Monika POV

Nowhere (Alternate Hinode)

Almost without realizing it, I found myself crying as I read that sign. It was as if an old memory were trying to break free, something meant to remain hidden.

But perhaps the only way out of this hell is to keep moving forward.

I looked up and saw the moon completely red; ashes and leaves were flying through the street, and the smell of things burning made my eyes even more irritated. There was fire everywhere, but it wasn't exactly an out-of-control blaze.

The trees on the street were burning slowly, and the ground beneath my feet was gradually splitting open, releasing smoke through the cracks of the road.

I walked up to the sign and got the idea to touch it.

Upon doing so, the letters dissolved and the door to my house opened.

"I can't say that I don't know what lies ahead, but you need to step it up. Come on, be brave, Monika," I reaffirmed to myself.

When I entered my house, the entire environment had completely transformed—it was as if I had stepped into a totally different world. The house was spotless and at least ten times more spacious, though only the pictures and furniture were familiar. Before moving to Hinode, I had lived with my parents in the countryside, and our house was quite big, but not like this at all.

When I turned 17, I went to try my luck in Hinode because I didn't feel suited to working on a farm forever. My parents always supported that decision and managed to rent the house I'm in now.

I've always had a great relationship with them, they mean everything to me. I don't understand why this place is showing me my old home.

Could it be an attempt to torment me?

No, there's something here. Just because the situation is bizarre doesn't mean I can't remain rational.

I wandered through the living room, gazing at the pictures on the walls.
There was my favorite photo:

"24th Writing Contest – 1st Place"

It was me holding the prize for winning a literary contest when I was only fourteen; those were definitely my happiest memories.

I noticed a staircase to my right leading up to the bedrooms, and out of curiosity I followed it—I was eager to see what my room looked like.

I kept looking around with every step; the silence was deafening, as if something were about to happen at any moment, yet there was only silence.

Even in such a peaceful place, the very idea of encountering that demon around any corner made me nauseous. And one thing was certain: It was she who was showing me these things.

I climbed the stairs.

My memory was beginning to distort... Was my parents' house really like this? This place looked like an old mansion in a classical style—you could tell by the wood of the banister and the floor.

At the end of the stairs was a corridor with two doors, one on each side.

This didn't make any sense; my room wasn't in that hallway, at least not the one I remembered.

When I opened the door that was supposed to be my room, yet another scene straight out of a princess movie was revealed to me: The bed was made of pure gold, there were handkerchiefs so expensive they were almost unbelievable, and a desk held a computer that looked like it belonged to someone wealthy—even though I thought I knew a thing or two about technology.

Wait.

I do know about technology—I bought a computer very early on, back when the internet still worked on ADSL. This is getting really confusing.

My thoughts became jumbled as I explored that room, but there was nothing in front of me to decipher or analyze; there had to be some clue, yet everything seemed normal.

I rifled through the bookshelf and the closet—in there were several dresses that looked like they belonged to a princess. I even checked the pockets of the clothes, waiting for a message, a riddle, there had to be something to solve.

Something that would allow me to use my rationality.

"I'm wasting time here; if I can't solve the riddle of this place, I'm going to lose my friends, and if that happens, I fear..."

When I looked toward the window, I was startled and jumped back, there was a figure standing, watching me.

But this time?

This made no sense at all.

It was me.

But not all of me.

That "Monika" was as close as I could get to describing a princess: she had loose hair, gold earrings, and even her skin shone a thousand times brighter than mine. Her clothes were delicate. A dress that was probably crafted by the world's finest professionals.

"Who are you?" I asked, taking two steps back toward the exit.

"I am a version of you that is truly happy, unlike you and unlike all the others." She maintained impeccable poise, her voice perfectly balanced between sweetness and firmness.

That figure exuded genuine peace and a sense of freedom; I abandoned any thought of fleeing and just stood still, analyzing her.

She drew closer, and with every step, her dress moved in a hypnotic sway, I was just stunned.

"How... can it be? What are you talking about? I'm the only real person here!" My words trembled so much that, in a way, I hardly believed them myself.

She neared me, tilted her head, and smiled slightly as if preparing to convince me of something:

"I am the version of you that chose to be happy, the one who decided not to be shackled by the shadows of your cursed town, or by your obligations. I am the Monika who never left her parents' house—after all, it's far better to take the easy road than to try your luck living an easy life rather than trying your luck in an uncertain life... Do you have any idea how much mom wanted you to avoid that fate?"

"I... I... I decided to come to the city to fulfill my dream of becoming a language specialist. I'm going to go to college after finishing school, and I will make my parents proud and prove that I know how to make decisions too!" My voice was still trembling—I had never truly believed it. Not a day passed without me thinking that everything I did in life was a waste of time.

She circled me, performing subtle, dancer-like movements, flaunting all her grace, mocking me.

"Decisions? You? We both know very well that neither of us are leaders, and we're not good at making decisions. You're doomed to a life of sorrow by trying to be something you're not, but you could be a princess like me, if only... You hold my hand, and I will lead you to true happiness."

At that moment, it all clicked.

Hana must think she's so clever if she believed that such a stupid scenario would make me fall into her hands, I'm far too smart for that.

A ghost will never be able to defeat me by resorting to these cheap tricks. Exploiting my childhood dreams was well above my threshold; I felt all the suffering of the week boil in my mind.

The burden of leadership, of my choices.

I raised my hand.

"I'm glad to finally accept that your struggle is futile. Come, my lost self—I will bring you happiness."

Just as our hands were about to meet, I suddenly moved it away and grabbed that stupid demon by the neck with a strength I didn't even know I had.

"A leader does not shrink in the face of difficulties; there are no shortcuts to leadership. It is my duty to be the one who kills my own feelings to lead them. This... is who I chose to be."

As she gasped for breath, that princess figure vanished completely—in real time, my room reverted to normal, exactly as I remembered it. My belongings were much simpler.

It wasn't a world of princesses and fairy tales. But in that moment, it truly resembled the place where I grew up. My bed wasn't as luxurious, but I had never been so happy to see it, especially since it now held something that might be useful.

"A key?"

I picked it up from my bed and looked closer.

"Cage."

Bingo.

Now, where do I use this key?

With the illusion disappearing, I left my room and went down the stairs.

I took a moment to sit on the sofa and reflect on everything that was happening.

That was a unique opportunity that might not happen again.

Time to piece everything together...

I noticed that my school bag was near the TV in the living room, I opened it. Inside were paper and my notebook, exactly what I needed.

I began to write.

I recalled the day Sayori and I went to the principal's office to fill out the forms for the club. I remember going to there, and it took him quite a while to attend to us.

Was he a bad person?

To be appointed principal at a school created solely to create a spiritual weapon, he must be—but…

Something didn't add up.

"Hello Principal, we've come to submit the form for the creation of the extracurricular literature club."

"Literature? How bold, but you really think you can attract more members than just the two of you with that theme?"

Memories unfurled as I put them on paper.

"Yes! Of course, it's not the first time I've started a club from scratch; I did the same at my previous school and it worked out well."

He analyzed me from head to toe. The principal had known me for a long time—after all, I had barely started my class and was already the class rep. My grades were among the top ten in the school.

"Well, I don't believe your club will prosper, honestly, but I can't refuse a request from one of the best students in the country. And your idea of infusing some culture into this place does sound useful, even though I think the students here aren't ready for the next step."

What kind of conversation is this?

I read his words three times and dug into my memory again—wait, did he really say that?

How could I have forgotten? He was never kind; he was quite cynical.

Calm down.

My home, the days before the club was founded.

I solved the riddle.

But first, continuing...

"Of course, thank you for your consideration, Principal. I'm sure we will be a successful club, and our plan is that next year we'll be the highlight of the Winter Festival."

"Really, Monika?"

"I'm sure—my plans are never modest."

"I see... Actually, you might be very useful at next year's festival. We're in the early stages of organization, but we'll have a very special guest, a former student who contacted us and will attend the event. She is very special... I can't provide more details, but you'll love her."

"Ahhhhh, how wonderful! Rest assured; it will be an incredible event for the guest!"

"Yeah, I guess she will like you... Anyway, I've chosen this allocation space here."

"Which one is it? Let me see... Wow, it's a section that isn't used much, right? Classroom... 3-A?"

"That's right."

After rereading what I'd written, it seemed that perhaps my own memory had been manipulated. It was an absurd theory, but deep down it made some sense.

I began writing everything I knew about Hana and all the conversations I had this past week, the documents I'd read—yet something was still missing.

After filling the paper front and back, I organized my ideas more clearly.

If I assume that on that Wednesday I interacted with Hana directly, and that the fight between Natsuki and Yuri was her doing as well, and if I consider that the goal of a ghost trapped in the earthly plane is to acquire a real body…And since she didn't possess Ken despite having him in her power for so long...

Hana's next target will be...

Sayori!

This is terrible, I need to find Sayori immediately. She was the person that Hana basically ignored these past three days.

At that moment, I felt an adrenaline surge running through my entire body; all my reasoning was interrupted by one simple command:

Save Sayori—she is the next target!

Without thinking, I slipped the key into my pocket and ran out of the house.

Where?

Where?

Where is Sayori's house, Monika!

REMEMBER, DAMN IT.

REMEMBER!

She'll die if you don't remember!

Unable to recall exactly where my friend lived, I began running in the direction my instincts dictated, abandoning all rational thought. This was my only chance—she must be being tortured right now; I have to save her...

I ran in any direction toward one of the city's largest avenues; in the distance I saw the school, so I must be close.
My legs were burning when, suddenly, I saw a dark trail in the middle of the avenue—a sign that Hana was nearby.

I pushed myself even faster than I thought my limits allowed, and despite the thick smoke in the air, I still had enough breath.

The trail ended in front of a fancy house. It was there.

My memory cleared.

Without time to catch my breath, I crossed the fence of her house and began banging on the door.

"SAYORI, ARE YOU THERE? PLEASE, ARE YOU THERE?"

No answer.

The words of that false Monika echoed in my mind—of Hana in the bathroom, everyone had so many expectations of me, yet at times like these, when the pressure was that big, I always end up failing.

I closed my eyes for a moment, praying for strength from anyone who might hear me in that hellish world.

Is there a God in hell?

When I opened my eyes, I received an answer that could only be interpreted as a "Maybe": The necklace that Ken had given to Yuri lay on the ground at the edge of the door, and Sayori's house key was next to it.

Without wasting a second, I put the necklace around my neck; my vision cleared considerably and my mind focused, silencing all the noisy thoughts.

The house was completely dark. I moved almost on autopilot, following the dark trail.

I climbed the stairs; her bedroom door was locked, but I rammed my shoulder into it with such force that I felt my shoulder crack, and yet, somehow, the door gave way.

"Sayo? You Th-"

Two seconds.

That was all the time I had to react to the situation before me: Hana was offering her right hand to Sayori, that demon was smiling. I didn't even have to think—if her hand touches Hana's, it's over; Sayori will be possessed.

One and a half seconds.

Time seemed to freeze.

"This... is who I chose to be."

I pulled my leg back and surged forward with every bit of strength I had—I was willing to break my entire body if necessary. I was throwing myself at death.

"A leader only truly dies when they abandon their team."

I opened my hand.

One second.

By the time they began noticing my presence, it was too late for Hana—I grabbed her by the neck and she took all the momentum of my body; she was so stunned Hana didn't even react. I hurled her against the wall, breaking it in the process.

She flew across the room, screamed in pain, and glared at me with eyes full of hatred.

"Impressive for a human... My projections outside the school are still very weak, even in the spiritual world, consider yourself very lucky."

"Get away from here, Hana. Don't you dare lay a finger on my friend."

"She wanted to die, so I was only helping her experience how it is on the other side."

What does that mean?

I couldn't let myself be distracted by the words of an evil spirit. I signaled with my hand for Sayori to step back a little as I advanced towards that thing.

Hana's projection vanished, not before laughing and saying:

"You arrived in time, I must admit, but you've already failed, Monika. I got your friend in my turf and I want you to dare come to rescue him, I will be waiting for you."

A victory that didn't taste like it at all—I felt as if I'd fallen into yet another one of that demon's traps. I looked at Sayori, searching for any explanation, but she was completely in shock. It would be cruel to ask any questions in that state, so I simply supported her and asked if she wanted to leave her house.

"We need to find Natsuki and Yuri, they must be in danger too," Sayori said without looking at me; she was too ashamed.

"Yes, let's find them... I just wanted to say something before—you don't need to answer."

She fell silent as we walked down the street, so I continued:

"Thank you for being here, I mean it, Sayori. Let's talk after this is all over."

"Yes..." Her voice was very faint, almost a whisper.

The dark trail on the ground pointed to our next destination. It was inevitable to think there was another exit: The School.

The building was completely different, smoke billowed from two towers surrounding the school that had never existed before, making it look like some sort of ancient castle. A red light streamed from the towers into the sky; that was what tinted the entire city that color.

Hana couldn't physically leave the school, so she surely had complete control over her own domain; rescuing Ken seemed like an impossible mission.

When we reached the street by the school, very close to it, we saw two people walking amidst a cloud of smoke that swirled in every direction.

"Who's there?!" I shouted at those shadows.

When they arrived, I felt a wave of relief—it was Natsuki and Yuri, with Yuri leaning on Natsuki as they walked but Yuri was injured, with several shallow cuts on her face and hands.

"Monika? Sayori! Ah... I'm so glad you're okay," Nat said, trying to come closer. It seemed she was the one carrying Yuri.

"My God, what happened to you?"

She said no with a shake of her head, but I could piece together what had happened—Yuri's wounds all looked self-inflicted. How could I have let so much slip by? This entire chapter felt like a provocation from Hana; she had been watching us for a long time and knew how to exploit everyone's vulnerabilities at once.

"Yuri told me that the school is probably where Ken is being held hostage."

"Oh my, how could she... Ah, it makes sense. Looking again, it almost seems obvious."

Before us, looming imposingly, was Hana's fortress: The Central School of the Spiritual World. Just looking at it filled me with helplessness.

"Monika... What do we do? Even I, not involved in this spiritual madness, can feel that we stand no chance against her."

"Don't worry, Nat. I'll be the distraction, and you go rescue Ken. I think I can hold her off long enough."

"Are you even listening? This is..."

"Insanity—I don't need to hear it. I'll change my mind if you keep talking... I have a duty to my members. By the way, can Yuri go with us?"

"O-Of course I can, I will be fine, just ask Nat to help me because I was running for a long time."

"I see, sorry for asking this from you all, but let's go."

I led the way, letting them take care of each other. I handed the key to Natsuki and held my amulet with all my strength; the school doors opened as soon as we got closer.

We walked together and the door didn't close at all, it was just left open.

In the entrance hall, we all heard a sick laughter, echoing through the whole school."

Author notes: Why open this door gently when you can blast it open?