in her hands.
"The cards are always right…. Right, Toujou-san?" she thought, "She will come alright… like a moth to a flame."
The other members of µ's were in the safety of a Phoebus Apollo vehicle and were returning to base. The four girls present were somewhat worried, when Honoka was not around.
"Really? She could be in real danger…" Umi grunted.
"Wi-will Honoka-chan be alright?" Hanayo wondered.
"Will she end up like Nozomi-chan?" Rin exclaimed.
"Everyone, don't worry." Kotori consoled, "Honoka-chan may be reckless sometimes…"
"No, all the time," Umi corrected.
"Yes, she is always reckless, but she does things with all her feelings behind." Kotori said, "She's not going to stand and wait for things to happen."
"She'll make them happen," Umi continued, "And that's why she is the leader, and no one else."
Honoka's journey eventually took her to the steps of the Kanda Shrine. Despite the flight of stairs, Honoka simply climbed them to search the old shrine.
"Little lady, stop!" someone cried.
At the top of the stairs, Nero stood there and looked downward at Honoka.
"Huh? Good evening, Oji-san!" Honoka greeted.
"Oji-san! I'm still young!" Nero yelled, "You know, this place is off-limits."
"Oh I didn't know that?" Honoka said sheepishly, "Are you some sort of security guard?"
"Security guard! Your head!" Nero yelled furiously, "I am the great Nero, one of the greatest detectives of Yokohama!"
"A real-life detective! Wow, it just so happens that I'm looking for two people right now." Honoka said, "One of them is a tsundere redhead who twirls her hair every now and then, and the other is this short almost-loli twin-tailed girl with an annoying cutesy catchphrase. Did you see them?"
"Uh… what's your name again?" asked Nero.
"Oh yeah! Kousaka Honoka." She introduced.
"That's her!" Nero thought.
"Right inside, little girl," Nero answered, pointing to the inside of the shrine.
Didn't you say it was off-limits?" Honoka asked.
"You'll find all that you seek inside," Nero said, "Tell you what, I will watch your back."
With Nero tagging along, Honoka entered the sanctuary. A darkened hall only lit by the light of celestial objects, the visages of enshrined deities were a sight to be frightened of amidst the darkness.
At the end of the final room, Nozomi stood directly before her. And there was also Nico and Maki, tied together and their bodies locked into each other's.
"C'mon, you girls gotta make up." Nozomi teased, clasping her palms together, "Hey Honoka-chan!"
"Uh… what's going on?" Honoka asked.
"God, you're a true Fool." Nozomi laughed, "Nero-san!"
Upon her call, Nero shut the door and used his body to guard anyone from exiting it.
"Honoka… it… it's a trap…" Maki muttered.
"Only a Fool would bring herself to me," Nozomi mused, "Like a moth to a flame."
With a simple gesture, ropes flew about again and coiled around Honoka's right leg. It tossed Honoka upside-down, hanging her in the sanctuary. Another rope bounded her hands together, tying them to her back.
"Wow, how did you do that?" Honoka exclaimed.
"God, she's an idiot…" Nico bemoaned, "We are that big-boobed girl's captives!"
"Nozomi's the Superintendent! She's the one behind all this!" Maki exclaimed.
"Y'all such spoilers…" Nozomi mused, "As the Superintendent, I must applaud you for your voluntary effort in joining my cause and hastening our ambition. Saves me the trouble of recruiting second-years."
"Wait… Nozomi-chan's the Superintendent!" Honoka exclaimed.
"Yup!" Nozomi nodded.
"But… That means!" Honoka exclaimed, fidgeting about.
"Chill, ya only gonna hurt your little head," Nozomi comforted, gently tapping Honoka's cheeks, "Let me tell y'all a little story to calm down Honoka-chan, about this cult in Japan. They sought for a speaker to the gods, their Oracle. But not everyone can be Oracles… they are chosen, you see. And so they took some baby born on a certain day in June and wristed her away."
"What?" Maki thought.
"How cruel…" Honoka remarked, "What about her parents?"
"Don't know, don't care." Nozomi sharply replied, "That baby went under the care of the cult, and was treated like a goddess there. In fact, that's all they called her… a goddess. No name, just goddess."
"How could they…" Honoka exclaimed.
"But they did." Nozomi continued, "They taught their goddess how to be one, of course. An elder even taught this girl the way to access to her spiritual power."
Nozomi held out her deck of Tarot cards.
"Through these cards, she could access her spiritual power and foresee all that is to see." Nozomi went on, "But… the goddess' peaceful life came to a sudden end… Government officials exterminated the cult. They knew stuff that the government would rather hide."
"Like what?" Honoka asked.
"What the Avatars had sought for, what thousands of people had died for, why Japan was chosen as a scapegoat for the rest of the world, and why this city was chosen as a scapegoat for the rest of the nation," Nozomi grimly, "But the point is the cult was wiped out almost entirely. Only one survived; the false goddess was found and kept by the government."
"Was she returned to her parents?" Honoka asked.
"God… Can you realise?" Maki yelled, "That girl's Nozomi!"
Maki's ranting was cut short by the ropes around her neck tightening and choking her. Similar ropes tightened around her breasts and crotch.
"No interrupting, Maki-chan…" Nozomi spoke, "But yes, that was me. When those government people took me in, they asked for my name… which I don't have. But I came up with something brilliant."
"Your name…" Nico remarked blankly.
"Lemme explain. Since I'm everyone's hope and legacy, I will be Nozomi," Nozomi explained, "I don't really know of any surname, except for the elder's. So I went for his surname, Toujou. They registered me as Toujou Nozomi."
"Nozomi-chan, you never grew up with your parents…" Honoka frowned softly.
"Not like the rest of y'all, who're showered by family love." Nozomi said, "I was born to be a false goddess, an idol. Toujou-san may well be the closest person I had, and he still had to follow protocol and called me goddess."
"But what happened afterwards?" Honoka asked, "How did you become the Superintendent?"
"Oh yeah, so the government guys took me in and since no one ever claimed me… dunno why… they inducted me into this program… an experimental program," Nozomi replied, "An implant to my brain that allows telepathic control… like…"
Nozomi waved her hand and ropes flew about to wrap around Nero's neck. Her hand made a gentle push and Nero flew back to hit the back of his head on the doors. His body laid immobile as the ropes were released from him.
"Nero!" Maki yelled, "You monster!"
"Calm down, he only has a concussion. Besides, he's only a tool which I no longer have use for," Nozomi replied, "So like I was saying, this implant connected me remotely to certain items. The missiles system of my Polyhymnia and even these here ropes, they're all extensions of my body. I will it, and they move."
"That's an impressive trick, Nozomi-chan," Honoka exclaimed.
"Thank you, I've kept it a secret long enough…" Nozomi said, "But back to the story, I was still devastated by the loss of the cult; they were the only thing remotely close to family I got. So I plotted… decided to crawl my way up this agency. I chose to be an iDol pilot, while secretly gaining the trust of the government. A bit of spiritual power helped, of course."
"But what are you planning with the Omphalos?" Maki interrogated.
"O-what-lows…" Honoka was puzzled.
"Uh… that changed over the years," Nozomi replied, "My cult believed that if a human were to enter the Omphalos, one would hear the voice of the Coupled Gods and speak to them. I initially wanted to tell them one message… Destroy the world of Man."
"Why?" Honoka cried.
"For destroying that life I had, sure it wasn't a happy carefree life with family! But Toujou-san was all I have! And they took that away…" Nozomi cried, with a teardrop dripping, "Besides, since the world pushed us as a sacrifice, the world shall be the sacrifice instead!"
"That's wrong!" Honoka argued, "Just because you were robbed of love, that doesn't give you the right to deny everyone of it! All of us are loved and can love!"
"What about Kotori-chan?" Nozomi cried, "She wanted to fly off! To escape this dying city! To abandon you! To strip you of her love! If not for me, she would be in safety and forget all about you!"
"Nonsense!" Honoka yelled, "Kotori-chan wants to be a great fashion designer and Honoka will only be happy for her, no matter what she does! She has her choice in what she does!"
"And Umi-chan? Was she not a despot who betrays your equal status?" Nozomi probed, "She focuses so much on tradition that she is blind to the people around her."
"Liar! Liar!" Honoka hollered, "Umi-chan only wants us to perform our best! She may be strict, but she is my best friend. We argue all the time, but we are always friends in the end."
"Alas I do not have such luxuries as childhood friends…" Nozomi mockingly remarked, "And what about Maki-chan, who is born to wealth and spoiled by her parents? She thinks she is the star that worlds revolve around, but that's but her downfall."
"I only want to end this nonsense!" Maki yelled, "This madness must end! But not by ending everyone!"
"And Nico-chi… you who smiles to your siblings and giving them falsehoods and lies," Nozomi continued, "Disgusting!"
"Shut up! Nico-chan only wants to show them some light in a gloomy world!" Honoka cried, "Her father might have passed on, but she still shines as bright as ever to keep up the good fight!"
"How did you…" Nico wondered.
"Nozomi told everyone about your past…" Maki answered.
"What?!" Nico yelled.
"Well, at least that's what I wanted until…" Nozomi added, before stopping herself.
She still remembered that day. She just began her first-year in Otonokizaka Academy, a temporary measure for normalcy as she engaged in her plans. That day, a new transfer student would be introduced.
Standing before the class was a reasonably tall blonde with assets associated with foreign models. That girl's sharp piercing eyes looked out to her future class, and Nozomi could only be in awe.
"Class, this is our latest transfer student from the Soviet Union. I' let her introduce herself."
"Good morning everyone, I am Ayase Eli. I hope we will get along."
"…That's of no importance right now." Nozomi continued, "I have located the Omphalos. Once it's opened, I will fulfil her hope and construct her garden of dreams."
"Her hope…" the others in the room echoed.
"No! I don't know what's really going on, but there has to be another way." Honoka insisted.
"And you girls… would you have a place in this garden?" Nozomi wondered, "Your interference had been quite troublesome, but I was hardly troubled in my quest till recently."
Nozomi produced her Tarot deck once more, with her hand manhandling the hanging Honoka.
"Oh, let's see how the cards will judge you," Nozomi declared, "With luck, you girls can be our servants. Your fate is set."
The spiritual girl picked up a card from the deck of cards, and looked at what she drew out. The smug teasing look on her face evaporated; her eyes shifted back to Honoka for a short glance again.
She then picked up a second card and studied the two cards drawn.
"No… but Toujou-san had said it… The cards are always right…" she thought.
Nozomi snapped her fingers, and the ropes binding all her captives loosened. They fell onto the ground with a collective thump.
As for Nozomi, she kept away her cards and offered her hand to help Honoka up.
"Another way, it's possible?" Nozomi conceded, "The cards have spoken to me."
"Is there one of your tricks?" Maki inquired.
"No more tricks, Maki-chan." Nozomi confessed, "The path ahead will, need all nine of us, as µ's. Y'all may not be willing to trust someone who just tied y'all in ropes, but I request that for now. I'll gladly accept my punishment once it's all over."
While Maki and Nico stared at Nozomi suspiciously and pondered over her words, Honoka put her arm around Nozomi's shoulders.
"I'm gonna trust you!" Honoka declared, "You helped us in ways you didn't expect, both as a fellow member and as the Superintendent!"
"We must hurry to Phoebus Apollo." Nozomi informed them, "The scions and false gods will clash soon; this will be Protocol: Typhon Has Risen."
Here it is, the chapter that reveals most of the stuff and Nozomi's backstory. Anyway, I feel that this is not enough and I would consider writing an extra chapter that features Nozomi's past entirely (among all characters in this fanfic, she has the largest divergence from any canon counterparts for backstory) and the actions she did behind everyone's backs as the Superintendent. Tell me if you would like such a chapter and I will work on that... as a short interlude before we get to the final "clash of scions and false gods".
And personally, I would really like to write such a chapter. It would add interesting angles to the story...
The title of this chapter was in Romanised Japanese, since I want to make a particular wordplay. "Watashitachi wa Nozomi" means "Our Hope" (more or less). It corresponds to Nozomi's name meaning hope in kanji, and also carries the double meaning "Our Nozomi" as in the person called Nozomi.