Honoka's Bizarre Adventure: μ's Is Unbreakable
Chapter 12: Rin Wants To Be Like Cinderella
IMPORTANT NOTE: This chapter contains very heavy LGBT subjects in, primarily relating to being transgender and gender identity. This was previously talked about in a now deleted author's note chapter, and I intend to later add this back to my profile. If you do not wish to read about such things, in truth, this chapter can likely be skipped, although you will still lose out on some plot developments. Thank you for your support and readership.
Previously on Honoka's Bizarre Adventure!
Koizumi Hanayo here! After a hard-fought battle, we defeated another one of the 'Arrow Hunters!' More than that, Kotori-senpai awakened as a Stand user, and without needing to be pierced by the arrow! S-So, we of μ's have another in our ranks for fights now! I'm getting worried though… ever since the fight at my house, Rin-chan hasn't been herself… i-it can't be anything serious, right?
"Come oooon! Kayochin! Maki-chan! The water's great, nya!"
When it came to athletic performance, nobody in μ's could ever hope to outmatch Rin. On land or in water, as she proved swimming laps in Otonokizaka Highschool's pool as her fellow first years waited.
"I don't have a swimming suit with me," Maki said as she played with her hair. "Even if I did, swimming really isn't my thing…" She went on, as Hanayo just gave a small giggle.
"Even dancing is a little hard to keep up, let alone swimming…"
The two failed to notice the fellow first year's cat-like grin as she climbed up out of the pool, getting behind them. "That's not what I asked, fufufu…"
"… Rin…" Maki rose an eyebrow. "What are you—"
"Come on, the water's fine!" Was all Rin said before giving the two girls a push, much to their surprise.
"H-HEY!"
"R-Rin!"
Rin just laughed as the two landed in the water, sticking her tongue out. "Sorry, I just couldn't help it! You two totally left yourself wide open!"
"I'll kill you, Hoshizora!" Was all the enraged Maki said as she crawled out, giving chase to Rin as Hanayo quietly dried herself off.
"Come oooon! You're such a hothead, I thought a little water would cool you down was all!"
"You're gonna feel differently when you're at the bottom of the pool, Rin!"
"Nya, Maki's getting really scary now-!"
Hanayo smiled as she watched it. As mad as Maki was, she'd get over it. Things were so much different for herself and Rin since μ's, for good and the bad. Hanayo really felt like she was following in her mother's footsteps and embracing a future as an Idol, and she finally had more friends! For as long as she could remember it had just been her and Rin against the world, nobody wanting to really play with the awkward, shy girl. Even the power of the Stand, the power of her「Momoiro Clover」and learning to utilize this new power was becoming exciting to her, despite the danger that came with it. Confidence was finally something in Hanayo's grasp, and she wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world.
But still, part of her worried for her oldest and dearest friend. Rin still acted as she always did, so hyper and energetic and full of kindness, but something felt off in the last few weeks. Ever since Akeno's and Miano's assault in her house something had felt different. Something that Hanayo just couldn't place her finger on…
"Ugh, the nerve of that girl!" Maki exclaimed as she gave up on her chase, grabbing a towel to dry herself off. "She's lucky I didn't have my phone on me, I'd make her get me a new one!" Hanayo just gave a nervous laugh, still needing to replace her phone ever since it had been destroyed by「Worker Bees.」Hanayo just tried to laugh it off, much to the other girl's annoyance.
"She's just always been like that," Hanayo explained. "For as long as I can remember, Rin always tries to get you off-guard if she can. Still, I guess the pool was a little mean…"
"A little!? What if I couldn't swim!? Honestly! How can you put up with that?" Maki snapped, as Hanayo just looked up.
"Well… she's always been my best friend," Hanayo remembered. "For as long as I can remember…" A smile returned to her face as she remembered those days, all those years ago. Mere kindergarteners, as Hanayo usually tucked away in the corner when all the other kids were playing with eachother.
"Whatcha reading there?" Rin had asked her one uneventful evening, peering over her shoulder as she read a book, earning a little scream and jump from the young Hanayo.
"I… It's a story about a princess and a dragon…!"
"Really!? That sounds super cool, nya!"
"Nya…?"
"It's the sound cats make! I really like making it! You don't mind that, do you?"
"N-No… it's kinda funny!"
"That's awesome, nya! Everyone else makes fun of me for it…" The other child had puffed out her cheeks, before smiling. "Since you didn't make fun of me, let's be best friends forever, nya!"
"… E-eh!?"
"And everything else just… followed," Hanayo said, drying herself off. "What about you, Maki-chan? Do you have any friends like that?"
Maki went rather quiet, looking down at her feet. "… Maybe once," she said, closing her eyes.
"Is something wrong, Omine?"
"Maki, I really wanted to go to the same school as you. I wanted to go to Otonokizaka with you…"
But she shook her head. "It's best not to dwell on things like that. Just be glad you have a best friend, even if she's a pain in your ass," her demeanor had certainly changed rather quickly.
"I… alright…"
"… I'm sorry about that," Rin said, approaching behind that. "That was… kinda bad, I think, sorry…"
"Don't worry- just don't do it again, OK?" Maki said, and Rin's demeanor seemed to peak up a bit at knowing that Maki didn't seem too mad. "I'll see you all tomorrow, alright? And Rin, you better keep studying! And remember, we're all meeting for practice even with the midterms coming up tomorrow!" Rin grinned at Maki's assertiveness and how much she clearly loved μ's, even if she would never admit it. And so, cleaning up after themselves, that left just Rin and Hanayo to walk back home by themselves.
"Man, I really thought Maki-chan would get me for a second!" Rin said as they walked away from Otonokizaka into the streets, ready to make their way back home. "It works though… just the thought of failing English is scary now! She'll kill me with a chainsaw like a psycho in one of those movies, nya!"
Hanayo laughed. "Rin-chan, she's not that mean," Hanayo said with a smile. "You just… really seem to push all her buttons a lot."
"Then her buttons shouldn't be so easy to push!" Rin complained, before scratching behind her head. "Still… my English is getting better, Kayochin! I'm sure of it, as long as I keep practicing we're gonna be in the clear!" Rin assured, making determined fists with her hands. "I really want us to go to Love Live, I really do!"
Hanayo smiled, walking alongside her friend. She thought maybe she should wait until later, but it came blurted out in that moment. "Are you sure you're OK, Rin?" Hanayo blushed slightly at how suddenly she had asked it, but it had been done.
"Eh? What are you talking about? Of couse I've been good! I mean this midterm thing is a load… but I'm still the one and only Rin-chan, nya!" She rose her hand and made a claw-like motion, swiping the air as if she were a cat. "Rin-chan will absolutely nail her exams, don't you worry! I won't be some useless dead weight dragging you all down!" It was that word that made Hanayo grow very uncomfortable.
"Useless… Dead weight..."
"Eh? Did I say that?" Rin was either playing dumb or didn't notice it. "Well… doesn't matter! I'm not gonna drag μ's down, OK, Kayochin? This is your dream, I'll make sure we get to Love Live no matter what!" The words meant to assure Hanayo became more distressing to her.
"R-Rin… you want to go to Love Live for yourself too, right? You're a member of μ's too… you're not doing it just for me, right?"
"Kayochin, what's with all these questions?" Rin's smile finally disappeared. "It's fine, really. I know I messed up with my studying, but I'm trying to pull it together!" She said, her tone becoming defensive. "I shouldn't have slacked off and now… and now the club is in danger for it! Even though Honoka and Nico-senpai have to pull their weight too, I messed up! And I… I don't want your dream to be in danger!"
"That's not what I'm saying, this is your dream too, right?" Hanayo asked, holding Rin's hand gently. "You… you are enjoying this, right? Being a part of μ's?"
"Of course I am, it's great!" Rin took a step back, away from Hanayo's gentle touch. "I… it's so much fun, being with everyone! This singing and dancing, I thought it was something somebody like me could never possibly do!"
"Rin… c-calm down…"
"… You got so strong so quickly, Kayochin…" That certainly threw Hanayo off-guard. "I remember I always… stuck up for you when people were being mean and junk! And… I felt so happy, being like your knight… but you don't need to be protected anymore, do you?" Rin stared at the ground. "You're standing on your own, and I'm the one that needed to be defended from others… you're all so pretty and everything. So cute and feminine while dancing and singing and… all those moves, I like being a part of it…"
"Rin-chan… I know we're you're going with this, please don't think about that!" Hanayo tried to assure. "You're just as cute as the rest of us!
"Well… highschool changes everything, doesn't it?" Hanayo tried to reassure. "That doesn't mean we're not friends, or that you still don't mean a lot to me!"
"… But it does change things," she took another step back. "… I'm… jealous of you, all of you…" another step back. "… I'm sorry, I have to go."
Rin bolted off in the other direction, Hanayo gasping as she tried racing after. "H-hey! Wait! Rin-chan, wait! Don't…" But in terms of speed she could never catch up, especially once a red light began to separate them. "Rin…"
Hanayo texted her a few times, but to no response. And then a call with no response. Defeated, Hanayo headed home.
Rin ran as fast as she could away from her old friend, guilt building in her but she did not look back. She gasped for breath a few blocks after she had lost Hanayo, sighing as she leaned against a wall. "Dammit, dammit, dammit… what's wrong with you, Rin?" She scolded herself. She didn't mean to let that all out, really! It just sort of fell out of her mouth, and now Hanayo had to be worried for her.
All the more reason this was the right decision to make, wasn't it? She set down her backpack to take the club resignation letter back out with a sigh. She was going to be upfront with μ's and resign that day, but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. Once again she had so much fun and exciting days with them all, she just couldn't bear to let it go. Except now, Hanayo had to suffer for it as well.
What if she didn't pass her midterms, anyway? It would drag down the other six girls with her. She could already see it; all of μ's passing their exams after trying their hardest, only for Rin's failure to drag them all down. How could she do something to people who had given her so much, who had given Hanayo so much? Hanayo's dreams were being actualized; Rin couldn't let anything stand in the way of it. In this case, it just included herself was all.
Rin walked without a word, ignoring her best friend's texts and calls, trying to block out everything except the courage to do what needed to be done. The sheer reality was that Hanayo didn't need her anymore, Rin came to understand. In the past she did; she was quiet and meek and shy, and sometimes other kids might have picked on her. Rin stood up for her and protected her. And as long as she did, Rin had a place to belong in the world. She had a purpose and a best friend that made her feel confident and happy, she had a place to truly belong in the world. But it was like Hanayo said; highschool changes things. The situation just… wasn't the same anymore.
Hanayo had a power, now. A power that surpassed anything Rin could possibly achieve. Back in Hanayo's house she was powerless as one of the enemies chilled her body, unable to even muster the energy to get herself out of the bed until Hanayo's and Honoka's battle ended. But she could hear everything. She could hear the yelling and the crashing, utterly powerless to do anything to help her.
Even in the alleyway when she was being beaten up by the two delinquents she was overpowered, and it was before Hanayo even obtained this power she had come to her rescue. She remembered how they met, a story about a dragon and a princess. And that princess had a gallant knight to protect her and kill the evil dragon. But what use was there for the knight when the princess could defend herself?
She was thankful her parents worked into the night as she walked quietly to her room, collapsing on the bed in her room. It's for the best, she thought to herself. For Kayochin and μ's. It's just what's best for everyone. Kayochin is gonna grow up to be an amazing Idol and you'll support her from the sidelines. I'll get an office job or something, she thought to herself, a bitter smile forming. You always knew this was temporary. Just wish it could've lasted a few more years…
She thought back to that day she had first worn a skirt when she and Hanayo were little, just trying to make her way to school.
"Eh? Hoshizora, why are you wearing a skirt?"
"That's girl clothes, Hoshizora, come on!"
"D… did you lose a bet or something?"
"Rin-chan…?" Was what Hanayo had tried to do to support her, before Rin turned away, tears welling in her eyes and ready to run off.
"I-I'm sorry, I need to go home and change!"
"W-wait! Shisui-kun, what's wrong!? Shisui!?"
Rin sighed and looked at a pink dress, holding it up to her as she looked in the mirror. "… Who am I kidding, I'm just not meant for that stuff," she rationalized and fell back on her bed. She wasn't girly or feminine, and that was essential to being an Idol. And the worst case? Her secret could ruin μ's, she knew it. What would society say if they knew the birth name of Hoshizora Rin was Hoshizora Shisui?
What would happen if the world knew it was just some pretend girl that was a part of μ's?
Rin rationalized the result would be immediate and catastrophic. μ's would never survive the controversy, even if she left immediately it'd never end. And of course, that would mean the secret known only to Principal Minami, her teachers, and Hanayo would leak out to the rest of the school as well.
You can't be selfish, Rin. Do what best for everyone else, even if they hate you for it, just do it, she thought, before standing up. "Tomorrow's the day! No more running away… even if you disappoint them, you're doing what's best!" She declared to herself, one fist balled as she looked at the resignation letter, pausing for a few moments before feeling a few tears fall. "D-dammit…"
Selfish, selfish, selfish. She wanted to scold herself for crying like this.
She buried her face in her hand as she cried. She was a girl without a place in the world, and if she had to guess, once this was over without friends. She'd be alone in this world, but that's ok; it's what she deserved for questioning how the world worked and not just rolling with what others expected of her. At the very least, she could make up for her sin against the world while making Hanayo's dream come true. While making μ's dream come true. She felt a small smile tug on her lips as she did; athletes had to sacrifice a lot for the sake of their passions. She was just sacrificing for μ's.
She decided to plop onto her computer, wanting to distract herself with videos to take her mind off things. Some funny videos, she thought. Not the kind to turn off her computer she forgot she had left one tab open the night prior; a site with reviews of the Cinderella Beauty Salon.
As she looked through it every review was glowing, a perfect five star, much as Aya had promised. She bit on her lip, looking at the before and after. "W… whoah…" It seemed almost impossible! Almost like Aya was using magic or something to do it! And, well…
Something felt wrong about it, but honestly? Rin rationalized she was going to have a terrible day tomorrow anyways, and Aya had offered a free touchup. What was wrong with looking her best during the worst day of her life, anyways? Maybe she could joke about that further down the line.
And so the next day Rin had woken up early to do so. As she was waking up in the morning to practice with μ's her parents paid no mind, simply thinking she was off to practice. She was still ghosting Hanayo, and the fact filled her with guilt, but she had come to a decision to do what she needed to today, no more holding off. But still, she at least wanted to try this out.
"This is amazing!" One girl yelled out as she ran out of Cindrella, much to Rin's shock. She wasn't the prettiest girl in the world (to be delicate about it), but happy tears were streaming down her face and she couldn't seem to stop. "He proposed to me, he really did! I can't believe it… for the 'good luck' treatment got me the job, and now this…! Aya-sama, I promise I'm going to tell all your friends! I mean it! I-I really don't owe you anything!? I just paid off my credit card, it's the least I can do!"
"Just spread the word… it's important to me while I'm setting up shop in this new location. Just keep in mind, future appointments wont' be cheap…" Aya said, standing in the doorway with a yawn. "I can't perform infinite miracles out of pocket, after all."
"O-Of course!" The woman looked at Rin. "Kid, are you looking for a makeover!? This woman… it's like she's magic or something! I can't believe this! I… I have to call my mother! A-and my brother!" She was lost in her own world, leaving behind a stunned Rin as she looked at Aya.
"I was afraid you weren't going to come at all," Aya greeted her at the door to Cinderella, inviting her inside. "After you didn't come yesterday, I assumed you just weren't interested."
"Mmm… sorry. I overslept," she lied. Why did she lie? There wasn't any reason to. But she shook her head, heading further inside. It looked so fancy, she had never been in such a place before. "You were from Morioh?"
"Yes, I was," Aya began, with a yawn. "Sorry, I have low blood pressure, but don't think I'm tired or anything… but yes. I had a thriving business in Morioh, I was always booked around the clock. Every now and then I liked to sneak somebody in before I opened though, for free."
"Why? If you're so good, why give people freebies?"
Aya smiled. "Are you familiar with the story of Cinderella?"
"Of course I am! When the poor girl gets to marry that prince, right?"
"Yes… with the help of her fairy godmother. All my life, ever since I was little, I wanted to be like that fairy godmother. Helping young girls find their dreams and hopes… if I can help guide them to that path, I'll die happy," she explained with a yawn. "So now and then I liked to give… free helping hands to people in need. Students your age without money to spare, women who just can't find time out of their busy work schedules to find their happiness… I want to be able to help people in any way I can," as she told her story Rin was mesmerized, her mouth open in awe.
What a nice woman! Rin thought to herself. Whatever happened to that woman before, she was clearly super happy with the results! Despite her dread for the rest of this day, Rin couldn't help but be excited now.
"If I could I'd do it for free, for everyone, but I need to pay the bills, you know… still though, how could I not help such a cute young girl?" Rin looked away at that.
"I-I'm not cute. I'm really boyish and stuff. That's why this is probably a waste of time…"
"Now, now… so your desire is to be more feminine? I could easily take care of that," Aya told her, pulling out a computer with a camera attached to it.
"Umm… what's…?"
"It's a machine that helps me with physiognomy, the shape of the face," Aya explained. "Physiognomy, you see, can help determine you fate."
"M-my fate!? Really!?"
"If you have a face that will be loved, it'll heighten your luck in all aspects of life, like finding love, which I specialized in. Of course, things like 'good luck' and 'confidence' can also be changed by the shape of your face," Aya explained "Phew… It's something many beauticians do not understand. They only think of the basics of applying makeup and other beauty technique to get a simple result… I go above-and-beyond. You see… goodness, I never caught your name."
"R-Rin! Hoshizora Rin!"
"Rin-chan, I believe that by doing such things, while it is much harder for me than just applying makeup, will help my clients reach their fairy tale endings," she explained. "In your case… it feels like you're suffering from issues with your self-esteem, Rin-chan. Let's see, let's see… in your case, yes… your eyebrows, your lips, and the shape of your cheekbones seem to be hindrance in your quest to be seen as cute. As your breasts appear to be very small as well," Aya didn't notice Rin flinch at that. "It does contribute to your overall 'boyish' look when combined with those features, which is why you don't feel so confident in your feminity," Aya said, before pushing some buttons on the computer; the results to Rin's face was rather comical.
"H-hey!"
"Sorry… I've been using this machine for over ten years and I'm still not entirely used to it. Ah! There we go, phew…" Rin almost gasped as she saw the projected, expected image. "This is a face of cuteness that will fill you with confidence."
"T… that's plastic surgery! Y-you're not gonna tell me you're some back alley surgeon, right!?" Rin was a little alarmed, now. For the first time, Rin looked at the services offered. "'Makeup to marry a celebrity,' 'Makeup to get the job,' … this can't be real, ma'm! … Uh, I didn't mean to be rude, sorry…"
Aya just chuckled. "Everyone says the same thing, phew. You see, people truly do not understand the power of physiognomy… there's a rather mean phrasing, and please take no insult at this- but they say if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig. And you're not a pig, don't give me that look! What I am saying is… with my procedures, I alter the physiognomy so accurately that even a pig could find true love with a human supermodel. Do you understand that? I promise you, there is no surgery involved in this procedure."
Well, from a certain point of view that was a lie. From another, it was the truth.
"I… I guess… a-and you're really not going to charge me for this?"
"Just not for today… again, it's the word-of-mouth I really want from you," Aya said. "I do have to rebuild my client base, after all."
"Why'd you come from Morioh if you were so successful?" That was enough to make Aya go very quiet.
"… A… problem, well… t-that doesn't matter," Aya said, a twinge of fear in her voice. "I got… a new sponsor, let's say. This is a very costly business, and I found a sponsor that is helping me deal with the financial burdens. Part of the requirement was that I move to Tokyo, though," Rin thought something was suspicious, but didn't press on.
"Well, alright… s-so… the 'makeup to be confidant' will help me?"
"Yes. Not only that, but it's one of the longer lasting ones. In addition to boosting your own confidence, it will make others that view you as extremely cute. Phew… This doesn't affect things like 'luck' or 'finding love' so it lasts significantly longer than most. It'll last for nearly two hours, if you're willing to do it."
"OK… I… I'll definitely come back it works," with what was going to happen later that day, she could probably use more confidence for the upcoming few days… or maybe the rest of the school year.
"It is very important you do not move," Aya said, "This is delicate work, it could botch the entire procedure."
"OK…" Rin said, sighing as she closed her eyes and relax. God, please, just for once, let me feel comfortable with myself, if only for a little while…
Having never awakened the power of a Stand within her, there was no way for Rin to notice the aura of power surrounding Aya, and「Cinderella」manifesting before her.
"Just let me take care of the rest, phew…"
"I-Is that really Hoshizora!?"
"She looks so different! That's makeup, right? I've never seen her wear it- it looks so amazing! I gotta know what brand it is!"
"Rin-chan… i-is that really you?"
"Kayochiiiiiiiin, nya!"
Rin's entire demeanor had changed in a short while, grinning as she practically tackle hugged her friend, laughing. "R-Rin-chan! You look… you look amazing!"
Rin giggled and did a twirl. The lipstick, the mascara, the smallest hint of foundation, combined with a single pigtail to the side of her head was doing wonders. These people who had never looked at Rin were in awe of her beauty, and Rin felt like she could run a thousand marathons without taking a break. "I know, right!? I'm a whole new Rin, nya!" She let go of her at last, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sososososoooooooo sorry about yesterday, Kayochin! I was just in a bad mood 'cause of the stress for our midterms… but now I'm all fired up and everything! I bet if those bullies showed up, I could beat them up even without a Stand!" Hanayo laughed nervously and tried to cover Rin's mouth at the last phrase, as Rin blushed at what she revealed.
"I… I'm so happy for you! You look so super cute! Did… you didn't do it yourself, did you?"
"Of course not, you know I don't know anything about makeup!" Their fellow students began to come closer.
"Y-you gotta tell us who did that, Hoshizora!"
"That's so amazing… did you go to an aesthetician!? My mom's just totally doesn't get my face, I need to know who did that!" One of Honoka's friends, who Rin recognized as Fumiko said. Mika and Hideko quickly came over as well, and before long Rin was practically surrounded by girls she had never talked to.
"H-Her name is Tsuji Aya, nya! She's the owner of that new Cinderella Beauty Salon! It's not open for the public yet… but you gotta go check her out! She's the real deal, nya!"
"H-how did you get that if it's not open yet!?" Fumiko asked, as Rin grinned.
"Well… I guess…" And then Rin winked at the girls around them, before bringing a finger to her mouth, pretending to shush them. "That's my little secret, nya~!" The girls went ecstatic, practically slaves to Rin's charm and beauty. They talked all around her, as Hanayo struggled to try to get through the other girls.
"R-Rin! Rin-chan!"
"O-oh, Kayochin! Girls, give me a moment-" and Rin took Hanayo's hands before the other girl could even react. "Isn't this amazing!? I feel… I feel so good, Kayochin! And… oh! Girls! Giiiiiiiiiiiiiirls!"
"Is that… holy crap, Rin, you look sooooo amazing!" The rest of μ's took notice, swarming over, with Honoka in front. "Fumiko-chan, did you do this!?"
"E-eh!? Why would I do it!? It's supposed to be this super amazing beautician named Tsuji Aya! I need to make an appointment the moment she's open!"
"You look so cute, Rin-chan!" Kotori complimented.
"That's… that's really something else," Maki said, awestruck, with the hint of a blush on her. "Tsuji Aya you said? I…" She was too proud to admit she wanted to look into it, but this was something she wanted to look into it.
"H-How the hell!?" Nico barreled over another first year to get to Rin. "That's… that's amazing! Rin, I need to know how you had this done immediately!"
"…"
The crowd somewhat dispersed as Eli made her way through, inspecting Rin. "That's a good makeover. Who did it?" Even the stoic Student Council president seemed to be interested, now."
"I-It was Tsuji Aya of Cinderella Beauty Salon, nya! And the crazy thing is this didn't even take 20 minutes!" The girls who had begun to disperse were once again worked up and excited, swarming around Rin as she laughed. "She's the real deal, I swear it! She even turned someone as boyish as me this cute!" Eli didn't press on much, walking onwards, Nozomi soon alongside her.
"… Eli, it's just a makeover…"
"In less than 20 minutes? That draws in a crowd?" Eli narrowed her eyes.
"Elichi, please. I know it's hard, but we're still highschool girls. There's nothing wrong with a makeover getting attention…"
Eli walked on. "I just have a bad feeling in my gut. I'll check it out later."
Nozomi sighed, looking back at Rin. She couldn't help but be concerned. Such highs like that always came with a fall…
"Rin… w-would you… like to talk about… um…" But Rin could barely hear Hanayo, striking up conversations with all these new people.
"O-Oh, I'm sorry, Kayochin! Let's talk later, OK?" She offered. "I think these girls have a lot of questions, and I promised Aya-san I'd help spread it word-of-mouth! You don't mind, right?"
"O-oh! Of course not, don't worry…" Hanayo gave a small, sad smile as she watched Rin walk off with this new crowd. Being blown off like that especially after yesterday hurt, but she was happy. Rin was never a popular girl, she could only imagine how happy she must have been to have so many people talking to her like that…
Still, it seemed odd. Cinderella Beauty Salon? She had heard about that place opening up, but she had never looked into it. Still, such amazing results! She smiled at the thought of her and Rin getting makeovers together, maybe!
"Guys, guys! We tooooooooooootally gotta get Rin to take pictures for us like that!" Honoka encouraged. "They'll be a huge hit on the School Idol Festival, you just know it! So maybe just for today we skip studying and-"
"Absolutely not."
"O-OK, Umi! I-it was just a suggestion…"
Rin, however, felt on top of the world. She felt she could take any challenge, climb any mountain! She chatted with these strangers about beauty, and even her own interests like sports, and even got to answer some questions about μ's. This was a new, wonderful feeling that was foreign to Rin. She had never felt so confident in her own body, and for the first time, she felt free.
It was like the lyrics to START:DASH, she truly felt like a newborn baby bird ready to fly into the world. A similar feeling had come over her when they performed Korekara no SOMEDAY, with how cute she looked in the video, but this was a new feeling of freedom entirely. Freedom from worry, freedom from anxiety, and freedom from her own body.
But Rin forgot the cage could only stay open for so long.
The rest of that school day was uneventful for the rest of μ's. Well, except for Rin, of course. For the next two hours Rin would continue to be the center of attention, every other girl practically drawn to her. She was the talk of the classes, until two hours later, when it began to die down. Hanayo just assumed that everyone had seen and gotten used to it. After all, it was just a makeover. But Hanayo began to notice something. Rin seemed… anxious, more so than usual.
During lunch, Rin immediately headed over to the roof. Hanayo thought of telling the others, but she followed alone. "Ah… R-Rin…?"
"… Why…? That's not… that's not…!"
Rin punched the wall in front of her. "That's not fair!"
"R-Rin! You'll hurt yourself!" Hanayo rushed over to Rin's side. "I-Its ok, honestly! Everyone just got used to it is all… t-that's no reason to— "
"Two hours isn't enough!"
"W… what?"
"Two hours… the 'makeup for confidence,' lasted only for two hours… that's not enough! That's not… that's not…!" Rin collapsed to her knees, crying.
"Rin, something's wrong with this! What's happening!?"
"She said… for two hours, I'd be cute and have confidence… and now two hours have past! And I'm just… I'm just… I'm me, again, Hanayo! I'm me!" Her tone was something different than what Hanayo was used to hearing from her. She didn't sound angry or sad… she sounded defeated. Broken, even. "I'm… I'm back to being me… that's cruel! That's… that's too cruel…" Hanayo could say little as Rin buried her face into her, sobbing. "That's… I can't live like that! H-how am I supposed to go back to being like this? I can't do that… no. Aya has to know how to make it last more than two hours. She has to!" Rin stepped away from Hanayo, staring at the direction towards the Salon from the school's rooftop. "I have to do it. I absolutely have to! As long as I do, I can be happy, I'm sure of it!"
"Rin… you're scaring me," Hanayo said, taking a step back. "L… let's talk about this, OK? I don't think you're thinking rationally!"
"I don't need to think rationally- I just need another treatment from Aya! One that lasts longer than two hours!" Rin snapped. "You wouldn't understand it, Hanayo! You can't understand! Being like mean… I was so cute and feminine and everyone loved me! You and the others are all like that naturally!"
"Rin, please, calm down!" But Rin's breakdown was reaching its fever point, and it seemed to fall on deaf ears.
"I'm tired… I'm tired of pretending, OK!? That everything is fine… that I'm fine. That the fact I'm in this school at all is something most people would consider to be wrong!"
"Rin, please, calm down! You're fine the way you are! You'll always be perfect! Y… you're the person I admire the most, you know!? As you are, and the way you'll always be!" Hanayo rose her voice, careful not to stutter, to try to take reign of the situation.
"Don't patronize me, dammit!" Hanayo flinched; never once had Rin ever talked to her like that. "You all… this is natural to you all. Being cute is natural to girls like you, but not to me! If you can even call me a girl— "
"Rin, please, stop!"
"I've been dealing with this my whole life, Hanayo! My entire life! You've helped me, but I'm still the one that has to struggle, not you! Don't you understand!? Me being perfect to you doesn't help me when I'm still struggling!" Rin took a breath, continuing before Hanayo cold retort. "When you tell someone who's depressed 'it's ok, I understand,' it doesn't change anything! I just… I just… that was the happiest I'd been since we shot Korekara no SOMEDAY, Hanayo!" The tears were welling back. "And now… μ's is in danger because of me! Because I'm some brain-dead moron who can't do anything right, we might not be able to go to Love Live if I fuck it up! If only… if only I hadn't joined, μ's would be in a better place! An uncute girl doesn't have a place with Idols, Hanayo! Don't you get that!? You belong here; me joining was a mistake!"
Hanayo was crying now too, trying to think of anything she could say to calm down her friend. "Y… you don't really think that, do you…?"
"… I'm going to resign from μ's," was all Rin said, earning a shocked gasp. "I won't jeopardize you or anyone else. I won't let my weakness drag this team down, I promise," Rin went on. "Today, after school, when everyone's together. I'll resign from the Idol Study Club and focus my efforts on the Track Club from now on."
"No! Rin, don't!"
"This was just a dream, anyways… but the makeup from Aya-san… it made me realize just how much of a dream it really was. Well, I'm waking up, Hanayo. I'm done. I'm waking up. I… We're just too different…" Rin went on with a sigh. "Everything was just a dream…"
"No you're not… you can't do that! I thought this was like a dream too, but look at me! Look at us! I don't know what happened there, Rin, but please don't do this!"
"I'll do what I have to for the betterment of μ's!"
"You being in μ's is what's best for it! It won't be the same without you!"
"It's going to be even better, just trust me! And to top it off, there won't be a risk of a scandal around me ruining things for everyone!"
"There wouldn't be a scandal because there's nothing to be ashamed of, Rin!"
"That's a load of bullshit and you know it, Hanayo!" She stomped her foot. "You know as well as anyone if this leaked out to everyone, μ's would be finished!"
"Rin, I'd rather— "
"Anybody would rather not be in some Idol group with a boy, Hanayo!"
"… What?" Honoka's voice interrupted.
They turned away, finally noticing the rest of μ's on the rooftop, having gone after Rin in concern at her sudden change in behavior as well.
"…" Rin's look went from one of self-loathing and anger to pure horror, backing up with a gasp. "I… I…"
"What's going on, Rin?" Maki asked. "And what was with… all that? Quitting μ's? A boy?"
"Everyone, let's just take a deep breath and talk this over," Umi reasoned. "Rin, please calm down. Let's just— "
But Rin charged forward, practically knocking over Umi and Kotori as she bolted for the stairs.
"RIN! WAIT!" Hanayo yelled after her, trying to give chance. "RIN, PLEASE!"
But much like Honoka had when her powers had begun to awaken, Rin had bolted away from the school, out into the city. "Oh no…"
"What's going on, Hanayo!?" Nico asked. "What was that about Rin quitting the club!? Is this… is this really because of the exam things!?"
"It'd suck if we couldn't go to Love Live, but we're not gonna stop being her friend or anything," Honoka said. "We'd still want to have fun with her and everything… but this is more than that, isn't it?"
Hanayo sighed. It didn't feel right just telling this without Rin's permission, but it couldn't be avoided any longer. "I… Let's go to the rooftop, OK? I'll explain everything… but only if you all promise to not tell anyone unless Rin says so, no matter what?" Hanayo asked, her expression serious. "If any of you, any of you tell anyone else, I'll be the one quitting μ's the moment I find out. OK?"
And the girls nodded, and headed towards the rooftop once more. And nearly twenty minutes later, Rin had made her way to Cinderella Beauty Salon, relieved to find it unlocked. "Aya-san! Aya-san! Are you in here!? Aya-san!"
"Rin? What's going on? Shouldn't you still be in school?" Aya asked, walking out of another room. "I'm sorry, but— "
"I need more, please!"
"What? Rin-chan, I'm sorry, but this isn't—"
"There has to be a way to make it last longer than two hours! There has to be! I'll do anything!" Aya was shocked at seeing how distraught Rin was. Sometimes other women got upset when their half an hour, hour, or two hours were up, but this was something else entirely. The girl seemed broken, like the idea of returning to a life without the 'makeup for confidence' was something she could not allow. "I'll do absolutely anything, I promise!"
Aya could only stare as the girl cried, covering her hands. "Rin…"
"Please… my life is ruined now, so please, at least let me look cute and confident, please!" All Aya could do was watch, horror washing over her. "Please, for the love of God… I don't have a place in the world anymore, that's the least you can do, please…"
Oh God, what have I done?
"Things are getting really interesting, boss."
Wakaki continued to observe the Cinderella Salon, watching from a pair of binoculars. "The transgendered one or whatever you call that just went back. She doesn't seem to be aware of Stand or anything… Aya probably doesn't know about μ's and the other Stand users either," Wakaki said, before taking a bite of pretzel bread. "Whatcha think, Kira?"
Yoshikage narrowed his eyes from his office, frustrated with Wakaki's lack of respect. "Keep observing," he ordered, authorizing a paper with his signature with his free hand. "They'll investigate for sure now… Damn that Aya, taking in unauthorized business before the grand opening…"
"Kyahahaha! Mad your newest investment might crash before it opens?" Wakaki teased the older man. If she could see how hard Yoshikage was starting to grip his phone she would've laughed harder. "You were the one that bought her out and got her to relocate here to Tokyo, weren't you? I'll admit, for a non-combative Stand, it will help a lot with agents who have their cover blown…"
"Listen to me, you little bitch," Yoshikage's patience had hit its limits. "You will not speak to me in such a way, do you understand me? Just because you have that weapon and his favor doesn't mean I'll just tolerate this disrespect."
"Oi, oi, boss… I may call you that, but don't you forget. My direct orders come from higher up the totem pole, you know? I've already covered for you once… I'm his emissary, not yours."
"Regardless, you have been assigned to me for the foreseeable future. I have been given authority over you for the time being; you will treat me with respect, do you understand me?" A smirk finally made its way to his lips, pleased by the silence on the other line, a rarity for Wakaki. "Keep observing, for the time being."
"Alright, fine. Once I'm done here, I'll go check up on the Arrow Hunters again… Wakaki reporting out," Wakaki said, as Yoshikage hung up. "Pain in my ass…" He let out a sigh, patting something within his coat. "Perhaps you and I should go for a nice date, later? That might relieve some stress…" He smiled at the thought. There had been a new sushi place that had opened near Yoshida Tokyo Headquarters, a fancy one to boot; it would make for a memorable date. But for now, there was work to be done.
Yamazaki had become more impatient in recent days with the lack of the Evolution Virus' research, and the delayed time it was taking to create the second 'weapon' that would revolutionize the world of Stands once massproduced.
Meanwhile, Wakaki glared at her phone as she heard Yoshikage hang up on her. "Fucking pain in my goddamn ass…" She swore, before replying to two texts from Yanigihori and Emi. "Hate these kinds of fucking jobs, watching and no action…"
But, she smirked.
"… Well, at least the results are fun to watch, gotta admit!"
"… So, she was born a boy, then? But like… she doesn't have any surgery or anything, right? And she wants to start taking estrogen pills?"
"That's the gist of it, Honoka-chan," Hanayo said, nodding. "She… really doesn't like the phrase 'born a boy' though. Most of them don't… just acknowledge them as always girls, OK?"
It had been a rather heavy conversation that had dominated the rest of their lunch. Hanayo still felt guilty about this, but she knew at this point it couldn't be avoided any longer.
"So… 'Shisui' is her real name, then?" Maki asked. "And… it's 'her,' not 'him?'"
"She uses the phrase 'deadname' but yeah. That's what she was born as. I… I actually helped her chose out the name Rin," Hanayo said with a smile, remembering that day for the millionth time.
"Wish she had told us that earlier… I mean, not that I mind or anything, don't get me wrong!" Nico made sure to correct herself. "Just… a lot to wrap your head around so quickly, you know? We're friends here, she should have told us… I know it isn't about me, but it kinda stings, you know? Like, were we ever gonna find out about this?"
"Well, it's probably really hard for her… And she did just meet us this year," Kotori reasoned. "I mean… I'm really shocked too, I had no idea… how do you even tell people things like that about yourself?" Kotori bit on her lips. Having feelings for other women was something only Honoka and Umi knew, just thinking about the rest of μ's just learning because she blurted it out gave her some anxiety.
"I don't… really understand this, but I'll try," Maki admitted. Being gay was one thing, but something like this was something the sheltered, rich girl had never encountered. It occurred to her now how Rin always changed into her gym and school clothes away from other girls in the locker room, preferring one of the stalls. A few girls were shy, so she hadn't thought anything of it. "Just… I'm sorry if I make any mistakes, OK? Just tell me."
"She tries really hard to keep people from finding out," Hanayo told everyone. "She's still the same Rin, you know… she's been struggling with this since we were little. I… I was hoping maybe together we could have told the rest of you. Rin said her parents had to look around to find a school that'd take her, most of them turned her away," she turned to Kotori. "She said your mom promised she and the staff would treat her equally and not tell anyone… and that's what made me want to come here, too."
Kotori smiled. "My mama's always believed in not being prejudiced about things like that. I'd be really upset if she rejected somebody for it," she admitted. She felt proud of her mother for making sure her friend had a safe place to pursue an education, and that decision had also brought Hanayo into her life, but she couldn't take comfort in the situation at the moment.
"… Honoka, do you have any input?" Umi asked, turning to face her best friend. Honoka's eyes were closed, in deep thought with her arms crossed before she opened her eyes and looked ahead. While kind, she did know Honoka's father came from a traditional family, and Honoka's mother had conservative parents as well. Politics wasn't something she discussed with Honoka, but a part of her deep down felt concerned.
Not even a minute later, Umi felt like an idiot for being concerned.
"… Yeah! Nothing should change! It's just like Hanayo-chan says… Rin is still Rin! Just because she's different down there, doesn't change what happens!" The rest of μ's nodded, and Hanayo was filled with relief. "Sure, we gotta be more careful with her now… and maybe some of us might make some mistakes because we know this now about this whole transgender thing… so then we apologize and try not to do it again!" And the rest nodded, and Hanayo's smile widened. "For now though, we gotta find her! She was like, super freaking out! What do you all think?"
"We shouldn't ditch school just to look for her," Umi reasoned. "Although maybe it's for the best…"
"I'll leave school to look for her," Hanayo said, facing the rest. "With midterms and stuff coming up, Honoka and Nico definitely should still study! She's my best friend… and she feels so terrible inside. I'll do it," Hanayo declared. "I don't care if I get in trouble. I'll do everything I can to help her! Just… Read up on it if you can, OK? I'm gonna go leave to find her!"
"H-Hanayo, are you sure you want to skip school too?" Umi asked. "Maybe we should all just look for her after school?"
"… My best friend was suffering so much and I didn't even notice," Hanayo said. "This is… this is something I need to solve. I need to deal with this. It's not something the rest of you can deal with either," she admitted. "It's not something that you can fix if you're the one who finds her, if she even talks to you…" Her face was determined, and she balled a hand into her fist. "The Director will probably punish us if we all skip class, maybe even prevent us from going… and I know despite what she says, Rin wants to go to Love Live! So… I have to find her and bring her back!"
"… Alright, Hanayo," Honoka said with a smile. "Bring back Rin-chan to us, do you hear? μ's is the seven of us! If any of us quits over something like this… there's no point to any of this anymore! Not even saving the school!" Even Nico didn't seem to object. "All for one, one for all! So go out there and bring her back!"
Hanayo grinned and saluted, bowing to her classmate before running down the stairs, past a teacher, and out into the streets itself. Rin, I'm coming! I won't let you suffer like this alone!
"… We really are a hell of a club, aren't we?" Honoka asked Nico with a grin, earning a small glare before the grin was returned.
"Between you and me, I like it more than the one I had as a first year." Nico said.
「Circus」materialized, nodding as well. "The unit only functions as long as everyone works together. And that means understanding each other, too. If things like this break it apart, it never had a chance to begin with."
As Rin did not return her calls, her first course of action was to head to Cinderella. And of course, it was locked. "H-hello!? Is anybody in there!? Open up! I need to talk to you about my friend, Hoshizora Rin! I know she was here earlier this morning! Please, it's super important!" She rang the buzzer and pounded on the door. "I know you were probably just trying to be nice… but you don't understand! She's… she's not like most girls! Please, what you did hurt her, and you need to help her!"
After ten minutes, she scowled at the door. "I-If you do more to hurt her… I… I'll kick your ass!" It was a threat she had never made before, and all she could do was storm off. But inside, Aya remained, away from sight and staring at her own feet in a corner.
"… Some fairy godmother you were, Aya…" She ran her fingers through her hair. As the years had gone on, her power had increased, allowing her to keep stronger and longer-lasting body surgeries. It almost always worked out, but in this case… "What was I thinking, giving her that lipstick?"
When confronting the Hoshizora home, all Hanayo had been told by Rin's mother was that she had gone to bed early that night. As she was already gone most of the day, it didn't particularly help fill her on on what Rin had been up to during the day. She had spent all day prior looking for Rin all over Tokyo, and while she had heard something about a "really pretty orange-haired first yea," from a passing conversation she just could not track down Rin's location. Dozens of texts and calls had prompted her to give up that night.
But that didn't mean she had given up in the long run. She was determined to find and help Rin no matter what it took, and she had even gotten up at five in the morning to prepare. "Rin…" She camped outside Rin's house for when she would normally leave, unsurprised to see that Rin didn't appear to be leaving the house. Once Mrs. Hoshizora was gone she used her spare key, essentially breaking into Rin's house (or, well, did it really count when you had a key?) to look inside. "Rin… Rin-chan, it's me!" She knocked on her door. "You don't need to be afraid! I… I know it wasn't with you, but I did talk about what happened with the others! I… I'm sorry I had to do that, but everyone understands! It's not… Rin?"
She realized the door to Rin's room was unlocked, and opening the door she saw Rin was nowhere to be seen, with the window open. "R-Rin!" Looking out she could see Rin in a coat running away, also holding a hat to her head. Wasting no time she jumped out the window, 「Momoiro Clover」catching her on the ground. "Rin! Please, wait!" This time though, she wouldn't lose her. Rin was faster, but she sprinted after her, determined to keep Rin in her sight. And as they ran, before long, they ended up in a familiar park. "… This place…" Hanayo hadn't been here in years. It was just an unremarkable park in truth, even a little worn-out and old. But…
She looked at a swing, and she remembered that day.
"If Shisui doesn't like being a boy and wants to be girly… t-then let's give you a new name!"
"Eh!? Really, nya!?"
"Yeah! It'd be like a nickname! B-Because you call me Kayochin!"
"Ok… what about… umm… Sara?"
"Noo… I don't think you'd have an English name… Sakura?"
"No way, that's too much nya! Umm… Reiko…?"
"No… sounds a bit too grown-up. How about… I-I-I-I think an R would be good!"
"Ahh… this is too confusing! You chose it for me!"
"How about… s-something short… how about…"
"… Rin."
Hanayo noticed the other girl across from her, not facing her direction. "Rin, you need to come to school. Everyone is worried about you. Nobody thinks any less of you or anything! Just… I'm so sorry, I had to explain it. I didn't want to do it without you, but they were starting to ask questions, and—"
"Go. Just go, Hanayo…"
"Rin… I won't… I won't go without you!"
Rin let out a bitter chuckle. "I messed up really bad… like, really, really, really badly, Hanayo… she even gave me super easy instructions, and I still messed it up. A fake girl like me couldn't even apply lipstick right…"
"W… what are you talking about? Don't ever think about that awful place ever again! They messed up your head but your friends are here for you! All of us, in μ's, together! I promise… nothing has to change!"
"I changed, though."
Hanayo's eyes widened in horror as Rin looked around; it was like her face was missing. Or rather, there were no features to tell her apart from others. "R… Rin! What happened!?"
Rin turned away. "I can't even do simple things right… this is why μ's and you are better off without me. After I went back, I had so much fun in Akiba, talking to people I didn't even know. I didn't even keep track of applying the lipstick…"
"W… not applying lipstick did that!? Rin, something's wrong with that!"
"I'm gonna… I'm gonna try to fix this for myself, then none of you will ever see me ever again. I'm so sorry for everything… I wanted to protect you so I could feel like I had a place in the world. Then everything just caught up on me so fast ever since the fight in the alleyway… So now I'm paying the price. A fake girl who tried playing at things she's not meant to do, you mess with nature so you pay the price. It's… its ok though. I'm just happy I got to see you become an Idol."
"Kotori's Stand has healing powers! Whatever happened to you, we can go fix it!"
But Rin's smile was small and bitter, even though Hanayo couldn't see it. "Goodbye, Kayochin. I… I'm really happy that I met you!" And once more Rin took off, with Hanayo fast in pursuit.
You're not getting away! Not again! Hanayo thought. Even if she couldn't keep up with Rin, there was only one possible destination: Cinderella Beauty Salon.
Rin was the one who reached it first. The doors unlocked, she ran up to Aya, speechless.
"… I should have known this would happen…"
"M… my face…"
"I warned you, didn't I, Rin? You had to apply the lipstick every half an hour for the effect to remain permanent… and now the makeup has cracked off, taking your face with it."
"I was having so much fun," Rin said, beginning to cry again. Aya felt terrible, but tried hard to remain stoic. Rin had completely broken down, admitting all her baggage and her desire to be seen as cute to others and why. Aya knew she should have turned her away at that point and forbade her from entering her Salon again, but she felt a need to help her out. Of course, deep down, she had a feeling it would turn out like this. "I didn't… I just forgot…"
"Fairy godmother's magic only worked until midnight… Cinderella had such a good time though, she had to run away as the clock struck twelve, even though the prince still fell in love… but you did not encounter such a fate."
"I… Just… please tell me, is there any way to fix it? I'll do anything…"
"Rin!"
Hanayo gasped for breath as she stormed inside, glaring at Aya. "You're Tsuji Aya, aren't you!? Y… you did this to her?"
"She did it to herself," Aya defended. "My makeup either works for a set time, or permanently… in order for the later though, one must apply a special lipstick every half an hour. Rin knew this, and didn't do it. Be angry at me all you want… but Rin knew the consequences of her actions! … Phew."
"Hanayo, its really my fault," Rin said. "It's my burden. Please go, I'll carry it myself…"
"No! No, dammit, no! I'm sorry but… I… I… I'm sick of this attitude, Rin!"
"Eh!?"
Hanayo balled her fists. "You got dealt… a really rough hand in life. But look! Everyone loves you! I love you! μ's loves you! It's not because of this makeup… and μ's STILL loves you!"
"… K... Kayochin…"
"Maybe it was hard to understand, but they accept you! Even… even if we couldn't go to Love Live without you we wouldn't think any less of you!" Rin was silent. "And if… you being trans would actually ruin μ's' reputation, then we don't want μ's anymore! We'd trade it away for you anytime!" The words were resonating in Rin, who looked at Hanayo without a word. "I'd rather have you than be an Idol any day of the week! I'd never… you could never ruin anything for me! Because you're my best friend, forever! You don't have to protect me… because I still love you!"
Tears rolled down Rin's face, and it was contagious as it would see, Hanayo crying herself. "S-so… please don't think of yourself as some burdensome fake girl again, please!"
"... Kayochin… I… I'm such a fool, I'm sorry…"
"… As for you, Tsuji-san…" Hanayo glared. "I'm going to test out something," she took a few steps forward, followed by a short run, and followed by「Momoiro Clover」manifesting. Aya gasped in shock, and on reflex「Cinderella」came out as well to try to block the blow, the physically weak Stand easily blown away along with its owner as they crashed into the wall. "I knew it, I knew it!"
"… Stand users… Rin as well?" Aya asked, groaning as she looked at Rin, who shook her head. "But you know of them, I see. Yes, I'll admit it. I am a Stand user. I wield the Stand「Cinderella,」which lets me alter a body's physical appearance," she explained, her Stand behind her. "It's not offensive, I don't stand a chance in any fight… I'm a supporter, if anything."
"S-so… you never used makeup on me at all?" Rin asked.
"No. Not to say I'm not extremely talented with makeup, phew. But my Stand replaced your body parts, and they initially reverted back. I just say it's makeup to make people think it's just that and nothing else. Can't go around telling people I'm using a psychic power to make them look better."
"The arrow… so you were attacked by the arrow too?" Hanayo asked, earning a shake of the head.
"That's what that man asked me too… it may sound crazy, but in New Years of 1999, I was visiting some relatives in America, in a state called Arizona. I got lost in the desert and was going to die in the unusual heat, despite the time of the year, phew…" Aya looked in a mirror besides her, inspecting a bruise that'd need some makeup to hide. "Call me crazy, but I think a mirage of God talked to me, and ever since then I've been able to use「Cinderella."」
"Regardless of how you got this power… I bet you can fix this!" Hanayo said. "So fix her face, right now!"
"… It is true I can help fix her face, but it's not quite that simple," Aya explained. "She just… has to chose her own face."
"M-my own face!?"
Aya nodded, her「Cinderella,」generating dozens of faces, floating around the two. Despite Rin not being a Stand user, she could clearly see the faces as well. "One of these is your own face, Rin… choose wisely, and it will fit you."
"J… I just gotta find my own face!?"
"Yes… but chose carefully, Rin, because if you choose wrong… The results will be catastrophic. A face that doesn't match your face… you'll be utterly hideous for the rest of your life, phew…"
"J-Just fix it for her!"
"I can't do that," Aya lied. She was more than capable of simply repairing her face, but...
"D-Don't worry Kayochin! I… I can totally do this! It's my face I see every day in the mirror!" Rin grinned. "I can… I can totally do this, nya! It's this one! Or… um… this one? Nah, the eyes are too big… oh! This one totally feels like a winner! Or… um… ah… oh God… t-this one? No, I don't have a birthmark by my eye! I… I… oh God…"
"Rin!"
"Kayochin, I… I have no idea which one is my face! I… Oh no…!"
None of them are your face, Aya thought to herself. Rin… the only thing stopping you from being a beautiful girl is yourself. Not your gender or anything like that, it's you, Aya thought. Accept that none of these are your face… none of these are 'Hoshizora Rin.' You need to learn to love yourself… Fairy godmother cannot produce the miracles for you. The truth is right in front of you! Claim it! Claim it and embrace yourself!
"… I understand it now, I think…" Aya felt a little smile, but what came next was something she didn't expect. "I want… I want Kayochin to choose!"
"Huh!?" Both Aya and Hanayo replied.
"Even… even if it's an ugly, hideous face, if it's the face Kayochin choses, I'll be happy!" Rin said with a smile. "I could be the most hideous girl to ever live, and I know for sure I'll be happy with whatever face she chooses! So… I want her to choose! Will you?"
"… If you want me too, but…" Hanayo turned to face Aya. "If I guess wrong, can you mutilate my face, too?"
"K-Kayochin, no!"
"I don't care if it means giving up being an Idol… if it happens to her, I want it to happen to me, too!" Hanayo said, smiling.
"… You two girls…"
"Now, um… maybe it's… this one? Or… ah… I think… it's this one!" Hanayo said with a smile, holding one face. "Are you ready?"
"Not really… but we better just do it!"
And Hanayo smiled, as she handed Rin her new face, and flashes of green light shot out, and in the end result… was a perfect fit. "Rin! It worked! It worked!" She laughed as she pulled Rin into a tight hug, who promptly did the same.
"I can't believe it, nya! My face! You got my face back! It… how did you know!?"
"It just… I don't know, it came to me. That… every face… ah…"
"All the faces were fake," Aya said, earning a look from the other two. "I lied to you about it. Every face was not your face. It was a test."
"W-what!?" Rin asked. "That's dirty!"
"You are your own worst enemy when it comes to this, Rin," Aya explained. "Phew… From the bottom of my heart, I never had any malicious intentions… had I known how badly this would affect you I likely would not have done it at all. But it would appear you learned from this experience," Aya said. "I wanted you to accept yourself. To not strive for the most beautiful face, but rather yourself," she explained. "You are beautiful and cute on your own… my makeup is meant to give people an extra push to make their happy endings become a reality, not to be their entire life. That's the true point of the permanent body swap… to make them understand that," she sighed. "… But for you, I simply felt so bad I went against my better judgment and just gave it to you to make you happy. There are others in the past who failed this test and will be forever scarred… I intended to let you reclaim your face no matter what, but if you didn't learn the lesson, well…" She sighed once more. "… Have you grown from this?"
"… I think… I think I have," Rin said with a smile, turning to Hanayo. "I hit rock bottom, like really hard… but I think this is the beginning of a new me, nya!" She said with another hug. "I don't ever want to be like that ever again… 'cuz I'm Hoshizora Rin, the super cute if tomboyish Idol of School Idol group μ's, nya!" And she turned to Aya. "And even though I got… really, really messed up for a bit there, I… I think this helped me, thank you."
"I'll make you a deal," Aya said. "I won't use my Stand on you anymore, but… If you or any of your friends just want a little beauty touchup, I'll be happy to do it for any of you, free of cost. Genuine makeup."
"Kayochiiiiiiiiin… let's do it! Let's get a makeover later!"
"R-really!?"
"Yeah! I bet she's totally good… and I do like the idea of wearing more makeup!" Rin said, before bowing at her. "Thank you for helping me out, Tsuji-san!"
"Anytime…" Aya smiled, and Hanayo smiled as well, her discontent and hatred for the women evaporating. "For now, don't you have school to attend to?"
"… Ahhh! Kayochin, I gotta run all the way back to my house to get my backpack and stuff! … Ahh, I need to change too! Kayochiiiiiiiiiiiin, lets hurry up! See you later, Aya-san!" And with that Rin ran off, Hanayo running off as well.
"I-If we run we'll make it!" Hanayo said, before turning back to run in place. "A-And I'm sorry I said I'd kick your ass, but if you do that to my friends again I really will!" Aya laughed and waved as she ran off as well, returning to her work. A few minutes later, she heard the door open again. "Listen, I don't know what you saw, but we're really not open—"
"I just want to talk to you, ma'm," Eli said, an icy blue aura around her. "That's all."
The reunion at Otonokizaka was a happy one, thankfully.
"Giiiiiiiiiiiirls!" Rin laughed and ran towards the rest of her beloved club, who smiled back in return. "You're not gonna believe the crazy two days I just had! Like, even more than what Kayochin told you!"
Maki seemed ready to ask a personal question, but a look from Nico had her quiet. "We're glad to have you back," Maki said with a smile. "We wouldn't want to do this without you."
"The way she says that… it's like Maki-chan has a crush on me~!"
"W-What!? No way! I absolutely do not!" Maki blushed when the rest of μ's laughed. "H-hey! It's not funny!"
Honoka grinned, wrapping an arm around Rin. "Glad to have you here! You're soooo not gonna believe what happened when we were studying, it was so funny! Nico's Stand materialized and span her like a top again!"
"Whaaaaaaa!? I missed it, nya!"
"Hey! Idiot, no need to tell her that!"
The rest of the morning before classes was filled with idle chatter, with Hanayo and Rin hand-in-hand the entire time. The girls had noticed Rin's cheerful demeanor seemed genuine, like the days before Stands appeared in their lives. Once more another adventure of μ's had come to a close, and in Honoka's eyes, the entire unit had become stronger and closer for it.
"We're gonna practice after class, right!? We haven't done it in ages, nya!"
"I guess… if we don't practice and only study, we'll get rusty," Umi said. "Alright… let's do a practice after school today. All of us."
"Awesome! Alright everyone, let's have a great day followed by great training!" Rin said, beginning to head towards her next class. "I bet I'll be able to outperform everyone today, nya!"
Once again, if only temporarily, something resembling normalcy returned to their lives. Even knowing it was only inevitable until the world of Stands ripped it apart once more, for this moment, these highschool girls enjoyed their youth.
"I can't get a hold of Wakaki anymore."
Emi was unusually serious as she sat across from her boss in a McDonalds, both girls having scarcely touched their food. "I think she's bailed on us for good this time. If we can't get a hold of her in the next 24 hours, I say she's out."
"Agreed," Yanigihori said, staring out the window. "You can feel it, can't you? The big calm before a storm?"
"I'll tell all the girls to be on high alert," Emi said, eating a fry. "Was she… ever on our side at all?"
"This is my fault for letting her in," Yanigihori said, scowling. "Miyabashi and Homura seem apprehensive about fighting these Idols, too. Takamaki and Kobayashi are the only ones not acting weird, and Kobayashi is still recovering…"
"I think Takamaki can win," Emi said. "I really do. She is the strongest out of us except for you, after all."
"Unless Wakaki's holding out," Yanigihori said. "She's always had her secrets, but I at least thought she was loyal… who knows if there's things about her power she's hiding?"
"Regardless, the endgame is coming, Jori," Emi said. "Either we beat them, or they're really going to beat us… That is to say…"
"It's time we stepped out from behind the scenes, it's time for us to go to the battlefield ourselves," Yanigihori said.
"Jori-chan…"
"Starting tomorrow, we're going back to attending Otonokizaka."
"There's no doubt about it. Aya's status as a Stand user is blown. I'll keep lying to the Arrow Hunters, but honestly? I think they're kinda sick of me," Wakaki said, speaking to Yoshikage on the phone once more. "These μ's girls… you really underestimated them."
Yoshikage scowled on the other end. How did this happen? He never authorized a courier to meet with μ's. That so many School Idols became Stand users without his authorization for Love Live, and this 'pink and black' Stand he had heard about. He was trying his best to keep the word low, to keep it from reaching the ears of the Yoshidas themselves, but things were spiraling out of control. To think the arrow the Conglomerate had been searching for years would be awakening Stand users all over Tokyo! His jurisdiction! Combined with the lack of progress on the virus…
He had no choice.
"Kill them."
"Wait, holy shit, seriously?" Wakaki was pretty surprised to hear the order. "Wouldn't they make good candidates for the Greatest Concert? I'll do it, but I think you're being too rash…"
"Kill them all. Even the ones who aren't Stand users. I want them dead, do you understand me? All of them!"
"I highly disagree with this order, boss. But… I'll carry it out, if that's what you wish."
"With that weapon there's no way you can lose. Even though it's a prototype… the power within is more than enough to win. Combined with your own Stand… just do it. The mission begins tomorrow, understood?"
"Of course, of course…"
And so Wakaki hung up her phone, chuckling. "Cornered mice as so predictable…" She was annoyed to see her phone ring once more, smirking at the caller ID, though.
Yoshida Yamazaki
She wasted no time answering. "Yes?"
"Tell me everything."
"Your hire is getting really overconfident… I just got an order to kill off those unauthorized Idol Stand users I told you about. Should I proceed?"
"Very well. If they can't survive you, then they're not important in the overall scheme of things, anyway," the man on the other end responded. "Keep an eye on Kira. We'll probably need to deal with him one day… any objections, Wakaki?"
"To Kira, yeah. To you, of course not," Wakaki grinned. "You're the CEO after all. Not some shitty regional manager."
"You are our emissary. Put that weapon to good use. More than some dead Idols, I want field data on its performance."
"Of course, of course…" And Wakaki chuckled, opening a briefcase next to her and taking out its sole content, what appeared to be a replica of the Stand-inducing arrow, but with a red body and black tip. There was a small button near the head of this arrow, and when pressed, what looked like LED lights lit up on the base of the body of the arrow, red electricity visibly cracking from it as her own Stand aura manifested.
"I'll get you all the data you want, Yamazaki-sama. Just wait and see… μ's, Arrow Hunters, Kira himself; I'll show 'em what the emissary of the Yoshida Conglomerate can do!"
Next time on Honoka's Bizarre Adventure!
Chapter 13: The Red Arrow (Part 1)
I did iiiiiiiit! It took me a while, but I did it!
Sorry it took me so long... I was just a little burnt out, and nervous too! After the whole panic I had about it, combined with just how much I've written in the past few months, I was very much in need of a break But now the chapter is finally out; and its the chapter I wanted to write, too!
It... meant a lot to me to know readers were willing to stick with it to read this chapter. I'm really happy. This is a headcanon that means a lot to me and my friends, and I was happy that people were encouraging me to write my original vision, not what I abandoned at the last moment out of nervousness. How could I have ever written this chapter otherwise? I genuinely don't know.
I tried very hard to have the feelings of hopelessness, being "weird," and feeling like ther'es no place in the world go alongside eachother and compliment one-another. My personal experience with these emotions aside, it was important to try to write it with Rin's own canonical insecurities in a way that feels natural.
I hope you all enjoyed it, and if you did not, I'm very sorry if this chapter disappointed you. Please keep in mind this is not what I intend the story to be about, but for Rin and her character development, it was important for me to write.
May every road take you to a memory of Great Days!