Chapter Text
By now, Yoyoko began to understand her predicament. Currently, she was leading the group over a small stream of water, jumping on rocks and over thick roots. She didn't even know where she was guiding them but continued to follow her compass.
They were hopeless. There was no going home from here.
Her bandmate Yuyu Uchida was teaching Hitori Gotoh just how scary humans really could be.
Nijika Ijichi was rotating a torn piece of paper that used to have the dignity of being called a map.
Ryo Yamada continued to pick the natural plant life, expanding her nutritional options.
Ikuyo Kita was trailing far behind, trying not to get dirty.
Yoyoko let out a deep sigh.
She was lost with a bunch of girls who didn't care that they were lost on an island!
This shouldn't have happened! Her plans were flawless... but they still ended up getting lost. How could this happen? When did it start?
Yuyu slowly chased after Yoyoko, who had just stormed out of FOLT, "Yoyoko-senpai, I said I'd go with you!"
Yoyoko crossed her arms and pouted. "What's the point if it's just the two of us? I wanted all of SIDEROS to do something together!"
The ghostly girl covered her mouth with her sleeve, smiling. "Who said it'd just be us? I can call in some company, hehe."
Yoyoko violently shook her head, "No, you're not going to summon anything! I've already planned it all out! I guess they just don't want to go all the way to Yakushima..."
The vocalist jumped as she came to a realization. "I know that Hitori Gotoh has nothing going on... I can ask her to come with us!"
Yuyu lifted an eyebrow. "Bocchi-chan? Well, she's close enough to a spirit, I guess."
Yoyoko victoriously punched the air. "I'm so smart! I'll text her right now!"
Her bassist nodded. "Alright, I'll let everyone else know what’s happening."
The brown-haired girl opened up her messages with Hitori. I know she has nothing else to do besides practice guitar. She can't refuse my offer! And once I get her, we can convince the rest of Kessoku Band to come along, too!
Yoyoko whipped out her phone and opened up LOINE.
---
Hitori Gotoh, are you free to meet up right now? We need to talk.
Very well. I'm with my friends, though. Please wait a moment.
---
Yoyoko's fingers trembled over the digital keyboard. She-She's just talking about her band, right? I doubt that she of all people would be hanging out with a friend group I know nothing about!
---
Very well, I don't mind. Meet me in front of Starry.
Okay. Please wait for us. We will be there soon.
---
Yoyoko approached the steps leading down into Starry and waited for Kessoku Band to come outside. She waited and waited, and waited...
While she focused on the door, she heard a group of footsteps stop walking behind her. A gentle tap on her shoulder made her jump.
Hitori was there! Not only that but two other girls surrounded her! The redhead Kita Ikuyo... and someone else?
This girl wasn't from the Kessoku Band. She had short, green hair, and a mole on her neck. Her face was relaxed and laid back. Yoyoko began to tremble. She- She did make more friends! Hitori Gotoh has been out socializing this whole time, while I've been locked in my room plotting for the trip all week...!
Kita brought her finger to her mouth. "Ohtsuki-san! How have you been?"
Yoyoko looked off to the side. I have to look cool, not surprised because I'm not. Not surprised. At all.
"I've been good as always, of course! And you?"
Kita bumped into Hitori. "Great! We just went out and had ice cream! We would've invited you over if you had texted just a bit earlier..."
Hitori stopped talking to the green-haired girl and faced Yoyoko. "So... wh-what did you want to talk about?"
Yoyoko crossed her arms. "I've planned out an amazing trip to Yakushima Island! I know you don't go out much unlike me, so I wanted you to come along! It’s next week."
Kita lowered her eyebrows. "All three of us just recently had a class trip to Kyoto."
Yoyoko took critical damage and coughed up blood. Heh. Of course, you did. Now tell me that you also won the lottery...
The green-haired girl slid into the conversation. A little too far, she was now right next to Yoyoko. "Aw, do you have nobody else to go with?" she said with a healthy smirk.
Yoyoko got defensive. "I-I have my band! And who even are you, anyways!?"
Kita let out a tiny laugh. "That's Sattsu. Or, I mean, Sasaki-"
Sasaki cut her off and leaned in closer to Yoyoko. "Forget about Gotoh and Kita, I'm the one who'll go with you."
Yoyoko started to sweat. I have a feeling that Hitori Gotoh wasn't the one who took the initiative in their friendship...
Hitori started to speak with her soft voice, which made Sasaki back away. "I-I am a little bit burned out, but I'd rather make memories than miss out on the chance to. I'll come, Ohtsuki-san."
Kita's eyes suddenly turned into stars and she gripped Hitori's arm. "R-Really!? I want to go too, then! I've never been to Yakushima before! Imagine all of the beach photos we can take!"
Hitori suddenly started to melt, but Yoyoko paid no attention. Just like that, I've gotten half of the band to agree. Flawless, like always.
Sasaki started to walk away, waving her hand in the air. "You guys can talk this out with the rest of your bands, I'm not going. Have a good time~"
Hitori and Kita said their goodbyes and returned to Yoyoko. Yoyoko scratched her head. "Uhm, about our bands... only one of my members wants to go. So I was curious if Kessoku Band wanted to tag along."
Kita clapped her hands together. "That'd be amazing! We can go ask Ijichi-senpai and Ryo-senpai right now!"
Yoyoko followed Kita and Hitori down the stairs to Starry.
Kita excitedly opened the door, and the sounds of a passionate rant flooded out of the club. The remaining two Kessoku Band members were seated at their big table, Ryo Yamada looking surprisingly excited.
Ryo brought her hand to her chin. “If we tap into the American rap market and use Bocchi, we’ll bring an entirely new sound!”
Nijika’s eyes squinted. “W-We don’t have to use Bocchi-chan! You can play guitar, too, you know!” >.<
The three from outside walked up to them. The pink creature started to shiver. “Wha-What do you mean, use me?”
Ryo got up and put her hands on Hitori’s shoulders. “They don’t use guitars in the West. Bocchi, we can cross overseas and make a ton of money. Nijika will rap, and we can sample Ikuyo’s singing.”
Nijika’s Dorito recoiled. “Hey! I never agreed to rap, Ryo you-!” >.<
“Wh-Why didn’t you ask me to rap, Ryo-senpai?” Kita muttered, cutting off Nijika.
Yoyoko took a few steps back. Do I really want these people to come along with me?
Hitori was melting into the floor. Ryo took her hands off her shoulders and shook the pink goop away, shooting flecks of pink all over Starry. She then turned towards Yoyoko and grinned, slinking towards her.
Yoyoko started to shake her head ferociously. “Wha- what are you doing?”
Ryo backed Yoyoko into a corner and leaned over here, “Ohtsuki, how about you help me instead?”
Even more panic started to seep in. F-First that green-haired girl, and now Ryo Yamada! Why do they all want alone time with me? o-o
Ryo pressed her hand on her chest, looking to the sky, triumphant. “You look like you listen to rap. Don’t you know about its current state? There’s zero guitars being played…”
Yoyoko started to tune out the yapping. I’ve made up my mind, this girl isn’t tagging along! I can tell the yellow-haired one about our trip another day!
Kita clasped her hands loudly. “We’re getting off track. Ijichi-senpai, Ryo-senpai... Ohtsuki-san wanted to ask you to come with us on a trip to Yakushima Island next week!”
The master planner’s eyes popped out of her head. You… you extrovert! Why!?
Nijika looked up at the ceiling. “Yakushima, huh? We’ll be able to make it!”
Yoyoko’s hands curled up into fists. Ugh, you’re so lucky you’re an up-and-coming band! You’re able to be super flexible with your schedule!
Ryo’s passion quickly disappeared from her eyes, returning to her normal demeanor. “Sure, as long as I don’t have to pay for my ticket.”
“Ohtsuki-chan... get in the van.”
Yoyoko plopped herself down next to Yuyu and frowned. “Nee-san, are you sure that Kessoku Band isn’t going to think that you’re an impostor? A lizard person perhaps?”
The usual drunkard sighed. “They’ve seen me like this once before.”
Kikuri was selected as the trusted adult for the trip. She’d drive them over to the ferry, ride it with them to the island, and then let them be on their own while she went off to discover exotic drinks.
Yuyu brightened up as the vehicle made its way over to Starry. “I can say that she’s my puppet and I’m controlling her!”
Yoyoko looked out the window. “Speaking of puppets, you better have brought what I told you instead of a lot of witchcraft. Kessoku Band was pretty willing to carry everything I asked for.”
Yuyu patted her black handbag which was decorated in chains. “Toothpaste, trail mix, and a water bottle, right?”
She nodded and then lifted her finger in the air. “And most importantly, no phones! We’re all going to enjoy nature to the fullest!”
Kikuri looked back when she reached a stop. “You sure that will be enough? I know you were excited about planning all this alone, but that doesn’t sound like a lot. I can advise on what to buy on the island if you’d like...”
Yoyoko shook her head. “No thanks, it’ll just be a few hours of hiking on a trail! We’ll be good. We can buy a map for extra precaution once we get on the island.”
She flushed red and squirmed in her seat. It’s all coming together… my master plan. Everything I asked for is going correctly! I’m going to have a fun day outside with my friends!
“Hitori-chan! Look! The island’s right there!”
Kita held onto the ferry’s front rails and tilted her head backward to let her hair flow in the wind.
Hitori stumbled on the boat’s bow, trying to catch up to Kita and reach her. Even though the ferry moved slowly, the random bumps in the waves and rocking motion disoriented her.
She finally caught up to Kita and grabbed her blue dress. “I-I’m here!”
Nijika and Ryo easily made their way up to their other two band members and leaned against the rail. The island was in sight now, and they would arrive in less than twenty minutes.
Nijika closed her eyes. “Aww, I liked this ride over. It’ll be so sad to walk on land again…”
Hitori gripped to the rail for dear life, her face a little green. “I... I can’t wait to be on l-land!”
Ryo rubbed her stomach. “Speak for yourself, Nijika. I want to eat whatever exotic food they have there on the island.”
Kita looked down into the water and stared into her reflection, its image constantly disrupted by the ferry's movement. “I’m sad. I thought we would see whales and dolphins on the way over!”
Hitori turned to Kita in a panic. “Wh-What if we run into some animals on our hike? We should’ve at least done some research! Wh-Wha-What if there’s a bear!?”
Nijika shook her head. “No... we should trust Ohtsuki-san. She’s done a lot to prepare for this; I’m sure she will take care of us.”
Ryo nodded. “I’m glad I didn’t have to do any extra research.”
Meanwhile, Yoyoko was comforting Yuyu inside the ferry. She was making quite a scene in front of the other Japanese residents who just wanted to get onto the island.
“C-Cthulu, the kraken, a l-leviathan! Ohtsuki-senpai, tell me you’re not scared of these dangerous waters!”
Yoyoko sighed. “I’m not scared, and you shouldn’t be either. Those tales weren’t made in this short stretch of water anyways…”
Yuyu grabbed Yoyoko’s open black jacket. “Th-That’s because everyone who encountered a monster on the way over to Yakushima perished! No one made it out to tell the tale!”
Yoyoko furrowed her brow. “We’re making it just fine.”
Yuyu had a tint of nausea in her eyes as she spoke softly. “...and I also feel seasick…”
Kessoku Band wandered over to the SIDEROS members, Hitori holding onto Kita’s arm for stability.
Ryo looked at Yoyoko smugly. “Couldn’t handle it outside?”
Yoyoko stood up. I-I knew I shouldn’t have let this girl come with us! Not to mention, I didn’t get any chance to bond with Kessoku Band because I was sitting inside with Yuyu the whole time!
Before Yoyoko could respond to Ryo, Kita pumped her fist in the air. “I’m so excited about where you’re going to take us! Let’s meet up with Hiroi-san right now before we dock!”
They wandered around the Ferry for a bit, discovering rooms they didn’t even know existed.
Nijika touched her lip with her finger. “I know she gets reserved when she’s not drinking, but this is a whole other level of shyness, she’s avoiding us completely…”
Ryo bumped Hitori’s arm with her own. “Bocchi, you’re not at the bottom of the totem pole anymore.”
Still seasick, the sudden impact almost made Hitori barf in the hallway they were walking in. She only responded with a queasy nod.
Yoyoko slyly smiled. As long as Hitori Gotoh is around, I can’t be this evil blue girl’s punching bag!
The group of girls found Kikuri in the ferry’s back section. She was crumpled up into a ball and rocking herself. The boat’s occasional bump over waves disrupted her pitiful rhythm.
Yoyoko whined to her sensei. “Now what’s your problem?!?”
Kikuri looked up with hollow eyes. “I can’t drink… must be a responsible supervisor…”
Yuyu brightened up, her face showing no more signs of being disoriented. “I know a sigil that’ll make you feel lots of joy, even better than intoxication! Someone give me their toothpaste!”
Hitori quickly opened her bag and handed over the toothpaste, hoping that maybe the spell could work on her as well. She couldn’t communicate through words, as opening her mouth might release the stockpile of her sickness.
Yuyu swiped the bottle. “Thank you, Bocchi-chan!”
She quickly got down on her knees, holding the toothpaste bottle. She aimed it at the ground and got ready to trace the sigil with the toothpaste.
Yoyoko quickly picked her off the ground and interrogated her. “Wha-What are you doing? We need toothpaste overnight!”
Nijika sighed. “You told all of us to pack toothpaste. We have enough to spare.”
Yoyoko snapped back. “S-Still! This isn’t good! We can’t draw pictures on the ground out of toothpaste!”
Kita patted Yuyu’s back, who was shrugging from disappointment. “Uchida-san, I wanted to see you make that. Maybe on the way back, you can make it?”
“All aboard, we’ve reached Yakushima Island. Retrieve all belongings and exit in an orderly manner.”
Kikuri stood up, her legs shaking a little. “Alright, let’s go.”
Yoyoko was so proud of her group! Nobody made a mess after they exited the ship, and Kikuri helped them check into the apartment they would stay in overnight. She left the girls to their activities, saying she would walk around town all day to find some new booze.
Now, they stood outside the trail. Everyone had their bags, and the group double-checked to make sure the sickly ones, Hitori and Yuyu, were fine with going on their hike.
Hitori was in the worst shape; she didn’t get any better after they reached land. Kita rubbed her back as she bent over a bush. “I’m… I’m going to barf!”
Yoyoko sighed. “Can you handle anything, Hitori Gotoh?”
Hitori turned toward Yoyoko and gave her a sheepish smile before hovering over the bush again. “I can handle plenty of stuff! Like- BLARGHHHH! ”
Yoyoko jumped back, away from the splash zone. There’s no way I’ll allow Hitori Gotoh to ruin my plans after all this planning and traveling! She’s going to come whether she likes it or not!
She swiveled her head to the rest of the group. Similar to the situation with Hitori, Nijika patted Ryo’s back as she huddled over a bush.
Yoyoko walked over and raised an eyebrow at Ryo. “I thought you were able to handle the boat? What happened?”
Nijika’s Dorito flicked back and forth. “I’m sure this isn’t the last time she’ll tell you a blatant lie…”
Yoyoko extended her hand out to Nijika. “Well, give me the map, who knows how dirty it’ll get if you hold it and she vomits? I know everything about the island anyway, but we should keep it safe.”
Nijika nodded. “Good idea, Ohtsuki-san! No matter how much the rest of my band doubts you, I trust you’ll take good care of us!”
Yoyoko smiled to hide the sudden crack of pain that struck her heart. Her… her band doesn’t believe in me and my planning?!
She looked to the ground and held her arm, feeling some dissonance. I just want to have a good time with some friends. Yet, they doubt me… I’m sure I could fly them out to a whole other country, and they still wouldn’t be grateful to me...
Yuyu bumped into Yoyoko and smiled. “Let’s have some fun, senpai!”
Determination sprouted in Yoyoko’s heart, and she pumped her fist into the air. They doubt me, ME, Yoyoko Ohtsuki! I’ll prove them wrong and give them the best experience of their lives!
Yoyoko clapped her hands to bring everyone’s attention to her and made a sudden announcement. “Let’s head onto the trail, everyone! We’re going to enjoy nature and maybe even run into some wildlife! This trail should take us a couple of hours, so we’ll be back before it gets too dark!”
Everyone else nodded. For the first time during the whole trip, the group collectively agreed on something.
The trail was wide enough for four of them to walk side by side, but they chose to be in groups of three to give anyone else on the trail some space to pass them.
Yoyoko led the group, with Yuyu to her left and Hitori to her right. Shortly behind them, Kita, Nijika, and Ryo followed.
Hitori began to shake as they traversed deep into Yakushima’s forest. “Oh-Ohtsuki-san, are there any b-bears over here?”
Yoyoko didn’t answer the question, but instead dove into the back of her mind for the trivia she researched. “To escape Japanese black bears, all you need to do is make lots of noise to scare them off.”
She walked with a smug smile. I’m glad they didn’t do any research. I forgot to buy a bear bell. If Hitori Gotoh found out that those are also useful for warding off bears, she’d be even more nervous than they are! And yes, I know the bears are shy. - ᴗ -
Nijika leaned in behind them so that her voice was amplified. “Bocchi-chan’s made scary noises before! All we had to do was tell her about social media and she screamed louder than a banshee!”
Yuyu swiveled around. “Even louder than a banshee? I don’t believe it!”
Kita smiled behind them. “Hitori-chan is so talented! I’m sure if she trained her vocals, she could do backup vocals!”
Hitori almost tripped as she walked. Wh-Why is the conversation about me? Am I supposed to join in?
Yuyu looked around at their surroundings. The massive trees almost blocked all of the sunlight above them. The rocks were covered with moss and painted green. There was constant background noise from the chatter of critters and a stream of water somewhere around them.
She spoke up. “You know, I wonder if the Ultra Divine Herb is here. It’s super rare and has lots of magical properties...”
That instantly stole Ryo’s attention. She began to speak with desperation. “D-Does it taste good?”
Kita jumped a little. “I’ve heard of that on Tick Tok! You can never eat it, it’s dangerous!”
Yuyu moved her hands as she spoke enthusiastically. “No, no, the channel that described the herb like that is a fake! You need to watch the original channel. I’ll send it to you after our trip… or maybe I’ll communicate it in your dreams tonight.”
Ryo glanced over at Yuyu. “Communicate its taste to me in my dreams, please.”
Hitori looked down. N-Not good! I’m getting replaced by someone who’s not even in our band!
Nijjka tapped Yoyoko’s shoulder from behind. “Are we the only ones who don’t know what this herb is?”
Yoyoko nodded and began stomping instead of walking. After all my research, I don’t believe there’s something like that out here and I didn’t hear of it!
Hitori tugged Yoyoko’s sleeve. “A-Are you ever going to open the map?”
The map was rolled up and tightly gripped by her left hand as she walked.
Yoyoko smiled and looked away from the pink girl. “As if I need to! I know this trail by heart!”
Yuyu snatched the map from her hand and unrolled it. “I saw an ancient version of this map online! Let’s see, the Ultra Divine Herb should be around…”
Woosh!
“...Around… huh ?”
The swooshing noise didn’t come alone; it was accompanied by a blur- a blur that stole the map right out of Yuyu’s hands.
Yoyoko began to panic. “Wh-Where is the map?!”
Kita pointed to the sky. “Look up, everyone! That monkey has our map!”
The group stopped walking along the trail. Yoyoko cautiously looked up at the tree canopy above them. On one of the large branches was a very furry monkey. Its face was bright and pink, and it held the map in its mouth!
Her footing became uneasy as the monkey stared into her soul. We- We actually ran into a monkey? I know a bunch of them live here, but it should still be a rare occurrence!
Nijika surrounded her mouth with her hands. “Hey monkey, come down here! You have our map!”
Yuyu grabbed a stick and pointed it towards the thief. “Just you wait! I’ll fire off something very dangerous if you don’t give that back!”
Yoyoko loudly clapped her hands to silence the commotion. “C-Calm down, everyone! You’re going to scare the monkey off! We bought the map as an extra precaution, we don’t need it since I’m here! Let’s just act friendly… eh ?”
Ryo began walking off the trail. “Your clap scared the monkey away. I’m going to go catch it.”
Yoyoko shook her head in a frenzy. I was the one who scared the monkey away? Me?
Nijika began to run after Ryo. “W-Wait, Ryo! You’ll get lost!”
Yuyu dropped her twig and began to tug on Nijika’s shirt. “Wait! Who knows what lies in the forest? We’ll call Yamada from over here and get her back!”
Nijika broke free and chased after Ryo. “Never!”
Yuyu proceeded to follow Nijka. “D-Don’t go! You don’t know how to survive a Byakko!”
Yoyoko’s mouth hung loose as Yuyu, Ryo, and Nijika sprinted out of view into the dense Yakushima forest.
Hitori fell to the ground and curled herself into a ball. “They’re- They’re going to get eaten by a bear!”
Yoyoko wrapped her arm around Kita’s. “ You’re not getting lost too! We’re going to stay here!”
Kita didn’t even respond; her eyes were swirly, and her body was frozen in shock.
Yoyoko adjusted her beret and sighed. Now I’m stuck with Hitori Gotoh, of all people! Should we chase after them or stay here? This is all going wrong!
...Either way, I still have to take initiative! They trust me as their guide, after all!
Yoyoko cleared her throat. “Everyone! Empty your bags! Let’s see what we have!”
Hitori stood up and dropped all her belongings on the ground: a water bottle, a pack of trail mix, and the toothpaste that Yuyu squished.
Yoyoko slammed her hand into her face. That’s it? I guess that’s all I told them to pack, after all...
Kita opened her small pink handbag and pulled out a phone.
She glared at Yoyoko and spoke quietly. “It… it was for pictures on the ferry ride, okay? I wanted to enjoy nature without phones, too…”
Yoyoko crossed her arms. “Hmph! You didn’t listen, but I’ll make an exception because you can save everyone now! Let’s call the emergency line and get some rangers to help us!”
Kita nodded and began to dial the numbers that Yoyoko instructed her.
However, another blur passed by and swiped Kita’s phone!
The two looked up and saw the monkey on the same branch it had jumped onto previously. It made some mocking noises before rushing off to where the rest of their group had run off.
Kita and Yoyoko sternly looked at each other and nodded. They communicated the same message: Let’s catch this monkey.
Yoyoko began to run into the forest and shouted behind, “Get off the floor, Hitori Gotoh! We’re going to get this phone back!”
Hitori was trying to pick up the supplies she dropped on the trail, but was interrupted when Kita grabbed her hand and began to drag her onto the adventure. “Hitori-chan, come on! We can’t lose sight of Ohtsuki-san!”
Ryo and Yuyu panted heavily, their hands on their knees.
Nijika gave them an unimpressed stare. “Really? We lost the monkey because you two got tired.”
Yuyu meekly looked up at Nijika. “That… wasn’t a real monkey. It had to be a skinwalker, otherwise it would have run out of stamina way before us…”
Ryo nodded. “Yup. Skinwalker.”
Nijika deeply exhaled. I’m with the two least serious members of the group! Better yet, we have no way of returning to Ohtsuki-san, since we didn’t exactly go in a straight line…
Ryo stood up. “We’re lost.”
Nijika lowered her eyebrows, her face darkening in an instant. “You think?”
Yuyu spun in a circle. “It’s okay! My senpai is capable! She was smart enough to stay put on the trail! She’ll save us all!”
Ryo ignored her and looked at Nijika. “I hope Bocchi and Ikuyo are fine alone with that girl.”
Nijika scratched her head. “They should be, since they were the first two to meet her, after all.”
Yuyu stared into the sky. “It’ll probably take a while before Yoyoko-senpai finds us. How about I summon us something to eat?”
Nijika sat down on a mossy rock. “Okay, entertain us with your magic and show us if you really can summon something. I’d rather ration the trail mix instead of eating it…”
Yuyu kneeled and began to trace a circle in the dirt with her finger. “Okay! It might be something that tastes gross, like a weird frog, instead of a five-star meal like you’re imagining it!”
Nijika’s Dorito fell flat. “What kind of magic is it if you can’t summon what you want?”
Ryo, who wasn’t even being considered, responded. “Bad magic. I’m going to eat the grass instead of a frog.”
And without hesitation, she began to stuff some of it in her mouth.
Nijika almost fell off her rock. “W-Wait! Don’t eat it, it might be dangerous! What if you grow antlers and turn into a deer girl!? It might even be poisonous, and make you start dancing to an incredibly catchy song!”
Hearts entered Yuyu’s pupils. “Eat it! I want to see you turn into an amazing hybrid deer girl!”
Nijika crossed her arms. “What we should focus on right now is getting back to everyone else. I’m sure that… huh ?”
She lost her train of thought as a small piece of paper floated down to them from a thick area of trees. She quickly rushed over and grasped it in her hands. It was a piece of the map, or it was. It could not even be called a map anymore. It was ripped in half and covered in monkey drool, which blurred some of the inkwork.
Yuyu peered over Nijika’s shoulder and looked at the paper crumb. It took her some processing, but she quickly pointed to the direction it fell from. “If it flew down towards us from over there, the monkey is also going that way! Let’s follow it!”
Ryo and Nijika nodded.
The three chased after where they thought the monkey was going- and they weren’t wrong. They had made a miscalculation, though. The monkey had gone on its way to steal Kita’s phone! And while the monkey made its way back to Yuyu, Nijika, and Ryo, it was being chased by the other group of three girls!
The two groups of pursuers collided with each other.
Yoyoko stumbled onto the floor, dazed. What had she just run into?
As her vision cleared up, she looked around and noticed the rest of her group was with her on the forest ground. She quickly stood up to try and find out where she came from.
All of the surrounding fauna looked the same. She scouted out all of the possible directions. We were chasing the monkey in a straight line, and it swung across that tree! Or was it that one? Oh no, are we lost? ๑﹏๑
Nijika was the next to get on her feet. She scratched her forehead and saw Yoyoko. “Wha-What? How are you here?”
Yoyoko put her hands on her hips as Yuyu and Kita rose. “We were trying to catch the monkey! It had a cellphone, and would have been our best way to get you guys some help!”
Yuyu rubbed her eyes. “ We were also chasing the monkey since we thought it still had the map.”
Kita’s eyes swirled. “You followed the monkey back to us while it was on its way to steal my phone? Wha-What an evil monkey!”
Yuyu whispered, “Evil skinwalker, you mean.”
Nijika nodded. “We didn’t mean to run off, but we also didn’t expect you guys to follow suit… now we’re all out here.”
Yoyoko clicked her tongue and brought out a silver compass from her bag. “Not exactly! I prepared for this very moment!”
Hitori wiggled her way up. “S-So what direction did we come from?”
Yoyoko laughed. “You stole the words right from my mouth, Hitori Gotoh! Does anybody know the answer to that?”
Silence. It wasn’t crickets that could be heard, but some other unknown critters filled in the noise to tell the group of girls exactly what they needed to know: nobody knew where they came from.
Kita hid behind Nijika and squealed. “No! Not only is my phone lost forever, but so are we!”
Hitori ran and hid behind Kita. “W-We’re going to get eaten by bears!”
Yoyoko stomped on the ground. “For the last time, bears aren’t even scary! As long as we ration our resources, we can survive out here until help comes our way!”
Nijika shook off the girls who began to weigh her down. “Kita-chan, you brought your phone here?”
Kita stopped her whining, even though Hitori was still shaking behind her. “Yeah. It could’ve been useful though, if not for the monkey…”
Yuyu squealed and pointed to the ground. “Sh-She really is turning into a deer hybrid!”
Everyone brought their attention down to the dirt beneath them and noticed Ryo on all fours, eating the grass.
Tears started to flow from Kita’s eyes. “S-Senpai! What happened to you!?”
Yuyu giggled. “Your drummer must have clairvoyance. She predicted this young girl would turn into a deer girl if she kept eating all the grass here, and we can see it beginning as we speak. If we ever make it out of here, I’d love to write this phenomenon down.”
Ryo stood up and looked at Yoyoko bluntly, ignoring her fanfare.”I don’t like the grass here. Do you know how to get back to the trail?”
Yoyoko jumped. “Uhm, o-of course! Water always leads to civilizations, a-and water is always south, so let’s go south to find a stream of water!”
She closed her eyes. I don’t actually know if water is always south, but we should focus on going in a certain direction. It’s an island, after all. We’ll at least reach a beach.
And that’s how the group eventually found a small trickle of water. It was barely wider than a foot, but the fact that it was running meant that it would go further.
It continued to widen, and the girls had to jump over the rocks and roots that disrupted the water’s flow. They needed to follow the stream as the forest was too dense to traverse through safely. The roots and large rocks cluttered around made it resemble a jungle more than a stereotypical forest.
Yoyoko led them all, certain that eventually, they would find someplace nice.
She looked back worryingly because it would be even worse if the group split up further. Hitori was in the worst condition, currently on the verge of melting into the lake as Yuyu told all sorts of stories about forest spirits, holding onto her with one arm, preventing her from escaping..
Nijika jumped on a wet rock in the middle of the stream, almost tripping because she was too focused on the ruined map.
Yoyoko looked at her and furrowed her eyes. “You know it’s not going to be even more legible when it’s dry, right? And it’s just a part of the map…”
She had an internal facepalm. After me, this girl is the second most level-headed in the group. Seriously?
Nijika grinned. “Maybe we can see the trail’s location on the map better after the sun dries it up! H-Hey, Ryo!”
Yoyoko swiveled her head in Ryo’s direction, who pulled a large root out of the ground. She examined it- then stuffed it into her mouth. That girl’s still doing this? If she can handle it, I guess she won’t impact our food reserves, but still!
There was only one member of the group, whom Yoyoko was worried about losing track of most: Kita Ikuyo. She was far behind the pack as they crossed the stream, carefully jumping from each rock and piece of ground. She lifted her blue dress up so it wouldn’t get dirty.
This time, Yoyoko did facepalm. Why did she bring a dress on a hiking trip? Was it for the pictures she wanted to take on the ferry ride home? Not worth it at all!
She looked down at her clothing. Well, I’m also wearing my signature black dress. But since my wardrobe is full of copies, I’m not worried about this specific one getting dirty. ( ˘ᴗ˘ )
Eventually, the water trickled out. The group stood around a sliver of water that barely resembled the stream they had been following. Surrounding it was a large patch of mud.
Yoyoko almost fell to her knees in defeat. They’re... they’re going to know I’m a fraud survivalist! I told them we would find civilization, but this led us nowhere!
Nijika tapped her foot on the ground. “You know, there is surprisingly a lot of open space here! We can set up a camp since it’ll get dark soon!”
Kita squealed. “Let’s make a campfire!”
An exclamation mark appeared over Yoyoko. “Y-You’re so right! Smoke from campfires is one of the best ways to reveal your location in the wild!”
Yuyu brought her hand to her chin. “Does anyone even know that we’re missing, though? Why would they be searching for lost people in the first place?”
Hitori and Ryo both thought of Kikuri at the same time and turned towards each other. “ Her .”
Nijika spun in a circle. “There’s just no way she’ll let people know we’re lost! We’re doomed!”
Yoyoko nodded. “We need to prepare for the worst: total abandonment. Let’s split into two groups: three of us look for food, and the other three will find materials to make some shelter.”
Everyone else nodded. Yoyoko smiled. I feel like... I said something smart right there!
Hitori quickly rushed to Yoyoko’s side. “Y-You’re going to defend me from bears!”
Yoyoko nodded. “Okay, just remember that we’re the food group, so we’re going to look for animals.”
Nijika walked over to them. “I don’t want to see Ryo snacking on nature anymore. I’m with you guys.”
The group glanced toward the remaining girls. Ryo was staring at a tree, and Kita was punching at a dead flower that Yuyu was shoving in her face.
Nijika’s Dorito drooped on her head. “Are you sure we can trust these three with our shelter?”
Yoyoko shrugged. “Why not? I trust my bandmate, and you should too!”
Hitori shivered. We... We’re going to be very cold tonight!
Yoyoko walked to the Shelter Team and let them know what was happening. “We’re going to meet back up here when it starts getting dark, I say an hour or so. Try your best, okay?”
Kita saluted Yoyoko. “Got it!”
Yoyoko motioned Hitori and Nijika back towards the stream. “Let’s go.”
Kita budged Ryo’s left arm with her elbow. “Ryo-senpai! We’re stuck on an island together!”
Ryo turned to Yuyu, who was on her right as they walked. “When we find a beach, remind me to write SOS as large as possible.”
Kita looked up at the canopy of trees above them. “So what should we make our shelter out of? It’s not like we have as much knowledge as Ohtsuki-san... oh, I know!”
She quickly ran over to a large fallen branch on the ground. “Ryo-senpai, since you know a lot about Americans, how did those native ones make their tents?”
Ryo shrugged. “I only know about their music. Big difference. I don’t care about any of their culture aside from that.”
Yuyu ran over to Kita and picked up two branches. She leaned them against each other. “I know what you’re talking about, Kita-chan! They made tepees!”
Kita jumped up. “Yes! You’re so amazing. How did you know that?”
Yuyu dropped both of her arms to her sides. “I watched an hour-long podcast about Native Americans surviving against a Wendigo. I didn’t know what a tepee was when the narrator described it, so I googled it.”
Kita gasped. “You sure know a lot..! Uhm, is the Wendigo thing typically in forests?” @_@
Yuyu grew a sinister smirk. “ Possibly...”
Ryo smacked both of their heads with a branch she picked up. “...I almost thought you guys were onto something. Forget the Wendigo, let’s build tepees.”
Nijika sighed. “I hope those other two girls are taking care of Ryo.”
Yoyoko narrowed her eyes. “Why does that girl eat so many plants?”
Nijika shook her head. “I don’t know, but that’s why we have to get some real food. What type of animals live here?”
“B-Bears!” Hitori butted in on the conversation.
Yoyoko frowned. “We can’t hunt a bear. There are deer here, though...”
Her face darkened for a moment. “...I also wouldn’t mind eating the monkey that ruined everything.”
Nijika’s jaw dropped. “N-No wonder you dress similarly to Uchida-san! You’re just as into the occult as she is!”
Yoyoko felt a pang in her heart. She... doesn’t view me as an energetic and fun person who planned out this whole trip for her band? Dorito Girl, you…!
Hitori picked up a rock shaped like a spearhead and grabbed some vines. She snatched up a stick, tied the rock to the stick, and aimed it forward. “So we’re hunting deer, right?”
Nijika jumped back. This is Bocchi-chan? What’s gotten into her!?
Yoyoko nodded, and Hitori took a deep breath. “I’ll go get us one before a bear finds us.”
She snatched up another rock- presumably to sharpen the spearhead- then dashed off. Nijika ran after her. “B-Bocchi-chan! Come back!”
Yoyoko covered her face with her hand, cringing. Hitori Gotoh... you’re so delusional. Now you’re going to get lost.
Wait... I’m even more lost than she is. At least she has Dorito Girl. ・_・
Yoyoko began to make her way in the direction they ran, trying to catch up to her friends. A-Are they even my friends? They’ve mistreated me this whole time, haven’t taken me seriously at all…
She moved a leaf out of her face and jumped over a root. I just wanted to do something nice for them...
A pit began to open up in her stomach. ...And I still messed up. I can’t even fit in with a group of oddball musicians like them...
Her stomach contorted even more. But more importantly than that... I’m hungry! >.<
Although she tried to follow Nijika and Hitori at a slow pace, she began to run towards them. I’m lonely, I’m hungry, I don’t want to be alone out here anymore!
However, she wasn’t able to navigate the dense forest at such a fast pace. As she leaped through a bush and stumbled into an open area, she bumped into something that was lightly brown.
Yoyoko fell on her back, looking up to see what she had run into- a deer.
Her mouth began to shake, and she made weird noises. I-I actually found one? Or is this the Ryo girl? Did she really turn into a deer?
Judging by its medium-sized antlers, it was a male. So the possibility of it being Ryo was slim to none.
She stood up to approach it. “H-Hello...”
The deer stared at her. Its black, empty eyes were wide enough to show her reflection. Yoyoko saw just how tense she was.
She calmed down and smiled. I thought deer are supposed to be skittish, but this one doesn’t mind me being here at all...
The lost girl timidly walked over to it and slowly stroked its neck. “Y-You’re a pretty deer. I wouldn’t want to eat you...”
The deer bent its head down to eat a tuff of grass, which caused Yoyoko’s smile to widen. You trust me, don’t you, deer? I guess I’m not such a bother to everyone, after all. At least you like me...
“RAAAARGHHH!!!!!”
Hitori roared as she leaped out of a surrounding bush and tried to pounce on the deer! The unathletic girl was no match for its speed, however, and it bolted away in an instant. She fell to the ground, and the leaves from the bush blew on top of her body.
Yoyoko fell to her knees, the light leaving her eyes. “W-Why!?”
Nijika stepped out of the bush that Hitori ruined. “Sh-She wasn’t lying about her dedication to hunting a deer… she’s truly scared of a bear attack.”
Hitori pushed herself off the ground and whined. As her body lifted, cracking sounds could be heard. “I... I broke my spear!”
Nijika went to help her stand up, slinging Hitori’s arm over her shoulder. “Ohtsuki-san, we should get back to our place.”
Hitori frowned as Nijka helped her walk. I only made that spear to protect us from bears, not to hunt deer... we’re doomed.
Yoyoko smiled. “I remember where we came from! Let’s go back!”
By the time the Food Team returned to their camp, the Shelter Team was already there, assembling their tepees.
The color from Yoyoko’s face vanished. “Wh-What are these?”
Kita slightly kneeled and extended her hands towards one of their creations. “It’s a tepee!”
Nijika let go of Hitori and walked over to one of them. She lowered her hand to her waist. “Maybe a squirrel could live in these... they’re way too small for a human!”
Yoyoko couldn’t get any words out of her mouth. These can’t be more than three feet tall! The sticks used in the bases are weak, and the leaves they’re laying over the stick are too skinny! I could tell that these are terrible even without my research!
Hitori scratched her head. “Can we hang mine on a tree? Hehe.”
Ryo brought her hand to her chin. “Maybe, I don’t know if that’s possible though…”
Yuyu walked over to Yoyoko and put her hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’s the thought that counts. They may not look secure, but I put all the protective spells I know on them.”
Yoyoko sighed. “Uhm, sure... yeah.”
“ IN YOUR DREAMS! ” She kicked over the three pitiful tepees.
Yoyoko coughed and made an announcement. “It’s getting dark, forget the shelters and the food! Let’s just make a campfire to protect us tonight.”
Kita’s eyes swirled as she looked over her ruined creation. “Wha… why...”
Hitori hobbled over to her and put her hand on her shoulder. “I know how you feel, Kita-chan. I too, lost my masterpiece.”
Ryo turned to Yoyoko. “So how are we going to make this campfire?”
Yoyoko smiled. “Let’s see, we need some rocks and wood. Not just any wood, though. Notice how it has been misty all day? That means there’s a lot of moisture in the air. We can’t use any slightly damp wood. So in simple words, only dry wood, that’s been unexposed to the air. Let’s see if we can find any fallen sticks of bushes, the leaves should have absorbed most of the moisture around them. It’s not worth it to put any extra effort into-”
“HAAAAAARGH!” Nijika roared as she slammed her fist into a tree, splinters flying through the air as it pulverized with one blow. After a snapping noise, its top half fell over.
Kita covered her mouth with her hands. “I didn’t know you could do that!”
Nijika crossed her arms and basked in the glory. “Seika taught me how. We don’t have a bouncer at Starry, so she took some classes.”
Yoyoko looked at them with unimpressed eyes. “Did you listen to anything I said?”
Suddenly, the group of four girls huddled around the snapped tree heard a sound very familiar to them: the sound of a guitar.
Kita immediately turned her head toward the tune. “A- An E string?”
They rushed over to the source of the noise. They found Hitori and Yuyu around a lot of desecrated bushes. They both had makeshift instruments.
Yuyu frowned. “Why isn’t my bass working? We both used spider silk for our strings. My wood must have been from a tree spirit…”
She turned towards Hitori and smiled. “Your guitar sounds really good though, Bocchi-chan!”
Yoyoko’s jaw dropped. “Wh-When did you two even bond? ”
Without permission, Ryo took the guitar from Hitori’s hands and strummed it. “I approve. Bocchi, this is your true calling. We won’t have to buy instruments anymore- you can just make them for us.”
Yuyu handed the makeshift bass over to Nijika. After examining it, she worriedly turned to Yoyoko. “These instruments are made from dry wood…”
A tear fell from Yoyoko’s left eye. “You guys used all the wood from the bushes to make these!? Now we need to get it from even further into the forest! No more messing around!”
The campfire crackled, being the only source of light the young musicians had in the dark night. They were surrounding the campfire, sitting on scattered logs that they dragged over. Yoyoko and Yuyu on one log, Hitori and Kita on another, and Nijika and Ryo on the last log. They formed a triangle around the flames.
Luckily, Yoyoko had also packed a lighter alongside her silver compass. Thanks to the tool, it wasn’t an issue to get the fire going after they gathered all of the dry wood they needed.
The group was silent, unanimously choosing to watch the fire dance in the air rather than talk. Occasionally, some animals would critter in the trees above them or chirp, but that didn’t worry the girls. They felt safe in each other's company.
Yoyoko looked down. I’m sure we’re all thinking the same thing... just how are we going to get back to safety? We’ve eaten most of our trail mix, and don’t have other remaining food...
Her stomach rumbled. I really appreciate all the fun we’ve had, it’s taken quite a lot of stress off of the situation. But we have to start taking this seriously sooner rather than later...
A strum. Hitori... strummed the guitar.
After a few moments, she strummed her guitar again. It may only produce a single sound- but she continued to flick its string.
Nijika began to pat the hollow log she sat on, creating a consistent rhythm of echoes.
Ryo pulled out the makeshift bass and began to strum its string, even if it barely made a whisper.
Kita began to vocalize some medium notes to go along with the playing.
Yoyoko’s vision began to be obscured with water as she listened to Kessoku Band’s performance. She and Yuyu locked eyes and smiled. Somehow, someway, they were going to be alright.
Yuyu clapped after they were done playing. “That was amazing!”
Yoyoko meekly nodded. “I-I have to admit, you played well…”
The four members of Kessoku Band exchanged glances and smiled.
Yuyu cleared her throat. “Well then, how about we exchange some scary stories? There’s no way we sit around a campfire at night and don’t try to spook each other.”
Kita viciously nodded. “Yes! I’m ready!”
Nijika wrapped her arm around Ryo’s. “Eek! I’m going to be scared!”
Yuyu checked on Ryo and Hitori before speaking up again. “Okay then, I’ll start~”
She leaned over the campfire and began to tell her story. “A long time ago, a submarine was deployed off the Southern coast of Japan’s peninsula. Their objective... was to build a hidden military base on Yakushima Island.”
Kita grabbed Hitori’s arm and squeaked. “Eek! That’s where we are!”
Yoyoko looked at the red-haired girl with unimpressed eyes. Nothing scary has happened yet...
Yuyu nodded. “You’re correct. However, unlike us, the group of men in that submarine never made it to the island, not in physical form, at least. Hehe.”
Nijika closed her eyes. “Wha-what happened to them?” >o<
Yuyu grew a sinister grin. “On the way here, their submarine was attacked by a leviathan! It destroyed their vessel and dragged them to the depths, releasing their souls…”
Yoyoko slowly swiveled towards Yuyu. You’re just projecting the fears you had on the ferry!
Yuyu pressed her hand on her heart. “Their souls dispersed into the area! The captain took over the leviathan’s body, and the others possessed fish…”
She turned toward Hitori. “...and some even made it all the way up to control Yakushima’s wildlife. Including their bears.”
Hitori began to melt. Kita tried her best to keep herself in a human shape. “Hit-Hitori-chan! Come back!”
Yuyu laughed sinisterly. “Who knows? They may still be trying to complete their top-secret mission and build a base in Yakushima. Of course, they’d have to clear out any tourists first…”
Suddenly, the bushes around them began to move.
Hitori suddenly turned into a stone statue. She barely got a few words out in this form, “A- A bear! The b-bear’s here!”
The bushes continued to shake, prompting Nijika to stand up. “H-Hey.. S-something’s really here!”
Yoyoko began to sweat. Th-There’s no way that story was true! I would have heard about it during my research. But... if one of the soldiers in a bird heard us spill the beans, he probably told the one possessing the bear to take us out!
Yuyu began to laugh. “Heh. Heheh. I... don’t know what that is!”
The group focused their attention on the bush as the mammal inside exited, sticking its head out and roaring a voice that nobody could mistake.
“Oiiii!”
Their faces all switched from worry and anticipation to disappointment.
Yoyoko frowned. Wh-what’s Hiroi nee-san doing here?
Kikuri plopped herself down next to Nijika, squishing her against Ryo. She laughed. “I was wondering where you guys were! Heh.”
Yoyoko lowered her eyebrow. “How did you find us, exactly? Wait, are we near the trail!?”
She laughed in response. “No, not at all~. Listen, I saw ya supplies on the trail and thought maybe ya went off-course by mistake, so I went searching!”
Hitori looked at the ground. Oh yeah, I never got to pick up my stuff off the trail, I was dragged away...
Kikuri slapped her knee. “Then get this, I heard a musical performance from over ‘ere! The drinks in Yakushima must be 101% alcohol if they got me imaginin’ like this!
Yoyoko stood up and walked over to Kikuri, rubbing her shoulders. “You need to go to bed... we all should.”
The pairs on each log made eye contact and nodded in agreement.
Yoyoko helped Kikuri lie on the floor and looked around. “Let’s roll the logs away from the campfire. That should leave enough space for it not to be a fire hazard.”
Darkness quickly overtook the forest. Nobody could see more than a few feet ahead of them or around their campfire. Even many of the forest critters shuffling around chose to be quiet- only the occasional cicadas cried out.
Kikuri was already asleep by the time everyone else was ready to. Ryo and Nijika were next to knock out in a makeshift bed of leaves they assembled in a few minutes.
Yuyu rubbed her eyes and yawned. “Yoyoko-senpai, let’s sandwich Hiroi so she doesn’t do anything disastrous when we’re asleep.”
Yoyoko nodded. She followed Yuyu over to Kikuri, who was sleeping on the ground.
Yoyoko lay down with her back against Kikuri’s, and her front facing the campfire. Even though Kikuri was drunk and practically useless, her presence gave her the comfort she needed to relax truly.
Kita and Hitori finished padding their leaf bed and rested on it. The two looked up toward the night sky.
Dreary, Hitori pointed up at a cluster of stars. “That one is the Little Dipper, I think.”
Kita yawned and let out a mellow smile. “Wow. Is it rare to see a constellation? There’s only so many of them…”
Hitori slowly shook her head. “No... I don’t think so. It’s probably harder to even see the stars in the first place since our city’s light covers them up…”
Kita softly giggled. “I’m glad that everyone else is asleep. This might sound kind of silly, but I’m glad we got lost. It’s been a lot of fun...”
Hitori nodded and began to drift to sleep with a smile.
Yoyoko of course, heard their short chat in its entirety. She had to stay awake and ensure the fire never spread. She'd never want her friends to be put in danger, after all.