Chapter Text
It hadn’t been a huge week for More More Jump so far, a rare occasion for the quickly growing idol group. Airi wanted to catch up with a few friends and decided a little more weekly free time wouldn’t hurt. The other 3 seemed to share the sentiment, especially after last week’s mess.
As Airi sat in her room, she had somewhat regretted that decision. Ena had come down with a pretty bad cold after staying out in the rain, so their cafe visit was put on hold. Very sad for the both of them after so long apart. Also very stupid of Ena, Airi had told her.
Of course, the break was good for the idol group, and Airi made plans for this early last month… though now that Airi had nothing to do…
She had already looked through the whole house in search of really anything to do, even contemplating stealing her younger sister’s painting supplies before deciding against it.
Maybe she could head to sleep… she hadn’t been getting much lately. Not that Airi was sleep deprived, she just wasn’t tired enough to fall asleep when she usually did. She knew it would pass, nothing was worse than her middle school insomnia after all…
Just as she went to stand up, Airi heard the familiar sound of a vocaloid pop up from her phone…
"Airi!"
She turned back to her phone that was almost abandoned to charge on her desk for the.. afternoon nap. She noticed Miku coming from said charging device.
"Miku? What’s up? You seem panicked.."
"It’s SEKAI! There’s been a problem.."
If Airi was being honest, she started getting worried that what happened last time SEKAI had been "attacked" and it freaked her out a little… but, Miku was right here.
"Really? Are you ok, Miku? And the others?"
"Yea, don’t worry too much, Airi! There’s just a weird orb- we think it’s some kind of glitch in SEKAI."
"A glitch? In SEKAI? I’ll come check it out. I’ve got nothing better to do…"
If Airi was being honest, she didn’t even know SEKAI could have glitches or bugs… it didn’t seem to be harmful from what Airi was hearing, though she was a little unsure what to do about it.
Airi pressed play on her phone.
——————
Shizuku didn’t know what she was going to be doing for a while. It was very unfamiliar to the busy idol, for so long in her life, all she had to do was be places…
When Airi had first mentioned last month they’d have quite some free time in their schedule, Shizuku was excited for her break. Hanging out with friends and just having free time for personal hobbies felt like a dream come true… especially after last month. Even if last month was her fault.
So, really, you could only imagine her excitement when she saw a post saying that there would be a Leo/Need concert on her afternoon off, it wouldn’t even be too far away!
And you could really imagine her disappointment when she figured out she was a whole month off the date. Shizuku had even cried a little.. how would she tell Airi she needed another day off.. and now she couldn’t surprise Shii!
Shizuku now had nowhere to be, and nothing to do… she could cook something, but she was always nervous about cutting her hands. Airi warned her of the fact, who had a few cuts on her hands from the same thing.
Maybe Shizuku would do some yoga? She had to stretch all the time anyways, though… she supposed if it was truely the only thing to pass the time…
She starts heading to her room, deciding to just do it. It would be better for her to keep up, even in her breaks.
But, just as Shizuku goes to put some background music on-
"Ah, Shizuku! Good afternoon!"
"Oh! Good afternoon, Rin, do you need something?"
Rin looked a little stressed, which put Shizuku off a little. She only contemplated it being something stupid for a second, Rin rarely ever looked that way.
"Yes, actually, there’s something with SEKAI! Could you come see it?"
"Something wrong with SEKAI?"
Shizuku could only recall one time something was happening in SEKAI that had been wrong. She was sure if that was happening again, Rin would be much more panicked…
"Yea! It’s like there’s a… glitch? At least, that’s what Miku said when she asked me to get you. It’s some kind of orb."
"I see, should I ask the others to come and see?"
More More Jump had been extremely close lately, so it wasn’t much of a question. If Shizuku was going, she’d at least have to bring Airi with her!
Airi was busy today with Ena, though.. Shizuku would have to ask Haruka. She would definitely be a little more mature about the situation than if she brought Minori or went on her own.
"Don’t worry, Shizuku! Miku and other others went to bring them, so they’ll be there too!"
Shizuku probably shouldn’t waste much longer talking rather than going to see what was going on…
"I’ll be there, Rin, thank you!"
Shizuku quickly pressed play on her phone.
——————
Haruka was having an extremely good day. Not to say that everyday wasn’t a good day, but today was her day off. Her day off with a booking in the penguin cafe! Her favourite penguin cafe!
A booking at the penguin cafe that had just ended… a little earlier than she expected. Perhaps she had been a little more hungry than expected. Now she was free, so she started walking to the mall. She wanted to buy a new scarf with all the cold weather recently. One stores website also showed a cat sweater, Airi would love it…
Heading there was slightly annoying, she always took the back route and had to wear her disguise… seriously, how did this thing work? It was cheap sunglasses, a small hat, sometimes a mask, but she had it pulled down from the heat.. just wear something a little darker and she was apparently unrecognisable!
As she took a turn to a discreet street, her phone lit up in her pocket. Haruka swiftly pulled it out to see Luka with a slightly stressed look on her face.
"Ah..! You’re not Ha-.. my mistake! Haruka! That disguise is really convincing!"
Seriously, what the hell..!? It was a hat and glasses! Any other hat and glasses and they would see her immediately!
"Oh, Luka? Well, I was just going shopping! What’s up?"
"Do you think you have time to come to the SEKAI? There’s a bit of an issue!"
"Sure..? What’s going on?"
Haruka knew things could go wrong with SEKAI, but it didn’t seem to be anything immediate, and they wouldn’t bring Haruka or anyone else if there was any imminent danger…
"There’s some kind of bug or something…? There’s a strange orb. We’re all here but you."
"Everyone? From MMJ?"
Was Haruka the last person they asked..? And wasn’t Airi and Shizuku busy today..? To Haruka’s knowledge, only Minori should be there. Was it that urgent?
"Yea, apparently Airi and Shizuku weren’t busy when the others checked on them. I didn’t want to pop up when you were in the cafe, so I thought I should just wait."
Ah, it was when she was there. That made more sense. Haruka started heading to play their once untitled song.
"Got it, coming now."
Luka dipped away as Haruka pressed play.
——————
Minori had been in the SEKAI for a while, that being almost all day. She had gotten unlucky again, completely forgetting about their time off until a week beforehand. Everyone else was busy already, leaving Minori with her last option. The vocaloids.
She had been hanging out with them all day, learning some silly side dances from online trends and such. She already knew most of them, but she even discovered a new song while scrolling.
While ranting about "The wonders of Gentiana" (something Miku would very certainly know about) a strange loud distorted noise started blaring across the SEKAI…
Minori and the others all covered their ears, waiting as the sound slowly faded out. Minori looked up to see a small patch of what seemed to be a glitching particles ahead of her. She went to go closer but-
"Careful, Minori. It could be dangerous." KAITO promptly reminded Minori that whatever was forming over there could be dangerous.
Getting hurt in SEKAI was very much possible, Minori had hurt herself many times just being clumsy and tripping over herself (and the others at times)…
It was also able to be brought back to the real world, much to others dismay. Minori had heard Rui complaining about it quite a few times, something about some "Super Star Rocket". In Minori’s opinion, it sounded rather cool…
"Sorry KAITO!! I didn’t think about that, I won’t touch it!"
"Good, I’m going to talk to Miku. Maybe she can get the others."
"Ok! See you soon, KAITO!"
Minori enthusiastically waved goodbye as KAITO went to get Miku, the latter seemed rightfully frozen in fear. After what happened to the SEKAI last time, though…
Minori sat down and observed the glitchy spot, she then noticed something in the middle… a small orb had formed, and as the glitches died out, it quickly grew is size. Was it about to swallow SEKAI whole..!?
Minori frantically opened her phone and tried to call out to the other vocaloids, but slowed down her panic as the orb suddenly halted. It had been a little bigger than a basket ball now.. Minori decided she should tell the others when they-
"Hey! Minori! What happened? Are you ok?"
Minori got a little startled, eyes darting up to unexpectedly see-
"Airi!"
The one and only Momoi Airi was now here to save Minori from the evil glowing orb!
"Minori, yes! What’s going on?"
Minori was then reminded she had to tell Airi some sort of story as to why there was a glowing orb floating in front of her…
——————
"Well, I was just sitting here until a loud blaring noise came… when we looked back, there was a glitchy spot! After KAITO left to talk to Miku and the others, it suddenly started growing an orb!"
"Well, I only knew about the orb.. how strange."
Minori had a confused look on her face.
"Huh..? But they didn’t see the orb happen!"
That made sense, actually. Minori had said KAITO left to talk to Miku and the others, but Miku had pretty much immediately gotten Airi..
"Well.. I think Miku just knows everything!"
Airi let out a loud and embarrassing yelp as the surprise comment from none other than Shizuku comes from behind her…
"Shizuku! You scared the ever loving fuck out of me, don’t just come out of nowhere like that!"
"Sorry, Airi… I just wanted to say something…"
Airi always felt kind of guilty seeing Shizuku immediately turn into some whining guilty puppy that just chewed your shoe… nonetheless, she should stop scaring her like that!
"Yea, yea.. I forgive you, what were you saying about Miku?"
"I’m pretty sure Miku just knows everything here, she’s Miku.."
Shizuku made a very fair point when she wasn’t scaring Airi half to death. She was Hatsune Miku, and this was in a way her SEKAI…
"Miku is so smart! Maybe we can ask her later!"
Minori chimes back in, a little oddly quiet. Maybe she was worrying about the orb…? The SEKAI seemed to change and listen to Minori more than the other girls..-
"Miku what? What’s-"
"AH!"
SERIOUSLY..! Haruka too!? Was everyone’s goal to just scare the shit out of Airi today!?
"Seriously, can’t you guys make yourself known before you speak!?"
"Sorry, Airi. I was just curious about this orb, it’s kind of ominous."
What an insincere apology… well, it was a fair enough reason considering the unknown floating orb in front of them.
"Well, Minori said there was a loud noise then this was here. Miku and the others went to get us.. say, what took you so long?"
Airi questioned, knowing she was probably just busy and doing something else first. Kind of like what Airi was meant to be doing… stupid Ena.
——————
"I was at a cafe, it was rather busy so Luka waiting before she came to get me."
A collection of words similar to "you had something to do?" rang across the stage where they sat. Didn’t Airi and Shizuku have plans..?
"Didn’t you two have plans? Did something come up or something?"
"Huh? I didn’t have plans, that’s why I’m here.."
Maybe she should’ve specified who. Minori had been a bit too dense to plan ahead and didn’t have any plans, Haruka wasn’t too sure why Minori thought Haruka would be referring to her. Minori had always been kind of inane.
"Sorry, Minori. Airi and Shizuku."
"Oh." Minori hardly consealed the giggle behind her oops face..
"Never change, Minori." Airi chimed in, Haruka thoroughly agreed with her.
Turning back to Airi and Shizuku, who now has their arms linked.. they looked so gay. Well, they were.. they were all together, after all.
"I was going to go to Shii’s concert, but I misread the date.. I’ve been at home all day."
That sounds exactly like something Shizuku would do.
"What, were you holding the poster upside down too?"
Haruka can’t help but giggle at Airi’s remark, Shizuku had actually been holding her phone upside down a few times.. screen lock is a real devil for her and only her. Then again, she gets confused when there’s no screen lock aswell.
"Anyways, I was meant to meet up with Ena today. Stupid idiot was out in the rain and got sick, though."
"Oh, I see.."
It made Haruka feel some sympathy for Airi, especially knowing her time with friends was extremely important to her, maybe more than anyone in More More Jump!
A voice suddenly cuts through the small moment of silence.
"Everyone! I’m back!"
Miku returned, looking cheerful.
"Miku! Do you know what this orb is?"
Minori, finally speaking up again, raised the question they were all wondering. Everyone has turned to Miku expectedly.
"Well, I don’t know for sure, but it’s definitely some kind of glitch linked to the tree of feelings… if we don’t touch it, it should be fixed soon!"
That made sense. The tree of feelings was still weird to all of them, maybe except for Minori..
Speaking of Minori-
——————
As Minori went to rise up from her sitting position on the floor, she stumbles a little on a plot convenient dent in the stage. She hardly registers the fact that she was now falling forwards… straight into the thing she was just told not to touch.
A few yelps of her name were heard, but everything went black a moment after being surrounded by the warmth of the mysterious orb…
What was happening? She didn’t feel scared, nor compelled to speak… surely she’d be ok.
Maybe…
——————
Shizuku looked ahead in a panic, having just witnessed her girlfriend fall straightforward into the orb.
Shizuku pretty quickly remembered that if she was panicking, Airi was likely..
"MIKU! GET HER BACK, PLEASE! WHY THE FUCK IS THERE A DENT THERE, WHY!?"
Airi had always shown her concern for her lovers, she was loud and expressive about it. Even if it just gave the impression she had some kind of anger problem. Shizuku had always been used to it, Airi was just like that.
"Sorry, Airi..! I didn’t know about that… Minori is fine, she’s probably just going to be a little different when you see her next!"
Shizuku observes Haruka let out a brief sigh at the confirmation, said blue hair woman was holding Airi now too. Whether it was to calm her partner down or the reflex to hold her back, Shizuku wasn’t sure.
"SO THEN WHERE IS SHE? IN THE REAL WORLD? IN DANGER BECAUSE SHE-"
"Airi, please calm down a little. Miku said she’s fine, yea? I doubt she’d be in the real world, her phone is right there."
Shizuku looked to where Haruka had been looking down, where Minori’s phone indeed sat.
"Fine, but we have to go find her! Let go of me now..!"
Airi was pretty desperate to find Minori, Shizuku agreed, though you could see how much she enjoyed being held too…
"Haruka, should we go backstage? I don’t think we’d be able to find Minori in the crowd..!"
Shizuku found her voice again, selfishly requesting they go backstage first. Even Shizuku knew she would get lost in the maze of people..
"That’s a fair point, plus, the crowd is made from our feelings. They would probably help us find her and move out the way, but they’re not."
"Oh! Yea, that makes sense!"
Shizuku was slightly interrupted before she could move onto the next thought by a sound getting more familiar by the week..
That noise being Airi purring, which was super cute.
"Ok, I’ve tamed the beast, let’s go."
Haruka turns around, cutting off Airi from receiving the hug she had been comfortable in before.
"W-Who are you calling a beast!? Let’s just find Minori!"
Shizuku giggled lightly as Airi grabbed her hand to encourage her towards the backstage door, Miku following behind.
The door slowly creaked open as Haruka peeked her head in first, Shizuku could vaguely make out one thing though…
"Hello…?"
That voice…