It's halloween for our idols, and right now, they're all getting ready to go to an epic halloween party. They're doing so in Mari's van, with Kanan driving.
"Woohoo! I can't wait to get to that halloween party!" Chika shouted happily, dressed as a mikan.
"You're not the only one, Chika-chan! We're gonna get so much caaaaaaandaaaaaaay!" You eagarly exclaimed, dressed as a captain.
"Heh. Not if I all eat it all first." Yoshiko boldly claimed, dressed as a witch.
"You guys, you really shouldn't go overboard with eating candy. You'll get sick." Riko warned worriedly, dressed as a wedding bride.
"Ugh. Stop with all the warnings, Riko. You're killing the fun" Yoshiko complained with annoyance.
"I-I wasn't trying to kill the fun. I was just-"
"Stop talking already, damn it! What did I say about talkin' to me!" Yoshiko interrupted rudely, making Riko whimper.
But then, she started smiled and laughed, rubbing Riko's head affectionately "Aha, I'm just messing with you, girl. Why so serious?"
"Quit fooling around back there!" Dia told the three, dressed as a librarian.
"Dia-chan, are you sure we're going the right way" Kanan asked, dressed as Dracula, her eyes still on the road. "We've been driving for a good 20 minutes, and I see no house."
"Look, It'll show up eventually. Just keep driving." Dia instructs, receiving a groan from Chika.
"I'm boooooooooooooored..." Chika complained with (obvious) boredom.
"Same here." Yoshiko said in agreement.
"Isn't there something we can do to pass the time, zura" Hanamaru asked, dressed as a roll of Noppo bread.
"Oh, how about we all play a game of "I Spy"?" Mari suggested, dressed as a superhero similar to Spiderman.
"Can't. Ruby got carsick last time." Yoshiko reminded, shutting the idea down.
"We can play slug bug." You chimed in, but...
"NO!" Everyone, except Ruby, who was dressed as a cute teddy bear, shouted in disagreement of the idea, shutting that down too.
"Jeez, no one ever wants to play Slug-bug.." You lamented with a pout.
"Ooo! Ooo! I got it! How's about we tell some scaaaaaary stooooriiiiies!" Chika suggested with excitement.
"Aw yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Yoshiko agreed, an eager smirk appearing on her face.
"Absolutely not!" Dia shouted in dissagreement as she looked at her younger sister. "Not in front of Ruby! She can't handle it!"
"N-no, no. It's fine, onee-chan. I'll handle them." Ruby reassured her older sister.
Dia stared at Ruby and tried to think it over. I mean, her sister claimed she was gonna be fine, but she had a gut feeling to say no. Buuuuuut, she instead sighed and made the decision.
"Ok. You guys can tell stories."
Almost everyone in the van cheered in excitement at Dia's decision.
"However" Dia continued, her expression dead serious. "If my sister gets scared, you're all in serious trouble, got it?"
"Not to scary for Ruby-chan. Got it, Dia-chan." You confirmed.
"Alright, girls, looks like I'm going first!" Chika announced.
Everyone's eyes, except Kanan for obvious reasons, turn their heads to her as she starts her story.
"It was a dark and stormy night at a bowling alley..."
Story 1: Payback (as told by Chika Takami)
Chika's story starts off at a bowling, where Chika, You, Yoshiko, and Hanamaru are watching in slight annoyance as they watched the orange-haired girl score again.
"Woooooooooooooo! Three in a roooooooooow!" Chika cheered as she jumped up and down happily like a rabbit
"Yeah! That's showin' em how to roll, Lil' Chikan!"
That voice belonged to a man sitting in one of the chairs. But tha guy wasn't just any man. He was Chika's uncle, Uncle Ren. He was man thay looked like he was in his 40s, with a grey T-shirt, ripped jeans, and a bowling tie. And don't forget he also has orange hair like Chika as well.
"Hehehe, Uncle Ren, thanks, but I told you about calling me Lil' Chikan." Chika informed her uncle, looking embarrased. "You do know what means, right..?"
"Hey, hey, come on, now, Lil' Chikan. Ya don't gotta worry about anything. Some people just need to take their mind out of the gutters. You know it's a mix of your name and your favorite fruit." Uncle Ren assured her.
Then, Yoshiko couldn't take it anymore and let out a cry of frustration.
"Damn it, I can't do this anymore, Chika! You've already won 3 games in a row, and we're sick of it!" She ranted with annoyance, but added something as she glanced at Uncle Ren. "Plus, no offense, but your uncle is making me really uncomfortable with his weird glowing tie."
"Just dressin' for the occasion, my girl. Ain't nothin' like a cool tie to celebrate your niece's victory." Uncle Ren said as he flicked a small thread on his tie, causing it to light up like a Christmas tree.
Yoshiko only stared in disbelief before starting to leave. "I'm out."
"Yeah. It's getting kinda late, zura." Hanamaru said, following behind Yoshiko.
"Come on, Chika-chan. We should probably head out." You told her friend, but Chika, being Chika, just became a little stubborn.
"Aw, come on, girls. One more game!" Chika insisted, but the others just groaned in annoyance, so Chika decided she needed to up her game.
"Well, fine then. I guess we can stop...unless you're chicken"
At that, everyone, especially Yoshiko, stopped in their tracks.
"What did you say?" Yoshiko asked, her tone dark and daring.
"I'm just saying since you all don't wanna play, I'm just gonna assume you're all chicken!" Chika mocked, smirking as began to cluck like a chicken to emphasize her point.
"Oh, it's on now!" Yoshiko shouted, now flared up for the next game.
"Yousoro!" You cried in excitement, flared up as well.
"I'm ready anytime, zura!" Hanamaru challenged, looking just as flared up as You and Yoshiko.
"Woohoo! That's what I like to hear!" Chika cheered as she went up to Uncle Ren, wanting to check in. "Hey, Uncle Ren. We're up for another game?
Uncle Ren winced and awkwardly rubbed his head, looking downstair in a regretful way.
"Sorry, Lil' Chikan. As much as I love to see you and your friends have fun, I'm pretty short on fundage. My tie wasn't cheap, y'know.." Uncle Ren explained with sorrow in his voice.
Chika looked disappointed by the news, but she then smiled before reaching her pocket and pulling out 760 yen.
"Here, Uncle Ren. You can use my money." Chika offered, sweetly.
"Oooooh, nonono, L-Lil' Chikan, that's really sweet, but I couldn't-" Uncle Ren tried to decline the kind offer, but that didn't waver his niece's decision.
"Don't worry, Uncle Ren. I know you're good to pay me back. Please, take it."
Uncle Ren looked at his youngest niece's money, and hesitates. He knows it feels wrong, but seeing her being so sweet and offering tugs on his heartstrings, so he takes the money and smiles.
"I don't know why my sister gave birth to such sweet girl like yourself, but I'm really glad she did. I'll make sure to get this back to you the quickest I can." Uncle Ren confirmed, making Chika elated.
"Yeaaaaah! Next game, everyone!" Chika yelled in pure excitement.
Said excitement caused her to break into some dances that consists of twirls and jumps, clearly showing how pumped she really is. But, suddenly, the excitement caused her to not pay attention to her surroundings, making her bump into her uncle. Uncle Ren stumbles near the ball return, and ends up getting his tie stuck into the return.
"Uncle Ren!" Chika cried in worry for her uncle as she bolts towards him and tries to pull him back, it proved useless.
"GUYS, HELP!" She called to her friends in desperation, and luckily, they heard her cry and bolted over to help Chika pull Uncle Ren out to safety.
But even with their combined efforts, the tie was still stuck in the ball return and Uncle Ren was getting closer and closer to it. After so many efforts of pulling...it was too late.
Uncle Ren was gone.
The day of the funeral came not to long a couple days later. The Takami Family stood in front of Uncle Ren's tombstone, mourning the loss of a family member, with Chika looking the most sad.
"I-I can't believe it..This is all my fault." Chika spoke, her voice shaking as she was on the verge of tears. "I-If..only I...I didn't urge everyone to play that extra game...h-he would still be alive.."
The pressure of everything couldn't be held back for Chika anymore, and she ends up crying quietly, letting the tears flow freely. Her mother, noticing her distress, went closer to her to hug her.
"I-It's not your fault, Chika..Don't blame yourself.." Chika's Mom comforted her youngest daughter, looking close to tears herself.
Shima and Mito watched the interaction in silence before the latter finally spoke up.
"It really sucks that Uncle Ren's gone." Mito said sadly, but couldn't help but make a quick remark. "But if I were Chika, I'd be mad about losing the 760 yen."
Just as Mito finished that remark, she felt Shima bump her with her arms. She looked and saw her older sister with a facial expression that clearly read "Not helping".
That night, after the funeral, Chika couldn't get a good night's sleep. The guilt from her uncle's death was overwhelming her like crazy, and she couldn't get the death of her head.
"Ngh..all..my fault." She mumbled in her sleep, tossing and turning as the guilt kept mounting.
Suddenly, a ripple would lead us to a view of Chika having a nightmare. It started with her giving the money to her uncle and celebrating by doing jumps and twirls until she bumps into her uncle, sending him into the ball return.
"Uncle Reeeeeen!!!"
"Lil' Chikan! Why?! Why didn't you have to play that extra gaaaaaaaaame?!" Uncle Ren shouted in agony as he disinigrated right before her very eyes.
"NOOOOO-"
Chika's scream was cut off when it goes back to the real world. Chika shoots up awake like a bullet and let out a yelp of fear, sweating and breathing heavily. She scans the room to make sure everything is alright, but when her direction goes to the bed, she sees a man glowing green, sitting at the edge of her bed, that looks a lot like Uncle Ren,. The glowing man turns his head backwards all the way in Chika's direction, frightening her. She quickly rubs her eyes in hopes it was some sort of hallucination or dream, and it appears so, as the glowing Uncle Ren is no longer sitting at the edge of her bed.
"Ugh...I-I need to wash my face.." Chika groaned, just wanting to clear her mind.
It cuts to the bathroom, where Chika, as she said, is washing her face with cold water. She did this 6 to 7 times before drying her face with a pink towel that was next to sink. As she looks up, she looks in the mirror and sees the glowing Uncle Ren in it, his green eyes staring. Chika yelps again and closes her eyes tightly.
"Calm down, Chika. The guilt's only making you see things." She desperately assured herself. "It's not real...It's not real"
Chika opened her eyes once again, but oh man, was she shocked when she saw the ghost Uncle Ren still in the mirror. And when she looked behind, there he was, staring at her with his green eyes.
Chika doesn't even scream at the time and bolts of the bathroom and through the hallway. She is currently overwhelmed by the fact that Uncle Ren, who was supposed to be dead, was standing right behind her. It didn't make any sense for her. What also didn't make sense was that every single home picture she had was turning into pictures of ghost Uncle Ren. Chika now runs faster, even when her ghost uncle is floating over her.
In the living room, Mito is sitting on the floor, watching a show on her phone and eating snacks, oblivious to what's happening to her sister. That is, until she sees Chika run into living room, out of breath.
"Damn, Chika. You look like you saw a ghost." Mito chuckled at her sister's expression
"T-That because I did! Un-Uncle Ren...He's a ghost, a-and he's in the inn!" Chika stammered, trying to explain as best as she could.
"Chika, the heck are you talking about?" Mito questioned, looking at her younger sister as if she was crazy.
"I-It's true! He was sitting on bed, and then he was in the bathroom, and then-" Chika tried explaning, but Mito didn't wanna hear it.
"Look, you were probably some nightmare. Ghosts don't really exist, y'know." Mito brushed off as she resumed eating her snacks and watching her show. "Now, just back to bed and-"
Suddenly, Mito's phone screen randomly turned to static. The older Takami looked perplexed at the sudden change in her screen, but it only got weirder when the static stops and ghost Uncle Ren is now on Mito's fricking phone screen!
"Liil' Chiiiikaaaaaan..." He sang, addressing Chika.
"What the..." Mito uttered in shock, not believing the sight in front of her.
But it only gets worse when Uncle Ren flies out of the screen and hovers over his two nieces. The two look in absolute horror.
"Run, Chika!" Mito shouted as she grabs her younger sister by hand and drags her with her outside.
And so, the chase went off. Chika and Mito as far and fast as they can, desperately trying avoid uncle, who is currently chasing them on foot.
"Stop running!" Uncle Ren grunted, taking a pause in running before continuing.
Chika and Mito, on the other hand, just keep running and running, not letting their tiredness hinder them.
"W-Where are we going, Mito-nee?!" Chika asked her sister, breathing heavily.
"I-I have no idea!" Mito replied, being out of breath. "But all I know is that we're away from Uncle-"
Just then, Mito's words are cut off as she trips on something, falling on her stomach.
"Mito-nee!" Chika cried in worry for her sister.
"Relax, dummy. I'm fine." Mito groaned, still in some hidden pain from the fall.
The two then turns their attention to what Mito tripped on and right before their eyes, they see none other than Uncle Ren's grave.
"H-Hold on. If that's...U-Uncle Ren's tombstone, then that's means.." Chika's eyes widen a bit as she realizes where the two are.
The numerous tombstones around the area, the eerie vibes. If you're smart, you should know where they are right now.
"We're in a cemetery!" Mito finished as she also realized.
"We gotta get outta here!" Chika and Mito yelled in unison.
"Ha! Jinx!" Mito boasted with a smirk, but Chika clearly wasn't in a playing mood. She pouted angrily at her sister and gave her a glare.
"Damn it, Mito-nee! Now's not the time for any of that crap! We gotta get out of here before-"
Unfortunetaly, just as Chika was about to finish her scolding to her older sister, ghost Uncle Ren appeared in front of them, freaking them out and making them scream in fright
"Just leave us alone! You're our uncle, but I swear to god, I'm not afraid to hurt you if you hurt Chika or me!" Mito warned, feeling her older sister insticts kicking into overdrive.
Uncle Ren let out a sound that was similar to growl and inched closer to his nieces, but then, he started..coughing? Was a pretty strange sight to see a ghost coughing, but it was also weird seeing his facial expression softening.
"My bad for the scare, girls." Uncle Ren sheepishly apologized, then turned to Chika. "Hey, Lil' Chikan. Forgot to give you this."
Uncle Ren reached into the pockets of his teeth and pulled out 760 yen. The exact amount she let him borrow back when he was still alive at the bowling alley.
"I-Is that-" Chika began to question, but Uncle Ren cut her off her surprised reaction.
"The 760 yen you lent me at the bowling alley? Yes, it is." Uncle Ren confirmed, holding the money out for his youngest niece to claim.
Although hesitant and unsure, Chika gulped and took the yen back. She stared at it in her hands for a bit and smiling at her ghost uncle.
"Thanks, Uncle Ren. You really didn't have to do this." Chika thanked, feeling pretty grateful for her uncle.
"Wait, wait, so let me get this straight." Mito intervened the tender moment for a bit. "Uncle Ren, you mean to tell me you came back as a ghost, haunted Chika, then chase us down just to give back her money?"
"Yep." Uncle Ren admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Again, sorry for the fright, but you two stay safe. Shima included." He wished happily before floating back under his grave.
There was a silence between the sisters as stared at their uncle's tombstone
"Well, that was...pretty freaky." Mito said, breaking the silence.
"Couldn't agree more, Mito-nee. Couldn't agree more." Chika agreed, her voice low and dull.
After a long time of staring, Chika and Mito got up and left the cemetery in complete silence, the memory of their ghost uncle still in their minds.
End Of Chika's Story. Next Part coming soon. Happy Late Halloween!