Chapter Text
"Aaand I win again." Nene declared, putting down her controller and smiling in her victory.
"AAH! AGAIN?!" Tsukasa yelled, upset with his losing streak. Though not visible to the average person, his friends could tell he was happy for Nene's victory - Even if she won over ten times today.
"Haha! Nene's amazing at this game!" Emu said, her smile wider than ever. "Teach us your ways!!"
"Congratulations, Nene. I'm surprised you aren't bored of curbstomping us already~" Rui said, his same grin persisting despite his failure.
Nene giggled and picked up her controller once again. "Thanks everybody. How about another round? I'll go easier on you guys this time."
Currently, everyone was over at the Kusanagi household. Unbeknownst to them, a storm had hit around the time the four of them finally united at the Wonder Stage, leaving them in a state of disarray. Since they couldn't stay at the Wonder Stage forever, they all settled to head out for one of the member's houses. Nene's just happened to be the one they visited at the time.
Nene wasn't entirely opposed, but was a bit confused as to what they'd even be able to do there. There wasn't much besides video games, and if they got bored of that.. She didn't know what else could keep them entertained. Thankfully, it seems the games she has at home could be enough.
..Or so she thought.
"Eh. How about we try a different game? Something different rather than racing and having Nene take the lead a million times!" Tsukasa suggested, loud as ever.
"Oh? Is Tsukasa a bit sour after his defeat?" Rui jested, recieving some angry protests from the star. "I'll admit, racing was fun, but don't we need something new every once and a while?"
And now, Nene was in a situation.
"I guess we can do something different if we're all up for it, but-"
"Oh yeah! I've been wanting to see more of Nene's games!" Emu shouted happily, rocking in her seat on the floor. Nene sighed. "I guess that makes the three of you.. I'll find somethi-"
Nene was interrupted yet again, but this time by something much less worse and unexpected.
"Reminds me - This game was left lying around on Nene's desk! Of course, as a star, I intend to play the games that interest me!" Tsukasa said while waving the game in his hands. Nene felt like he was doing this on purpose, but there was absolutely no way he knew anything about the kind of.. history Nene has with that specific game, out of all of the games that were lying around on her desk.
It had to be that one game.
'Super Mario: 3D WORLD.'
Now, it might seem ridiculous at first, since almost everybody enjoys a Mario game - Even if it can be a bit trash sometimes.. But this game - or rather - the specific copy of the game was no good.
What exactly was wrong with it? To put simply, it is cursed.
Nene can still remember the years ago that she had gotten this game. It was not too long after her sudden drop from theatre, when she needed more of a kick to her gaming experience..
It was a sunny afternoon, and a special one. For once in her life, she was able to leave the house on her own and was able to buy herself something new.
"I want you to go do something out on your own so you can understand what it's like." She remembers her mother saying. "So go out and buy something of your own, maybe! Just don't come home too late, and please be safe!"
And she found herself out in the heat, walking to her local gaming store. She was really giddy - She knew exactly what she was going to get that day, and she was excited to have something new in store for her.
And by new, she means a new game to add to her large collection.
She's been moreso interested in a not-so-new game in regards of release. It was a typical Mario game, sure, but it revolved around cats. She had a bit of an allergy, but she couldn't help but find cats a bit cute anyway. And so, seeing a kitty or two onscreen would fulfill both her gaming experience and her longing for a cat companion - Two birds with one stone.
However, when she went around the store and asked for it, she was hit with the news that the game went out of stock.
And in her disappointment, she slowly exited the shop and made way for home. So much for a new experience.
Or at least, that's what should've happened. Instead, she was stopped by a certain lady and her son. She was moved a bit to the side, where no one could interrupt their conversation. She was a bit panicked, but thankfully, the woman was safe at first.
"Excuse me, ma'am.. You're looking for the release of the super mario game, right? The one about the cats?" She said in a hushed whisper.
"Uh, yes.. How did you know-?"
"Please, take this off of me and my son's hands.. We don't want it anymore..!" She said, shoving the game into Nene's hands. "And whatever you do, don't try to play it.. It gave us too much of a scare.."
"What exactly is so bad about this game? Isn't it for all ages or something?" Nene asked, unaware of the truth.
"It's a long story, child.. But that game has too much power. We barely made it out of that alive.." She said, and Nene started to analyze her, noticing the tiny bruises and cuts all over her skin. "I would've forked this over to the police, but there's no way they'd believe me..!"
"So then why give it to me? You understand I'm still in junior high, right?" Nene believed this girl to be out of her mind, but also.. oddly believed her. Something about this seemed to be the truth. Nene wouldn't have known.
"Because I find you to be worthy of holding this knowledge. Hopefully you live up to that.." The woman said, though her tone began to darken. "However.."
"There's a specific curse within that game, and a specific story. If you do open that game, it appears the only true way out is to fulfill the story.. And it's the only way the curse on this world is lifted. Whenever you are prepared and the time is right, just open the game and.. by doing that.. complete the story to save the world."
Nene felt disturbed.
"Please.." The little boy spoke. "It might be too late for us, since we didn't fully complete the story, but.. You look like you can take on anything!" He said, and Nene could see his eyes: Dead and devoid of all light. Like someone or something had shattered his spirit.
And then Nene looks at the woman to see her eyes holding that same emptiness. That same pain. She fiddled a bit with the game in her hands.
"..I'll accept this, then. I don't know if I'll be 'ready' anytime soon, but maybe."
The woman smiled and this, her eyes watering. "Then go, dear child.."
Nene nodded, not turning back once as she stepped away from the dark alley to the open light. She didn't look back at all to see the expressions of the woman or the boy. She didn't need to.
And she got home safely, her mother unaware of what transaction she had just made. And Nene was left unaware of what had happened to the woman or the boy until the living room TV displayed them - Their lifeless corpses in an alleyway, still holding those lifeless eyes and smiles.
The police suspected suicide, but at that point .. Nene knew what had happened.
She knew the truth. And she knew she wouldn't be touching that game ever again.
So then, if that was the truth, why was the game lying on her desk? Simple - She was willing to sell it off, and left it on her desk to put on the online market later.
But since she hadn't expected the arrival of her friends, let alone Tsukasa Tenma, who is always so persistant...
It was around now that Nene had experienced true fear.
"Ooh! What game is that, Nene?! It looks soo cute and fun!" Emu said, waltzing over to Tsukasa and staring at the cover of the game intently.
"Aha! Isn't this a nintendo game? I remember playing Mario Brothers games quite alot as a kid!" Tsukasa declared with happiness, oblivious to what he was about to cause if things continued in this direction. "I haven't played this game before, though! We should boot it up and-"
"No." Nene stood her ground. "Please, let's play something else. I have similar story games inside the cabinet that are much more interesting--"
"Ah, but Nene.." Rui was next. "We all seem really interested in this game you have here! I always knew you had a bit of a soft spot for kittens, so you don't have to worry~"
Nene shivered at the mere comment about the game. The cat references on that game were hard to ignore - It was one of the games defining features after all, and it made it seem so innocent. It made Nene want to puke.
"Kitties?!" Emu squealed. "I wanna play the cute cat game, Tsukasa! Come on, Nene - Let's play the cat game!!"
Nene gulped. She knew she couldn't stand up to all three of them. But then again..
She couldn't bear the thought of her and her dearest friends and troupe mates lying dead in an nearby alley like they were.
"Guys, c'mon.." Nene said, trying to hide her fear. "We can pick a better game than this old garbage-"
She heard a click, and she immediately whipped her head around.
Somehow, Tsukasa had snuck around her and was so close to getting that game into the disc slot.
Nene had never ran faster in her whole life to stop him.
"Ack- Nene!" Tsukasa yelped, and he found himself wrestling with Nene, who seemed stronger than usual. Nene didn't know what exactly was happening, running off of the pure adrenaline from the fear that her nightmare may become her reality. She didn't want to die - She couldn't die here.
He shouted and tried to push her off, but she was rather strong and aware at the moment. There was nothing that could've possibly -
...
And there she was in her horror.
She was so focused on wrestling Tsukasa to stop him, she was completely unaware of Rui sneakily taking the disk and loading it into the system. And she was even more unaware of him opening the game until it was too late.
And she let out a blood-filled scream. A scream so curdling, any stranger could've assumed that someone was getting murdered in that house.
"Woah- Nene?! What's wrong?!" Emu immediately jumped to give Nene a hug, which she was immediately pushed back. She got off of Tsukasa, who was just as confused and alarmed as everyone else in the room.
"Nene..?" Rui said, backing up a bit. It was too late.
She couldn't help herself, she started mumbling underneath her breath in panic. This was it - Everyone in this room is doomed to die a painful death.
"Wah! She's shivering like crazy! We have to see her to a- hm?"
Tsukasa was stopped in his sentence by an unfamiliar glow coming from the TV screen, and a sensation growing throughout his body. "W-What is this? What's happening?!"
"This is why I didn't want to play this game.. I tried to stop all of you the best I could.." Nene spoke, her final words leaving her. "But now, there is no escape for any of us.. It's too late now."
And that was the last voice any of the four in the room heard before they lost consciousness, disappearing from the world they've once known.