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whentranslatorscry · 1 year

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Hitagi Honeymoon

012

Urban legends. Street gossip. Rumors in the wind.

Be it ghost tales or horror stories, at their core, they are all experiences of terror. I, Araragi Koyomi, might be a bit brazen in saying so myself, but I've accumulated quite the career in experiencing each of them.

It all began long ago with a hellish spring break where I discovered a peerless beauty missing her limbs in a back alley. Since then, I'd been split in half by a cat, beaten by a monkey, coiled by a snake, fawned over by a corpse doll, and almost swallowed by darkness.

The list goes on, without end.

Yet, even when compared to those horrifying encounters, my current experience was unparalleled— on my way to the Killing Stone.

It was unbelievably dark.

It was darker than the darkness that threatened to swallow me.

As I had told Hitagi, I let Shinobu drink my blood to enhance her vampirism at the campsite, and despite bolstering my physical strength, particularly my vision, it was still so dark that I could hardly see.

It was not the broken stone’s magic.

It was simply the absence of electric light at the historic site, and by this I came to realize just how dependent humans are on the Master Inventor Edison. The old saying, “an inch ahead is total darkness,” couldn’t be more apt, as in the dim light of my smartphone, serving as a makeshift lantern, I gingerly and cautiously moved forward. Though I had planned to briefly check the place and quickly return to the campsite, my pace had slowed considerably once I arrived here.

I couldn't walk without scuffing the soles of my shoes, always dragging my feet.

Nature's starlight could have sufficed, but I didn’t have that. The moment I left the tent, Hitagi had matter-of-factly warned me:

“Since the main event of stargazing is tomorrow, try not to look up at the sky today. I'll be doing the same.”

My newlywed wife casually made such an outrageous request. I knew it was just a case of her worrying too much— the past her would have blindfolded me and taken me on a short drive. Instead, she had driven me to heart of the Killing Stone area in a rented minivan. The sky had transformed instantly and became completely overcast as soon as we disembarked in the parking lot.

Whatever happened to the divine grace of Hachikuji Daimyoujin?

“Expect anything, master. Even with my vision— and by that, I mean the undifferentiated vision of a young girl— I cannot see through this darkness.”

Shinobu, who had emerged from the shadows, spoke as she walked beside me. If we didn't hold hands, we’d have lost sight of each other.

The fact that I was almost completely blinded reminded me of the Blind Snake Stone in this park alongside the Killing Stone, which Chief Kouga had instructed me about. And as the legend goes, or not necessarily because of it, there was a strong pungent smell.

Was it the smell of rotten eggs?

As someone who hardly ever cooks, I had never smelled a rotten egg— the legend of the Blind Snake Stone, by the way, goes as follows.

One day, a man saw a blind snake struggling and decided to make a nest for it out of pampas grass. In return, the snake made plenty of hot springs well up in that area— unlike the snake I know, this snake was a good one.

Just the fact that it didn't come to kill humans made it a good snake, but what's more, it was even repaying a favor. I'd love to make a nest for such a snake.

But, having only dabbled in internet knowledge, I hadn't grasped what a yunohana (hot spring flower) really was— I thought it was a real flower. But now, I understood that it was something like a sulfur crystal.

I wasn’t like Oshino, but I recognized the importance of fieldwork— well, it would have sufficed to have been more diligent and intensively researched yunohana as a keyword. But even so, this pungent odor that hit me squarely in the nose could only have been experienced firsthand.

It wasn’t something you could simply sniff out.

I shouldn’t be saying this so close to an onsen shrine, but as a university student, I had never been one for venturing to hidden hot springs, and the unfamiliar smell was pretty unsettling. It felt as if my vision had been stolen, as well as my sense of smell.

Hmm.

Too late now, but I definitely should have come here in daytime. My sense of convenience had taken precedence, and I had found myself here alone at night— an irreparable mistake. Shinobu had warned me that anything could happen, and now it seems I'd put myself in a position where it was more likely to.

The site itself was open 24 hours a day, but there was not a soul in sight, not even a hint of an insect.

On this late-night excursion, Kanbaru had also offered, “Maybe I can be of some help, so should we go together, Araragi-senpai?”

But I felt it was better to decline. The me of today, past my prime, was no longer capable of protecting someone else while fighting. I could barely protect my own and a little girl's life.

As for Hitagi, she was holed up in her tent, determined not to look up at the sky before the real deal, and was apparently planning to devote herself to her trading business using all the latest electronic gadgets I had never seen before.

No sooner had my wife withdrawn than this weather began…

Could she be the Sun Goddess Amaterasu?

Anyhow, it seems that both of us were the type to bring work along on our honeymoon. Well, the world of investing was such that you couldn’t take your eyes off the screen even for a single day— or not even a single second. That said, I'm sure her junior— no, my friend Kanbaru, who had been in her life longer than me, would be in the middle of a belated bachelorette party right about now.

I had never had any friends to throw such a party for me, either in Japan or the US… the meaning of being single was different for us.

In high school, I used to boast that making friends would only weaken me as a human, but looking at Kanbaru, who went out for BBQs every week, I couldn’t help but think that those who could make friends were strong at a fundamental level.

The more I became a part of society, the more I felt this to be true.

I wanted to return to the days when I believed that having no friends held value, but maybe Hanekawa had already realized this that spring break… in this sense, she had become far too intense after graduation.

As is apparent from the fact that she managed to win over a guy like me, the former class president was more suited to making friends than to creating organizations.

In both a good and a bad sense.

Her intensity as a human increased.

But she’d lost her human touch.

“…Phew.”

In any case, remembering Hanekawa for a little helped me collect my thoughts. It was like my routine; whenever I felt shaken or even scared, I thought about Hanekawa.

That would instantly calm me down.

Relax; just darkness.

This wasn't some dramatic turn of events where I'd sense spiritual energy or be possessed by a supernatural creature… Though there were no people around, I was simply walking across a wooden bridge set up over a rocky area— in a hot spring resort?

It was a man-made bridge.

In other words, even without a single person around, human hands were still present— it was a normal tourist spot, after all. This place was atop a mountain that could be reached by a one-hour bus ride from the bullet train station— what would it do if I myself became the origin of a rumor?

I guess I’d better watch my step so that I don't stumble.

On the way here, I had stumbled upon countless posters that depicted cute versions of the nine-tailed fox and Tamamo-no-Mae. Much like vampires, shape-shifting foxes had already become a part of human economic activity— don’t be scared, this darkness was no different than walking with eyes closed.

Rather, I turned off the light on my smartphone and immersed myself in true darkness before resuming my steps.

“Well, you may think this to be cool of you, but ‘tis seriously dangerous. Crossing a bridge all casual-like, and then stepping off the edge is no joke— you'll be injuring yourself. There's not a single stalk of grass beneath the bridge in this rocky place, master.”

“As an investigator for the Hearsay Department, I can’t always afford to play it safe. If anything, finishing up the sightseeing without incident is the best way to dispel the rumor.”

“Aye, I see. I shall not meddle in your work matters.”

“What the hell. Aren’t you more than eager to butt in about everything else? Are you still sulking over not getting to join us for the barbecue?”

“Sulking? Nay, well—”

'Tis not entirely untrue, I suppose, Shinobu said somewhat hesitantly, her words lacking their usual sharpness— a peculiar display for a former vampire with razor-sharp fangs that could pierce through my neck in an instant.

I couldn't quite put my finger on what she was getting at, so I decided to express my gratitude before I forgot. “By the way, you were a big help.”

I did have a childhood friend with whom our relationship had remained sour for almost two decades simply due to my forgetfulness in saying thanks.

“What are you referring to?”

“We didn’t even talk about how it’d all go, but you were, how do I put this, very humble towards Hitagi. That, right there, was the mark of a six-hundred-year-old adult. I never imagined you'd support Hitagi like that, and I'm really glad that your first meeting managed to avoid a worst-case scenario-like conflict.”

The topic might have been rather personal and serious for casual conversation, but there was no need to continue delving into scary stories in such a foreboding place. This was one of the rare moments in this group trip when just the two of us could talk. So I figured we should face it head-on.

We had just barely seen a sign saying it was 240 meters to the Killing Stone, but honestly, it felt more like two kilometers. Maybe even as far as the moon.

“Hmph. Well, ‘tis only reasonable. Seeing as the lady in question is to be your partner, as a slave to you, she holds an equivalent level of power over me, as a master.”

“So you're ranking us, like a pack of dogs…”

Not the best image to go by, but then… Where would my friend and my wife's junior, Kanbaru, fit in the pecking order?

“I did have that one squabble with the monkey girl, and she did best me in the end. In a way, she may even be above you, master.”

“Above me, huh…? Looks like the relationship chart’s shaping up just as I imagined.”

A pyramid relationship chart it was.

Then, who was at the top? Gaen-san? No, maybe the nominator, Oshino?

“Specialists would be at the bottom— those lowly creatures failed to kill me even after centuries of trying.”

“I mean, there's a difference between them. Gaen-san and Oshino wanted fo coexist, didn't they? It was the vampire hunters like Dramaturgy who were really aggressive toward you.”

I was the one who had to fight them, though.

They were formidable opponents that I can't imagine ever looking down on. Even knowing that those battles have shaped who I am today, I would never wish to face them again.

Wait, huh.

“Aye, regardless of the past, there's no question that I’m at the bottom now— a powerless young lass. And this feels rather comforting.”

“Does it really?”

“Indeed— I feel much more at ease now than when I was being constantly challenged. In fact, I had almost forgotten until I talked to Death, but I became a vampire to rid myself of my charm in the first place.”

I recalled hearing that, as a matter of fact.

In an ancient European castle, or maybe in the mirror world.

I suppose becoming a vampire was precisely for the sake of forgetting that gift. Though her past before becoming a vampire seemed far more monstrous, the tale of “Princess Beauty” was magnificent.

To think that names like Lola or Acerola would be unimaginable to Shinobu now was far from a joke— her beauty brought destruction to entire nations. It was no laughing matter.

Even a careless, aesthetically-challenged man like me couldn't help but desire to eviscerate myself when facing “her.”

There was a time when Hanekawa had insinuated as much, but it seemed fitting that during her time as Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade, she had never used her innate vampire charm skill. Considering the secret of her birth, maybe it was for the best.

“If you had been able to use your Charm, you probably wouldn't have been chased about so much. It's funny how things don't always go as planned, huh?”

“I'd say things actually turned out quite well. Just by not bringing about the end of the world, and by living such a long, frugal life until I met you, it seems fortuitous, no?”

It may have been a long life, but it was only frugal in recent years— to say I wasn’t happy to hear her say that would be a lie. Although it's hard to believe my actions during spring break were flawless and the best— Hmm?

Something's been bothering me for a while now.

Had my thinking become dull in the darkness?

Or had it become more sharp and sensitive? Unable to reach an answer to this plaguing question, I decided to share my vexation with her.

“But Shinobu, I think calling yourself a slave or the lowest of the low won’t be well-received in these modern times. Self-deprecation as a form of humor is losing its appeal. When you speak poorly of yourself like that, you might be insulting others who’re struggling under similar circumstances, even if you don’t mean to. It's like if I were to say, 'Oh no, becoming an FBI agent is no big deal, totally normal, really.' In doing so, I’d end up dishonoring my colleagues who are keeping my back.”

“Need not keep your back, you are more likely to be shot right in the face.”

Maybe it wasn’t the best analogy.

A better one might be: if someone like me, who has no friends, constantly bemoans not having any, it might look as if not having friends is an absolute evil. Thus, inadvertently attacking everyone who has no friends— something like that.

Not like that was a great analogy either.

It's the worst thing I've ever heard.

But I don't know, I'd prefer it if I had no friends and wasn't allowed to complain about it… It’d still be better than the days when I was an asshole distancing myself from people.

“Fret not, master. No one else is like me— a vampire who has fallen into the role of a perverse lolicon’s slave.”

“Shinobu-san, being a lolicon is a no-go. An absolute no-go. It's not about the times; it's about a twenty-four-year-old being called a lolicon.”

“I believe it would have been inappropriate even for a high school student.”

“Not even gods can look like fifth-graders anymore. You never know how long you can remain a little girl.”

“Hmm. So, is your proposal to legally adopt me and thereby legalize the arrangement? What a wicked idea.”

No, that absolutely wasn’t my intention… But in the course of having many conversations with many people, things got tangled.

Fundamentally, though, the issue at hand stemmed from the realization that I couldn't permanently put Shinobu's problems on the back burner as I build a life with Hitagi.

“I feel it's better to keep me on the back burner. Certainly better than being hung out to dry. The idea of turning me into Araragi Shinobu hardly has any meaning, as it were.”

“Why? If there's even a hint of meaning to it, then there must be a point, right? Position-wise, it'd be better to raise you from the lowest level of slave. From what I've heard so far, your self-esteem is way too low.”

If I had to describe it in terms of feeling, it might be akin to a fast-footed track team member who can't get serious about competing in school marathon events and ends up walking at the back of the pack. Like getting rusty when participating in general races, I guess.

While that may have been fine if it was just between me and her, once we became a trio, we couldn’t keep saying the same… And I doubt Hitagi would want a child slave.

“I wonder if she would want an adopted daughter, or if the tsundere girl— err, the lady of the house— even desires to become a mother in the first place.”

It wasn't the kind of question a little girl would ask, but it was a sensitive topic even for an adopted child. I had never had this conversation before— let alone posed this question to Hitagi.

Hitagi's enmity with her mother ran incredibly deep, and it’s hard to say that I fully comprehended the complex feelings she harbored toward the concept of motherhood.

In any case.

Senjougahara Hitagi went to great lengths to sever her ties with her mother. She even wished for and subsequently lost almost all her body weight. It was this mysterious— this complex turn of events that led to our fateful encounter. While it may be unwise to make a sweeping judgment on this, there was a primitive, skeptical aspect to viewing it all from a future perspective. In the end, it remains uncertain whether Senjougahara Hitagi's recovery of memories of her mother was for the better or worse. This question seemed even more mysterious than the supernatural.

When I was eighteen, I remember Oshino saying something that I couldn't quite grasp nor even pretend to understand. As I approached the age that Oshino was back then, in other words, as I became an adult, I began to comprehend, if only slightly, what he was trying to convey.

Adults remain adults.

Parents remain parents.

While Senjougahara Hitagi plead to the crab, she also had another option, to plea to the crab or not— to sever her ties with her mother. This option, even if seemingly non-existent, it was there for her to take.

Much like an aberration or perhaps a god.

It was a choice she could have made.

Senjougahara Hitagi said with tears in her eyes that it was something she had to bear, something she could not forget, but looking back on it now, it was not something she had to bear at all, and if she could forget it, she would have been happier at least.

If asked whether forgetting everything, like Hanekawa, would bring happiness, I would say that's not quite right. But, it did not mean that “Senjougahara Hitagi” was the right answer either.

Just as adults will only ever be adults.

Children will only ever be children, nothing more— it was too much to bear and too deeply etched within her.

“In reality, she couldn’t have managed a normal life with her debilitating disease of losing her weight. Maybe she couldn’t have gone to university or worked for a foreign firm. So all she could do was remember, but I wonder what decision she would make today, with the person she’s become.”

“Whether she would make the decision an adult would? Had you done this to me, at the very least, I wouldn’t be here like this.”

“I've said before that even now: I still think that was the only choice I could've made with you back then. I can't just ignore the plight of a beautiful woman missing her limbs.”

Perhaps it's even more true now that I've come of age. On top of my original, irrepressible personality, there was a sense of professional duty.

I was a servant not only in spirit but also in profession.

In the same vein, if I were to come across a high school girl struggling with her relationship with her mother, my first thought would now be to protect her. Regardless of whether or not I should step in, just as I did back in high school.

With my shoes off, if not barefoot.

“Kanbaru was once rejected by Senjougahara Hitagi… But now, as an aspiring doctor, another course of action, another development might be possible. I think even back then, Hitagi trusted doctors and nurses…”

“If that monkey girl had found me, what would've become of me?”

“With your limbs torn as they were, you would’ve been deemed an incurable patient and subjected to that 'triage' she talked about.”

It was by no means limited to Kanbaru.

What if someone other than myself had encountered the vampire on the brink of death? It was hard to imagine anyone else making the same foolish yet honest choice as me, at least not any typical adult.

“Y'know, originally, Hanekawa was the one who wanted to meet a vampire. If she had given her blood to you…”

“The world would have perished.”

As lightly as she said it, we’d borne witness to a similar outcome in a parallel world— if the fully-powered Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade and an equally powerful Hanekawa Tsubasa had formed a master-servant bond, one or two worlds wouldn’t be enough. Hundreds, if not thousands of worlds would perish. Their terrorizing “what-if” would pose a threat to the extinction of every parallel universe.

I wonder if this world, too, can remain safe forever.

“If it were Senjougahara Hitagi then? I think back in spring break, after she broke ties with Kanbaru and left Oikura’s protection, she’d have been at her sharpest…”

Still, was it my partiality to my dear wife that I thought she wouldn’t have abandoned a dying beauty?

“Perhaps, perhaps not If she were still as cold as ever, then we may have forged a strong partnership, excluding the cat girl, of course.”

However.

That would only hold true if the lady were to become a full-fledged vampire, she said, and then, Shinobu stopped in her tracks.

At first, I wondered why, but it seemed that while talking, we had arrived at the place where the Killing Stone was supposedly exhibited— nay, it couldn't be called an exhibit at all.

The stone simply sat there.

As it had for ages— eight hundred long years.

Just as the signboard of “240 meters ahead” had promised, it seemed we had finally reached our goal. One more step, and we were walking in complete darkness, taking a great leap of courage.

In my night vision mode, I was barely able to see it. There was no guide present, nor any illumination, so it was difficult to be certain.

There was at least a sign that read “Killing Stone,” but still.

“No mistake. The ominous aura oozes from this broken stone.”

“But isn't that just… the sulfur?”

According to Chief Kouga, the ill health and even death of small animals around the stone was not caused by some supernatural being, but by the sulfur being emitted.

In fact, as far as my night vision allowed me to see, I found only the desolated slabs of rock. And as Shinobu mentioned earlier, not a single stalk of grass in sight.

Although, like the legend of the Blind Snake Stone, the sulfur itself could be considered the product of an aberration. But at the end of the day, a stone is just a stone— or at least, that's what my high school experience would have had me believe. Then again, wasn’t I the one who had made an ordinary rock the protagonist of a horror tale?

“This is more than a mere pebble produced by you, master. This, here, is a genuine, certified Killing Stone. Left abandoned on this gloomy mountain, with a name you cannot help but be haunted by: Killing Stone.”

And she had a point. It may be personal bias, but the name Killing Stone had a greater impact on me than the nine-tailed fox or Tamamo-no-Mae. Because it contained the word “kill,” it even surpassed my predecessor Seishirou in its might. Come to think of it, I could almost feel the aura myself.

Could it really be that such a perfectly split stone was a natural occurrence? It almost appeared to have been cleanly cleaved by a mighty sword. But damn, the darkness made it near impossible to discern the scale of the thing.

It seemed at once both smaller and larger than I had imagined— either way, it threatened to swallow me whole.

On the other hand, no matter how perfect and idyllic the future Gaen-san may have envisioned, Nasu Town in Tochigi Prefecture lay beyond the jurisdiction of Naoetsu Police.

So, with a trembling heart, I carefully approached the historical site of the Killing Stone in the still of night. But to the locals, I was the suspicious outsider.

It might seem like I'd ventured across an ancient European castle, what with the way I'd been acting, but I just needed to backtrack a little and I'd find myself in a perfectly common residential neighborhood. It would be the worst if, instead of the stone, I were to become an urban legend.

So, I couldn't possibly commit the vandalism of climbing over a fence installed for safety and approach the Killing Stone. As a cop, I couldn't enter a restricted area without a warrant. Well, looking closely at the fence, there was a sign posted on it saying, “Please keep away for safety. Sulfur gas is present,” which also made me hesitate.

“Ah, that might be a problem. I was hoping to bring back a tale about how the Killing Stone cracked but the nine-tailed fox didn’t revive to my colleagues. But I might end up bringing back a horror story instead now.”

So far, all I've known on this detour is fear. If I were to return to the campsite as is, I would definitely end up telling those two a souvenir story of how incredibly scared I was. As it stands, the already venerable and well-established rumor would be in danger of being officially endorsed by public institutions, and it would be unimaginable if rumors were to spread that the Killing Stone was being deemed dangerous by the FBI.

I'd been told by my dear wife not to look up at the sky if I can help it, but I found myself inadvertently gazing up at the heavens. Fortunately or unfortunately, the Nasu Highlands sky was covered in even thicker clouds than when I last checked.

The moon was nowhere to be seen.

There was hardly any difference between the view when I was facing forward and when I was looking at the sky. It's fine for now, but what about tomorrow night? Was the weather different between Nasu Highlands and Oku-Nikko? They say mountain weather is fickle.

“If you absolutely insist that I adhere to the hierarchical order involving master and servant, I could break the Killing Stone into even smaller pieces and dispose of it with no trace left behind.”

“No, it wouldn't do to spread a different rumor. Who knows what kind of legend will be born if a blonde little girl is seen practicing stone-splitting at a historical site at night?”

If such a terrifying story were to become established, it’d blow away my terrifying experience tonight.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

And a ghost story for a ghost story?

“Ah, I see. If one were to experience a scarier situation, it would render the rumor of the Killing Stone invalid.”

“Right. It's like how ghost stories won't scare you if you have toothache. Thankfully, I owe my lack of cavities to you.”

“I understand now.”

Shinobu nodded with a knowing glance.

“Indeed, I recall that back in my heyday, I once tore off my leg below the knee due to unbearable pain from a broken pinky toe. I suppose it's quite similar to that.”

“Mhm… that’s also a way to deal with the pain, I guess.”

Tearing off your own limb seemed to be a unique approach reserved for regenerating vampires. Akin to a lizard shedding its tail or surgically removing an affected area in medicine, I guess. At this point, it was becoming an unsettling preface.

“Fear not. We're not discussing tearing off your leg here.”

“A little girl ripping off your leg in the middle of the night, that’d be a great ghost story. A brand new urban legend. What, are we starting a Hundred Ghost Stories right here? I bet any story told by you, the King of Aberrations, would be the embodiment of terror.”

But could even that surpass this real-life experience? I was the one who brought it up, but— was there a ghost story that could make me blurt out, “My apologies to the nine-tailed fox, but a Killing Stone’s got nothing on this,” after hearing it?

“Hmph… Not so much a ghost story as something I'd been meaning to discuss with you during this excursion. It could very well be scarier than any ghost story for you.”

“Ooh, exciting.”

“Perhaps even I won't sleep tonight. Are you still pondering over that idea of yours, about binding me with your name instead of the aloha boy’s name that's been shackling me all this while?”

“Yeah, I remember the two of us deciding that.”

“I don't recall it being a mutual decision. It was almost entirely on you.”

A husband who rules the roost, are you? she said. Well, I can't deny that I might have come across as a bit forceful in presenting the idea.

But so what?

Isn’t that water under the bridge?

“Water under the bridge or not, it's not inherently a terrible idea. In the past, it would have been utterly impossible for you to have sealed me away with merely your name, but now you are practically a specialist of sorts. With the support of a veteran practitioner, you could place an even stronger seal on me.”

“A stronger seal? I have no intention of doing that, but—”

I didn't want to rely on Oshino’s name forever, and if anything, as a plan of mine, I hoped to raise her sense of freedom, self-affirmation, even just a little— but would the “veteran practitioner” mentioned here be Gaen-san or Chief Kouga?

“I thought that being controlled by me might be preferable to being controlled by Oshino.”

“That seems kind-hearted of you, but it's quite the dangerous thinking, as well. You criticize slavery when it's to others, but it's fine when you're the one with control.”

I hadn't expected to be called out like that, but yes, I realized it was a self-righteous idea. I didn’t want to admit it to the vampire who creates thralls, but when I paused to think it over, I found that over her six-hundred-year semi-life, Shinobu had created only two thralls, including myself.

Maybe from the beginning, this vampire was opposed to the idea of enslavement.

“You’re correct. In my case, before I became a vampire, I had witnessed Death's own thralls. Having been shown such a forceful master-servant relationship and having it ingrained in my subconscious, I may have developed an aversion to it.”

Seishirou and I, we may have been unwillingly created as slaves— no, there was no doubt that we both were vampires born out of emergency escapes. At the very least, we weren’t slaves born out of Shinobu's free will.

“If you value humanity, you might think that instead of transferring control by binding with a name, it’d be more reasonable to liberate slaves…”

“To be honest, I'm not entirely jesting about this matter either. I have no intention of blaming your sense of ethics, and it's a fact that, thanks to you, I was able to end my life on the lam. Since my identity has changed many times before, it might be a little amusing to be bound by your name. I rather like the name Oshino Shinobu, but I have to admit, there's something about it that makes me feel that aloha boy decided it on a whim.”

While I didn’t think it was entirely arbitrary, I couldn’t deny the feeling that wordplay had played a role in the decision.

“But master, I believe it's a foul idea to make me your 'daughter.' That isn’t simply going too far, it's running amok.”

“Hm? Really? It sounded really nice to me. But I don't plan to decide this alone. As wicked as I may be, I'm not self-righteous.”

“I believe they’re similar, those two.”

“But I'll admit there's a problem with the way I’m going about it. I'll make sure to get your approval, and obtain Hitagi's consent according to the proper procedures. No surprises, no casual conversations in the car.”

To not treat her like a servant or a slave, but to take her in as a foster daughter, I think it was pretty progressive for our time… Not running amok, but running side by side.

“So, maybe there's no need to bother Chief Kouga or Gaen-san about changing your name. Oikura can handle it.”

“’Tis a tragedy for that girl to find someone like you waiting for her at the end of her search for safety— worse than being beaten by her parents.”

After completely denying the foundation of my friendship with Oikura, Shinobu shook her head and pressed further, “Perhaps I should speak more clearly so that my message gets across?”

“I am not negating your philanthropy, no. As I've said numerous times, I have been saved by it, and it has brought me joy. I am even allowed to be lazy because of it, and it has guaranteed me a comfortable retirement. I may look different to you, but no matter how my name changes, I will always be the same. Hence, this isn't my problem— it's your lady's problem.”

“Hitagi's?”

Shinobu had taken a humble approach to their first meeting, leading me to think that it had all gone off without a hitch… I guess not so much? In fact, I suddenly remembered something Hitagi had said back when she had met Hachikuji: she couldn't stand children.

She had even boasted that they should all just die— a line that, while typical of prime Senjougahara Hitagi, was still quite extreme. Not that I wish to criticize her past statements by digging them up, and I had thought she'd completely conquered that weakness at some point, but I realized there hadn't been any situations where she was around children since then.

Even as someone who values home and family, Hitagi had no connection with Hachikuji whatsoever.

“Hmm, there certainly was a palpable sense of tension between us, but I didn't feel any animosity. She didn't seem to want to kill me.”

“What do you take my wife for?”

“Well, she used to be quite the character back then.”

That’s right.

That classmate of ours was exceptionally aggressive against everyone, junior Kanbaru and peer Hanekawa alike. But compared to those times, she had morphed into a remarkably easygoing and affable person.

“There was a side of me that wanted to take advantage of her affability and just let things unfold naturally with you. But now, I think it's better to have a proper plan in place.”

“Ah, and thanks to this plan, I've come to understand that it is indeed best not to place me as your adopted child. Or even force me to be Araragi Shinobu.”

“What are you talking about? That's not what you were saying earlier. Weren't you on the Araragi side?”

“It’s not about taking sides. For you, it may be a matter of personal experience and inherent nature, something you've grown so accustomed to that you no longer reflect upon it. But, after our conversation today and after discovering her true intentions, I've found that the lady of the house is still unaware of this. And to become a family without knowing about it would be impossible— or rather, if she knew, it would be even more impossible.”

“……?”

Her true intentions?

Despite the frank prelude, her words were rather ambiguous anyway. She spoke them like they were stuck between her molars.

“Molars, you say? More like fangs, perhaps.”

“Hmm?”

“Speaking of, how was the barbecue?”

Wait, the conversation just shifted gears.

Or was this some surreal ghost story?

“Well, it was pretty good… I've never had the chance to try this style of dining, even in America, but it's a lot of fun. The campfire brings our spirits up, and it might have something to do with Kanbaru's impressive cooking skills. It was charred just right, not just the meat, but the vegetables as well.”

Though phrases like “life is half-lived without food” were cliché and leave a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, it struck me that maybe, I should have been doing things like this in high school or university.

I think I had been stubbornly refusing to experience the fulfillment so many others had. Maybe that stubbornness, not just barbecue, was what had been really detrimental to my life.

“Come on, did you really want to eat too? Well, there’s a theory that family starts by having meals together, so—”

Tut, tut, tut, Shinobu quickly cut me off, wagging her theatrical finger at me. Then, with a contrasting seriousness on her face, she said.

“’Tis fine for you to eat your meat and veggies; is it fine for me to eat humans, too?”

Really.

Would you share a table with someone like that?

“.…..”

My apologies to the nine-tailed fox, but— a Killing Stone’s got nothing on this.

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#ikusamonogatari #monogatari series #translation #araragi koyomi #shinobu oshino

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tenebraevesper · 7 months

Text

Five Nights at Freddy's: Salvaged, Night 4: You're Not Alone

''And I can't give you back the things you had, but you don't have to do this on your own. Even if you're never coming home, you're not alone, you're not alone… You're not alone!''

– The Puppet Song by TryHardNinja ft. SailorUrLove (Five Nights at Freddy's 3)

xXxXxXx

Springtrap had expected that the back door to Freddy's would be locked, but to his and Sam's surprise, it was unlocked. Hadn't anyone decided to check on the place or did they just forget to lock it? Granted, it had been unlocked when he kidnapped Sam, but someone would think they would put a little more thought into security. On the other hand, this was Fazbear Entertainment, who, as long as they could cover it up, didn't really care.

And I'm supposed to be the bad guy in this story.

In hindsight, though, this whole mess wouldn't have started if it weren't for him. However, he didn't doubt that, even if he hadn't killed anyone, that Fazbear Entertainment would still seek excuses and would cover up whatever incident occurs in this place. To make it worse, there would always be people who would take advantage of family friendly restaurants like Freddy's and cause their own kind of chaos. He guessed that the only reason he was the main attraction of this story was because he somehow found a way to let the animatronics become haunted and even created murderous robots of his own. That, and the fact that he just wouldn't stay dead.

He watched as Sam opened the door, contemplating whether to use her flashlight, as she feared that someone might see the light. Instead, she put it back into the bag she was carrying and pulled out her phone, whose screen light was much weaker.

''What are we even searching for?'' Springtrap asked her as he closed the door behind them.

''I'm not sure,'' Sam replied, shrugging. ''Although, it doesn't seem like it will take much time to comb through this place.''

They entered the main area, where the stage was. It was still empty, with no robots in sight, the only thing there being tables and chairs, as well as one or the other box with party hats and decorations inside them. Instead of going inside, Sam went straight towards the office with the cameras, turning them on and switching through them.

''It is still not recording anything,'' she told Springtrap, who was peeking inside the small office.

''I think someone was going by the logic that, if there's nothing to steal, there's no need for security,'' Springtrap said. ''People who like to break in for fun, on the other hand…''

''Weren't you the co-creator and therefore co-owner of Freddy's? You may be dead, but this is still your legacy,'' Sam replied, smiling slyly. ''Therefore, I'm not breaking in as much as entering with the former owner's permission.''

''Smartass,'' Springtrap muttered, although sounding a little impressed. Sam turned the cameras off, with Springtrap following her to what seemed to be the manager's office. Springtrap figured that it would be empty just as the rest of the building, but Sam opened the drawers, searching for something.

''Bingo!'' she said as she pulled out a paper, which seemed to be carelessly thrown into the drawer, along with a shredded flyer for Ricky's Wonder Shack. She smoothed the paper, showing it to Springtrap, who read what appeared to be some kind of notification.

''I guess that explains why this place isn't open yet,'' he said. The notification was about the delivery of the animatronics being suspended due to technical difficulties the manufacturers had been experiencing. Since the animatronics were the main attraction, they wouldn't open the location until they were completely sure everything was running smoothly.

''I wonder what they meant when they talked about 'technical difficulties','' Sam said, putting the paper back the way she found it after taking a picture of it with her smartphone.

''Who knows,'' Springtrap said, shrugging. ''Maybe they were attempting to copy what Henry and I had done with the animatronics, but were unable to do it.''

The two walked out, examining the rest of the building, but hadn't found anything. They returned back to the main area, with Sam walking over the empty stage and looking at it, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Springtrap walked over to her, but stopped, realizing that maybe he should leave her alone with whatever thoughts she had.

''You know…'' He lift his head when he heard Sam addressing him. ''I still can't believe that all what happened was real. It still feels like it was just a video game.''

''What makes you say that?'' Springtrap asked. Sam continued without turning to him.

''I tend to explore urban legends that are supposedly based on real stories. I want to know whether what had been described in those creepy stories really happened or not, or whether it was possible for it to really happen. Mostly, they were just that – stories. They were simply pure fiction someone came up with and then spread like wildfire,'' Sam explained, then turned to Springtrap. ''Freddy's… isn't.'' She pointed at the stage. ''That stuff – ghosts, haunted animatronics, a long history of murders and cover-ups – that isn't supposed to happen. That isn't supposed to be real. This isn't supposed to be real.'' She pointed at Springtrap. ''You aren't supposed to be here either, yet you are.''

She calmed down a little when she saw Springtrap's head lowering.

''I know that,'' he said. Sam crossed her arms, looking at him, with Springtrap feeling unnerved by her glare. She was still judging him, pushing for answers. He could tell that she wanted to know more and he was the only one who could provide her with those answers. He was a little impressed by her curiosity and what she was willing to do to gain the answers she wanted. Even though she already told him she knew what he did and was aware of his past, he still had the strange feeling that there was more to it.

''I guess that's all,'' Sam muttered, looking around the room.

''There's still a hidden room if you want to see it. That's where I woke up,'' Springtrap told her, pointing at a hallway near the stage. ''This way, although, it was empty when I was there.''

Sam still followed him, illuminating the hallway with her phone. As they reached the hidden door, she froze, with Springtrap realizing a second later what made her stop.

''What's this?'' she asked, crouching down as she examined what appeared to be red and black stains on the floor, looking like ink. Her eyes widened as she looked at the door, with Springtrap already trying to open it, having come to the same conclusion.

After opening the door, they were met with a gruesome sight. There was another smear of the same ink-like substance on the floor, as if someone had been dragged across it, with a figure sitting in the corner, slumped over like a drunk person. Springtrap's eyes flared purple, while Sam grabbed her flashlight and pointed, her hand shaking, at the figure. She covered her mouth in shock as she saw the dead man, unable to scream. Springtrap had already walked over to the man, avoiding the blood on the floor, and examined him. He was indeed dead, probably for hours. He looked back at Sam, who was rather pale. She may have known what to expect, but it didn't mean that she would react well to something like this.

''Sam, are you okay? Do you want to sit down or-?'' He got cut off when Sam shook her head. She was still shaking, sensing a scent of copper when she slowly walked over to the body. The fact that the man's glassy eyes were open wide in terror didn't make the situation less creepy. She shuddered as she looked at him, with Springtrap readying himself to catch her if she fell over. He wasn't sure how well she could handle this situation and was worried that, in the worst case scenario, she would faint and hit her head.

''He's…'' Sam gulped. ''He's really dead…'' She looked at Springtrap, who simply nodded. She shivered. ''I should've thought about it… That I would start seeing dead bodies eventually.'' She stepped closer, her eyes widening when she realized something. ''Springtrap, this guy…'' She looked back at him. ''The uniform he wears… That's the kind of uniform the security guards at Ricky's Wonder Shack wear.''

''Are you sure?'' Springtrap looked at her in surprise. She nodded firmly.

''Yeah, dark blue shirts with golden collars and cuffs. I saw them several times, there's no mistake,'' she said, shaking her head. ''What is a security guard from Ricky's doing at a Freddy's location? Was he killed here?''

Springtrap looked at the man, noticing a stab wound on his chest and then at the rest of the room.

''No way,'' he said, glancing back at Sam. ''He wasn't killed here, as there is not enough blood. Someone killed him and brought him here.''

''Why would anyone do something like that?'' Sam asked.

''Search me,'' Springtrap said as he stood up. ''We should leave.''

Sam nodded, looking a little relieved when they left. Springtrap closed the door, looking back at Sam, who seemed to be a little distant.

''Are you sure that you're okay?'' he asked.

''I can handle it,'' she replied. ''However, we have a different kind of problem.''

''One that I'm, surprisingly, not responsible for,'' Springtrap said as they entered the main area, going towards the back exit, and briefly glancing back at the hidden room.

''The only thing I can think about is to call the cops and report this,'' Sam said, phone already in her hand. She got startled when Springtrap stepped in front of her.

''If you do that, they will wonder what you were doing here and even probably think that you're connected to this crime,'' he told her, his eyes flaring purple. However, he sounded worried.

''I know that, but the person who killed him is still around,'' Sam replied, albeit lowering her phone. She looked around, as if fearing that the murderer would jump out of a dark corner. ''Something needs to be done.''

''You can count on me,'' Springtrap told her in an assuring tone. He actually really meant it, as he had decided to earn her trust. However, he noticed the hesitant look on her expression, knowing well she wasn't quite ready to completely trust him. He understood that and he didn't press the issue, as he knew that that action would make the situation only worse.

They quickly got outside, with Sam making sure that nobody saw them, but the streets had been empty, as this wasn't really a busy part of the town. Even the nearby buildings had been empty, featuring ''For rent'' signs.

Springtrap noticed that Sam had been rather quiet as they went back to her home, wondering whether he should ask her again whether she was okay. However, he didn't have to.

''I really hate the idea of leaving him behind,'' she said.

''There's nothing you can do to help him,'' Springtrap told her. She looked back at him, this time frowning.

''What is going to happen now?''

''Probably the same you had already read in that video game of yours,'' Springtrap replied. ''Fazbear Entertainment will clean the premises and, while make sure that there is a missing person report, they will also make sure that there will be as little investigation as possible or impossible to connect it back to the company.''

''They still won't be able to get rid off the skeletons in their closet,'' Sam said, still seeing the slumped corpse in front of her. ''Who killed him? Why? Where did the crime take place? Why was he even left at Freddy's?''

Springtrap had a rather unsettling feeling that the past was repeating. Even though it was quite obvious and he even joked about not being responsible for this murder, he was still wondering why Sam wasn't accusing him for being connected to this. After all, anything that happened at Freddy's could be traced back to him, whether directly or indirectly.

But, I didn't murder this guy.

''We'll see about that. It's only a matter of time until you start killing again.'' Suddenly, he heard the voice from his last hallucination, speaking clearly to him. He shook his head as the world around him started to turn black...

''Springtrap!'' The animatronic was startled by Sam's voice, who looked worried. ''Are you having another of your hallucinations?''

''I- I don't think so,'' he replied, but he wasn't completely sure. He was grateful that it stopped before anything could happen.

''I saw you on the floor earlier this day,'' Sam said, giving him a sympathetic look. ''You had been sitting, muttering to yourself or talking to someone. I didn't want to approach you, though.''

''I found the blanket,'' Springtrap muttered, feeling a headache as the memories of the hallucination returned.

''You kind of fell over, looking like you were sleeping,'' Sam said, giving him a wry smile. ''I figured I shouldn't disturb you.''

''I think it was a good idea,'' Springtrap replied. ''Don't take this wrong, but I could've accidentally lashed out at you if you tried to approach me, even if I wasn't aware of it.''

''You're really afraid of hurting me,'' Sam said, with Springtrap realizing how it wasn't a question. He didn't respond. Sam then sighed. ''To be honest, I'm really not sure if I want to be part of this.''

''You don't have to,'' Springtrap replied. ''You told me I had a choice when I decided to come along with you and I believe that you also can choose whether to be part of this horror story or not.''

''I guess you're not the only one who had been given a five nights deadline to make a final decision,'' Sam said, then falling silent. They continued walking in a rather uncomfortable silence, with Springtrap deciding to change the topic.

''So, what do you do when you don't investigate urban legends or explore supposedly haunted places?'' he asked. Sam looked back to him, smiling.

''Well, I like to read books and I tend to play video games. I already told you how my dad works at a game development company and he always buys me new games or the newest console,'' she said.

''I assume you and your friends have a lot of fun with that,'' Springtrap said, only to realize that this was the wrong thing to say. Sam fell silent, even looking angry. ''Sam?''

''I did have a few friends,'' she said in a quiet tone. ''They would often come over to my place and play video games. However, when I wanted to hang out with them, they would they would make up excuses and tell me they're busy. They told me I was annoying, and I started to wonder whether I was bothering them or that I was maybe too pushy. For all I knew, they probably needed the time to do their homework or study for exams, so I was trying to be as nice and considerate as possible and let them make the decision. Somehow, they would always ask to go to my place, but when I refused, they told me I was a bad friend.''

She frowned, with Springtrap having a bad feeling about this.

''Even better, I trusted them! I believed that I was a bad friend and that I should bend over backwards to please them, even though I refused to do that. I believed that I was bothering them with my requests, even though I barely spoke to them. Even when I did speak, they would roll their eyes at me and tell me to shut up. I hated it.'' Sam's eyes sparkled, with tears appearing in the corners of her eyes. ''I almost completely stopped talking to them, even though I still let them come over to my place, since they were my friends. However, it was enough for me to realize that they were acting like they owned my house and treated me as if I was their housemaid, asking me to bring them snacks or to give them whatever game they wanted. Hell, I let them borrow a few of my games and when I asked them to return those games, they told me that they had no idea what I was talking about or that they lost them. I went several times to their place, with their parents or siblings letting me in and helping me find my games. Luckily, I was smart enough to write down my name on each video game, so I knew that they belonged to me. My so-called friends weren't happy when they saw me leaving with my video games.''

She shook her head.

''I knew they had been taking advantage of me, but I still refused to accept it. Eventually, I asked them whether they would want to go for an ice and the answer was, obviously, that they didn't have the time for that. When I decided to go alone to the ice cream parlor, I found them already sitting there. They didn't see me, and I sat nearby and heard them talk about me.'' She clenched her fists, now shaking in anger. ''They were talking about how they were glad I wasn't with them. They were calling me names, saying I was a bitch for not letting them walk over me. They were joking about how it would be funny if something happened to me. I had enough at that point.'' She smiled bitterly, refusing to look Springtrap in the eyes. ''I ghosted them, simply as that. I stopped talking to them and when they started wondering why they couldn't go to my place, I pretended they didn't exist. Not exactly mature, but I didn't care. Eventually, they gave up, but not without telling me what a horrible person I was.''

Springtrap noticed that Sam was shaking and, when he got closer, noticed tears flowing down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, trying to smile as if the whole story didn't affect her at all, but she looked rather withdrawn.

''Am I bothering you?'' she asked, surprising Springtrap. She then shook her head. ''Doesn't matter, you don't have to answer that. Forget about it.''

Springtrap had the uncanny feeling that he now knew the second reason why Sam was so torn about helping him. He also guessed that she kept that inside her for so long, that she simply couldn't stop herself from ranting.

''Do your parents know?''

''I never told them anything, although Mum was really confused when I suddenly started to lock myself in my room,'' Sam replied bitterly. Her expression then softened, with her looking quite tired. ''It wasn't a bad thing, though. I realized that I was better off on my own and that, being a bit of a daydreamer, I was happier spending my time in my own little fantasy worlds. I hated reality.''

''I understand,'' Springtrap said, drawing her attention. ''You felt betrayed, fair and simple. You had a good reason to feel like that.''

Sam didn't answer. The fake smile faded and she looked really hurt, if not a little embarrassed that she told him all of that. It was something she wanted to keep for herself, despite the fact that, at the same time, she wanted to be open about the issue and simply talk to someone. Springtrap wasn't surprised that she had trust issues.

Trust is something you need to earn. Still, it is surprising how easily it gets destroyed and how hard it is to rebuild it.

He didn't really care whether people trusted him or not. He knew how to gain things via manipulation rather than proving that he was a trustworthy person. Even though he never got it directly confirmed, he knew that Henry probably had a hard time believing that his close friend was a cruel monster who had betrayed him.

However, it was over now. All things that had been said and done had come to an end. Sure, he was haunted by his past now, tormented by hallucinations, but he wasn't going to let the past dictate his current actions, even though he still didn't understand what he was supposed to do.

''You're not bothering me,'' he said, with Sam looking back at him, stunned. ''I'm actually fine being in your company.''

''Sure, and you're going to gloss over the fact that you were irritated by my antics… or the fact that you have tried to kill me,'' Sam replied sarcastically, a wry smile on her expression.

''I am not going to gloss over anything. What happened was my fault,'' Springtrap replied calmly, surprising Sam. ''I simply wanted to be honest with you. Although, your actions don't make any sense.''

''Actions don't have to make sense, but they should have a meaning behind them,'' Sam replied. She was startled when Springtrap suddenly turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

''You're not alone,'' he said, the grin on his mask as if widening. ''You can tell me whatever bothers you. I won't complain.''

Sam was still staring at him in confusion, with Springtrap realizing that he may have said the wrong thing. He stepped back, looking crestfallen.

''I messed up, didn't I?'' he said in a quiet tone. ''You said that actions don't have to make sense, but should have a meaning behind them.'' He looked back at her. ''I'm really bad at this, aren't I? I'm trying to be honest with you, but I just come off as creepy.''

''No offense, but you kinda do,'' Sam replied. Springtrap sighed.

''May I be honest about something with you?'' he asked, with Sam nodding, but still looking weirded out. ''I have been thinking about what you told me and I wanted you to know that I understand why you don't trust me. I don't think I would either if I was in your shoes.'' He lowered his head. ''I appreciate your help. I know that you don't have to help me, but you still do, despite the fact that you know how dangerous I am and what I have done. You know what I'm capable of and you still insist on trying to save me.'' He clenched his fists. ''I don't think anyone would ever go this far for me, the least a random girl who is only aware of what happened.'' He glanced back at her, forcing himself to look straight into her eyes. ''I just wanted to thank you for what you did for me. I mean it.''

To his surprise, she was smiling back at him. Springtrap felt the emptiness in his chest briefly disappearing, being replaced with a sense of warmth. It was only for a moment, but he felt relieved that the weight had been finally lifted from his chest. He had realized that Sam was actually genuinely happy that he was being honest with her and he felt that it was worth it seeing her like this.

However, he was aware that this was only one small step he took and that more still waited for him. He knew that what he had done couldn't be forgotten nor forgiven, but he made up his mind to at least focus on the present and change the future, since the past was already impossible to change. To be honest, he was stunned that he even made it this far.

xXx

It had been dead in the night, with Springtrap lying on the couch in the guest room and focusing on the novel he was reading. After they had returned back home, Sam ran she ran into her room and emerged with a stack of books, which she shoved into the stunned animatronic's arms, only to vanish into the room and emerge with another stack of books, telling him how he wouldn't be bored anymore during the night. Springtrap figured that there had been enough reading material to last him for weeks, depending on how fast he read the novels.

He checked the covers, noticing that they were mostly of the horror, fantasy, supernatural and crime genre. Some books were novelizations of video games or were based on the video game's universe. Sam also gave him a scrapbook she made on her own, which contained every urban legend she knew about (excluding the ones about Freddy's, as she told him that that one deserved its own book, if not several of them), suggesting sheepishly to read the one titled ''The Bunny Man''. While it sounded interesting, Springtrap wasn't exactly impressed by the supposed carnage The Bunny Man caused, although he could see why Sam would be interested in such urban legend, as it was very possible for it to happen. That, and her pointing out that he was technically also a ''bunny man''.

Currently, he was reading a crime novel about a detective who was struggling against a serial killer who supposedly died years ago in an incident in which the detective was not only involved, but was also forced into retirement because of it. Apparently, only the detective believed that the serial killer didn't die in the incident, as no body had been found. Years later, the serial killer resurfaced again to torment the detective, while at the same time making sure nobody believed him that his old nemesis was still alive and the case should be opened once again. Springtrap had reached a rather tense part of the story, where the serial killer had kidnapped a young woman and poisoned her with slow-acting poison, forcing the detective to reach into a glass box for the antidote. The glass box was actually a trap, rigged to slice off the detective's hand if he made a mistake.

Just as he was about to find out whether the detective lost his hand, he heard movement from outside the guest room. He got up and quietly opened the door, noticing the one to Sam's room closing. He guessed that she probably got up to get a glass of water or something similar. Other than that, the night had been rather calm.

Returning back to the novel, Springtrap couldn't help but think about his conversation with Sam and how they both felt about the whole thing. He had his doubts and even wondered whether it made sense for him to even try to atone for what he did, but he soon realized that he didn't want to go back on his word. He didn't care how this would end, but he wanted to at least make sure he did try to change something about his life.

You probably didn't expect this, old friend.

There was also the fact that they had another murderer walking around, but whether this had any sort of connection to Freddy's or whether it was a random murder still remained a mystery. While Sam didn't mention it, Springtrap knew that she probably wanted to investigate the murder and perhaps even thought that the past may be repeating.

To be honest, he also had a bad feeling that this wouldn't be the last murder to occur.

xXx

Surprisingly, the first thing she sensed when she woke up in the morning was the scent of food. Feeling hungry and still half-asleep, she wondered if she was dreaming, but she soon realized that she did hear something happening downstairs. Getting quickly dressed, she checked the guest room, but it was empty, and the books she had given to Springtrap were put on the cabinet. She quickly went downstairs, realizing how familiar the scent was.

''Pancakes!''

Sam felt a mix of excitement and surprise when she saw a stack of freshly made pancakes on the kitchen table, with Springtrap holding a frying pan. He tilted his head, looking cheerful.

''Good morning!''

''Good morning… Since when do you cook?'' Sam rose an eyebrow.

''You know, there is still a human in this animatronic suit,'' Springtrap replied. ''I know how to cook, and I figured you'd be hungry once you wake up.''

He wanted to continue, but it didn't take much convincing to get Sam eat the pancakes he made. He was a little nervous, as he didn't know whether she would like them or not. However, his worries vanished when he noticed the pleased expression Sam had.

''They're really good,'' she said, standing up and getting the glasses of strawberry and sour cherry jam out of the fridge. ''Thanks for the breakfast!''

''I can make for if you want,'' Springtrap replied. ''Besides, that's the least I could do for you, especially since you allowed me to stay here.''

''Don't be so sure about that. My mum will have the last word about you staying here,'' Sam replied, a little worried.

''Do you think she will allow me to stay here?'' Springtrap asked her after a small pause. Sam shrugged.

''Mum is actually really chill and while she might be weirded out by your appearance, I think she will let you stay. However, once she learns you're a murderer…''

''In other words, I need to pretend that I'm a sentient animatronic, rather than a soul that had been willingly trapped inside a robot,'' Springtrap concluded. ''It shouldn't be that hard.''

''Just try to act as usual,'' Sam suggested, looking at the news on her smartphone. Springtrap approached her, glancing at the device.

''What are you looking at?''

''I wanted to check the news, whether there's anything about the corpse we found yesterday,'' she replied, then shook her head. ''Nothing.''

''Either it hadn't be found yet or the place is already in the process of being cleaned up,'' Springtrap said. ''However, since this guy wasn't a Freddy's employee, I'm not sure whether there will be the usual procedures or something else might happen.''

''Speaking of Freddy's, this is now the second night,'' Sam said, sounding a little more serious. Springtrap nodded, having a feeling where this conversation was leading. ''I showed you Five Nights at Freddy's yesterday and I plan to show you Five Nights at Freddy's 2 today, which gives the first game more backstory.''

''Okay,'' Springtrap said quietly, sitting across her. ''Are you really going to show me one game per night?''

''Not really. For the last two nights, I plan to go with two games for each. You'll understand why,'' Sam replied.

''Can you at least tell me what this one is going to be about?'' Springtrap asked, a little concerned. He still didn't like the idea of being confronted by his past, but he felt that this was something he had to go through.

''It's about the Missing Children Incident and what happened in 1987,'' Sam replied. Springtrap nodded, the feeling of emptiness once again spreading through his chest.

xXx

''There is something I'd really like to know,'' Sam said, snapping Springtrap out of his feeling of unease. ''In Phone Guy's calls to the new night guard, someone named Jeremy Fitzgerald, he mentions that there had been a previous night guard who got promoted to the day shift. He also said that that night guard complained about being attacked by the animatronics.''

Springtrap, who was sitting on Sam's bed, looked at the monitor of Sam's laptop, finding himself facing the image of the Toy Animatronics, as well as a transcript of Phone Guy's calls from the game.

''It turns out later that the animatronics had been tampered with, and according to Phone Guy, not only were they brand new, but also had a facial recognition system tied into some kind of criminal database. According to Phone Guy 'the characters have been acting very unusual, almost aggressive towards the staff. They interact with the kids just fine, but when they encounter an adult, they just... stare','' Sam said, crossing her arms and tilting her head as she looked at Springtrap. ''So, were you the one who tampered with them?''

''You made the right assumption,'' Springtrap said sheepishly. ''It wasn't that hard though. Besides, I prefer to wear a mask.''

''So, do you know anything about the Bite of '87?'' Sam asked curiously.

''No. Unfortunately, I wasn't around for that.''

''I should've known,'' Sam said. ''My assumption is that Jeremy was the victim, since the animatronics were antagonistic towards adults and Jeremy would have to keep a close eye on them. About the perpetrator, it had to be the Toys, because the Withereds were in the back room, and Puppet and Balloon Boy don't look like they could damage someone's frontal lobe. To be honest, I think it was Toy Chica.''

''Toy Chica? Why not Mangle?'' Springtrap asked. ''It has quite sharp teeth.''

''Yeah, but Mangle doesn't look like she can just walk up to someone and bite them,'' Sam replied.

''You'd be surprised what a mangled amalgamation of metal and cables can do,'' Springtrap told her.

''I am aware of that.'' Sam narrowed her eyes. ''Also, I wanted to add that Toy Chica can remove her beak and it looks pretty sharp. Now imagine that sticking out of your forehead.''

''You have a point,'' Springtrap said, having a bad feeling about the next topic. It didn't help that Sam was giving him that unnerving stare again.

''About the Missing Children Incident…''

''I killed them,'' Springtrap interrupted, suddenly raising his tone. ''I had payed and overpaid for what I did, and they're free now. If what happened-''

''William!''

Springtrap was startled when Sam suddenly yelled at him. He was unsettled by the glare she was giving, realizing he had said something wrong. He kept quiet, avoiding Sam's gaze.

''Were you even aware that they would get stuck like that?'' she asked in a quiet tone.

''No…'' he replied. ''At that time, I wasn't even aware that-''

''That a soul could possess a robot,'' Sam added, standing up. ''Apparently, your first victim, the Puppet, did. She also knew that, by giving them gifts, she could also give them life.''

Springtrap looked at the monitor of her laptop, noticing a short video of a minigame where Puppet would walk over to the four dead children and put the animatronic heads on them.

''She couldn't give them back the life they had, nor return them back home. They lost everything, left only with the desire to get revenge on you,'' Sam said, growing angrier. Springtrap closed his eyes, expecting her to scream at him, only to hear a calm, quiet voice. ''Why did you murder them?''

He wished she had screamed at him. That reserved, accusing tone of hers was worse than any of the Hell he had endured in that cursed office. He kept quiet, wondering how to explain everything to her, even though he knew that there was no explanation for this. Whatever he said would make this situation only worse.

''William, remember how I told you that actions don't have to make sense, but should have a meaning behind them?'' The question caused him look up at her, surprised to see, not her being enraged, but on the verge of tears. It made him feel even worse. ''Why have you even turned to killing?''

''I don't know,'' Springtrap replied, lowering his head in defeat. ''I always felt bitter and empty during my life. I thought that I could do something about it, but nothing worked out.''

''But murdering people did,'' Sam said coldly.

''I'm not going to deny that. I regret what I did. I cannot be forgiven for that, but…'' Springtrap sighed, shaking his head. ''Maybe I am wrong for even thinking I can seek atonement.''

''You're not wrong about either of those things,'' Sam said, with Springtrap glancing at her, noticing the look of pity she had. ''You cannot be forgiven, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to change. I mean, you told me that you want me to trust you and that you would work on that. You said you regret what you have done in the past. So far, you haven't done anything to hurt me and you have been honest with me as much as possible. You could've lied to me or tried to harm me whenever I confronted you with your past, but you didn't. Does that really sound to you like the behavior of a remorseless murderer?''

''I guess having a complete breakdown in Hell does that to you,'' Springtrap said, sighing. ''I'm sorry.''

''I'm not the person you should apologize to,'' Sam replied.

''You're still the only person around,'' Springtrap told her. ''The only one I can apologize to.''

''True, but I cannot speak in the name of your other victims, only for myself,'' Sam said, walking over to him. ''You know, something I've been wondering about, what would've happened if you hadn't tried to kidnap me the first time we met?''

''You mean, when I tried to kill you until you revealed you knew more than expected,'' Springtrap said dryly.

''About that, I'm not completely angry about what you tried to do, but it sure didn't help to fix the already bad impression I had about you,'' Sam said.

''I'm sorry,'' Springtrap replied, albeit a little surprised, and glad, that Sam wasn't so mad about it. ''I guess I would've gone on another murder spree if I hadn't decided to make you my first victim.''

''Which brings us back to this situation,'' Sam said, causing Springtrap to look at her in confusion. ''I was the one who suggested that you could try to change for once and you accepted the idea without making much of a fuss, even though you doubted that you'd be capable of trying to atone for what you did.''

''What is your point?'' Springtrap asked.

''To be honest, I have two theories about you being brought back,'' Sam said, rising her hand with a V-sign as a visual cue. ''The first one is actually what you just confessed – that you would've gone on another murder spree, not caring whether it would land you in a place worse than Hell, as long as you could satisfy your desire to get rid off the emptiness you feel.'' She then tilted her head. ''The second would be our chance encounter. I've been wondering whether it maybe wasn't completely accidental.''

''So, you want to say that whatever entity sent me back wanted me to meet you?'' Springtrap asked. ''Sounds a little far-fetched.''

''It is and I'm not saying this whole thing had indeed been a set up. However, I want you to think about your actions that night,'' Sam said, with Springtrap suddenly realizing what she meant. However, he let her explain the rest. ''I think that, had you killed me, it would've been over for you. The moment you got incinerated once again, you'd be done for. However, you didn't, therefore meaning that, while you would still suffer and be tormented by hallucinations, you're at least not your own, and you have someone who can help you and guide you.''

''Who would've thought that one small decision could have such a great impact,'' Springtrap muttered.

''I don't think it's exactly small. You shouldn't be downplaying it,'' Sam replied as she sat down on the chair, closing the file on her desktop and searching for the local news website. ''Still no reports.''

''Do you really want to investigate what happened?'' Springtrap asked curiously.

''To be honest, my common sense tells me that this has nothing to do with our situation and to ignore it. The conspiracy theorist in me says that the cops wouldn't even know what to make out of the situation and treat it like a random homicide,'' Sam replied, entering Ricky's Wonder Shack website. ''It would be best to start from here.''

''What are you planning to do? You don't have access to anything and I doubt you can just walk inside and ask the manager about their missing security guard,'' Springtrap said sarcastically, until it dawned him. ''Wait, do you want to say that the murder happened there?''

''Let's just say that Ricky's seems to be caring a little too much about their reputation, especially how often they compare themselves to Freddy's and claim they're better than them,'' Sam replied. ''Who knows, maybe they also have a few skeletons in their closet.''

''Before you go on, backtrack a little bit. Why would they kill their own security guard and then leave him at Freddy's?'' Springtrap asked. ''Also, as far as I know, that guy hadn't been killed by an animatronic.''

''I think there are two options. The murder may have been an accident and they want to destroy Freddy's reputation by framing them for the murder, which sounds really crazy. The other option would be that the guy saw something he shouldn't have seen and was silenced because of that,'' Sam explained.

''The latter option sounds more likely,'' Springtrap said. ''So, what are you planning? Another nightly visit?''

''Actually, I planned to go there now and just look around,'' Sam said.

''Didn't you mean to say that we would go there and have a look around?'' Springtrap asked.

''No offense Spring, but even though you wouldn't stick out among the animatronics, you still aren't a Ricky's mascot,'' Sam replied. ''You might draw weird looks from the employees.''

''I'm certain that things would still work out,'' Springtrap said in a confident tone. ''It might sound strange to you, but I had also been a performer and I know how to not draw attention to myself. The only thing I would need is some kind of map to know my way around the place.''

''I can provide you with one,'' Sam grinned, turning back to her laptop.

''Really?!'' Springtrap looked stunned, glancing at the monitor.

''Ricky's put up a map of the location on their website, with the explanation that their customers could print it out and it would help them navigate through the location, like finding the bathrooms or the exits in case of a fire,'' Sam explained, turning her laptop to Springtrap so he could get a better view of it. ''Since you decided to come along, there's something else…'' He watched her walking over to her closet, taking out a box from it and searching for something. Eventually, she pulled out two walkie-talkies and tossed one to him. ''For easier communication, since I doubt I'll be able to follow you around.''

''You're really determined to go through with this,'' Springtrap said, looking at the walkie-talkie and back at Sam, who was grinning. He stood up, a little curious.

''To be honest, I am a little excited,'' she admitted. Springtrap crossed his arms behind his back, a smile on his expression.

''You have my full support,'' he said. ''None of us will be alone in this mess.''

He observed Sam as she smiled back, looking quite confident. The warmth he had felt the last night returned, now a little stronger.

Links:

#Previous Chapter

#Current Chapter

#Next Chapter

#Five Nights at Freddy's: The Untold Story (Masterlist)

#Five Nights at Freddy's: The Untold Story #Five Nights at Freddy's: Salvaged #five nights at freddy's #fnaf #five nights at freddy's 2 #fnaf 2 #william afton #springtrap #fnaf 3 #five nights at freddy's 3

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turnyourgays · 11 months

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The Usher Foundation 2: Sniffles

I said in my previous introduction that I'd only write another one if the first did well, but then I had so much fun writing that I'm deciding to make another. Enjoy! Content warning for disease.

[Smartphone recorder chimes]

Statement of Grace Barnes, regarding the disease she caught from her unfaithful boyfriend. Originally given March 2nd, 2017. Audio recorded July 6th, 2022, by Donovan Ellis, Chief Experience Organizer at the Usher Foundation, Washington D.C. Statement begins.

My boyfriend, or, ex-boyfriend I guess, Tristan Niara, was great at first. Me and Tristan met at the bar, right after I'd broken up with Ryan Yates...and we hit it off pretty well, but I wasn't in the mood to take someone home - or vice versa - and told him not to expect that from me. He was a gentleman about it, and just kept talking to me. Bought me a drink or two, and ordered me an Uber when he realized I was too buzzed to get home safely on my own. The next morning, I found that he'd written down his number on a piece of paper and slipped it into my pocket. A little weird, but I wasn't getting bad vibes. Anyways, I put his number on my nightstand but just went about my business, and forgot about him for a little bit. A few days later, Ryan died. I thought I didn't love him anymore, but I was destroyed. I learned at the funeral that he'd gotten some infection, which was tragic but I'd been thinking it was my fault, that he killed himself, so I was also a little relieved. That was sort of why I broke up with him, he was just so quick to be a victim, and its fine to be sensitive but he was never considering my feelings. So anyway, after the funeral I was feeling really vulnerable, and saw Tristan's number on my nightstand, and I texted him. I said that I was sorry I hadn't texted him yet, that I'd only found the number in my pocket while doing laundry, and thanked him for getting me home that night. He responded about an hour later. I don't remember what it was and I deleted that thread off my phone, but I was charmed, so I asked him if we could get together sometime. He agreed, and we started going out.

I don't even remember half the things we did as a couple. I felt sort of high around him, which I thought was just the bliss of our...budding relationship, but looking back it wasn't normal at all. Actually, looking back it wasn't like the high of being on drugs, it was like the dizziness of a really bad cold. A few months into dating I moved in with him, and that's when it started getting bad.

His schedule did not add up. He'd leave at a different time every morning, and he'd come home anywhere between 3 in the afternoon to 3 in the morning. I have no idea what he did for work. He dressed up in a suit and tie and brought a briefcase to work, but he came home dirty like he'd been at a construction site in the rain. And he always had this smell after work, sort of sour and sweaty, but not sweat. I'd smelled him after a jog and his sweat didn't smell like that. Gross, but yeah. And it got worse the longer we were together, and the longer we were together the closer he wanted to be to me - holding me close and whispering in my ear, kissing me - to the point where the smell was always on me. My coworkers noticed. It was humiliating. I didn't suspect anything for a good while, because I still got that dizzy feeling around him, and I was always around him when I wasn't at work, but it clicked one day. He was probably seeing other people, screwing around in the dirt at the park or something.

I confronted him, and he didn't even fight it. He'd been having sex with other people the entire time we'd been together. I was so furious. I was seeing red, screaming and crying, but he just stayed there with me, held me, apologized over and over again. I felt the way I did on my first date, and I was feeling equally as vulnerable. We had sex. Unprotected. Which I just feel so stupid about, even though I wasn't in the right mental state at the time.

The next morning I felt horrible, both emotionally and physically. I felt disgusted with Tristan for cheating, disgusted with myself for giving in like that, and literally sick. My nose kept running, and my throat was killing me. I went to go take a shower, careful not to wake Tristan up, and saw in the mirror that there was like, warts all around my privates. I facepalmed, thinking I should've known this would happen. I didn't think it was a huge deal though...people get diseases all the time. I was more mad about him cheating.

I called off work, and around noon I went to see a doctor. The warts didn't match any known disease, and the tests were inconclusive. They sent me on my way with antibiotics and told me to come back if it didn't work.

Genital warts aren't supposed to go past your genitals, right? Because mine did. By the time I got home, it hurt to pee, and I'd grown a wart in my belly button. It hurt like hell, and I started to smell like Tristan. He'd gone somewhere, and I didn't care where. I was relieved he wasn't in the house, and relieved I could have some solitude while dealing with this.

I took another antibiotic, and then another. I knew it could poison me but I was still a little off the wire from the previous night. For every pill I took, two warts grew, spreading further up my body.

Freak disease or something so far, right? But this part is why I'm telling you guys about it.

The warts grew mouths. Fucking mouths.

Lips, and tongues, and teeth. Everything. Even worse, I felt their throats spreading through my body. Every new wart that grew created a new pathway through my flesh. And they talked - or - they whispered. I couldn't understand them but I could hear them no matter how loud I turned up the TV. They sounded just like Tristan, made me feel just as dizzy.

The next thing I knew, it was a full week later. I was in a hospital bed, delirious and terrified. I tried to talk, but my mouth had been shut with warts, whispering and stinking until I blacked out again.

It was a year before they cured me. A year of waking up every couple weeks for a few minutes to find myself disgusting and disfigured, not a single word or message from Tristan. It drove me insane. I still feel on edge, I still feel sick, even though I don't have any symptoms. It's been a month since I was discharged. I'm living with my parents again. They've been supportive, but my scars freak them out. They aren't actually that bad looking, but they remind them - they remind me - of what happened. I can barely stand to look at my own face anymore.

Statement ends. We followed up with Ms. Barnes. She's still living with her parents, though she says it's by choice. She said she's given up dating for the time being, which I can certainly understand. We asked her if she knows what ever happened to Tristan Niara, and she said she's tried to find him on Facebook a few times to no avail. We checked with her local hospital, who very firmly refused to discuss her case. I can only assume that she wasn't the last with that unexplainable illness. We, too, have been unable to locate Niara. He isn't on a single public record.

Recording ends.

#the magnus archives #tma #the magnus archives fanfiction #tma fic #tma fanfic

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emeraldeyes23 · 4 years

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Fictober/Fantober2020 -

Day 19 - Neighbors

"Watch where you're going, idiot! Are you fucking blind or what?" Eiji had just arrived home, carrying two huge bags from the convenience store next to the apartment complex, and had really not seen where he was walking. But the only other apartment was empty, so he wasn't worried about walking into someone. He had heard someone else had rented the apartment next to him. There were rumors that he was handsome but had an intense look and a bad reputation that scared most people away. Rumor had it that he was in a gang, had been in jail, and owned a gun that he always wore tucked into his jeans. Still, he hadn't seen him for weeks, so he wasn't used to running into people here. But this time, he had run into his neighbor and, since he was in a hurry and had walked pretty fast, they both crashed and landed with a loud thud on the floor. Eiji had dropped his bags, of course, and all the contents had landed on the floor and on his neighbor who looked at him with a death glare, green eyes burning wildly into his own. Still, Eiji didn't care for rumors. There was always a grain of truth to them, he had to admit, but most of it was exaggerated and entirely made up. He quickly picked up his things and put them into his bags again. "I'm so sorry!", Eiji exclaimed, feeling like the worst klutz ever while picking up all the groceries quickly and putting them into his bags again. He could feel how his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Why couldn't he just meet people without always embarrassing himself? Clearly irritated, the guy threw some items that had fallen in front of his door into one of his bags and left. "Watch where you're going next time!", he growled coldly before shutting the door with a loud bang. "He didn't have to get that mad.", Eiji thought, pouting at the closed door. Still, there had been something about him that had aroused his interest. Yes, he was handsome. More like drop-dead gorgeous. But that wasn't what had made him curious. It was his posture, his body language that screamed Stay away from me. When the guy had dropped the items into his bag, his hands had touched for a fraction of a second, and he had immediately pulled his hand back as if burnt. What had that been about? But what Eiji had made curious was the cold look in his eyes. His eyes were of a beautiful color that was pretty rare even in New York; he had never seen such mesmerizing green eyes before. At first glance, they were cold and cruel, and he understood why people were scared. But at the same time, they were so captivating and alluring; he had kept staring at him for a moment too long to be still considered polite. While staring at him, Eiji had seen something else in his eyes. Something he wanted to hide from the world. His eyes weren't clear like his own, they were clouded, and the color was dimmed, so he looked as if he had gone through a lot. They displayed a darkness and a deep loneliness in them that had left him stunned. When Eiji opened his apartment, he noticed something sparkling on the floor. It was a necklace that looked like dog tags. Next to it, in the dimly lit hallway, he saw a cell phone. He picked it up and looked at it. The screensaver had appeared when he had picked it up. It was a photo of his neighbor and a guy with a purple mohawk who had his arm around him and grinned mischievously. His neighbor stubbornly looked away, but there was a small smile on his face that betrayed him. So he can smile, huh? Eiji looked at the dog tags and the phone and sighed deeply. It seemed as if he had to meet his neighbor again. And he probably had to buy him a new phone since the display was cracked. Just great! After he had brought his bags inside, he knocked at his door. After a moment, he heard footsteps approaching. "You again? What the hell do you want?", he asked in a bad mood, glaring at him. He had an intense look that could render a whole room silent within seconds. Eiji stared at him for a moment before remembering why he had knocked in the first place. "You dropped this."

Eiji held out the dog tags to him. The guy stared at them, and a soft expression flickered across his face for a tiny moment. Then his poker face returned.

He ripped the necklace out of Eiji's hands and glared at him angrily, eyes flaring up.

"Give me that!", he exclaimed harshly. Then, he noticed how stunned Eiji was because his features softened slightly.

"Sorry. That necklace is important to me.", he explained. "Thank you."

Then he quickly closed the door again.

"Wait!", Eiji called out. "I found something else on the floor that belonged to you. At least, I think so? Is this yours, too?", he asked him quickly.

He showed him a smartphone. His neighbor stared at him, then at the phone. He put a hand in his back pocket, looking for his phone.

"Shit, I didn't notice I had dropped it. Thanks. Anything else?"

"Your phone has a cracked display. This is probably my fault. I'll pay you for the damage.", Eiji added guiltily.

"No, it's fine. The crack isn't new, so it wasn't from the fall earlier."

Relief ran through Eiji when he heard that. "That's a relief. I don't have much money.", Eiji replied honestly, smiling shyly at him.

"Then, why did you even tell me? I probably wouldn't have noticed.", he asked curiously, suddenly seeming more interested in him. Eiji smiled, relieved at the first attempt at conversation.

"I don't like deceiving people. It's wrong.", Eiji replied honestly, looking directly at him.

"You're a strange one. Anything else? I was about to eat something."

Eiji frowned and pointed at the leftovers of a hotdog that lay on a plate behind him.

"Please tell me that you're not going to eat that. How old is that, two or three days?"

"So? What's it to you?", his neighbor asked in an impatient tone, obviously annoyed.

"Look, I'm sorry that I ran into you. Can I make up for it by inviting you to dinner? Because I won't let you eat that. Eating that will probably kill you.", Eiji exclaimed in pure horror and disgust while wrinkling his nose at the smell of food gone bad.

"No, it's fine.", his neighbor said, closing the door. At the last second, Eiji put his foot in the door.

"What's the hell is wrong with you? Everyone else is scared of me, but you invite me, a stranger with a bad reputation and a gun tucked into his jeans, over to dinner? Do you have a death wish, or are you just as innocent as you look?", he exclaimed in irritation, his green eyes glowing dangerously in the dim lighting. But his features had softened, and there was a barely visible smile on his face.

"The latter. And it's Eiji. My name. Now, come on before I change my mind to cook something for someone as rude as you are.", he stubbornly insisted.

You don't give up so easily, Eiji, do you?", he asked, smirking at him. Still, he didn't look as annoyed as a few minutes ago.

"No, I don't. Especially if I see you eat something that can only lead to food poisoning; I can't let that happen.", Eiji declared resolutely. "I wanted to cook anyway."

Then he looked firmly at him. "Will you finally tell me your name?"

"Ash."

"Well, Ash, do you like avocado shrimp salad?"

#banana fish #ash lynx #eiji okumura #anime #manga #ash x eiji #asheiji #banana fish anime #ash #eiji #fictober 2020 #fantober2020 #Eiji has a new mysterious neighbor

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mo4-stuff · 3 years

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Sigkin, Taiyo and Arakawa additional story translation pt.2. This one is a long one!

Next story beat happens when you go back into the sewers in Naname Village.

Arakawa: "Here it is. Where did Mr. Third go?"

Taiyo: "... They're arguing in the back. Come on, I'll shut them up."

Arakawa: "Oh, you're so motivated."

Sigkin: "Are we going to be okay on our own?"

Wondering around, you'd find Ven yelling at Private First Class.

Ven: "That's a long story! Just give me the natural water!"

First: "It can't be helped... I'll explain it to you again. This natural water has been purified over a long period of time through mechanical water purification."

Ven: "Natural water of the highest quality, made pure to the utmost limit! I remember that!"

First: "Excellent! Then why do we have to work tirelessly to cleanse for all those years? Have you ever thought about it?"

Ven: "I'm so confused... Please give me that water…"

Sigkin: "Hey, Ven... What are you doing here?"

Arakawa: "Ven in the sewer? It's very picturesque."

Ven: "Who's Ven! Oh, say something to him, you guys."

First: "What you see over there is Sigkin, Arakawa, and Taiyo. I've heard about you, sir."

First: "I am Private Mechame. Please make your acquaintance…"

Sigkin: "Yeah, uh, thanks... So, what? Why are you asking for natural water?"

Benki: " ...work. It's to do with the new business of Maidon Lunch."

Arakawa : "I'm curious about that. Does this natural water make the food taste better?"

Ven: "There's that too. And this natural water is much purer and has a much higher storage capacity than conventional water. If you have this water, you can do 'that'."

Sigkin: "That thing...? I don't know, but your brother asked me to do something for him."

Sigkin: "Why doesn't First Class want to give you water?"

Ven: "Wait!!!! I'll explain. This water is the best natural water these guys can make in a long time. That's why they don't want to give it to me easily."

First: "It was almost cut off, but that's okay. There's that too."

First: "But that's not all, sir. Especially against the world above ... humans and you."

First: "Where are my brothers by the way? Didn't you see them on the way here?"

Sigkin: "Huh? I haven't seen them since I got here…"

Arakawa: "... Taiyo is gone too. Shouldn't we look for him?"

Taiyo: "You're a very bad hide-and-seek player. What are you doing skulking around back there?"

Second: "I just wanted to get rid of that potty bastard. Are you with them?"

Taiyo "No, I don't know them."

Second: "Then can you please get out of my way? I'm not supposed to give that water away so easily."

Sun: "I'm not interested in that!! Come on and get me!!"

Second: "Han! This is self-defense! Don't complain if you get hit!"

Third: "Well, that sucks!!!"

(Ensue battle)

Taiyo: "So this is the end... Boring... See ya."

Second: "What a guy...! Are you sure you're just here to fight?

Sun: "Yes! I'm done with this, I'm going home!"

Third: "I still have one more question."

Sun: "They'll take care of it."

First: "Oh, my god, that's fantastic! You are strong! You are a force to be reckoned with."

(Sigkin, Arakawa, Ven and First comes over)

Sigkin: "There he is... What's going on here?

Arakawa: "Ah, Taiyo-san, you're cheating! You look like you're having fun by yourself."

Ven: "Huh, you're here too…"

Second: "Oh, brother...! This guy's trouble!"

First: "...it's a rare thing to see you so weakened. It's not unreasonable with this opponent."

Sigkin: "Back to the topic at hand... Why did you give water to the crackers before?"

First: " ... I like strong people. It's not just about strength."

First: "Those men fought with all their might for their comrades. I was struck by that."

Sigkin: "That's not how it works...? Well, I guess it's okay for this time. It's not like anyone will die if we don't have natural water right now."

Arakawa: "You could say that. Shall we go home then?"

Ven: "Wait, wait, wait. What are you trying to finish! Don't you want to eat a good meal?"

Sigkin: "Well, I'd love to, but…"

Arakawa: "But it's not like I want to force myself to eat it when the comps don't want to."

Ven: "What are you guys doing here? Damn... with all this water, I could start a Maidon Lunch delivery service…"

Sigkin: "...What?"

Ven: "With something like a smartphone! You can start a service that allows you to order lunch!"

Sigkin: "It's…"

Sigkin: "It's so convenient…"

Arakawa: "Can you bring it to me when I'm diving in a dungeon?"

Ven: "Of course. It's my job."

Sigkin: "That's very nice of you... How can I get some natural water for you?"

First: "I''m impressed with your dedication to your work. All right, then, there's something I want you all to understand."

First: "The reason we have to spend so many years purifying the water is because the pollution from humans is getting worse in the first place."

First: "Humans are so selfish. They pollute themselves and then try to take away the water that we purify…"

First: "Repeated unfair negotiations have led us to refuse to provide natural water. To humans, especially, uncharacteristically, the uncharacteristically flippant hogwash…"

Sigkin: "I see... Well, I understand where you're coming from, but this is a difficult subject to discuss."

First: "It's not a problem that can be solved with words...

* "That's enough! Don't move!"

Third: "Ahhh!!! Help!!!"

* "Now, today is the day you're going to give me that natural water! If you don't, you'll lose your life!"

First: "What are you doing, Jaro... Humans, stop that foolishness right now."

Second: "Are you going to do it? You humans are making me laugh!"

* "Oh... Are you sure you want to hurt us? Don't get carried away with your monster ways!

* "Give me that! I've had enough of that long, drawn-out conversation!"

First: "That's why I told you to give it to me honestly."

Sigkin: "Hey. I understand how you feel, but isn't that a bad way to go about it?"

* "We are! We've been coming to this place for months to get natural water! This guy stubbornly refuses to give up his water!

* "Do you have any idea what it's like to be turned away after listening to a sermon that lasts at least four hours and at most 12 hours?

Arakawa: "I'm sorry to hear that."

* "If you guys want to interfere, I won't let you leave for free!"

Taiyo: "Nonsense. I'll be watching, so you guys do your best."

Sigkin: "Yeah... okay. Well, I'm going to stop you!"

(Ensue battle that I forgot to screenshot)

* "What the hell are they? They're so strong!"

Sigkin: "Ora, get out of here. I don't care if the village chief finds out."

* "Caihee, whoever dies in the depths of this sewer… You'll never find out…"

Chief: "Who's going to find out?"

* "What the hell are you doing here?"

Chief: "If you are going to use my monsters against me, I will take the appropriate action."

Chief: "... Move out as soon as possible."

* "Shit! Let's pull up!"

Third: "Chief ----!!!"

Chief: "I'm sorry I came so late... They won't be coming again."

Sigkin: "I just looked at the village chief and he left. Is he really a great person after all?"

Arakawa: "But I didn't know there was such a rule about monsters… I wonder if Bachikin and the others were safe?"

First: "Thank you for coming, Mr. Chief. I apologize for the disturbance."

Chief: "It is true that we humans pollute the water in which you live. This is an inevitable part of life."

Chief: "I'm really sorry. I don't know if I can represent the human race, but…

First: "It's no use apologizing to, chief. If only they would change their minds…"

Arakawa: "Isn't it because Mr. First's story is too long?"

Third: "..."

First: "...I'm often asked, do I talk too much?"

Sigkin: "You talk a lot!"

First: "I hadn't thought of that... What do you think, gentlemen?"

Second: "You talk a lot."

Chief: "You talk a lot."

Benki: "You talk a fucking lot."

First: "I just want you to know that in order to receive this water, you need to know about our purification process. Unchallenged, unchallenged, unchallenged, unchallenged, unchallenged, unchallenged…"

Sigkin: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You need to change the way you do things. It's time consuming and inefficient."

First: "Mmm... That's true, too. I'll think about it…"

Arakawa: "So, please give him some water. This toilet is a good one."

Third: "I'd like to ask you to do the same. Not only did Ven and the others answer our call, but they also helped us like this."

First: "So my thinking is also poor... Now that you've said it, I can't help it."

First: "I believe you guys for a moment. Bring me some natural water, Ven-san."

Ven: "Benki, Benki, Benki, shut up!"

Arakawa: "Well, that was good, Taiyo. Are you listening to me?"

Sigkin: "He's sleeping."

Chief: "However, I was careless to allow the villain to enter. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

First: "Don't worry about it. If you really put your mind to it, someone of that caliber is no match for you."

Chief: "I will continue to rely on you, Verde."

First: "Hmmm... You too, sir."

Ven: "That's why we started the Delivery Maidon Lunch the other day! It's thanks to you guys. Eat up."

Arakawa: "Thank you for the meal, Benki-san."

Ven: "Don't say "Benki" when you're eating!"

Sigkin: "You're denying everything about yourself…"

Ven: "Delivery service allows you to order lunch anywhere, but it is a bit expensive due to the cost of shipping and handling."

Ven: "Occasionally, there are reports of junior staff making mistakes in their portions, but I'm in charge of delivery. I won't make any mistakes, so don't worry.

Arakawa: "It's okay if you make mistakes, okay?"

Third: "Thank you very much for the other day! I don't know how to thank you…"

* "Ah! Everyone~!"

(Third shows up)

Taiyo: "I don't mind."

Sigkin: "You just slept around and did whatever you wanted."

Ven: "I'm the one who should be thanking you. Thanks to you, I'm doing well."

Third: "Next time, let us overcome you with our strength. We are always waiting for you. That's the message from my brother! Hmm? We?"

Arakawa: "You're going to fight too? I'm looking forward to it!"

Ven: "So you're declaring war."

(Third glides away)

Third: "I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry, sir!"

Ven: "I was a little too mean. Well, that's what they say. If you get a chance, you should go see him again."

Sigkin: "Can we use the delivery service now?"

Ven: "Yeah. I've just sent you the app. Please make the most of it."

Ven: "Then I'm going back to work."

Sigkin: "...Huh? Where's your money?"

* "I've already received it."

You can now use "Delivery Lunch" with the smart phone!

#marikin online 4 #marikinonline4 #mo4 #mo4 translations

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fathercharlesoffdensen · 6 years

Conversation

When Ferus Olin gets baked, he gets on customer service chats to argue about billing. When I am baked, I apparently do the same thing. I found the transcript saved on my computer this morning and just spent a while reformatting it so I could post it here, as a warning to myself or a celebration of my stoner ~eloquence, I'm not entirely sure tbh. I'm kind of proud of it either way though.

Me: I was emailed confirmation of a free week-long Showtime trial that I do not recall ordering, and that is not showing up on my account in any capacity. However, Roku keeps trying to charge me for it. I would like to have someone verify that the subscription is cancelled. Thank you!

Chat started

Me: Man, the person three spaces ahead of me in line is sure taking a long time

Damn 3, get the lead out

All right 2, don't let me down!

It's a good thing I can multitask 2

Awright let's party

'/\}:::::::::

Sorry my dog wanted to send a message

Arun joined the chat

Arun: Hi Jessica.

I can certainly help you.

Me: Cool beans

Arun: Please hold on a minute Jessica.\

Let me check that information for you.

Thank you for your continued patience.

Me: Haha I thought you were going away

I was like oh no what did I do

Arun: I do not see any channel subscription on your account.

Hence Roku will not going to charge you.

Me:

I definitely didn't subscribe, but I waited a couple of days after being notified to decide to go to the site and check on it like I'm doing now, so it's partially my fault that they tried to charge me for the post-free trial of the subscription.

But they did charge me and I need to make sure the account isn't set up for them to think I still want a Showtime subscription and keep charging me.

My bank knocks it back if it's going to put my account in the negative, but if it's not and Roku charges me again even though it doesn't show on your end that I'm being charged for anything, that would be irritating.

Arun: Might be the account is directly through Showtime.

Me: I just want it to show that the subscription trial was activated and that something still thinks I need to be charged for it on your end.

Arun: We refer you to contact Showtime and check with them.

Me: I don't think it is

Like I didn't go to the Showtime site and sign up, my emails are from Roku

Arun: Could you please help me with your alternate email address?

Me: ?

Arun: Let me check if the subscription is linked to that email.

Me: It's not on a duplicate account, the email from Roku comes to the [redacted 1] one

[redacted 2] or [redacted 3], I can't remember which one I might have used on a defunct account.

Arun: I found the subscription.

Me: Awesome

Are you able to mark it as cancelled on your end?

Arun: The showtime subscription is associated with the [redacted 2]

Me: So you can cancel the [redacted 2] account

If it already isn't

Like I shouldn't have been able to subscribe to showtime on that account because as far as I know it's been closed.

Arun: The subscription have been cancelled.

Me: Like the subscription wasn't done by me.

Arun: You no longer have Showtime subscription on your Roku account.

Me: So I'm worried there's a bigger problem like a tech glitch at hand.

Arun: I don't think it is a technical glitch because when you subscribe a channel it will ask for your payment information.

Me: I am positive I did not subscribe to Showtime.

Arun: Which can be done only from the customers end.

Me: But it wasn't

And I need to know why it still happened

To make sure my account wasn't compromised

Like somehow it was reopened and sent a subscription or someone got around it needing to be reopened first on your end

Arun: Let me give you a suggestion.

Me: Like idk if you can flag our chat so the idea that there might be a glitch can be run up the flag pole so to speak?

Because I am worried this might happen with other customers because it ended up being a glitch on your end, and you didn't find out early enough.

Arun: You can create a four digit Pin number in order to have control over the purchase or adding the channel.

Go to my.roku.com from your computer or smartphone.

If you are prompted, sign in to your Roku account.

If you cannot sign in to your Roku account, learn what to do if you have forgotten your email address or password.

Under PIN Preference, select the Update button.

Select your PIN preference from the three choices.

Always require a PIN to make purchases and to add items from the Channel Store.

Always require a PIN to make purchases.

A PIN is not required to make any purchase or add any item from the Channel Store.

If you choose either of the first two choices and have not created a PIN, you will be prompted to enter a four-digit number in the PIN field and select the Verify PIN field for confirmation.

If you already have a PIN, enter your PIN in the Verify PIN field.

Select Save Changes and agree to the terms of service.

Me: That's good, but this glitch would have already breached that kind of security

I just want to make sure that it doesn't replicate in any other accounts, or to have people on your end make sure it was only a one time thing

Arun: Alright.

Me: So are you able to add it to your call notes and then send them to the right department?

Arun: I make sure that this would never happen again.

Me: Okay

Arun: Alright.

Me: Can I get a follow up if you find out that it was a tech glitch?

Arun: Like i mentioned already it was not a glitch it was an authorized charge from your end.

Me: But it wasn't

Arun: Not Roku will never bill the customer without the customer concern.

Me: That [redacted 2] account has been closed for a while, I definitely didn't go into it a week ago and order a subscription trial

So it's not on my end

So I want to make sure Roku actually goes through and checks why it happened

Like do you fill out a specific form notifying your supervisors to pull specific calls to further to the right department, or can you check a box on my notes to have an email notification of its importance sent to the right people?

I'm just worried you won't take the effort to forward it because it's not something you were taught to do in training or whatnot.

Arun: Sorry for any inconvenience.

Me: It's fine, I just want to make sure

Arun: Jessica, we will definitely help you following up with your concern.

Me: Thank you so much

How long do you think it will take to follow up?

Arun: You are welcome.

Me: Like they probably won't tell me until after they've investigated and fixed the problem, and fixing it might take longer than three business days.

So I wanted to know what to expect

Arun: In case if you got any charge in the future we will help you with the refund.

Me: Right but I want to prevent that from happening with this email

Arun: Provided you let us know on time

Me: Because I don't want to have to go through a refund process especially when I've spent about two hours now trying to get you to agree to look into fixing the problem now

Like if it's still there a month from now, that would mean nobody looked into it

And I'm hoping it won't take a month for Roku to get back to me.

Arun: Then please remove the payment information from your Roku account too and we have helped you with the PIN.

Me: What if I wanted a different subscription for HBO or something and needed to use that same payment method

Arun: If we have any update for you we will let you know.

Then you can use the PIN

Me: Like on my end I made the [redacted 2] account defunct, which means even if the same payment information links the accounts, that account still shouldn't be triggered to submit a request to charge me for something.

Can you remove the payment information from the [redacted 2] account on your end?

Then they won't be linked

Which is probably what you meant initially

Arun: You will have to remove the payment method from your roku account.

Me: Okay I can probably do that

Arun: We do not have an access to do it.

Please go through to the link sent earlier.

Me: Okay

Arun: Thank you.

Me: Did we ever figure out how long I should expect to wait for a follow up?

Arun: However, there is no follow up required here.

All you will have to do is just remove the payment information0

Me: I thought you said earlier that I would get a follow up regarding what Roku found to be the reason behind my account being glitched in the first place, and whether they then made sure it hadn't affected other accounts, and then verified that they had fixed those, on top of that.

Arun: No, there is no follow up require here.

Me: Otherwise how can I be assured that this problem won't happen again?

I don't want to have to go through this process again. I have major talking to customer service anxiety, and this was already really trying.

Arun: First remove the information form the account. then within 24 hour you will receive an confirmation email.

Me: So I don't want to have to do it twice, which is why I would appreciate the follow up.

Arun: You will not have to.

Me: So I wanted to make sure you have the ability either by going out of your way personally to pass the information on or by filling out a form or checking a box so it automatically gets brought to someone who can address it.

I just want someone to get back to me - again, not sure how long to expect that to take - and formally say they looked into it.

It will give me peace of mind.

Arun: Like we mention earlier remove the payment information and within 24 hour you will get email that you have removed the payment information. Please go through to the guidance provided to you.

Me: I definitely will, I am just making sure my request to have this passed along is going to happen.

Arun: Okay.

You are most welcome..Thank you for contacting Roku Tech Support! Have a wonderful day! [Editor's note: Dude probably would have lost a couple QA points for not asking me one final time if I had any other questions or concerns. I cannot express how quickly he logged off once the opportunity seemed to arise. I do not really blame him, it was essentially a survival tactic at that point.]

Arun: left the chat

Chat rated Good

Comment submitted

Me: The comment I submitted was "Thanks/sorry, Arun!"

Poor guy

Queue position: 3

Me: Okay leaving now so I don't clog up the queue. Thanks again, Arun!

Queue position: 3

#weed #customer service chat #roku #showtime #hulu

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