Chapter 23 – Island Crossing
Azusa's POV
The view of Okinawa on land was ever more beautiful than it was in the air. The whole island was like one huge beach resort. Sandy beaches with crystal clear water, tropical forests, and the area we were driving through...it was the definition of a small town. The streets were small and the buildings looked old. As if they haven't been remolded since the day they were built.
I can appreciate stuff like this. Not worrying about keeping up with all these new advances the majority of the country is known for and keeping it original and (in this case) rural-like.
I say rural-like because there were still shops, restaurants, hotels, and even an aquarium. Okinawa isn't exactly a "country" tropical island.
...
Wait, is that even a thing?
"Okinawa sure is pretty huh, Azusa-chan?" Ui asked me.
"Yeah, it sure is. It's even prettier in person."
"What do you plan on doing first?"
"Once everything's settled and we meet with Sawako-sensei's friend at the music festival, I'm heading for the beach with Miharu-senpai."
"Oh. So, it's like a date." Ui began to giggle a bit.
"I-It's not…W-Well, kinda." I blushed with embarrassment.
"Do you have everything for it?"
"Yeah, I do." I started digging through my small backpack. "Swimsuit, sandals, beach towel…cr-crap."
"What?"
"I-I forgot to pack sunscreen…"
"Oh, yeah...you get tanned easily, don't you?"
"*sigh* Damnit. And I don't have any money to go out and buy some. Ui, help me out."
"S-Sorry, Azusa-chan. I don't have much money, either."
"Great." I gained an exasperated look.
"Well, this is Okinawa. Maybe something lucky will happen to you."
"Yeah, well this "lucky thing" better happen in the next hour and a half, or else I'm screwed."
"Just have some hope, Azusa-chan." Was all Ui said.
We arrived at the hotel and checked into the two rooms we were sharing. It was the third-years in one room and the second and first-years in the other.
And no matter how you look at it, they both were freaking amazing.
"Woah…THIS is our room?!" Yui-senpai yelled in excitement.
"It's so spacious. Even if we decided to share just one room." Mio-senpai said.
"Woah, guys! Even the bathroom is huge!" Ritsu-senpai yelled as we all went to see just how huge it really was.
And she wasn't lying.
"I-Is a bathroom this big…r-really necessary?" Mikuru-san asked.
"Well, there are twelve of us." Himeko-senpai said. "But even with that…"
"Aw, it'll be fine." Miharu-senpai said. "All we have to do is not look at each other's seins and chattes and we'll be fine."
"Wh-What?" Nearly everyone gained a confused look.
"What is wrong with you?" Mugi-senpai asked her sister with a huge facepalm.
"What did she say, Azu-nyan?" Yui-senpai asked.
"Nothing worth repeating, I can tell you that."
"W-Well, anyway…" Mio-senpai changed the topic. "…The six of us are about to head over to the music festival venue. Anyone want to come?"
"I'll pass for now. I'm pretty tired from the flight." Nodoka-senpai said.
"Me too." Ui said.
"As am I." Sumire-san added.
"I'm not really tired." Jun said. "But Himeko-senpai and I are gonna play Animal Crossing together."
"What?! You guys have Animal Crossing?!" Yui-senpai asked.
"We just bought it last week and we're both super hooked on it."
"I wasn't even an Animal Crossing fan before. Now I can't seem to put it down. It's so addicting." Himeko-senpai added.
"Ooh…guys, can't we stay a bit longer?"
"Yui, we're on a tight schedule." Mio-senpai said. "The festival is in 4 days and we have to make sure we can even be a part of it alongside practicing for it."
"Aw! But it's Animal Crossing!"
"Yui…"
"I didn't know Yui-senpai was a fan of Animal Crossing." I said to Ui.
"She plays it a lot. Ever since we were younger. She currently has over 150 hours on New Horizons."
"H-HOW?! The game just came out!"
"Lots of all-night binging, Azusa-chan." Ui gained an exasperated sweatdrop.
"D-Damn…" While I gained a sweatdrop of my own.
If only she would put that much love into practicing after school...
"Look, Yui. You can play Animal Crossing later." Ritsu-senpai said. "Right now, we really need to go."
"Okay, fine. But only if Miku-chan comes with us!"
"U-Um, wh-why?" Mikuru-san asked.
"Because, Miku-chan. With you around, it'll help me not think of how much I want to play Animal Crossing."
"Th-That makes no sense, Hirasawa-senpai. A-And why do I have to…g-go out so…s-soon." Mikuru-san then began shaking in fear. Probably due to her anxiety.
"Don't worry, Mikuru. Mugi and I will look after you." Miharu-senpai said.
"Please play along, Mikuru-san." Mio-senpai said. "It's the only way we'll get Yui to come outside."
...
"*sigh* F-Fine. I-It looks like I…d-do not have a choice." As much as she didn't want to, Mikuru-san eventually gave in.
"Yay! You're the best, Miku-chan!" Yui-senpai cheered as she began cuddling Mikuru-san like how she does to me.
"Gah! H-Hirasawa-senpai! Pl-Please stop! Y-You are squeezing too hard~!"
"Yui-chan seems to cling onto Mikuru-chan a lot, huh?" Mugi-senpai asked.
"Better her than me." I replied.
And so, the six of us bandmates plus Mikuru-san were out walking the beachside streets of Okinawa heading to the venue of the music festival. Bringing Mikuru-san did get Yui-senpai to come outside and forget about Animal Crossing for a while.
But now, Mikuru-san was having a panic attack from the number of people around us. Case in point, she was hiding behind Miharu-senpai while shaking in fear.
"Come on, Mikuru. You're too old for this."
"I-I am sorry, Miharu-san. B-But I am…r-really uncomfortable…w-with this many people."
"Reminds me of a certain person that I know…"
"Watch it, Ritsu." Mio-senpai said to her in a threatening tone.
"So, where's this venue again?" Mugi-senpai asked.
"Uh…Ui said that it was around this area. I-I think."
"You think? Ricchan, are we lost?"
"W-We're not lost. I mean, the bus came down this street, right?"
"Weren't you paying attention?" I asked. "You're our club leader and all."
"W-Well, I…I-I was busy sightseeing. K-Kinda."
"*sigh* Great. So, we are lost." Mio-senpai said.
"This wouldn't be happening if I was playing Animal Crossing…" Yui-senpai added.
"Forget about Animal Crossing, damnit!"
"N-No, no, no, no, no. W-We are lost in a completely new area…" Mikuru-san began panicking more.
"Calm down, Mikuru." Miharu-senpai said. "Let's just ask for directions and…"
"A-A-Ask for…d-d-directions?! Y-You want to me to…a-a-ask a stranger?! M-M-Miharu-san, you are crazy!"
"M-Mikuru-chan, please calm down." Mugi-senpai said.
"N-No, no, no, no, no! I-I cannot do this! I-I want to go back ho…"
*BAM*
"Ow…" Mikuru-san then suddenly bumped into someone and they both fell to the ground. "Ah! I-I am sorry! I-I was not looking where I was going!"
"No, it's fine. I'm still terrible at walking by myself anyway." The girl said.
Wait…terrible at walking by herself? The only person I know who's like that is…
The girl, with the short red hair that I'm now noticing, stood up on her feet while patting herself off. It was then that we saw her bright purple eyes.
...
Or rather…her bright purple EYE.
"Huh? Akari?" I asked.
"Woah...hey, guys. What a surprise."
"Akari-chan!" Yui-senpai cheered as she hugged the one-eyed girl.
"Wait, you guys know this girl?" Miharu-senpai asked.
"This is Akari Akaza. She's a friend of ours who lives in Takaoka." I explained.
"Takaoka? Isn't that where Yoriko's step-niece and her friend are from?"
"Yep. They all know each other."
"Huh. So, she's one of those girls that you were talking about earlier. It makes a lot of sense now that I'm seeing it myself."
"Why do I feel like that was some kind of insult towards my missing eye?" Akari asked with a sweatdrop.
"Akari, what are you doing here in Okinawa?" I asked.
"Oh, that…we're here for the music festival."
"Wait, what? The music festival?" Ritsu-senpai asked in shock.
"You guys know about it?"
"Know about it? We're performing in it. Hopefully."
"We got lost thanks to Ritsu's great sense of direction." Mio-senpai said.
"You didn't have to put it that way, Mio…"
"I see. Well, I was on my way back from the hotel we're staying at. I could take you guys there."
"Really? You'll do that, Akari-chan?" Mugi-chan asked.
"Sure, I don't mind. Plus, the others will probably be excited to see you girls again, too."
"Others?" We all asked.
"What do you mean by "others"?" Mio-senpai asked.
"Chinatsu, Kyoko, and Yui are here, too. Along with a few friends of ours."
"Wh-What?! How did the four of you afford a trip to Okinawa?!"
"Kyoko's uncle paid for it. He's really wealthy."
"Geez…"
So, this really is a crossover story…kinda.
"Well, if it will make us be on-time for try-outs, then we'll take the offer. Thanks a lot, Akari." Ritsu-senpai said.
"Yeah, this is totally great." Yui-senpai said. "Not only will our friends see us perform but we get to reunite with you girls again. This totally makes up for me not playing Animal Crossing."
"Animal Crossing?" Akari gained a confused look.
"Don't ask." While the rest of us gained exasperated sweatdrops.
Akari eventually took us to the venue for the music festival. Which, as it turns out, was down a street we never even saw due to the bus never going down this route.
So, wherever Ui got that info that we would pass it on the way to the hotel, it wasn't detailed enough.
But I still blame Ritsu-senpai's bad sense of direction…
Anyway…the venue itself wasn't all that big. It was mainly just a bamboo-made stage that took up a part of the beach. While in the distance was a bunch of booths and stuff. All were either fully set up or near completion.
I'm starting to think that this "music festival" has more emphasis on the "festival" part and the "music" part is just a bonus.
*sigh* Oh, well. At least it's something.
"Geez...I thought Akari was joking when she said that she literally ran into you girls." Chinatsu said as we were now talking with the Takaoka Girls.
"I was still rather worried about letting you walk by yourself. But I guess luck was on your side this time, Akari." Kyoko said.
"Yep. And it only took a few run-ins with a couple of poles and trees for it to show up."
"Don't sound proud of that..." The two girls gained a sweatdrop.
"You know, it's been a while since we last saw you girls." Ritsu-senpai said. "Though, I am shocked that this reunion happened in Okinawa, of all places."
"Akari told us that you all were performing here. So, I guess it's lucky on our end, too." Kyoko said.
"I see."
"Hey, guys. Check it. They got some pretty insane Slurpee flavors here. Way crazier than the ones at Himeko's job." Miharu-senpai said as she and Mikuru walked up to us. Both with a 7-Eleven Slurpee in their hand.
"I must say. Despite its weird name, Fruitalicious Tropical Rainbow is a really yummy treat." Mikuru-san said. "I can just feel my anxiety slowly going away. Haa~…"
"Um…good for you, Mikuru-chan." Mugi-senpai said.
"So, who are these two?" Chinatsu asked.
"Well…the older girl is Miharu Neroni. She recently moved here from France and joined our band. A-A-And, uh…"
"She and Mugi-chan are half-sisters." Yui-senpai added.
"Half-sisters?" The trio were confused.
"Is that even a thing?" Akari asked.
"I-It's a long story…but yes. It is a thing." Mugi-senpai said.
"Woah…"
"And the younger one is Mikuru Tamura." Mio-senpai said. "She's normally super shy. But I guess that Slurpee really has calmed her down a lot."
"*slurp* Mmm…so good." Mikuru-san wasn't even paying attention as she was still taking sips of her Slurpee.
"*giggle* She's a lot like you when you eat Rum Raisin, Kyoko." Chinatsu said.
"Hmph! I'll take that as a compliment, thank you." Kyoko pouted from said "compliment".
"Hey, didn't you say that Chinatsu and Kyoko were dating?" I whispered to Akari.
"Yeah, they are. It's still rather odd to me since Chinatsu absolutely hated Kyoko's guts before the whole…"incident" ."
"The moment you lost your eye really was when everything changed, huh?"
"Yeah…you can say that again."
"Hey, we should all hang out together once we're finish with the try-outs here." Ritsu-senpai said.
"Sure, why not." Chinatsu said. "We're just waiting for Yu…"
"Chinatsu!" Akari and Kyoko quickly covered the pink-haired girl's mouth in a panic.
"Huh? Waiting for who?"
"Come to think of it, where's Yui-san? She is here with you guys, right?" Mio-senpai asked.
"Um…well…" Akari said.
"She…is here. But…" Kyoko said.
Something's up with these two. They're hiding something. And it involves Yui-san in some way. But how?
And then, as I had just finished asking myself that question, the most UNEXPECTED thing to ever happen…just straight-up happened.
"*sigh* I'm finally done with rehearsal. Once I change out of this outfit, let's get something to eat. I'm star…ving…"
"W-Woah…" Mio-senpai said.
"N-No way. It's…"
"HOLY CRAP! IT'S LYRICA!" Yui-senpai cheered with excitement. Completely cutting out Ritsu-senpai's dialogue.
"Gah! Wh-Why are you guys here?!"
"Huh?" We were all confused.
Does Lyrica…know us?
"Hey. You're still using your other identity." Said a girl with long orange hair standing next to Lyrica.
"Cr-Crap..."
"Wait a second. I recognize that voice." Mugi-senpai said. "Yui-san…is that you?"
"Huh?!" The rest of us (who knew who Mugi-senpai was talking about) were confused.
…
…
…
"*sigh* Oh, what's that point in denying it now?" Lyrica said before she started undoing the medium-sized ponytail she was known for and fixed it up a bit differently.
And once she was done…
"Holy mother of crap…"
"Hey, guys. It's been a while…I-I guess." Lyrica, now revealed to us as Yui Funami, said in a nervously calm tone.
"W-Wait, what?! Y-Yui-san is Lyrica?!" Mio-senpai yelled.
"Unbelievable…" I said.
"This totally beats Animal Crossing by far." Yui-senpai said.
"About freaking time…" Ritsu-senpai mumbled to herself.
"Man. You are just horrible at keeping your second identity a secret, huh?"
"Shut up, Sachiko." Yui-san said to the girl next to her.
Sachiko? Is that her name?
"Miharu-san…do you have any idea what is going on?" Mikuru-san asked.
"Nope. Not a clue, Mikuru."
Right. These two aren't familiar with this group.
"Well, you see…" I tried to explain it all to the two. But then…
"Sachiko!"
We looked to see a girl with short light-red hair with a yellow headband containing a big pink flower on its right side. She was running up to us with something in her hands. And she seemed pretty excited about it.
"Sachiko! I found one! I finally found one! I found a shiny pear-WHOA!"
*THUD*
"Ouchie…" The girl then fell flat on the floor. Shockingly, she didn't break the huge pearl in her hands.
"Geez, Yuri. I kept telling you to not run while wearing flip-flops." The girl named Sachiko said.
"Sorry. I was just so excited. I finally found a shiny pearl!"
"Why were you looking for a shiny pearl?" Chinatsu asked.
"Because once we get back home, Risa and I are going to use this as a hex pearl for our Cultural Festival this year."
"Uh…" The five girls had no idea why this girl wanted to do such a thing. And I don't think they wanted to know, either.
A hex pearl? What even is that?
"So, um…who's this girl?" Ritsu-senpai asked.
"This is Yuri Katabuki." Sachiko said. "She's a friend of mine."
"Ooh~. Who are the new City Girls? Are they friends of yours, Sachiko?"
"C-City Girls?" The seven of us were rather offended by that.
"Yuri…" Chinatsu said. "Sorry about that. Yuri's just as country as Sachiko. If not more."
"There ain't nothin' wrong with bein' a country girl, suga." Sachiko said while using country dialect.
"It is when you talk like that…" Akari gained a sweatdrop.
"So. Are we done here? When can we go to the beach huh, Sachiko?" Yuri asked.
"Later, Yuri."
"Aw! But you promised we'll go after Yui finishes her Lyrica thing!"
"Y-Yuri!" Yui-san yelled with a panicked blush.
"Well, that confirms one thing." Mugi-senpai said.
"Don't you remember, Yuri? Even if we were going right this second, we still gotta buy you a new swimsuit. You outgrew your other one after just two months of having it."
"Oh, yeah..."
"Wait…outgrew a swimsuit?" Miharu-senpai asked.
"Yeah…this 13-year-old right here keeps growing out of the clothes people buy for her. It's like her growth spurt never ends."
"W-Wait, she's 13?!" Mio-senpai yelled.
"Damn...her titties are huge!" Miharu-senpai said.
"I-I do not understand. Sh-She is younger than me…b-but to have THAT big of a chest is…nooo…" Mikuru-san's anxiety came back. Along with a sense of jealousy and sadness for having a 13-year-old beat her in chest size.
"Tch. Why is this world so damn cruel to us?"
"*sniff* It's not fair, Ricchan. It's just not fair."
"I know, right?" Ritsu-senpai, Yui-senpai, Chinatsu, and Kyoko were feeling the same thing.
And I don't blame them. As I understand their pain.
"We're all going to have a lot of explaining to do, huh?" I asked Akari.
"Yep. Pretty much." She answered with a sweatdrop.
Author's Note: And so, here's the "bold" thing I was talking about before. A crossover in a non-crossover story.
Okay, I've know this has been done several times before (and not just by me). But this idea came not that long ago (probably like 2 or 3 chapters ago) and I figured why the hell not. It's not going to affect the plot in any shape or form. It's just extra.
Thanks for reading. Later.