XXIX. Expulsion and Escape
Appearing back in the Lounge, it wasn't long before a group of teachers, and some prying students, showed up as you then headed back out into the corridor.
"Honoka!" Tanizawa-sensei then rushed up to you, saying "I tried explaining things to the others, b-but, there was stuff in there even I didn't know. like, I knew Night-Hima, oh shit, I guess it doesn't matter anymore, was hanging out with suspicious people, but I-"
"But taking hard drugs? Accepting funds from the Yakuza?!" you then heard the Vice-Principal roar as she stormed right up, eyes dead set on Himawari.
Turning around, you saw a quivering Himawari now looked incapable of even forming a single word. As she was led in what felt like a death march to the Principal's office, you had no idea what to do to get her out of this. She wasn't just at risk of being expelled, she could be sent to juvenile hall as a lawbreaker.
You pressed your ear against the Principal's office, listening to Himawari what could've passed for a panic attack as she was questioned, nay, interrogated. Tanizawa-sensei was there to try and argue for her, you could catch her saying that she'd never known about any 'drugs' except a cigarette or too, but that cabinet in Himawari's private room told a different story.
You were then ushered in, with the exhausted Principal sighing, head in his hands, as he said, "Well, um, Miss Nakamura, was it? They tell me you were one of Himawari's closest friends, so um," he then looked at the Vice-principal glaring right behind them, "Ah, can you give me any reason why Himawari shouldn't be expelled? I mean, ahem, we're going to anyway, but we thought giving you a chance to speak for her would be good for keeping up customs".
[ ] "Look, Himawari, Nightshade had no idea what she was getting into! her parents wouldn't support her, she was stressed like Hell, how can you blame for doing what she did?"
[ ] "Wait, how come you're not questioning any of the other All-Aces? Why do the rest of them get off scot-free?
[ ] "Okay, yeah, I get you found drugs in her room. But how the Hell can you take this 'yakuza' stuff at face value, was- is Gakuto really that trustworthy?"
[ ] "...You know what? Go on, expel her, you said you were gonna anyway. It won't change that Himawari's my friend!"
[x] "You realise, if Himawari's expelled, if she's jailed, what the hell is there gonna be for her in this world? You're not doing anything to help her recover, you're just ruining her life!"
[ ] Write-in.
Your protests in favour of Himawari, and how both expulsion and jail could wreck far more than just her teenage life... seem to fall on deaf ears.
"Ahem, well Miss, what was it, Nakamura, this is kind of a case of 'not our problem'. As Principal, I'm here to serve the school, so I can't just ditch the wellbeing all our other students for a single troublemakers' sake. Sorry Miss, just reporting on the facts" said your bespectacled, going-grey Principal, Oguri Junichiro.
"Aoyagi Broke. The. Law. She'd be considered a criminal by Western standards, let alone our Japanese ones," Fujino Teruko, the far blunter Vice-Principal, spat out at you, "May I ask why you're so eager to defend criminal behaviour, Nakamura?"
"Hmhm, may I ask why you're so eager to highlight criminal behaviour?" it was Ryouko who then spoke up, striding forth, "Need I remind you what will happen if the news get hold of the expulsion and arrest of one of our school's most popular students over drugs?"
"She has a point," Hotaru, who'd been required to listen in on this whole thing, had to follow up, "I mean, two All-Aces have died in recent years, jailing another would paint our school in the most negative light possible".
"Three actually," you said on instinct, before immediately covering your mouth.
Teruko, ignoring you for the moment, was left seething, saying to Tanizawa-sensei "How like you to defend her, Ryouko, it's not like you care much for the letter of the law yourself. Still... I do have to concede, this could threaten our institute's reputation".
"Well, now I'm right confused," the Principal was left scratching his head, "Should we expel this girl or what?"
Teruko just sighed out at first, but eventually decided, "We'll pay the fine to get her out of jail, if only to not deal with all the press, but her staying at our school is simply not an option. We're not a rehab clinic, after all."
Himawari collapsed into a near-paralytic mess. Even if some clever words may have saved her from the worst, her future still looked grey.
"I'll... I'll go get my things," she whimpered, standing up and heading back to the Lounge.
What really gets me is, with all the shame of being expelled, you had to think, but knew you couldn't say, they've probably pushed Himawari even harder onto drugs, as some desperate coping method.
Being her Jack, you followed Himawari back to what was most likely her last visit to the Lounge. It was almost a wonder though that Himawari didn't freeze up on the way there, as students soon started jeering at her as she walked past. You tried to not pay attention to a single one of their insults, but even then, you heard constant taunts about her 'impurity', accusations of her lying and tempting the whole school, and a ton of questions about her virginity. Reaching the lounge couldn't come sooner, as a second longer and you would've burst out at all the other students.
Heading into the lounge and slamming the door shut behind you, so you wouldn't have to hear another word, Azuma, Kikuko, and Melissa immediately confronted the two of you.
"So, expulsion then?" Azuma soon picked up on, "How... efficient, wouldn't you say? Not even mid-terms, yet already us All-Aces have been cut down by half. Pity few of us are into non-Japanese History, as I could almost draw parallels to what the Ottomans did with their princely heirs".
"Er, what's this got to do with plush stools?" Melissa had to ask, before she turned to say, "Well, scoot along Himawari, and be grateful your precious porcelain Asian skin kept you from a jail sentence. There were a couple of Black and Latino kids at my old school, and they were nowhere near as fortunate".
You did have to doubt that someone like Melissa went to any school that wasn't all-white, but anyway.
Kikuko said nothing, and simply pointed at the door to Himawari's old room with her sword.
You had to nudge Himawari over to where all her luggage was, she probably would've collapsed otherwise. As you sat her down on her former bed, you knew there was only one thing you could do.
Reaching into her cupboards, you got out her hidden Nightshade wig and handed it to her. "If, if there's at least one bright side to all of this, Himawari, it's that you no longer have to hide who you are from the school. Don't," your eyes started welling up, "Don't let them take your pride in who you really are".
Then dressed as Nightshade, she leapt over and hugged you tight, perhaps too tight as her nails started digging into you. "Yeah, you're right. I freakin' love you, Honoka!" Nightshade burst out, before she stood up and said, "I'm not gonna let my final 'performance' at this school be on its godforsaken terms. They said themselves they can't arrest me, so before I leave, I'm gonna enjoy my every last minute here".
Hurriedly putting all her stuff in bags, which she then asked you to carry, she then walked out to the remaining three Aces, starting with Melissa.
"Melissa, your tastes in fashion are shit, and you know why?" Nightshade then spat at her, "Because you're a total conformist. Like, we're told Americans value the individual so goddamn much, yet you're a slave to whatever's popular, never finding a style of your own". Before Melissa could reply, Nightshade kicked her in the stomach at heelpoint and added "All your fossil fuel riches ain't gonna make that hurt any less, huh you literal motherfucker?"
Kikuko was next, as Nightshade approached her and said, "Hey, Kikuko, stop living in the freakin' past. Accept at in your precious Sengoku and Edo periods, a girl like you would've been treated like shit, and you've got more going for you now than you ever would've then. Sorry, it almost sounds like I'm complimenting you, so, well, fuck you".
However, Kikuko was ready for any blow Nightshade could strike, as she reached to pull out her blade. As she leaned to her right though, Nightshade delivered a rapid punch from the other direction, sending Kikuko tumbling down.
That just left Azuma in this room, as Nightshade glared him, "As for you, pretty-boy, Honoka ain't interested. Any other lovestruck girl at this school would gladly be yours, so why not love someone who loves you back, instead of pestering someone who's had to tell you no over and over again. My last words to any All-Ace: Honoka's with me, keep your grubby paws off of her".
Like a tigress, Nightshade bared her nails and slashed at Azuma's face, causing him to bleed. She then strode out of the Lounge, with you about to follow her, but not before you took a look at the Gameboard.
Sure enough, while Himawari's Empire was still there, it'd already shrunk, and like how Rin's sun had become a black hole, Eitaro's displays of power had crumbled, and Gakuto's coding had been swarmed with glitches... the opposite weirdly had happened to the remains of Himawari's Empire. The whole place had been clean up, the crooked houses straightened, the seedy clubs now more high-end, and the crooked roads now having a bunch of work done to them. You think you'd heard city planners call this 'gentrification' or something.
Wait, if this means Himawari's been 'dethroned', does that mean... you got to thinking, finding one possible upside in all of this, That you don't have to kill an Ace for them to forfeit their Empire?
As you tried to hurry after Nightshade, curious if afraid of what she'd say to the rest of the school, the All-Aces all blocked the way out of the Lounge.
"Well Honoka, with the Ace of Hearts out of the way, it's custom for one's respective Jack to leave our circle as well" Azuma told you, "However, being a Wild Card, we can't exactly let you go. So, you shall have the rare privilege of being able to choose a second Ace to serve under".
Oh yeah, you'd forgot about that whole thing.
"However," Kikuko did say, staring at you, "We'll at least give you some time to decide, this time around, as it's not an oath to swear lightly".
You wondered if Kikuko's experience in your body had possibly made her gain some empathy towards you? ...No, that might be wishful thinking.
"Hmm, on one hand, I was gonna kick Reina out anyway, so I could use a new Jack pronto," Melissa then spoke up, before she frowned, "On the other, I can't exactly be seen walking around with the bootlicker of the expelled addict girl, now can I?"
You had to scowl at her, as you were finally able to push past.
* * *
Sure enough, before her departure, Nightshade was already causing a scene in the school halls, as she'd grabbed a mic and was now announcing from the floor above, "Hi there, thank you, fuck you. Yeah, I'm Aoyagi Himawari, but you can call me Nightshade now. Don't any of you tell me you're so sad that I wasn't the 'good girl' you thought I was. I hated that little 'oh I'm so cute' act you and my parents kept forcing on me. Well not anymore, I'm Nightshade, I'm every single insult you little shits can come up with, and I fucking love every last second of it!"
As you approached her, she immediately grabbed your arm and pulled you over, "Now, may I introduce the band? Jack of Hearts, Nakamura Honoka on Bass everyone, who's been at my side through thick and thin, and is probably the one thing I'm grateful to Hanataba for".
You shuddered being put centre stage like this, for all the praise Nightshade showered on you. She went on to pull Ryouko over as she tried to see what all this was about, with Nightshade saying "My old sensei, Tanizawa Ryouko on Guitar! I can guarantee, she's probably had more fun with me than she's had teaching here.
Unfortunately, Colette Claudius on Occult Club and Drums couldn't make it here today, due to this school and a certain dead Ace of Wands screwing her over. But rest assured, if you want a proper lady to gush over, she's more ladylike than my old cutesy act ever was!" Nightshade finished.
She then took off by sliding down the bannister, with the Principal trying to confront her.
"Well hi, Junichiro, mind stepping a little closer?" Nightshade suddenly said to him. As he approached, she rapidly opened a locker on him, smashing him right in the face and knocking him over, his glasses fractured.
"Face it, O Principal, you've basically handed your precious school over to the All-Aces. I should know," she spat down on him.
Nightshade then once and for all walked out the school doors, with you catching up to her at the gates.
She immediately spun around and hugged you again, saying "Hey um, Honoka, mind if I ask for a farewell kiss? I'm sorry I got a little too, er, hands-on last time."
"Wha-? Sure, that's fine by me," you told her, as Nightshade then reached over, planted her lips directly on yours, and twined her tongue and yours together.
Pulling apart after what felt like a while, she blushed and said to you, "Everyone tells me that you shouldn't fall in love with your bandmate, that it's a recipe for disaster, but... oh I can't help it. Honoka, I really love you!"
You, er, had no idea how to react to that. Part of you wanted to say you loved her too, but other parts kept thinking about Colette, Reina, Keiko, and a whole bunch of others.
Man, I don't think monogamy could ever work out for me. But polygamy's got its own problems, like how you do make sure everyone's on board with it? In the end, you not knowing what to say became just what you said, "I'm speechless".
Nightshade had to giggle at that, but then admitted, "Damn, guess the fun part's over for now. Trashing on the school's one thing, but now I gotta explain everything to my Catholic parents. Then our parish, then the freakin' Susukino yakuza, no way they're gonna be pushovers like Junichiro was.
Still, on the upside..." she smiled, "I'm finally free to be me. So hey, Honoka, don't look at this as the end or anything, think of it as, hmm, a new beginning. Call me anytime, I'm always up for band stuff. Oh, guess I'm gonna be grounded, but hey, I can always sneak out".
You were smiling on the outside, but inside, you were worried that Nightshade's life could possibly risk going even further downhill, if her and 'Himawari' couldn't reconcile.
"Hey, thank you," you said to her, taking her hand for a second, "I guess I couldn't leave you, not even if I tried, huh?" before you two embraced each other one last time that day.
- The Devil has Journeyed to Rank 5! -
* * *
A whole entire Duel, another death regardless of deservedness, and going through your friend getting expelled and barely avoiding jail, all left you in no mood to do anything that night. You figured you should at least say something to Megumi, or phone Colette up to tell what had happened, but well, it was hard to find the words on such notice. Even though you barely said anything to Megumi though, you could tell they were starting to suspect something.
Of course, this little chapter in your life wasn't going to tie up so neatly. You knew this Saturday, once the shock of Himawari's... final, show-stopping number had ended, that your school was immediately gonna be all over Gakuto's death. You tried to get your mind off that by thinking about what you were going to do later with half the day off, but you knew you'd have to come up with some alibi sooner or later.
However, on the way to school, Melissa suddenly approached you. "Hey Honoka, guess who's got the day off?"
You flinched, before saying "What are you planning, Melissa?"
"Nothing much, us Aces are just taking a little vacation over the weekend, and whaddya know, we have enough tickets to bring you along too!" she grinned at you, "How's Russia sound? I mean yeah, we won't have enough time to head over to Moscow or St. Petersburg, but two days still gives us the chance to check out Sakhalin and Vladivostok. It'll be a great chance to get to know us a little better, enough to maybe pick out your new Ace, hmm?"
That didn't make things any better. "Really, you're gonna spring Russia of all places on me that quickly? And hey, can't you just tell me the real reason for this trip is that you wanna skip town until the heat dies down around Gakuto?"
"Quiet, you..." Melissa snarled, picking you up by your collar, before she suddenly had to stop and play innocent as a familiar face approached.
"My my, fancy running into the two of you again" the silver-haired biker-lawyer woman you'd met while travelling around Hokkaido, Niijima Sae you remembered her name being, suddenly approached you, "Of course, you said you were both Hanataba students, so it's natural you'd be here".
"Oh, hi~" Melissa waved and smiled, but with an acidic tint to her voice "Ahem, didn't you say you'd be back in Tokyo by now?"
"I expected to be, but after some rather... perplexing news broke last night, my sister and I chose to extend our time here a little longer. We weren't exactly in any hurry to get back" she said, before taking out a notebook and pen. "Now, I won't keep you long, I just want to ask a few questions. Your fellow students have told me you two knew Gakuto, is that correct?"
"What business is it of yours?" Melissa had to hiss at her, seemingly not even concerned anymore about maintaining appearances.
"Attorney-at-law, remember? How isn't this my business?" Sae glared back at her. "Anyway, reports say Gakuto died from electrocution, you two wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"
[ ] "He worked with computers constantly, this was always a risk".
[ ] "He was working on something, ah, experimental. We were afraid this would happen".
[ ] "You know how prestigious school clubs have all these weird rituals, right? Well, er, by complete accident, one of ours got out of hand..."
[x] "He ran a revenge blog, so heaps of people would've had it out for him. So anyone could be suspect."
[ ] "I think someone or something, we don't know what, is targeting All-Aces. First Rin, then Eitaro, now Gakuto..."
[ ] Write-in.
"Yeah, a revenge blog. I only know how students at our school were affected, but I'm told he had dirt on people from all over the country," you followed up on, "Got real dark too, like leaking people's sexual histories is putting it mildly. I once saw someone's OnlyFans' pics hacked and reposted over" You neglected to tell her these belonged to Nightshade specifically.
"if you ask me though, in that regard what did she expect? I mean, if you post that sort of thing online in the first place, of course it's gonna be-Ow!" Melissa then clenched her stomach, after you jabbed your elbow into it before she could say anything more.
Sae didn't seem too fazed to hear this somehow, you figured it may be because, as a once high-flying lawyer, she'd heard similar horror stories in the past. "I see. Well, I believe that'll serve as sufficient information for now, so if you'll excuse me".
"Sis, what are you doing?" came the voice of the prematurely greying brunette who you recognised from before as Makoto. "I'd thought you quit being a prosecutor?"
"Whether on the offence or defence, information like this is crucial in law," Sae was swift to justify herself, barely pausing, "Besides, at least I'm taking some interest in this case".
"Grr, of course I care about what's going on here! I just, well, think there might be better ways to go about it than just going up to students and interrogating on the streets," Makoto came back with.
"Huh, how unlike you, Makoto," Sae huffed and crossed her arms.
"A~hem, excuse me, I thought we were the ones being interrogated here? When did this become all about you two lesbos?" Melissa just had to speak up, with you facepalming.
Sae and Makoto went pale on hearing those words, with Makoto trying to clear things up first before Sae could say anything, "Oh n-no, we're sisters! I, um, thought I said that back when we met near Obihiro?"
Makoto then bent down to you and said, "Look, ah, I know you must be going through a lot right now. A lot of stuff happened to me back in high school, but even I didn't have to face the death of my friends. Well, er, there might be one exception, but that's stretching the term".
You wanted to tell her that they... really weren't that close to you, but that clearly wouldn't have been a wise move. So instead you just said, "Don't worry, I'm managing".
"Uh, Earth to Honoka, Sakhalin trip, remember?" Melissa said in your face.
You sighed. You felt on instinct you'd sooner stay in town with Makoto, maybe not Sae, than head to the forest expanses of Russia with the All-Aces. Still, it wasn't like you had any real choice in the matter, so you just said to the two sisters, "Sorry, I have to go, er, I wish I could be more helpful in your investigation".
"No, that's okay, we just crossed paths at an inconvenient time, didn't we Sis?" Makoto said, before looking at Sae. She did look at you one last time. "Oh yeah, since... not much else is going on in my life right now, I'm considering getting a substitute teaching job at your school, if only to make our investigations look a little more natural".
Hearing that did pique your interest, but a groaning Melissa was already dragging you by the arm.
* * *
It was weird being back in the All-Aces' limo with just Azuma, Kikuko, and Melissa being there, and other than you as 'Jack of All' again, if you remembered that term right, said Jacks for now just consisted of Na-rae and Shinsuke. You also uncomfortably noticed that Azuma was to your left, while he'd had Shinsuke sit to your right.
Despite Melissa rushing you to get in the car in the first place, she oddly found enough time to stop at her place as she just so happened to forget a 'bunch of her things'. Said place, which you recalled her briefly mentioning, was an... entire hotel her daddy had brought, her own room apparently being all the way up on the top floor to get the best view.
Having even more luggage shoved into the limo trunk, to the point where she had to take some bags in the car with her, seriously limiting your legroom, you finally then took off again.
"So, um..." you began. As much as you didn't want to talk to the All-Aces, you at least felt you had to break the silence somehow. "This limo comes with a TV screen, right? Anyone wanna catch a stream or something?"
Flicking it on, you were soon met with a preview of a Korean drama, which from the title made you wonder if it was adapted from one of your country's manga.
Kikuko's eyes almost popped out, as she hissed "Turn this off. Now," but she was met with resistance.
"God, what is your major malfunction, Kikuko? Hey, I watched K-Dramas even back in America, so I say keep it on! Besides, what else have we got to do on the ride to the Airport, look out the window?" Melissa spoke up, lifting her leg up at Kikuko as she tried to reach for the TV, not having the remote. Kikuko was then promptly tripped up, planting face first into a half-open suitcase.
As the camera panned over a cinematic nature view, Na-rae's eyes widened as she gasped "Aye, this episode must've been shot on location at Jeju Island," before realising her mistress was in earshot. "Um, wherever that is".
As the episode went on though, you started wishing Kikuko had turned it off, but for reasons other than nationality. When the orchestral score swooned over scenes of... God no, the male lead shoving the female lead against the wall and kissing her without asking, you tried to inch away from Azuma as much as you could.
Well, maybe seeing that sort of thing portrayed on screen, however misguidedly, will make him rethink his actions? you had to hope for a second, before you sighed, Or just encourage his bullshit even more.
Things got even more groanworthy when Melissa swooned "Oh, so romantic~"
Fortunately you did soon arrive at New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, with you forgoing your usual coffee to keep your nerves down. You hadn't told anyone this, but you'd never actually flown before, and definitely not at this short notice.
You did have to call Megumi to tell them about, well, everything.
"Seriously, one of them dies, and now I've heard your friend got expelled, so they drag you on an impromptu trip to Russia?!" they exclaimed over the phone. "Like, how could this not be suspicious? Er, so, I take it Gakuto said he wanted the funeral in Russia or something?"
You hesitated. Not only had Megumi found out about Himawari on their own, but Gakuto's funeral had completely slipped your mind, probably because you didn't want to think about funerals after how Eitaro's had turned out. "Ah, no, not really. I didn't hear anything about a funeral this trip," though it wouldn't be unlike the Aces to spring it on you out of nowhere, "...So you heard about Himawari?"
"Oh, more than heard, she's actually come to stay in our flat a little while you're out, I guess a little longer than I thought now" Megumi told you, before asking, "Er, so how long do you plan to be in, um, Russia?"
You sighed, "All I was told was 'Until the heat dies down'".
Megumi winced. "Well, that doesn't sound suspicious at all. Sheesh, I mean I like Liza Tuktamysheva, The Master and Margarita or The Great Comet as much as anyone, but Russia's probably one of the last places I'd choose for a holiday. Ah, no offence. Okay then, do svidaniya, Honoka Youzovna Nakamurova, or whatever," they then had to hang up.
Before the flight, you passed some time by looking up videos of planes taking off while you still had the internet, and decided to at least buy a book for the trips there and around:
[ ] Cognitive Psience: A Study into the Ideal and the Real. [+Perception]
[x] Over a Mysterious Rose: The Collected Volumes of a Classic Shoujo manga. [+Etiquette]
[ ] Sakhalin Island by Anton Chekhov. [+Education]
[ ] The Break-Blades of Light, some fantasy novel sitting in at over 1,000 pages. [+Resolve]
[ ] Write-in.
Boarding the plane, you had to sit next to Shinsuke then Na-rae, since the Aces' generosity hadn't extended enough to let you into first class with them. It may've been only minutes, but it felt like you had to wait forever for the plane to take off, but when it did...
XXX. Operation Beach Hunt
You immediately turned green when it became all too clear how high up you now were, likely not helped by you having gotten the window seat, and quite an unlucky bit of turbulence.
Okay, it's gonna be okay, they say planes are statistically safer than walking down the street, right? you tried to assure yourself as your stomach churned. As you mind and intestines screamed internally to be let off, even though that now you mean a stratospheric plummet, having a butler and maid seated next to you was something to feel lucky about in one sense.
As the plane finally touched down in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Shinsuke rushed to catch you as you fell on the floor. "Are you quite alright, Miss Nakamura?" he asked, presumably out of courtesy given how obvious the answer was, "I shall alert master Azuma immediately about this".
"...No, please, not him," you moaned, but your queasy voice may have been too soft to reach him. The thought occurred to you again that you'd have to take the plane again soon at least twice more.
But Azuma inevitably had to come your way, even though first class had its own stairway off. Rather than doing the polite thing and just helping you up, he instead let out an amused giggle, before he played with your hair and said "My, Honoka, you look so delightful like this, when your vulnerable side comes out". Dear Lord, you just wanted to shut off your brain hearing that.
After a whole bunch of passport stuff, your weary self, despite it not even being non yet, walked out the airport doors and first your step into Russia, the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. You flinched as you realised you only had a basic knowledge of Russian, the language being taught, or rather given lip service, in quite a few Hokkaido schools.
Unsurprisingly, there was already quite a lot of arguing, mostly by Melissa, about where exactly the All-Aces should go in Sakhalin. All three having their own ideas, Azuma the Chekhov Museum, Kikuko the Japanese-style History Museum, and Melissa the nearest mall, you were naturally called over to sway the vote.
[ ] "Er, the Gorny Vozdukh Ski Resort? It might be cool to see how it compares to the ones we have back home"
[x] "Ah, Chekhov sounds interesting, from what I've read of him"
[ ] "Heard the Gagarin Park's mean to be really nice"
[ ] "Oh yeah, History, interesting and educational"
[ ] "Shouldn't we head to the Hotel first?"
[ ] "I just want a café or restaurant or something"
[ ] Write-in.
<<BGM: Persona 3 - When the Moon's Reaching Out Stars (Russian Cover)>>https://youtu.be/xGcNGRgi2bI
"Really? We arrive here in Russia's richest oblast, and the first thing you want to do is go check up on that gun guy who's been dead for over a century?" Melissa spoke down to you and Azuma. "Well, what-ever, I've got like the hotel and the city mall to be getting to, I didn't come here to take notes for a quiz or whatever".
"Honestly Melissa, you should come along with us," you then spoke up, trying take her arm, "Not only might you learn something, but if anyone asks you about culture stuff, you'll be prepared". You left unsaid that you also didn't want left all alone with Azuma again, despite the Museum being a public place.
"Indeed, Chekhov is likely the most renowned Russian playwright, noted for his time here in Sakhalin," Azuma added, "I've certainly read up on him, yet actually staging one of his plays is something I've never gotten around to. Plus, he did mostly write about the aristocracy, something I felt should interest you, Melissa."
"Ah, okay then, well if you're super into that sorta thing, Azuma, maybe I can be convinced," she said, sidling up closer to him.
It did kinda occur to you that Melissa was really more into Azuma then you, although practically everyone was by that standard. So why was she so intent on playing matchmaker instead, was she really into that sort of thing?
It was quite the drive up north into the city centre, making you wish you'd really gotten a coffee or something, even at the airport. Throughout, the usually stoic Kikuko started regaling you with a little history lesson, "Japan was once more than four main islands, you understand. Karafuto, that is, Sakhalin, was once under our nation's control, or at least half of it was. I can't help but imagine what if we held onto it, if such an oil-rich island directly benefited the Japanese economy".
Yeah, and I've wondered what if we all got nuked in the 80s or something, but you don't hear me talking about that out loud, you had to think.
"Ugh, you're boring me, Kikuko~. We're on this trip to party it up, remember, not for a freakin' history lesson," Melissa groaned, lifting her feet up to the side, knocking Kikuko down, and using her spine as a footrest.
When you did arrive at the Chekhov Museum, and not a moment too soon what with the Melissa-Kikuko tensions, you found the place nestled near the Sakhalin University. You figured you'd be keeping your sights on Hokkaido U for the foreseeable future though... if you were even still alive by the time you graduated.
Conveniently nearby was both the Sakhalinskiy International Theatre, much to Azuma's delight, and also a Puppet Theatre, curiously enough.
However, a problem soon emerged, when it became clear that the Museum wasn't the least bit accommodating to non-Russian speakers. You only had grade school knowledge of Russian at best, Melissa was more fluent due to her family's business interests but hardly adept, Azuma was able to make some of it out verbally due to having studied Greek, and Kikuko was hopeless. Neither of the servants were around to help either, as they were both occupied carrying all the Aces' stuff to their hotel.
Then all of a sudden, a tanned girl with curly hair came running right up to the four of you, panting desperately as she finally reached you. "Ah, oh yeah, sorry I'm late, I just had to, y'know, get here totes quickly when I heard you were in the area. Heya, Melissa! I'm like super-stoked to see you again!" she said as she tried to hug Melissa, only for Melissa to sidestep out of the way and giggle, and this new girl was sent flailing. Still, said girl seemed to take that well, even if you couldn't help but notice her wince a little.
"Oh, hi you guys, you must be Mia's, er, Melissa's friends back in Japan, hey aren't you? Nice ta meet'cha, ooh I take it Mia's, that's my little nickname for her, hehe, been getting along great with you all, I mean I personally wouldn't expect her to have anything less than the best taste in friends. But anyway, guess I should say hi by now, so I'm Nadezhda Sergevna Klimkina, but really if you're her friends then you're my friends too, so it's totally okay for you to call me Nadia!" this girl finally stopped talking.
Wow, and I figured Reina could be hyperactive, you thought, clutching your head. It was weird though, that when you pictured a female Russian accent, you certainly didn't picture... this.
"Seriously, can it already, Nadezhda," Melissa stated bluntly, before she folded her arms and asked, "Why are you even here anyway?"
"Oh, er, I heard you were in the area and totally needed a translator, so that's what I'm here for!" Nadezhda beamed, before she turned to explain to you, "Mia and I have been close ever since our CEO dads met when we were kids, so that got me to start really learning English way back when, then when I heard she was attending school in Japan, I grabbed every Japanese textbook and watched every tutorial video I could! Course I totally already liked stuff like anime and manga, even though it was kinda uncool for me to admit that back in high school."
"Insufferable," Kikuko simply spat out, before she began walking away, "I'll be at that History Museum I talked out, then I believe I'll go trekking up to a local peak, to get some much-needed peace and solitude."
Melissa at least felt the need to respond to this. "Yeah, well Kikuko, at least I actually have friends!" she shot back with, before she turned to look around at Nadezhda and sighed.
"Hmm, not exactly the traditional image of Russian femininity," Azuma had to mutter as he eyed Nadezhda over, "But I suppose from the company Melissa keeps, such is to be expected".
If it were anyone else, you'd expect Melissa to have automatically lashed out at them for saying that. But in this case, she just flinched a little at Azuma's words.
"Oh well hi~, you must be Azuma Sakurazuka, er, Sakurazuka Azuma then? Wow, Mia totally wasn't exaggerating when she described you way back when!" Nadezhda's face rose into a cheek-to-cheek grin, even ear-to-ear.
"And yeah, you'd be Honoka. Um, Mia's been telling me you totes haven't been appreciative of all the hard work she's been doing for you, so if I were you I'd like cut that out pronto, ya hear, learn some respect would ya?" she pointed at you.
...Well, that kinda dashed whatever positive opinion of Nadezhda you may've had left. "Yeah, Hi to you too".
"Oh yeah, you were gonna check out the, um, Chekhov Museum. Ooh, almost made a pun there, well er, not quite, sort of..." Nadezhda's bright voice started to die down, before rising up again with "Thing is, I'm just the person you need, I have seen like every single one of Chekhov's plays, The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, The Cherry Orchard, er, The Wedding, ah..."
"Well freakin' good for you, 'cause Azuma's the only reason I'm over here" Melissa muttered, taking Nadezhda aback.
"Really? At which theatre, Moscow, St. Petersburg? And perhaps you'd like to get into analysis of the author's collected short stories, or how best his character should be performed..." Azuma started to ask Nadezhda, a smug smile right on his face.
"Er, ah- point is, the Museum's right this way. Come along, everyone!" Nadezhda hurriedly tried moving your little Sakhalin tour.
However, her good cheer became immediately out of place, once you reached the life-size exhibits of Sakhalin's prisoners, portraying their toil and misery as documented by Chekhov.
"Oh. My. God. You see, this is why America's good, and why Russia going Bolshevik wrecked everything," Melissa had to speak up.
"Er, thought this exhibit was about Tsarist Sakhalin?" you had to bring up.
You dreaded Melissa saying anything more here, but instead it was Nadia who said, "Well, you see, I'm kinda like Chekhov, in that I travelled all the way here to Sakhalin from St. Petersburg, and no joke, it's a very long trip, y'know?"
"Yes, that's very nice," Azuma drolly shot her down with, not bothering with eye contact, before he gave his own remarks. "You know, I almost envy Chekhov. Not for everything he went through, of course, but because his exposure to real hardship opened his mind to human experience, to pain, loss, strife, and death, like few else, especially not in our much more luxuriant modern era".
You bit your lower lip, only able to think if not speak, These prisoners were going through Hell on Earth, they weren't Chekhov's little pet melodrama projects, for Chrissake.
* * *
It wasn't long before Melissa insisted on going shopping, and since she didn't have someone like Shinsuke or Na-rae handy, she demanded that you tag along with her, with Nadezhda naturally following.
"As you no doubt know, Honoka, up till now I've been sending Reina to teach how to be properly fashionable-" Melissa began, but Nadia had to interject.
"R-Reina, who's this Reina?" Nadezhda gulped, shaking a little.
"Ugh, just some nobody who thought they could leech off me. Anyway, with the possibility of you becoming my Jack, that's like official follower terms, Nadezhda, I may be forced to take you out fashion-shopping, as a much-needed remedy to her atrocious tastes," Melissa proclaimed, smiling at herself.
"Yeah Hikari, er, Honoka, Melissa's such a nice person, isn't she? Isn't she?" Nadezhda pressed ever closer to you.
"Alright, alright, I can do clothes-shopping, sheesh," you insisted, feeling your heart sink.
Of course, rather than let you pick out anything at all, Melissa ended up giving you four outfits specifically selected by her to choose from, dragging you away when your eyes lingered too long over anything else.
"See, major improvement compared to the rags you were wearing before, huh Honoka?" Melissa smirked, with Nadezhda seeming enthusiastic about any choice she made. The outfits, not that they were anything Reina would force you to wear, were:
[ ] A checkered brown and dark green blouse, with a black beret.
[ ] A blue denim jacket over a velvety black top and leggings.
[x] An entirely white winter coat, with pompoms and a large round hat.
[ ] A sleeveless black dress with gold decs, with high platform shoes.
[ ] Write-in.
"Ah, but it's not just the clothes, it's your skin!" Nadezhda blurted out, before asking, "Did that come out awkward? Hope that didn't come out awkward. Point being, Mia's gotten hold of a major lipstick and nail polish haul! Er, never figured out why exactly nail polishes are named after cities, like 'Glasgow nails', seriously?"
Sure enough, the colour combo for your lips and nails they had you done up in was:
[ ] Heavy pinks and bright blues.
[x] Bright red and deep black.
[ ] Silver and gold.
[ ] Weird purple and green.
[ ] Write-in.
"Uh uh, not done yet, Honoka!" Melissa grinned as she pulled you back down into your seat, "I've also taken the liberty of what swimsuit you'll be wearing!"
...The Hell? you thought.
"We of course will be visiting one of Sakhalin's gorgeous lakeside beaches, well once get clearance to we will, this place being so freakin' off-limits. Anyway, you utterly embarrass yourself if you attend in just regular clothes, so here you go!" she said, forcing you to try her pick on.
<<BGM: Pokemon D&P - Lake (Mewmore Remix>>https://youtu.be/__D2AUY24sU
You didn't feel any less embarrassed once you finally arrived at said beach, in complete contrast to the bolder Melissa who kept strutting around like a peacock, and the similarly attired Nadezhda who tried to keep up with her every step.
Despite what Melissa had said about getting clearance, along with some locals there were more than a few tourists here, from you guessed Japan and the rest of Russia, but also more than a few Koreans, Chinese, and Americans. You could see why they came here though, this lake that glittered and lapped against the towering cliffs and dense forests around it sure was a sight to behold.
"Eeyagh!" Melissa had to scream out as she dived into the water, "This lake is still freezing! Grr, it's close enough to summer isn't it, I thought it would've warmed up by now?"
Of course, the other two Aces had to show up too, with Kikuko, more daringly attired than you assumed someone like her would've gone for. She gave a smirk at hearing Melissa's pain, before deciding to dive in right on top of her, plunging the American girl further down, Nadezhda rushing in to try and save her from the depths.
Once both were back on dry land, an utterly soaked Melissa, after she'd gotten all the lake water out of her mouth, had to roar out "Jesus! Are you like out of your mind Kikuko?"
"Truly, you're complaining about nothing," Kikuko brushed her off, then stated, "I have not allowed the comforts of the high life to soften me, I don't see why it shouldn't be the same for you".
As Kikuko and Melissa were about to go at each other again, you tried desperately to intervene. "Hey, look, whatever your issues are with each other, can you not start beating each other up or whatever with a whole bunch of people around?"
"Wait, I've got it!" Nadezhda then exclaimed, "The perfect contest to settle your differences! Hmhm, don't worry Mia, this one's right up your alley".
"Oh really?" Melissa grinned, before being blunter, "What did you have in mind, Nadezhda?"
"Ah, thing I've read about on the Internet, it's called Operation Beach Hunt! Ah well, not the exact name, but anyway," Nadezhda went on, "All you gotta do is you gotta persuade the most guys on the beach to give you their phone number. That's it!"
The three of you... were taken aback a little, but Melissa then said, "Alright, you're on!"
Being Russia, I'm guessing they wouldn't accept getting another girl's phone number, although it's not like Nadezhda will be able to tell, you had to think, as you realised you were now competing in... whatever this was too.
[ ] Be perceptive, try to open up a little.
[x] Display your etiquette, you're hardly as charmless as you once were.
[ ] Be smart, try to work out what guys around here like.
[ ] Show your resolve and be direct, better to be open, right?
[ ] Er, Azuma will probably give you his, if you really need another point...
[ ] Write-in
Okay, well this certainly is something I've gotten stuck into, you thought.
Sighing, you thought you'd at least try to make a good impression on the people and tourists all gathered around here. You did look at Azuma for a moment and think of something. Not of getting his number, he'd long given you it anyway, but of a way we could be helpful to you.
Approaching Azuma, the sight of his bare flesh unfortunately nothing new to you, you then took him by the hand and said, "Hey, aren't you getting hungry by now? Think I know exactly where the kiosk is, come on".
"I'm honestly not that famished-" Azuma began, before realising it was you talking to him and saying, "Ah well, but I can understand your own discomfort. Alright, if it pleases you".
Walking over to the more crowded kiosk, naturally it wasn't long before Azuma started slowly trying to put his hand around your waist. All it took was for you to shoot him an annoyed look and say, "Hey, not here, get off me" and then your plan was set in motion.
"Lady, is this guy bothering you?" several guys said as they approached, or at least you assumed they said from their stances and tone.
Acting wounded on the outside but grinning inside, you then held your hands together, looked hurt yet fluttered your eyelashes, and like that all of them were now about to take a stand against Azuma.
Azuma just stared down at them, asking them "What business is this of yours?" That alone seemed to be enough to enrage them, as a particularly hotheaded sort took a swing at him.
However, even without his Persona, Azuma seemed to have little trouble defending himself, as simply sidestepping in between them was enough for him to trick this guy into hitting another, who in turn hit back, and before you knew it there was an entire brawl happening on the beach.
"Hah, couldn't have happened to a nicer group of people," Azuma chuckled as he stared down at the badly bruised pile of dudes. "Now, my Honoka, shall we get going?"
"Uh, wait, I should at least see if they're okay. I mean, this did happen because of me" you said blushing, hoping those words would at least get Azuma off your back for a little while. While you were crouching down to see how these guys were... you of course still found time to ask them for their phone numbers, which even as beaten to a pulp as they were, they were still eager to give.
All that over with, you thought you could attract more people's attention, since this was a lakeside beach, if you did a really impressive dive or something. Granted, you hadn't really dove before, but you figured a simple pin drop or something would be easy enough to pull off.
Finding a substantially high yet easily observable rock, you braced yourself, trying hard not to look down, and took off at full speed off it, your arms and legs flailing quite unlike the simple pose you had intended.
Ouch! Yeowww! You felt stung all over, as thinking only about the water's depth and chill meant you'd forgotten about the force off impact. It wasn't long after you'd washed up on shore, your hair a mess, your limbs and stomach still aching, that a whole crowd of people rushed over to you, some genuinely concerned, some just wanting to play doctor. Either way, the sight of lone and hurting girl tugged their heartstrings enough that you were easily able to snag some more numbers.
After that, you were out of ideas for the moment, so you decided to just sit down on the pier, casually sunning yourself. It was then you noticed some guy walking by, so well, feeling daring, you flicked your hair over, battered your lashes again, and said "Hey sir, would you like to sit next to me?"
The guy jumped back a little at this offer, but soon said, "Er sure, of course. Hey, what's your name? Oh me, I'm Stanislav".
"Nakamura Honoka," you told him, before having to specify, "Uh, that is, Honoka, I've come up from Japan with some... people I know".
"Oh really, Japan? Huh, cool, I guess from proximity we do get quite a few Japanese visiting here. I have been to China, and on the other end I've been to Finland and Estonia a few times, but never Japan sadly, I should really get around to it sometime. Ah, er, to clarify, I've come here all the way from St. Petersburg. I've mostly been stuck in one tiny corner of Russia my whole life, but I'm trying to change that".
"Wow, interesting. Oh, I'm not from like Tokyo or Osaka or anywhere big like that, if you were wondering, my hometown's like average-sized at most," you then went on about yourself, "Uh, sorry, I'm not rambling am I?"
"What? No, I'm definitely not, I mean people tell me I'm a good listener, so I'm kinda used to letting other people talk," Stanislav chuckled, "So, ah, what are your impressions of Sakhalin so far? Guess I'm still figuring out what to make of it, weird to think that I'm still in Russia, but it's a beautiful place truly".
You had to smile at that, before you said, "I guess it's been... nice so far. I mean, I think a vacation's only as enjoyable as the people you take it with, if you're not solo anyway, and well the people I'm with right now- Ugh, nevermind, I don't wanna let them rain on my parade right now," you said, shaking and teasing your hair out, "Guess what I was trying to say was, it doesn't really feel like I'm on vacation, even though I technically am. Ah, I'm sorry, I can't help but be a downer".
Stanislav however wasn't fazed, "Hey, don't worry, I've seriously met far more negative people in my life. Hmm, there's way less of a queue at the kiosk, you wanna get something to eat?"
You giggled, not sure if the polite thing to do in this situation would be to decline... but you went with your gut on this anyway. "Yeah sure, I'd love that!"
Afterwards, you talked further with Stanislav, until you were finally able to get his phone number. Then however, a weird and uncomfortable feeling started creeping over you, as you thought Sheesh, am I honestly stringing this guy along just to win some contest or whatever? Is this the sort of thing Melissa and Nadia do all the time?
You'd hoped to leave before Stanislav could pick up on this, but you'd then be denied that luxury.
"You know, Honoka, it wasn't long before Melissa and Kikuko would inevitably make fools of themselves," Azuma appeared and spoke to you, before having to acknowledge Stanislav's presence, "Did you ever tell this man exactly what reason you were chatting him up for? Or were you so lacking in subtlety he picked up on it anyway?"
"Huh, what the- you know this guy?" Stanislav had to say.
"Yeah, um, remember what I said about vacations not being fun if you're with poor company? Think you see what I mean," you sighed out, before you struggled to tell Stanislav, "Some of the girls I'm with- got into kind of a stupid hook-up contest, and well I got swept up into it. But hey, please don't take that the wrong way, you seem like quite a good guy, and-" you tried to make clear to Stanislav.
"That's... alright, I guess I can see," he just muttered, while Azuma behind him couldn't help but be amused.
* * *
Eventually you did have to make your way back to Melissa and co to finally lay this stupid contest to rest. Melissa naturally was first to strut up, as she said, "Feast your eyes, amateurs. That's eight, count 'em, eight guys' phone numbers. Beat that, losers".
"Wow, that's a really great job, Mia, you've still got it!" Nadezhda swiftly beamed.
Melissa however just had to side-eye her. "Ahem, you're not hiding something from me, are you, Nadezhda?" she inquired, narrowing her eyes.
"Er, you see, the thing is-" Nadezhda gulped, before she pulled up her phone, "I got nine".
Melissa said nothing at first, but slowly began hissing like a kettle. Stifling a growl, she suddenly smiled and said, "How like you, Nadezhda, can hardly keep your hormones to yourself, now can you?" she leaned in to smirk at Nadezhda.
"Huh, wonder what that says about me. Eleven," you murmured as you shrugged, though pointed out, "Got kinda lucky, in that most of the guys who came my way were in groups".
"I did not," Melissa slowly seethed out, "Just lose in popularity to. A. Freakin'. Jack!" She forced herself to take some deep breaths but gained some reassurance when she looked at Kikuko. "Well, at least I'm not in last place, hmhm".
Then Kikuko displayed her phone... book, which made Melissa burst out with "Fifteen?! You have got to be lying or something, no wait, I get it! You probably threatened all those guys at swordpoint to give you their numbers, right?"
Kikuko glared at her, "I did no such thing. They were naturally taken in by my delicate, traditional Yamato charm and breeding, unlike your deep-fried American excess," she stated.
"Huh, I'm Russian, so I kinda have no idea if I'd count as East or West, honestly," Nadezhda though out loud.
Melissa looked about ready to collapse at this point, and matters weren't helped when another woman, close enough to her in looks and attire and only a few years older, almost like her big sister, sauntered up to your group.
"Grr, not now. Ah, I mean, hi there... stepmom," Melissa slowly said.
"Melissa please, you know I feel when you call me 'stepmom'. But oh my, these would be your friends you told me so much about? Hmhm, I know Nadia of course, but these two would be Kikuko and Honoka, right?" she said, mixing you and Kikuko up.
"Ah, no, I'm Honoka. Er, nice to meet you... Melissa's Mum," you said, wincing. She's barely any older than her, how can she be- Oh right, Melissa's Dad's a godforsaken oil tycoon, I think I see now.
Kikuko simply scoffed.
"Oh why, you can call me Adriana. Certainly less formal than 'Mrs. Lilian', wouldn't you say?" her stepmum smiled, before her eyes took hold of an approaching Azuma and she said, "My, you certainly weren't exaggerating when it came to your Azuma. I simply must introduce myself!" her then heading over to him.
Well, if Adriana can disgust Melissa so, and can get Azuma off my back for at least a little while, then surely she can't be all bad, right? you thought.
Kikuko, now that Melissa's stepmother was out of the way, then had to speak up, "Anyway, continuing our discussion. I am the clear victor in this contest, and I presume I did not go through all that effort solely for bragging rights".
"Oh, ah, well you see, I was mostly thinking about the process and not the result, um, so what did you have in mind?" Nadezhda smiled yet shuddered.
XXXI. Flying to the Mainland
<<BGM: Ouran - Tango Brilliante>>https://youtu.be/NadqX0_Xrnc
"Once we're back in Japan, Not. One. Word. About. This," Melissa snarled.
Her, you, and Nadezhda were all now back at the hotel, each of you dressed in a maid outfit. Na-rae was assumedly there to instruct you in your duties, but didn't appear to be used to giving order.
"Right, okay, so Mistress Kikuko almost always demands everything to be spotless. Now if you'll be thinking, 'Oh she'll never look in this nook or cranny', that's where you're wrong, the Mistress has eyes like a hawk," Na-rae started by frantically going over, "Oh, and cooking I admit's not really my specialty, so that's where all of you come in! Er, Mistress does have some rather specific dietary requirements, but luckily I've compiled a shopping list, so..." she said, as the whole paper unfolded.
"Wait, give me that! Huh, raw eggs, horsemeat?!" Melissa's eyes almost burst out of their sockets, "Freakin' getting used to raw fish here was bad enough".
"Hold on, what's wrong with horsemeat?" Nadezhda feebly spoke up.
"Hey, it's not like it's any weirder than her stick meditation thing," you casually said, but quickly covered your mouth knowing you'd just blabbed that.
"What- Miss Honoka, how did, um, you find out about that?" Na-rae asked, shivering.
"Er, schoolyard rumour," you said near instantly.
"Huh, really? Most of the dirty rumours I hear about Kikuko is that she totally has a Catherine the Great thing going on with her pretty ponies," a smirking Melissa expressed an emotion other than anger for the first time in a while.
"Actually, Empress Catherine wasn't like that at all-" Nadezhda tried to say, but got cut off.
"But wait, I think I've heard about the stick thing. Oh yeah, it's where a monk whacks you on the shoulders when you're trying to meditate, I remember," Melissa said, disregarding her lifelong friend.
"Well, er, ahem, usually it falls upon me to perform the task of delivering what's officially called keisaku upon Mistress Kikuko-" Na-rae tried to make clear, but Melissa just interjected again.
"I volunteer! I volunteer!" she spoke up, enjoying herself for possibly the first time in this whole maid gig.
A little later on, you could tell Melissa wasn't at all used to this 'servitude' thing, looking like she'd barely handled a vacuum cleaner before, still searching for the suck/blow switch.
"Stupid freakin' Kikuko, making me sweep up her room when I booked us all in" she kept snarling, that one burst of good mood having swiftly worn off.
"Geez Melissa, what crawled up your arse and died?" you asked her nonchalantly, before telling her "Seriously, you picked this vacation... but you've kinda been angry all the time since we got here. Is there anything you wanna vent about?" you asked, as you slumped down on the bed near her.
It was a fairly fancy bedroom you were in, red carpets and bedsheets, rich pink walls decorated with antique lamps and paintings showing scenes from some 19th century novel or another.
"What are you, my therapist?" she looked at you funny for a second, before she sat down next to you and let out, "Ugh, it's just... Kikuko's always been like this. We first met when we were kids, before I knew Nadezhda even, when our parents' had a business meeting together in Hawaii. Oh, she was a little creep then too, like Jesus, you'd think she was raised by wolves or something, and really strict wolves too, not a CEO".
"Have you ever, y'know, tried to be nice to her?" you had to bring up, "Like when you first met, were you like 'Hi there, I'm Melissa, nice to meet you', or did you expect her to open up first?"
"What? Well, I certainly didn't expect her to act like a freakin' porcelain doll, that's for sure," Melissa scowled, but then bit her lip. "At least my real mother was with me back then, not that miserable Vegas supermodel trophy stepmom".
Melissa then suddenly looked you right in the eyes, "Kikuko got more guys than me, you got more, even goddamn Nadezhda got one more! And back at school, everyone's now talking about how this Suzako girl or whoever's so pretty, like seriously, they do know she's Keiko of all people, right?", you flinching at what she said.
"Look, Honoka, my point is... you think I'm pretty, don't you?" she ultimately asked.
At first, you didn't quite know what to make of that question, but on instinct, "Yeah, course I do. Who doesn't?", though in hindsight you couldn't tell if you meant that or were just trying to be nice.
Melissa wasn't in the mood to open up any more, but did at least manage an "Er, thanks".
- Strength has Journeyed to Rank 3! -
What mood there was got ruined when Kikuko entered, "Ah, I trust you've eradicated every last speck of dirt from my hotel room?"
Melissa then shot up and said, "Your room? Ahem, I believe this was my room! I mean, there's only one bed, but even if there was two, no way would I share a room with you!"
"Oh wow, now you know how I felt when you booked Azuma and me into a friggin' love hotel," you sighed out, "Besides, can't you just ask the staff whether there's been a mix-up?"
"That'll be her duty, as I have no intent to cede this room to her," Kikuko had to step up.
"And neither I do!" Melissa said, crossing her legs and folding her arms.
Not liking what may well have been about to emerge, you swiftly said, "Er, well, don't exactly want to be a fly on the wall here, I'll just give you two some privacy" you said before you took off.
* * *
The room they'd booked for you was but a few floors down, having perhaps not as scenic a view of Sakhalin. You had to step back when you saw there were two beds, but you were relieved, if only slightly, when you saw your roommate for the night wasn't quite Azuma.
"Greetings, Miss Honoka, these are certainly unorthodox circumstances," Shinsuke said as he walked in after you.
"Hmm, well," you began, as your eyes couldn't help but scan Shinsuke for any wires or devices, "I wouldn't say entirely out of left-field".
"Ah, by the way, Miss Honoka," he then said, pulling out and handing you a travel guide to Vladivostok, "It is the All-Aces' intention head over to Vladivostok the following morning, as the Sakurazuka, Maeda, and Lilian families are attending a society ball there, along with many other esteemed persons from not only Russia and Japan, but also America, China, even Korea I am told".
"Wow, way to spring that on me," you said, and I'm sure Kikuko will be delighted to hear about the Koreans, or Chinese even, "Uh, seriously, thanks for giving me some heads up though... even if we've barely been in Sakhalin a day".
"Ah, I did have to suspect the others had neglected to inform you," Shinsuke sighed, "I do believe, Miss Honoka, that this would be your debutante ball".
"Oh, er, yeah, super looking forward to it" you said through clenched teeth. Also, you seem nice, Shinsuke, but do you have to act the butler part 24/7?
As what sounded like cats screeching, some very human, female cats, you did feel this Vladivostok travel guide could serve a secondary purpose, that of giving you a much-needed distraction. As you flipped through its pages, your eyes were drawn to:
[x] Vladivostok Railway Station, the Far Eastern terminus of the Trans-Siberian railway.
[ ] The beach resort-studded Amur Bay.
[ ] Russky Island, especially its bridge.
[ ] The Museum of Far East History.
[ ] The funiculars, being a fairly hilly city.
[ ] The casinos, if only out of morbid curiousity.
[ ] Write-in.
* * *
Your eyelids slowly lifting themselves open as your nose picked up the smell of freshly made breakfast with coffee, you sat yourself up in that hotel bed, an appropriately comfortable one seeing as this was never somewhere you could afford without the All-Aces, you saw said breakfast had been brought to you by Shinsuke on your left, while Na-rae on your left was already laying out your clothes for the day, including that winter coat Melissa had picked out yesterday.
"Oh, um, hi," you said, noticing them, "Well, guess you do this sort of thing all the time, right?"
"Why yes. Now, I wasn't able to gauge much of a constant in your culinary preferences, I even noticed some, er... unusual choices in there. So I went with was considered the most popular meal choice in Kuchinashi available in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, combined with what I've been accustomed to cooking in my service to the Sakurazuka family," Shinsuke stated that all at once.
"Uh, thanks," you muttered, only thinking, Wait, 'unusual choices'? So do they even know about that friggin' mystery meat?
Na-rae meanwhile fretted about whether or not she'd accidentally shrunken the clothes in the dryer, but you informed her after you got dressed that they fit fine.
"I see now. Okay then, Miss Honoka, if you're comfortable with them. Ah, and I did mean to tell you, you certainly performed excellently as a maid yesterday, as, er, unorthodox the circumstances behind this were" Na-rae said, having to blush a little at the end.
At least thanking her, you then headed upstairs to check how the All-Aces were doing. You saw Kikuko already up in the corridor, but surprisingly Melissa was up too, even though she was typically one to need her beauty sleep. Both of them had their hair awfully mussed-up, like they'd been through a pretty rough night, and them having not showered yet you could tiny beads of sweat dripping down them.
"Hey there... Kikuko, Melissa. Er, did you get your whole situation sorted?" you tried asking them.
"Not exactly," Kikuko muttered, "Neither of us, well, ultimately chose to leave the room in question, so we did have to share a bed-".
"Don't. You. Say. Another. Word," Melissa seethed at her.
"Uh, I'll assume you two just got in a fight over the covers," you assured them, biting your lower lip.
"Yes, exactly! That was it!" Melissa insisted on, before she groaned and said, "Ugh, I desperately need a shower, ah- b-because it was really cold last night, so I could use the warm water, yeah!" she shifted to saying as she took off.
The two of you alone, Kikuko then approached you and, as if in defiance of Melissa's order, told you, "Melissa and I, you see, have a great deal of tension built up between us. So what happened last night was, forgive me, that an intense passion overtook us, especially in such close quarters, and-"
You had to interject with, "...Are you honestly telling me you and Melissa had hatesex?!"
"Is, ahem, that the technical term for it? Yes, I would suppose so, I most certainly couldn't call it 'making love', I am firm that there are no such feelings between us," you could see Kikuko was heavily blushing by now, "She wasn't above hair-pulling and scratching like a feline, yet all the while insisted on being treated like a princess, which did allow me the dominant position most of the time".
"Okay okay okay, stop, please stop!" you burst out at her, before you groaned, "I've got absolutely no idea why everyone thinks I'm so friggin' interested in their sex lives".
"Oh, am I intruding on something?" Azuma of all people had to speak up as he walked over, Melissa's stepmother Adriana swaying beside him, perhaps more than a bit too close.
As you tried to think up a way of getting out of explaining this to Azuma, you were saved in a way when Melissa strode back out of the room, saying, "Wait, stepmom, what are you doing that close to Azuma?"
Adriana, having donned a long white gown and opera gloves, chuckled to herself "Hmhm, what wouldn't I be doing with Azuma? Your fellow student has shown he knows to treat a woman, unlike, well, some people here" she had to restrain them, before she returned to fawning over Azuma.
"I couldn't help but notice your stepmother, dear Adriana, seemed quite lonely here, so naturally my first thought was to... entertain her, shall we say?" Azuma thinly smiled at Melissa.
Melissa breathed in and out a while, before she raised her voice, "Oh, oh know I get it! This is your payback, isn't it Azuma, for the fact that I slept with your mother, huh, huh?!"
You and Kikuko took one look at each other, and decided it would be best if you got out of there quick, before... whatever the hell was going on with Melissa and Azuma accelerated.
* * *
Standing in the elevator going down, you clutched your head and said, "Okay, if Melissa's stepmum's been having an affair with Azuma... wait, something doesn't add up. You've probably noticed that Azuma's been trying to get his mitts all over me ever since we met, so, why would he suddenly pursue another woman, and barely try to keep it a secret from me?"
Of course, the answer occurred to you quite soon, "...I get it now, he's honestly trying to stoke jealousy in me or something? Well, that's clearly not working, I hope Adriana ends up taking all his attention".
"Truly, I am reminded why relationships disinterest me so" Kikuko could only sigh.
You couldn't help but laugh a little, "I mean yeah, part of me sees where you're coming from. But on the other hand, you mean you've never had a crush on someone? Those words you said sound like something I'd make up to make fun of you, er, no wait, I didn't mean it like that-" you suddenly tried to take that back.
"I have had crushes and the like from afar," Kikuko did point out to you, "And, well, you would've figured out by now that I'm certainly not above passion. It's just... I feel relationships simply complicate, that cutting them out of your life achieves a desirable simplicity. The romantic view of courtly admiration from a distance sounds ideal to me, if anything does".
"Courtly love from a distance? Oh yeah, sounds like something Azuma would do, i.e., stalking" you muttered out.
"Regardless, I must also remind you we are at war, if a miniature one, I admit. Love is but one thing more to exploit on the battlefield, hence why Azuma stakes his claim on it, and I avoid it," Kikuko told you, folding her arms, "Yet I doubt, should Azuma and I cross blades, that 'love' won't be there to save him".
You sighed, "Whatever these Gameboard Duels are, or how many people die to lose their consciousness to them, we're not 'at war', Kikuko. What, are you gonna start complaining to me that this generation grew up without its own Sengoku Jidai or whatever?"
As the elevator reached the ground floor and the two of you stepped out, Kikuko said, "If we were back then, one thing I'm certain of is that you'd think twice before talking back to me, Nakamura. I could've had your tongue slit out for your insolence".
You just had to laugh her. "Please Kikuko, if you were 'back then', you'd have been married off to some creepy old warlord, who'd probably ignore you in favour of concubines" you said.
Kikuko for a second couldn't conceal her rage... but then she settled right back down, almost into a bit of a funk. She then told you, to your surprise, "Nakamura Honoka, I'm... I'm sorry. No, what I mean is, ugh, forgive me. Maybe, well, I was the one who wasn't thinking twice..." she then said.
You had to take this in. Okay, seeing Melissa finally get mad at Azuma before was weird enough, and now seeing Kikuko suddenly apologise?!
"Hey, look, Kikuko, it's okay. Er, I don't think either of us were thinking about what we were saying just then" you tried to tell her, the irritation gone from your voice.
Kikuko then looked down, and had to admit, "Nakamura... if I am to compare you to my subject, then I'll confess, I now know I haven't exactly been the most, well, reciprocal to you... or understanding".
That admission of some guilt seemed to unclog Kikuko's emotions, as she all of a sudden collapsed into your arms, saying "Oh Nakamura, w-why did my very first time have to be with Melissa, all of people?"
You were about to say that was her idea, but you knew impulse emotions could be like, so for the time being you just stayed silent and embraced her back.
- The Empress has Journeyed to Level 3! -
* * *
While the All-Aces and family got no less than a private plane to fly to Vladivostok in, as a Jack you were made to fly commercial. As much as you weren't keen to get back up into the air again, one thought that relieved you was that you wouldn't have to fly with Azuma.
Then out of nowhere, Azuma announced he'd be flying with you. From how he phrased it, he had to make it sound like some noble gesture if not sacrifice, but you couldn't help but think Melissa kicked him off after, well, stuff went down.
Being made to sit right next to Azuma, you on the window seat again and Shinsuke by the aisle, really didn't reassure you. You kept your legs crossed tight and tried to make it seem like you were completely engrossed in Over a Mysterious Rose, but Azuma kept peeking over your shoulder at what you were reading.
"What, come to make fun of my reading choices?" you muttered.
"It's certainly not what I would consider 'great literature', but you at least seem pleased by it," he had to comment, before remarking, "And people have certainly picked up far worse in their efforts to numb their brains. But tell me, what about it appeals to you so?"
You had to think, I thought it was an impulse read, but then again, I wouldn't have picked it off the shelf if I had zero interest in it otherwise.
Then Azuma had to suddenly complicate the question, "Oh, I don't mean just this work, but your tastes in fiction in general. What seizes you, resonates with you?"
You then bolted upright, thinking, Wow, you had to plunge me in the deep end like that, didn't you? A metaphor that spoke to you a little more, given what had happened to you at the lake yesterday.
[ ] "Relatability. I go through... a lot, so it's comforting to know I'm not alone, through character, authors, or other fans"
[ ] "Escapism. I think I'd go stir-crazy if I had to put up with real life 24/7, so I like feeling in control for once, even if it's an illusion"
[x] "Creativity. I like seeing what people can come up with, makes me think of things I'd never consider otherwise"
[ ] "Emotions. Like, when I get swept up and my heart and brain are one, it feels like nothing else matters"
[ ] "Intelligence. I like to feel rewarded for what I'm reading"
[ ] "Keeping up with friends. Like my, er, friends from back when, and now my roommate, introduce me to most stuff"
[ ] "Eh, varies from work to work, I like different stuff in different things"
[ ] Write-in.
"I see," was all Azuma said at first, before he suddenly picked up a remote and said, "I noticed they have quite the film library here, if perhaps not as extensive as elsewhere. I doubt you would've been to the cinema in quite a while, so perhaps you might be interested in this selection instead".
[ ] A subtitled Russian film that you figured was an adaptation of a 19th century novel.
[x] A live recording of a fairytale ballet.
[ ] A creaky old silent film, likely here because the rights would've been cheap.
[ ] You think you'll just stick to your manga, thanks.
[ ] Write-in.
If there was one upside to this talk with Azuma, it was that the plane had taken off with you barely noticing. Perhaps flying might not be so bad the second time around... well, given who you were seated next to, it might be even worse.
"Creativity? Hmm, a seemingly dignified response," Azuma then said, but sighed as he flipped his hair, "Yet in a way, quite a naïve one. People have been telling stories since Babylonian times, so searches for originality are oft fated to scrape the bottom of the barrel. Shakespeare knew this, the Edo playwrights knew this, hence why they prioritised adaptations".
"Yeah well, wasn't that because copyright wasn't really a thing back then?" you brought that up, "Although, Colette tells me that copyright is more often for the people who own stuff, not the people who make it".
"I wouldn't put my trust in the economic commentaries of a tarot reader," Azuma coldly chuckled at you.
"Hey, Colette says tarot's a psychological thing- Ugh, anyway, hold on. Isn't The Tempest all Shakespeare's own?" you had to ask him, reverting the subject back to originality, even though you'd technically said 'creativity'.
"Yes, the very last thing he ever did," Azuma brushed that off, "Well, almost the last, it's hard to verify. Regardless, what may be 'creative' or 'original' to you could well be old hat to another. Fiction is relative after all, in the eye of the beholder".
"...Whatever" you mumbled, keeping it secret that you'd never actually seen The Tempest. You also had to think, Knowing you Azuma, you'd probably have made fun of my answer no matter what I said, an answer I gave on the fly anyway. "Hey, weren't you gonna put on an in-flight movie or something?"
Well, it was less of a movie and more of a recorded ballet performance. It was an easy one to recognise, being the Tchaikovsky version of Sleeping Beauty, which you picked up on had a lot more characters from other fairytales shoehorned in.
Still, you couldn't help being mesmerised by the dancing, given that ballet was a traditionally wordless medium. Although... yeah, in hindsight Sleeping Beauty wasn't the best ballet to watch with Azuma, given its ending, and what with where you were sitting you couldn't just shuffle away from him. Maybe if it'd been another ballet, like The Firebird, The Nutcracker, or Swan Lake- Okay, maybe not that last one either, in Azuma's context.
Azuma did have to stifle another laugh at you, "I naturally assume you were into fairytales as a child?" he smirked.
You're one to talk, given that fake backstory you made up for me, you thought. "Yeah, I was. No more than any other girl my age, true, but even if I was, so what?" you said to him, before adding "Keiko was probably my introduction to a lot of boys' media, probably more so than my Dad and Yuya. I think she thought herself a tomboy when she was younger, but as time went on, felt more and more she couldn't pull it off".
"Huh, for someone who seeks originality, your old friends are hardly exceptional backstory-wise," he sighed.
"What, like you are? Your 'backstory' is that your parents were rich actors, that's it," you furrowed your eyes as you told him, "Oh, and now that whole 'literal motherfucker' thing. Like, was just to get back at Melissa, or did your motives go even deeper?" you suddenly found yourself saying.
"...Tell me, do you blurt out people's private information in just any public space?" Azuma had to restrain himself, "At least Gakuto kept his gossip-mongering to online spheres".
"Yeah well, 'online spheres' means basically everywhere, these days," you said back, now trying to watch what you said and not lose yourself.
"Wait, question," you then said out of nowhere, "Er, I learned yesterday that Kikuko and Melissa first met when they were kids. Is, er, that the case with any other All-Aces?"
Azuma had to think on that, before he said, "Rin and I had quite the long history together, actually, but other than that, not really. None of us knew Eitaro before he came to Hanataba, Gakuto we'd heard of from articles on him before we met in person, and I am sure if Himawari knew any of the All-Aces before Hanataba, she would've told you by now".
All this discussion of Azuma's background proved oddly predictive, as when the plane touched down in Vladivostok, at the airport was quite the familiar face from his family.
XXXV. Cricket and America
The rest of the week didn't exactly fly by though, with mid-terms only picking up from then on. Along with working on your Literature essay, you also had the same to fill out for 'Mrs. Tudor' in History. Specifically, out of a choice of three, your essay topic was to be:
[ ] The Showa-Heisei transition, covering not only the economic crash, but beyond Japan the end of the Cold War.
[x] The History of Shogi: A Kingly Game over Time.
[ ] The Dividing line between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
[ ] Write-in.
Well, for recruiting potential cricket players, your time with Kikuko meant you'd overheard her muttering about students who simply couldn't make the cut, pun of possible intention, as kendo practitioners. The moment she'd moved on, telling you to come back to the clubroom for something or whatever, you instead briefly stayed behind, telling the trio of girls "Hey, um, did you hear we have a Cricket Team now? I hear Takako, the girl running it, is pretty nice, if maybe a little energetic. The All-Aces don't seem to like her for some reason, so if you wanna get back at Kikuko or something...".
A little more discussion later, you trying to be quick though before Kikuko noticed, and it looked like you'd successfully convinced some people to actually check the team out.
That thing Kikuko had called you to the Lounge for was nothing too special, just a routine patrol of the No One's Land. You were however, able to sneak a quick visit into the Velvet Room, where the only notable thing to happen though was this:
I am Hierophant Octavian, First among Romans," said the mirror image of who'd been Gakuto's Persona, "Among what once were three, we shall be the last left standing.Octavian
[Inverse Hierophant V]
Elements: Nulls Electric, weak to Wind
Stats:
- Strength: ||
- Cognition: |||
- Agility: ||
- Luck: ||
- Endurance: |
Skills:
- Zionga
- Tarukaja
- Makakaja
- Analyse
- Hierophant Bonus: Mazionga, Void Electric
You of course having a limit of ten capacity though:
[ ] Store Octavian.
[ ] Hierophant Octavian + Fool Theodora = Hermit Bunyip (Ice and Curse)
[ ] Justice Simurgh + Hierophant Octavian = Hanged Xipe Totec (Curse and Healing)
- [ ] Substitute Justice Sherlock
- [ ] Substitute Devil Anastasia
[ ] Tower PITT + Octavian = Judgement Mordred (Physical and Curse)
[x] Moon Camazotz + Octavian = Priestess Bastet (Physical and Psy)
[ ] Rebirth Arsene + Octavian = Empress Zetian (Physical and Bless)
[ ] Fortune Skuld + Octavian = Justice Gretchen (Bless and Electric)
[ ] Write-in (including other fusions)
I am Priestess Bastet, meow, Queen of All Cats," purred a humanoid black cat decked in gold jewellery, with khopesh blades for claws and a long tail which split into nine, "You'll find I'm much more fun than my sister, well, unless you have some weird tastes.Elements: Null Psy, resist Bless, weak to Ice
Stats:
- Strength: ||||
- Cognition: |||
- Agility: ||||
- Luck: |||
- Endurance: |
Skills:
- Damascus Claw, Psio, Glamorous Dance, Dazzler
- Priestess Bonus: Lullaby
- Inherit: Void Electric, Dekunda
As you left the Gameboard again, Kikuko did have one last thing to tell you.
"Nakamura Honoka, our next Gameboard sojourn will be less casual. My plan is for us to head straight into Melissa's Empire, it is imperative that, if we do not lead an offensive into there, we at least survey the location" she said, pointing to the Gameboard's mall miniatures from up here with her blade.
You then crouched down to look at Melissa's Empire from up here, saying that "I guess it's the first Empire I saw, yet I've never really scoped it out". Also, Reina's Shadow is probably still in there, and oh God, I hope I'm not too late to get here out of there.
"I did hear something funny about malls, though," you had to remark, "Like, I came across an article online that said America's malls are apparently going downhill or something. I assumed Melissa's Empire was all hip and modern, but that might not be the case," you went on as you then looked at Kikuko again, "Then again, all the Empires are kinda in the past a little, I guess you would've heard that a lot".
Kikuko said nothing at that but did fold her arms. "As for Azuma," she then changed the topic when she did speak, "He has not been making himself as immediately antagonistic to me as Melissa has, but I am still no less cautious of him. I am aware he has been increasingly aggressive towards you in particular".
"...Yeah, you bet" you told her. You did have to feel better for a second, like finally someone in power was noticing all the bullshit and grief Azuma had been putting you through.
"However, he should know you are lost to him now. You are Jack of Swords, not of Spades, Honoka, and by your own choice," Kikuko stated, then looking at you closely in your eyes, "And I would not hand my own sword over to another as I would my own subjects".
Er, thanks? you had to think. While perhaps now seeing the benefits of being under Kikuko, a little maybe, you did have to ask her, "Hey, Kikuko? Do you, well, think of everyone as either your subordinate or opponent? Like, we've discussed the thorny topic of romance before, but what about friends?"
That proved to be something else Kikuko was reluctant to answer, but she said, "I'm the heir to a noble lineage that's stretched back aeons, whatever mask Japan throughout the ages has placed on its utmost elites, we've worn. Simply being All-Ace at this school is the least of my titles. When such power has been yours from birth... it's hard to speak of 'friends', people who are ideally your equals".
You just stepped back a little, not really knowing now what to say yourself, beyond a mild, "Oh, okay".
It was then however your little conversation was broken up by another visitor, as Vice-Principal Fujino Teruko suddenly walked into the Prized Pupil Lounge.
"Ah, young Kikuko, I knew you'd be here," she said in a... much brighter tone than you'd expect from her, especially after Himawari's expulsion, "I was hoping to talk to you in private", the Vice-Princpial giving a passing glare at you.
"Of course, Fujino-sensei, whatever is it you wish to discuss?" Kikuko was quite eager to answer, her hand motioning for you to quickly get out of the room.
"Hey, okay, I was on my way out anyway, uh, Maeda Kikuko, Fujino-sensei" you said, giving parting bows to both of them, knowing what the Vice-principal was like.
From what you'd heard about Fujino Teruko, she was in the Disciplinary Committee way back when she was a student, then a PE teacher before becoming Vice-Principal. She was from a family that ran a Dojo too, much like Eitaro was, in fact you couldn't help wonder if the two were in competition, in which case the Tsutsujis clearly weren't the victors.
* * *
You spent the rest of the week still on the lookout for new recruits to the Cricket team, having about six when you needed eleven, at least to be a 'real team' as opposed to what Takako had called 'backyard cricket'.
Since Colette wouldn't be back until after the Sports Festival week, a blessing in disguise to her, you thought about asking Ibuki from Occult Club if she wanted to join. You were her, surprised to find the first-year girl out of her kuchisake-onna costume, where she looked pretty ordinary, though did stand out due to her wavy, blue-grey hair, currently tied into pigtails.
"Oh hey, Ibuki. Um, kinda need your help with something," you began with, before asking, "Outside Occult Club, do you have much going on?"
"Not really," she said, much less expressively than when she was with Colette, "Schoolwork, and that's about it".
"How about sports?" you said, not getting much of an answer from her. "I should explain. I'm the new Batter for our Cricket Club, and er, we kinda need members".
Ibuki just started at you, occasionally blinking. However, she then said, "I, um, guess I could be interested. If you're needing help".
She didn't exactly sound enthused, though it seemed little outside occult Club enthused her. But you did know Takako and Ikue would probably take that for a 'yes', so you said "Okay, we meet on the baseball field whenever they're not in session. Hope to see you there!"
She just nodded in return.
Mid-terms kept going, as your game-group-member-turned-teacher Damian Muir asked in class, "Okay, um, how about you translate these words into English?" One of the words that stood out to you was 'Suisei', which you chose to translate into English as:
[x] Comet.
[ ] Aqueous.
[ ] Water star.
[ ] Write-in.
Afterwards, Takako then approached you in the hallway, you quickly slipping into your disguise in case anyone else saw you two talking.
She said "Hey, great news. Our baseball team's usually pretty full, so I was able to find a couple of girls who were told the team was all full-up for now, Sports Festival approaching and all. So we're not quite at eleven members, but it looks like we've done a great job for the week!"
"Whew," you smiled, "That's a load off my mind".
"Kinda ashamed to say, I did almost consider joining a Baseball Team anyway, but I'm glad I persevered! I mean, like, I don't think our female Baseball Team gets as much respect or attention as our male one," Takako had to remark, her upbeat energy briefly fading, before re-emerging with, "Haha, didn't mean to drag conversation down, we honestly need to start practicing for the Festival next week. Ah, sorry if I kinda rushed you to find members, 'specially during Mid-Terms".
"Well, I didn't exactly have much else going on but mid-terms" you told her.
"Yeah, it's just that, y'know, I am so totally excited for the Sports festival. We'll finally have a chance to show what we can do in front of the whole school!" Takako beamed.
That kinda concerned you, given that a good part of the reason you joined the Cricket Team is that, while it ticked off that 'real club' box you'd been asked to, it was also low-profile enough that you could join without Kikuko noticing you were hanging out with the 'losers', so to say.
Not that you let Takako know at the time. "Yeah, that's sounds great!" was all you said.
Later on Saturday came your first real cricket match, even if lacking an opposing team it was more one-for-all practice than anything. Your hands trembling as they held the bat, your eyes widened as Takako bowled, Ikue standing behind you as wicketkeeper.
Takako being a fast bowler, you weren't quite able to hit her ball, though luckily for you it was so fast that not even Ikue could catch it in time. All the while, the less athletic Ibuki on tenuous umpire duty was hurriedly flipping back and forth through the rulebook, saying things like, "Well, er, I don't think that is what they call 'dismissal', er, that is, an out".
Later on, you were surprised a little once Takako and Ikue shifted positions. Apparently in Cricket players shifted positions every six balls, or an 'Over' they called it, unlike in Baseball which you supposed you were still thinking of. You kinda wished you'd told Reina that when you tried an amateur game yourself, way back.
This change of positions turned out to be a huge relief for you, as Ikue, being way more skilled in skiing than in cricket, was much easier to strike back against. You paused a little while, before remembering you now had to run back and forth along the, er, Takako said it was supposed to be a rectangle, but having to borrow the baseball field made things more confusing.
However, one of the rejected Kendo girls soon caught your ball, which this time did mean you were indeed Out. Still, you couldn't say your hand-eye coordination hadn't benefitted a little, at least over the course of this week.
Given the usual length of a cricket match, you sighed with relief as you sat down on the benchers. Takako was generous enough to buy food for all of you, given that said length and the sun now setting meant that you were now due for dinner. She'd asked everyone to vote on what takeaway she'd order, your preference being:
[x] Pizza. [+1 All]
[ ] Ramen. [+2 Education]
[ ] Curry. [+2 Resolve]
[ ] Seafood. [+2 Perception]
[ ] Dessert. [+2 Etiquette]
[ ] Write-in.
As you sat and ate, Takako smiled and put her am across your shoulder. "Well, there's certainly no Okinawa weather up here, even as we've got summertime coming up, but thanks Honoka, you, Ikue, and everyone else have really made me feel at home! Er, perhaps a little too sappy?" she then had to ask.
You shook your head and told her, "Eh, I don't mind. People do have a habit of getting a little schmaltzy around me, don't know why".
"I mean, I am thinking about getting into snowboarding when I can. After I saw Ikue on the slopes, I figured I should take up at least one winter sport while I'm up here, kind of a waste not to," she went on to say, before grinning, "And 'cause it's not a team sport, that means I won't have to pester ya to find members. I'm kiddin' of course, I usually like team sports more than solo stuff".
"Yeah, same here," you said instinctively, given how 'every man for themselves' competitions had been working out for you recently, "Though I guess it depends on the sport. I've tried both skiing and snowboarding, having lived here my whole life, but they never became any more than 'once in a while' stuff for me. Do have a friend who's into ice-skating though".
"Oh hey Takako, how're ya doing?" Kaneto beamed as he suddenly walked over, "Hey, you done too? 'Cause I've like, had to do some real serious football stuff lately. I mean like, the Festival starts Monday, and we've all been bummed out that we can't find a player like Eitaro anywhere".
Oh boy, Eitaro right now was the last person you needed to be reminded of. "Well, you are the Football Team, I guess you'll find a way to keep going, the sport's not any less popular after all," you tried to cheer him up.
"Wow, gee thanks, Honoka, you're really nice!" Kaneto was back to beaming again, but another thought struck him. "Though man, we've got both Mid-Terms and the Festival all at once, I mean, that's like unreal!" he sat back down and clutched his head. "Like, I do have more time to study nowadays, what with, er, what happened with Eitaro and all, but I still know I'm gonna totally flunk".
"Hey, my test results usually come back pretty good," Takako did have to pipe up, "And I'm hardly anyone's idea of Einstein or anything. So I'd say you're gonna be fine! Though yeah, Eitaro was always pretty rough on me too, ever since we met through our JSDF Dads".
"Wait, Eitaro's father was in the army?" you had to ask. Given Takako was Okinawan, her family having a military background was no surprise, you'd remembered her saying something about it when you first met. But Eitaro's dad being in the military... that may've explained too much.
"Yeah, he sure was, their dojo kinda struggling and all," Takako told you, "Think I once heard Eitaro first got into Archery because he liked seeing his Dad shoot guns but was too little to have one himself. Soccer was, at least at first, more of a money thing for him, given how highly it can pay, and baseball was out since he needed to save his hands for Archery".
"Hey, with how Eitaro played, he can't have gotten into Football just for the money!" Kaneto exclaimed, but then had to admit, "Like, with Eitaro... gone though, the Football Team's been heaps more chill, I have ta say. It's like, can't make it to practice, that's cool man, no rush".
Part of you did wonder if you should've joined football instead, Eitaro's death having left quite the impact. But no, you'd made your choice, and you'd had fun giving Takako the help she needed.
"Hey, I've gotta go now, it's getting dark," you said as you stood up. "Ah, bye Kaneto, hope your team pulls through. And hey, Takako, I had a ton of fun today, it's always good trying new things".
- The Sun has Journeyed to Rank 2! -
"Great to hear! Ooh, see you at the Sports Festival, Honoka!" Takako beamed.
* * *
Today, you'd decided to go for a morning jog, as part of some sort of exercise routine you were trying to put together before the Sports Festival. It also served a second purpose, in that you got to easily roam around your local neighbourhood before Kikuko stepped in and made you sleep in her pool house or whatever.
A loud honking sound rudely jolted you out of your morning routine, as you turned to see a pinkish-red convertible had pulled up right beside you. Inside was Melissa, simply pointing to you and then the seat next to her.
As you hesitantly got in, she asked, "Okay, Jack of Sippy-Cups, I take it Kikuko's been showing off quite a bit of her Empire to you, hasn't she?"
"A little, yeah, we did some basic patrols and stuff," you told her, not liking where this was going.
"Mmm, that's good enough for me!" Melissa smirked, as she suddenly slammed down on the accelerator and took off, before you'd even had time to put a seatbelt on. Your grip on your seat was the only thing that kept you from flying into the glovebox in front of you as you skidded to a halt.
Well okay, you did have to compliment Melissa on her driving a little, despite her blatant disregard for her passengers and the speed limit. Any lesser driver at that speed probably would've crashed into something long before their destination.
"Alright, we're here!" Melissa sharply grinned, you turning to notice you'd pulled up outside your closed school.
"Wait, oh God no, don't tell me you're gonna pull me onto the Gameboard..." you moaned.
"Well ya know, Gameboard and getting to see my test results early," Melissa said, before moved in closer to you, "We are totally gonna trash Kikuko's Empire, just imagine her face!"
"Of course you'd say something like that..." you muttered, then had to tell her, "Er, doesn't it take a while for them to mark tests? I mean, chances are the teachers haven't even read your test answers yet".
"Yeah, naturally that's what some total loser would say!" Melissa dismissed you, as she started using the fold-out mirror to comb her hair. "Teachers naturally mark off the popular kids first, you know, it's the way of the world. Unless they have it ass-backwards over here or something".
She then glared at you, "Oh don't tell me you're gonna wimp out on me, Honoka? If it's a reward you want, I can most generously pay you. You want cash, is there a guy you want me to set you up on a date with, how 'bout another vacation, hmm? You'd better work overtime once we're on the gameboard though, ya hear?"
It was then you said, "Yeah, do I have a request".
[ ] "Can you convince Kikuko not to try and separate Megumi and me, or at least get Megumi a decent place?"
[ ] "I want you to leave Keiko alone already."
[ ] "If Reina's Shadow is in your Empire, you don't touch her."
[ ] "I'm not interested in Azuma, and I want you to commit that to memory."
[ ] "Once Colette gets back, you don't antagonise her"
[ ] "...You know what? I'll take the cash, I'm not exactly swimming in it like you are"
[x] “Look, if you REALLY need help on your test, fine, but I’m not trashing my own Ace’s Empire” (Zaealix write-in)
[ ] Look, we both don’t like Azuma, so how about we trash his place instead? (Edgedancer write-in)
[ ] Write-in.
"...Why the hell are you suddenly so loyal to Kikuko? Thought you only picked her by default, oh, unless you're a not-so-secret masochist or something?" Melissa stared blankly at you.
You just groaned, before slowly telling her "Because if Kikuko finds out," or more likely, if you rat me out to Kikuko, "Then I'd be friggin' done for. Like, you've all made it clear your good graces are the only thing keeping me around, so breaking the whole Ace-Jack-whatever system like that is just gonna paint a big target on me".
Melissa's eyes went wide, "Oh my, so it seems you actually do care about our hierarchies, well, past getting Himawari to supply you with dope or whatever," she said. "Hmm, that point you raised about Azuma is tempting though. Okay, maybe I can be persuaded..."
There was the issue of the guards first though, but Melissa seemed to have that covered. rather than simply being authoritative enough in her voice like Kikuko though, she instead walked up to them and handed them both stacks of cash.
"Just needed to sneak into the school," she flat-out told them, "I also have card if you'd prefer" Given how much the guards' jaws had dropped, it appeared she had taken care of this obstacle.
...Probably would've been easier just to sneak in the back though, you thought.
Getting your test results, being weirdly the simpler of your two missions, was what you tackled first. As the two of you snuck into the photocopier room, Melissa pointed at the machine to instruct you to rifle through until you found her test scores.
You were surprised when you ultimately did find that Melissa's tests had been graded, although you couldn't be certain if these were her finalised results. "Er, you actually did quite decent, Melissa. Like I think we have about, er, 700 students in Hanataba, and out of those you're definitely in the upper 200".
"What? Give me that!" she said, yanking her results off you, "Oh no, no no no, I can't possibly have scored this high!"
"Wait, what? You mean you wanted to score lower?!" you had to gawk at her.
"Grr, no, oh lemme explain," she snarled, looking back at you, "Listen, you know what it's gonna do for my popularity if people start thinking I'm really some sort of brainiac?! If everyone here gets the impression I'm some math dweeb or something, I'll get run out of Coolsville!", she then clutched her temples.
You had to keep staring at her, "Er, look, I don't know how you do things in America. but from my own experience, kids who got good grades are usually pretty popular, compared to the sheer shame of flunking anyway" you muttered. "My point is, you're gonna be fine. And plus, aren't you always talking about getting into a good college anyway, aren't these the sort of results you'd want them to see?"
"Well yeah, but I wasn't gonna study to get in or anything, that's what my wealth's for!" Melissa protested, before she said, "Ugh, whatever, do you wanna go trash prettyboy's Empire or what?"
That did sound like more of a plan, as you both snuck back into the Prized Pupil lounge. Well, not before Melissa insisted on scribbling all over and denting Kikuko's seat in their classroom.
"Uh yeah, better hope your handwriting's not that distinguishable," you sighed as she did.
Finally in the Lounge, you were about to lay your card on the Gameboard, but Melissa again insisted on messing around, in this case trying to barge into Kikuko's private room.
"Hey, if you're her Jack now, wouldn't you some special secret passcode or something to help me bust in here?" she called out to you.
You just looked at her and said, "...You know if you do bust into her room, I can easily tell on you to her? And given whose Empire we're breaking into, wouldn't sneaking into Azuma's room make more sense?"
"Tell on me? You wouldn't dare!" Melissa all but snapped at you as she stomped over, but then slowly began to smile as she said, "Although, now that you mention it, yeah, finding out what Azuma keeps private does hella stoke me", fanning herself.
"Uh, sure. Besides, Kikuko's room is all like Zen, so it's pretty minimal, you'd probably get bored with it fast," you also told her, trying to further dissuade her.
Neither of you had Kikuko's sword with you to help break into Azuma's room, Melissa could probably get her shotgun or something but, uh yeah, not a good idea. However, as you eyed the input lock on his crown-emblazed door, you figured it wouldn't be too hard to guess his password.
You got the one who dreaded out of the way first, plugging in your own name. That didn't work, though in a way that was relieving to you. You then tried Theodora, then Richard III, then York... all nothing, and you worried your next guess would lock you out period.
"Melissa, you er, know his Mum, you got maybe another thought on cracking this code?" you asked.
"Well, Rurina gets awkward any time you bring up that old monster movie she did," she said, then had to add, "Also, her favourite position is-"
"Thank you, that'll be all," you told her, as you plugged on 'Deathdemona' into the lock, out of desperation at this point. Surprisingly, it lit up green, as Azuma's door swung open.
Even if you had managed to sneak into his private room, the place was so drenched in darkness that you wondered if you'd be able to make out anything anyway. From what you did see, the place reminded you of a cross between a lothario's secret lounge and some old set from a pre-technicolor vampire flick. It didn't help that for some reason there was no light-switch, Azuma's eyes must be really sturdy then, you thought.
"Heh, back in the States, if we found out any kid had a room like this, we'd shunt the guy straight into the emo/try-hard clique," Melissa had to laugh, "Over here though, you make the guy the most popular boy in school. Like, what is with you?"
You did manage to make out several prints on the wall, mostly depicting scenes from Shakespeare, old Japanese tales adapted into plays like The Tale of Genji and Yoshitsune Senbonzakura, and even a few old cels from animated musicals. You also were able to make out the collected works of several playwrights, beyond Shakespeare there was Monzaemon, Chekhov, Wagner, and Strindberg... and even a Romance Manga tankobon, though you guessed it belong to the 'girl loves clearly abusive guy' subgenre.
"Ahem, Honoka, I'd look down if I were you," Melissa gave an awkward smile, pointing to the ground.
Now that she mentioned it, you did feel your feet brushing up against something on the floor. You bent down then stepped back, heading into the light where you could actually make it out.
You then wished you'd stayed in the darkness, as it turned out what you were holding was a pile of photos of you, each of them ripped in half. Things got even more uncomfortable when Melissa came out carrying what looked like three voodoo dolls of some sort, each with yours, hers, and Kikuko's name written on them.
"Y'know, at least Azuma bothered to print a bunch of photos of you in order to rip them up," Melissa then said, hands on her hips, "The only thing related to me in there was this creepy doll thing, which you and Kikuko also got so it barely counts", casually flinging said doll aside.
"...Oh shut up." you had to snarl, before saying, "Why the Hell would you even want Azuma to give you more attention anyway?"
"B-because," Melissa suddenly stuttered, before she burst out with, "Because I want him! I thought, oh well, if the most popular boy at school doesn't like me, no big deal, I can still totally dominate his love life by setting someone up with him. But, for whatever insane reason, you kept turning him down every single time! So then I thought, hey, his Mom's lonely and desperate, she could be my ticket to getting back at him, but oh no! He just sees that as an invitation to then start fucking my stepmom, and the- and then- Goddamn Christ!"
Losing all control, Melissa then lunged out at you, but you were easily able to sidestep her, which had the effect her accidentally throwing herself upon the Gameboard, getting sucked in. Following after her, you found her in her queen bee prom dress crumbled into a heap in the middle of No One's Land.
"W-why doesn't he want me?" you heard her blubbing out, her face now streaked with tears, "Is-is that what I am to him, no, to everyone around me? Just my wealth, just my family, just my looks, just how damn exotic and foreign I am in this country?!"
"...Come on, get up now," you then said to her, extending your hand. "Melissa, if you ask me, I feel I started getting popular, or at least actually noticed at school, not when I joined the All-Aces, that just popularised my image, or rather the image your crew invented for me. Rather... it was when I started making friends, when I tried helping and being nice to people".
As Melissa's tears dried out, she then said, "Yeah, right, don't give me that Girl Scout bullshit. Being all 'aren't I so nice and friendly' is just an invitation for people to start taking advantage of you, that's always the fate of good girls. Like, look how your sweet Himawari turned out.
Besides, most everyday, unmemorable people don't need someone to just be nice to them, they need some serious tough love. To be told if they don't shape up and make something of themselves, they're gonna remain losers forever," Melissa blurted out, but then became self-reflective again, "...Sorry, guess I'm getting carried away. I mean, I just gave away my feelings for Azuma to you, and you're someone else's Jack".
"You know what? I'll say you are," you sighed, before your head turned to the north and you asked, "Still up for wrecking Azuma's Empire though?"
Melissa grinned then put her hand in yours, "You bet".
- Strength has Journeyed to Rank 4! -
XXXVI. Theatre of Cruelty
You headed right up to where that locked iron door had been, the furthest you'd gotten the last time you'd ventured into Azuma's Empire. However, you found this door wouldn't budge an inch, leaving you stuck out here for all you knew.
"Allow me," Melissa strutted up, before she called forth Anjou to blast the door right open with a Freila spell, sending its fragments everywhere "Like, we could've just circled around and tried to find some side entrance or something, but that'd be us adapting to the environment, not making the environment adapt to us!"
You gulped, trying to tell her, "You know, the reason I didn't just try nuking the door myself was 'cause, well, I assumed the whole point of us coming in on Sunday was stealth and all that". Melissa then acted like she hadn't heard you.
This palace's foyer was a sparkling, golden hall, taken up by a massive staircase that split in two, and a mirror-like floor below. You slowly stepped onto the mirrored surface, only for an at least expected bad thing to happen, as you were promptly sucked into the floor below.
<<BGM: FFXII - To the Place of the Gods>>https://youtu.be/qwM03t-lsPQ
Along with the new nausea of you now being upside-down, when you tried to take a step forward, you instead moved backwards, and to test this, when you tried steeping to the left, you instead moved right.
Naturally, you could then see Melissa laughing at you from the other, normal side. You tried shouting at her to not touch the mirrored surface, but your words instead came out as "!roolf eht hcuot t'nod ,assileM".
"Huh, pardon moi, the Hell you just say?" Melissa said back, but she then seemed to get it with, "Okay, yeah, I touch the mirror, I get stuck in it, uh huh. Although, this reminds me, I've seriously gotta get something like this installed in my own Empire," she started stroking her chin, making you groan.
As you figured you might as well try to map out this mirrored world, Melissa was then able to avoid touching the floor by... casting another Freila to rocket herself up onto a hanging chandelier, from which she was able to access the balconies. Figures though that you had to sneak in today with who may've been the least stealthy All-Ace.
You then got Mayasura out to scan this place for enemies and treasure, with you weirdly finding out that there were some Shadows and chests exclusive to the mirrored side of things, and that most doors locked on one side were open on the other, save the front door which had been thoroughly blasted open. As you cast his spells, you suddenly winced in pain, this feeling like the recoil you usually got from using physical skills. Wait, so spells now cost HP and physical skills now cost SP? Ugh, yet another thing this place is making me keep track of. It also then occurred to you that you couldn't healing spells here without cancelling them out as they cut back into your health.
Looking outside, well the mirror's outside, you found the garden quickly faded into nothing. You guessed that made sense, for the mirror to only contain the world it saw, though it left you dreading what'd happen if you possibly went out into that white void.
Wait a second, you thought, Is there... something out there? as you spotted an inky black shadow emerging among the pale nothingness. Seriously not wanting to find out, you then tried running as far away from the door as you could, only for that to screw up your brain as here it meant going completely against your instincts by having you try to run backwards. Luckily you had Wind spells courtesy of Prospero to get you away faster, even if it meant you had to now endure a ton of pain doing so.
Heading down a corridor, you confirmed Mayasura's readings with most of this place having mirrored floors, with some strategically placed carpets lying around so presumably Azuma wouldn't fall prey to his own security mechanism. Even when the mirror world suddenly ran out though, you found you were able to get Anastasia to cast Ice spells to extend the mirror world's boundaries, although only so far due to your health not being limitless.
This led to another problem though, when the ice timed out and started to melt... while you were still on it. You thought for a second you were gonna end up in the white oblivion, but instead this seemed to trick the mirror, and finally send you back into the 'normal world'.
"There you are! God, just like you to take off on me!" Melissa then came up behind the you back in the normal Empire, you thinking you could easily say the same about her.
Your weary self had to get used to moving out normally again, your confused brain nearly sending you into a slump. Thankfully your preserved SP meant you could easily heal back up with Prospero casting Diarama.
Melissa and you had found yourself next to large, oaken door and a stairway leading down to another door right beneath it. Given the strange smell of smoke coming from the door a floor below, you decided to try the door right next to you first naturally.
Er, that turned out to be quite the mistake, as you found the theatre ahead was covered in long, lance-like thorns instead of seats, with the bodies of various 'audience member' Shadows impaled upon them.
"Haha, no!" Melissa said, firmly slamming this door shut. This left to take a chance on the door below, only for that to confirm your initial fears, as the thorn-covered lower level of the theatre beyond had also been set ablaze. From both floors, you could weirdly hear the sound of bats flapping around in the rafters.
[x] Go with the upper theatre level, at least it's not on fire.
[ ] Go with the lower level, you don't see anyone impaled down there.
[ ] You go high, Melissa goes low.
[ ] You go low, Melissa goes high.
[ ] Maybe you'd have better luck going back into that mirror world. You're staying clear of that void Shadow though.
[ ] You know what, take your chances with that void Shadow, you've probably faced worse.
[ ] Maybe you should check out the rest of that surrounding garden/moat, seems more normal than here?
[ ] Just plain exit this Empire, this was a stupid idea to begin with.
[ ] Write-in.
"Assuming no more of those thorns spring up, I think we'd have better odds with the upper floor," you decided, "I mean for the lower floor, I can just switch to a fire-resistant Persona, or maybe cast a bunch of Ice spells to create water, but that'd still leave you stranded". You did feel it kind of amusing to talk about using Simurgh in front of Melissa, what with whose Shadow she was.
"What, my Anjou can already block Nuclear, and that's basically like Fire but even more, right?" Melissa spoke up, of course having to make this difficult, "So why shouldn't I be able to handle the lower floor?"
"Because I don't think this magic stuff works like that," you told her. It was hard to wrap your head around, but you then said, "I think it's because, like, the symbolism of a flame and an, er, atom is different, so that while they can be physically similar, metaphorically they both have their own cognitive significance".
Melissa just glared at you. "That's dumb. You're dumb!"
You had to groan. "Whatever, let's just go through the upper door".
As the thorns didn't leave you much room to navigate, you stood back to allow Melissa to chainsaw her way through. You both had to move fast though, as the impaling thorns were quick to regrow, though it was a good thing you had Carmilla's physical nullification. One thing you did notice was that the impaled audience all wore the same Grecian masks Keiko's Shadow had.
You soon made it through the seats and to the balcony, only to look down and see that, between the lower auditorium and the stage, there was a giant, gaping abyss right where the orchestral pit would normally be.
It soon became clear, as the bats above all started flocking together into a single circle, that this little balcony would be all the room you had for maneuvering, unless you wanted to take your chances with the fire below or take a serious leap of faith.
<<BGM: Umineko - The dark and crazed Requiem of Purgatory>>https://youtu.be/t3XnwI4Y4-A
Crashing down onto the upper floor, seemingly not damaged at al by the lancing thorns, was the same Shadow-subject Azuma had called on that Friday the 13th: Vlad 'Dracula' Tepes, the count with a cape of blood and his victims' heads skewered on shoulder-spikes.
The vampire lunged forward at you with an entire, Swiss army-like flock of pikes, forcing you and Melissa to dodge onto opposite ends of balcony to keep from getting skewered. You switched to Skuld to try instantly taking him out with Hamaon, but the blast of holy light missed him by an inch.
That left Melissa to completely abandon all stealth, something she didn't seem to care about much in the first place, when she ordered a Freila from Anjou. It did deal quite a fair bit of damage, the Sun itself being a nuclear reactor you guessed, though that didn't mesh with the whole symbology thing- ugh, never mind.
Dracula was sent stumbling back onto the thorns, though it seemed spears were little more than a cushion to him. He however was able to grab whole swathes of thorns in each hand, and use them to try lashing at both walls, where you were cornered, simultaneously. Melissa had her chainsaw ready to tear through the thorns before they could hit her, while you just switched to Carmilla to null the damage again.
That still left the push of the impact though, which reminded you how felt to have a doctor cut you open while you were under an anesthetic. Though you felt no pain, you still struggled slightly to remove your pinned self from the wall.
Meanwhile, a roaring Melissa was tearing straight through the thorns towards Dracula, an incensed look in her eyes as she then produced her shotgun and fired as many shots into him as its recoil and ammo would let her. However, her head-on assault ran into a wall when it came to Dracula's more sinister tactics, such as casting the death's head mark of Mudoon on her.
Unlike your Hamaon, his one-hit kill actually worked, which sent Melissa screaming as she collapsed in a heap on the floor. Luckily you still had Anastasia around for this sort of thing, with a Recarm spell followed by a Diarama from Prospero, feeling good for once to be on the casting end of a resurrection spell.
Melissa did have to turn around and glare at you thought, but finding no real way to put you down after what you'd just done for, simply said "Ah, thanks", as she turned her attention back on Dracula.
From what you knew via Carmilla though, vampires were supposed to be weak to fire, right? That gave you an idea, although hopefully not one any infernal Shadows below would take advantage of.
"Melissa, try attacking the floor!" you suddenly called out to her. You then called Simurgh to launch an Agilao, not at Dracula, but rather at the wooden floor and the thorns coming out of it. Melissa, gradually realising what plan you'd come up with, promptly tried to outdo you with a great big Mafreila aimed straight down.
That broke the floor wide open, although with him being a vampire, Dracula was suddenly able to transform himself into a flock of bats to keep from falling into the fire. Melissa wasn't so fortunate, and as she fell you had to get straight on Simurgh to pick her up in her talons. "Ow ow owowow!" Melissa complained all the while before you dropped her back on the balcony.
Dismounting the Simurgh yourself, you then switched to Prospero and made the choice of having him cast Magarula. The Wind element alone didn't affect the Dracula bats more than anything else, but it was more than able to push them all down while feeding the flames below. Soon enough, each and every Dracula bat had now caught on boosted fire, their shrieking as they were incinerated made beautiful music to your tired self at least.
A somehow still going Dracula, well vampires were stubbornly enduring you guessed, was made to revert back to his humanoid form though, where on this lower floor he was suddenly confronted by that same red jester Azuma had called on your assault on Gakuto's Empire. A Shadow who, Azuma not there to coordinate them, had plenty more fire spells to keep Dracula busy.
<<BGM: Melty Blood - Beat>>https://youtu.be/zXVlwe6oCww
Sighing with relief as victory was at last yours, rain then fell on your parade as it occurred to you all those audience members had now fallen into the inferno too. Well like, they were all impaled already, so chances are that life left long ago... you thought at first, until it occurred to you that sure, these cognitions in here may've been dead, but could you say the same for their counterparts in the physical world?
Melissa was still left coughing from all the ashes and smoke that had come up, so by picking her up in Simurgh's talons again, which was starting to amuse you by now, you then deposited her and dismounted yourself on the lighting rafters hanging high above, choosing them over an unstable-looking chandelier, from which you were at a great vantage point to view this whole theatre room.
Unfortunately, it didn't look like there was a way further in. Most of the hanging boxes seemed positioned to lead back into the corridor you'd just come from, and while there were paths on either side of the stage leading to the back, both looked to be blocked off by thorny rosebush hedges that had suddenly grown towering upwards. They reminded you of those walls that had suddenly appeared in Eitaro's Empire, when you had known too little about him to head further in.
Given that the stage, currently showing the cavernous scene of a dragon's hoard (weirdly fitting for Melissa you thought), seemed like the perfect place for yet another Shadow to attack you, and that the fight with Vlad Drac there had taken a lot out of you mana-wise, it looked like you were pretty much stuck.
Melissa however was now complaining about the exact opposite thing. "Sheesh, haven't we seen enough? Like, we just turned one of his goth generals into barbecue and smashed one of his floors, I'd say were about done for the day here".
"Yeah, you have a point," you had to admit, but eyeing that unstable chandelier, there was at least one last thing you were tempted to do before you left. Pointing to its rickety construction, you grinned at Melissa had asked, "Will you do the honours?"
It looked like you had not needed say anything, as Melissa had Anjou cast Freila straight back the chain holding that chandelier up, sending it shattering on the stage below. Before any Shadows could take notice, you called on PITT to use Escape Route to get you right back to No One's Land.
* * *
From there, you were going to then fold your cards to teleport back out of the Gameboard, but Melissa suddenly grabbed your hand, her seeming to have other plans.
"Oh no no no, where you do think you're going, hmm?" she then leaned right into you, "I need to unload some serious steam after, ugh, everything in Azuma's place, and luckily my Empire comes equipped with the perfect solution," she said, dragging you along.
Well, sneaking in and getting the layout of Melissa's Empire was something Kikuko wanted, you thought, I doubt Melissa will show too much off to me, being not even her Jack... or she might show everything out of vanity, who knows?
"You know, after we've gone through an Empire, we usually discuss what we've found out about the Ace in question," you then brought up with Melissa, as you started heading over the hilly dunes that led to her Empire.
"...Uh, only thing I've found out about Azuma is he needs a therapist pronto," Melissa just said.
"Yeah, between those mutilated dolls, the torn photos, and then those impalings, I, well this won't be easy to say," you began to mumble, before you said more clearly, "Azuma's floweriness and fakeness put me off, but once got me curious to know who the 'real him' was. Having seen... all that, I now take that back, the real him's probably even worse. That whole calm, composed act he's got going on is just that, an act, like everything else he does".
"It's tragic, really, especially when he has such a simple solution to all his poser angst bullshit," Melissa then said, beaming up with "He can just start dating me. Like, he should know already that I want him, and it should make all the stuff surrounding our, er, moms, stepmom in my case, a little neater".
You stopped to gawk at her. "Melissa... have you honestly not learned anything from this experience?!" you said flat-out to her.
She just chortled and sneered, "'Learn something'? What the Hell is this, the ending to a Full House episode?"
"It'll be the ending to The Graduate if you aren't careful," you hissed. Part of you did have to think though, maybe trying to hook Melissa up with Azuma would get him off you and Kikuko's backs and give them a taste of their own medicine... though at the same time, would it be you stooping to their level?
"Guess I'm biased in saying this, but I'm starting to feel like Azuma's a real threat you should be preparing for, not Kikuko," you tried to get through to her.
"Hah, nice try, I'm not going a touch easier on Kikuko just 'cause you're her Jack. Far as I know, she's got some equally fucked up shit just waiting there in her Empire," Melissa said, impossible to get through to as ever.
Well, between his private room and his Empire, you'd learned more than enough about Azuma... more than you ever wanted, really.
- The Emperor has Journeyed to Rank 3! -
* * *
<<BGM: Rose of Versailles - Magical Rose>>https://youtu.be/D3xQ0SL4Jf8
Finally at Melissa's Empire again for the longest time, you two were instantly greeted by a warrior Shadow with fiery red hair, a sword and bow, and a body that had its pieces glued back together with... what looked like honey, plus some copper stitches. Appropriately enough, he was accompanied by a humanoid bee woman, her weapons being her soldier bees all swarmed together into armaments.
They both seemed ready to attack you, but Melissa told them "At ease, troops. Honoka's here as a friend, well, for now she is, anyway. As for you two, Magician Lemminkainen and Empress Austeja, I want you to round up all the other Shadows here to go totally wild on Azuma's Empire, we've charted a route out and gotten rid of his vamp goon so it's free for the taking, so he's gonna freak when he sees what's happened!"
Still dragging you along, Melissa went on to say, "Now that we've got my subjects to do all the heavy lifting, you and me are going to par-tay it up, my Empire comes equipped with the best pool on the Gameboard! Well, there's also that lake around Kikuko's Empire, but that's probably all saltwater and shit".
"Hey wait, I didn't bring a bathing suit or anything!" you protested, "Besides, didn't we already have a big party in Russia?"
Melissa stared blankly at you. "Are you seriously attempting to say no to another party? Gawd Honoka, no wonder you were a total loser before we got a hold of you".
"I was just wondering about the time, y'know?" you brought up, "Like, doesn't it still pass on the Gameboard?"
"Yeah but comparing timezones in the real world already gives me a headache, so I try not to think about it" Melissa told you, "Besides, like you had any other plans this Sunday".
A wave of Melissa's tarot card opening causing the large, revolving door entrance to unstick itself, you were indoors in Melissa's Empire for the first time.
You figured this place had to be at least five storeys deep, the whole thing like an iceberg extending even further below ground, no, almost like a bunker really. Its walls were white but heavily drenched in pink and blue lighting. You'd seen pictures of similar megamalls in Shibuya, Ikebukuro, and Osaka, but this place could rival any of them (from your limited experience).
Most of the stores around you had to be fashion places from what you saw, you could even see a giant spider-woman Shadow weaving threads together in one of them.
"Oh, that's Arachne. I once sent her on a mission to Gakuto's Empire, if only for the 'web' pun," Melissa chuckled, "Guess she could fix you up with a swimsuit if you're too modest to go skinny-dipping".
"Uh, appreciated," you just muttered.
Speaking of her Shadow-subjects, you could see the rank-and-file ones all resembled mannequins, such as in their joints or the clothes they were made to wear.
A quick elevator ride got you down to this swimming pool, which seemed to be Olympic-sized and in a huge, arched room that let the light from the surface in with the skylight. Melissa you saw already had her Shadows turn on a giant stereo that was blasting some indescribable American tune at max volume, along with having prepared whole cartons what looked like some kind of alcohol. She does know the legal drinking age is twenty in Japan, right? you thought, though were reminded you were now on the Gameboard, so that should be a question you should take up with, er, the Morrigan maybe?
She immediately soaked your clothes by performing a cannonball off the nearest diving board, though it wasn't like your outfits hadn't gone through worse on the Gameboard. As you were drenched, you thought to play a prank by freezing the water above her with Anastasia. She took that about as well as you would expect, as even though she could've just swam sideways to the plenty of water that wasn't frozen, she instead cast another Mafreila to send the pool water everywhere.
Heh, that made you just jump in, pretty much having no excuse now.
Her private party went on like that for quite some time, but her not being the best host, her mind would have to be more on her guests for that, you did have to get to thinking about what your plans were for the upcoming week. Well, what you could fit in between the Sports Festival.
[ ] Drama Club, you really need to confront Azuma.
[ ] Tea Ceremony Club, Kikuko's been expecting you.
[ ] Class Rep duties for Ryouko, get back in the school's good graces.
[ ] Practicing music for Nightshade, her time at Hanataba's over but her music career at least isn't.
[ ] Checking out how the Computer Club's been handling things since Gakuto.
[ ] Training at the Tsutsuji Dojo, should give them some business, or company.
[ ] Get through gaming group together, Mid-Terms and Sports Festival is probably seriously exhausting Hotaru.
[ ] Devote yourself to the cricket team, this may be their big chance.
[x] Manage Occult Club, get the place just right before Colette comes back.
[ ] Cool off from the Sports Festival by plugging yourself into the Internet.
[ ] Study with:
- [ ] Reina.
- [ ] Yuya.
- [ ] Suzako.
- [ ] Colette.
[ ] Help your parents out around the house.
[ ] Ask Megumi to maybe you show around their University, even if it's not the place you plan to attend.
[ ] Gameboard:
- [ ] Finally take on Lauryn's Empire.
- [ ] Explore the parts of Melissa's Empire she doesn't want to see.
- [ ] Find out what's happening with Himawari's Empire, the only 'dethroned' Empire without a death.
- [ ] Gakuto's Empire should be checked out, place is probably all glitching out.
- [ ] You should really get acquainted with Kikuko's Empire.
- [ ] Eitaro's Empire could do with some dusting.
[ ] Write-in.
Speaking of which, the Sports Festival event you were most excited for was:
[ ] Relay.
[ ] Tsunahiki (tug of war).
[ ] Odori dancing.
[x] The Cricket Team showcase.
[ ] Karimono Kyousou (scavenger hunt race).
[ ] Nothing, it's Sports.
[ ] Write-in.
XXXVIII. Sports Festival Finished
Okay, Thursday was the day of the Sports Team showcases, more meant for the public of Hanataba instead of any rival schools, given that they'd be having their own events right now. You suspected Melissa's parents were too busy elsewhere to come, and you doubted Kikuko's father was the type to show up to School Festivals at all, from what fleeting impressions you'd gotten of him.
That still left Azuma's folks, though you could only picture Tomomi coming along kicking and screaming, and, oh God, your parents...
"Hey there son, daughter, you've been good while Mummy's been busy?" you attempted a joke as you awkwardly sat next to them on the bleachers.
"Oh hey, Honoka. You've joined a Sports Team, huh? You've certainly done a lot of growing this past year, but I have to say, I can't help be surprised, er, I mean proud. Baseball, huh?" your dad started with.
"Cricket, actually," you explained, "Though I get the confusion. Er, to be honest, the Vice-Principal actually told me, not in person though, to join another club, so I went with the Cricket team since they were struggling. Helps I knew the Captain".
"Ah, er, Cricket, I see," your father mumbled, "I guess I've told you I was a member of the Lacrosse team back when, right? Boy you bet I was picked on for that".
"Hmm, I feel I say this coming from the Art World, but Sports have always rubbed me the wrong way, what with the competitiveness of it all..." your mother muttered, but added, "Nevertheless, Cricket, quite an inspired choice I must say! Ah, and you'd think I was in the Painting Club or Industrial Arts back in my high school days, but no actually. I was in the Astronomy Club, I didn't find my interest in metalworking and glassblowing until graduation... Oh my, I'm so sorry, I must've been rambling again," she went all apologetic.
"No Mum, it's fine," you told her. Believe me, the competitiveness of Sports is tame compared to some competitions I've been in. "Thing is, I think cricket's scheduled dead last, so I won't be up for a while now".
<<BGM: Samurai Shodown - Snowy Mountain Village>>https://youtu.be/iyj146W4r0U
First up was, unsurprisingly, kendo, as hosted by Kikuko. You also saw Melissa's Cheer Squad emerging onto the field for support at the same time. Peering closer, you could see this was much to Kikuko's annoyance and Melissa's reluctance.
For now though, Kikuko seemed resigned to just ignore them and focus on her own demonstration, as you could see her invite Na-rae onto the field only to immediately start whaling on her.
You realised though that you'd never even considered joining the Cheer Squad. Originally it was because you were too unattractive, but even after the All-Aces you'd hesitated, assumedly because you only wanted to get as close to Melissa as you needed.
But I dunno, did I reflexively consider it just too 'girly' or something? you had to ponder. And if I did, well, does it really makes sense for me, a girl, to be ashamed of girly stuff? Of course, I hang out with Reina and Colette all the time, the two most feminine people I know, so eh.
As the kendo demonstration progressed though, you could see Melissa standing aside and talking on her phone while her subordinates did all the actual cheer demonstrations. Immediately afterwards, you heard a loud revving noise, as the blond-haired baseball team, as well those car-driving yankii from yesterday, promptly crashed the kendo demonstration, to the shock of the whole audience.
Unfortunately for them, Kikuko may have been the last student here anyone would want to pull a stunt like that on, as the Ace of Swords took out the nearest of these intruders with a single sword strike. As the kendo team and US-besotted baseball team and yankii started to clash, Kikuko turned her head to eye you directly, as if to say 'Get down here, Jack'.
Gulping, you then made your way down onto the field, where Kikuko promptly tossed you a sword, "Good to see you here, now get to work," she told you "If these miscreants want a kendo demonstration..."
Okay, first thing, you'd barely ever wielded a sword, even if you acknowledged it was what Kikuko had on her right now, and second... you'd never really thought outside the Gameboard. How the Hell were you supposed to fend off a pack of hooligans like this without your Persona?
You groaned and got ready anyway, as your training with tonfas ensured you could at least swing your arms really hard. You then discovered that Kikuko made swordplay look a lot more effortless than it actually was, though luckily most of the guys you were up against here were hardly skilled fighters, having little more to their tactics than brute force.
Mindlessly slashing your way through them, you headed straight up to Melissa and confronted her with, "What the Hell do you think you're doing?!"
"Gawd, what is your problem? I just thought our Cheer Squad could use some bodyguards, that's all, can't be too careful ya know. Either way, Kikuko should be thanking me, really, as because of me she's gotten to flaunt her sword skills here way more than she would've otherwise," Melissa just smirked.
"Yeah 'bodyguards', right," you fumed.
"Oh, I dunno. This brawl's been the most entertaining thing I've seen this whole festival, probably at this whole school," said the voice of Tomomi of all people, who suddenly walked up behind you, "I mean like, back when I was at this dump, the most exciting thing that'd ever happen was when somebody hid firecrackers in the Teachers' Lounge".
"Hold up, you're here?" Melissa then said to Tomomi, "Oh Lord, how am I supposed to cheer anyone on when your entire existence sucks all the fun out of the room?!"
"Meh, just try harder I guess," Tomomi shrugged "'Pull up your bootstraps' or some shit".
"Grr, I'll have you know, your family's exceedingly wealthy too!" Melissa snapped after hearing that jab at her.
The last of those tough guys on the field were mopped up by Makoto as she leapt in, which on second thought did make sense to you, her now overseeing the Martial Arts Club. While Makoto made short work of them, she was then confronted by the Vice-Principal, who asked her, "Miss Niijima, care to explain why you've clearly intervened in matters not your own?"
"Well, I am part of the faculty here now, so I believe the students' safety is 'a matter of my own'," Makoto answered, "Besides, was I supposed to just leave these kids there to get attacked?"
"We were handling these thugs just fine on our own, before you decided to play hero," Kikuko then spoke to Makoto, stepping in between her and the Vice-Principal, before whispering in the Librarian's ear "Fujino Teruko may be the one adult here I respect most of all, so I don't appreciate you casually talking back to her. Still, Niijima is it... even I must commend your fighting prowess," Kikuko finished, sheathing her blade.
At the end of this whole event gone haywire, Nadezhda of all people suddenly ran up in full cheerleading costume and beamed, "I'm here~, what did I miss?!"
"Nadezhda, what?" Melissa sputtered out, "How did you know where to find this school?!"
* * *
With time passing, this just left the Cricket showcase, along with you wracking your brain about how not to expose yourself to Kikuko when you played in front of the school with Takako. One of the main appeals of you joining this team was you thought it wouldn't attract All-Ace attraction.
Well, it helped that most people had gone home by now, the Cricket team not having the most promising timeslot, so maybe you could work something out.
[x] Put on your disguise, that's what it's there for, and then explain to your parents it's part of your uniform or something.
[ ] Try to find Kikuko first, then say something to distract her before you head onto the field.
[ ] Just hope Kikuko's elsewhere by now and play undisguised anyway.
[ ] Play undisguised, then explain to Kikuko that you thought you could, er, 'take over' the Cricket team.
[ ] Play undisguised, then tell Kikuko you don't care about her stupid list.
[ ] Tell the Cricket team you have to be elsewhere, but that you know they're got this.
[ ] Write-in.
"Shame that we don't have a separate Festival to showcase Winter Sports," you heard Ikue saying as you got ready for the showcase game, "I'd finally be able to show my unrivalled skiing skills at this academy".
"Well, I don't think that many winter sports are really that team-oriented," you had to say, "The sort of thing schools go for to build 'spirit' or whatever. Oh wait, there is bobsledding, but we don't exactly have any Jamaican transfer students, do we?" Pretty much nobody responded to your attempt at a joke.
"Okay, we're playing against each other team, just like we've been practicing!" Takako exclaimed, before she went out of the lockers and onto the field to speak to the gathered, um, 'crowds', "Hi there, and big thanks to all the people who are still... y'know, here," a tumbleweed rolled past, "Um, you like personal stories in sports, right? You see, so I'm from Okinawa, where I got ta meet all sorts of different people coming in, some of which introduced me to Cricket, natch. Once I got started on it, I was obsessed, there was like, no way I could go back to baseball-"
You winced. "Er, you think dragging down Baseball's really gonna endear Takako, or the rest of us, to the crowd?" you asked Ikue.
Ikue just sighed, "At this point, what crowd?"
"-Ah, my point is, if you think baseball's cool, cricket will blow you away! Right then team, on the field!" Takako then looked back at you as you started to head out and get in formation, the spectators nowhere near as enthusiastic.
Your eyes widened though as, along with Ibuki, you also saw Satomi Mamiko, Gakuto's reluctant accomplice, among the fielders. If we were recruiting people with a grudge against the All-Aces as it seemed (perhaps recruiting Suzako was in order?), then you guessed Mamiko certainly had the right to be here. Still, seeing her reminded you that you should really check up on the Computer Club and see how it's... handling things.
Oh geez, Takako was relentless on the field, this being the team's big moment right now, her lightning-fast bowling ultimately getting you out as it struck the wicket. This left one of the would-be baseball girls to come up to bat, who didn't last much longer than you.
You were relieved that, when you got the chance to bat again, it was against Ikue, Takako now crouching behind you as wicketkeeper. You soon were able to score, well, what in baseball could be considered a 'home run', you having forgotten the cricket-specific term, letting you run up and down the pitch to your hearts' content.
"I still like it better when they run around the diamond though," you overheard someone in the stands whispering.
The showcase, and school in general that day, all over, you almost could've collapsed out of relief. You weren't certain how good an impression you'd made on the people new to cricket, but if anyone asked you, you'd definitely say you gave it your all.
"Not bad," Ikue said to you, though with a restrained snarl. "Huh, at first I only joined this team because none other here would have me after I rejected the All-Aces, but you may have given me an initiative to... improve, Honoka," she smirked, pointing the bat at you like she was brandishing a rapier.
You kinda had to smile back at her, thinking, Wow, even if it torpedoed her rep here, turning down the All-Aces was probably the best option for her, I'd say anyway.
"Hey, that was good, er, batting out there," your father then came up to you, "Excuse me, but have you seen our daughter, Honoka? We were told she was part of the team here". You weren't sure if this was another one of your dad's jokes or if your disguise actually was that good.
"Dad, it's me," you grinned, removing your silver wig to let your auburn hair flow down again, "Ah, if you're wondering what's with the wig, it's er, part of the uniform. You see, like..." you struggled to come up with an answer, "You know how people associate dyed red hair with street gangs, right? So even if my hair's natural, I had to wear this wig to, uh, make this unfamiliar sport look more acceptable. More distinguished, hence the silver" your etiquette and education let you make things up on the spot.
"Honoka, you know you shouldn't really have to hide you who are," your mother protested, though did say, "Well, if it's only for this sport, then I figure that's alright, and you at least chose a wig rather than dyeing your natural colour".
Oh, you guys don't know the half of 'hiding who you are', you thought.
"Heya, Honoka! Oh wow, take it these are your folks, am I right?" Takako came up to meet with you.
"Ah yeah, Mum and Dad, this is Yamashiro Takako, our captain and Okinawan transfer student. Takako, these are my parents, Nakamura Kanae and Yozou" you gave introductions.
Your father had to grin. "You're from Okinawa, huh? Boy that's something, but I oughta be grateful someone would honour us by transferring from there to here, I imagine most students wish they could transfer to Okinawa instead" your dad tried to make conversation.
Takako had to laugh out loud at him. "Hey, no need ta put yourself down like that, I mean there's a bunch of cool things here that you'd never see in the Ryukyus! No snow down there, obviously, or Ice Sculptures" she said smiling.
"Still, your shiisaa lion statues are absolutely exquisite!" your mother chimed in, "And the tropical sunlight must create an intense colour palette".
Takako could only say to this, "Eh, yeah, 'course it does, if you're into that sorta thing" she uneasily grinned.
"Oh yeah, hey there Hona, what'd I miss?" Megumi made their way up to you out of the blue. "Ah yeah, if you're wondering why I'm late to your Sports thing, er, got caught in traffic, yeah".
More like you got stoned and forgot, huh? You had to think.
"Whoa, got way crowded in here all of a sudden!" Takako had to comment.
"Okay, geez, you probably already know them, Mum and Dad, but Cricket Captain Takako, this is my roommate, Umebayashi Megumi," you gave another introduction, "Megumi's planning on becoming a figure-skater, right?" you had to add.
"What the- well er, it's complicated!" Megumi went wide-eyed as you so casually brought that up.
"Ah, so you're the roommate we've heard so much about," your dad spoke up as he looked at Megumi, "I have to admit, I was worried for a second when I heard a stranger would be living with my Honoka, but almost everything she's said about you has been positive," he smiled.
"Yes, but I personally am glad our Honoka had someone there living with her. She's an only child you know" your mother added.
Both you and Megumi had to wince a little at those words, knowing what was in store for both of you in your immediate future, but for now you both grinned at your parents' words.
"I do remember seeing some cricket on TV as a kid, when I was up late channel surfing and fiddling with the antennae, but that's about it, sorry," Megumi then said to Takako, before they added, "Yeah, I did say I wanted to be an ice skater maybe a couple of times, though Honoka would probably make a terrible partner", everyone but you laughing at that comment.
"Okay, Honoka's parents, Honoka's roommate, I just have one last little thing to say to our batter before I leave ta do wrap-up stuff," Takako then spoke up, before looking straight at you and saying, "Honoka, you were great out there, though of course, so was the entire team! Well er, maybe not by professional standards, but you definitely were to me! Well, gotta go".
You didn't know what to say to that, so just smiled as Takako left. At least you had someone right now to give you compliments.
- The Sun has Journeyed to Rank 3! -
"Lemme guess, the All-Aces hate her, right?" Megumi had to whisper to you.
"Yeah, they totally don't understand cricket," you told them back. Also didn't help that you brained Melissa with a cricket ball that one time.
"Ah, so nice to see Honoka make new friends!" your mum beamed, oblivious to what you'd just said.
* * *
The last two events of Sports Week were the dances and relay race, neither of which you were looking forward to. 2-C fortunately was due for the basic circle dance, mostly due to Ryouko's laziness, so not much chance to screw that up, but 3-B...
"Mind explaining what this is?" Kikuko snarled at Melissa.
"Well, as this school's head cheerleader, I had a talk with our teacher about spicing up our stuffy old folk dance with some modern pep," Melissa grinned, hand on her hip.
"If by that you mean turning an event meant as a display of school identity into an exhibit for yourself," Kikuko hissed, until she saw that the dance ended with some kind of human pyramid, naturally with Melissa at the top. "Hmm, fine, have it your way," Kikuko then said, but with a conspiratorial air. "I'm still not wearing that outfit though".
"Uh, if it's a problem, why don't you dance with our class instead?" you asked Kikuko, though your Ace's expression at that told you exactly what she thought about dancing with underclassmen.
As the dances began, your circle of girls eventually started joining hands with the circle of boys. Perhaps this was a step down from dancing at a Russian ball, but eh you didn't really mind. Things did get awkward when you took Yuya's hands.
"Oh er, hi there," you tried to smile as you two started dancing, "Uh yeah, sorry about you being forced to come out like that," you had to mutter, head bowed.
"Honoka, please, you have nothing to apologise for," Yuya then told you, "I just, y'know, wish I could've come out to you on my own terms, but how it happened wasn't your fault at all. Oh yeah, sheesh, Melissa took me on our first shopping trip the other day. Man was it a disaster," he had to laugh.
"Huh, what happened?" you asked.
"I told her I wanted to try on some of her clothes myself, and she lost her cool in public," he explained, still amused by it, "Though given her mental image of me, I don't know what else she expected me to say".
A little while on, when that 'new and improved' school dance of Melissa's was about to end, you then saw a whistling Kikuko slowly inch away from her position at the bottom of the human pyramid. The results were all too predictable, sending the rest of her class, including Na-rae, crashing into a heap on the ground, the school nurse running over immediately to check for injuries.
"What the Hell, Kikuko?!" Melissa burst out, a flaw in Kikuko's plan being that Melissa landed in a cushioned position on top of all the other students.
"You'd think I'd let that little ambush you arranged yesterday slide?" Kikuko oh so innocently chuckled.
You just groaned at the whole thing. Since Azuma unsurprisingly happened to be nearby, for once you went up and actually asked him something, "Do you think Kikuko's trying to bait Melissa into challenging her to a Duel or something? In that case, why doesn't she just challenge her first, to claim self-defence or something?"
"Duelling etiquette states that the challenged shall have said Duel take place on their homefield," Azuma restated for you, "Still, were I in Kikuko's position, I would doubt Melissa would honour those guidelines, especially as Gakuto also refused to".
"Yeah, another thing, who the Hell came up with this 'duel etiquette' anyway? The Gameboard? Some dead guy writing about pistols in the 17th century?" you had to ask.
"Why, we did. All of us at least agreed there had to be some structure in place, though Rin and I of course laid out most of it," Azuma told you.
Oh yeah, else you'd probably all have knifed each other in the back by now, you could only think.
"Huh, I have no idea what you're talking about," a still around Tomomi had to butt in.
"...Nothing, just a private matter," Azuma said on instinct.
"Private? You know I'm your sister, right? Not even your bedroom's private from me," Tomomi said back.
"It's a school secret, current students only," Azuma quickly stated.
Moving on, the relay races were the final event of Sports Week. As the baton was handed to you, you dashed along until you made it to the next in line, Suzako.
"Oh er, hey... everything okay being Melissa's Jack?" you had to ask her while you were there.
"God, what do you think?" Suzako grumbled, before saying swiftly, "Ah sorry, gotta go, in the middle of a race and all."
Not that your class won the relay anyway, but personally you were just glad the Sports Festival was over, the Cricket match being really the only thing you were looking that much forward to.
* * *
<<BGM: Umineko - Dance of the Moon Rabbits>>https://youtu.be/1ksK1dudxDw
For you personally, the real finale to this school week was the welcoming party for Colette, her at last being allowed back. Along with Hitoshi, Masaomi, and Ibuki, a bored Tomomi had decided that sounded like the most interesting thing going on here and so had joined in. On top of that, she'd also convinced you to play a little prank on the visiting Nadezhda.
"Ah, so you're telling me this totally is the coolest club in school?" Nadezhda had to ask, as she stared at all the bats and coffins around.
"Oh yeah, Nadia, absolutely. Like I remember when I was forced to waste my time at this school, or 'attend' as you kids say, everyone was totally dying to get into the Occult Club," Tomomi told her, deadpan as ever on the surface, but probably laughing up a storm on the inside.
You'd decided to mix the silver wig Reina had gotten you with your standard marionette costume. Meanwhile, Nadezhda said she was in a Baba Yaga costume, but that mostly consisted of her just putting on a floppy pointed hat and 'borrowing' the janitor's bucket and mop. Tomomi meanwhile had gotten dressed in what she called the scariest thing ever, her old school uniform. She said she would've dressed as an Iron Maiden but couldn't pull it off this short notice.
"Shh, I think she's coming now," Hitoshi whispered.
As Colette stepped in, all of you shouted "Surprise!" as Masaomi lit a bunch of candles. You and the rest of the Club had all chipped in for the cake too, which was:
[x] A vanilla cake with red velvet icing like claw-marks, and strawberry syrup dripping down like blood.
[ ] A chocolate cake with white icing you'd made to look like a spiderweb, a gumball with licorice legs attached for the spider.
[ ] A pumpkin cake with whipped cream ghost and grave-shaped biscuits on top, RIP written on them in chocolate icing.
[ ] A rich black cake with purple frosting, sliced apples for eyes and a mouth, and little yellow butter creams.
[ ] Write-in.
Colette's eyes went wide as she saw the festivities you'd prepared for her, her face blushing red. Speechless at first, she then ran over and embraced you, saying "Oh Honoka, thank you!"
As everyone cheered her return, you then had to notice none other than Reina walking in behind her, wearing a corseted dark blue dress with strings attached to it like a marionette. Reina then immediately blushed herself, seeing how you were also wearing a similar outfit.
"Ah, I hope you don't mind that I also invited Reina," Colette explained, "She's been wonderful at keeping my tormented soul company this past month".
"Of course not," you smiled, "Just... a little unexpected, that's all".
You almost froze when you realised you'd forgot that Nadezhda was also here, as part of your 'hilarious' prank.
"Ah, hi there," Nadezhda acted friendly at first, but then said "Er, what's the girl who totally embarrassed Melissa doing here?"
Reina's bright expression was for a second knocked off her face, however Colette swiftly stepped in to tell Nadezhda, "I will not have mention of that name spoil this occasion".
Total puzzlement crossed Nadezhda's face, but she gulped and decided to go along with... whatever this was or now.
Tomomi couldn't help be amused by all this, as she turned to Colette and said, "Oh yeah, don't believe we've met. Name's Sakurazuka Tomomi, and I heard my little brother's clique completely hates you," her wisely not directly naming Azuma, "Which makes you a-okay in my book".
"Well, the fabled elder Sakurazuka have we? Ah yes, I was indeed aware of you, though it's something else to speak with you in person," Colette smiled and took Tomomi's hand.
"Oh, Miss Colette, we haven't shown you the coffins we made!" Ibuki sprung up, showing your project this week lined up along the wall.
Tomomi quickly counted them, before saying, "Hey, there's only five! How come I don't get a coffin?"
"Well, they are for Occult Club members only," you explained, "Plus, we did spend all week making them, in whatever time wasn't taken up by Sports," Or... other drama.
"Er... sorry, but I totally don't feel that coffin chic's really my style, y'know?" Nadezhda laughed shakingly, eyeing the room from side to side.
Once the cake was eaten, you having to re-divide it due to the addition of Reina, the former Jack of Coins had to say "Hey, it's getting pretty late, so... why don't we make this a sleepover, keep the fun going until dawn!" she beamed.
"Huh, you might as well all come back to my place then," Tomomi of all people volunteered, "My family's place has more than enough room, so we probably ought to use it for something. It's right by lake Toya too, I guess that's cool or something".
Huh, you'd always imagined Tomomi as a total recluse, so her moving the party to her place honestly confused you. Oh wait, it's for the sake of annoying Azuma, isn't it?
This did pose a problem though, since you'd had plans for Sunday tomorrow, and you wondered if having to get back into town, or further afield, from Lake Toya would complicate things. Said plans being:
[ ] Studying with:
- [ ] Reina.
- [ ] Yuya.
- [ ] Suzako.
- [ ] Colette.
- [ ] Megumi.
- [ ] Takako.
- [ ] Kikuko.
- [ ] At your parents' place.
[ ] The cinema was showing A Cavalcade of Regrettable Circumstances, so you could go with:
- [ ] Reina.
- [ ] Suzako.
- [ ] Yuya.
- [ ] Colette.
- [ ] Megumi.
- [ ] Hotaru.
- [ ] Takako.
- [ ] Your parents.
[ ] Investigating stuff online.
[x] Gameboard investigation, in particular getting around to one of the 'dethroned' Empires.
- [x] Rin's Empire.
- [ ] Gakuto's Empire.
- [ ] Eitaro's Empire.
- [ ] Himawari's Empire.
[ ] Write-in.