A/N: I am pleased to announce that I have returned with a fresh installment of All Worlds Alliance Stories. Sorry for no uploading for quite a while but I think you all know why I haven't made an update of this story but since the weather had calmed down a bit, I decided to strike while the iron is hot.
Number01BlazblueFan - I'll keep that to myself for now.
Below are additional characters with single names who have now been given both a last name and a first name in this story:
Maria - Maria Tipton (Taken from her EN voice actress, Alexis Tipton)
Mario - Mario Mario (Because he is part of the "Mario" brothers)
Marion - Marion Tipton (Taken from her EN voice actress, Alexis Tipton)
Marth - Marth Altea (Since Marth is prince and heir of the kingdom of Altea)
Medhi - Medhi Airi (Taken from her real name)
Megane - Megane Honda (Taken from his JP voice actor, Hiroyuki Honda)
Megumin - Megumin Satou (Since she's in a relationship with Kazuma Satou)
Merlin - Merlin Aldan (Taken from the name of her sacred treasure, Aldan)
Migi - Migi Izumi (Since he shares the same body as Shinichi Izumi)
Miia - Miia Meniphelsa (This one is random generated)
Mira - Mira Saitou (Taken from her JP voice actress, Yuuka Saitou)
Miroku - Miroku Houshi (I believe it's another term for monk or Buddhist)
Mitsuo - Nobuhiko Mitsuo (Taken from his JP voice actor, Nobuhiko Okamoto)
Momonga - Momonga Oota (Taken from his JP voice actor, Shinichirou Oota)
Motoko - Motoko Hasegawa (Taken from her JP voice actress, Ikumi Hasegawa)
Mugen - Mugen Champloo (Taken from the name of his sword style, Champloo Kendo)
Mustafa - Mustafa Thornton (Taken from his EN voice actor, Kirk Thornton)
And with that done, let's get this chapter on the go!
Disclaimer: I do not possess any characters featured in this story, unless they are my original characters who seldomly appear.
-New Normal Earth-
-Izu Peninsula, Japan-
The Izu Peninsula is a resort area popular for its hot springs, beautiful coastlines, beaches, mild climate and scenic mountainous interior. Located about 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, its proximity to the city makes the peninsula a popular weekend getaway and the area is well connected to Tokyo by train. In addition, Mount Fuji lies only about 50 kilometers to the north and can be viewed from the peninsula's western coast.
The more developed eastern coast of the Izu Peninsula is home to larger cities such as Atami, Ito and Shimoda, which are popular for their beaches and hot springs. The southern and western coasts, on the other hand, are less developed and better known for their rugged coastlines which are best exemplified by the views around Irozaki and Dogashima.
The primary setting of our narrative is established here, commencing with a character who is not affiliated with AWA. A figure is depicted standing before a motorcycle, positioned behind a fence, gazing out at the ocean and the nearby island formations.
The figure is a teenage girl with a short stature, she had a petite frame and a fair complexion, she had a waist-length dark-purple hair and she had purple-colored eyes. She wears a grey & white beanie hat with black bands and a colorful scarf wrapped around her neck, she wears a bluish-green hooded winter jacket, black pants and a pair of brown boots. This is Rin Shima.
Rin is a student at Motosu High School and frequently enjoys camping alone at various campsites in her vicinity. She acquired her camping skills and equipment from her grandfather and is also employed at a bookstore. Currently, she is on a trip with her friends and teacher; however, she decided to venture ahead and is now passing the time while waiting for their arrival.
"The ocean is the best." Rin thought in awe.
Geospot number one - Cape Osezaki: A cape built over time from sediment and rock that traveled along the current.
Rin subsequently began to wander and explore her surroundings. She captured photographs of the trees in Floresta Yakushin and made her way to Kamike Pond, where she fed some fish that resembled hungry alligators. When she inadvertently dropped the fish food into the water, the fish reacted with great enthusiasm.
As Rin was returning to her motorbike, she encountered Georgette Lemare, Misora Kasuga, Nonon Jakuzure and Satsuki Yotsuba, and Rin found herself unable to resist eavesdropping on their discussion.
"Yeah, Satsuki, which one are we staying at?" Nonon inquired, "Is it super close by or is it like a taxi drive away?" she assumed, "Can we walk?" she added.
Satsuki responded with a confused look, "I don't know." she replied, "W-Why are you asking me?" she asked.
Nonon frowned, "What do you mean?" she questioned, "You're the one that's in charge of all our living accomodations and stuff." she pointed out.
Satsuki shook her head, "No, Misora-chan was in charge of that." she replied.
"Satsuki, I sent you a link on LINE." Misora reminded, "You were supposed to find us an inn." she stated.
Satsuki looks around anxiously, "Wait, no, I could have sworn you said you do that." she insisted, "I thought I was just responsible for our meals." she shared.
"Uh, no." Misora denied.
"Satsuki, are you messing around or did you seriously not book us an inn?" Nonon questioned in disbelief.
"Why would I joke about that?" Satsuki asked.
Nonon sighed in response, "I don't know." she replied, "That's a good question." she acknowledged, "I don't know." she repeated.
"Alright, let's..." Misora trailed, "Let's get out of the way right here." she beckoned, "L-Let's just figure this out over there." she furthered.
"Before we get ahead of ourselves, before we freak out and get in a weird mood and start bickering at each other, I think the best thing to do is just to call the place and make sure that..." Nonon was saying before pointing a finger at Satsuki, "You definitely didn't book us an inn." she declared.
Satsuki thought about it, "I mean, I can't remember that I did." she tried to recall, "But I might have." she acknowledged, "But I just really..." she trailed before turning to Misora, "I thought you were doing that, Misora-chan." she insisted.
"No, Satsuki-chan, that was you." Misora replied.
"You definitely said you were gonna do this." Nonon argued.
"I really..." Satsuki trailed, "I'm telling you right now, I cannot remember that." she insisted, "I really can't." she emphasized, "And I've got a good memory for that kind of stuff." she explained, "I really thought Misora-chan was booking us an inn and I'm taking care of our meals." she furthered.
"Girl, girl, girls-" Nonon interrupted.
"I remember for a fact-" Satsuki continued on.
"No, 'cause I remember-" Nonon interrupted.
"Alright, let's no-" Misora interjected and shook her head, "Let's just stop." she declared, "Let's not do this here." she scolded, "Let's just sit over there." sge suggested, "Let's sit at that bench for a second and we can figure this out." she beckoned.
"I just want to say I really can't remember that." Satsuki insisted.
"Let's just try to keep our cool." Georgette beckoned.
Georgette, Misora, Nonon and Satsuki approached the bench while Rin reflected on their predicament with a frown.
"Neglecting to reserve accommodations has certainly caused them significant inconvenience." Rin contemplated. "I sincerely hope we do not encounter the same issue." she articulated.
Rin mounted her motorbike and noticed a message from her friend. Upon checking her phone, she laughed at the sight of her friend asleep and remarked on the simplicity of being in a van.
As she revved the engine, Rin continued her journey to Shimoda, navigating a winding road and passing by a statue of a shrimp. As she travels, she passes a Hummer truck in which Johnny Bravo is driving, while Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, and Cranky Doodle are seated inside.
Rin subsequently visits another geospot: Ryugutsuku Cave, where the waves have worn away the cave's roof, resulting in a natural skylight. She gazes around in wonder as the waves softly lap against the pebble-strewn beach, illuminating the surrounding plant life with a warm glow.
Rin then observes Ageha Yoshina, Brock Harrison, Mikoto Mikoshiba and Rei Enna capturing photographs of the scene until Mikoto loses his balance and tumbles into the shallow water, prompting his friends to erupt in laughter, while Rin cannot suppress her own giggles at the amusing incident.
Subsequently, Rin returned to her motorcycle and continued her journey toward Shimoda.
-BREAK-
Shortly thereafter, Rin arrived in Shimoda and began strolling along the city's coastline. She received a message from her friend indicating they would be delayed due to traffic, prompting Rin to take a leisurely walk to pass the time.
Rin walked over to a massive black anchor statue showcased along the boardwalk, remarking on its impressive size. As she observed, she spotted Flash Thompson, Franky Flam, and Gaius Nimblefingers attempting to lift the anchor. Just then, Gundula Rall arrived and scolded them, prompting the three men to flee, laughing at their own antics.
"So, carefree." Rin commented in her thoughts.
Rin subsequently chose to visit the Shimoda Hot Springs, where she immersed her feet in the Kaiyuu Foot Bath, finding herself enveloped in the soothing warmth of the water.
"So, warm." Rin contemplated as she gazed at a distant rocky island, "I like the toriis by the water." she remarked prior to noticing a black ship navigating through the water, "It's the Black Ship!" she joked, "The Black Ships are here!" she furthered.
Rin sat on the polished concrete bench, her bare feet submerged in the steaming foot bath. The soothing warmth of the water washed over her toes, relaxing her tense muscles.
Rin then spotted someone else in the foot bath with her, and it turned out to be none other than Sadness.
Rin's eyes drifted over to the girl whose gaze was fixed on the water as the sadness that clung to her was palpable, like a fog that Rin could almost feel enveloping her.
Sadness didn't look up but Rin could see her trembling slightly. Her skin was pale, almost translucent, and her eyes were puffy, as if she hadn't slept in days. The silence between them grew thicker with each passing moment and yet Rin felt a strange urge to reach out. She knew what it was like to be lost in thought, to have your mind weigh you down until you couldn't move. But she wasn't sure if the girl would appreciate the company.
With a cautious smile, Rin cleared her throat, "It's a good day for a foot spa, isn't it?" she commented with a gentle whisper.
Sadness' eyes flickered in her direction but she didn't respond. Instead, she took a deep, shaky breath, as if she was bracing herself for something. Rin felt her heart ache for this stranger and she wished she could say something to ease her pain. But what could she possibly say to someone who looked so lost?
Sadness' silence was deafening and it stretched on for minutes that felt like hours until Rin couldn't stand it anymore.
Rin then leaned closer, her voice softer now, "Hey, are you okay?" she asked with genuine concern lacing her words.
Sadness' head snapped up, and for the first time, Rin saw the depth of despair in her eyes. They were pools of sadness, so deep and dark that Rin felt like she could drown in them.
The girl's trembling grew more pronounced, and she opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.
"Hey there, I'm Rin." Rin introduced herself, "What's your name?" she asked curiously.
"Kana..." Sadness responded before followed by a heavy sigh, "... Shiimi." she ended.
Rin felt a chill run down her back from the cold, sorrowful way she spoke. Even her name felt a bit eerie, almost like it mirrored the girl standing in front of her.
Rin quickly shook off the feeling and continued, "Are you okay?" she asked gently. "You seem really down." she noted.
Sadness looked like she was about to break down, her eyes shimmering with tears and her lips trembling as she fought back the urge to scream. Taking a deep breath, she finally managed to say, "I'm not okay..." she continued, "Honestly, I don't even know why I'm still here after everything I've done to everyone." she uttered out loud in a painful tone.
Rin felt a knot in her stomach, she hadn't anticipated such a heavy reply. She wanted to ask what had happened, but it felt too intrusive, so she decided to keep quiet.
Luckily for Rin, Justice and Daniel Padilla showed up, and the former's upbeat vibe was just what she needed to lift the gloomy atmosphere.
"Hey, Senpai, we're back!" Justice announced before spotting Rin, "Oh, who are you?" she asked with a friendly grin.
Rin shook her head slightly, "I'm Rin Shima." she replied by introducing herself, "Is she your friend?" she asked while glancing at Sadness.
Justice nodded enthusiastically, "Yep!" she chirped in confirmation, "She's my friend and an upperclassman." she shared, "I'm Haruka Seigi, and this quiet guy here is Daniel Padilla." she introduced herself and her buddy.
Daniel gave a nod as a greeting and Rin raised an eyebrow. Even though he didn't say anything, she got the sense he just spoke.
"Do you need something from Senpai?" Justice asked.
Rin shook her head, "No, I just noticed she looked really down, and it worried me, so I asked her what was up." she explained.
"I get it." Justice acknowledged, "Senpai is going through a tough time right now, and we brought her here to lift her spirits." she explained, "It's a work in progress, but I'm really committed to making her smile again." she said in determination.
"I won't pry into what happened, but how serious was it that she's feeling this guilty and sad?" Rin inquired.
Justice sighed in response, "It involves a lot of people, Rin." she answered, "That's all I can share." she added.
Rin was taken aback and turned to Sadness, wondering how someone like her could create so much chaos for others. But it made sense, given the level of guilt Sadness was showing, confirming that she truly felt awful about her actions.
Rin then got a message on her phone and after checking it, she realized that her friends had finally made it to Shimoda and were waiting for her.
Rin then stood up, "I should head out now." she announced, "My friends are here and they're waiting for me." she shared, "Sorry if I'm interrupting your time with your friend." she apologized.
Justice laughed a little, "No problem at all." she reassured, "The fact that you care about her shows you're a great person." she stated with a smile.
Rin smiled back, "I really hope everything goes well for your friend." she expressed in anticipation and hope.
Justice gave her a thumbs up, "Don't worry about it!" she reassured, "We've got this covered!" she declared.
With that, Rin headed back to her motorcycle, and after getting on, she rode over to the other side of the area where she noticed a gathering of people in the beachside parking lot.
The first figure is a young girl with a short stature, she had a petite frame and a pale complexion, she had a long & messy tan-brown hair tied in twintails, she had water blue-colored eyes and rosy red cheeks. She wears a colorful beanie hat with a white band, she wears a magenta hooded winter coat with furred collar over a black & white striped shirt, blue denim skirt, white socks and blue & white rubber shoes. This is Akari Inuyama, also known as Chibi Inuko.
The second figure is a teenage girl with an average height, she had a slender body and a pale complexion, she had a chest-length greenish-brown tied in a side ponytail held by a purple hair bobble with bangs hanging on the right side of her forehead, and she had olive green-colored eyes. She wears a white & black beanie hat and an orange(Naruto approved!) & grey scarf wrapped around her neck, she wears a brown hooded winter coat with white collar, accents and cuffs over a white buttoned shirt, black knee-length pleated skirt and a pair of black & white shoes with white soles. This is Aoi Inuyama, also known as Inuko.
The third figure is a teenage girl with an average height, she had a slender frame and a pale complexion, she had thigh-length bluish-purple hair tied in two ponytails with some of her hair falling onto the sides of her face and had very short bangs above her eyebrows, she had brown-colored eyes and wears semi-rectangular wire-frame glasses. She wears a light-blue hooded winter jacket over a black high-collared sweater and maroon-buttoned shirt, blue jeans and black & white converse shoes. She wears a maroon-colored beanie hat. This is Chiaki Oogaki, also known as Aki.
The fourth figure is a teenage girl with an average height, she had a slender frame and a fair complexion, she had a short brown hair that has hair strands swept to the left side and she had blue-colored eyes. She wears a black beanie hat and a colorful scarf wrapped around her neck, she wears a dark-green hooded winter jacket with black furred collar over a black-buttoned shirt with white accents, white pencil skirt over violet stockings and a pair of brown & black high-cut shoes. This is Ena Saitou.
The fifth figure is a young woman with an average height, she had a slender body and a fair complexion, she had a long black hair styled in a himecut, her eyes are closed and are concealed behind round glasses. She wears a light-grey hooded winter jacket over a red bomber jacket and black long buttoned-shirt, dark-blue pants and a pair of light-brown boots. She wears a tribal-patterned black scarf wrapped around her neck. This is Minami Toba.
The sixth figure is a teenage girl with an average height, she had a slender body and a pale complexion, she had a waist-length pink twintails tied twin ponytails on the back of her neck and is held by white ruffled scrunchies, and she had light-blue colored eyes. She wears a colorful beanie hat and a black & white striped scarf wrapped around her neck, she wears a white hooded winter jacket over a light-blue sweater, khaki shorts and a pair of white & purple laced boots. This is Nadeshiko Kagamihara.
Ena then spotted Rin's arrival, "Rin!" the dog lover called out with a cheerful smile and a wave of her hand.
Rin parked her motorbike next to their car, dismounted from her ride and removed her helmet just as Minami walked over to her.
"Sorry that we're late, Shima-san." Minami apologized with a smile.
"Not at all." Rin reassured, "You must be tired from all that driving." she remarked.
"You had quite the journey yourself, Rin." Ena commented, "Where did you come from?" she asked.
"From the seashore of Izu." Rin answered.
At that moment, Nadeshiko ambles toward Rin in a slow zombie-like manner, "Rin-chan..." the pink-haired girl cried out which got the expert camper's attention, "What is this place?" she asked with a panic expression, "What date is today?" she added.
Rin sweatdropped, "A-Are you okay, Nadeshiko?" she asked in confusion.
Subsequently, the group chose to dine at a restaurant named Red Sea Bream Burger, where Nadeshiko and Akari eagerly took bites of their burgers, expressing their joy with delighted squeals.
"The sweet-and-spicy sauce and the camembert cheese work so well with the fred alfonsino." Nadeshiko commented.
"Yep!" Akari chirped in agreement.
"I've always wanted to try this." Ena confessed while munching on her own burger, "Now I can die happy." she expressed.
"There must be more you want to do first." Rin argued.
Rin subsequently shares the photographs she captured during her trip to Cape Osezaki and Ryugutsuku Cave, much to the enjoyment of all present.
"Hey, it looks like octopus legs." Nadeshiko commented.
"It's a crayfish." Akari uttered out loud.
"That's a shrimp." Aoi corrected.
"You even went to Ryugutsuku Cave, huh?" Minami pointed out.
"Jouyama was about the only geospot we got to see along the way." Aoi shared.
"We bought some raw wasabi at the roadside station, though." Ena added.
"Yeah!" Akari exclaimed in confirmation, "The wasabi ice cream was great!" she cheered.
Nadeshiko sported a shock expression, "What?!" she squawked, "Wasabi ice cream!" she exclaimed before slumping down on her seat, "I want some, too!" she lamented, much to everyone's amusement.
"Izu is known for wasabi ice cream." Chiaki reminded, "There'll be plenty more on the way." she reassured.
"Oh?" Nadeshiko uttered out loud in anticipation.
"Oh, the loop bridge was fun, too." Akari added.
"It was like a roller coaster." Ena described.
"Whoa!" Nadeshiko uttered in awe.
"The real 'whoa' here is that all the rocking didn't wake you up." Akari pointed out.
Nadeshiko shyly brushes the back of her head while chuckling, prompting everyone to laugh at her carefree demeanor.
Rin glanced around and was taken aback to see Georgette, Misora, Nonon, and Satsuki seated at a table. She assumed they had been unable to secure accommodations at an inn in Cape Osezaki, yet she was astonished that they had traveled all the way here for lunch.
Rin then realized that their discussion was quite loud, and once more, she found herself unable to avoid overhearing their conversation.
"I understand." Nonon acknowledged, "I'm not shooting you down." she clarified, "I'm just saying I don't have the money..." he trailed, "... nobody budgeted for that." she claimed, "We have to know that kind of stuff ahead of time." she beckoned, "I was talking to Georgette, I know for a fact she's budgeting on this." she shared, "Could you even go in on that kind of money?" she questioned.
"I was even..." Satsuki trailed, "Well, I was just gonna say that maybe we could even just get the higher ups to kind of, you know, pay for whatever, because it's like..." she suggested, "... we can see it as a business trip, like, for tax purposes." she described, "We could go to, like, an extensive place and maybe get him to pay." she concluded.
"I feel bad roping the higher ups into this." Nonon admitted, "This is not their business, girl." she pointed out.
"Nonon-san, I'm just trying to think of solutions." Satsuki argued.
"I'm just-" Nonon was trying to say.
"Do you have any ideas?" Satsuki questioned.
"I get that..." Nonon trailed.
"But the thing is, it's just annoying because I admit that I probably screwed up-" Satsuki admitted.
"Stop, stop-" Nonon beckoned, "Wait, wait, wait." she added, "Don't, don't, don't talk over me." she scolded.
"Let me finish, let me finish, let me finish." Satsuki insisted, "Don't yell at me." she chastised.
"Go ahead, go ahead." Nonon beckoned.
"I was saying I probably screwed up, but, you know-" Satsuki trailed.
"You did." Nonon confirmed, "You did screw up." she insisted.
"I admit to that." Satsuki conceded, "What you girls don't realize is I-I admit I probably screwed up." she furthered, "I'm saying I do not remember that I had to book the hotel." she insisted.
"Why do you keep bringing that up?" Nonon questioned.
"But what I'm saying now is I'm trying to figure out a solution." Satsuki insisted and at the same time, Misora picks up a menu book and began reading it.
"That's irrelevant, that's irrelevant." Nonon argued.
"And it seems like you girls are just, like, ganging up on me." Satsuki pointed out.
Misora turns to Satsuki, "We're not ganging up on you, Satsuki-chan." the nun argued while placing the menu book back down on the table and as this is going on, a waitress is making her way towards their table with trays of food in her arms.
"You're throwing something-" Nonon was trying to say.
"We're trying to figure out a solution..." Misora trailed.
The waitress then stopped-by their table, "Dear, customers!" she greeted cheerfully, "I had brought you all your orders." she presented.
This effectively calmed everyone down, "Okay." Satsuki uttered in response, "Thank you." she expressed in gratitude, "Yes." she added.
"Yeah." Nonon uttered in agreement as the waitress placed down their meals on the table, "Lunch is right here, thank you." the marjorette expressed in gratitude.
Rin felt a bead of sweat trickle down her forehead as she reflected on the intensity of their conversation, relieved that it hadn't escalated into a negative situation. She then realized that her companions had also been listening in on the discussion involving Nonon's group.
"That was quite an engaging discussion." Aoi remarked.
"I sincerely hope they manage to settle their problems." Ena said with a hint of worry.
"Call me wicked, but I find their disputes somewhat amusing." Chiaki confessed.
"You've always had a bit of a wicked streak." Aoi teased with a playful grin.
Rin laughed awkwardly and redirected her focus to Nonon's group, genuinely wishing for them to secure housing soon.
Once they wrapped up their lunch, everyone headed over to the parking garage to retrieve their vehicles.
"Rin visited two geospots and we visited one." Chiaki pointed out, "We can't make it to all them, bit it'd be nice to see the big ones." she expressed with a smile.
"Yeah." Nadeshiko replied in agreement.
"Are we going to the Dougashima tombolo the day after tomorrow?" Ena assumed.
"Yeah." Aoi replied in confirmation.
"I heard it's best right around noon." Chiaki shared.
"Aoi-chan, what's a tombolo?" Akari asked.
"It's a kind of pork bowl." Aoi answered with a smile.
Akari smiled in awe, "Really?" she uttered out loud, "What's it taste like?" she asked.
Lying comes as easily to Inuko as breathing and Mini Inuko lies about not knowing what a tombolo is.
Chiaki and Nadeshiko pressed closely together in a corner, their expressions filled with anxiety, as Rin prepared to put on her helmet.
"This is how the lying sisters work." Chiaki whispered out loud.
"So scary, Aki-chan..." Nadeshiko uttered nervously.
"You two are overthinking it." Rin commented.
With that, everyone climbed into the van as Rin took her place on her motorbike.
"All right, let's go shopping for some camp supplies!" Chiaki beckoned.
"Woo!" everyone hollered in excitement.
"Woo." Rin added from the outside.
Moments later, as the van and motorbike exited the parking garage, Duncan Nelson appeared, wielding a crowbar.
"Where the hell is that Yamaha Vino scooter belonging to that shorty?" Duncan pondered to himself.
A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter, I appreciate your support and I hope you found it enjoyable. It has become apparent that I will be focusing on a Laid-Back Camp△ narrative moving forward. Expect to see plenty of Rin and her friends in the upcoming chapters, with the AWA moguls making occasional appearances.
These are the characters that debuted in this chapter:
Akari Inuyama, Aoi Inuyama, Chiaki Oogaki, Ena Saitou, Minami Toba, Nadeshiko Kagamihara and Rin Shima are from Laid-Back Camp△.
I cannot guarantee that the weather will be pleasant next week; however, if it is, I will upload a subsequent chapter, so please stay tuned for it.
Until then paalam!
Some time ago, Rin was navigating her motorbike along a winding road when, unexpectedly, a naked and carefree Lubbock dashed past her, leaving her astonished and bewildered.
Rin decelerated and pulled over to the roadside, placing a hand on her face in disbelief.
"What on earth did I just witness?" Rin pondered internally, her expression resembling that of someone on the verge of nausea.