[Hanako] Chapter 1: Wait, What Do You Mean Another World?

Throndir · November 30, 2018, 04:11:32 PM

《Chapter 1: Wait, What Do You Mean Another World?》

《Summary》
Hanako gets killed by a truck, finds herself in a bed. It's Erato's, a girl in a pretty pink dress. Erato tells her what happened. They watch KonoSuba. Erato says goodbye.

Characters Met
Goddess Erato

Returning Characters
None

Information
Earth was attacked by giant metallic creatures.

Developments
Hanako gets reborn in another world.

Location: Japan - Kanagawa Prefecture - Kamakura Yuigahama Beach
Date: Year 2018 - August 22nd - 1:38 PM

Getting off the Yuigahama station, you pulled out your phone to check the directions towards the beach: Kamakura Yuigahama Breach. Supposedly it was one of the better beaches in town, you've been there in the past long ago, but you figured today was a good day to get out of your home and take reference photos. The walk from the station to the beach wasn't all that bad, about 10 minutes at most.

As you were about to cross the final street until you made it to the beach, it was at that right moment that some of the other people around you starting to point up at the sky. You heard them murmuring, and you could hear the sound of something from above.

QuotePerception requested, use pre-summoning stats. Your perception would be 1d20+3

Asta · November 30, 2018, 08:16:21 PM

God it's so hot, the sun should just go and die... Hanako thought to herself miserably. The walk from the station was excruciating and it was starting to feel like the entire trip was a mistake, she could have been home grinding for that rare drop she still needed. Here she was though, five steps into the crosswalk when the people around her started to murmur and point to the sky. She looked up, squinting in anticipation of the hated sun.

"Mmngh."

Perception:

Rolled 1d20+3 : 3 + 3, total 6

Throndir · November 30, 2018, 11:06:30 PM

When you looked up, it seemed like the people were looking at some sort of object in the sky. However, when you tried to see what it was, the sun was simply too blaring, you thought you could see what was some sort of object falling, but you couldn't quite get a good view of what it was as you continued to squint.

It was then that you heard the sounds of a horn blaring too. It sounded close, way too close. You had enough time to see from the corner of your vision, a truck, careening straight towards you.

For a split second you felt a brief pain, but then there was no more.

Location: ???
Date: ???

The smell of something slightly sweet wafted in the air. When you finally realized the smell, you also realized that you were lying on something soft and cushioned. Finally opening your eyes, you noticed that you were looking up at the canopy of a covered bed, and you were lying down on it.

"Good morning sweetie." A feminine voice said. It came from a woman who was reclining on the bed beside you. She had unnatural pink hair, wearing what looked to be some sort of fancy dress with frills. She was rather short as well, but what you noticed the most was that she played with a golden arrow in her hands.

"How was your nap Hanako?"

Asta · November 30, 2018, 11:31:24 PM

Mmmm... For a second there I thought I saw something unsavory. The thought drifted slowly through the back of her mind. Hanako, eyes closed, laid still for the moment. Something smells good, what is that? Somewhere a woman was speaking, she wasn't paying attention until she heard her name.

Quote"How was your nap Hanako?"

She rolled to her side, cozying up the way a cat might. "Oh you know, pretty goo-!"

Hanako shot bolt upright cutting herself off, then turned slowly to the woman beside her before tumbling comedically backwards into a standing position beside the bed. "Who? Where? Did I just get hit by a TRUCK!?"

Throndir · November 30, 2018, 11:39:46 PM

The lady smiled gently when you frantically got off the bed. She didn't seem offended, instead her smile made you think that she almost expected it.

"I'm sorry hun... But yes. A truck..." The lady paused, carefully eyeing you. "As for who I am, I'm the owner of this place... And 'here' is my domain."

Asta · November 30, 2018, 11:54:53 PM

Hanako folded her arms across her chest and nodded sagely "Yes, yes that makes it clear..."

NOT! How is that an explanation for anything!? Oh god I got hit by a truck that means I'm probably dead. MY BROWSER HISTORY!

With each successive thought her demeanor became less and less serene understanding and more frenzied panic, as she clutched the sides of her head twisting back and forth. Then, returning to a deadpan expression she gave a little cough before speaking again.

"Ahem. Could you, elaborate?"

Throndir · December 01, 2018, 12:04:30 AM

"You have passed on from your previous life Hanako. And now it's time for you to move on."

She fell back down into the softness of her bed then, and seemed to flick something towards the bed's canopy. You saw a brief flash of light come from her hands, but quickly vanished.

"There's something I want to show you, come here. There's that phrase humans use..." Her eyes lighted up a moment later.

"I don't bite."

QuoteYou can roll Perception if you wish to try to see it first before hopping back on the bed if you want.

Asta · December 01, 2018, 12:14:02 AM

What was... Hanako pondered as she tried to follow the object that left the mysterious woman's hand.

Perception

Rolled 1d20+3 : 6 + 3, total 9

Regardless if she sees whatever it is or not, Hanako resigns herself to whatever is going on and will get back on the bed

She sat down on the edge of the bed and faced the woman. Up close it was easy to see how attractive she was, perfect features like a doll. At least I got to see something good before I go to hell, or whatever's coming...

Throndir · December 01, 2018, 12:19:47 AM

You tried looking up, but you didn't quite manage to see what it was up there. You swear you saw some sort of image that appeared in the flash of light the first time, but you weren't able to make it out.

The lady moved and patted the spot on the bed next to her.

"Hanako! You won't get to see it from there. And it's much easier to explain if you were right here. I won't bite, I promise!"

Asta · December 01, 2018, 12:24:43 AM

She moved closer, acutely aware of her conversation partner, embarrassingly so. She flushed slightly as she drew close "Right, right."

When was the last time I was this close to another person that wasn't on the train...?

Throndir · December 01, 2018, 12:33:31 AM

The moment you moved closer, the doll-like woman had literally pounced on you, her arms leading the way, quickly clinging to your arm. She smiled happily as her own arms locked on tight. You couldn't help but notice that she scooted in closer to you as well.

"See, that wasn't so bad, right?"

Asta · December 01, 2018, 12:39:10 AM

She smelled good, too good. Hanako's face was beet red, and it was more than distracting the way the woman inched closer.

"Urm... r-right. So explaining things?"

So close!

Throndir · December 01, 2018, 01:24:55 AM

The girl snuggled up with you even more comfortably, as she sunk her small frame more into you. Eventually, head head fell on your shoulder.

Above you was a strange sight, It was as if the canopy of the bed included a large screen. However, the images didn't look like a a screen, monitor, or a projection. It looked almost real. The image was a picture of a planet. It was blue with swirling clouds, and it took you a moment to realize that it was Earth. Suddenly the image started zooming downwards and into the planet, and you realized the view was moving straight to Japan. As it zoomed down, you heard the rush of winds, and that too sounded as if came from everywhere all at once, as if you yourself was falling through the skies. Finally the zooming slowed, and you realized that it was looking down on the Kanegawa Prefecture - the beach where you last remember being.

"There... You see that?" The girl asked, pointing to the screen with one of her fingers. The picture zoomed in further until it finally came to what looked like some sort of crack hovering in the skies above Japan, specifically, the skies above Kanegawa Prefecture. Suddenly, a pink-hued metallic claw appeared from the crack, and the woman beside you squeezed your hand a bit.

The crack in the sky continued to get larger and larger, as the things mass seemed to forcefully wedge itself into the opening it was creating. The sound of the sky cracking sounded like glass being shattered, and soon enough it started to fall. It was a gigantic monster. It reminded you of something akin to a kaiju, though, it was in a slightly pink-hue, and seemed to be made out of metal. As it careened downwards, it was making metallic screeching sounds, that you could best describe as something crystal-like.

The image above then moved to the truck, and it was then that you realized that the driver too was trying to peer up above. That truck came speeding down the road, as it hit what looked to be a passerby who was about to cross the street. And then you realized that passerby was you.

"Keep watching." The woman who was clinging to you whispered softly.

As you did, the view of the camera, if it could be called as one, panned upwards. At that same time you could hear the screeching of the truck driver's brakes, along with the yells of other beachgoers who were nearby, who had witnessed the accident. But the focus of the camera wasn't on them, or on your presumed now-lifeless body. Instead, you saw more and more of these cracks appear in the sky. Some small, some large, and as the sky gave way, more of those pink-hued metallic constructs began appearing from them. All of them falling down. Each of them creating small craters on the roads, or smashing buildings from the top.

Sirens began blaring, as sounds of panicking people filled the air. Yet more of those metallic creatures appeared.

The top-down view started to zoom out then, further and further out it went, showcasing the fact that many of these cracks in the sky were appearing all over Japan.

The images then continued to flash, showcasing cracks appearing over deserts, jungles, mountains, and other cities that you didn't recognize. There was audio and sound through each of the scenes, there were flashes of the JSDF being mobilized, as your government tried to fight off the random invaders. But as the scenes continued to unfold, you realized that it was a losing battle.

The scene that stuck to your mind the most was when a nuclear strike was ordered. whether from your own government or some foreign nation, the scenes didn't specify. But as the loud rumbling and explosive sound rumbled, it felt as if even the bed was caught in the blast. Of course it wasn't, and the woman beside you continued to cling tighter.

The images continued then, showcasing the metallic monsters, some as small as cars, and others as large as skyscrapers, causing havoc. Beams would form from them, slicing humans into pieces. Others impaled. Others simply vaporized.

"This... Was my mistake. You weren't supposed to die there Hanako. No one was." She waved her hand again, and the images above you faded. "Within a week, many of your world's cities would have been leveled, another week half the world's population would have been eradicated. And yet another two weeks after that, the rest of humanity would have been no more."

"This is the reason why you're here with me." She let go of your hand. "To give you a second chance... Not everyone is granted a thing such as this, and most of the time we herald the souls from one destination to the next."

"But you? You're a special one."

Asta · December 01, 2018, 01:54:39 AM

As instructed, Hanako watched. Perhaps it was shock that kept her face an impassive mask, she barely reacted to the otherworldly monsters ripping their way into what she knew as reality. She did wince slightly at the sight of herself being smeared across the pavement, and as the parade of devastation played out she could feel a tightness in her chest; panic most likely. The woman was explaining what she was seeing, it looked like something at the start of a mecha show but the plucky young protagonist in his giant robot never showed up to save the day.

When the scenes came to an end, there were more questions than answers. They tumbled from her, faster than she could speak them.

"What are...? Who...? Why...?" She paused, it was overwhelming. Survivors guilt, if she could even call herself a survivor started to form a knot of emotion in her stomach. "Why me? What makes so special?"

It was a strange feeling, the remorse of watching her world die. She wasn't particularly close to anyone, having drifted apart from the friends she had in school and alienated by her parents who had nothing but disdain for her. Even if she had chosen to separate herself from society, it was beyond shocking to see civilization snuffed out from afar as if she hadn't been a very small part of that world.

"I'm just some NEET, a nobody. I lived making less than nothing drawing dirty comics after I barely made it out of highschool. It's... It's..."

But she couldn't finish her thought, for fear of breaking out in overwhelmed sobs. A single tear escaped the corner of her eye as she looked to the woman next to her, pleadingly.

So uncool.

Throndir · December 01, 2018, 02:38:40 PM

"There, there hun..." The woman said as she moved to pull you into an embrace.

"Believe it or not Hanako, there's more to you than you give yourself credit for. Maybe in your own world you didn't see much of yourself, but I can give you another chance at it. It's the least I can do, since this was my mistake."

"Those giant monsters that attacked your world? They are ones that defy the order, and can even split apart realities, and enter others. Due to their nature, there is no controlling them... In a way, they are a natural phenomenon, yet, one that even those can control the natural have no power over. Instead... I work in other ways."

"I can't very well put your world back together to how it was, or simply put you back there. There are rules, you see. But we can make it so that you always have someone to talk to, or have people look up to you. This is what I'm willing to do... the other option, well, is to simply cease existing."

"This may be all alot to take in right now, but if anything I'll do what I can to make it up to you."