(Note: HoloLore here might not be accurate. Please forgive me...)
You woke once more to the sounds of the birds singing. Though the landscape outside your window was peaceful, your thoughts were anything but. You couldn't help but think of Subaru. Had she really gone to the hospital after that idol meeting? You got out of bed and began to make yourself a breakfast, intending to stream today, but your concern got the better of you, and you decided to take a jaunt down to the building to check on her.
Not half an hour later, you'd finished eating breakfast, taking a shower, and dressing up. You walked at a brisk pace, trying to play off your concern as best as you could on the way but utterly failing every time you thought you got close.
After what seemed like forever, you arrived once more in front of the glass walls of the Cover Corp HQ. You stepped through the glass doors, only seeing a woman with blue hair and a "Hololive" shirt at the desk. The concierge, you assumed. You stepped in front of the desk, and the woman looked up.
A-Chan: Hello. Nice to meet you. My name's A-Chan.
Y/N: Hi! I'm Y/N, and-
A-Chan: Y-Y/N?!
She took a moment to recompose herself, then turned back towards you.
A-Chan: How can I help?
Y/N: I'm just here to check on Subaru. She got a cut yesterday from two thugs and I wanted to make sure that she's alright.
A-Chan: Ah, okay. She's just up the stairs, resting in the office. Yagoo wouldn't let her stream because of the cut and I think seeing you would help alleviate some of her boredom.
Y/N: Alright, thanks!
As soon as you were out of earshot, A-Chan placed her head on the desk.
A-Chan: Phew, that's done. The rumors are true: his presence is a little commanding!
Meanwhile, you made your way up the stairs, hearing lots of chatter coming from the office room. Perhaps a couple of the other talents went to check on Subaru after her little run-in with those audacious thugs.
You opened the office door and almost immediately felt everyone's eyes on you. The chatter died down.
Y/N: H-hi! I'm just here to check on Subaru, seeing as-
Subaru: Y/N!
Y/N: Nevermind!
You turn to where the voice came from, seeing Subaru walking towards you. You readily accepted the hug as she placed her arms around you. Now that your identity was out, however, the other Hololivers seemed starstruck more than puzzled. Gradually, the conversation began to pick back up. The Hololivers each introduced themselves to you, and you were happy to meet each one of them. Suddenly, a voice spoke out behind you.
???: Hey guys! I just dropped by to see how Subaru was doing.
You froze, stiff as a board, and your eyes widened. You thought- but she-
You turned your head as slowly as you could, afraid of what you might see: a ghost, or otherwise. Subaru seemed concerned.
Subaru: Y/N...?
The person who spoke just moments ago finally crossed into your line of sight. Tears welled up in your eyes as you recognized her face.
Y/N: Polka...?
The circus performer turned, and saw you.
Polka: Y/N!
She ran up to you and gave you a big hug! You were full on crying now beneath your shades, and the tears streamed down your face as you accepted the embrace of the little fennec fox.
Y/N: I- I always thought you-
Polka: Were just a figment of your imagination? Y-yeah, that's the way many kids remember me!
FLASHBACK
You were six years old, and had run away from home after a particularly nasty argument. The red, hand-shaped mark across your face reminded you of that.
At last, you rounded a curve and saw the most colorfully dressed person you'd ever seen. She was sitting on a cardboard box, with animal ears stretching out from her head.
You thought she was the cutest person you'd ever seen.
You walked up to her box and just sat down beside it. She looked down, saw you, and upon seeing you, she hopped off the box, came up in front of you, crouched down, and smiled.
Polka: What are you doing here?
Her crazy outfit and cute looks had distracted you from the events of that evening. Recalling them, and suddenly feeling the pain back in the mark on the side of your face, tears began to well up in your eyes. Polka saw this, and pulled you in tight.
Polka: Shh... it's okay. Just tell me-
She broke off, now noticing the mark on the side of your face. Understanding washed over her, as did a feeling of anger towards those who would dare to do this to a child.
Polka: Nevermind, you don't have to explain. I understand.
The woman gave you the comfort that your family never gave you. She gave you the attention that your real family never did. You felt... safe with her.
Y/N: M-ms...?
Polka: Yes?
Y/N: T-thank you...
And with that, you drifted off to sleep. Polka, seeing this, opened her box, and took out a pillow and a stuffed toy. She laid them on the ground and allowed you to sleep there.
The next thing you remember is waking up in a safe nook in an alleyway, with a loaf of bread in a plastic container next to you, and the stuffed toy in your arms. Your eyes drifted to the loaf and the card attached to it.
Signed, Omaru Polka.
Don't lose hope, young one. I think we'll meet again someday.
BACK TO THE PRESENT
Y/N: I- I can't believe it's- it's really you! You were right... the card you gave me that night...
Fubuki, who you'd just met, spoke up.
Fubuki: Can someone tell me what's going on?
While the other Hololivers shrugged, you gestured to Polka to tell them the whole story. She obliged, and by the end of it, all the Hololivers were shocked.
Y/N: E-either way! I'm so, so glad to see you, Polka!
Polka: Me too!
Y/N: Hey, wanna set a date to catch up?
Polka: Absolutely! It'd be great to see how you've been getting on!
While Polka may have gotten your meaning perfectly clearly, the others chose to interpret it... in their own ways. As you left, having made sure that Subaru was fine, Botan walked over to Polka.
Botan: Aaah!~
Polka: S-shut up! It's not that kind of date, he means a calendar date!
Fubuki: Whatever you say!~
Polka knew the teasing was playful, but she wondered if some part of her considered their words more than just that: teasing.
Y/N POV
Date? What the hell were you thinking? This is the first time you've seen her in 12 years and the first thing you ask her to do with you is go on a date?
Then again, Polka didn't seem to be too taken aback by your statement. Did she think you were talking about a calendar date? You hoped so. You didn't want to break her heart if she was expecting otherwise.
On the way back, you noticed a ramen place that caught your eye. You stopped by the place to take a look. Suddenly, you saw a hooded figure running past. Whoever they were, they tripped on a rock. It wouldn't be too hard to stop them from hitting the pavement. You placed your leg on one of the poles on the outside of the restaurant and kicked, propelling yourself downwards rapidly aligning you underneath the falling figure. Pushing your hands back, you held yourself up as the person collapsed atop you. You figured that landing on you would be a lot softer than a pavement landing, and you were right. The person got up, and thanked you profusely.
???: T-thank you!
A female voice. It... sounded familiar.
Y/N: It's no problem. Hey, can I... talk to you, somewhere else?
???: Oh, yeah, sure!
You took her by the hand. It was gloved, though you could just barely see the reddish color of her wrist peeking out from in between the hems of the jacket sleeves and the gloves.
You took her into the alleyway. She was clearly nervous.
Y/N: I'm not going to do anything bad to you. I've just... got a hunch.
You didn't want to say anything else, in case you were wrong. Partly so that you wouldn't scare the girl if that was the case, but also so that you wouldn't get your hopes up.
At last, you found a place away from prying eyes. You stopped, and turned to the girl.
Y/N: Ollie? Kureiji Ollie?
The girl froze. She pulled off the hood.
You barely even recognized her, with her face a mask of shock and confusion. But her eyes... they hadn't changed at all.
Ollie: H-how do you know me?
Tears welled up in your eyes once more. You looked away.
Y/N: Damn it, I've cried enough for today.
Despite your best attempts not to, you couldn't help but feel the tears fall down your face. Ollie looked over, concerned.
Ollie: Are- are you okay?
FLASHBACK
Ollie: Y/N, catch!
You turned your head to see the shape of a baseball barreling towards you. You cocked your hand back, and thrust it forward like a punch with your palm open. The baseball landed perfectly in your hand, and made a nice smacking sound as it landed. You tossed the ball back to the source, a high school girl running towards you. After being very, very sick for a couple days, you were glad to see Ollie back on her feet. She stopped in front of you.
Ollie: Nice catch, as always.
Y/N: I knew you wouldn't be rusty, even after being cooped up in your bedroom for a while.
Ollie: Well, you know me. Resilient as ever!
You laughed. You and Ollie had been best friends ever since you'd met just a few years ago. You two knew each other like the backs of your hands.
After spending a wonderful day together, you brought Ollie back to her home and smiled.
Y/N: It was great seeing you again Ollie!
Ollie: You too, Y/N!
As her mother opened the door, Ollie turned to leave. Just then, she stopped and arched her back, as if she'd been struck by lightning. Both you and her mom froze. Then, Ollie toppled forward. Thinking quickly, you leapt forward and caught Ollie's falling figure. Her temperature concerned you: she was freezing cold. Her mother came forward, just as concerned about Ollie as you were.
After that, the family moved away, and you didn't even get to attend her funeral. That night was the very last time you saw her.
BACK TO THE PRESENT
More tears fell as the memories came flooding back.
Y/N: G-Good god, it's been a while... Ollie, is it really you?
As the question left your mouth, you immediately regretted asking it. You knew it was her. The question was pointless.
Ollie: Yes, but you still haven't answered my question. How do you know me?
Ollie looked absolutely bewildered. You thought you were beginning to pick up on a hint of feist too. You decided no longer to wait.
Y/N: Still as resilient as ever, Ollie. Not even death could stop you.
As those words left your mouth, Ollie gasped.
Ollie: Y... Y/N?
As the kawaii zombie idol finally caught on to your identity, you pulled her in for a nice, tight embrace. She returned it, tears falling from her eyes and landing on the back of your shirt.
Ollie: I- I can't believe it! H-Here I was t-thinking that-
Y/N: I'd never see you again?
Ollie: Y-Yes!
You held the embrace for a few more seconds, both of you wallowing in the ambience of the city and each other's comforting presence. Then, the two of you separated. You gave her a playful punch to the shoulder.
Y/N: Never scare me like that again, Ollie. Don't die on me.
Ollie: I'm already dead!
The two of you laughed, the first time you'd both laughed in each other's presence in a while.
Y/N: Do you wanna... catch up sometime soon?
Ollie: Just tell me where and when!
With that, Ollie returned the hood to the top of her head and the two of you went your separate ways.
As you arrived back at the shelter of your own house, you went straight to your exercise room. You looked for what seemed to be the quietest corner of the room, though nothing else inside it made noise, and sat there. And you cried. You had managed to stay (relatively) strong in front of the other holomembers, but you couldn't hold anything back anymore. You cried out, not understanding why you were in such pain. Or was pain even the reason you were crying? Was it joy? Nostalgia? The sheer feeling of comfort and familiar companionship?
It was all so complex, but the one thing you did know with absolute certainty was that Hololive had changed your life. Forever.
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Hey guys, SimpOfHuTa0 here~
I'm sorry for being dead for a while, academics/hell week tends to do that to a person. Good news though, it's summer break! That unfortunately does not mean that I'll be updating often, but I'll try to write more often. Please just keep in mind that I also have a life to attend to :)
Either way, god I loved writing this chapter! It's probably my favorite chapter as of right now!
Anyway, thank you guys for reading, please let me know if there's anything I can improve on, and as always, have a good one!
-SimpOfHuTa0