FILE 9 - My Starlight Parade, Part 1

Previously on FILE 8, Aiya finally learned about the truth of the night from some people. But a new mystery arose as to who was the 'demon' user.

February 8th 2023

6:00 AM

After a tiring day dealing with two Stand users and learning Kuro and Furui's stories, Aiya finally had a good night's sleep.

The sun shined on her window, along with her annoying alarm clock going off. "Ugh… 5 more minutes." She muttered under her pillow but reluctantly got out of bed regardless. Her feet slipped into her favorite cat slippers as she exited her bedroom.

She followed her usual routine, brushing her teeth, showering, and preparing herself for a new bizarre day at her school.

"Good morning, dear." Her dad asked, seeing her walk out of her room. "How did you sleep?"

"Oh, I slept so well," Aiya replied "What about you, dad?"

"I slept fine as well," Her dad said, as he now focused on his newspaper.

"Aiya!" Her dad suddenly called her over as she was preparing breakfast. "You need to check this."

"Hmm?" Aiya was busy making pancakes when her dad called her. "Give me just a second, dad."

After making pancakes, she laid down some plates on the dining table as she put the pancakes on the plates.

She sat down, attempting to strike up a conversation with her dad "So, what were you trying to tell me?"

"You should see this." Her dad said as he showed a post on his phone to Aiya. It read "Aiya Aizawa sucks and reasons why" showing a picture of Aiya's face being drawn over as a devil.

"It seems like your first day at school wasn't that bad." Her dad chuckled. "But you should be cautious at school, sweetie."

"Yeah, I know, Dad." She began to eat the pancakes on the plates "I still don't get who that is."

"She's been hating you all night long." Her dad kept scrolling down his phone.

"What?" Aiya is amused. "Maybe it's related to that post last night." She thinks. "But eh, not like it'll do anything if I give into the attention of the hater."

After eating breakfast, she prepared her books and school equipment into her bag as she set off for another day at school.

"Stay safe sweetie." Before leaving, her dad kissed her on the cheeks. "Please, you're the only one that I have left."

"I will," Aiya chuckled. "I'm strong, you know!"

"Have a nice day at school!" Her dad waved to her, as she waved back.

As she was walking along the tiles, she was reminded of her old hometown again. But as she continued to walk, she noticed someone familiar. It was Lobo.

"Hey!" Aiya said to him, trying to catch his attention. "Lobo!"

But as he turned, she saw his expression filled with sadness that concerned her.

"What's wrong?" Aiya ran to him, trying to comfort him.

"Oh… Nothing, honestly." He replied. "It's just that… Mariah made a post regarding us…"

"Wait, that name sounds familiar…" She thinks to herself. "Mariah… The post last night about me and Lobo holding hands… Mar1ah… Oh, it must be…"

"Now I'm gonna get bullied more…" His expression saddened her.

"Don't worry," Aiya put her hands on his shoulder. "As long as I'm here, no one will bully you."

"Thank…" Lobo smiled a bit as if he felt reassured by Aiya's presence.

"Wanna… walk to school together?" Aiya asked him in a gentle tone.

"Sure!" Lobo replied with excitement, the warmth of her kindness lifting his spirits.

As they were walking, Aiya took her phone out, trying to find out who Mariah was.

Aiya suddenly bumped into Tetsu on the road as she was too focused on her phone.

"Eek!" She managed to catch her phone in time. "Phew…"

"Hey! Watch your steps next time!" Tetsu glanced at her.

"Sorry about that!" Aiya scratched her head, thinking about how careless she was focusing on her phone.

"Wait, why are you guys walking?" Lobo asked with his face shifted to a curious tone.

"Ah, normally, we drive by car," Kuro replied. "But mast-"

Amid his sentence, Tetsu gave Kuro a cold glance, he immediately corrected it.

"Tetsu!" Kuro said as he panicked. "Tetsu wanted to experience the 'poor people' simulation."

"Really?" Lobo chuckled as he cracked a joke. "Never thought I'd see you walk to school, Tetsu."

"Oh," Tetsu flushed a bit in embarrassment as she replied. "Shut up."

As Aiya was scrolling on her phone, Kuro commented on it, looking at Tetsu. "Seems like Aiya got a habit or two out of you."

Tetsu sighed, before asking Aiya. "What are you even looking at?"

Aiya looked at Tetsu, glancing up from her phone. "Just someone named 'Mariah Machi'."

"Oh?" Tetsu piqued interest "Mariah Machi you said?"

"Yes?" Aiya also had her curiosity and asked her. "It seems you know something about her?"

"There's a student with the same name in my class," Tetsu replied. "But I don't know if she's the same."

"Huh?" Aiya looked back at her phone, something caught her attention.

"What is it, Aiya?" Tetsu asked her, as her face now displayed the same curiosity that Aiya had.

"She's friends with you on Facebook." Aiya showed her phone. The profile of 'Mariah Machi', with her friend list showing Tetsu Otohime.

"Ah, then that must be the same Mariah in my class," Tetsu said. "That's convenient."

"Ahem." Kuro looked at his watch, it pointed at 6:30 AM. "It seems like we're late."

"Right, let's talk about this during recess." Lobo said.

"Okay, that works." Aiya looked at Tetsu. "If you don't mind, what do you mean by convenient?"

"She's a Stand User," Tetsu replied. "If I can get her to join our investigation…"

"And how do you know?" Aiya asked Tetsu, her curiosity showing yet again.

"I have my ways," Tetsu said as she turned her back and started walking away. "Come on, you idiots. We're late."

Aiya sighed but smiled. Despite everything, they still shared a bond and it seemed to be unbreakable.

"Come on, Lobo." Aiya dragged Lobo's arms with him, with him flushing a bit.

6:39 AM, Jamiroquai High School

After arriving at school, they could already feel the tiredness from school every day, but as long as they have each other, it'll be fine.

Aiya and Lobo walked off to their class, 5-A. As they did, they saw Finn Henley sitting all alone on his table, as the other students were still playing outside of the hall.

"Hey." Aiya walked up to him. "Sorry about what happened yesterday." Her arms touched his shoulders, with a soothing aura surrounding him.

Finn was sad before, but his expression changed slightly. "Oh.. It's you.."

"What's wrong?" Aiya asked.

"Nothing…" Finn replied "It's just that… I can't make friends at all."

"Oh." Aiya said, her feelings correlate to his. She was also a loner at her old school as well. But coming to this school has sharpened her up, and she has made some new friends on her first day.

"Finn…" Aiya said. "If you want, we could be friends."

"For real?" Finn's eyes sparked excitement. "I'll be a friend of a friend of Tetsu Otohime?!"

"Damn, she sure is popular…" Aiya thinks to herself as she chuckles. "Uh, yeah, but maybe don't put that on your resume just yet."

"Uh, yeah," Aiya chuckled, "but maybe don't put that on your resume just yet."

"As long as he doesn't carelessly use his Stand" Finn looked at Lobo, with Lobo sheepishly covering his face.

"It was an accident!" Lobo replied.

"Your Stand caused me to bleed so much!" Finn said. "But if Aiya is friends with you… I guess I can forgive you."

"What does his Stand exactly do?" Aiya piqued her curiosity.

"Ah, Bloodhound," Lobo muttered. "I don't wanna talk about-"

"Oh shut up!" He interrupted himself, turning to address... no one in particular. "What do you know, Bloodhound?"

Aiya blinked, trying to hold her laugh. "So Bloodhound can become a ghost or something, Lobo?"

"I guess you could say it is an ability of Bloodhound," Finn said while trying to hold his chuckle.

"Shut up!" Lobo yelled in the air.

Both Aiya and Finn looked in awkwardness and sighed, as Lobo continued to bicker with… the air.

Meanwhile, at Class 5-B

Tetsu and Kuro entered their class. A pink-haired student looked at them, seemingly enraged.

Mariah Machi, a classmate of Tetsu and Kuro. She naturally has a hatred for anyone who sides with her enemies.

As they sat down, they could sense some sort of uneasiness around Mariah. As if her hatred were set on them.

Stand Info:

『Stand Name』- Bloodhound

『Stand User』- Lobo Ryushi

Ability 1 - Bloodhound can manifest as a ghost-like Stand that can only be seen and heard by Lobo himself.

A new day, a new mystery. Who is Mariah Machi, and why does she hate Aiya Aizawa so much?

TO BE CONTINUED IN

FILE 10 - My Starlight Parade, Part 2