Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

[Where’d They Go?]

[WAITING ROOM 18:00]

*The students had been in the waiting room for quite a bit. These 16 had been talking about all that they had found in the facility during their first exploration. The Ultimate Utaite Isoda Mion’s turn had been wrapping up.*

[MION] The rabbit said it was the interview room or something…? Yeah, I dunno. Sorry.

[RUKA] No, that was helpful! Thank you!

[YOUHEI] I don’t really have anything else to add either, except that… uh, my name’s Ninomiya, I guess? And that’s pretty much it. Ruka already talked about our investigation.

[RUKA] And just to be clear, nobody found a way out? Nobody at all? Just the elevator?

*The elevator was not too far from the group. All of its buttons required a key, ones that the group severely lacked.*

[ERINA] Nothing

[OSAMU] Nope.

[AZUSA] Yeah, no, nothing.

*Yokoi Ruka seemed a little bummed out about the lack of an easy to find exit, so she needed a new idea.*

[RUKA] Okay, then how about this?

[RUKA] Let’s search the entire building again, but everyone swaps rooms. A fresh set of eyes might help us!

[YOUHEI] What? No-ho-ho way!

[AZUSA] Again?

[DAIKI] That’s a giant waste of time.

[TAKU] Uh, yeah, I ain’t doing that. How about this?

*Akiba Taku had all eyes on him.*

[TAKU] I’m gonna go down the hall and punch a hole in the wall.

[RUKA] I- WHAT?!?

[TAKU] Yeah!

[DAIKI] We’re on the top floor, dumbass.

[TAKU] Still, might be able to get us into a crawlspace or something. It’s a better idea than nothing.

[NANAE] I- but we’re not allowed to break stuff, right?

[TAKU] So? What’s it gonna do?

[HIDEYUKI] Burn your eyes, probably! Like with Tei!

*Tei Atsushi had been blinded by their captor, Monomoko, earlier after trying to threaten them.*

[TAKU] Pfft, whatever, he said it was only for a few minutes, right? I’ll put up with it, I want outta here!

[RUKA] I really don’t think this is such a good idea though…

*Unfortunately for Ruka, Taku had already gotten up and was walking towards the door to the waiting room.*

[TAKU] Cool, well, anyone who does think this is a good idea can come with me-

[???] On the contrary!

*Someone’s voice rang out before Akiba Taku could leave. However, it wasn’t the worried tone that someone akin to Yokoi Ruka would give. Instead, that voice came from the possibly delusional Ultimate Itasha Painter Ogura Noriko.*

[NORIKO] I would like to propose an ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION!!

[DAIKI] Oh boy, here we go.

[ATSUSHI] This can’t end well…

[NORIKO] Don’t despair, my comrades! I, Her Most Powerful and Two-Dimensional Goddess of Beauty and Grace, have a PLAN to evacuate ourselves from our horrible PRISON!!

[NANAE] Wh- huh?

[AZUSA] Calling it now, this’ll be entertaining to watch.

[SHINGO] Ogura, what are you doing?

[NORIKO] Fret not, tall one!

[SHINGO] Tall-?

[NORIKO] I, the Patron Saint of the 2nd-Dimension, have unlimited knowledge of this… PRISON! And I have concocted a way to GET US OUT OF HERE!! NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!

*Ogura Noriko started laughing like a villain. Was… was she okay?*

[MISAO] Ooh, ooh! I believe in you, Ogura!

[SHINGO] Wh- Denden, what are you doing? Do you not realize how insane she sounds?

[MISAO] But Doctor! Ogura has a good idea! She’s the patron saint of- uh… what was it again?

[HIDEYUKI] Her Most Powerful and Two-Dimensional Goddess of Beauty and Grace!

[MISAO] Right! That! She’s a goddess! Don’t you realize, Doctor? She can actually help us get out of here!

[MUTSUKO] Ehh… she actually just sounds insane.

[RUKA] He- hey! Don’t say that, Nishiguchi! At least she has an idea, and at this point, we can take all of the ideas we can get!

[TAKU] Eh, I don’t care what Miss Magical Girl Wannabe is proposing, I’m still going to punch that wall.

[NANAE] No wait, I’m interested!

*Ouno Nanae had been holding her crowbar. She held it up in order to get Taku to stop walking.*

[TAKU] Hey, what-! You know what… fine, I’ll entertain this.

[SHINGO] I won’t. I’m stopping this now-

[AZUSA] Who made YOU the boss, Hirose?

[SHINGO] E- excuse me?

[AZUSA] Why are YOU of all people trying to tell us what to do? Ever since we got here, you’ve been trying to boss us around!

[SHINGO] I’m not bossing people around, I’m trying to keep us alive.

[AZUSA] Do you think we can’t fend for ourselves? Huh?

[OSAMU] M- M- Maekawa, calm down-

[AZUSA] Stay out of this, snowball.

[SHINGO] Maekawa, I’m not doing this because I’m trying to-

[AZUSA] To what? Keep us safe? Whatever you’re doing isn’t keeping us safe, it’s just making you look like a control freak!

[SHINGO] But I-

[YOUHEI] Everyone, shut up.

*Ninomiya Youhei’s words shut everyone up.*

[YOUHEI] Let’s just… let’s just give Ogura’s idea a try, and if it doesn’t work, then we can try other things.

[ERINA] Geez, someone’s mad.

[YOUHEI] Shut up…

[NORIKO] AHEM. Now that I have EVERYONE’S attention, I would like to explain my plan! A goddess of myself knows a lot of spells, and it JUST SO HAPPENS that I have one that could potentially get us OUT OF THIS CAGE!!

[MION] Uh… huh.

[RUKA] Uh… great! Well, what do we need to do?

[NORIKO] First, we must gather the MATERIALS!! All we need is salt, any sort of plant, and a fire!

[ATSUSHI] Huh? A fire?

[NORIKO] Not a big fire, but a flame of ANY HEIGHT WILL DO!!!

[SOU] Well… there’s probably some salt in the kitchen. Me and Nishiguchi can get it.

[MUTSUKO] On it. I can probably start a fire too, if we need.

[SOU] …how do you-?

[MUTSUKO] I’m a chef, I know how you can start a fire. We can probably just start an oil fire. Unless anyone’s got any better ideas.

*Silence.*

[MUTSUKO] Well, then it’s settled.

*Yaitabashi Sou and Nishiguchi Mutsuko headed towards the kitchen.*

[ERINA] Well, that was easy, all we need now is a plant.

[HIDEYUKI] Aha! I know where we can find one!

[ATSUSHI] You do?

[HIDEYUKI] Yes! Miss Ogura and I had been in the authentic Japanese courtyard when we were investigating! There were plants there!

[NORIKO] BUT THAT WAS NO COURTYARD! It had a fake painted sky, and there were no windows! IT WAS A FRAUD!

[DENDEN] B- but there were plants in there, right? Would those work for your ritual?

[NORIKO] Hm… I uh… I haven’t considered it yet… but I declare that THOSE PLANTS WILL WORK!

[OSAMU] Were the plants… in the ground?

[HIDEYUKI] Huh?

[OSAMU] Like, were they planted in the ground?

[NORIKO] I uhh… think so?

[AZUSA] Alright, me and Shishikura can go get them. Where’s this courtyard, anyways?

[NORIKO] Hidemi will show you! Hidemi, let your light be their guide to THE FAUX COURTYARD!

[TAKU] Hidem- oh right, it’s Tsukigata.

[HIDEYUKI] Follow me, you two!

[OSAMU] R- right!

*Tsukigata Hideyuki leads Shishikura Osamu and Maekawa Azusa to the courtyard.*

[SHINGO] My god… wait, Ogura, where will this portal actually take us?

[NORIKO] …

[SHINGO] …Ogura.

[NORIKO] …I uh…

[SHINGO] Go on…

[NORIKO] …I haven’t done this before. I didn’t even think I’d get this far.

[SHINGO] …I knew it- 

[NORIKO] B- B- BUT- BUT- BUT DON’T FEAR! I- my spells have never failed!

[SHINGO] You say that, but don’t offer any proof. If anything goes wrong, this is all on you, Ogura. If someone gets hurt-

[RUKA] Shingo! Calm down! She’s just trying to help!

[SHINGO] Ruka, Ogura’s going to-

[RUKA] Don’t worry about her! If she’s unprepared, then that’s okay! I don’t KNOW if what she’s having us do is going to work, but if it COULD help us get out of here, then we should at least entertain this!

[SHINGO] …Fine. But if we get hurt, and I KNOW we’ll get hurt if fire is involved, it’s on Ogura.

[DAIKI] Besides, Kira Kira Batshit Insane Girl over there doesn’t exactly scream sane. If we end up nowhere after this, then this “spell” would’ve cost us some important supplies.

[NORIKO] We… we don’t NEED that much salt! If that’s what you’re ACTUALLY implying you… you GOBLIN!

[ATSUSHI] Woah, calm down, Ogura!

*Yaitabashi Sou returns, holding a bowl filled with salt.*

[SOU] We got the salt.

[YOUHEI] Wha- where’s Nishiguchi?

[SOU] She’s starting a fire.

[MION] …honestly, probably not the weirdest thing to happen today.

[YOUHEI] Yeah, absolutely.

*Shortly after, grunting can be heard from the door to the waiting room.*

[ERINA] …do you guys hear something?

*The door opened. Shishikura Osamu came in first, leaning forward with a giant plant pot on his back. In the middle, with his back under what looked like the middle of a thick tree was Tsukigata Hideyuki. Behind both of the boys, holding the rest of the plant that the two had picked out, was Maekawa Azusa.*

[OSAMU] Haa… haa… when- when can we put this down- AUGH MY BACK…

[HIDEYUKI] We- we’re here! One- augh… One authentic Japanese potted plant…

[AZUSA] Will this one do?

[NORIKO] Uh- ye- YEAH! Yes! The perfect piece of nature!

[AZUSA] Alright, snowball and horse boy, you can put it down now.

*Shishikura Osamu finally put the pot down on the floor. He was breathing heavily due to the unexpected weight of a tree. Hideyuki had gotten onto his knees in pain because that was not a light tree.*

[HIDEYUKI] Ack- please Miss Ogura, give me strength…

[TAKU] Jeez, how heavy is that thing?

[AZUSA] The top’s the heavy part. You wanna try?

[TAKU] It can’t be THAT heavy. I’ll try.

*Akiba Taku went to the plant and tried picking it up. Sure, he got it up, but for some reason, he looked like he was straining hard.*

[MISAO] Is it that heavy?

[TAKU] Nggghh… I’m totally fine- My back’s NOT gonna pop out-

[SHINGO] Okay, someone help him move it to Ogura.

[NANAE] I can help!

[AZUSA] Might as well. The more the merrier.

*Ouno Nanae and Maekawa Azusa went to the pot and helped carry the plant to a small clearing in front of Ogura Noriko. They finally set the pot on the floor.*

[TAKU] Ooooookay… I owe an apology to you two.

[OSAMU] No need, sir!

[SOU] Is that all we need?

[RUKA] Uh… I believe so? All we need is th-

*A smoke alarm was going off in the halls. The sprinklers were going off, but Nishiguchi Mutsuko’s boots could be heard clicking closer to the hall. She entered the room, holding a frying pan filled with hot oil and VERY CLEARLY on fire. She had cooking gloves on, at least.*

[MUTSUKO] Got your fire, now what?

[SHINGO] Oh my god, how are you so calm when you are HOLDING A LITERAL FIRE?

[MUTSUKO] I’m a chef, I handle fire all the time, jackass. Now, tell me what we need to do before my hands burn off.

[MISAO] Won’t the fire set off the sprinklers?

[MUTSUKO] It’s an oil fire, water won’t kill it.

[MISAO] Ooooh, I get it!

[YOUHEI] …you know, I just realized that there’s no actual sprinklers in this room.

[SOU] I don’t think the people who built this place were expecting us to cause a fire in this room.

[ERINA] How would you even do that? All of the flammable stuff’s in the kitchen!

*Kumada Erina tapped her bat on her foot, a little impatient.*

[ERINA] Eh, we can worry about that later. Noriko, what do we gotta do?

*Ogura Noriko seemed to be sweating. Not from the fire, of course, she was the furthest person FROM the flames. She just seemed unprepared.*

[NORIKO] Uh… let’s start! Whoever has the salt, make a circle around the plant!

[SOU] The tree? Umm… Ruka, can you handle this?

[RUKA] Me? Okay!

*Taking the bowl of salt from Yaitabashi Sou’s hands, Yokoi Ruka started sprinkling the salt around the plant.*

[NORIKO] Perfect! You’re doing so well, Miss Yokoi! I want to hold you hand so much-

[RUKA] Oh, uh, thank you! The circle’s done now, what’s next?

[NORIKO] Hm… Miss Nishiguchi, light the plant on fire!

[SOU] …I feel sad.

[MUTSUKO] You’ll get over it, Yaitabashi.

*Nishiguchi Mutsuko walked over to the plant, a little rushed because she was still very close to the fire she had caused.* 

[SHINGO] How… exactly are you gonna pour the oil?

[MUTSUKO] Directly on it.

[SHINGO] You know what I mean!

[MUTSUKO] Well duh, why’d you think I answered how I did?

*Nishiguchi Mutsuko poured the burning oil directly on the plant, causing it to light up almost immediately. When Mutsuko was done, she threw the pot to Ogura Noriko’s left as no one was there.*

[NORIKO] Ack- careful! You don’t want to singe the skin of the Patron Sa-

[MUTSUKO] I didn’t. Just don’t touch that pan if you wanna keep your skin in tact.

[SHINGO] Do you want me to check your hands? That looked like it hurt.

[MUTSUKO] No, it was just hot as fuck. See these?

*Nishiguchi Mutsuko held up her gloved hands, a little oily.*

[MUTSUKO] They covered my hands, I’ll be fine.

[SHINGO] …alright, Ogura, what’s the last thing we have to do?

[DAIKI] I’ll be excited to see this.

[ATSUSHI] Dude, shut up.

[NORIKO] I uh… uhmm… the last step… EVERYONE MUST KNEEL WITH THEIR HEAD ON THE SALT!

[ATSUSHI] Wh- CLOSE TO THE FIRE?

[MION] What?

[NORIKO] Y- c’mon man, didn’t you hear?

[HIDEYUKI] I did! Watch, like this!

*Tsukigata Hideyuki knelt, his head on the fire. Surprisingly, the salt wasn’t that close to the fire. Ruka had made a surprisingly big ring; it just didn’t look as large without the dressage rider as a reference.*

[RUKA] …oh. P- pull your hair back, everyone.

[DAIKI] No need. Just don’t get close to the fire and you don’t have to worry.

[NORIKO] But- but the SPELL can only WORK if EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES!!

[SHINGO] Okay, Ogura, you do realize that you’re endangering everyone? You know how flammable hair is, right?

[YOUHEI] Hirose, Ruka already told us to pull our hair back.

[SHINGO] Still, it’s rath-

[AZUSA] Hirose, you’re a control freak. Calm down, labcoat, and come close to the fire. You wanna escape, right?

[SHINGO] …Ogura, this better work.

*Everyone slowly started making their way to the circle, placing their heads on the salt ring. At this point, all but Ogura Noriko, who was monitoring everyone, and Ikeda Daiki, who was scoffing off to the side.*

[DAIKI] Sheep. All of you are sheep.

[DAIKI] None of you are deciding to think for yourself. Do any of you realize how CRAZY Miss “Oh, I’m A God, Worship Me Now!” sounds? This is basic pyramid scheme techniques, people!

[DAIKI] C’mon, I can’t be the only one here without a brain! I know you’re also thinking how dumb this sounds, Hirose! Don’t just let her win, DO SOMETHING!

[SHINGO] …

[DAIKI] Well? You gonna stand up to her?

[SHINGO] …

[DAIKI] ANSWER ME, DAMNIT-

*Akiba Taku slammed Ikeda Daiki’s head to the floor. Right on the salt ring too.*

[TAKU] Shut up and just join us.

[DAIKI] ACK- What- WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?

[TAKU] You’re annoying, duh.

[ERINA] I don’t think anyone disagrees with that.

[DAIKI] Get your hand OFF MY SKULL!!

[TAKU] No, shut up. Ogura, what’s next?

[NORIKO] …I shall JOIN YOU ALL IN THE RING!

*Ogura Noriko slowly made it to a spot in the ring in between Tsukigata Hideyuki and Tei Atsushi. The tree was still alight, but luckily, all of the ashes and embers were caught in the pot.*

[NORIKO] And now… we… I’ll recite something while you… hum. HUM!!

[DAIKI] Eh-?

*Everyone but Hirose Shingo, Ikeda Daiki, Akiba Taku, Nishiguchi Mutsuko, and Ogura Noriko started humming immediately. Then, Akiba Taku and Nishiguchi Mutsuko joined in. Hirose Shingo eventually joined, just lightly, and finally, Ikeda Daiki reluctantly started quietly humming, though his voice was… hoarse since his face was just slammed into the floor.*

[NORIKO] …creatures from the beyond realm, lend me your light. Beautiful divine divas of the second-dimension, sister goddesses of the cosmic zone, my friends of the interstellar rabbit hole… hear my plea.

*As Ogura Noriko was chanting, something started… glowing? In the faint corner of everyone’s vision, the fire burned red. However, something started burning brighter… A more… whitish light, perhaps.*

[YOUHEI] Wh- huh?

[NORIKO] Me and my beloved friends have been captured by a rabbit creature whose heart has been… corrupted by DARK FORCES… To you, I ask… offer us the skeleton key we will need to make our grand getaway. Protect us ALL from the harm this twisted killing game would have given us and send us somewhere… sweeter. Somewhere less evil!

*Now, the aforementioned white light had shifted from white to multicolor. Everyone who wasn’t Ogura wanted to get up and see, but everyone didn’t move except for Ikeda Daiki, but he could only get his skull up a little bit before he was pinned back to the floor by Akiba Taku.*

[DAIKI] Nghh-!

[NORIKO] HEAR OUR CALL, GODDESSES! TAKE US FROM THIS… THIS CAGE AND SEND US TO A PLACE WHERE NO SUCH KILLING GAME WERE TO EXIST! ONE WHERE WE WILL BE SAVED FROM THIS WRETCHED, VILE EXCUSE FOR A RESIDENTAL AREA!

[RUKA] …

[SHINGO] …

[AZUSA] …

[DAIKI] …see? Nothing’s ha-

*BOOM. The bright light above the fire unleashed a giant wave of air, which not only extinguished the fiery plant, but also displaced all of the salt on the floor. Just as quickly though, it started glowing brighter, and seemed to start trying to suck everyone into it like a vacuum.*

[NORIKO] Augh! Wha- what is this? Is this… have my…

[ERINA] I- I- I thought you were joking about this! You could’ve had us out of here a few hours ago and didn’t say ANYTHING about this?

[NORIKO] I- I- I- I-

[ATSUSHI] Everyone, careful, it’s trying to take us in! We gotta leave-

[NANAE] My crowbar!

*Ouno Nanae’s crowbar was out of her grasp and going into the bright light, which now was less a bright light and more of a portal. Ouno jumped as the crowbar was already halfway through the portal, but Ouno couldn’t pull the crowbar off the ground. Now, the portal was taking her too.*

[NANAE] A- ah!

[RUKA] Ouno!

[YOUHEI] Oh god!

[NANAE] H- help!

[SHINGO] Let go of the crowbar!

[NANAE] No!

[TAKU] Everyone, relax, I can do this-

*The suction of the portal started becoming stronger. Now, it was lifting people. Only a few centimeters, but even THAT was alarming.*

[RUKA] Ah! M- my bag!

[SOU] WH- why is everything so bright?

[MUTSUKO] Yaitabashi, hold onto me VERY TIGHT, and whatever you do, DON’T LET GO!!

[SOU] Got it-

[ERINA] AAAGH! I CAN’T TOUCH THE GROUND!!

[MISAO] Doctor, watch out! I’ll save Kumada!

[SHINGO] Denden-

[MISAO] Gotchu!

[ERINA] Nggghh… let go, I can handle myself!

[MION] Tei, hold on!

[ATSUSHI] Don’t you dare let go, Isoda.

[MION] I- I won’t!

[DAIKI] Nggh… Taku-

[TAKU] Hang on in there, Ikeda! I- I’m trying to pull Nanae back in but-

*The suction had become even stronger. Now, nothing in the waiting room was still actually on the floor, not even the plant.*

[HIDEYUKI] Miss Ogura! Were- were you prepared for this?

[NORIKO] I- uh- I- I- I’d never casted a spell before! I- I didn’t know I ACTUALLY HAD MAGICAL POWERS! I AM A TRUE GOD! NYAHAHAHAHAHA-

*The slightly burnt frying pan had flown into the portal, but not before directing a blow directly to Ogura Noriko’s head and causing her to get caught in the portal’s grasp.*

[NORIKO] ACK! H- HIDEMI! HELP ME!!!

[HIDEYUKI] A- alright Miss Ogura!

[RUKA] E- everyone! Try to weigh each other do-OOOWWWWWWN!! OH MY GOD!!!

[YOUHEI] What is it- OH-

[ERINA] WATCH-!

*Yokoi Ruka, Ninomiya Youhei, Denden Misao, Kumada Erina, and Hirose Shingo were caught on one of the weighting room’s tables, which caused them to get caught in the portal.*

[SHINGO] ACK! Denden, stay calm-

[MISAO] AAAAAAGH!! Grab me, grab me! Someone!!!

[MUTSUKO] Yaitabashi, I’m carrying you.

[SOU] Wh-

[MUTSUKO] Just hold on, I’ll try pulling them down!

[SOU] Why do I need to be carried-

*Nishiguchi Mutsuko started carrying Yaitabashi Sou bridal style and started walking over to the table to try to grab Denden Misao’s hand. She was able to grab on, but she wasn’t able to pull them down. She was now caught in the portal’s suction.*

[MUTSUKO] Oh god, this was a horrible idea-

[SOU] You think?

[MION] Nishiguchi!

[ATSUSHI] Hold on, we- we can get them-

[MION] Tei, be honest with me. Is it worth it to get sucked into a portal to who knows where as long as it means we don’t have to worry about having to kill each other?

[ATSUSHI] I-

[TAKU] Tei, for the love of god, don’t-

[ATSUSHI] Uh- Ogura!!

[TAKU] TEI, STOP-

[ATSUSHI] When we get to this “safe place”, will we be hurt?

[NORIKO] I- I don’t know! My goddess powers don’t allow me to- AAAAH!

[HIDEYUKI] H- hold on, Miss Ogur-

[MION] AH!!! OGURA- AAAAAAAAAaaAAAAaaAAAAAaaAAAAAGH!!!!

*By now, the only people still not fully in the portal were Tei Atsushi, Isoda Mion, Akiba Taku, Ikeda Daiki, Maekawa Azusa, Shishikura Osamu, Tsukigata Hideyuki, and Ogura Noriko. Only Maekawa Azusa and Shishikura Osamu were out of the radius of the vacuum.*

[OSAMU] Do we… Should we go get something? Like a rope?

[AZUSA] …Seems a little late now, don’t you think?

[ATSUSHI] Uh- anyone who can still hear me!

[ATSUSHI] C- can we all agree that when we arrive in Ogura’s destination, we all have to find each other first?

[DAIKI] Wh- are you suggesting-

[ATSUSHI] If we all jump in, we should all at least try to keep in touch when we make it to wherever this portal is leading us!

[MION] Tei, tell me you have at least some sort of plaaaaAAAAAAAAN!!!

*Isoda Mion was pulled into the auction and was now holding onto Tei Atsushi like a lifeline.*

[ATSUSHI] Isoda, whatever I do, we’ll all find each other.

[TAKU] Tei, do you realize how insane you’re sounding?! We’re about to fall into a portal and you’re way too calm for this!

[DAIKI] FINALLY, SOMEONE THINKS FOR ONCE!

[TAKU] You know what, Ikeda? I’ve had enough of you.

[DAIKI] Huh-

[TAKU] We’re going in.

[DAIKI] WAIT TAKU, DON’T- AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

*Akiba Taku jumped into the portal, taking Ikeda Daiki with him out of spite.*

[NORIKO] HIDEMI- Hidemi-! Whatever you do, only jump when I tell you to! I- I’M SCARED, I WASN’T- I-

[HIDEYUKI] D- don’t worry Miss Ogura! I’ll follow your lead-!

[ATSUSHI] H- Hey! Tsukigata, Maekawa, Shishikura! If we all just jump, we’ll all go in! We can’t win against this portal!

[OSAMU] …TEI, I DON’T LIKE WHERE YOU ARE GOING WITH THIS!!

[MION] I’M WITH SHOSHIKURA HERE, TEI PLEASE-

[ATSUSHI] I- I- I don’t wanna sound insane-!

[AZUSA] BIT TOO LATE FOR THAT!

[ATSUSHI] -But! If we’re all okay, wherever we go… will we all try to keep together- like- when we land?

[NORIKO] TEI! What are you spouting?

[ATSUSHI] I- I don’t think we can all hold on for much longer-!!

[AZUSA] So what? You want us to just jump into the portal?

[ATSUSHI] I- YES!!

*There was an awkward silence.*

[MION] …Tei. Don’t. Please don’t-

[ATSUSHI] Everyone… on three.

[HIDEYUKI] Huh?! M- Miss Ogura!! Do you want-

[NORIKO] W- HIDEMI!!! PLEASE, WHEN YOJ JUMP, DON’T LET GO OF ME!

[ATSUSHI] One…

[HIDEYUKI] I- I- I won’t, Miss Ogura!!

[AZUSA] …Snowball, stop panicking.

[OSAMU] I- how can I not panic, Maekawa? We're about to jump into a portal that’ll lead us to who knows where!! Of course I’m scared!

[AZUSA] Dude, stop panicking, I- I can’t take you seriously with your braces showing.

[OSAMU] What-??

[ATSUSHI] Two…

[MION] …Tei, I can never look at you in the same way again after this.

[NORIKO] H- HIDEMI! The time is almost here!

[HIDEYUKI] I- I got it!!!

[AZUSA] Okay, Shishikura, we’re gonna have to jump-

[OSAMU] What- But-!! …okay, fine. Just- tell me, TELL ME WE’LL BE FINE!! I JUST DON’T WANT TO DIE!

[AZUSA] …If anyone or anything tries to hurt you, they’ll need to get through me.

[OSAMU] …P- promise?

[AZUSA] Pinky promise.

*Maekawa Azusa and Shishikura Osamu shook pinkies. They then shuffled closer to the pull of the portal.*

[MION] Tei, I have never written a song about someone else, but just know that you’ll be the first-

[ATSUSHI] -THREE!

[NORIKO] NOW, HIDEMI!!

*Tsukigata Hideyuki jumped, letting both himself and Ogura Noriko to be ensnared by the portal’s reach. Then, Tei Atsushi jumped, sending both himself and Isoda Mion into the portal as well. Maekawa Azusa and Shishikura Osamu hesitated.*

[AZUSA] …ready, Shishikura?

[OSAMU] …I won’t look, but sure!

*After a gulp, both Maekawa Azusa and Shishikura Osamu jumped into the portal, letting the suction of the portal take its course.*

*There was nobody left in the Kanagawa Futurist Technologies Institute. They had left the facility just as quickly as they had arrived, and in their wake? An empty laboratory with a mostly wet hallway due to the sprinklers being set off, a courtyard with one less tree, and a very empty waiting room that once had life. And with that, the portal finally closed, ending the ritual without a trace of the sixteen students who started it.*

CHAPTER 1 END:
Survivors: 16…?

Chapter Text

[Unforeseen Incident]

[??? 20:00]

*A woman with short brown hair stares coldly at a computer screen. She is sipping nothing but a mug full of coffee, but she is shaking like a maraca. Not from fear, from anger. The video on the screen then goes to static and starts showing TV snow, and the woman can’t help but be furious. She rewinds the screen’s contents, but no matter what, the screen cuts out at the same point in the video. This woman? One Doctor Yonekura Haruka.*

[HARUKA] God DAMNIT!

*Dr. Yonekura slammed her coffee mug on the table. She was not having a good time.*

[HARUKA] WHAT the actual FUCK HAPPENED?!

[HARUKA] ALL of the STUDENTS?? GONE, just like that?!

[HARUKA] WHAT THE FUCK?!

*Just then, a black rabbit named Monomoko popped in, a few feet away from the doctor.*

[MONOMOKO] Dr. Yonekura-

[HARUKA] WHAT DO YOU WANT, MONOMOKO?! I can’t help you right now, all of my research on these students, the time we spent trying to capture them, the time we spent on this session, ALL WASTED!! All of my work was for NOTHING!!

[MONOMOKO] …I cannot help at this point-

[HARUKA] -Actually… where were YOU during the afternoon?!

[MONOMOKO] …pardon?

[HARUKA] You could’ve been there and stopped whatever Student 11 was doing! AND YET, THEY LEFT!!

[HARUKA] So what were YOU doing, Monomoko?!

[MONOMOKO] I- uh-

[HARUKA] YOU’RE NOT ANSWERING ME, MONOMOKO!!

*By now, Dr. Yonekura had gotten up and started walking towards Monomoko, her entire body shaking. The scientist had lost her mind.*

[HARUKA] You could’ve stopped the whole debacle! You’ve already shown the students you aren’t to be messed with! You quite literally had JUSTIFICATION to stop them, the students lit an ACTIVE FIRE!!

[MONOMOKO] We didn’t punish Students 10 nor 15 for the fire they started back in-

[HARUKA] THAT WAS ONE SESSION AGO, MONOMOKO!!!

[MONOMOKO] …we’ve only had two-

[HARUKA] -SHUT UP!!

*The scientist reached down to try to pick up the rabbit. The rabbit simply shuffled out of the doctor’s reach.*

[MONOMOKO] I know you aren’t a student, but you know that touching or otherwise attacking me wi-

[HARUKA] MONOMOKO!! Do you know how STRESSED I’ve gotten because of this?! Dr. Kan is already considering letting everyone I hired in the biology department go, Dr. Kuneyasu has already booked his family a vacation to Busan in South Korea, and Dr. Tatematsu is fucking furious at me since she can’t epoxy Student 8!!

[MONOMOKO] …you realize how bad that last part is, right?

[HARUKA] IT DOESN’T MATTER ANYMORE, MONOMOKO!! Our entire research relies on the killing game! And now, only you can stop this fall!

[MONOMOKO] …elaborate.

[HARUKA] I- If you don’t let our staff leave, we won’t have to fire anyone! They’ll be forced to work with u-

*Before Dr. Yonekura can finish, someone else comes in near the two. A tall man with fuzzy black hair and somehow even more tired looking than Dr. Yonekura currently does. This man, Dr. Seki Kuneyasu, is wielding a laptop, one that Dr. Yonekura provided him.*

[SEKI] …you got time?

[HARUKA] Do I have time? OF COURSE I HAVE TIME, THIS SESSION HAS ALL BEEN FOR NOTHING!! NOW WHAT DO YOU WANT?!

[SEKI] …you know how you showed me and Dr. Kan the files of session 2?

[HARUKA] …

[SEKI] Well-

[HARUKA] …just, leave.

[SEKI] -well, I just wanted to show-

[HARUKA] GO. I’m already talking to one throb in my side, I don’t need another.

[SEKI] …

[HARUKA]

[SEKI] …So much for research. Don’t expect me to call back.

*Dr. Kuneyasu put the laptop on the floor, using his shoe to kick it shut. He then walked out, unhappy with the scientist.*

[MONOMOKO] Are you going to chase after him?

[HARUKA] No use chasing a traitor.

[MONOMOKO] Traitor? Is that what you’re calling him?

[HARUKA] Yes, and that’s what YOU are unless you help me.

[MONOMOKO] …I do hope you realize that you aren’t the one in power here.

[HARUKA] Here’s what you’re going to do, you are going to go find the students, and I-

[MONOMOKO] -Did you blatantly ignore what I said? I am politely refusing to continue your work.

[HARUKA] You- YOU- YOU…

[MONOMOKO] I will let you stay in my world for a little bit longer, but I will have to ask you to leave.

[HARUKA] …fine. I’ll move my work SOMEWHERE ELSE.

[MONOMOKO] For the benefit of everyone, including you, it might be best to cease-

[HARUKA] I WILL NEVER STOP MY RESEARCH. Science… is everything, and without the killing games… I- I- I…

[MONOMOKO] …

[HARUKA] …

*Dr. Yonekura was shaking, but now, she was angry, drenched in sweat, and unable to move or talk.*

[MONOMOKO] …I believe it is best if we part ways. Goodbye, Dr. Yonekura.

[HARUKA] …

*Monomoko vanished, like it was never here to begin with.*

[HARUKA] …

[HARUKA] …

[HARUKA] …alright Seki, what did you want to show me…

*Dr. Yonekura opened the laptop Dr. Kuneyasu set down. She was still fuming and, at this point, was red hot. That didn’t matter. After logging in, she is met with the profile of Student 1: Ouno Nanae. However… something is off.*

[HARUKA] What the… who… this isn’t right- we didn’t call her a martial artist! Who changed thi-

*She checked the update history. Nothing had changed, but at the same time, Dr. Yonekura knew for a fact that Ouno Nanae was titled the Ultimate CONTORTIONIST, not the Ultimate MARTIAL ARTIST.*

[HARUKA] Kuneyasu, you better not have-

*She hurriedly scrolled through the rest of the files. All of the information was just… a little off. Some more than others, but something that all of the students shared was that NOBODY, absolutely NONE OF THEM, had the correct talent that the staff had given them initially.*

[HARUKA] Student 2, Bard… that’s not right… STUDENT 3, BARBARIAN?? WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE STUDENT PROFILES??

[HARUKA] I have to fix this… I don’t care if they’re not here, my research CAN'T be tainted!!

*Dr. Yonekura tries to correct the problem, but the laptop starts to lag, slowing down badly. She is unable to edit anything in the files.*

[HARUKA] Wh- did someone take the WI-FI ROUTER??

[HARUKA] Dear god, help me… what is going on…

*Dr. Yonekura kept on waiting for the laptop to refresh and for the reception to get better, but knowing that there’s no way that she could stay here, she gave up and eventually started unplugging her stuff and packing it up, in order to leave back to Japan.*

INTERMISSION 1: END

To be continued…?

Chapter Text

[Reawakened]

CRASH!!

*Yokoi Ruka hits the floor at what feels like a thousand meters an hour. Her vision was shot, everything in her body felt like it’d been broken, and every sound had been amplified at least by twelve times.*

[RUKA] Aughh… my- my arm…

[RUKA] …what th-

*There was an unexplainable breeze, a refreshing bright glow from above that was the perfect contrast to whatever you could call the lighting back in the facility.*

*Though, the issue wasn’t that it was nice outside. Hell, it was beautiful wherever she was. The thing is though… she still hadn’t known where she was.*

[RUKA] Huh… where-?

*Yokoi scratched her head to numb the pain. It barely helped. Especially because her nails felt like they were scratching way too hard on her ears.*

[RUKA] Ack-! Huh?

*Yokoi’s ears were horribly sensitive now. A quick tap now felt like a snap in her eardrums. A little snag could have the same intensity of a violent tug. Everything was too-*

[???] -…aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH-

CRASH!!!!

[RUKA] -ah- AGH!!

*Someone landed on the ground right in front of her, sending the Spelling Bee Champion landing straight onto the grassy floor.*

[RUKA] Ah! Be- be careful!!

[???] Ow… sor-

*The figure on the ground paused. So did Yokoi. Yokoi couldn’t believe what was in front of her. The figure that landed only a few feet away from her didn’t even look like a human. The… thing seemed to be a dragon, but one who had the proportions of a human like her.*

*What’s more, it was… unique looking. The dragon had mostly beautiful snow colored scales, looking like ivory, though white wasn’t the only color of scales as there were different shades of sapphire, emerald, topaz, and even rose quartz. These colors also seemed to mirror the messy mane of hair atop the dragon’s head trailing down to its chest. Behind the dragon, a spiky tail and a pair of folded wings, both with matching white and colorful scales.*

*If that wasn’t strange enough, this dragon was wearing clothes, like Yokoi was, though unlike Yokoi’s fashionable school uniform, the dragon was wearing what seemed to be a loose white t-shirt and dark jeans. Weirder yet, this dragon’s face seemed to have… a very abnormal number of piercings, especially near its amethyst colored eyes and pointy horns.*

[???] R- Ruka?

*Yokoi finally knew why she could identify whatever- no, whoever it was who was in front of her.*

[RUKA] Ni- NINOMIYA?!?

[YOUHEI] RUKA!

[RUKA] NINOMIYA-HAHA!!!

*Yokoi practically tackle-hugged the now-dragon Ninomiya Youhei. He hadn’t even stood up properly.*

[RUKA] Oh my god, I- I felt scared without knowing where you- where ANYONE was!! I- I- I don’t know what happened to you, b- but I-

[YOUHEI] Woah woah woah- slow down, Rukes! What do you mean what happened t-

*Yokoi grabbed onto Ninomiya’s wing, and he flinched. Yep, that… was his.*

[YOUHEI] …I have WINGS now?!

[RUKA] Yeah, but-

[YOUHEI] Ruka! Do you know how fucking epic this makes me look now?

[RUKA] -eh…?

[YOUHEI] Dude! I’m a dragon! You gotta admit, that’s metal as hell!

[RUKA] …you are surprisingly calm for turning into a dragon.

[YOUHEI] Well, I think it fits me. Your ears do as well, Ruka; you look like an elf.

[RUKA] Eh- my ears?

*Yokoi felt her ears again. Just like Ninomiya said, something was wrong with them. They were… long. Pointy. Her nails also felt… abnormally sharper, to say the least.*

[RUKA] Wh- what happened to my-?

[YOUHEI] Yyyyyyyyeeeah…

[RUKA] I- my ears, they’re… they’re…

[YOUHEI] …

[RUKA] …should we try to find anyone else?

[YOUHEI] That doesn’t sound… bad, but like, where even are we?

[RUKA] Well, if Ogura’s request during the ritual were to give us any indication, then it-

*Before Yokoi can finish her sentence, a weird… flash comes from the sky. It made the Spelling Bee Champion look up, with the Violinist looking up soon after. Then, another figure popped out from the light.*

[RUKA] Woah-

[YOUHEI] Shit, watch out!

*Ninomiya dragged Yokoi out of what seemed to be a quickly enlarging shadow. They hit the ground at an alarming rate, but that’s not the loudest crash landing they’d be hearing as only a few seconds after, the unknown figure falls from the sky a few centimeters from the two.*

[???] AAAAAAAGH!!

CRASH!!!!!!

[???] Augh… god, my head…

[YOUHEI] W- woah, dude!

*Yokoi and Ninomiya ran up to the figure. This figure did look more human than Ninomiya, but that wasn’t actually saying much. Two long horns pierced through the blonde bangs of who the pair could already identify as the archer Akiba Taku, and even if it was hard to see, Akiba’s pants shaped his new legs, which seemed more… goat-like than humanlike. Still, there were more than enough traits to identify the archer, including his bright green coat and red tattoo.*

[RUKA] H- here! Grab on, Akiba!

[TAKU] Th- thanks- *cough*

[YOUHEI] You good?

[TAKU] Y- yea- WOAH!! Ninomiya, look at you, you’re damn scary!

[YOUHEI] Heh, you’re one to talk, Horn Boy.

*A confused Akiba reached up and felt the two horns coming out of his forehead. They seemed to be made of ivory, though unlike the snow white color of Ninomiya’s scales, they were a slightly yellowed color, like unwashed teeth after one too many energy drinks.*

[TAKU] …ooooooooh. This… is kinda cool actually.

[YOUHEI] Yeah, you look badass!

[RUKA] …

[RUKA] I’m gonna be honest, we are taking this probably way too casually.

[TAKU] Yeah, well, you gotta admit, this place is much better than that facility we were just in.

[YOUHEI] Yeah, well it’s not that hard to beat-

[???] Woah, Yokoi?

[??? 2] Wha- Nishiguchi, you found Yokoi?

[MUTSUKO?] Y- yeah, over here!

*Yokoi, Ninomiya, and Akiba looked over to where what seemed to be a fruit bearing tree stood, and there were two people, two familiar people who had been modified by whatever magic the group had been changed by. Luckily for the trio, these two were still easily identifiable by their choice of dress.*

*Leading the two was Nishiguchi Mutsuko, the pizza chef who poured the fire to help get everyone into this outlandish world. She seemed mostly normal until you took account of her skin being a stone gray. Not gray as in just a dustier version of her skin before she got here, but gray as in colorless. Besides that, two long and curly horns poked out of her head and she seemed to also have a tail, but unlike Ninomiya’s, hers was more slim and had a pointed end, like an arrow.*

*Behind Nishiguchi was her newest friend, Yaitabashi Sou. He was holding onto her hamd like they’d both been running away from death. Unlike Nishiguchi, it was noticeable what seemed to be off about him; above his head, a glowing yellow halo loomed, one that seemed to follow his head every chance it got. Plus, behind his back and nearly blending into his frilly dress, Yaitabashi seemed to have grown a pair of large angelic wings.*

[RUKA] Huh-? Nishiguchi? Yaitabashi?

[SOU] Hi, Yokoi.

[TAKU] Woah, Nishiguchi, Yaitabashi, what happened to you two?

[MUTSUKO] No time to explain.

[TAKU] You literally just got-

[MUTSUKO] NO TIME, I SAID! We can talk about your looks later, but we gotta move.

[YOUHEI] Wha- why? We’re not in immediate danger, Nishiguchi.

[SOU] She knows, trust me, I’ve told her. That’s not what we’re here for, though.

[MUTSUKO] Yeah, what he said! Just- follow me! We’re getting everyone to a sort of… um-

[SOU] Common place.

[MUTSUKO] -Common place! Thanks, Yaitabashi. Yeah, Hirose’s trying to get us all together, and we’re only missing, like, a few people, you three included. C’mon, follow us!

[YOUHEI] Aaaaaalrighty.

*The group, led by the pizza chef, started on a path, but before Akiba could stand properly, he…. crashed into the floor with practically meteor-grade speed.*

CRASH!!!!!!!!

[TAKU] Ack- huh??

[SOU] Wh- what was that?

[RUKA] Akiba- OH JESUS, AKIBA, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FEET?!?

[TAKU] Wh- what do you mean my-

*A quick look at Akiba’s feet told the whole story. Hell, “feet” isn’t even the right term. Instead, where he should’ve had human feet now had hooves, dark round hooves that you’d find on a goat.*

*There could be only one possible reaction to such a revelation.*

[TAKU] -...aaaaAAAAAAAAAAAGH AGH AGHH AAAAAAAAAAAGH!! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FEET?!? YOKOI, NINOMIYA, WHAT HAPPENED TO-

*slap*

[MUTSUKO] Dear god- Akiba, keep it together!

[TAKU] HOW?? HOW, NISHIGUCHI?? I’m down two legs, and I look more like a goat than anything else!!

[SOU] O- okay everyone, we gotta calm down. We should probably just… walk and talk, I guess.

[RUKA] One sec, lemme just-

*Yokoi hoisted Akiba up and had him lean on her as if she were a truck holding up lumber. It… wasn’t going so well, so Ninomiya tried helping.*

[YOUHEI] Nggh- got you, big man.

[TAKU] *grunt* Thank- thanks Ninomiya…

[YOUHEI] Don’t mention it. For both of our sakes…

[TAKU] Got it, let’s just go…

*The group started following Nishiguchi again. Despite Yaitabashi’s idea of chatting while trotting, the group was silent as a stone.*

…

*It wasn't until a few minutes later did voices start to fill the group’s ears again. From the vocal tones of Denden to the thick accent of Tsukigata, Yokoi could probably pick them out from a mile away from voice alone.*

[MUTSUKO] We got three more!

[SHINGO] Mm?

[SOU] Yeah, we found Ninomiya, Yokoi, and Akiba.

[MION] Oh, hey there.

*The clearing where ten of the other students stood was… pretty calm. Compared to the bare area where Yokoi first landed with nothing but grass and a few trees off in the far distance, this small area had more stuff. For starters, there was shade since it was covered by a few trees and shrubs, all decorated with a bit of fruit. The grass on the area where Yokoi landed was shorter, but the grass here seemed to vary in height from barely there to shoe length. Plus, more pebbles were there. What a bonus.*

[RUKA] Woah, shrubs!

[ERINA] You said that like you’ve never seen one before.

[MION] Well, given we were stuck in a facility for a while, this is automatically an improvement.

*Everyone here has also changed in strange ways. For starters, Dekochari gang leader Kumada seemed to have taken off her black jacket to tie to her waist because at the back of her shirt, two giant blue fairy wings that seemed to match her hair’s highlights. Similar to Yokoi, her ears also were lengthened. Then, there was the utaite Isoda, who seemed to have a pair of strong deer antlers and a small fluffy deer tail behind them. If that wasn’t odd enough, they seemed to have a bit of blood around their lips..?*

[RUKA] Oh, Isoda… what- you’ve got a little…

[MION] Oh- yeah, I’ve tried to get it off, it won’t wipe off.

[YOUHEI] Really?

[MION] Yeah.

[YOUHEI] Heh, not gonna lie, that’s hella cool.

[ERINA] Well, I think it’s fucking dumb! And I think that these WINGS of mine are pretty damn cool.

[AZUSA] Hah, you kidding?! You look goofy as hell!

[ERINA] HEY!!

[AZUSA] Just saying, you’re as intimidating as the cat toy on your hair clip.

[ERINA] Y- you better cut it out, Maekawa, or I’ll beat you up!!

[AZUSA] Yeah, right.

[OSAMU] M- Maekawa! Lay off!

*The scarved yukigassen player Shishikura tried to calm down the taller robot fighting champion Maekawa. The thing with Shishikura is that unlike almost EVERYONE else he seemed… normal. A little shaken, though that could describe everyone here.*

*In contrast, Maekawa barely looked like she did before. Her entire body was covered in fluffy looking fur that happened to be the same purple shade as her hair, and peeking out from her hair wasn’t antlers, but two long wolf-like ears covered in the same sort of fur. Along with that, she had a fluffy looking wolf tail that seemed to be actively wagging when making fun of Kumada.*

*And that wasn’t even the biggest of her changes. Similar to Ninomiya, her face wasn’t really human and looked more animalistic, like a cartoon wolf with a muzzle and canine fangs. Plus, her limbs were… different. Before, even if her jacket covered it, Yokoi could clearly see that both of Maekawa’s arms and one of her legs were prosthetics. However, now, all of her limbs looked… real.*

*Well, not real real: Maekawa’s limbs looked like a wolf’s limbs, more anthropomorphic than everything. But a good way to describe her limbs now would be… attached. Like, they didn’t look like prosthetics, they looked… like her own.*

[RUKA] W- woah! Maekawa, your arms-

[TAKU] Oh shit, what happened to your limbs?

[AZUSA] No clue, ronin. You’d think having them back is cool, but honestly?

*Maekawa flexed her “hands”, and they were wolf paws, with sharp claws and paler purple paws.*

[AZUSA] These bad boys may be cute but there’s no way in hell this’ll help me build stuff. At least my robot limbs had thumbs…

[OSAMU] Don’t worry, Maekawa! I can help you with whatever you need!

[AZUSA] Dude, I’m not that useless, but knock yourself out, bud.

[RUKA] Well, good to know you’re both still up and at ‘em!

[TAKU] …why do you sound like you’re about to scream?

[RUKA] …

[YOUHEI] …Ruka, you good?

[RUKA] Uh- yeah! Yeah, I’m okay! I’m just-

[RUKA] OH MY GOD, IS THAT A CAT?

*Yokoi’s eyes were planted on a fluffy pink anthropomorphic cat wearing an apron. Its hair looked long and silky, but obviously, with the stress on the cat’s face, it was… clear it was the part timer Tei Atsushi.*

[ATSUSHI] Wh- oh, hi Yokoi…

[RUKA] Oh my god, you’re so cute! What happened to you?

[ATSUSHI] No clue, but he won’t stop picking on me for what I look like.

*The he in question was the art forger Ikeda Daiki. Somehow, he didn’t look different at all. Lucky him, Yokoi supposed.*

[DAIKI] True. And I’m proud of myself for it!

[RUKA] That’s not really… nice, y’know?

[DAIKI] With how Tei looks, how can I not?

[ATSUSHI] God, you’re just like the people I work with…

[AZUSA] Eh, could be worse. You could’ve ended up like Denden.

[YOUHEI] Why, what’s wrong with her?

[MISAO] DOCTOR, I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS!!

*Over in the shade, the ice sculptor Denden Misao was panicking a lot in front of surgeon Hirose Shingo. For some reason, Denden looked… see-through, and most of her legs looked like they were faded out. Plus, she looked as if she was floating. As for Hirose, oddly enough, he didn’t seem very different either, just a bit dusty.*

[SHINGO] Denden, please calm down…

[MISAO] But- but my legs… I like my legs…

[SHINGO] We’ll uh, we’ll figure this out.

[TAKU] Hold on, Hirose, why do you, Shishikura, and Ikeda look the same?

[DAIKI] Just got lucky!

[OSAMU] Y- yeah, I’d say!

[SHINGO] …not for me, though.

[YOUHEI] Whaddya mean?

*Hirose opened his mouth, which had many pointy fangs in it.*

[TAKU] …sorry man, can’t see that far, you’re gonna have to come over.

[HIDEYUKI] He can’t.

[RUKA] Oh?

*Over, sitting on a giant were the… Well, Yokoi called them the crazy duo. The itasha painter (and maybe goddess?) Ogura Noriko was holding her hand over her left eye, but she also had a crown on her head. A really cool looking one, too. Her friend, dressage rider Tsukigata Hideyuki, only really had two differences as well, with a curly pair of horns and a pointy demon tail similar to Nishiguchi.*

[NORIKO] Yep! Me and my trusty companion Hidemi have tested Hirose Shingo’s fear for the sunlight to see if he was simply embellishing, and HE’S NOOOOOOOOOOOT!!

[YOUHEI] Uh- what does that mean?

[HIDEYUKI] Well, uh, when Hirose was out in the sun, his skin started to sizzle! It was… a little scary, to be honest!

[NORIKO] Yes, a curse indeed… but luckily, Miss Denden saved him from total destruction from the cursed sun!!

[RUKA] *GASP!* Hirose, are you a vampire??

[SHINGO] Wh- Yokoi, vampires aren’t real. You know that, right?

[OSAMU] Well- given that Maekawa’s a big dog, Tei’s a cat, and Denden’s see-through, then vampires… don’t exactly seem too insane.

[AZUSA] Yeah, no kidding.

[OSAMU] …your tail’s wagging.

[AZUSA] Stop staring.

[OSAMU] Ack- sorry!

[MION] Oooookay, so… who are we missing?

[SOU] I think it’s just Ouno.

[ERINA] Didn’t she go in the portal first?

[RUKA] Woah, yeah, you’re right!

[NORIKO] Hmm… I could go track her down with my Magenta Thaumaturge Eye, Hunter of Lies if we ever so needed…

[HIDEYUKI] Ah! It’s a good idea!

[DAIKI] God, do you hear how you sound right now, Ogura?

*Once again, everyone stared at Ikeda.*

[DAIKI] It’s fairly obvious that she did something to us to get us all here. Duh. But do you know wanna something? She caused almost everyone to have a mutation of some kind. And for what? To escape certain death and only have to worry about a high chance of death?

[AZUSA] Dude, shut up.

[ERINA] Yeah, what the hell, man?

[MUTSUKO] Why do you want to make everything an issue? If you want to complain, do it after we find Ouno.

[DAIKI] And why? So we can all “get along”?

[ATSUSHI] Ikeda, stop.

[DAIKI] Lemme think about that. No.

[YOUHEI] Jesus… dude, what’s your problem?

[DAIKI] I’m just saying, we’re basically worse off unless we find a way to get back home or find basically any way to return to normal.

[RUKA] Wh- we’re- we don’t have to turn back to normal, you know! W- we can adjust!!

[MISAO] …but my legs…

[DAIKI] See? Your hopelessly toxic positivity won’t work on everyone, Yokoi! Just look at Denden! She’s crying standing there, crying like: “bUt My LeGs!!!” And you know what tha-

*Ikeda stopped speaking. Suddenly, bones started growing until he was taller, his hair started growing out and paling to a bright blonde color with half-up odango buns, and his body started becoming… very shapely to say the least. The shirt and suspenders he was wearing were now a bit more defined than previously. And now, the only things that even resembled Ikeda was the eye color and the wardrobe.*

*But now? Ikeda was a mirror image of Denden.*

[DAIKI?] …what. The… WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO ME?!?

[MISAO] AAAAAH!! It’s me, but it’s Ikeda!

[YOUHEI] OH SHIT, THAT’S COOL BUT SCARY AS HELL!!

[ERINA] …I’m trying so hard not to laugh-

*Hirose gave Kumada a quick slap.*

[ERINA] H- hey!

[SHINGO] Don’t.

[DAIKI?] What the- huh- why am I- WHY IS MY-

[NORIKO] UWAAAAAAAAAH!!! Ikeda’s… a girl now??

[HIDEYUKI] Just like me!

[RUKA] Ikeda, are you okay?!

[DAIKI?] Wh- of course I’m fucking not, Yokoi!

[SOU] …Nishiguchi what’s going on.

[MUTSUKO] …be thankful you can’t see what we’re seeing, it’s creepy as hell.

[SOU] …

[SHINGO] Ikeda, come over here-

[DAIKI?] NO! You can’t tell me what to do- I- I can’t- I want my da-

*Ikeda smacked his palms onto his head, grasping his head for safety. However, that seemed to activate something… holographic to pop out of his right palm. It was like a dialogue box from an RPG. And on it? Well…*

NAME: “IKEDA DAIKI”

GENDER: MALE

AGE: 17

FORMER ULTIMATE: ART FORGER

CURRENT ULTIMATE: CON ARTIST

SPECIES: SHAPESHIFTER

…

[DAIKI?] H- huh…? Wh- what is that?

*Yokoi let out the most intense gasp she could.*

[RUKA] Ikeda, you’re a shape shifter! You can be whatever you want now!

[TAKU] Holy shit, that’s… wow.

[DAIKI] Wh- I-

[ERINA] Hold on, I think there’s more?

[MISAO] Oooooh, I wanna see!

[DAIKI?] …

[MION] I’ll check…

*Mion went to the holographic rectangle and tried pressing the three dots at the bottom. This changed the text to something new.*

-CON ARTIST: As the con artist, this person has the skills of influence and underhanded trickery on their side. High stats in charisma and deception.

-SHAPESHIFTER: This person has the ability to morph into anyone they desire. This is really taxing and will require a cooldown as energy will be drained. To turn back, just think like yourself.

[DAIKI?] Wha- is- is that it?

[AZUSA] Dude, my respect towards you may be very low, but hey, that's a cool combo.

[OSAMU] You probably should turn back, though…

[DAIKI?] Well duh…

*Ikeda held his hands together and tried thinking about himself. Almost immediately, he started turning back to normal, if not a little frazzled. He immediately ran to Tei.*

[DAIKI] …hey kitty.

[ATSUSHI] Please don’t…

[MUTSUKO] …how do you get that box up in the first place?

[DAIKI] …huh?

[MUTSUKO] Like, there’s no way that jsut appeared out of nowhere.

[DAIKI] I- I dunno! I just put my hands on my head and-

*While replicating his movements that made his text box appear, he pressed his palms to his head and caused it to vanish.*

[DAIKI] -that. 

[SHINGO] …hm. Does it appear because of a specific body part?

[YOUHEI] You really trying to science your way through this shit?

[SHINGO] Well, I’m just trying to understand everything, and if the only things close to the text box to make that thing show up, then it’s either the head or…

*Hirose pressed his left index finger to his right palm. Similarly to Ikeda, a giant text box popped outta his palm, with his information.*

NAME: “HIROSE SHINGO”

GENDER: MALE

AGE: 16

FORMER ULTIMATE: SURGEON

CURRENT ULTIMATE: CLERIC

SPECIES: VAMPIRE

…

-CLERIC: As a cleric, this person has the most medical knowledge. They don’t deal much damage, but they can help restore their party members’ health the easiest. High stats in intelligence.

-VAMPIRE: Vampires are weak to sunlight exposure, they drain their energy and life. Shade is crucial. Luckily for them, a quick way to regain energy and life is by sucking blood from living organic life.

[SHINGO] …huh.

[YOUHEI] So Ruka was right!

[HIDEYUKI] Vampire? That’s spooky!

[AZUSA] Well, seeing that Hirose can’t really move unless he wants to fucking burn, we should probably find a way to get him full body shade.

[MISAO] Ooh, ooh! I can look for shade for Doctor!

[ATSUSHI] Well, whatever you find, it’s gotta be big enough to at least cover him.

[OSAMU] Uh… how tall exactly are you, Hirose?

[SHINGO] Oh, 189 centimeters tall.

[MUTSUKO] Sorry- AT SIXTEEN??

[SOU] Nishiguchi-

[MUTSUKO] I had a hard time believing he was a surgeon at 17, but you’re 16?!?

[SHINGO] This really isn’t important-

[RUKA] Wait, do you guys… hear something?

[TAKU] No? Why-

[NORIKO] Wait, stop! I can hear something as well!

*Everyone stopped talking and started trying to listen for something.*

[DAIKI] …I still don’t hear anythin-

[ATSUSHI] Wait, I can hear… a- a scream…!

[AZUSA] Oh, same! Is- is something falling FROM ABOVE??

[ERINA] Wait, is that Ouno?!

*Everyone looked up, and falling from the sky was a blurry black and white creature. They couldn’t exactly see what it was, but there was enough white to make out her long hairstyle.*

[MION] That’s her!

[YOUHEI] Okay, everyone, clear out, clear out.

[TAKU] Huh?

[RUKA] Just back up-!

*Before Ruka could finish her sentence…*

CRASH!!!!!!!!!!

CLANG!!

[NANAE] Ow… god, my head…

[NANAE] Wh- why do I…

*The beautiful white mess on the floor was very much covered by her hair, her braid a bit unkept after landing. Her hands looked like paws, almost like Maekawa and Tei, but unlike them, the ears were long and rounder, not triangular like the aforementioned two. These ears, and the rest of her body, was also covered in fur, this time white to match her hair. Hidden somewhat under her hair was a poofy rabbit tail, and even if her face was very stuck in the ground, it did look more like a bunny than anything else.*

*And perhaps the weirdest thing was that Ouno got to keep her crowbar, as it had fallen into the ground only a meter or two away.*

[MISAO] …did she become a bunny?

[DAIKI] Hey, you gonna get off the dirt?

[ATSUSHI] Maybe give her a few seconds…

[NANAE] My arm… why- why is- what happened to my arms?!

[OSAMU] H- here, lemme help!

[RUKA] Yeah, here, lean on us!

*Shishikura and Yokoi ran over to try to prop Ouno up, which was more successful than when Taku needed to be propped up earlier.*

[NANAE] Th- thanks, Shishikura and Yokoi. Wh- why do I- AH- MY HANDS!!

[RUKA] Uh- yeah, long story.

[NANAE] My- my face! Wh- what happened to me, Yokoi?!?

[RUKA] I- I dunno, but we can see what you’ve become now.

[NANAE] I- huh?

[SHINGO] Just uh… just hold out your right palm.

[NANAE] Lemme get my crowbar first though! I feel safer with it!

*Ouno crouched down to get her crowbar and held it in her left hand as she held out her right paw.*

[SHINGO] Alright, now press it, Yokoi.

[NANAE] Huh?

[RUKA] I’ll explain everything later, okay? Trust me.

[NANAE] …alrighty, but just know I still have a crowbar.

[RUKA] Got it. Please don’t swing it at anyone, though…

*Yokoi pressed on Ouno’s paw, and once again, a holographic text box popped up out of it.*

NAME: “OUNO NANAE”

GENDER: FEMALE

AGE: 17

FORMER ULTIMATE: CONTORTIONIST

CURRENT ULTIMATE: MARTIAL ARTIST

SPECIES: HARENGON

…

-MARTIAL ARTIST: As a martial artist, this person has increased physical ability and stamina. They can deal high amounts of damage and take a lot of hits well. High stats in attack and agility.

-HARENGON: Harengons are rabbit-like creatures with incredible jumping skills. Thanks to being part rabbit, they are really quick on their feet. For some odd reason, they have a great sense of luck attached to them.

[NANAE] …am I supposed to know these words?

[RUKA] I’m uh… not really sure.

[NORIKO] It is a shame that these words are… in a sense, foreign to our blissfully ignorant ears…

[ERINA] Can you stop talking cryptic for like 4 minutes?

[SOU] Kumada, don’t.

[ERINA] What? She sounds fucking crazy, and she got us into this mess in the first place, Mr. Bleeding From The Eyes.

*Sou’s eyes were pitch white, with no iris in sight, and like Kumada was saying, they were bleeding a bit.*

[SOU] …I’m not bleeding from the eyes, I’m just blind. I swear.

[MUTSUKO] Yeah… no, that’s actual blood. It’s on your lips.

[MION] Well, good to know I’m not the only one bleeding.

[SHINGO] Alright, I’m going to probably have to check both of you out later. But we gotta talk about what’s potentially nearby. Did anyone see anything while they were falling?

[RUKA] No, sorry, I was more worried about falling.

[HIDEYUKI] Yeah, same! But I do kind of remember out of the corner of my eye seeing something like a… what’s the word…

[YOUHEI] Considering this is like a fantasy world, would a village make sense?

[HIDEYUKI] Y- y- yes! That’s the word! There’s a lot of villages in Europe, and I went to a few different ones when I was with my riding team!

[TAKU] Okay, so we have a village. Do we head over?

[MISAO] But Doctor can’t! He’s allergic to sunlight!

[SHINGO] …not the exact phrasing I’d use, but given I’m a vampire, that’s the best way to describe it.

[AZUSA] So… should a few people try to find that village and a few stay here?

[RUKA] That sounds like a plan! Do we have any volunteers?

[ATSUSHI] …I’ll stay. I’m still not…y’know, used to being a cat thing.

[DAIKI] Then I wanna stay as well.

[ATSUSHI] …

[DAIKI] …

[ATSUSHI] …fine, I’ll stay.

[MISAO] M- me too! I wanna make sure Doctor is okay!

[SHINGO] Denden, you really don’t have to-

[MISAO] I know, but I wanna!!

[SHINGO] Denden…

[RUKA] Okay, are we okay with this?

[YOUHEI] I mean… sure, why wouldn’t we?

[MION] Well uh… I’ll stay here as well, but I can help with whatever you might need.

[RUKA] Okay, now are we good?

[ERINA] Mmmyeah, this is fine.

[RUKA] Gggggreat! Okay, now as for the rest of us, I think we should split into a few groups! How about… there’s 11 so… hmm… 3 teams of 3 with a team of 2!

[NORIKO] Hmm… in that case, I shall take Hidemi with me as the duo team!

[YOUHEI] …who?

[HIDEYUKI] Me! I’m Hidemi!!

[TAKU] …sure, why not. That totally isn’t gonna ever confuse me.

[AZUSA] Not gonna lie, still not the weirdest thing to happen today. That’d be that ritual from earlier.

[YOUHEI] I’ll go with Ruka… and y’know what? Ouno, you should join us!

[NANAE] Huh? Why?

[YOUHEI] That crowbar is cool as hell, man, you gotta join us! Right, Rukes?

[RUKA] Oh- um- yeah! Please don’t hit me with that!

[NANAE] Noooooooo promises!

[RUKA] Wha-

[AZUSA] You wanna stay together, scarfie?

[OSAMU] Scarfie- oh, me! Yeah sure, why not?

[AZUSA] Hm… goat boy, you wanna join us?

[TAKU] Me?

[AZUSA] I don’t see anyone else here who looks like a goat, do you?

[TAKU] Fair enough. I’ll join you guys.

[SOU] So that leaves me, Kumada, and Nishiguchi.

[ERINA] I’m taking charge. I call dibs.

[MUTSUKO] We are NOT calling dibs.

[MUTSUKO] I wanna be in charge though.

[ERINA] Back down or I’ll sock you with my… rrrrghh- why is my bat so heavy now??

[SOU] Huh?

[ERINA] It’s still blue but it has the weight of pure fucking iron, why is this infinitely harder to CARRY?!?

[MION] What, was it not made out of iron before?

[ERINA] Ever seen a blue metal before, dumbass?

[MION] There’s cobalt-

[ERINA] Shut up.

[MION] …

[RUKA] …okay then! Alright everyone! Let’s! Get! MOVIIIIIING!!

*And with that, the 11 not staying in the clearing departed, separating a bit from each other, and the only people who were left were the surgeon, the ice sculptor, the art forger, the utaite, and the part-timer.*

[SHINGO] …so are we just gonna… stay here?

[MION] I guess.

[DAIKI] …ah- what’s that bright thing in the sky? It hurts to look at.

[ATSUSHI] …are you kidding me?

[DAIKI] No? What is it?

[MISAO] That’s the sun! If you stay outside, you can get a tan because of it! Plus, sunlight is a good source of vitamin D!

[MION] Woah, look who knows their science stuff!

[MISAO] Yep! My biology teacher back in my sophomore year allowed me to skip some assignments because I was so smart! According to the principal, it was because I “had a lot going on at home” and that it “might affect my schoolwork if not resolved” but I knew what I was doing!

[SHINGO] …Denden, I think you have repressed feelings.

[MISAO] I… might. But those don’t matter! Uh… what’s your favorite song?

[ATSUSHI] I dunno what my favorite would be… but I have been listening to “Perfect Me” a lot.

[MION] Hey, that’s my song!

[ATSUSHI] Wh- you sing that?

[MION] Yeah. I could do it right now, if you want-

[ATSUSHI] Please no, I already had to hear that song so much back at one of my jobs at a convenience store.

[DAIKI] Jobs?

[SHINGO] Plural?

[ATSUSHI] Yeah I… have to work a lot… but, I guess not anymore right now. Thanks a lot, Ogura…

[DAIKI] …if we get hurt out here, I’m blaming it all on Ogura.

*Ikeda laid his head and upper body over Tei’s lap, and the part timer, too confused to do anything about it… didn’t bother to move him, instead resting his paws on his knees and fidgeting with his tail to keep from boredom.*

*Isoda just stood there, resting a bit against the shaded tree as there wasn’t really much to do.*

*Denden and Hirose stood more in the shade since… well, Hirose. If Denden wanted to start more conversation, she’d have all the time in the world. But for now?*

*They’d be playing the waiting game.*

CHAPTER 2: END

NEW INFO UNLOCKED:

-Harengon Ouno Nanae- Martial Artist

-Shapeshifter Ikeda Daiki- Con Artist

-Vampire Hirose Shingo- Cleric

To be continued…