Taking their hand off the rectangular device and placing it back on the table. A white light runs through the table and climbs up the orb; its glow intensifies before settling down, looking larger than it previously was. Just like that the table creaks and shifts to the new size of the orb. 

 

As the glow fades, we get to see that surrounding our characters in this giant space are shelves amongst shelves with various orbs of several colors and sizes in a half circle that leads to a giant gateway.

 

As for the appearances of our cast. Well, That's a tale for another time.

 

As for who I am? You'll find out soon enough.

 

"Alright, so let's go round the table counterclockwise! At the time you were-" (Hotaru)

 

"Dining and fighting?" (Makoto)

 

"Snacking and speaking to the dead!" (Hotaru)

 

"Fighting and shopping!" (Kohaku)

 

"Dying~!"  (Hibiki)

 

Everyone took a long pause; you could've heard a pin drop and it would've echoed through the dome. Just when Kohaku was opening his mouth, the same voice continued.

 

"Oh and being experimented on." (Hibiki)

 

Kohaku decided to drop whatever he was about to say while Makoto let out a small cough before keeping the conversation going.

 

"In either case, it's done."  (Makoto)

 

"Right, so I want to know how you guys feel about it?" (Hibiki)

 

"The experiments?" Hotaru arched one of her eyebrows while looking at him.

 

"Nah, just this whole thing. It's a little weird at first but you'll get used to it over time." Hibiki waved his arms about, leading the others to look at the various orbs that spiraled around them.

 

Kohaku got out of his seat and flew up to get a closer look at one of the orbs, the others shared a look before following him.

 

"Now, we're helping to make these?" (Kohaku)

 

"It's not like we haven't been, dummy." (Hotaru)

 

"I guess that's true. But it's just not the same, you know." (Kohaku)

 

"I've been too busy." (Makoto)

 

"More like less trusting. Not to say I don't get it." (Hibiki)

 

"Aw, come on! Group hug!" Hotaru teared up while extending her arms.

 

The others looked at one another and just as Hotaru was putting her hands down, she was encompassed by the three bum-rushing into her: pushing all of them to the right and nearly bumping into one of the curved cases.

 

Swirling together as they all shared a laugh.

 

"Oh, you don't know how much I needed that." (Hotaru)

 

"I think we all did." (Kohaku)

 

"I didn't." (Makoto)

 

"Oh really? You hear that?" (Kohaku)

 

"Your majesty, it can't be!" (Hotaru)

 

"You still can't hide a smile, your highness!" (Hibiki)

 

"Dang it…" (Makoto)

 

"Haha!" (Kohaku)

 

Breaking up the hug, they all watched the orbs spiral upwards with scenes of various people they recognized. Reminiscing and talking over the good and the bad while they made their descent back to the table.

 

"Besides your grace's failure at being stoic, how are we feeling about the first sets?" (Hibiki)

 

"It was alright…"  (Makoto)

 

"I liked it. I only wish you wouldn't expose me like that!" (Hotaru)

 

"I regret nothing!" (Hibiki)

 

"I'll get you back for this!" (Hotaru)

 

"I can't wait." (Hibiki)

 

"Let's just play nice. I had fun making it." (Makoto)

 

"I did too. Do we have to stick to four days though?" (Kohaku)

 

"It would be nice, but I don't mind sticking to two as the minimum." (Hibiki)

 

"Really? No matter what you have to cover the next day~." Hotaru sneered from ear to ear with her eyes like crescent moons, it'd be much easier to see her like this if it wasn't for the composure she normally kept in other company.

 

Around her friends? That was lost on them.

 

"Watch it, Short-stack." Rolling his eyes before separating the little rectangular device from the table; tossing it into the air 40 feet into the air before catching it.

 

"Hey! I'm pretty tall for a human, Bigfoot! I could switch whenever!" (Hotaru)

 

"That's right! I forgot you're still a pipsqueak then too." (Hibiki)

 

"Play. Nice." Placing his elbow onto his armrest and having his head against his hand, the noble aura of Makoto was enough to have others like him on their knees, begging for mercy.

 

"Hmph!" (Hotaru+ Hibiki)

 

That at least was the case for those he could hold power over, everyone else just took it like a gust in the wind for after all this time, he could only replicate the effect.

 

"They haven't changed." Hibiki sighed whilst Kohaku yawned fracturing the aura.

 

"Not much." Makoto could only agree before sitting up straight.

 

"Says the person avoiding talking about themself." Hotaru turned her gaze to Makoto like she wasn't one of the people who got reprimanded in the first place.

 

"You can't tell me that you wouldn't take advantage of hearing someone else talk." (Makoto)

 

"... Okay, maybe a little. but the rule was to focus on us!" (Hotaru)

"I mean, they did for most of it." (Kohaku)

 

"That's true and I must say combining your perspective and Mabui's, very nice use." (Hibiki)

 

"See, it was fine!" (Makoto)

 

Everyone took a seat and watched small birds come through from one of the gateways carrying basket after basket of snacks. Hopping in her seat, Hotaru was clapping along inviting even more. Makoto and Kohaku could only roll their eyes while Hibiki crossed his arms and gave a slow chuckle.

 

"This bitch…" (Hibiki)

 

"Hm? You said something." As if popping out of her own little bubble, Hotaru turned her attention toward the group.

 

"Nope, we're good here." Hibiki rests their head against their elbow on the table.

 

"If that the case-" Kohaku started rubbing his hands together, igniting a golden light to appear between his hands when the warmth of the room was sucked out, replaced by the frigid pressure Hibiki gave off.

 

The birds made a quick escape through the gateway before it was slammed shut. The warmth of the room returned.

 

"Don't. You. Dare." (Hibiki)

 

"So, the small stuff?" (Makoto)

 

"Within reason, you fu…" (Hibiki)

 

Hibiki's sentence died off when he looked at the very chair he made was replaced with a grand throne that looked like it was made of the very emptiness of space itself...

 

The chair floated off the ground while projecting a stream of starlight as if it was keeping the chair aloft. Makoto smirked at everyone, making an effort to slowly lean into his seat.

 

"Oh, don't mind me." (Makoto)

 

Without pause, a burst of laughter came from the lips of the other two that could wake a dragon from their slumber. Kohaku fell out of his seat while holding his stomach on the ground while Hotaru was trying not to choke on a fruit she popped into her mouth.

 

"AHAHA!" (Kohaku)

 

"The look on your face!" (Hotaru)

 

Without a single word, Hibiki tapped on the table and all the lines became a vibrant green before he relaxed into his seat with a smile on his face.

 

"Alright, if we're going to play that game, we all have three hours to make this place a little homier." (Hibiki)

 

"H-Hey…" (Kohaku)

 

"I was gonna cook our meal but since Hotaru was so gracious to supply us. I'm sure she'd be willing to share." (Hibiki)

 

"Uh…" (Hotaru)

 

"Right?" With a wide grin, Hibiki's commercial smile brought chills down the backs of everyone else even while averting his gaze.

 

Over a minute, the group watched Hotaru shift her eyes back and forth from the pile of food to Hibiki and back to the food. Her sweat could've filled a pool if her outfit didn't cool her off to the point of a fog cloud surrounding her.

 

When Hibiki finally dropped the smile, Hotaru coughed the words out of her mouth.

 

"... T-These aren't a-all for me…" (Hotaru)

 

"Eh? Really? Could've fooled me." (Hibiki)

 

"..." The cloud expanded further out to encompassing both the whole table and everybody, not the most pleasant thing but it was refreshing.

 

"I can't even." (Hibiki)

 

"I'LL SHARE BUT AFTER DINNER!" (Hotaru)

 

"YOU BETTER AND FINE!" With a wave of a hand, a heavy wind blew over the table and revealed the ever-growing number of snacks and birds flying in but that wasn't the only change.

 

"You two are going to explain that at some point right." Makoto had what looked to be a tablet of some sort sinking into his chair without leaving a trace.

"...Probably…" (Hibiki+Hotaru)

 

"We'll see if we get there." Kohaku on the other hand had not one, not two but three large bags behind him.

 

"What's the date after this?" (Hotaru)

 

"We all started with the same date so…" (Kohaku)

 

"June 22, 1987, since everyone decided to cover 2 days." (Hibiki)

 

"An interesting date." (Makoto)

 

"Isn't it." (Hibiki)

 

"Oh! Okay so you'll cover the 22nd and 23rd then Kohaku will be the 24th and 25th then so on, right?" (Hotaru)

 

"Exactly. If you miss a day important to what's happening just mention a bit of it that matters." (Hibiki)

 

"You do this for all of them?" Kohaku gestured to the spiral of spheres around them.

 

"Are you going to be annoying about it?" Hibiki crossed their arms

 

"No…"  (Kohaku)

 

"Not in the way we're doing this but pretty much, I do have to fix up the rest, we have time though." (Hibiki)

 

"Then how many are we doing?" (Hotaru)

 

"I'll let you three decide, I did enough work breaking into your places." (Hibiki)

 

"You could've just contacted us." (Kohaku)

 

"And have to deal with everyone else when you don't respond? Yeah, no thanks." (Hibiki)

 

"Let's stick with four parts. Having to cram a fight wasn't great." (Makoto)

 

"But, what if we're in the middle of something at the time if you want to go by days." (Kohaku)

 

"Simple you summarize that and move on to what's happening." (Makoto)

 

"Ew." (Hibiki)

 

"I thought you weren't helping."  (Makoto)

 

"Ugh, fine! I started here since it's around the time we met. A little peek at where we were before then." (Hibiki)

 

"A peek, is that what you called it?" (Kohaku)

 

"Get over yourself. I've just had to deal with everyone else first." (Hibiki)

 

"AND YOU DO THAT TO EVERYONE?!" (Kohaku)

 

"You aren't the only one dealing with them." (Hotaru)

 

"Exactly, you get it. The rest of you just don't have to do it as much. Nobody escapes." (Hibiki)

 

"I feel like there's a threat in there…" (Makoto)

 

"Don't read into it." (Hibiki)

 

*Growl*

 

"Ah, I see! So that's why you came here!" (Hibiki)

 

"N-No!" (Makoto)

 

"There's no need to get embarrassed! I was going to make us something" (Hibiki)

 

"For free?!" (Hotaru)

 

"... Yes?" (Hibiki)

 

"Oh, thank god!" (Hotaru)

 

"You've been going back there too often." (Kohaku)

 

"Shut up, I'm poor!" (Hotaru)

 

"Now, I know for sure you're lying." (Kohaku)

 

"Tch!" (Hotaru)

 

"Speaking of which how are things going for you?" (Hibiki)

 

"Well, if you have to know-" (Hotaru)

 

"Never mind then." (Hibiki)

 

"NO! I'M SORRY!" (Hotaru)

 

"Fine. You were saying?" (Hibiki)

 

"I managed to restore the capital, but it's still sealed off." (Hotaru)

 

"Oh wow! Guess you have been working hard." (Kohaku)

 

"That's right! But what's for lunch?" (Hotaru)

 

"The plan was for Gyudon today if that's alright with all of you?" (Hibiki)

 

"Again, for free?" (Hotaru)

 

"...Who hurt you?" (Hibiki)

 

"Sounds good to me." (Kohaku)

 

"We can keep going if you want afterward."  (Makoto)\

 

"LET'S DO IT!" (Hotaru)

 

In that very instant, everyone stood up and vanished with 2 and a half hours to freely decorate the space they made their secret base before a nice meal.

 

***

*Cough*

 

"Fuck me…" (???)

 

**Click**