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“Onii-sama... do you.. think we’re together in every universe?” She asked, as we looked upon the night sky, sitting next to each other on the grass.
…Huh?
“What?”
“I mean, like, as in whether we meet and have a connection of some sort!” She said, hurriedly waving her hands around. Is that so?
“Oh.. Haha. Well.. who knows? I think it would be pretty nice if that was the case, wasn’t it?”
I laugh, as I look at her, clearly embarrassed by what she said.
“Still, whether or not we’re.. together in every universe..” I looked at Rice, as she stared back.. nervously?
“..I just hope you’re happy no matter what.” I smiled. And her face.. suddenly flushed red?
“W-Wh-” She stumbles over her own words, unable to speak properly as she jumps back. Uh..
“Did.. did I say something wrong?” I ask, concerned.
“I- no, no, I just..” She sighs, and puts a hand over her chest as she exhales.
“I just.. didn’t expect you to say that.” She seems calmer.. I guess that was just momentary. But.. she didn’t expect that, huh..
“Why wouldn’t I say that? You’ve already brought others so much joy. You should be just as happy as everyone, if not more.”
“..Onii-sama..” She looked at me, flushed once more. But this time, she stayed still, and sighed.
“You..”
“..Yes?” I blinked in confusion.
“N-nevermind..” She shook her head.
“Just, well, I hope that.. you’re happy in every world too, Onii-sama…” She said, holding her hands together, as she looked back at the night sky with countless stars shining bright.
Oh. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“..Was something I said funny?” Rice said, looking back at me after hearing it.
“No, no.. I’m just happy you feel the same way, Rice.” I said, as I patted her head, sitting closer to her.
“A-ah, me.. too.” She flinched slightly as I pat her head, but she didn’t move my hands away. Her ears were even twitching.. Heh. So I pat her a bit more, feeling the softness of her hair and ears, as she twitched every time my hands brushed her ears.
Eventually, after I patted her head enough, I stopped, as a comfortable silence lingered between us, continuing to look at the night sky.
“Though..” She suddenly spoke up.
“Yeah?”
“Do you think I bring fortune to others in those.. universes..?” Rice said, looking a bit sad, looking down at the grass slightly.
“Rice. I can only guess about those universes. But I know for a fact that in this one, yes. You are a blue rose of fortune. One that brings joy to others, so please don’t doubt yourself.” I reassured her once more. She still went back to thinking negative thoughts. She sure was prone to bad moods.. Regardless, I shook my head.
“...Alright, Onii-sama..” She sighed, and looked back at me once more. She wasn’t as happy as she had been before, but at least she seemed less sad.
“Should.. we leave? It might be almost time for the curfew..” She said, as she started to take out her phone, but I stopped her.
“No. We have 30 minutes left to do whatever you want.” Call it a trick or a gift or whatever.. But I could.. hm, hard to describe, but see time pretty well? I can easily tell how much time has passed just by looking around, so I didn’t need to wear a watch or check my phone at all to know the time.
“Oh. Well..” She put her phone back in her pocket, and looked up at the sky once more before getting up with a sigh.
“You should probably go back and rest, Onii-sama. I.. don’t want to take up anymore of your time. You should sleep earlier, I don’t want you to wake up late for a weekend...”
“Well.. if that’s what you want. Be safe, Rice.” I got up as well, and looked at her as she nodded.
“Goodnight, Onii-sama….”
“Goodnight, Rice.”
We waved each other off, as we started to walk in different directions.
I think.. We had a pretty good time.
…….
Zenno Rob Roy woke up to the sound of an alarm, as she slowly got up.
“Good morning..” Is what she said, as she looked to the side, to find Rice Shower not on her bed.
“..Oh.” She blinked a few times, before looking around, to find.. Rice Shower, looking in the mirror with a smile on her face as she turned back towards her. But something was.. off.
She didn’t remember her wearing a.. white porcelain mask of some sorts? At least the material looked like it was porcelain. It partially covered the left side of her face. And.. she was wearing a black suit with gold lining, having some sort of logo she didn’t recognize on the left side of the shoulder. There was a pocket on the left side of the suit, having.. some sort of device in it. It had a screen and a pushable button on the top, but she wasn’t sure what it was for.
Rice had her hands in the pockets of her leggings, the same color as the suit. An all black outfit with white gloves.. what was happening?
“Ah, my.. Roommate. Zenno Rob Roy.”
…?
“Um.. yes? Did.. you forget me somehow..?”
“Ah, no.” She clarified. Then..?
“I was just.. confirming the memories of myself in this world.”
“Of.. what?” Was this some weird dream? Zenno Rob Roy didn’t understand.
“..What are you talking about?” She couldn’t help but ask.
But she didn’t reply, as she took out the device in her suit pocket with her left hand, looking at it for a bit as if waiting for something.
“Rice? Are.. you okay?”
She suddenly pushed down on the button on the top of the device, and put it back in her pocket, as it still had nothing change.
“Yes. It’s nothing. But I must go meet dear Hideyoshi now, apologies.”
“Uh..” Before she could say anything else, Rice Shower had already left the room, closing the door on her way out.
..Dear? Was she already on that stage with her trainer? No, she said something about another world..? Was this somehow another version of her that suddenly replaced our Rice? Did something like this really just happen in front of her?
She had many questions, yet the only response she would get now was silence.
…
I was on my way to my office, as I heard students talk about something in the distance.
“…outfit…..mask….weird…”
I could only make out those words from their discussion, but It’s not like I was supposed to care about what other Umamusume talked about.
Regardless, I approached the door of my office, and found Haru and King waiting nearby, as the two waved as they noticed me.
“Trainer! You’re here.” Haru said excitedly, waving more excitedly than King did.
“How was your sleep?” King asked.
“It was good. First-rate, even.” I said, chuckling.
“Hoh. Well, that’s good.” She scoffed, but was smiling.
“Still, do you know where Rice is?” She asked.
“Yeah, do you know where she is? I looked around, and even went to her room! But her roommate said she already left..” Haru said, as she put her hands on her head, looking confused.
“Well.. perhaps she just slept a bit longer than usual. She did tell me to go to sleep earlier last night, afterall.”
“Oh?” King Halo perked up.
“You two were alone last night?” She said with an eye raised.
“Yes. And no, we didn’t do anything unlike what you think.” I said, cutting off what she was probably about to say first.
“Hmph. Not letting a lady even ask isn’t first-rate, you know?” She pouted for a moment, but then chuckled herself.
“Well, you should unlock the door now.”
“Yeah! I’m sure she’ll come here eventually!” Haru chimed in.
“Alright, alright.”
I took out the keys to my office, as I held the door knob and pushed forwards to anticipate unlocking the door, but it suddenly gave way a bit before I even put the keys in.
I blinked, and looked at the two, as they both looked at me with blank expressions.
Without another word, I opened the door fully, and.. found Rice Shower sitting on the couch, her hands neatly put on her legs.
“..Rice?”
I looked at her in awe, and so did King and Haru.
She was..
“Woah! You look so cool!” Haru screamed out, as she jumped at her and gave her a big hug, as she calmly hugged her back.
“Thank you, Haru. But you should get off me now, and sit.” She said, calmly patting the left side of the couch next to her.
“Oh, right! Okay.” She nodded, and sat down on her left.
“..A first-rate appearance.” King Halo simply said after a brief silence.
“...Thank you.” She said after looking at King for a moment, as if reminiscing on a memory.
“..Are you.. cosplaying?” I finally asked her a question, as I awkwardly sat down on the couch with her, King sitting on my left as I sat on Rice’s right.
“Mmm.. not quite.” She said, chuckling.
“You know how.. the me here asked about us in other universes?”
“Huh? Other universes?” Haru asked, looking at me and Rice.
“It’s nothing. We-”
“We just wondered what we’d be like in other universes.” Rice interrupted.
“Uh..yeah.” I wasn’t sure what was happening, or why she was lying, but I just followed along.
“Is that so?” King said, looking suspiciously towards Rice.
“Indeed.” She simply confirmed once again, smiling softly.
“..Well, if you say so.” She just shook her head, and sighed. Rice chuckled.
“I suppose you have many questions, isn’t that so?” She said, looking at me.
“Yeah, but..” I looked at Haru, itching to say something.
“Maybe you should answer hers first.” I gestured towards Haru with my face, and she nodded, looking at her.
“Um… what’s that mask for? And what happened for you to wear these clothes? And.. you seem taller! Is there a reason why?”
She rapid fired questions excitedly, as Rice waited for her to stop.
“This mask.. is to cover a wound. And I’m wearing these clothes.. well, let’s just say I’m a version of your friend from another world. I’m taller because I grew up. That’s all.” She chuckled.
“Woah! Another world?! Do you know us too in your world?!” Haru asked excitedly. She immediately believed her.. well, I sort of do too, but that’s beside the point.
“..Shouldn’t we address the part where she said the mask was to cover a wound?” King frowned, as she looked at Haru.
“Oh.. um, right, sorry! We should get you to the infirmary!” She tried to get up, but Rice stopped her.
“No, it’s fine. This wound.. isn’t one that can be truly healed. And yes, I do know you all in my world.” Rice said, patting Haru on her head.
“Um.. that sounds pretty bad..” Haru said, frowning too.
“Which part? Me knowing you all?”
“N-no! It’s-”
“I’m joking.” Rice chuckled.
…She sure is different from our Rice now, that’s for sure.
“It’s just been.. a long time since I’ve seen you. That’s all.” She pat her head once more.
“There’s nothing to be done about this wound, so there’s no point in trying to get it treated, okay?”
“..That’s not very first-rate. But fine.” King Halo sighed.
“Now.. Could you two leave us for a moment? I’d like to talk to my dear Hideyoshi here. Perhaps you could take Haru out and play with her for now.”
She smiled, looking at King.
..Dear?
“...Okay.” She sighed. She sure is used to taking care of Haru.
“Huh? Um, okay!” The two agreed, as they walked out of my office, looking at us for a moment before leaving.
“I know I said to stop getting it treated already, but you’re still worried, right?”
She poked my nose.
“Uh.. yeah. How did you know?”
“I saw it from your face.”
..Was it that noticeable?
“You don’t need to touch your face. I’m just.. acquainted with your face very well.”
“..Alright.”
I sighed, and looked at her properly.
“This wound.. is still burning even now.”
“What?”
“Ah, I can handle it. But don’t worry, it doesn’t spread any further than it already is now.” She said to reassure me. Yet..
“..How did you even get such a wound? And.. why can’t it be treated?” I frowned.
“Well.. first, I’ll explain to you about where I came from. It’s a place called The City, and..”
So began a long explanation.
….
“..So let me get this straight. The City.. is basically the last place for humanity, where nearly every human and umamusume live. It’s separated into.. 26 districts, where Wings, basically mega corporations control one district each, that have their own Singularity, that’s basically a super advanced technology or something like that which they use to sell products or services. And then there are these Ruins, where Relics, items or tools of immense power that may or may not have a cost attached to them? And.. Nevermind.”
I sighed, already hurting in my head with the rest of the things she told me about The City I didn’t bother mentioning.
“Basically, yes.” She nodded.
“And this wound..” Rice held her mask.
“It was caused by the Arayashiki, a relic, one that erases anything it slashes, making everyone forget what is cut by it, leaving no trace that it ever existed. And wounds caused by it… can’t truly heal. Regenerated flesh will burn up, and prosthetics simply malfunction and decay. The cost of using this sword.. is that the wielder loses their precious memories for every slash.”
“..And you can live with that kind of wound just fine?” I asked again.
“Mm. It hurts, but I’ve gotten used to it.” She nods with a smile.
..So..
“Who used.. Arayashiki to cut your face like that?” I said, suppressing my anger.
“..It doesn’t matter, does it?” She asked after a slight pause.
“No. It does. I don’t know why they would use such a relic with that kind of cost just to cut your face, but.. You’re still a Rice Shower, even if you aren’t mine. It feels upsetting that there’s a version of whoever did this to you in my world, too.”
“..Heh.” She chuckled with a bitter smile.
“They.. had a reason to do it. So please don’t ask about who did it again. Okay, sweetie?” She asked with a sad smile.
I sighed.
“..Fine. But what’s up with you calling me Dear and Sweetie?”
If she didn’t want me to ask any further.,. then I’ll just trust her.
“Ah. I was just.. used to calling my Hideyoshi that. Should I stop?”
“..No. But.. what’s our relationship in your world, exactly?”
She closed her.. eye, and opened them after a moment, and smiled.
“It’s better for you to not know.”
“What?”
“It’s a secret.” She giggled.
I still want to know why she calls me those names instead.. but whatever. I shook my head.
“So.. do you know how you uh..”
“Suddenly took over your Rice’s body?” She finished my question for me.
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know.”
“..Then..”
“Ah, but don’t be worried. I have a feeling.. this will at most last for today. I’ll return to being your Rice in the end.”
“I.. see.”
I nodded.
“Now that everything has been sorted.. should we go do something?” I asked.
For the first time since I spoke to this Rice.. she looked.. confused. At least, that’s what I could tell from her blank expression.
“..Mmm. What do you suggest?”
“Well.. maybe we should go to the arcade.”
She pondered for a moment, then nodded with a smile.
“It sounds nice.” She got up, and so did I. As we both walked to the door.. I finally remembered.
“By the way.. how did you unlock the door?”
“Oh.” She blinked, then.. pulled out something that kind of looked like a ballpoint pen? But then the cap opened.. to reveal a black inky liquid that formed into the solid shape of a key.
“I used this to follow the shape of the lock.”
“...Is that also a relic?”
“...Heh. Who knows?”
She said that, but I feel like she just didn’t want to answer. So I didn’t push.
And so, we left the office and Tracen Academy, heading off to the arcade.
…..
We played quite a few games.
She didn’t seem to be familiar with any of them. Though, she did learn them rather quickly. A few spectators were pretty impressed when she did a pretty hard song on Dance Dance Revolution.
But as we were leaving.. She looked at a Claw machine containing plushies of many Umamusume.
“Do you want those?”
“..Hm? Well.. I suppose that would be nice. But it’s unnecessary.” She shook her head, but I insisted.
“No. Even if you’ll leave at minimum today.. I still want to win a plushie for you, too.”
“..Heh.” She chuckled.
“Well, if you’re so sure, then please, go ahead, dear.”
The thought of winning a plushie for this Rice and mine as well.. I have to win this!
…..
She couldn’t help but smile, watching as he focused on timing the claw to be on top of a plushie exactly. For the first round, he chose to go for the nearest one.. which happened to be a plushie of Rice Shower.. the one from this world, in her racing outfit.
…Racing, huh? She was lost in thought. What a foreign concept for her. Yet through the memories of the version of her here, she knew of the prestige such a concept had in this world. Winning the triple crown, triple tiara, or just a G1 in general was a great achievement. And this version of her won not only the Kikuka Sho, but both Tenno Sho Spring races.
Though, she was heavily hated for her win against Mihono Bourbon on the Kikuka Sho. To think this version of her was hated for winning against this world’s version of her apprentice.. what a thought.
Still.. the one that brought her out of her depression was her trainer.. Hideyoshi.
He was a very important figure for this version of her, and.. even liked him.
…She couldn’t help but laugh inside.
Such different circumstances. She was one of 5 parents for Hideyoshi in her world, yet in this one, she was his trainee, alongside the Dihui Star and the replacement for said Dihui Star.
So many differences.
..Ah, he got a plushie of her in this world in the racing outfit. And a plushie of King Halo and Haru Urara.. haha.
“Heh. Good job.”
“Yeah… I tried pretty hard.”
He said, as he handed the plushies towards her. She took them, and looked at the three plushies in her arm. Soft. It’s not like she’s never held a toy like a plushie before, as she often played with little Hideyoshi, but these feel very nice and soft. Quite high quality.
“Thank you. I’m sure your Rice will be happy too to have three new plushies when I’m gone.”
“..I guess.” He sighed when she mentioned she’d be gone again.
“Well.. was this fun?”
…Yes.
“Yes it was. And I can not thank you enough, dear.”
“Then I’m glad.” He smiled in relief.
And as we finally started to leave the arcade properly.. I began to think once more.
This version of me.. cannot imagine a future without Hideyoshi. Wishing to live everyday with him forever. A deep love for him that even this King Halo seems to have noticed, even if this me didn’t know.
And I could only hope that she would forever continue to be happy with him, unlike me. Though, It was of course a bit odd to see a younger you like another version of your dear son that’s older than her in another world. What an absurd situation.
So I chuckled.
“Hm?” He looked back towards me as we walked.
“It’s nothing.”
I shook my head.
He continued to look for a moment, before turning back to the front, as we walked back to Tracen Academy.
Making sure he couldn’t hear me as I slowed my walk down slightly.. I muttered for the other me to hear.
“Love him properly. Okay, me?” I muttered out loud, and let myself fade away.
…
“W-what-” I stopped, as I suddenly heard Rice Shower say with the original tone she usually had, looking back, and saw.. that she was back to normal, with a flushed face, as she clumsily held the plushies.
“Rice? You’re back?” I rushed back towards her as she stood in place.
“I-I-” She fumbled her words around, unable to speak properly, as I guided her to an alleyway, her walking with shaky steps until she calmed down.
“What’s wrong? Did the experience of, um, being replaced by another you.. mess you up?”
“It’s- just..” She sighed.
“She just said something before leaving…” She held her hands together near her legs.
“And it was..?”
“N-nothing! Nothing at all!” She suddenly yelled out, a bit panicked.
“..Okay. Just.. calm down.”
“..Yeah. Okay..” She inhaled and exhaled, as her face returned to normal.
“We can go now.. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s important you’re safe.”
“Y-yeah.” She just nodded, before walking out of the alleyway as I followed her.
As we walked back to Tracen Academy, she looked at the sun in the sky for a moment, before.. huddling herself towards my right.
..?
“Uh..”
“I’m just.. a bit hot, so I’m using you as cover.”
“I.. see?”
Is that so..? Regardless..
As we walked together, closer.. I think I could see her face flushed, maybe from the heat.. but she was smiling shyly.
..Heh.