❝(A COWARDLY CONVICTION) AND IT'S BREAKING EVERY SILENCE!❞
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"HOW HAS YOUR FAMILY BEEN, HAYATO?" She asked, looking down at the ground. [Name] and Hayato walked home together as they always did—the two children allotting time out of their day to share idle talk. Relating to the situation, the girl provided Hayato with an apposite inquiry.
The walk was quiet, with the occasional chatter between the two of them.
Though, there didn't seem to be much tension as there was before.
"Well," he swallowed dryly, eyes glued to the ground as well, "As per your request, I was observing Papa the other day. I didn't think about your request at first, but... it was a bit suspicious."
"...Did he do something?"
"Well, it's not as if his behaviors were innately suspicious, you know? They weren't remotely eye-catching, but for Papa, they were out-of-character. I wonder if it weren't for your request, would I have noticed the subtle changes?"
She nodded her head, reassuring him. "I'm sure you would, Hayato. You're a pretty smart kid, even if you don't think so."
"Haha... thank you, I guess. But back to Papa—um, I don't know if it's a privacy violation, but... I've been recording him when he goes to work, in case he or anyone else is the businessman we want. And there were a couple of other red flags this week too. During breakfast, he ate Mama's plate."
[Name] raised an eyebrow, non-verbally asking for further elaboration.
"Well, uh, Papa doesn't like shiitake mushrooms, so she takes them out when she cooks for him. His sudden willingness to eat them was weird; he always complained whenever he didn't like something. But he was gobbling up those shiitake mushrooms he hates so much without a second thought—not a second of hesitation!"
He pursed his lip, averting his eyes back to the ground. "I—I think Mama was happy to see him eat her cooking without any complaints, but I left the room to prepare for school before I could see the rest. She probably thought he had a change of heart. Then again, he was always all bark—no bite."
He tilted his head to the side while his mind recalled the events that transpired.
"When he left for work—he used a shoehorn to put on his shoes. I'm pretty sure he put on the 25.5 centimeter-sized shoes, but it's different from his usual size. I thought it was strange for him to have two different shoe sizes, you know?"
Then, he frowned.
"It's... It's also weird that Mama and Papa have been getting along lately. They were never like this before!" Hayato winced, and this thought gnawed at this head.
The juxtaposition from then and now was too forward—the dichotomy was too discernible.
If something were to occur—what would he do? What can he do? It's not like Hayato has a Stand like her's.
"While I was watching over the camera footage in their room, Papa wrote his name multiple times. Why was he writing his name over and over again? Unless he was attempting to neaten out his messy penmanship, I can't think of any reason why he was doing that. It's so out-of-character and concerning..."
He ignored the uncertain feeling that sat in his stomach as he told the truth.
"When I rewound the footage to analyze it again this morning, no matter how I look at it, he was carrying potting soil! It was a recording during the night—as if he didn't want anyone to know—and he had a bag of cat food with him too. Afterward, he went into the bedroom's walk-in closet. So, I went to investigate."
"Was... Was there anything incriminating?" She asked, looking at his expression.
Unsure how to answer her question, he awkwardly gave her a nod. "There wasn't anything in the closet itself, but I noticed there was the attic, so I went to examine it. In the dimly lit attic—there was this strange organism resembling a plant. It— It had a bizarre shape. But it didn't give me a reaction, so I left it alone... I still didn't know why he smuggled it up in the attic, though. Why did he have cat food with him? I understand if he wants to keep a plant to himself, but the cat food? He doesn't even care that much about our cat..."
Entranced by his storytelling, [Name] urged him to continue. "What happened next? Did you decide to head to school after that?"
"No, not yet... I still wanted to examine the attic more, even though it was very dark. When I opened the window of the attic, I knew that something was wrong. Suddenly, when a ray of sunlight hit the organism, it woke up—? It was like a pet rising in the morning, and it startled me. It was moving—and it had slanted eyes, almost like a cat. I think Papa called it... Stray Cat."
He winced once more, deep in thought.
"It... woke up? It had eyeballs?" Her eyebrows furrowed, "—Like a cat? Could the cat food be for that thing, then?
"You're probably right... It had small holes that acted like nostrils, but it also had a cat-like mouth that allowed it to yawn. Without the sunlight, it remained immobile. When devoid of light, it entered a dormant state—just like a sleeping cat! No wonder why he called it Stray Cat... When I heard Mama talking to someone—talking to Papa—I panicked. He probably noticed that I was observing him, and when I left my yellow hat on the rack since I hadn't left yet, he probably came back out of paranoia."
He bit his nail, furrowing his eyebrows.
"I should've been more careful. When I hurried to hide my tracks—that thing became hostile and fired something at my neck and wrists, holding me in place. I couldn't see what was binding me in mid-air at the time, but since it felt like a balloon, I popped it with the compass in my backpack."
To demonstrate his experience—Hayato relied on hand gestures and detailed explanations.
"I think it utilizes invisible bubbles of compressed air to shoot and possibly to defend itself with that method as well? With its ability, it can also morph the air bubbles"—he gestured toward his neck and wrists—"into different shapes, like cuffs."
"So—it controls air?" She froze and thought about her off-hand comment to Koichi.
Oh god, so plants can get Stands.
Lovely.
"A cat-plant hybrid, Stray Cat, with an air-controlling Stand. It probably is unpredictable and ferocious, but it shouldn't pose that big of a threat if it's stuck in the attic as a plant—and I was joking when I asked Koichi about plants having Stands. I guess anything is possible then, huh..."
She sighed, gesturing for him to continue his story.
"Since I panicked, I had to cover my trails quickly before he reached the attic. The burst of the air bubble shut the window, so I just poured cat food on the floors and placed the bag next to the plant— er, Stand? I just made the attic look like a mess that it created. My plan worked, but it also confirmed that Papa...."
He went silent, biting his lower lip.
"...no, Kira is posing as Papa. Kira thought I was in the attic—which I was. Thankfully, he believed that it was just his imagination."
A shudder ran down his spine. "Even now, I think he's got his eyes on me."
He frowned.
"If he knew that I knew the truth about him, he would kill me. He has Papa's face, but that's not him! I can't confront him without the possibility of death. I'm going to have to be more careful if I want to continue—"
"...Stop."
He flinched.
"...Huh?"
Her lower lip quivered as both of them paused by the sidewalk. "You're going to get hurt, Hayato. Stop here—don't risk your life. You're not a Stand user... I can contact Mr. Jotaro with my suspicions, and you can stop your involvement here. I notified Charles as well since he's also a Stand user, but as a regular civilian—please don't get hurt."
She looked at him, then averted her eyes.
"I promised I would keep you safe. Kira knows who I am and also knows that I'm associated with you. However—he noticed that you've been observing him. Your safety isn't guaranteed—and I can't drag you into this mess knowing that you're not a Stand user. I can't let you get hurt."
The prolific consequences of dragging Hayato into this mess would plague her if she ever let him get hurt.
It was like miasma creeping into her lungs—the taste leaving an insidious effect on her health. Her guilt and death were imminent if things continued this way.
"I... I understand!" He shouted, pausing at his loud volume. "I didn't involve myself without considering the consequences, [Name]. It seems reckless of me to act upon my emotions—but I promised, too. I can't let you get hurt either... so trust me, alright?"
An uncomfortable and awkward atmosphere lingered around the two of them.
"...I'm sorry," she mumbled as she stared at the soles of her shoes. [Name] didn't intend for the conversation to turn in this trajectory.
She only wanted the best for Hayato—her best friend.
"I didn't mean to come off as... judgemental."
"No, no! Don't worry... I know you're worried about the whole Kira thing as well—but I'm responsible and can watch over myself too. Don't be too concerned about me, alright, [Name]?"
"Hayato..."
"Even if you do worry about me, I can't stop you, huh?" He let out a forced chuckle as he looked up at the sky. "You don't express it that well, but you care a lot, and that's all that matters."
"...You too, Hayato."
"Come on," he said as he pointed at the Pepsi sign before them, "We're almost there!"
Nodding silently, the two of them walked to the building with the logo before they bid farewell.
Letting out a sigh of relief, [Name] relaxed her shoulders—the stress that rested within her muscles left.
Oh man, she's going to burn through her coping mechanisms at the speed of light. When this is all over, she wonders if the trauma is curable with therapy, the most reliable panacea for her troubles. However, since trauma treatment is costly, she'll just rely on Hayato and Charles for emotional support—mainly the latter for his positivity. She's just a tired and overstressed eleven-year-old, you know?
There's nothing special about her—other than her Stand, of course.
As she recalled her conversation with Hayato, she thought about his encounter with Stray Cat. So... plants can technically have Stands, huh?
Does that mean a cat's soul reincarnated into the life of a plant?
A— A sentient plant?!
If she was telling the truth, it sounded pretty cool. While the thought did confuse her on a surface level—the concept itself wasn't too esoteric or abstruse. Children did have their infinite child-like imaginations that created an abundance of ideas and possibilities. Would a cat-like flower be so out of the blue, then? Especially since she's a Stand user?
At this rate—she's become desensitized to bizarre Stand situations as well, huh.
And about their discovery—
—she should tell Jotaro, Rohan, or any trustworthy Stand user about this.
While she contemplated her options, she let out a sigh.
From what she knows—she's pretty sure Rohan and Jotaro were investigating the residents in Morioh. [Name] will probably drop by their houses or phone someone about this information. Checking the phonebook in her house, she can probably find their names. She already mentioned the details about her suspicion of the Kawajiri household, so she isn't too surprised if Rohan or Jotaro decided to look into the situation. Though—the former seemed more determined to solve this case compared to anyone else...
She wonders why.
Considering that, there was also the fact that Hayato filmed his father— no, Kira for incriminating evidence.
One of them might've gotten a shot of Hayato doing that, right? It's not every day you see a grade-schooler filming an adult for some reason. Well, she can't rely on anything without proper evidence to corroborate her claim, but it's a likely possibility. These adults weren't as clueless as they might be, right? No one can be that oblivious to a grade-schooler filming an average man on his way to work. If a situation like that did instigate—it would resemble one of those circumstances where an author wishes for plot convenience to hit. Instead of portraying the character accurately, they do whatever fits best.
Bad writing at its finest.
Despite the trivial tangent, her inner monologue struck a specific point within her mind. Where have they been lately, anyway?
It isn't uncommon for her to see them around town at least once a day, but she hasn't stumbled upon them yet. Koichi and the others would've been dismissed by now, which is why they cross paths, but where is he? Does he have afterschool activities that are mandatory?
Where are they today? Are they continuing their investigation? Have they found any valuable clues yet?
Knowing them, they probably have been busy today.
Thursdays are always busy.
As she held the straps of her randoseru backpack tightly, her legs absentmindedly kicked a pebble onto the field of grass. Ah, yes, Thursday—the epitome of the calm before the storm known as Friday. Friday eve, as some may call it.
Was that a euphemism? Mmm—she wouldn't be able to tell if it was or wasn't one.
Many children wanted the weekends to come quicker—and she couldn't disagree with that notion. Would it be so bad to enjoy the rest of her days with bread and Pink Dark Boy novels beside her? Not that that would be a productive lifestyle for her to envision, but still!
Blinking—[Name] looked around at her surroundings.
...Huh? Where was she right now?
Perhaps she got lost in her thoughts and walked, and walked, and walked.
"Huh," she murmured, her eyes glued to her feet. "Maybe I'm getting too involved with my emotions."
While she brushed it off whenever he brought it up, Charles always made it a point to remark about when [Name] emoted more than she usually would.
If she talked more—he commented.
If she smiled for a moment—he beamed with happiness.
As well as that, Hayato seemed to notice this change in her behavior as well. He applauded her for it and gave her a positive plaudit—but why? All she did was smile at them—and warm up to them—so why should she be rewarded for this behavior? Isn't this behavior... normal?
Gah! This thinking makes her head hurt.
Emotions are too complicated for her to understand at this age, anyway.
"...You won't get too far—Fate foretold in the stars."
A feminine voice spoke—nasally yet honeyed cadence laced the words.
The saying had a mischievous undertone to it, almost resembling Charles' cheerful tone of voice. However, with the way they pronounced—the high-pitch to it—there was something uncanny that she couldn't put her finger on. It was different from Charles, yet it was also the same.
...
Oh God, don't tell her—
"—Is this another Stand user?" Irritated, her eyebrow twitched as she glared at the vicinity.
Would they come out already? She's not going to waste her Thursday afternoon/evening with another Stand battle. Her words came off as callous and uncaring, but man, she's just tired. Charles's encounter gave her such anxiety, and she's not going to deal with it again.
"...Please tell me what you want and get it over with."
"How cute," the disembodied voice giggled—their silvery voice sending shivers down [Name]'s backside.
Unlike the encounter with Charles's Stand, this time, she felt prepared. But was she? Was she truly ready for what this had in store?
"Fitting, isn't it? You're my next volunteer, dear. After all—"
Stepping out from the shadows, an unfamiliar physique of a female appeared, along with a stuffed animal in her hand.
"—The last one collapsed in fear."
[Name] blinked and a familiar sense of dread, disappointment, exhaustion—all the stages of grief at once, on loop—filled her soul.
Is this what people call déjà vu—a precognition of what has already transpired previously? She's tired, she's stressed.
"Who are you?" She released an exasperated sigh from her lips, her head directed to the side as she scrutinized this person's appearance.
Curiously, the female tilted her head.
"Nwaa?" She yawned, not expecting the sudden question. "I'm Tomerry Kaneko, and you're up, so let's go!"
Bearing her cute vampire-like canine teeth—[Name] noticed the resemblance between Tomerry and a catgirl. Describing her like the Cheshire Cat fit more than the girl expected, huh.
She shook her head, and her taffy pink and dark purple side bangs and fringe swished with the imaginary wind. Two large buns—ones that looked almost like cat ears—rested upon her head.
She didn't seem to mind the attention attracted by her appearance—a lavender dress with various wine-purple frills underneath, a white apron over her dress, pink and violet checkered mid-thigh stockings, black mary jane shoes, and finally, a big black bow on her head.
A new person that she hasn't seen around town before? Check.
Unique clothing or fashion? Check.
Bizarre behavior that makes them stand out amongst the rest? Check.
Congratulations! Tomerry passes the "Are you a Stand user?" quiz.
Hugging her dress to her, Tomerry batted her eyelashes—the vibrant hue of the Stand user's cat-like irises digging holes into her memory. She had been trailing [Name]'s transfixed gaze on the ground.
"For me, a sweet tooth is fiendishly uncouth! By Yoshihiro's request to eliminate the child in his way—"
A fierce and wicked look crossed her expression, "Tomerry shall take you out this Thursday!"
Giving [Name] a toothy grin, along with the rhyming of her words, she moved the arms of the teddy bear in her arms.
"..."
"Nwaha! Dollhouse is the brawn, and I'm all brains— H—Hey! Where are you going?!"
Tomerry yelped, watching [Name] walk off without a second word.
"Get back here, you dirty rascal—!! Augh, stop walking away!"
Gritting her teeth, the Stand user stomped her shoes on the ground.
Unlike her encounter with Charles—there was no reassurance from the other party that she wouldn't be hurt.
"Sorry," she began, not bothering to look back. "My Mom and Dad told me not to associate myself with people like you."
"Grrr, why you—!"
However, Tomerry paused, taking in a deep breath.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump!
What... What was that?!
She swerved her head around, staring at the plushie on the ground.
The teddy bear seemed worn out, with a chewed ear and one of its buttons tilted to the side. The plushie wobbled as it hobbled slowly, and then it stared at the girl with its button eyes and the smile plastered on its light brown muzzle—looking into the girl's soul.
...Huh?
The teddy bear came to life?
"I really wanted to play, but I guess some things just don't go Tomerry's way."
[Name] blinked, eyes transfixed on the object. Something seemed... different about the bear.
...
Now, the teddy bear has razor claws?!
How did it... when did it...?!
Subconsciously, [Name] took a step back as a precaution.
"One, two, three..."
The opposing girl grinned.
"...you better not flee."
Softly, she brushed her fingertips against the walkie-talkie attached to her bag. Hayato would be the most distressed of all her associates, no? Her parents would be distressed as well. She promised that she wouldn't get injured—yet here she was, preparing to get into a fight with someone older than her.
But, nevertheless, she'll do her best.
For her family.
For Hayato.
"A brawl is surely brewing—" she sighed, an exasperated glint in her eyes flickering left and right.
"—YOU'RE UP. LET'S TALK, NO.7!"
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in which hayato and [name] talk, and then stand shenanigans ensue.