AN: It's been a while since I've ever responded to the reviews posted.
Remiboi, Well you're about to find out, hopefully I don't disappoint. Thanks for the review.
Guardian, As usual your reviews are fucking awesome. They are funny and strangely, well thought out, despite the unpredictability. Btw, Val says "lit" is not a word that any of the girls should say. He knows it doesn't fit them. Besides, Val knows the word "lit" is lit. Please don't go to his gym and drop the weight on him when he squats or benches. I kinda need him, thanks.
Lemons, I dunno, Val's a weird guy. I bet he likes cheddar.
Quill, I appreciate that you take the time to review, even if you claim it isn't as great as Guardian's, that doesn't matter. A sentence to prove that you read my work is good enough. Thank you.
Guest 1 from chapter 12, it would seem so. Big N is a legend indeed.
Guest 2 from chapter 12, yes.
Big N, Welcome to this site, where the servers are unpredictable and where people can share their work while worrying about the site's stability. Thanks for taking the time to make a account to review my work.
Now that I notice it, Vanilla, one my earliest supporters of my fic, hasn't dropped his awesome reviews on any of my chapters after 8, his in-depth reviews are something that has pushed me to continue this work. Wherever you are dude, I hope you are in good graces.
There's a incoming mindfuck, brace yourselves.
Without a further ado.
My mind was in the abyss, I couldn't tell what was going on. Everything around me was all black... there was darkness, and nothing more. I was just drifting on nothing...
...
There was a screeching noise that gradually got louder and louder... the noise became a garbled voice, demonic in a way. I focused as hard as I can, to try to understand what it's trying to say. The voice grew more and more refined, I can understand some words of what he was saying.
"Frank... Frank! You're losing it."
Tommy? Is that... you? Tom?! Thomas! I couldn't speak, my mouth was locked into place, I was forced to listen in this drifting state.
"I'm not one for third chances, but I need you to wake up, Frank."
Who's Frank? Wasn't he the technician in charge of keeping alive while in the memory? No... I feel as if that name... carries more weight than usual. I could've sworn I heard it before.
"You're almost there. You can do it, but It's only a matter of time before the bitch finds out. Just keep going, make relationships or break em with the other girls, but stay away from her. She's not supposed to be here, I could've sworn I purged her a long time ago. Doesn't matter now, do whatever it takes to avoid her."
Avoid who?! Who's not supposed to be here?
"She's relentless, she's after me, trying to take me down. I'm your only friend that knows about your objective, Frank. She's going to do whatever it takes to... shit, she starting to detect me. My time's up. Remember who you are Frank and keep strong.
But my name is Valkyrie...! No... is it? I don't know anymore!
"See you on the other-side."
"No! Wait! I have so many questions! Who is Frank?! Who are you?! Who should I look out for?! Wait! Please! I need help!"
...
Nothing. I don't hear the voice anymore. I'm stuck in the black room, watching blankly as the room materialize basic physic functions to ensure reliability.
I didn't feel tired. I didn't feel hungry. I didn't feel thirsty. I felt hollow, there was nothing in me anymore. I feel as if my mind didn't belong to me anymore.
What do I do? I don't know anymore... I can't give up, Tommy needs me, he's counting on me. But how can one help a person if they are blind themselves?
I saw a shot of red across the black room. I looked up and tried to determine the source of it. It happened again, I flicked my head towards the color.
*thump-thump* *thump-thump*
There's a sound of a beating of heart, seemingly coming from nowhere. I looked around frantically trying discern the source, but to no avail.
My body felt heavier, there wasn't a force keeping adrift anymore. I didn't know why, but I stood up and did a pinning motion against something. I can also hear someone's breathing, despite there being nothing in front of me. It was rash and uneven. I felt material on my hands, it felt something soft... My eyes were greeted with a blur of colors. I couldn't see anything, it was so blurry... But, I was able to make out the fact that there was a person in front of me. It looked as if I pinned that person against the wall.
An indescribable motion forced me towards the person. My lips were met with something soft.
I kissed her nose.
Is this...? Monika?
I kissed Monika's nose.
She gave a gasp in surprise. Her breathing started to steady and she stopped wailing.
I followed up by kissing her forehead. She giggled in response.
Where am I? How did I get- It was the least I can do right? What was supposed to do? Kiss her? I don't see her that way...
Monika stopped sniffling and her breathing went completely back to normal. I gazed at her luster-full emerald eyes. Her eyes widened at what I did. It seemed that I performed a taboo act in front of her... In response, I shyly looked away from her, and turned my attention to the now attractive floor.
"Did you just..."
"Y-yeah... I did." I said still looking away. I was surprised that was able to calm her down to an such a major extent.
"Val... you're still pinning me."
"Ah! Sorry." I let go of her wrists. I don't know why, but I pinned Monika, it felt as if I did that before... like it was a weird sense of deja vu.
I could've sworn I pinned her down before... Was it yesterday? No... All I did was do my AP Calculus homework... Gah. I don't know.
I took a deep breath and readied myself to apologize.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'm such asshole... what kind of guy yells at a sweetheart like you?! Apparently me! The fucking idiot, named Val!"
She sniffed. "Well... you did yell at me..." She straightened her posture and gave her unique smile. "And you know what that meaaans!"
Aw fuck me!
"Please don't... Can I just get a Monika pass or something?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"A... what? A Monika pass?"
"Uh, yeah. Something that I can use to avoid your... 'punishments'."
"No! Of course not!"
Hey. It was worth a shot.
Monika tapped her chin in thought. "Hmm... you could... Hmm. What's a good punishment for an unruly Val?"
I can try to play cheeky...
"Psst. Maybe letting him go for once seems to a good punishment, right?" I suggested.
"No! That isn't even a punishment in the first place, Val!"
Well, that didn't work out.
"Come on, Monika!" I went on my knees and put my hands together in a pleading manner. "I kissed your nose and forehead! Not only that, I wholeheartedly apologized! That should be more than enough compensation! Please let it go!"
She sat a stool and looked down at me. She crossed one leg over the other and relaxed. "Nope! That isn't good enough!"
"Aw!"
"Shh! I'm thinking..."
I let her ponder my inevitable end. I said any prayers I had left before the judgement arrived.
This is it!
"Ah! I got one!"
Goodbye cruel world...
I held my breath to what she was going to say.
"You have to... kiss me!"
That's it? I did kiss her nose and forehead, this should be easy!
"I'm not changing my mind on this, Val. Come on! Get up!" She curls a finger at me to encourage me to come.
"Um... sure, I guess!"
"Eh?! I expected you to resist or try to convince me otherwise..." Her voice takes a more seductive tone. "But, I'm glad you see it my way, Val."
I stand up and walk up to her. I see her nervously twirling her hair, struggling to keep a straight look on me.
"You know... this is my first ki-"
I hurriedly take her hand and gave it a smooch.
"Wha-! Argh!" She stands up in an instant and slaps me.
"Ow! Hey, what was that for! I kissed you!" I weakly say while rubbing my red cheek.
Her eyebrows had formed a V shape and she glaring at me with bared teeth.
"Yeah, you did kiss me, you idiot... on my HAND!"
"Well, what else did you mean! On your lips?!"
"Yes! Of course! When did I say to kiss my hand?! Huh?!"
"B-but... I-I don't want to..."
"This is why, I expected you to resist! Thanks for bringing my hopes up, you nimrod!"
N-nimrod?!
"But that's okay! You still have to do the punishment!"
"Monika, look I know I yelled at you, but I think you're taking this punishment of yours too far..."
"No! It isn't 'too far'! When I say to kiss me, You will kiss me!"
"I'll do anything but that! Please! I beg you!"
She crosses her arms. "Anything huh?"
"Yes, anything!"
"Hahaha! Okay then!"
I sigh heavily in relief.
I can't believe I got away with this...
"You have to be..."
My heart started thumping uncontrollably. I didn't like this at all.
"My boyfriend for a day!"
"WHAT?! No!"
"Yes, you will obey! Starting now, as soon you exit this door, you have to be my boyfriend!" She takes out her phone to check the time. "It's 4:01... Twenty-four hours from now, you can stop your act!"
Wait, doesn't club meetings end at 4?
"But, Monika..."
"No buts!"
"No, seriously! Can we do this... 'boyfriend thing' at Sunday or maybe Saturday when we go to the new restaurant?"
"Hmm... you do bring up a good point. Saturday would be the most logical choice... You know what? Saturday is the day you will be my boyfriend! You have to cater to my every wishes!" She grins evilly.
I look at her as if I was waiting for her to finish her sentence.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Well, it's for a day, right?"
She closes her eyes and sinks her head down. She sighs.
"Yes. For a day."
"Phew."
"Either way, I'm so excited about this!"
Yeah, yeah. You might be excited, but I'm not... Saturday is going suck so bad...
"Okay then... since we are here... Can we exchange poems?"
"I can't see why not."
We trade poems.
Monika poems reads You will Save Me.
The colors, they won't stop. No matter how much I beg, they won't stop.
Bright, beautiful colors. All seizure inducing and they won't stop.
They keep flashing, expanding, piercing towards me.
Red, green, blue. All of which hurts me.
An never-ending
cacophony
of utterly meaningless
NOISE
The noise, it won't stop no matter how much I beg.
Violent in nature, the grating waveforms keep
Squeaking, screeching, piercing,
Screaming nonsense,
Cosecant, Secant, Cotangent
Like playing a chalkboard on a turntable
Like playing a vinyl on a pizza crust
It's just an endless
poem
of madness and meaningless
words.
You must choose her.
I don't know why, but this has to be most creepiest poem I have ever read yet. Is there something wrong with Monika? No wait, my bad, what's wrong with Monika? I should squeeze some info if I can...
Hoo boy. This is going to tricky. Monika isn't the type to slip up at all.
"Is there... is there something wrong, Monika?"
"Eh? What do you mean, Val?"
"This seems very freeform, that's true. But the boldened words seem to be... something found in the pits of insanity."
For second there, Monika looked guilty, it's as if she was caught red-handed. "I don't get what you're trying to say Val... I'm sorry if you don't like it..."
"I didn't say that Mon, I'm just saying this poem is a something... unorthodox. It kind of worries me."
"Ahahaha! I thought you meant something else..."
So much for getting information out.
"I just like to play with the space I have on the paper. It makes an giant impact on what I have to say in the poem. The 'noise' in the poem was actually the reason why I-uh the narrator spoke in short lines. The narrator wanted to speak over the ever growing noise..."
I feel as if she gave something away, but I'm not sure about it.
"Ah, okay. I get it. Now, what did you think of my poem?"
"Oh! It was beautiful! Short, but effective! Hehe! I think it was aimed towards someone particular..." She blushed a light pink.
"Uh, no it wasn't geared towards anyone actually... I wrote this at the top of my head, well somewhat. Most of the elements were just some hazy things I thought of yesterday..."
"I see..." She hands me back my poem and I follow suit.
"So, yeah! Can you uh... unlock the door? It's getting a little stuffy here. Besides, it's been a looong day~" I yawned while stretching.
Monika didn't respond to me. She was staring at me with hazy eyes, not at my face or anything. But rather my arms... So, I felt self-conscious and covered them up, by crossing my arms.
"Val."
"Y-yeah?"
"C-can you flex?"
"Yes, I can."
"Flex for me."
"Uh. Nah, I'm good." I lunged towards the door lock, only for her to block it, in a hurried fashion with her legs. As a result, I unfortunately touched her... well her forbidden area, to which I pulled my hand away from that, like it I was touching dry ice. I felt my face catching on fire...
Seriously?! You've got to be kidding me! This is why I don't like being her! Weird things always happen!
She covered her groin and squealed in surprise.
"Y-you touched me!" Her surprised face turned into an avatar of rage. She lunged at me and began delivering a flurry of punches.
"YOU."
"Ow!
"ARE."
"Ow!
"SUCH."
"Ow!
"A PERVERT!" She screamed.
She was taking in heavy and audible breathes to calm herself.
"But it's okay. Now you have to be my boyfriend now!"
"But-but!"
"I was joking, Val. Instead it opens up a perfect opportunity!"
Perfect opportunity? I touched her... panties, and she finds it a perfect opportunity?!
"Aah! I didn't mean to! That was your fault! You got in the way!"
"So what?! I'll forgive you for touching me, if you flex for me!"
"No."
"What?"
"No, I'm going to put up a gun show for you, end of story. Now open the door, Monika."
"Urgh! No! Flex for me, or I won't let you out!"
I rolled my eyes. This wasn't going to go anywhere.
"Fine."
I flex both arms to Monika. Her jaw was agape, and it seemed as if she was drooling. Her eyes widened at the sight, and she was breathing in a rapid manner.
Oh god... This is so embarrassing.
"Yes... Yes!" Monika seemed out of breath. "Now take off your blazer! Take it off!"
"What?! No way!"
"Take it off! Or else!"
"Or else what?! I just flexed for you, shouldn't that be enough for an accident, anyway?"
"Take. It. Off. Now."
I pinch the bridges of my nose, the stress of this whole day was catching up to me. I didn't like it, not one bit.
"Alright! Fine! But if you tell anyone about this... I swear!"
I take off my blazer. I was now down to my white dress shirt.
"Now what?"
"Flex."
"Arrrgh!"
I flex again, to which she covered her mouth and had a pleasantly surprised look on her face.
"Ooooh, Yes! Okay! Now do it bare-"
I knew what she was going to say next. She was just pushing her luck at this point.
"Hey, what's that?"
"Nice try, Val. Now do it bare- haha!"
I tickle her sides, she recoiled to the left and it allowed me to quickly unlock the door.
"Stop that! Hehehe!"
I continue to tickle her to the point where she is a safe distance away from the door's opening. Once she was there, I opened the door and jolted out of the room.
Woo! That was close!
I check the time and it was 4:10.
Okay! One more thing left to do, share my poem with Sayori.
I put on my blazer and looked for Sayori. But something was off. Sayori wasn't here, neither was Tommy, Yuri, or Natsuki.
Wait. Where did everybody go? Did everyone leave already?
I heard Monika stomping towards me.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!"
I ignored her question. "Monika, where's everyone?"
This caught her off guard. She pulled out her phone and checked the time. She gasped.
"Oh no! It was time to go! Everyone must have left ten minutes ago!"
"Couldn't they have stayed for a bit longer?"
"I wish that would've worked, but the school says all clubs have to end at 4!"
"Aw that sucks. I didn't get to share my poem with Sayori..."
"Yeah, yeah... Aah! I forgot to tell everyone about the festival!"
"Well, what is the festival exactly? And don't forget you have the group chat to announce things, remember?"
"You're right! Anyways, what the festival is, it's just a free day for students to look around at different clubs and let them see what each club is basically about!"
"Okay... so what are we doing at this 'festival'?
"Well, I was planning on... performing!"
"Performing? Performing what? Poems?"
"Exactly!" She presses a finger against my nose. "We're going recite poetry and let anyone willing enough to recite poetry as well!"
Too many possibilities to why this memory is repressed. Aw man... This is going to be such a pain in the ass.
"Alright. Don't we have to more, than recite poetry? Maybe like decorations and stuff?"
"We do have to do decorations, but I... haven't decided who's with who... I was thinking that you and me do one part, Tommy and Sayori do one, and those two do another."
I was going to protest in saying I work better alone, or with another guy like Tommy, or with Sayori, since she's the only down to earth girl in this club... but I decided to keep my mouth shut.
"Ah. Okay." I haven't forgotten about Monika's obsession with my biceps, and her unwillingness to acknowledge the fact it was an accident; I turned on my phone and rigged a fake call in 10 seconds, in the mask of checking the time; so I can get away from Monika.
10.
"I'm going to go now." 9. I turn to leave and get my things.
"Hold on!" 8. "You're forgetting something!" 7.
"What?" 6.
"Well um..." 5. "Aren't you going to... uh..." 4.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Monika?" 3. I know it was about continuing the gun show...
She took a deep breath to gather her thoughts. "Since nobody is here..." 2! "I want you to flex bare-"
*Beep!* *Beep!*
Hell yeah!
"Sorry, Monika. I have to take this call, I'll see you tomorrow. Yeah?"
She let out an aggravated sigh.
"Fine. See you tomorrow..."
I take my bag and leave the clubroom.
Finally! This day is over. Now I can go home and re-! Wait, I have to go to the movies with Yuri! Damn...! This day is like adding salt to an injury...
As soon as I left the clubroom, I spot both Yuri and Natsuki speaking to each other, near the club entrance. It has seemed as if they have given up their grudges towards one another.
Too bad that grudge is probably reignite again...
"Hey, you two!"
"Hi, Val!" Natsuki smiled.
"Hello, Valkyrie."
"So what are you two doing here?"
"Ah, me and Natsuki were waiting for you. You and Monika seemed to have disappeared... where did two go, anyway?"
"Don't worry about it. We were talking about the festival and how to set it up, privately."
"F-festival?" Natsuki nervously asked.
"Mhm. Monika is gonna text us by the group chat, so you all can get up to speed."
Yuri gawked at me. "Good, I thought you two were doing something else."
That made me quiver in fear. Yuri can sometimes be really creepy...
"So Valkyrie, have you decided who you wanted spend time with, tomorrow?" Yuri asked.
I wasn't sure why. But my name felt as if it didn't fit me... I mentally shook my head of those thoughts and focused on the question.
I can see Natsuki's smile grow more brighter. She knew my answer already.
"Yeah. I have made up my mind. I'm going shopping with Natsuki tomorrow." I said in a nonchalant manner.
"Wha-?"
"Haha! Take that, you bookworm!"
I gave Natsuki a annoyed look.
"Natsuki..."
"Alright! Sorry..."
Yuri looked utterly disappointed. She had a little frown and was playing with her hair, to cope.
"Look, Yuri. Don't feel bad, besides aren't we going to the movies today?"
"You're right... but I wanted to spend more time with you..."
"Okay, tell you what. I'll come over to your house for a bit, after we watch the movie. Maybe we can catch up on the book of ours, okay?"
Yuri brightened at this and smiled. "Okay!"
I nodded. "Hey, Nat. I'll see you tomorrow alright?"
"Mhm. See you Val! Later, Yuri."
And with that, Natsuki strolled off to her locker.
I turn towards Yuri. "So, are you ready to go?"
"Yes, I am! Come, there's no time to waste!" She takes my hand and pulls me down the staircase.
We walk past the school gate in a somewhat of a hurried fashion.
"Hey Yuri, what's with the hurry?"
I didn't mean to say that.
"When does the movie start?"
"O-oh. Um... around 4:45... last time I checked it was 4:15..."
"So 30 minutes of making it there and getting our seats..."
"Oh. I've never came to this part of the city... In fact, I'm actually pretty green here."
"Valkyrie, does that mean you moved here when you transferred to our school?"
I don't know, sure I guess.
"Yeah."
"Mmm. I see. Well, you seem to be missing out."
"I can tell, it's pretty busy here... in fact, it reminds me of home..."
"Home? Where are you from, Valkyrie?"
Shit. I don't know if the U.S exists in the first place... Just going to have to wing it...
"Upstate..."
"Ah. I've heard that it's almost identical to here..."
She places a hand on my shoulder.
"Do you miss it sometimes?"
I miss my home. I miss my friends. I miss my family. I mourn the loss all the time.
"Yes, sometimes..."
"Valkyrie, if you ever need to talk to someone... I-I'm there for you..."
"Thanks, Yuri. That means a lot."
Not really, most of things I say won't even make sense and probably cause a destabilization anyway...
I hate this.
AN: To those who didn't translate Thomas's poem from before, I'll do it for you. Obviously, this goes without saying. This contains major spoilers to any new viewers.
Leave me alone.
I'm a lost cause.
You should leave as soon as possible, Frank.
I did this all out of my own accord.
The real world is painful.
But here it isn't... for now.
Be wary of Monika, Frank.