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madimpossibledreamerchapter summary: someone contacts kenshin/CATMAN (souji) about the missing koual (yosuke), and together souji and nanako go on an adventure to buy the game in the past.
word count: 2231
rating: T
Oddly enough, it’s Souji, not Ry, who gets a private email about the Koual post on the forums, from a trialofthedragon. He must be using the username for his emails, rather than his character name.
“CATMAN, you’re looking for a guy named Koual, right? I might know something. Of course, I could be wrong, but…please meet me in Honmaru park.”
The thought occurs to Souji, for one absurd second, that this could be a trap, before he realizes that doesn’t really matter. It’s just a game. And with the duel system, all the offender could really do is challenge him to a duel, which he’d promptly refuse, or not actually have the information he’s looking for. There’s nothing to lose by going to the meeting.
Thus it is that Kenshin waits, somewhat nervously, by the board of events in the park. He reads the sign that proclaims the park the original site of Kiyotada Sumaru’s castle, whatever that means. It’s probably a piece of in-game lore that he hasn’t played enough to get yet.
If Koual were here, he could probably explain the history in great deal and add why Souji should bother to care by detailing how it’d probably affect his character or missions someday. Souji felt a little loss by the player’s absence. I made the right choice, but…it doesn’t mean this doesn’t hurt.
“Hey, CATMAN, right?” He turns, and it’s a human-looking female in martial arts robes. He clicks on her, and her tags proclaim her to be a Tengu Extreme Fighter by the name Seiryuu.
“Then you’re trialofthedragon?” It’s hard to tell whether the gender of the character and player match, but in many cases, according to Koual, they do. Though accurate statistics probably don’t exist, they’re at least an approximation.
“Yes.” There’s a hesitation, then, “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but…you’re Souji Seto, aren’t you?”
How could she….he’d been very careful…?
“I’m Chie. You know, the girl who sits next to you in class.” …With a name like trialofthedragon, he might’ve guessed, but he’d been careful to not jump to conclusions. Lots of people probably liked that particular martial arts film. No reason to suspect it might be a specific one of those people.
“Why are you telling me this?” He doesn’t have to admit to it.
This time the response is quicker. “Well, Yukiko and I agreed it would be a pretty big coincidence, but…we think Koual might be Yosuke.”
Yukiko’s involved, too? I knew she had an account, we’d been listening as they discussed the game, so…it makes sense, I suppose, but…wait, what about Yosuke? “What makes you think that?” How could he be, anyway, when he was lying in the hospital in a coma?
“I know, it’d be weird. Yosuke’s in a coma. I’ll give you the gist, but if you look on the forums, you can find a more detailed explanation. It’s another rumor about the game. Basically, there are people who are friends in real life. They know they’re friend’s in a coma, but they’ve seen their friend’s character in the game, actually playing it. They’ll group for a bit, but most seem unaware they can’t log out. And eventually they’ll stop grouping, and eventually run off and avoid their friends’ characters, until they can’t be found at all. It sounds ridiculous, but the timeline fits, and…well. There’s a lot of other things.” She accidentally repeats herself. Had she written this up beforehand, anticipating his questions, and was now copying and pasting from some document?
“The way he talks is a lot like Yosuke. You know how he baits me in class? He’s the exact same way on the forums. He’s a litle more mature on here, generally, except when he’s talking to me.” He can’t tell whether she’s more mad or worried.
“He may not seem it, but he’s very responsible. He works hard at Junes. I actually went through his work schedule, and it corresponds with the times he’s been offline. If he was told by his father he suddenly had to take a shift at a time he’d arranged to meet someone here, it fits with the times he’s contacted that person to inform them he can’t make it. Extra shifts at other times just mean he’s offline.” He recognizes that voice. Yukiko? Using a mic.
He turns to see a pretty robot in traditional clothes, a Mender, apparently. “I assume you’re Yukiko, then.”
“He’ll answer questions about ISO in about the same detail as Koual does, and then he’ll get really embarrassed.” Chie again. By this point he’s pretty sure she is just pasting from a document she’d made beforehand.
The actual detail from Yukiko is more convincing. It’s data. Facts. It’s probably difficult for anyone to have exactly the same schedule playing an online game, isn’t it? But he shouldn’t dismiss the gut feeling, should he? How does he feel about this seemingly absurd claim?
It makes sense. It’s entirely possible. Though I don’t know Yosuke as well as I know Koual.
“So, assuming he is this Yosuke, what does it mean?” he types, when it seems no more information is forthcoming.
There’s a long pause. Either neither of them know what to say to him, or it’s taking Chie a while to type her answer. Yukiko’s using the voice input system, so her responses should just be as fast as she thinks of them.
“According to the rumor, you have to find him quickly, or something terrible will happen. Disappearing from this world too probably isn’t good,” Yukiko answers eventually, generally calm and quiet voice tinged with disquiet.
Souji knows how that feels.
Previously:
Souji wants to just buy Innocent Sin Online online. A digital download is the least hassle, and Nanako-chan will get to play her precious game more quickly.
Unfortunately, that isn’t possible.
Beaming, Nanako sings “Junes Junes Junes” as her father looks on fondly.
“Junes has an exclusive Innocent Sin Online disk set that she wants. She’s been saving up for it, actually. Could you take her to Junes after school?”
No.
“Why not?” he asks, smiling at Nanako, and for once she’s too shy to realize he’s not being truthful, to the point she runs over and hugs him. Souji’s not used to touch, so he stiffens a little, but realizes he should hug back.
“You’re the best, Souji-nii!” That’s right, he’s not an only child anymore. He needs to remember that.
After school, they head to Junes. There’s housewives everywhere whispering. “Did you hear that the hobby store in the Shopping District closed?”
“That’s awful. It’s the Junes prices, isn’t it?” The woman clicks her tongue and grabs another sale item off the shelf and places it in her basket.
That bothers Souji, too. How can they be such hypocrites, insulting the place under their breath and filling their carts in another?
Luckily, Nanako is missing all of it. This Junes isn’t all that different from any of the others Souji has been to, but Nanako’s wide, excited eyes and smile that won’t go away make it seem like she’s in the best place in the world. What would it be like, to be a child with such wonder?
“There it is!” Nanako runs off, and Souji has to run off to try to catch up. At least he’s in pretty good shape.
There’s pictures of a couple characters on the front, as well as some barbed wire and something…something else. It’s rated…Cero B, with some mild sexual content and violence. Of course, a lot of it also probably would depend on the people playing the game, which is why Dojima wouldn’t want Nanako playing by herself.
“I could do a report on it,” Nanako explains. “I could do one on Magical Detective Loveline or Phoenix Ranger Featherman R, but everyone’s doing those. And Featherman R has some violence, so Daddy says it’s about the same as Innocent Sin. He just didn’t want me doing it alone, but now I have big bro to play with!”
One would really have to be soulless not to smile back with complete truth, and Souji can’t help the fond smile.
“I’m looking forward to it.” He hadn’t been, but he certainly was now. He’d get to know her better, and she was far from stupid. She was adorable and smart.
“Now, we don’t need anything else, do we?” He hopes not. Nanako would probably wander around the whole of Junes like it was a museum if he let her.
“Well, we should probably get dinner…Dad doesn’t know how to cook.” She looks adorably worried. At least it’s probably a quick stop.
“I’ll get ingredients later so I can cook, but for the moment let’s just get us bento boxes, okay?”
She nods happily. “If you need any special ingredients, big bro, just let me know. I go shopping a lot.”
He nods at that, and it doesn’t take them that long to select three boxes.
They then join the grocery lines, which have somehow become very, very long since when they came in the store. Souji steels his soul to be patient and asks Nanako about what she knows about the game. It turns out she doesn’t know a lot, but she has a few friends who play some of the associated video games.
It’s when they’re near the front of the line that Souji realizes their checker is a familiar face. If a very exhausted one. He doesn’t say anything—it’ll be a bigger surprise that way, and in any case one of the whining housewives is in front of him. She wouldn’t take an interruption well, and would probably take it out on Yosuke.
“Everyday’s great at your—Souji-kun, what the hell are you doing here?” The greeting is cheerful, if empty, up until the point he actually stops to notice his customer.
“Watch your language in front of Nanako-chan,” Souji warns quietly, and Yosuke un-slouches to see Nanako.
“Woah, sorry, little lady, didn’t notice you there.” Yosuke seems to be getting a little more life from this interaction, and Souji’s tempted to prolong it, despite the housewife becoming impatient behind him. “She’s your—little sis? She’s cute.”
“I won’t tell Detective Dojima you said that, just in case he takes it the wrong way.”
Yosuke half-panics, flailing a little, before he notices the mischievous look in Souji’s eyes and calms down. “Nobody knows you’re a jerk, do they?”
“It’s a state secret. Tell anyone, and I’ll have to kill you.” Souji makes a point to smile this time, just to let them both know he’s joking. It’s not much of one, but he doesn’t tend to be very expressive, and it’s enough for Nanako. She giggles.
“You really are a mystery man, huh.” Is that jealousy he hears? Why would Yosuke be envious of him? “And…huh, two games? Playing with your big bro there, Nanako-chan?”
Yosuke’s flustered enough he nearly drops the cases, which earns a little bit of a questioning look from Nanako. What’s the whole secret with Yosuke and this game?
“Yep, he’s great!” Nanako answers. It’s not really true. She doesn’t know him well enough to know anything, really, but it seems a gesture like this and going to Junes can put her in a really good mood.
“Well, it’s really popular these days. The game has a pretty great community, but every group has its trolls. If anyone’s bothering you I’m sure your big brother will take care of it.” It looks like he wants to say something else, but by this point the housewife is glaring holes in his head, and the cleaning crew would have a bit more to mop up if she was actually able to literally do that. Still, Yosuke’s looking a lot less stressed, so he’s helped somehow.
Nanako gives him cash for the games, and Yosuke grins, closing his eyes and concentrating for a second before getting into the cash drawer and getting out change. To Souji’s surprise, it’s exact change. He hadn’t seemed that good in Math, but then, he hasn’t been there long to observe.
Will he have to repay Nanako?
He pays for the dinner, and Yosuke’s quick and efficient. Service with a smile. He wants to talk more, but he’s interrupted by a coughing fit from the housewife. He still manages a smile and a wave as they grab the bags. “Everyday’s great at your Junes!” Yosuke looks surprised when Nanako sings along. “Maybe we should have you sing for the commercials. You’re pretty good. See ya, Nanako-chan, Souji-kun.”
“Is he your friend at school?” Nanako asks as they’re walking back.
As long as he’s in the vein of truthful without being rude, he might as well continue. “He might be. I haven’t been here long enough to be sure.”
“Well, I like him,” Nanako states.
“Yeah.” Non-committal. He likes some of what he’s seen, but not all of it, and he hasn’t seen all that much. “About the second game…”
“Oh, I needed to buy both to play, since I can’t play by myself. Don’t worry; I saved up enough of my allowance. And Junes had a great deal. I love Junes!” She’s grinning. She’ll probably be riding on that high for a while. “Do you think we’ll run into him while playing the game?”
Souji had begun wondering that himself. “I guess we’ll see.”
