“The next thing I knew…I was in the fanroom…I had the journal in my hand…and I knew I had gone back in time…” Chero explained, “And then I became the journal’s owner. The proof that I turned into Feliciano…is…that it was written in the journal that only Feliciano could go back in time by using the journal…”
“Italy…had been here?” Francis pondered, “But…How? If he had used the journal…But yet he was safe and sound outside…He must have escaped somehow…If only I could contact him…Maybe he would remember?”
“So, you made a pact with the monster? It turned back time so it could eat you?” Dante questioned.
“The second time…I didn’t want to come back here. I even tried to stop Jenny…But it was too late, you were already heading here…In the end, no matter how many times I go back in time, I can’t go back to before I told Jenny about this house…The nine of us always come here…Even if the groups change. Always.”
“So…that’s why the memories of coming here with different people all about. We kept coming in different patterns…” Mocha said.
Chero closed her eyes and nodded.
“That’s right…But in the second time loop, I couldn’t save Kiki, or Jenny…and I survived again…” Chero sighed.
“What?!” Hime cried.
“So…once again…” Chero continued.
“STOP STOP!” Jenny cried, “Hold on! In the second time loop…I er…I did survived didn’t I?”
“What?!” Chero cried.
“Yes! It’s just as Jenny said. It’s hard to say…but…Cherbear…you were the only one who…right in the room behind us…” Hime said.
“I’m…the only one who died? What? That’s impossible!” Chero said.
“Maybe you’re confused from going back so many times?” Kiki asked.
“The second time was not like the first time….But I remember it clearly. Besides…if I died…who made time go back?” Chero said.
“Yeah…Chero’s the only one who can go back in time while in this house,” Dante said.
“But we saw it when we broke that clock! Even Chero said it was the second time!” Hime explained.
“I did? There were several pasts where I opened myself up like I am doing now…But the second time…? Where was this clock?”
“Remember that box inside the cell? The clock was in there along with a letter inside for you,” Jenny explained.
“There was something inside that box?!” Chero cried.
“It looks like I was the one who sealed it…Well…a past version of me did,” Kiki said.
“Chero? Maybe you haven’t gotten all of your memories back yet? And that’s why you remember things differently?” Leon suggested.
“Yes, we can’t expect you to recall all of it right now. But we have the gist of it!” Mocha said.
“To sum up…We all died the first time…Chero went back in time, right? She’s the only one who can keep going back in time until all of us escape, non?” Francis asked.
Hime frowned, “No…I’m sure I saw a past where Chero died. If that past is real…who went back in time?”
“Hime? You’re frowning…” Chero said.
“Che? How do you go back in time?”
“Well…umm…there is a large clock in the house…All I have to do it rewind it. It’s in a different place each time…But I can always find it.” Chero said, “Sadly…it’s
the only sure way for you all to escape…”
“Surely…you mean for everyone. You’re including yourself, right?”
“Oh…er…well…” Chero said, not making eye contact.
“…Chero…Do you remember the question I asked you earlier?” Hime asked.
“Question?”
“ I asked if you were hurt somewhere…”
“Oh…Yes. I remember.”
“I’ll rephrase my question, Chero…” Hime said.
“O-ok…”
“Is there somewhere you want to be?” Hime asked.
“Hime…”
“Please humor me and answer, Cher…”
“I…I…. All this time…I wanted to be with all of you. All of me hurt, but I couldn’t stop trying, and yet…I couldn’t find a way to make it stop, either…But maybe I can tell you now? I… I wanted to be with you, too. I wanted to escape with all of you…” Chero said.
“Yes…So do I,” Hime smiled.
“H-*hick*Hime…” Chero sobbed, hugging her best friend.
Hime smiled and hugged her back.
“Grandma! You made Chero cry!” Danni laughed.
“Danni, this is a serious conversation…” Dino lectured.
“We’ll all escape together!” Jenny exclaimed, “And the last time you used the clock will literally be the last time, ok?”
“Yes! I agree!” Kiki exclaimed.
Tsukino frowned, “There are still a lot of things that don’t fit…Goddammit! I can’t figure it out with the memories I have…”
“Tsukino-chan, don’t think about it too hard…” Leon said.
Tsukino winced.
“Just think that the red stains on your clothes are only left over from work. They couldn’t be anything else,” he said.
“…Fine. I’ll ask them later…For now…I guess it’s enough that we figured this much out. Besides…they are a little less troubled now…” Tsukino sighed.
“Good girl~”
“Sh-shut up! I’m only a year younger than you! Don’t treat me like a child, Leonides Potenza!” Tsukino cried.
“Well…It looks like our discussion has to end here. We have a visitor…” Hime sighed.
The Thing approached the group.
“GWAAAHH!” Leonides cried, “What is that thing?! WHAT THE HELL?”
“HEY! Stop shouting in my ear!” Tsukino tsked.
Another monster appeared at the opposite end of the hall.
“AHHH! There’s another one!” Leon shouted.
“See, now there is a natural response to the Thing. I guess we’ve been through
this so much that we are used to it,” Francis said.
“That’s how it is when you see it the first time. Stop worrying and start fighting!” Danni cried.
Hime unsheathed her katana, “Everyone…take your weapons. We shall defeat them!”
Hime and Tsukino joined forces and used ninjutsu against one monster. Tsukino was very strong, so it was not long before she and Hime put an end to that monster.
Everyone else teamed up and fought the second monster while Chero and Leon held hands channeling magic between the two of them to make a large spell.
“Shit! We’re going to lose!” Danni cried.
Chero and Leon opened their eyes and sent a large magic blast at the monster. It
faded away like the first one.
“Nice!” Danni praised.
“Amore? Are you alright?” Dino asked.
Chero nodded and kissed his cheek, “Si…I just need some sleep.”
“We’re all tired. Let’s go back and call it a day, ok?” Hime said.
“Sounds good!” Kiki exclaimed.
