Chapter 3 – Reunions & Interrogations
"*sigh* Thanks for getting me out of there. I really couldn't move for a while." I said to Chiharu as I was walking with her and Kanako after leaving the school.
"Falling asleep near a toilet. Fufufufu~…way to go looking like a drunk party girl, Tsubaki."
"Oh, shut up! I don't need your damn ridiculing! I'm clearly aware of how bad it looked."
"It wouldn't have been too bad if you had a stuffed animal with you." Kanako said.
"How would that help make it better?"
"Because. I fall asleep in weird places all the time. And having Bunny with me make people leave me alone."
"Why, because they know you're sleeping?"
"No. Because if they wake me, Bunny will suck their blood! Rawr!"
"Wh-What?" I said in both confusion and fear after Kanako gave her stuffed rabbit a squeeze and a bunch of red goop came out of its mouth.
"Kanako…stop stuffing Bunny with lychee jelly." Chiharu said with a sweatdrop.
"So, what did you had to tell me?" I asked. "It looked really bad on me that I had to leave practice after spending nearly 30 minutes in the bathroom."
Both Rukia and Ayano were really worried, too…
"Well, since you're in such a hurry…I'll cut straight to the chase. I found a lead on Tsuzuki."
"W-Wait, what?! You did?! Holy crap! How?!"
"I already told you. I track down anyone like they're my own special prey. It was only a matter of time. Fufufufu~!"
"Wow…that's actually impressive."
"It's so totally is!" Kanako cheered. "Especially when Chiharu starts looking for ultra special cute little kitties!"
"Huh?"
"I-I DO NOT! QUIT MAKING CRAP UP, KANAKO!" Chiharu yelled with a huge embarrassed blush on her face.
I guess even someone like her has a soft side…
"So, what did you find? Where is she?" I asked.
"Huh? Oh. *clears throat* Well, I didn't ACTUALLY find her. But I found out about an event that's connected to her."
"Connected to her?" I'll admit…I was confused about what she was saying. I haven't seen Tsuzuki in years. So, I had no idea what kind of mess she's gotten into during that time.
That is until Chiharu told me this:
"As it turns out…you, me, Kanako, and Akemi aren't the only Nega Dimension residents that were suddenly warped to this world."
…
…
…
"Wha…What?! Are you serious?!"
"Dead-ass serious."
"Chiharu is always serious." Kanako added. "But when she's DEAD-ASS serious, you know it's true!"
"Couldn't have said it better myself, Kanako."
"S-So, there really more? O-Other than the four of us?" I asked. Still in complete shock from hearing this news. "H-How did they get here?"
"That's what we've been trying to figure out. We've been going all across the country trying to find at least SOMETHING to use as a lead.
…
That is until we ran into Ayuko after all these years."
"Uh…Ayuko? Who's that?"
"Oh, right. You wouldn't know her. She's Ayano's parallel doppelgänger."
"A-Ayano's doppelgänger?!" I yelled in shock once more. "S-So, she has one, too?!"
"Of course, she has one. In fact, every last one of them in the group has one." Chiharu then went silent for a bit. "M…Most of them are dead…but they all had one at some point."
"I-I see…" I gained a huge sweatdrop.
So, which ones are actually alive?
"A-Anyway…back to this Ayuko girl. Where did she end up?"
"Sapporo. She's been there ever since we were warped here and she's really taken a liking for it. I don't blame her…the city's real peaceful when it snows."
"So, that part's true, huh?" I said to myself. Always wanting to go to this world's Sapporo.
"You know, back then she was one of Akemi's top servants. Until she turned against her after she learned what happened to Chikage."
"Chikage?"
"Chitose's doppelgänger. Well…at least she WAS."
"Rest in peace, Chikage~. *sniff*" Kanako said as she began to cry.
"O-Oh…" Was all I could say.
Damn…was I really one of the lucky ones?
"…S-So, you went and talked with Ayuko?"
"Yeah, we did." Chiharu said. "Like us, she had no idea who or what brought us here. But she did give some decent information."
"She's still a big stupid meanie, though!" Kanako added. "She called me a leotard and said that Bunny being a vampire was stupid as hell! Like, can you believe that, Tsubaki?!"
"Uh…"leotard"?"
"She called you a retard, Kanako." Chiharu said.
"Ohh~…hey, Chiharu. What's a retard?"
"It…It means you're special, Kanako."
"I'm special?! Yay! I love being special!" Kanako then began jumping up and down as she was cheering in her own little dense world.
"You're really not gonna tell her?" I whispered.
"I want to have Kanako keep her manipulated innocence for as long as possible. Especially after what happened in our world."
"I see…"
She's like her guardian or something…
"*clears throat* Anyway…" Chiharu continued. "…She said that before she had warped here, Ayuko saw a green-haired girl with a long strand on each side doing something to this light-purple haired girl. Trapping her in some kind of hex circle and using a strange crystal to do so. She tried to stop her…but the next thing she knew, she was wandering around Hokkaido. The other two girls being nowhere in sight."
"I see…" I thought about this information for a bit. "…Well, that green-haired was undoubtably Tsuzuki. Sounds like she found a way to travel between the two worlds."
"No doubt it was an order from…well…you know who."
"Yeah…it just had to be HER."
So, she's still under HER control. Even after all these years. And there's no doubt in my mind that she's responsible for other events here, too.
That psychopathic bitch! Just what is she planning?!
"So, what do we do now?" I asked.
"Right now, we're going to see that other doppelgänger Tsuzuki was tormenting." Chiharu said. "And see if we can get her to help us."
"Huh? You mean she's here in Takaoka?"
"Yep. She is. And you're not gonna believe who's been taking care of her. It sure shocked the hell out of me."
"I see…" I gained a worried look on my face.
I've got a bad feeling about this…
We soon arrived at the place where this second girl was staying. Being a lone apartment building just east of Shinohara. From what Chiharu told me, she's been here since shortly after the raspberry incident. Much like the rest of them. So, it's kinda interesting how this one's been living here quietly this whole time.
Then again, not every person from the Nega Dimension is out to screw up everything…
"Hey, by the way…there may be a chance that you'll recognize this girl." Chiharu said. "If that's the case, then try to keep a cool head."
"I'll recognize her? I don't know…I didn't know many people before and after Akemi turned our world into the Nega Dimension."
"Even so, keep your cool. We can't have the others know about what may be going on. Or how it relates to you of all people."
"Right. I get you."
Little did I know that it would be easier said than done…
*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*
"Coming…"
Wait…that voice…
By the time I finished that thought, the door had opened and revealed the person living in these apartments. And it took me by surprise.
"Huh? Chiharu, Kanako, and Tsu? Odd to see you three together."
Aw, crap! This is Himawari's house?!
"We'll be quick about this." Chiharu said. "We just need to talk to someone here."
"Someone here? But the only people here are my mom, dad, and Kaede. Who would you need to…"
"Himawari, I did it! I have accomplished in writing the thing you call "kanji"! And after so many trial and error, too!" And then as Himawari was talking, a girl with long light-purple hair and sky-blue eyes came up to the door holding up a sheet of paper with the kanji for "ice" written on it. Looking pretty proud of her recent achievement.
"H-Hey, get back inside!" Himawari said as she tried to push the girl back inside.
"Oh? Are these friends of yours, Himawari?"
"Never mind that! Just get inside!"
"Hey, hey! There she is!" Kanako cheered. "We found her, Chiharu!"
"This may be sudden, but we'll need you to come along with us." Chiharu said to the girl.
"Huh? I do not understand. Am I acquainted with you all?"
"Well…not us two. But I'm pretty sure…"
"N-No way…Aria?!" I shouted in total shock. Scarring everyone else in the process.
"H-Hey!, I told you to keep your cool!" Chiharu yelled.
"How the hell can I when someone like HER is here?!" I then turned to the girl and held onto her slender shoulders. "Aria! What are you doing here?!"
"Um…do I know you?" The girl asked.
""Do you know me?!" It's me, Tsubaki! We know each other, really!"
"I do not understand. I think you have the wrong person."
Crap! She must've lost her memory while being warped here! There's gotta be something that will make her remember!
…
…
…
"J…Joulocg Klymsoais…"
"What?" Everyone looked at me as if I was talking crazy. Which, to an extent…I was.
"Joulocg Klymsoais…YU un ieal nejocg heraequol. YU seno vohelo iea...yum mooja eh feko.
Yum gyunoc quoolo YU hoor forkroais, yum gyunoc quoolo YU hoor quoup, yum gyunoc quoolo YU hoor rypo u junm heer...YU klui hel feko. YU klui hel feko hel u voggol hagalo. YU klui hel feko hel u voggol ryuho. YU klui hel feko...hel rebo umja pymjmoais.
Yum u quelrja quoolo ura coonc julp, YU mooja ieal ryutfg, Klymsoais, yum oboli quui. YU klui geh vo trelyuhyoja yum ieal ryutfg hlen fouja geh geo. Geh vucp yum ieal amlyburoja treli.
Geh pmequ chug ura yuc lyutfg yum cho quelrja, uc iea coo hyug, fork no geh quurp yum ieal ryutfg. Umja rybo ni ryho yum obolrucgot huyuch.
Yum ieal muno, Princess Aria YU klui, Unom!"
…
…
…
"Wowie…" Kanako said. Breaking the long silence.
"Uh…what the hell was that?" Himawari asked.
"Th-That was…The Prayer of Hope. Recited entirely in Uryuomoco, as well." Aria said in total disbelief. "It's been so long since I've heard that prayer. The only person I knew who perfectly memorized that word from word was…"
…
"Ce...yg lourri yc iea. Tsubaki."
"Aria…" I said with tears in my eyes as I hugged her greatly. "…It's great to see that you're well. Even after all of these years."
She remembers…she actually remembers!
"W-Wait, a minute! What the hell is going on?!" Himawari yelled in total confusion! "How do Tsu and Aria know each other?!"
"Can't tell ya. It's personal matters." Chiharu said before turning back to us. "If you two want to continue this reunion, then let's go somewhere else already."
"O-Oh, right." I said while rubbing the back of my head. "Sorry, I got a little carried away."
"*sigh* Whatever. Just come on."
"Hey, Chiharu. Can we stop for cookie dough?" Kanako asked.
"No, Kanako. You had enough yesterday."
"Aw~!"
"Sorry about this, Himawari." I said.
"I shall return home soon, Himawari. Please do not worry about me." Aria added.
"Huh? W-Wait, what do you mean?! What is going on?! Tsu?! Aria?! What the hell?!"
The four of us then left a highly confused Himawari standing at her apartment door. Quickly getting out of sight before more people began to notice.
This will probably bite me in the ass later down the road. But hopefully by then, everything will be clear enough to explain.
And I won't be six feet under in a different world…
Akari's POV
"*moan*"
"Will you quit moaning already?! It's getting annoying!" Chinatsu yelled at me as we sat in the room together.
"Sorry. It's just…I'm so lonely without Rise. It's been days since we last spoke to each other…"
"Akari…you need to get over it. Rise-senpai is getting ready for college and she's too busy to just be lying around and snuggling with you. You affectionate weirdo."
"Affectionate weirdo? Ha! That's rich. This is coming from the same person who always finds an excuse to kiss Kyoko."
"Th-That's completely different!" Chinatsu yelled with a blush on her face. "W-We have all the time in the world since we're in the same grade!"
"But Kyoko's a year older…"
"Th-That doesn't matter!"
Yeah. Sure it doesn't…
"*sigh* And besides…with Rise busy with college stuff, I'm bored as hell. I've got nothing to do around here."
"You've got me, you know. You were pretty excited when Tomoko and I moved in with you guys."
"Yeah, but…not to be mean, Chinatsu, but you're pretty plain. There isn't really anything remarkable about you."
"Says the girl who lacked a presence all throughout our relevancy!" Chinatsu retorted in a pissed-off tone.
Touché…
To explain what Chinatsu meant by that last part…shortly after the events of Chizuru's story, she and Tomoko moved in with us after their house became infested with wild hornets. They were eventually cleared out…but the two sisters decided not to move back. Which, at first, bothered me a lot.
But then Kyoko told me about Chinatsu's secret past. And how living in that house has not been an easy thing to do for the both of them.
…
After that…I learned rather quickly to get over it.
We now share a room and all that stuff. The things you would expect from two people sharing a room together. And then we have this memento that Chinatsu originally kept in her room. A small window shard that, back when it was a full glass window, allowed us to connect to the Nega Dimension. Letting us meet Chiharu and Kanako for the first time.
Speaking of which, those two have been highly active recently. With them exploring our version of Japan AND looking for Akemi, they're rarely around nowadays.
…
I wonder if any of it relates to Tsu…
"*sigh* Whatever. Maybe I can play Candy Crush until my phone dies…" And as I was about to open the game and waste a bunch of hours of my life…
*RINGTONE CHIME*
"Huh? Hey, Himawari just sent me a message."
"The same for me." Chinatsu said. ""Chiharu, Kanako, and Tsu just came by my house. With Tsu saying some weird prayer or something before running off with a friend of mine. I don't know what to make of any of it. Can you two try talking to them?" Tsu saying a weird prayer? What's up with that?"
"Why would they go to Himawari's?" I asked with the same amount of confusion.
*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*
"Yeah?"
"Hey, girls. Someone's here to see you." Mom said as she opened the bedroom door. And then entered someone that we normally don't see here.
"Hey…guys."
"Ayano?" Chinatsu said in shock. "Wow, it's rare for you to come over here."
"I just…need to talk about something. You got a minute?"
"Uh…sure. We don't mind. Right, Akari?"
"Fine by me." I said.
"Great. Thanks."
The three of us sat on the floor together…eating some snacks that we got earlier as us two were about to hear what Ayano wanted to talk about.
Though, this particular topic I was NOT prepared to talk about.
"So, what's up?" Chinatsu asked. "You seemed pretty down when you came in earlier.
"Well…" Ayano went silent for a bit. "…have you two noticed that Tsu's been acting weird lately?"
"Huh? Tsu?"
…
"Well, now that I think about it…she has been slightly seclusive as of late."
"It's not just "seclusive". She would be fine one minute and all of a sudden she would be in severe pain. And then after staying in the bathroom for who knows how long, she would play it off as if nothing happened. It's really weird."
"Yeah…I've noticed that happening a lot. In fact, it started like…a few days after the raspberry incident."
"Right? So, then I was thinking…" Ayano then turned to me. "…do you know something, Akari?"
"Huh? How would I know?"
"Well, you both were together when Akemi kidnapped you. She must've told you something, right?"
"I was high off raspberries! How would I even remember any…" I then went dead silent as something came to mind. And it really did relate to how Tsu's been acting.
"*sigh* Y-You see…I, Tsubaki Hirai…I-I'm a doppelgänger."
"Of a girl named Tsuzuki Hirase. My "sister", as I've been calling her."
"Yeah…I'm from the same world as them."
Aw, crap…it's probably that. Tsu being a doppelgänger from the Nega Dimension. I don't know what she's been doing since the night she told me, but for the others to start noticing…
"Akari…Akari!"
"H-Huh?! What?!" I came out of my train of thought.
"Geez, what's with you?" Chinatsu asked. "You just spaced out all of a sudden."
"O-Oh, um…sorry. I was just, uh…th-thinking of this funny video Tsukasa sent me on Twitter. It's still fresh on my mind."
"You two are still doing that…?" Chinatsu said in an annoyed tone.
"Anyway, Akari…about my question…" Ayano said.
"Huh? Oh, um…sorry, Ayano. I really don't remember anything. You know how the allergy wipes out my memory sometimes. Hehhehhehheh…"
"*sigh* Yeah, that's true…"
*phew* Managed to dodge that one…
"You know…before you showed up, Himawari sent us a text about her."
Damnit! I forgot about that!
"She did?" Ayano asked Chinatsu. "What was it about?"
"She said that Tsu, Chiharu, and Kanako came by earlier and then Tsu…said some weird prayer before running off with a friend that was at her place at the time. She wanted us to talk to them about it."
"*sigh* Of course those two would be involved. Especially since Tsu and Chiharu have been arguing with each other lately.
"Tsu and Chiharu? Arguing?" We both said in shock.
"Over what, I don't have a clue. Tsu never brings it up and getting anything out of Chiharu is like talking to a damn wall."
"Yeah…she's definitely like that." Chinatsu gained a sweatdrop.
"So, you really don't know anything, Akari?"
"Nope. Nothing. Ain't got a clue." I replied almost immediately. "Anyway, I'm gonna get more chips. Be right back!"
"Huh? W-Wait, Akar-"
I quickly slammed the door shut and rushed out of my house as fast as possible. Possibly the fastest I've gone in my life (which isn't saying much since I'm not athletic).
I had to get out of there. It was just getting way too tense. The fact that both Himawari and Ayano came asking me about Tsu's behavior…
…
I do know. And I want to tell them to ease their worries. But…
"…Akari, you gotta promise me this. You can NEVER tell anyone about this. Friend, family, or stranger."
"Nobody knows about this. Not even Rukia. I just…can't bring myself to tell her."
…With that looming over my head, I just…can't.
Author's Note: Tsu has an unexpected reunion with someone from her past and Akari gets questioned like hell if she knows anything about what Tsu's doing nowadays.
She does. But…
If you've read The Foreigner Project story I did two months ago, you would at least remember Aria. The girl living with Himawari after being found unconscious. I said that she would be further detailed in a future story and this is that future story. The relationship between Tsu and Aria with be further detailed in the next chapter.
The language the two girls are speaking in, known as Uryuomoco, is just an alien language translator I found on Google. I used it in a previous story years ago. And now I'm using it again for this one.
Thanks for reading. Later.