Work Text:
Thirty-seven minutes. Mafuyu had been staring at this page, attempting to memorize it, for thirty-seven minutes straight. Usually she was a fast learner. Today, however, the lesson seemed like nothing more than a bunch of gibberish. The words were moving, dancing across the page, taunting her. She could barely keep her eyes open. Maybe it was because she'd stayed up later than normal, working on a new song with the rest of Nightcord. Or maybe it was because she'd gone to school earlier, to help one of her classmates study. Either way, her current suffering was nothing but a result of her own reckless actions. She had to endure it.
But enduring it would be so much easier with something to keep her awake. A cup of coffee would be nice. Unfortunately, Mafuyu's mother had banned her from drinking coffe. What a shame. Looks like she could only rely on her own willpower and motivation this time.
So Mafuyu took a deep breath, picked up a pencil and got back to work. Underlining important information would certainly help her memorize everything more easily. She quickly began rereading the lesson, underlining key words and phrases, but because the universe was just so eager to mess with Mafuyu that day, her pencil tip broke.
With a sigh, she opened one of the drawers from her desk, looking for a pencil sharpener. That was when something else caught her attention. A small, green, carton box. What was it doing in her school supplies drawer? Curiously, she picked the object up to examine it.
"A tea blend..."
Right! How could she forget? It had been a gift from Ena. The artist had also been struggling with not getting enough sleep, so in order to make exhaustion go away, she bought this tea blend. She even gifted a few boxes to the rest of Nightcord. How uncharacteristically kind of her...
Mafuyu had hidden the tea blend in her drawer, afraid that her mother might take it. Mafuyu's mom was very cautious when it came to receiving things from strangers. If she found out that Mafuyu got some strange tea blend from one of her weird online friends that was probably bought from some peculiar online website, she'd probably freak out.
To be fair, Mafuyu had also been a bit sceptical when she found out the tea was from a sketchy site. But Ena drank it, and she was still alive. Certainly it couldn't be too bad....
So Mafuyu went to the kitchen and prepared the tea. Thankfully, her parents weren't home. They wouldn't be for the next hour or so. She made sure to perfectly clean the kitchen and put everything back in place. This way, her parents wouldn't be able to tell the kitchen had been used at all while they were gone. She'd also have to clean the mug after drinking the tea, but that was a problem for later.
She returned to her room and sat back down at the desk. Only then did she realize that she still hadn't found a pencil sharpener. With a sigh, she opened a drawer again, and took out an old, blue pencil case. That's where she kept smaller school supplies, like erasers, ink refillments, and—of course— pencil sharpeners.
However, Mafuyu didn't notice the open zipper. As soon as she took out the pencil case, some of the supplies tumbled to the floor. The girl immediately bent down to pick them up. That's when she noticed something strange. There was a door under her desk—a door that hadn't been there before.
Mafuyu should have ignored it and continued to do her school work, but curiosity got the better of her. Slowly, she opened the door, thus revealing a strange passageway. It was just big enough for her to fit inside.
She hesitated a bit before finally starting to crawl to the tunnel. Just one quick look and she'd turn back in her tracks.
As she went in deeper, her vision improved. At first because her eyes got used to the dark, then because a light appeared in front of her. The end of the tunnel.
𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑
Once she crawled out, Mafuyu became even more confused. She found herself in a bedroom identical to her own.
"Mafuyu? Ah, you're finally here!"
The door opened, and a woman entered the room. She had the same hair, voice and clothes as Mafuyu's mother, yet there was no way it could be her. Mafuyu's mother didn't have buttons in her eyes.
The woman extended her hand to help Mafuyu up. Mafuyu eyed it cautiously before standing up on her own and brushing the dust off her clothes.
"Who are you?"
"Whatever do you mean? Can you not recognize your own mother?"
"You're not my mom. She doesn't have buttons for eyes."
The woman merely chuckled. "But I am your mother. Your other mother."
"I'm pretty sure I only have one mother."
"You see, my darling, that's where you're wrong." Mafuyu flinched at the nickname. "Everyone has another mother. And another father." She said, brushing Mafuyu's bangs out of her face.
"I don't quite follow."
"When a child no longer enjoys being in the real world, another reality is created. One with another mother, another father, other friends..." Her hand moved to caress Mafuyu's cheek. The action was supposed to be comforting, yet it made Mafuyu even more tense. "An alternate reality where everything is perfect, where all your desires come true."
Mafuyu suddenly pulled away from the woman. It all seemed so surreal. The idea of a 'perfect' reality, this strange woman with buttons in her eyes who somehow resembled Mafuyu's mother. It made her feel uneasy, and she wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"As nice as this sounds, I shouldn't linger here any longer. I have homework to finish, and my mother—my real mother—will be upset if it's not done by the time she gets home.
"No need to be in such a rush." Hours spent here are no more than seconds in the real world. Don't you want to explore a little? See what this place has to offer?"
The more curious part of Mafuyu pressed her to stay, yet the more rational part knew she should leave. Letting herself be lead by curiosity was the reason why she ended up in this strange situation. If she kept going like this, things would only get worse.
"I'm sorry... mother. But I really have to go." Mafuyu replied coldly, already walking back to the door.
"I see..." Mafuyu sensed a hint of sadness in her tone, but it was only there for a moment. "It's a shame. You had so many activities planned for today! Your girlfriends will be so disappointed to find out you left so soon..."
Mafuyu's eyes widened, and she whipped her head back, unsure that she heard right. "M-my what..?"
"Your girlfriends, of course." There was a brief pause. This woman realized that Mafuyu was still confused, so she continued. "Those girls you make music with. What were their names again? Kanade, Ena and... Misaki? Or was it Mitsuki?"
"Mizuki." Mafuyu corrected. "Her name is Mizuki, but she's not—neither of them are my girlfriends."
"Maybe not in the real world. But here, everything is perfect. Here you can have everything you've ever wanted. And you do want them—you do love them, don't you?"
Mafuyu opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. She couldn't bring herself to admit that her other mother was right. Kanade, Ena and Mizuki had been there for Mafuyu at the lowest point in her life and had helped her so much. They had been the first people to see Mafuyu's true self and had accepted her. They managed to make Mafuyu genuinely smile on so many occasions. They melted the ice around her heart and made her feel warmth and happiness. Mafuyu was beyond grateful for all that they'd done. She loved them more than anything and wanted to stay with them forever, yet she didn't have the words to express this to them. Could it be possible to stay together, not as friends, but as girlfriends?
"Your silence speaks volumes, darling. You love them, and in this world, they all love you too. So why not stay, at least for a while?"
Mafuyu clenched her fists, nails digging in the palm of her hand hard enough to form crescents. She shouldn't give in. She shouldn't, but she wanted to. She wanted to get a glimpse of this ideal life, to know what a perfect world would look like.
"Where can I find them?"
"They should be at Kanade's house, waiting for you."
"So... can I go there?" She asked hesitantly, finally looking up at her other mother.
"Of course. Just make sure to be back home before it gets dark."
"And you're actually okay with this. With me making music with them, a-and dating them... It doesn't bother you at all?"
The woman's expression softened, and she stepped closer to Mafuyu, gently taking the girl's hands in her own. "Mafuyu, you are my daughter. I want nothing more than for you to be happy, because I love you. I will love you no matter what, alright?"
Mafuyu tried to look away and to hide the tears forming in her eyes, but the woman noticed them and carefully wiped them away, pressing a soft kiss to the girl's forehead once she was done.
This was definitely not Mafuyu's mother. Her real mother didn't act like this, yet Mafuyu wished she would.
The girl took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Once her breaths were steady again, she spoke up. "Thank you, mom. And... I love you too."
Her other mother smiled and pressed another kiss to her face, this time to her cheek.
"Now run along. You wouldn't want to keep your girlfriends waiting any longer, right?"
"Right."
Mafuyu couldn't help the smile that formed on her face. Maybe this other world wasn't so bad after all.
𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑｡ﾟ
Mafuyu took a deep breath before knocking on the door. She wasn't sure what to expect. Sure, she'd hung out with the rest of Nightcord plenty of times before, but it was always as friends. Would being lovers be so different?
The entrance door suddenly opened, interrupting her thoughts. She was surprised to see that the person who opened the door wasn't Kanade but an older woman who shared her hair colour and also wore a pair of button eyes. Could this be...?
"Oh, Mafuyu, you're finally here. Come in; the girls are waiting for you." She gestured for Mafuyu to enter, and the girl obeyed, too stunned to do anything else.
When she found herself inside Kanade's home, yet another surprise welcomed her. The house was spotless. None of the usual thick layers of dust covering the furniture or the items scattered all over the place.
The woman led her to the living room—which Mafuyu was thankful for because she could hardly process what was happening around her.
"Honey, your girlfriend's here!" The woman announced when they finally reached the living room, where Kanade, Ena and Mizuki were currently hanging out.
"Mafuyu!" Mizuki exclaimed and immediately jumped in her arms. Other than the button eyes on display, Mizuki seemed to be mostly the same.
The older woman who resembled Kanade walked past them and picked up an empty plastic bowl from the small coffee table.
"Should I bring you girls more snacks?
"If it's not too much trouble." Ena replied.
"Of course it's no trouble. I want you all to feel at home here." The woman said with a smile as she exited the room.
"Thanks mom!" Kanade called out behind her, confirming Mafuyu's thoughts. So this really was Kanade's mother. This strange 'other world' was even capable of bringing people back from the dead.
As soon as Kanade's mother left, Kanade and Ena were also all over Mafuyu, hugging her and asking her all sorts of questions about how she was doing and how her day had been.
They somehow ended up on the sofa, all cuddled together. Mizuki rested her back against the arm of the sofa while hugging Ena from behind. Mafuyu lay her head in the artist's lap while holding Kanade, who was on top of her.
Mafuyu wasn't used to such displays of affection. It was strange, yet the closeness oddly was comforting.
"I asked my mom to make cheesecake for dessert tonight." Kanade said, smiling up at Ena.
"Really?!" If her eyes hadn't been replaced by buttons, they would definitely be sparkling right now. "That's so sweet of you!"
"Careful, Enanan~" Mizuki said in that teasing tone of hers. "Too much cheesecake will make you gain weight, and then you'll lose all your social media followers!"
"See, that's why Kanade is my favourite girlfriend and not you." Ena said blankly, completely ignoring the fact it was also an insult for Mafuyu.
"You're so mean to me!" Mizuki whined and buried her face in the crook of Ena's neck.
"You started it!"
"Keep it down, you two!" Kanade complained. "I don't want mom to worry."
"Sorry, Kanade..." The two of them replied in tandem.
Kanade wasn't usually this assertive. The role of putting an end to Mizuki and Ena's banter usually fell on Mafuyu's shoulders. Which was a bit of a shame, because their endless arguing was quite entertaining. Still seeing Kanade speak her mind, it was a change she could definitely get used to.
"Good, because this is the only day of the week when I take a break from composing, and I won't let you two take away my peace and quiet."
Okay, maybe assertive and determined Kanade was kind of attractive. This other world was making Mafuyu realize new things about herself.
"Speaking of song making," Mizuki added, "I'm almost done with the first half of our newest video. I just need Ena to send me the last few illustrations."
"Oh, right, the illustrations..." Ena murmured sheepishly.
"You have done them, right, Ena?" Mafuyu asked, already sensing her answer.
"I kind of got sidetracked with a project for my art account... B-but I will get them done by the end of next week, I promise!"
"How irresponsible of you." Mizuki teased.
"I just hit 500k followers on that account, okay? My fans were waiting for a special post, and I couldn't possibly disappoint them."
Mafuyu almost choked when she heard that number. Sure, Ena was a very talented artist, and she deserved the recognition, but she was so used to Ena complaining about how little attention her art got. To see her finally get the attention she longed for and act so casual about it was new.
"You still shouldn't be neglecting your work!" Mizuki scolded her.
"Oh please, as if you never slack off. Just last month you ditched one of our meetings to go shopping with ___ and ___ after school!"
Mafuyu froze at the mention of those names. Those people were two of Mizuki's worst bullies, who always gossiped about her and even outed her to Ena. In the real world, Mizuki didn't get along with them, and the rest of Nightcord absolutely despised them for the suffering they caused. Could they really be Mizuki's friends in this other world?
"Do you get along with those two?" Mafuyu asked, trying her best to keep her tone calm.
"Surprisingly yes!" Mizuki exclaimed, making Mafuyu raise her brow in confusion.
"Surprisingly?" She repeated.
"Well, when we first met, I had the feeling they would judge me for the whole being trans thing. I dunno... they just seemed like the type. But~ my whole class turned out to be pretty accepting! Especially the girls, they always compliment my outfits and even give me tips on how to pass better."
Well this was a surprise. Hearing Mizuki say such nice things about her classmates and talk so openly about her identity was unusual, obviously. But it wasn't the bad kind of surprise. Quite the opposite, Mafuyu was actually happy to see Mizuki so... carefree. She wished the Mizuki from the real world could be this happy. She wished that all three of her girlfriends—well, friends, in the real world—would be this happy. They were all such kind people who had helped Mafuyu so much, and they truly deserved the best.
Maybe she should remain in this world. Kanade, Mizuki and Ena were all happy here. Her mother was happy and proud of her. She was happy here. All of the problems and suffering that plagued her life and the lives of her loved ones were gone, so why not take the opportunity and break free from that miserable reality forever?
Mafuyu pondered the idea for a moment. Then the most important question rose. What would happen to the people in the real world? Her real family and friends? Would they find out why Mafuyu disappeared? Would another Mafuyu with buttons for eyes replace her? Or would her existence get completely erased from their memories? There were so many plausible possibilities... Making a decision while unsure of the outcome was risky. She'd have to ask her other mother for more details.
Her train of thought was broken when Kanade asked her if she was okay. Mafuyu nodded and turned her attention back to her girlfriends. If she couldn't remain here, then she'd have to make the most of the time spent with Nightcord in this world.
𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑
The date had been similar to a normal hangout, minus the fact that her now girlfriends were way more openly affectionate than their real-world counterparts. And also the fact that they had buttons for eyes, which kind of creeped Mafuyu out, but she was starting to get used to it.
As soon as she left Kanade's house and started walking back to her own, she heard a voice calling her name. She looked around for the source, but the street was empty, aside from herself.
"Mafuyu, down here!"
The girl lowered her gaze, only for her eyes to be met with the strangest sight yet.
A cat stood at her feet—a pink, fluffy cat who wore a red ribbon around her ear and who notably didn't have buttons for eyes, unlike all of the people of this world. The cat shared an uncanny resemblance with Mizuki. It quite literally looked like the feline version of the girl.
"Finally! I've been calling you from the window, but you were too busy making out with those puppets to notice." The cat complained. Even after so many peculiar things had happened to her today, Mafuyu was still unsure how to react.
"Who exactly are you?" She asked after a long and uncomfortable silence. The cat scoffed.
"I can't believe you don't recognize my cuteness!" It whined. "I'm Mizuki, obviously!"
Things just got even more confusing. She had just hung out with Mizuki and the others. And the Mizuki of this world was very clearly not a cat.
"But... Mizuki was inside just a minute ago."
"Nope! That's just one of the puppets who inhabit this world."
The cat was talking nonsense. Well, the real Mizuki also talked nonsense a lot. Maybe the cat was Mizuki.
"Puppets..." Mafuyu repeated, waiting for the cat—or the Mizuki—to continue.
"This world was created by the Beldam, an evil creature who feeds on the souls of children. You may know her as your 'other mother'," Mizu-cat explained. Or maybe Meowzuki? Mafuyu should settle on a name. But that was an activity for later, when her life was no longer in danger. She did have a bad feeling about her other mother when she first entered this world, but her kindness had drawn her in and made her want to stay at least a little longer. She should have known that a world where everything was seemingly perfect was too good to be true—a trap to give her a false sense of security before claiming Mafuyu as its prey.
Still, she shouldn't let her guard down around the cat either. Maybe its intentions weren't exactly benevolent.
"How do you know all this? And why should I trust you?"
"I know because I've watched this thing happen before. I'm telling you, this woman is offering to give you the life you've always wanted in order to make you stay. And when you least expect it," The cat suddenly jumped, pawing at Mafuyu's leg, "She'll kill you!"
Mafuyu gently pushed the cat away. It fell onto its side with a trill.
"You still haven't given me a reason to trust you." Mafuyu reminded.
"Because I'm Mizuki! I'm your friend, the real Mizuki. And I'm here to save you with my extended knowledge of TV shows and movies!"
Mafuyu blinked. This conversation was starting to make less and less sense by the second. Sensing Mafuyu's distrust, the cat stepped closer.
"Just look at my eyes! They're not buttons, are they? This is proof that I'm from the real world!"
Mafuyu hummed, considering the cat's words.
"It proves you aren't a puppet, but how do I know you're also from the real world? You may be another creature trying to eat my soul."
The cat went silent.
"W-well, yeah... But I'm not! I really am on your side!"
Mafuyu turned around and started walking back to her house. "Mother wouldn't like me being late for dinner." She said.
"Mafuyu! That's not your mother!" The cat shouted, running after her and cutting off her path.
"That's for me to decide. Thank you for the warning, but I should be fine on my own now."
The cat hesitated for a moment.
"You sure?" It asked, the concern in its eyes looking genuine. Mafuyu almost wanted to trust it.
"I am."
"Well alright... But if you need help, make sure to call for me, yeah?" That earned an amused smile from Mafuyu. If her other mother really was this evil creature trying to devour her soul, how could such a tiny cat help her? Still, seeing the determination in the feline's eyes was endearing.
"Alright, I promise." Mafuyu said with a nod, before continuing to walk back to her house. The cat didn't follow this time. It just sat there, with a concerned yet hopeful expression.
"See you later, Mizuki." Mafuyu whispered, not loud enough for the cat to hear.
☆ﾟ𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑
When Mafuyu arrived home, she found her other mother in the kitchen, making dinner. The dishes looked good, but it wasn't like Mafuyu would be able to taste them anyway.
The other mother—or the Beldam, as the cat had previously called her—moved away from the stove and walked up to Mafuyu, pulling her into a hug that wasn't reciprocated.
"Did you have fun with your girlfriends?" The woman asked, going back to the stove to finish making dinner.
"I did." Mafuyu replied blankly and took a few plates out of the cabinet in order to set the table.
"You don't have to do that. I can manage on my own."
"I don't mind helping."
"Aw, what have I done to deserve such a kind daughter?" The woman mused. "You're so adorable, I could keep you here forever." Mafuyu flinched at her words. Thankfully the other mother was looking away, so she didn't notice.
"You know, you could stay forever if you'd like." The other mother added.
Mafuyu considered her offer for a moment. She had to admit, this world was absolutely perfect. Her friends—or girlfriends—didn't have to suffer; she had a better relationship with her family. It was all she'd ever wanted. Mafuyu might have actually decided to stay if it hadn't been for the cat's warning.
"What's the catch?" She asked, wanting to confirm what Mizuki had told her.
"Whatever do you mean, my darling?" The other mother asked, feigning innocence.
"I don't imagine such a favour could come for free."
Something in the woman's expression shifted. For a moment, and only for a moment, there was a glint of frustration in her eyes. She did her best to hide it, though—that bright and practised smile returning to her face.
"Such a smart girl. I suppose you could say there is a price to be paid. As I'm sure you've already noticed, everyone here has buttons for eyes." She explained. "If you wish to stay and become part of our world, you will have to let me sew buttons on your eyes."
With that, she opened one of the drawers and took out a small velvet box. She held it out for Mafuyu to see and opened it, revealing a pair of buttons, a needle and some thread.
"I know it sounds scary, but it'll only hurt a second. And since you're such a brave girl, I'm sure you'll be able to handle it." She stepped closer. It took all of Mafuyu's courage to not back away. She tried her best to give the other mother a smile before replying.
"I would love to stay, but sewing buttons on my eyes sounds a little scary. Can I have some time to think about it?"
"Of course! I wouldn't expect you to make such a difficult decision so easily." Her smile didn't falter, but there was a barely noticeable hint of annoyance in her tone. "Just let me know when you decide." She set the small box back in the drawer and got back to preparing dinner.
"I'll go back to my room. I still have some homework to finish."
"Alright then, I'll call you when dinner's ready." She said, smiling at Mafuyu. The girl did her best fake smile and turned around to leave.
With that, Mafuyu quickly made her way back to her room.
𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑｡ﾟ
Mafuyu had no plans of actually following through with the homework. Right now, the most important thing was to escape. Sure, she didn't entirely trust the cat, but she definitely didn't trust her other mother. She wanted to sew buttons onto her eyes, and that was a good enough reason to leave.
She closed the bedroom door behind her and immediately went to look under her desk. Thankfully, the door was still there, exactly as she had left it. But when she crouched down to enter the tunnel, she felt something grabbing her—a pair of sharp claws, digging into the skin of her ankle. She had no time to react because she was suddenly dragged away from the door and thrown into the nearest wall.
She groaned at the impact and tried her best to make sense of her surroundings. That's when she saw the creature. Its face was a deformed version of her mother's, with those angry button eyes looking at her dangerously. She was way taller than a normal human, and her limbs were unusually thin, with her palm and fingers made out of needles. So that was what had injured her.
"Did you seriously think you could trick me?" The voice was similar to her mother's but clearly distorted. It gave Mafuyu chills. "I hate stubborn children, but even more than that, I hate liars." She stepped closer and reached out to grab Mafuyu. The girl tried to dodge, but she was still dizzy, so she didn't make it far before the creature took hold of the collar of her shirt and picked her up.
Mafuyu tried to struggle, dangling in the air and attempting to hit the woman. But it was futile. Her hold only tightened.
"Bad kids such as yourself deserve to get punished. And I happen to have just the right thing for you." The other mother said, taking that same velvet box out of her pocket and waving it in front of Mafuyu. "Don't worry, dear, it will only hurt a second."
Mafuyu's eyes went wide. She tried to struggle even more, with frantic, panicked movements, but the creature wouldn't let go. There was truly no way out. She'd never return to the real world. She'd never see her family or her friends. Her mind started replaying all of the fun moments she spent with the rest of Nightcord—the girls she loved so much but would never get to confess to. She thought about Kanade's admirable determination, Ena's adorable anger outbursts and Mizuki's childish teasing. Mizuki... Was the cat she'd seen really Mizuki? Could she have escaped successfully if she hadn't left the cat behind? Could it have helped her?
Perhaps it was foolish, but in one last desperate attempt to stay alive, she called out to the cat.
"Mizuki!"
And to her surprise, there was a response.
"I'm right here!" The cat announced, somehow appearing in the doorway. The other mother turned to her in shock, but before she could say or do anything, the cat jumped on her and started clawing the creature's face. It let out a pained scream and dropped Mafuyu to the floor.
"Go!" The cat shouted. "I'll hold her for as long as I can!"
"But—" Mafuyu tried to protest, but she was cut off.
"I'll be fine, now go!"
Mafuyu didn't need to be told twice. She rushed to the door and began crawling inside the tunnel. She could still hear the cat fighting her other mother, and she hoped it would be alright.
She was almost at the exit. Just a few more steps and—
There was a loud hiss. Then a thud. Then Mafuyu could hear the sound of needles moving inside the tunnel.
No, no, no, no... No!
She was almost there!
Just a little bit closer!
Just a few more steps!
The hand grabbed her again. The feeling of needles digging into skin returned.
Mafuyu screamed as she was dragged right back to that face reality.
𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑
Mafuyu woke up with a gasp. Her hands immediately moved to her eyes to check if they had buttons sewn on them, but everything was normal. She looked around in confusion, only to realize she was in her bedroom, still at her desk with an open notebook in front of her. Right next to it was a half-empty mug, the liquid inside no longer steaming hot.
She fell down to her knees to look under the desk, but there was no door, no tunnel and no other world. Her panic faded in an instant.
Mafuyu stood up and looked around for her phone. One press of a button and she saw only half an hour had passed.
She eyed the mug again. Next time Ena offers her any natural remedies from strange online stores, she'd have to refuse.