#usou

In 2025. Live. In 2025.

His parents wanted to see his classmates? Well... there was only one person to go to first, and it looked like her own family had made their way to her as well. This would be a fun introduction session. With a smile, Jack told his parents who he was about to take them over to, then grabbed their hands and began dragging them through the crowd toward the now-familiar figure in the black sweater.

“...Hey, Stella. These are my parents.”

He gestured to the taller man in the “#1 Son” sweater who only seemed too happy to meet his son’s friend, and the blonde woman with the picnic basket who was already reaching into it and causing a delicious smell to waft out.

“Osamu and Minori Kawamugi. My dad teaches at Tohoku University as a professor there, so we’re all from Sendai. Just warning you, don’t get into any literature discussions - you’re way outclassed. I’m way outclassed.”

Jack’s dad, or Osamu, covered his face to hide his laughter. And, just before his mother began handing a scone out towards Usou, Jack leaned in to whisper in her ear.

The crystal gazer grew immediately tense by the projections, still shaking from her emotional breakdown in the courtroom. The robotic hums and distortions around them made her head ache with pain, pulsing through her body. She couldn’t find emotional stability quickly enough, and that much was obvious by her eyes continuously glowing in array of pinks and purples. It was when she heard her surname called that she felt something drop in her stomach, staring at a projection of a boy that she had brutally embarrassed herself over on the first day.

She had been so excited to play the role as Stella Ethereal, that she had forgotten about her personal feelings, as Usou Tsukino. Right, right, those two were separate at that time, weren’t they? Usou hadn’t truly acted as herself not until she tried to comfort Jack during investigation, or when she spoke Masae for the first time in the diner. Stella wasn’t the type to blush, cry, or panic. Usou also wasn’t the type to get angry usually either.

She winced at the sweet words and how the unreal hand moved towards her, trying to coax her closer to a permanent stay. Her breathing was quick, and as the AIs harassed her, she found herself mumbling to herself. “G- Guys… Guys… ?”

The final straw was hit when Hotaru’s voice distorted itself into an empty tone, turning her once pure and magical image to that of horror and fear. “G- GUYS–!!” Usou shrieked, finally finding the strength in her to turn herself away from these flanderized versions of people she had known. Her heart was aching, and surely, she was conflicted– but this couldn’t be it for them. These were programs altered by someone who wanted to bring everyone down to her level of suffering, and there was just no way… that they would ever actually…

“They’re NOT REAL!!” She yelled desperately, almost trying to convince herself as her hand flew out into Hotaru’s projected image. Naturally, her hand went right through, but it didn’t seem to disturb anything but that. The crystal gazer looked to everyone else, her eyes watering up with angry tears as she said, “COME ON!! We have to go!! S- She’s trying to kill us!! PLEASE!!”