Beautiful Days (IC)

[Snax]

PRAY and Rina
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

HP: 675/770 | Sync: 100%
ESP(PRAY): 215/245 | ESP(Rina): 365/410

Two wolves had fallen under her blade. While the ability to wield such power felt somewhat good, PRAY didn't actually enjoy this violence. She'd rather just be left alone if possible, but well...if it was a fight they brought, she would bring on the pain.

Pray looked at her slash wounds, and then the other girl. The other girl had gotten bit and was screaming, but PRAY didn't mind her own wounds. Even when she was alive, wounds were an everyday occurance. However, the blue mist wafting from them was sort of unsettling and unnatural, even while knowing her circumstances.

She looked at the last two enemies, still chained in whatever unearthly power that 'Rina' had brought into the fray. While it was indeed interesting, PRAY had bigger fish to fry.

The large hunk of metal turned into an intricate rapier as she strode forwards. As she did, another sword of the same design formed in her other hand.

"PRAY style -"

Stomping on the ground to propel herself into a hurling meteor, she crashed into the wolves with each blade aiming for their torsos.

"Full Frontal Meteor Strike----!!!!"

Skewering both on her blades, her rush didn't stop there. With a final warcry, she added the acceleration with a final powerful step, bashing the two wolves into the wall of the alleyway, sending tremors through it.

[Bloble]

Rina
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

I wanna go home.

[virzi]

Masafumi Gotoh
Ikebukuro Station
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

You and Rina both, glowing with an eerie blue light. Faintly, you notice heat from your pockets, the pins glowing red hot, stinging your skin as they bump against your legs.

And you run, faster than you ever have before. You can feel it, something from the world flowing into you, making you run faster, stronger, leaving trails of dust in your wake. Something blue wisps from your feet, like flames.

Much to his chagrin, it is the sexual deviant that performs the first miracle. Wrapped in an incandescent light, the girl makes her escape from Masafumi's righteous fury, accelerating to inhuman speeds as she carries her soon-to-be victim towards their destination.

"This power... How could she obtain it so soon! What's the difference between her and me?!"

Wait... The light was emitting from both of them...

Could this be the power of a union between the chosen? Though the question remained of how such a hideous display of lust resulted in a pact, this seemed to be the most sensible conclusion. Although the plan was to wait until he reached Sunshine, the need for a partner was more present than ever. Once he was in a pact of his own, he knew he would meet the recently departed pair once again. This time, they would not go anywhere until he ascertained the situation... and delivered punishment, should it be according to His will.

"I guess I should talk to some of them... they're heading to the same place as me so, I'll go wait there and pick out a good person."

Hikaru began walking away from the station to her destination, Sunshine.

Glancing around, he focuses on distinguishing the specters from the ones he seeks to find. His eyes fall on a young woman, calmly walking towards her destination. Her expression betrays no concern or haste, but is instead one of unbridled joy. Perhaps it is the privilege of being selected by Him that gives her such glee? Should that be the case, it would be a great boon to join forces with her.

Masafumi walks up to the woman, standing directly in her path; his words would not be ignored again.

"You are also headed towards Sunshine, are you not? As members of the chosen, it would be wise to secure a pact as soon as possible, to ensure our future success. Come, let us join hands in our endeavor to overcome this sacred trial!"

[Kirby]

PRAY and Rina
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

HP: 675/770 | Sync: 100%
ESP(PRAY): 215/245 | ESP(Rina): 365/410

June 13, 2018. Week 1, Day 1.

No one moves. Everyone holds their breath.

The wolves are bound, unable to act other than pawing furiously at the chains, though they seem to be tiring out now. Rina lies on the ground, panting, tending to her wound. But to you? It’s nothing. You can take your sweet time

You look at your waist. There’s no blood, no wound, just glowing blue lines, where the wolf had slashed at you. Blue vapor mists around it, and the lines grow smaller, and smaller, until they fade into nothingness, leaving behind pale white skin. Even so, both of you feel less substantial, as if you’re a small step closer to fading. A ghost indeed.

The job’s not done. There’s one thing left to do. Your broadsword melts away into two thin rapiers— precision was the key, here, not power.

It’s over in two motions. One— a thrust to pierce their hearts. Two— a charge, smashing them into the wall.

PRAY uses Lolita Chopper for 20 ESP.
PRAY uses a heavy thrust. Hit Value = 137. Roll - 70. Clean hit. The Indust Wolves lose 109 HP.
PRAy slams them into the wall for heavy damage. The Indust Wolves lose 155 HP and are successfully erased.

Victory!

HP: 675/770 | Sync: 100%
ESP(PRAY): 215/245 | ESP(Rina): 365/410

The wolves fade away into smoke. The marks disappear. The crowds return, apathetic to everything that happened. The walls and earth ripple, like the crowds from before, and fade into spotless, undamaged walls. The craters are gone. The ice is gone. The only thing wrong with the world, is that the rifts in the air are still there. Yet, it’s almost as if there was never a fight in the first place.

All you have to show for it is a small pin, lying on the ground where the wolves once were.

“Vacu Squeeze” - Sweeper - Neutral, Dark

Creates a well of gravity, that weighs on the enemies within its field. The effect can be spread over a wide area, or a small one, but spreading out the area reduces the effectiveness.

[RacingeR]

Yamanaki Naomi
Location: Ikebukuro Station
Time: 2:30 PM

"Heeeeelp! She's gonna rape meeeeeeee!"

“J-just remember to use protection!” I shouted at the figures disappearing in the distance.

No wait, that’s just retarded. Damnit, did I catch some sort of stupidity bug from them? Fuck it, it doesn’t matter. I still feel dizzy and I’m having the access of nausea for the third goddamn time in five goddamn minutes, so I take way too fucking long to get up.

However, once I do, I simply shoot upwards, nearly headbutting the man that had come to help me. I stare at him dizzily for a moment, then at the numbers on his hand and MY hand, and then I grab my pone and take a look at the texts I received.

Damnit.

Complication after complication.

Well, I only needed one partner so it’s not like loli!Guts over there and the girl that had been pissing herself in fear mattered much, but… now that I had gotten involved into it I felt sort of responsible. I looked at the man that had come to help, ignoring the crazy praying dude to the side, and grabbed him by the arm.

“You’re coming with me!”

And with these words, I stalked towards the alley, following the two girls that had disappeared, while dragging the poor man behind. I kind of had stopped thinking straight, but at least I knew what I was doing. After all, this same route led to the Sunshine Whatever, which meant I was killing two birds with one stone.

[Kirby]

Yamanaki Naomi and Haruto Suzunashi
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

June 13, 2018. Week 1, Day 1.

You’ve seen their light show. Now it’s your turn.

You two half walk, half run, hand-in-hand, Naomi leading the way dragging a hapless Haruto along. You begin to see what they must’ve seen, feel what they must’ve felt— the glow of the contract, the burning of the pin, the flow of the world’s power into your body. The contract is complete. Your lives are bound. The Player Pin pulses like a beating heart.

You head to the alleyways, where you last saw the two blonde girls heading. But something stops you in your tracks. Something wrong.

You hear crashes, bangs, shouting and screaming— and howling. Your pace quickens, and you arrive at a cross section, only to see those two Players fighting strange beings, wolves with eerie markings. The square is frosted over, with craters and dents in the earth scattered about the asphalt. The blonde with the glasses lays on the ground, curled up and crying in pain. The tiny one holds twin rapiers in her hands, the bodies of the monsters skewered on each one. The wolves fade into smoke and ash.

The streets ripple, like disturbed water, returning to its natural state. The ice disappears. The craters disappear. The smoke and mist that were once the wolves’ bodies disappear, leaving behind only a seemingly normal street, with the usual crowds. Everything returns to the ordinary.

Only one thing out of the ordinary remains. Rifts in the air, cracks in reality. Subtle “wrongnesses” in the atmosphere.

Well, that, and the kid with the swords standing over the wounded girl.

[Siriel]

『　　』
Location: Ikebukuro Station
Time: 2:30 PM // Mission 1: "Reach the Sky".

The boy laughed, a loud sound that was rung through the air for a moment like bells before he looked back at the girl with a boisterous grin. "No need to worry, I know where Sunshine is. 60's not very interesting though; never saw any reason why it became such a hub."

He turned on his heel, heading towards the Sunshine 60; not that it was all that hard to find. The building was massive, even centered in a district where all the buildings were so very large. Finding something like that in Ikebukuro wouldn't be all that difficult. The boy's eyes honed in on a group of people all heading one direction and a small sound emerged from his throat.

"Say partner, I think I've found the rest of our competition. We could go talk to them, introduce ourselves and the like. Unless you'd prefer a straight shot to 60 - your choice."

The boy winked at the girl behind him as the two moved, his face warping through a series of emotions that were purely unreadable, a sort of confusing, eclectic mix of things that would otherwise be perfectly sensible.

"I'd rather talk to them - I don't see any reason why we can't all live, right? Even if it's just one more day."

Mayū Moto
Location: Ikebukuro Station
Time: 2:30 / Mission: Reach the Sky

As soon as we agreed something happened with the pins. I don't know what exactly it means, but thinking about it, it probably means we're linked somehow from now on. Everyone's karma is related; maybe it's something like that but literally.

A rift in the air, that's not normal.

Shaking my head, I turn back to him.

"I don't mind, but there might be more to the mission than just getting there. Did you notice? We're on a time limit." Saying so, I showed the numbers on my hand. "I think it might be better to win first, and get to know them after. After all, 'the Reapers' have already shown that we can receive more than one message."

If we received more than one message, there might be more to the mission. Better to get it done as simply as possible.

[Mooncake]

Ryūketsu Himura
Underground - Station East Exit - Streets
2:30 PM - Mission Phase


I’m sorry.


It's fine. Sorry for earlier.


He apologizes for his lack of judgement and moves on, swiping his finger across his phone's buttons with the customary scowl. As long as he pushes his feeling of sadness, of anger down, he'll be fine.


Yeah, okay. But what about the cracks?


The cracks... Ryūketsu thinks to himself. There's no way that they aren't important. But, in another sense, right now they're a distraction. He doesn't know and, to be frank, doesn't care about the other people. Even Tsubasa isn't as important as his desire. To be honest, she's an acquaintance. Not a friend, or she wasn't just before they entered the game.

Now, though, he didn't really have a choice but to trust her, and he feels that he can. Even so... the parameters of the game are more important.

We can always look at them later. We need to get to the Sunshine 60—what if this is our only chance?


Well, whatever we do, you lead the way. I doubt you need to worry about getting hit by a car when we cross the street—we’re dead, aren’t we?


She's right, but...


If we win this game, we don't have to stay that way, right? I want to live. I think you want to live. So, let's go.


Having said that, the boy moves towards the building in the distance, trying to get there as quickly as possible. Life is precious. Fleeting, even. If there really is this one chance, then he wants to take it, no matter what. Violin in hand, he leads the way towards their destination.

[Frantic Author]

『　　』
Location: Ikebukuro Station
Time: 2:30 PM // Mission 1: "Reach the Sky".

The boy nodded, in an almost absentminded sort of agreement. "Nothing wrong with winning, partner. Straight shot to 60 it is!" He turned away from the group charging into the alleyway, now facing the wide open street. "Not like there's much of a difference; one's got less people along it, though. Not that it matters now - can we even be touched?"

A grimace​ covers his face as he begins to move forward, mulling over a choice in his mind. "Hey. Mayoo. If I die, I hope you've got a decent enough back up plan."

It was, in all honesty, a stupid idea. A horrible plan, an illogical thought that had half crossed his mind as he pulled out his phone, glancing down contacts that were not his and messages that he didn't recall. This was not the boy with blue hair and red eyes phone, but that didn't matter at the moment - it was a 'lifeline', a sort of connection to beings beyond him.

He clicked on the most recent message, reading over it again idly, those words appearing once more - 'Reapers', 'reach the sky', 'Sunshine'. It was a simple question, but there was no easy way for him to answer it. He lifted the phone above his head as he moved, a small smile coming across his face.

"They're people, just like you and me, eh?"

He moved slightly faster, several feet ahead of his partner - of that girl with such a vicious red hair - and began to type. It was his life he was playing with, and it wouldn't be right to include her in his own choices.

It wasn't exactly the smartest thing he'd ever done, and it made no sense to do so. To try for a response from people who were treating them as pieces, as characters that they could move across the board whenever - wherever they pleased. Fractions of a bigger picture, one that he couldn't entirely see or comprehend. But even so -

They argued.

They fought.

They were 'people' as much as he was. And it wasn't really right to keep another person waiting for a response.

On my way. Sorry to keep you waiting.

[Kirby]

Interlude
Underground - Toshima Girl’s High - Rooftop

Well, they toyed with them all right.

“But who would’ve thought that the loli was the competent one?”

“What, the giant sword didn’t tip you off? And don’t call people lolis in real l—”

“Oh, come on,” Hitomi said, with a pout. “We were all thinking it. You were thinking it too. Right, Goto?”

The boy in the jacket sighed, and leaned against the wall, disinterestedly waving a hand around, spawning more of those marks, almost at random. Continuously creating marks to summon Noise was dull work, which he supposed was why Yoshida relegated them to this task, but it was an essential part of the game. Watching the Players scurry haplessly around on the ground got boring after a few weeks, but the occasional fights that broke out from the encounters with Noise at least provided him with a distraction.

Hitomi laid sprawled on the floor, daydreaming and staring at the sky. Goto scowled at her.

“Could you at least help?”

“I’ll take over in a bit. Which isn’t now. Get back to work.”

They continued in silence, with Goto lazily shooting red threads from the tip of his finger into the distance where they warped into symbols, and Hitomi laying there, half-awake, half-asleep, bored out of her mind. A chime and a buzz broke the silence. The girl checked her phone, and froze.

Goto turned a bleary eye. “Lemme guess, it’s Yoshida, and he has something dumb planned out for us.”

Her face flushed, with anger or embarassment, Goto couldn’t tell. He raised an eyebrow. “Tch. Does this involve us dressing up again?”

“I-I, what— wait… no! Goto!” Hitomi yelled, fuming. “Look at this!” She shoved the phone screen into his face.

“...What.”

“I know, right? Why the hell did th—”

“—You really gave your contacts names?”

“...Huh?” Her face grew redder. “N-no, stop! Goto, pay attention!”

But it was all to no avail. He snatched the phone from her hands, stifling his laughter. “Jesus, you really did! ‘Shirtless loser’? ‘Filthy brocon’? ‘Hottie with violin’?” He scrolled through the contacts, and laughed even louder. “ ‘Other hottie with violin’? ‘Loli’?”

“STOOOOP! Give me my phone back! Look! That insolent Player dared to—”

“—Text you, right. Nothing wrong with that, right?” he said, with a devilish smirk that sent chills down her spine. “It’s just common courtesy, after all. And it’d be terribly rude to keep them waiting.” His face suddenly turned serious. “Consider this revenge.”

“No. No. NO. STOP! GIVE ME MY PHONE BACK YOU FUCKER! STOOOOOOOOPPPPP—”

---

『　　』
Underground - Station East Exit - Streets
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

June 13, 2018. Week 1, Day 1.

You hear a chime, and notice your phone buzzing in your pocket. You whip it out to take a look.

---

『　　』and Mayū Moto; Saihyou Tsubasa and Ryūketsu Himura
Underground - Meiji Dori Streets - Main Roads
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

June 13, 2018. Week 1, Day 1.

You make your way southeast to the open streets, the direct route to Sunshine 60. To your south are the several blocks of restaurants: ramen bars, cafes, dango stands, and more formal venues. From what you remember, continuing along the south road leads to the Jozai, the local Buddhist temple. From here, you could also go west to Seibu, which leads to the Ikebukuro Station. But to get to Sunshine 60, you’ll have to continue northeast, towards Club SORA.

The street itself is fairly simple, almost symmetrical, a single line leading down the road, with buildings forming walls on either side. You can see alleys, on the left and right, the left leading north to Bic, and the right leading south, to the all those restaurants. You still see tears in the air. The crowds here are noisy as well.

But—

There’s a spot on the ground, where the crowds do not tread. Those that approach its radius simply fade, like smoke, and those that leave its radius reform. For some reason, it seems to be dispelling the images of the crowds. In the very center is a strange mark, like graffiti.

From the mark, you can faintly see red strings, swirling about. Further down the road, past the side alleyways, you see a net of red wires, forming a web, a barrier.

You can hear growling from the center.

[Siriel]

Mayū Moto
Location: Ikebukuro Station
Time: 2:30 / Mission: Reach the Sky

Blissfully unaware of what my partner had been doing, I looked down at the ground.

"Well, I guess the message is obvious; a trial to get through."

It was an old classic after all. I turned back toward him.

"Are you up for it, my partner?"

[Frantic Author]

『　　』
Underground - Meiji Dori Streets - Main Roads
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

"No problems at all. Let's go, then."

The boy almost casually looked back at his phone, realizing that in his haste to leave, he had never actually had a chance to respond to the other person who had been involved. "Give me a second, first," He said to his partner with a smile, idly tapping out something on his phone.

Sorry for taking so long. Thanks for the help. Any tips on how to get inside, though?

"You want to go first or should I?"

The boy had no real opinion one way or the other; after all, they were partners first and foremost now - lives intertwined by a game he didn't really understand. So it was fine, if he went first, or if she did - he trusted her to watch his back, because if you couldn't trust your partner, then there was no real option left, right?

[Siriel]

Mayū Moto
Location: Ikebukuro Station
Time: 2:30 / Mission: Reach the Sky

He offered to go first? Pretty gutsy.

Ah, but I can't allow that. There's no point in a second chance if I rely on others for it.

It's weird that he keeps texting, but maybe he already knew someone who entered the game?

"It's fine either way."

Without stopping, I stepped into the zone, ready for whatever would happen.

[Bloble]

Rina
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

"Ha..."

Am I laughing? Am I crying? I can't tell.

There's no blood. Just these blue wisps of something. Those monsters that showed up were dispatched in the blink of an eye by my own kidnapper. That kind of power could kill any normal man, and she chose not to use it on me. But if she did... I wouldn't stand a chance.

"Haha..."

Laughing or crying, one thing is clear: This body is the one I'm currently inhabiting, but...

I crawl forward. The rough concrete fails to scratch my knees. A hand closes around the pin that's lying where the monsters used to be. It's a really cute pin. The hand that wraps around it is dainty, like mine. No, they're definitely my hands. Each crease is the same, and the feeling is identical. My pinky is even a little crooked, from when I broke it as a child. However, I never wore pink nail polish, or really any nail polish at all. I never had a cutesy friendship bracelet on my wrist.

It doesn't feel like I'm the one moving it anymore. Everything I say or do is being filtered through something else.

"..."

I wanna go home, but that doesn't seem to be possible anymore. If that's the case, then I'll let go of it. Since I'm not me, I might as well be someone, no matter how horrible that someone is.

"...is this some kind of hell? Whoever these Reapers are, I'm not playing their fucking game, and I'm sure as hell not playing yours."

I throw the pin as hard as I can, and watch with a sort of sick satisfaction as it bounces off the back of the kidnapping loli's head.

It doesn't matter anymore. This is hell. I'm dead, so why should I care about dying again? If I'm going to get skewered, I won't give that monster girl the satisfaction of seeing me beg.

[RacingeR]

Yamanaki Naomi
Location: Ikebukuro Station
Time: 2:30 PM

"Hey! You!" I declared imperiously, stepping in-betwen the wounded girl and the crazy actual loli!Guts. In my hand, I had unconsciously drawn out the computer mouse that was in my pocket, which in this moment was ominously crackling with electricity.

"Stop raping her!"

Yes, I definitely had stopped thinking straight a long time ago.

[Snax]

PRAY
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

"..."

Catching the pin as it bounced off her head, PRAY merely scowled and stuffed it into her pocket along with the others. Apparently these were something useful for whatever this screwed up 'game' was, but PRAY didn't care. All she wanted to do was punch whoever began this screw up into the next dimension, as well as learn what the fuck was going on with herself. It felt like her body, and the moves she had just used were definitely her own. And yet, even so, all her memories felt jumbled, and looked like someone's elses - she felt something crucial was missing, something that would identify herself as her own.

But the only name that came to her mind was PRAY. The name of her fighting style. The name SOMEBODY had given to the 'her' in the memories, and yet she had forgotten whom it was.

"Bah, fuck it. Not like I'm getting anything just by standing here."

Making her rapiers disappear, PRAY stuck the wooden sword back into her skirt and strode towards the other girl who was a sobbing wreck.

PRAY didn't like kids. Especially crying ones. They broke up her stride, messed with the mood.

Which was supposed to be kind of weird considering she had the form of a child herself.

"Get a hold of yourself and listen, bitch."

She growls in a low voice, grabbing the other girl's face and looking her directly in the eyes - her red, ferocious pupils burning into the watery ones of the other girl.

"It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and you've gotta be top dog if you don't want to be eaten. Dunno what kind of life you've been living before, kiddo, but this is our reality. We're dead. Suck it up and deal with it. What matters is now, and not what happened before. And apparently we're now partners, dunno how and why, but if you slow me down I won't let you off easily."

Letting go of the girl's face, she stood up. Even when she did so, she wasn't tall enough to quite change the viewpoint, but it was the feeling that mattered.

"Cmon, crybaby. Get up. We've still got an ass-whooping to do, and I don't feel like dragging you around on my shoulder anymore. Dunno what these fucks called Reapers are or what they want, but you can sure say I will break their faces, like I did to those wolves."

With that, PRAY extends a hand to the other girl.

"I don't remember my name, so just call me PRAY. And as long as you don't fuck with me, I won't fuck with you. Deal, Rina?"

However, PRAY stumbled for a second when a sudden comment rushed through the alley.

"Hey! You!" I declared imperiously, stepping in-betwen the wounded girl and the crazy actual loli!Guts. In my hand, I had unconsciously drawn out the computer mouse that was in my pocket, which in this moment was ominously crackling with electricity.

"Stop raping her!"

Yes, I definitely had stopped thinking straight a long time ago.

"...?????"

Even PRAY had to stop and gawk for a second.

[arkturus]

Haruto Suzunashi
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

After I went to help the glasses girl up, she rudely almost head-butted me, rudely looked at her phone instead of apologizing, rudely grabbed my arm and shouted something selfish like “you’re coming with me,” and then rudely started dragging me toward the two blonde girls without even introducing herself.

At least she’s gung ho about all of this. I thought she was going to be the quiet and shy glasses character who would be forced to be paired up with me, lower her guard due to the unexpected situation, and slowly come out of her shell. Oh well.

Before I could object in protest, a pillar of bright, blue light engulfed us.
Is this also part of the game? A sign of our now established (if not necessarily mutual) partnership perhaps?

A howl snapped me out of my thoughts. A series of disturbing sounds followed: crashes, shouts, and growls. Me and the rude glasses girl stopped to look at each other and then doubled our pace.

In a few moments we caught up with the two blonde girls. They weren’t alone. A pack of wolves with strange markings were engaged with the pair.

The loli had dual rapiers, one of which was buried in a wolf, instead of the wooden sword I saw before. A grin was stretched across her face while her eyes seemed to gleam at the excitement of battle. She seemed to have a handle on things. The other one with the glasses seemed to have less of a handle on it and was cradling her arm sobbing. Ice and craters littered the ground.

The last wolf disintegrated into smoke and the air shimmered. The ice and holes in the ground disappeared, as if the battle never happened. The crowd reappeared and the streets returned to normal.

Well almost normal.

The sword-wielding loli still remained standing over the wounded bespectacled girl. Truly it was quite the sight to behold. Had I not known better, I would have ran and notified the police that a chuuni middle-schooler was going on a rampage, menacing the strangers with blades. But I thought better of it. These people were meant to be our comrades in arms. Turning them into the police wouldn’t make a good impression for me and my partner.

I sagely nodded at myself in self-satisfaction. I was being quite the team player.

So combat is among the challenges in this game. But in what capacity? The loli obviously had her swords to fight with. But what about the blonde glasses girl? Could she be the source of the ice? An innate supernatural power or bestowed to all the participants of the game? Or were the wolves the ones responsible? And the street…did the battle take place in an instanced space unique to the combatants?

I sighed. This was all too much to think about. Besides I’ve been keeping them waiting by thinking to myself too much. I suppose I should set the tone and introduce myself properly. But I should first help the wounded girl. She must have had a rough day. Hopefully she isn’t as rude as my partner in the out of place school uniform.

At this moment, the aforementioned wounded girl seemed to have thrown a pin at her partner and was hysterically accusing her of something. The sword-totting loli skillfully caught the thrown pin, de-transformed her sword back into the wooden one, kneeled down, and violently grabbed the other girl.

Ah, no. Bullying is bad.

But couldn’t this be a good thing? Could it be that this delinquent middle school girl is the rough type that is easily misunderstood and could simply be trying to communicate while trying to not show any weaknesses? Could this be the kind of development where she and her partner come to an understanding through a clumsy, tsundere-like pep talk that really shows how much she cares about her?

Ah, she stuck out her hand in a gesture of goodwill. It seems this cliché development is paying off.

Suddenly my rude partner reaffirmed my initial feelings about her.

"Hey! You!" I declared imperiously, stepping in-betwen the wounded girl and the crazy actual loli!Guts. In my hand, I had unconsciously drawn out the computer mouse that was in my pocket, which in this moment was ominously crackling with electricity.

"Stop raping her!"

….

Time stood still. I could do nothing but stare at this glasses girl who was not only rude but could not read the atmosphere. Perhaps she still hadn’t recovered from the initial shock and was in a constant state of panic.

This was bad. At this point, I had to do something—ANYTHING—to dispel this awkward situation. Public relations with the other players would break down and we would be outcasted and my social undead life would be ruined until I finally disappeared. All because of this girl.

There was only one way to fix this. I, Haruto Suzunashi, will sacrifice my role as the sensitive, introspective character and do something so ridiculous, so over the top, and so silly that the mood will plummet back into something bearable.

I have to become the comic relief.

But what do I say? What do I do? I could make a joke, but at whose expense? I could try to make fun of myself, but they’ve known me all of a minute at most and probably won’t get it. I couldn’t pick on the crying girl. It would look like an older man is picking on a fragile highschool girl and they would have no respect for me left. I can’t do my partner, my relationship with her is paramount to my survival and it would make the rest of this game extremely awkward. The loli’s too scary to make fun of to even think about it. But doesn’t that mean that she would probably be the most durable and the least affected? Whatever kind rebuttal comes, I’ll have to take it for the sake of the mood!

Alright, let’s hope this works.

At this point I was so flustered I didn’t think about simply playing the straight man and executing a sharp jab at my partner’s rudeness. Things would have been a lot simpler if that had happened.

Instead I did the dumbest, most irresponsible, and weirdest thing possible.

I walked over to the small delinquent girl, bowed low, and shouted at the top of my lungs.

“PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME!”

I’m sorry big sis, your younger brother has become a criminal.

[RacingeR]

Yamanaki Naomi
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

“……..”

Oh god.

This is so. So. So. So. SO FUCKING EMBARRASSING.

Exhibit A: Yamanaki Naomi, age 18, hikikomori and NEET of excellence. Never has lifted anything heavier than a computer mouse, is mostly afraid of people, and avoids human contact as best as possible. She has few friends, mostly through the net, and has forgotten everything about the most important person in her life.

Exhibit B: This Yamanaka Naomi has just interrupted a street fight. Twice. One of which involved monsters. All of which involved some sort of human monster that seemed like she was out of an anime and could chop her in half with a single swing, apparently.

Exhibit C: This Yamanaka Naomi not only talked to unknown people and put herself between TWO unknown people about to fight, but also grabbed the h-h-hand of a b-b-boy and dragged him behind her while pursuing the human monster rapist and her hapless victim.

Exhibit D: Monsters. Fucking MONSTERS. And she was dead. SHE WAS FUCKING DEAD. AND SHE TALKED TO STRANGERS.

Exhibit E: I wanna die.

I’m blushing of pure embarrassment, all my coolness and my guts and whatever possessed me are just vanishing away and I’m just left all ashamed and wanting to go crawl into a corner and die horribly holy fucking shit.

And then shit got worse. Way worse.

Exhibit F: I JUST PRESENCED A ROMANTIC CONFESSION. A BOY. CONFESSING TO A GIRL. OH FUCK.

Wait no, that wasn’t the worst thing, wasn’t it. Her PARTNER. Her goddamn partner, had just confessed to the rapist. To a LOLI rapist. Which made him a grown up pedophile.

A loli that rapes people and a grown-up pedophile.

A match made in heaven.

Oh fuck.

I have to protect this girl from this depraved duo. Who knows what they’d do with us? I have to… I have to…!!!!!

“GET AWAY FROM US! LEAVE US ALONE! I WON’T LET YOU PUT A FINGER ON US!”

I grab the glasses girl in the floor, leaving no time for anyone to react, and somehow lift her and put her over my shoulder like loli!Guts did just now. It would normally be completely and utterly impossible for a low STR character like me to do so, but right now adrenaline is rushing through my body, providing me the same strength mothers receive when lifting cars away from their spawn, or bodyguards protecting their young protégé. And despite the weight of the girl, which is more than I have carried in my whole life, I just start running away from Bonnie & Clyde, hoping to god they do not follow.

I don’t know how long I can keep running like this, but I keep moving forwards towards the objective of this hellish, infernal game.

[Snax]

PRAY
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

"..."

As the comedy unfolded around her, the dumbfounded PRAY soon regained her senses as she saw the tits monster run away with her partner. And then there was the man confessing to her out of the blue, a fucking pedophile to the boot nonetheless.

"....Okay, so in short, you're all fucking with me. Heh....heheheh....hehehehehehehehe-"

Laughing like she had never done before, a vicious smile breaks out across her face yet again.

"Ms. Kidnapper, let me introduce you to my new not-boyfriend, Mr. Pedophile. FUCK OFF!!!!"

Grabbing the bowing-down man with her hands, she quickly twirled him around and with centrifugal force, chucked him, sending him flying into the fleeing girl.

[Bloble]

Rina
Underground - Bic Camera - Back Alleys
2:30 PM - Mission Phase

I thought I couldn't be any more different from this crazy girl that makes no sense, but...

Yeah, there's one thing we've both got in common. Despite this insanity and ridiculousness, this isn't hell. If I had to say anything, I'd call myself Alice.

Welcome to Wonderland, I suppose.

"Heh."

I can't help it. I was crying. I'm still crying. But this guy and this girl are so incredibly silly and dumb...

"Pfft."

If I just twist things around, other than the wolves, what exactly am I looking at? Just a bunch of weirdos doing stupid shit. Just like me. Maybe they're also not completely in control of themselves. Maybe there's some kind of drug in the air that's making us all crazy.

I rise to my feet, and...

"Pfahahahaha!"

I laugh like I've never laughed before. It actually hurts. I need to lean against a wall to keep myself standing. This insanity is like watching a bad sitcom, and I'm stuck as part of it. Some other girl is kidnapping me now. I don't think she knows what's going on either.

"AHAHAHAHA!"

And as she drags me away, I can't stop laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.