Unconscious
Chapter 1: Messenger (PART I)
DISCLAIMER: All rights belong to Kagami Yoshimizu.
It had been past 1:00 AM in Kuki (formerly Washimiya), Saitama one very early Sunday morning, and 12th grader Tsukasa Hiiragi was working on her homework. Or at least attempting to work on it. She has been sitting on her desk staring at her textbook for at least five hours. Her notebook paper seemed to be spotted and well-worn from overuse. She was wracking her brain underneath her short purple hair, her blue eyes were getting drowsier by the minute, and she seemed to be sweating through her pajamas.
I just don't get some of these questions! She kept thinking to herself. I'll never get all of this done in time! Why me?!
Then suddenly, her door opened, and her twin sister Kagami appeared, also in her pajamas. Her blue eyes were sharper than Tsukasa's, and she had purple hair reaching down her back.
"Tsukasa, are you still up?" She asked. "How far along are you?" She looked at the paper, made a small face, and shook her head. "You're at least done. But what kind of answers are these?"
"Well, what kind of questions are these?!" the shorter-haired one suddenly asked loudly while showing that open workbook in her surprised sister's face, almost slamming it towards her. Then she put the book down and rubbed her own face. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little stressed out."
"It's fine. Just not these." Kagami replied, gesturing towards the answers on her sister's paper.
"So will you help me?"
"Are you kidding? I need to get some sleep." She quickly answered. "And so do you. Good luck and good night."
"Good night." Tsukasa then continued staring at the book, and she was slowly starting to drift off.
Maybe I'll just try and meditate for a minute, she thought. She then closed her eyes.
The next morning showed up, and Tsukasa seemed to have enough energy to put on some clothes, including her yellow hair ribbon, and then take a walk down the street. Hopefully, I'll be more focused when I get back. Then she wondered something. What time did I wake up again?
It was then that she heard a voice yelling, "Hey, Tsukasa!", then spotted the source heading her way.
It was Konata Izumi, a short girl with long ocean blue hair and emerald green eyes. She was running towards Tsukasa, holding a medium-sized cardboard box.
"Good morning, Kona-chan."
"Tsukasa, if you don't mind, I need you to do a favor for me."
"Okay."
"I got to run a few errands today, so I need you to deliver this package to a store in Akihabara." She handed her the box.
It looked plain, but it somehow the appearance can make you wonder about its contents.
And yet, Tsukasa looked unsure about this task. "Uhh…"
"I would have this sent some other way, but what's inside is supposed to be a total secret, and I don't want to risk it being searched in any way. Don't worry. I know you can do this, and I know this box will be safe until it gets there. Oh, yeah! Here's the address." Konata gave her a slip of paper with the address written on it. "Good luck!" She immediately ran off.
"Uh…Okay!" Tsukasa replied, still unsure and nervous.
Minutes have passed, and Tsukasa was on her way to the train station, but just before she approached the station, she heard another voice.
"Tsukasa!"
She turned around and saw a young lady in her early twenties with short dark purple hair and blue eyes.
"Big Sis!" Tsukasa responded to her eldest sister, Inori.
"I'm just here to remind you to watch out for any creeps while you're in the train."
"Thanks, but I'm nearly 18, and you know I've taken trains many times before."
"Well, okay," The oldest said to the youngest. "But you're by yourself, and you'll never know when someone would end up bothering you or trying to take your stuff. As a matter of fact, how about I deliver the package to Akiba for you?"
[NOTE: "Akiba" is the nickname for Akihabara.]
She then tried to reach for the box, but Tsukasa pulled it away.
"I think I can handle it, thank—" The latter realized something. "How did you know all this?"
Inori suddenly seemed nervous. "Well…I overheard you and Konata talking when I stepped outside."
"We were already down the street from the house at the time. How can you hear from that far away?" Tsukasa then started giving her an uncharacteristically suspecting look. "Were you spying on me?"
"No, of course not!" The eldest one then thought of something. "You know what? You do have a point. You're going on 18, and you shouldn't be treated you're much younger. You should go on ahead."
Tsukasa still looked at Inori suspiciously, not even sure how to respond aside from, "Okay, if you really think so."
"Yeah, I know so. Good luck!"
"Thank you?" The still suspecting youngest sister proceeded to the train station while her oldest sister waved at her.
After Tsukasa reached the station, she tried to find a decent spot, but she only saw an open handrail, so she got to it with one hand and held onto the package with her other arm.
She managed to hold the package and not letting it slip, otherwise she would lift her leg to keep it from falling. Luckily, during the next half hour, she was spared the embarrassment. However, she was getting some looks from three different young boys sitting in front of her.
"Hey, check out this girl." The short one said. "She must be really close with that box."
"Now, Eddy, you must not bother her." Said the one with the striped hat. "She is clearly trying to handle it with care while commuting to her destination."
"Don't worry, Double D. I'm not gonna do anything to her. Not even when SOMEBODY IS STARING RIGHT AT YA!" He shouted the last part suddenly towards Tsukasa.
That made the other passengers look around, each thinking he was talking to them.
"Huh?! Who?! Where?!" Tsukasa looked around frantically.
"Where?! I don't see them, Eddy!" The third boy, Ed, did it the same way.
Those gullible reactions made Eddy laugh, while Double D started at him with an annoyed look.
"Just kidding, everyone! Just kidding!" The short one assured everyone, leaving them with both relieved and equally annoyed looks.
"You know you're not supposed to yell inside the train, Eddy." Double D said before smirking. "Besides, it didn't even work. She is still holding on to the box."
The short Ed Boy then thought of something. "Hey, Ed! You still have that feather collection?"
"Sure do, Eddy!" Ed then reached the inside of his green coat.
"Ed, no!" Double D protested. "Please do not aid in his attempt to disturb the nice young lady! Or the other passengers!"
Then another voice yelled, "All right! That's enough!"
Tsukasa recognized that voice. "Isn't that…?"
The four turned to another young woman who seemed to be entering her twenties with short light brown hair and golden-ish eyes, which at the moment were showing a slight hint of sternness.
"Sis!"
"That's your sister?!" Eddy reacted. "Figures."
Tsukasa's second oldest sister, Matsuri, then calmly approached the three. "You know, it's quite obvious to see what the problem is."
"What problem?"
She then suddenly grabbed Eddy by the collar with ferocity. "Don't even try it! You know very well what it is!" Tsukasa, Ed, and Double D looked at them with surprise and concern. The other passengers seemed to be staying out of it.
Eddy was sweating profusely in fear. "All right! All right! Sorry! I'll leave her alone!"
"Good." She then let him go. The others sighed in relief.
"Thanks, sis."
"No problem. Of course, it wouldn't stop me from trying to go after it."
It was at that moment when the train started rocking, the lights started flickering, and the passengers started rocking either back and forth or side to side, depending on where they were standing or sitting.
Eddy then found the opportunity to reach for the box, but whenever he tried to do it, Tsukasa's arm kept moving away. Matsuri suddenly tried to reach for the box herself, but she kept experiencing the same thing. She noticed that her sister's arm was moving faster than usual; at least faster than she has usually seen it. The more they tried to catch the box, the more it ended up on any part of her arm or her hand, like she was handling a basketball. All while she holding on to the handrail.
Matsuri was surprised. "Since when are you so agile?"
The confused Tsukasa replied, "I don't even know!" while she was still maneuvering the box.
Afterwards, the flickering and rocking stopped, and then a voice through the intercom made an announcement:
Attention, passengers. There had been some technical difficulties, but they were just resolved, so we shall proceed to our destinations. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Tsukasa then faced both her sister and the short Ed boy. "Why were you trying to get the box? Both of you?"
The two started sweating. Matsuri tried to answer first. "W-Well…I was only making sure you were holding it right."
"Yeah, same here!" Eddy claimed.
"You said you were gonna go after it, Matsuri!" The younger sister responded while looking at both of them with the same level of suspicion she had with her oldest sister.
"Oh. I said that whatever happens wouldn't stop me from going after it, and by that, I actually meant—"
"Where are you even going?"
"Huh?"
"You're on the train for a reason. Where are you on your way to?"
"Uhh…"
"Are you looking after me by following me to Akihabara? Did Inori send you?"
"No! Nobody sent me!"
"Then where are you going?"
"I'm just going after the box! Now hand it over!" She tried to reach for it again, but it kept eluding her.
"NO! It's supposed to be for someone in Akiba!"
"I can give it to them for you!"
"How do I know you're not gonna open it yourself?!"
At that moment, the lights flickered once again, then went out completely. That was just before the train instantly slowed down before coming to a complete stop. Then the voice in the intercom made another announcement:
Attention, passengers. We are undergoing another bout of technical difficulties, so we are currently facing a delay. In the meantime, please be patient as we continue to resolve them. Sorry for any further inconvenience.
It was mostly dark, with the exception of small patches of light coming from the passengers' devices, and all Matsuri could barely see was a bunch of Eds staring at her. She then used her own phone to look around for her sister, but she seemed to be nowhere to be found.
"Tsukasa?" She was baffled. "I don't remember her being that fast."
The Eds looked around, but no luck. Double D was understandably concerned. "Oh, dear."
"Uhh…Ribbon Girl!" Ed shouted. "Wherever you are, say 'Here you are!'"
"Nice going, lady!" Eddy said to Matsuri. "You just chased your sister away!"
"Oh, shut it!"
"Whatever. I don't even know why I bothered to—"
"I said to shut up!" That instantly silenced him. "I know she's still around here somewhere."
At a far corner of the train car, Tsukasa was hiding from most of the passengers who were looking around for her while still holding the box tightly, and she was shushing the ones who saw her.
Okay… Tsukasa thought to herself. I don't know what is in this box or why people are that desperate to get it, but I need to take this to Akiba and soon before something else happens.
She then noticed a peculiar gaze from another set of eyes.
To be continued…
The Eds belong to Danny Antonucci.
[AUTHOR'S NOTE:] I know parts of this story might or might not make much sense, but it's for an obvious reason.