Hikikomori Quest - Remaking my Life: Part 14/Until the Next Cross.

[Tashi]

Niji iji blue, where are you!?
Niji Blue:

>Where are we?

> The words 'I am looost!' race through your mind.
> As you just thought, you are at a unknown forest, in an unknown place of Gensokyo. Unknown for you, and probably unknown for the others. What if Niji doesn't wake up? What if you have to wander endlessly through this-
> You shake away those thoughts...
> "Poor thing... Are you lost...?"
> Then, a voice, which you can't exactly call pleasant, seems to address your worries... amidst the darkness of this forest...
> _

[Neovereign]

Niji Blue:

>"Yea... B-But I'm looking for someone close."

[Tashi]

Niji Blue:

>"Yea... B-But I'm looking for someone close."

> "But I'm already close to you..." The unsettling voice answers.
> Y-You suddenly feel like you can at least run or fly away...
> _

[Monarda]

Niji Blue:

>"W-Who are you ?"
>Look scared, back off and look for the voice, we need to know where to not run first !

Nijipiece:

>Point to the real pile of cuteness.

Kiku-chan:

>"Hm..."

[Tashi]

Niji Blue:

>"W-Who are you ?"
>Look scared, back off and look for the voice, we need to know where to not run first !

> "I am... someone friendly..." The mysterious voice cackles.
> You start to back off. You think that the voice was at the direction of Mr. Tree-
> You feel you bump with something while walking backwards. Y-You don't think another tree was that near...

Nijipiece:

>Point to the real pile of cuteness.

> You point to the REAL cute thing here: an asleep Yuudachi~.
> "Okay, I accept that... However..." Marisa points to Arisa. "Why didn't you woke her up first?!  Why ME?!"
> Yuudachi starts to open her eyes...

Kiku-chan:

>"Hm..."

> "Yes or no?" Remilia frowns. "Straightforward answer, please."
> _

[Monarda]

Kiku-chan:

>"Oh, uhhh, yeah, sure."

Niji Blue:

>"Ekkk !"
>Turn around and go back to Mr. Tree.

Nijipiece:

>"Shhhhhhhhhhh."

[Tashi]

Kiku-chan:

>"Oh, uhhh, yeah, sure."

> "Excelent. Now, let's see what is in here." Remilia opens the door and gets into the room.
> Patchouli follows the vampire. She doesn't look exactly pleased about this situation... and she also looks a bit sleepy.
> Sakuya glances at you. "Ready?"

Niji Blue:

>"Ekkk !"
>Turn around and go back to Mr. Tree.

> You yelp and jump, turning aroun-
> It was a tree... M-Maybe your mind is tricking you and you walked more distance you didn't noticed...?
> "Yes... Come here..." The voice cackles.
> Your breathing starts to get heavy. You are feeling anxious.

Nijipiece:

>"Shhhhhhhhhhh."

> Marisa sweats and looks at Yuudachi in silence.
> The doll sits up and stretches.
> "Yuudaaa..." She yawns cutely, and after rubbing her eyes, she sleepily and sheepily looks at you and Marisa. "... Yu... u...?"
> _

[Monarda]

Niji Blue:

>Take some breaths, go back to the tree we hit, away from Mr. Tree.
>"Think of Yuudachi... W-What do you want ?"

Kiku-chan:

>Nod.
>"If something happens we can ask Niji for more details too."

Nijipiece:

>Pick up cute doll.
>"Heeeeeey !"

[Tashi]

Niji Blue:

>Take some breaths, go back to the tree we hit, away from Mr. Tree.
>"Think of Yuudachi... W-What do you want ?"

> You breath heavily, trying to calm down... but your efforts are in vain.
> You walk again to the tree you just bumped with.
> "I didn't said I wanted to help you...?"
> The voice comes from the direction you went now.

Kiku-chan:

>Nod.
>"If something happens we can ask Niji for more details too."

> Sakuya, not saying anything else, gets into the room.

Nijipiece:

>Pick up cute doll.
>"Heeeeeey !"

> You pick up Yuudachi and you greet her.
> She jumps a bit at your sudden greeting.
> "... And you tell me to be more silent?" Marisa chuckles.
> _

[Monarda]

Nijipiece:

>Pet.

Niji Blue:

>Stop.
>"Y-Yeah... but how ? You don't even let me see you..."

Kiku-chan:

>Follow.

[Tashi]

Nijipiece:

>Pet.

> You gently pet Yuudachi, whom still looks very sleepy...
> "You should let her sleep..." Marisa suggests. "You just can't pet her all the night."

Niji Blue:

>Stop.
>"Y-Yeah... but how ? You don't even let me see you..."

> You stop in place. You don't feel too protected if your back isn't covered...
> "Just... close your eyes... and let me do everything for you..."
> The voice is nearer.
> "Just... do it..."

Kiku-chan:

>Follow.

> You follow Sakuya inside the room.
> You quickly notice that this room is quite different from the others. Well, from yours and Koakuma's, at least. It looks more... fancier.
> At the other end of the entrance is a queen-sized bed, and there rests Meiling along with a young female. From your current position, you would mistake her for a younger Meiling of sorts. Both of them are covered by the pink blanket of the bed and, Meiling at least, seems to be sleeping warmly.
> Sakuya slowly and gently closes the door.
> _

[Monarda]

Niji Blue:

>"NO !"
>Fly away from there ! Anywhere but there !
>"You are scary ! Stop being creepy !"

Nijipiece:

>"Yeah it's just...."
>...okay, things go serious there on Blue, quick ! Another wake up laser on Niji Prime !

Kiku-chan:

>More silently.
>"Shall i keep guard here until morning ?"

[Neovereign]

Niji Blue:

>Make sure not to blink. That's closing our eyes!

[Tashi]

Niji Blue:

>"NO !"
>Fly away from there ! Anywhere but there !
>"You are scary ! Stop being creepy !"

Niji Blue:

>Make sure not to blink. That's closing our eyes!

> You quickly forget about your tiredness and start to fly away with all you got, maintaining your eyes open wide.
> Luckily, or unluckily; you can't think clearly; the voice doesn't seem to speak again. Most likely because you went away.

Nijipiece:

>"Yeah it's just...."
>...okay, things go serious there on Blue, quick ! Another wake up laser on Niji Prime !

> You finally decide yourself to wake... yourself? Uh, you just shoot a small laser to Niji's arm, but weak enough to not hurt her. You aren't so dumb to hurt yourself on purpose~.
> Niji yelps awake.
> This seems to make Arisa stir slightly but she doesn't open her eyes.
> "Woah, so harsh." Marisa says. "A nudge would have been fine."

Kiku-chan:

>More silently.
>"Shall i keep guard here until morning ?"

> "The ritual will begin." Sakuya says, locking the door. She sets the chain lock as well. "We'll see if that is necessary."
> "So this is Orange that Meiling mentioned..." Remilia examines the younger female. "Hmph. She really looks like her younger sister."
> Patchouli, near a corner, silently starts to shift pages on her book.
> _

[Monarda]

Kiku-chan:

>"What will the ritual do exactly ?"

Niji:

>Boot up.

Niji Blue:

>"Who was she ? Was she also some evil spirit ?"

[Tashi]

Kiku-chan:

>"What will the ritual do exactly ?"

> Patchouli raises her attention from the book to address you. "The main objective is find out why she wasn't the "Orange she heard of", in words of that fairy."
> She looks back down to the book.
> "If it's possible, Lady Patchouli will try to identify what is this energy she supposedly obtained, which we assume is the reason." Sakuya clears her throat. "But we can't be completely sure."

Niji:

>Boot up.

> You quickly get up. You really didn't liked that, even coming from another you.
> "What a nice clones you have, huh? Firing lasers on your arm..." Marisa relaxes a bit.

Niji Blue:

>"Who was she ? Was she also some evil spirit ?"

> You quickly question yourself without looking back.
> You can't resist the urges to blink and- You blink!
> Ah!
> ...
> Ah, nothing happened... Thank gods...
> _

[Monarda]

Nijipiece:

>"It's important, she needs to bail Blue outta there."

Kiku-chan:

>"I see...

Niji Blue:

>Stay aware.

[Tashi]

Nijipiece:

>"It's important, she needs to bail Blue outta there."

> "Dunno' what you are talking about, neither why, but okay. I guess. Just don't make too much noise to wake Alice up." Marisa gives you a scold of sorts. "She already had too much for today... especially with a fairy that almost blew her house... or completely, at least."

Kiku-chan:

>"I see...

> "Sakuya, wake Meiling up. I also want to know why she was sleeping on duty." Remilia speaks in a quieter, yet harsh tone.
> Sakuya walks to Meiling's side and shakes her.
> "H-Hmm...?" The gateguard mumbles as she opens her eyes. It seems she got caught in the comfiness of the bed. You can't blame her for that, though. It indeed looks awesome.
> "Good evening." Remilia greets harshly.
> "M-Mistress...?"
> Meiling sits up, a bit dishoriented.

Niji Blue:

>Stay aware.

> You stay alert for any not-mister-tree trying to assault you.
> Luckily, no one seems to be creepily approaching to you as you keep flying towards the most known location you can think of: Youkai Mountain.
> The storm is still fierce, and you start to remember how tired are you, decreasing your speed bit by bit...
> _

[meow56]

Niji:
>Recall Blue.

[Rin Satsuki]

Niji:
>Recall Blue.

> Controlling the energy of your bracelet, you recall Blue back...
> However, it doesn't seem possible, mainly because she's too far away and there isn't enough light to make the line for the connection to bring her back.

> (Blue) Niji's failed attempt to save you makes you feel even more down...
> _

[Monarda]

Niji:

>Blue ! Don't give up just yet, okay, just keep going to Youkai Mountain, i will meet you there !
>Depart to Youkai Mountain.

Niji Blue:

>We can't give up, it's either this or letting that creepy woman get us.
>Do our best to get to the mountain.

[Tashi]

Niji:

>Blue ! Don't give up just yet, okay, just keep going to Youkai Mountain, i will meet you there !
>Depart to Youkai Mountain.

Niji Blue:

>We can't give up, it's either this or letting that creepy woman get us.
>Do our best to get to the mountain.

> After giving some words of reassurement for your clone, you depart to the Youkai Mountain. You don't give a damn about the storm! This is serious stuff happening!

> You don't give up. You CAN'T give up. It's your own safety! Remembering about that voice, which indeed was a womanly voice, you speed up. You can do it!

...

When you have less perspectives, or different ones, you have to expand your world.

--Hikikomori Quest.
This is not even the beginning.

...

> You are Kuro, or also Kiku. You really don't mind at all.
> As witnessed before, you are at some kind of 'fancy' guest room at the SDM, along with a somewhat indigned Remilia; A bored and who longs for silence called Patchouli; A silent and elegant maid Sakuya; And a confused newly-awake Meiling.
> There's also someone else in this room who hasn't wake up yet, which is Orange. Meiling's long lost 'sister'. Or platonical sister, at least.
> All of you are at the gates of an incoming ritual to find out what happened to the young girl, or woman, who met an horrible fate of servantry for at least fifty years.
> However, Remilia seems to be about to give a scolding to Meiling, who is still dazed due to being just woke up and not realizing the situation nor that Orange is next to her, since she has not given permission to sleep during duty.
> _

[Monarda]

Kiku-chan:

>"Well... here goes..."

[Tashi]

Kiku-chan:

>"Well... here goes..."

> "First of all, why were you asleep?" Remilia questions to the china girl.
> "Because, uh... I felt sleepy...?" Meiling fidgets a bit, rubbing her eyes.
> "Why the he-"
> "Remi. I want to sleep. And I want to get this job done. Are you going to contribute?" Patchouli gazes at the vampire.
> "Nain. I'm not even sure why I accepted to do this." Remilia frowns.
> _

[Monarda]

Kiku-chan:

>"Chief Maid, may i attempt to solve this more swiftly so that everyone benefits ?"

[Tashi]

Kiku-chan:

>"Chief Maid, may i attempt to solve this more swiftly so that everyone benefits ?"

> "I'd like if you could." Sakuya nods slightly.
> "We are about to get into a ritual, Remi, therefore, I'd like some silence."
> "My mansion, my rules. I will get into why this china woman was asleep at duty." Remilia glares at the aforementioned.
> Meiling jumps. "R-Ritual? C-China woman...?"
> _

[Monarda]

Kiku-chan:

>Step up.
>"Miss Meiling is simply prone to sleeping on duty after a while, it is a fact Chief Maid and i know well, hence the right course of action is to just give her something to either keep her busy, because let's be honest, standing still in front of a gate doing nothing other than looking around is very monotone, or to give her something to make her simply unable to sleep for that period."
>Poke Meiling.
>"Besides, after today's events, i am rather sure that Meiling's life will change a great deal."

[Tashi]

Kiku-chan:

>Step up.
>"Miss Meiling is simply prone to sleeping on duty after a while, it is a fact Chief Maid and i know well, hence the right course of action is to just give her something to either keep her busy, because let's be honest, standing still in front of a gate doing nothing other than looking around is very monotone, or to give her something to make her simply unable to sleep for that period."
>Poke Meiling.
>"Besides, after today's events, i am rather sure that Meiling's life will change a great deal."

> You given an explanation... and some pokes to Meiling.
> "C-Change? Why?" Meiling looks at you questioningly.
> "And you don't even notice? Are you sure she really cares for her?" Remilia inquiries Sakuya.
> "Look at your side, Meiling." Sakuya instructs.
> Meiling complies, staring at the orange-haired girl sleeping besides her.
> _

[Monarda]

Kiku-chan:

>Pat Meiling with a smile.
>"...yep, that is Orange, your old friend."

[Tashi]

Kiku-chan:

>Pat Meiling with a smile.
>"...yep, that is Orange, your old friend."

> Meiling seems to pay no mind at all as she keeps staring at Orange...
> "... Wha..." She barely mumbles.
> "Before you start all the greetings fest..." Patchouli speaks, which draws Meiling's attention. "A ritual must be done."
> "A ritual?"
> "A ritual to find out what happened to her."
> _