The letter came unexpected, so Rika had tried to send a letter back but the owl didn't go anywhere. She ran towards the popcorn room to see if his name was now on it since the owl acted like Soichiro was no longer within reach. Having her suspicions confirmed Rika just stared at the name for a bit, a fist clenched over her heart.
Sometimes you roll sixes and gain valuable friends, and other times you roll ones and lose them.
Rika looked down, not feeling like looking anyone in the face at the moment, but she eventually did reply, "Soi-san was the first person I opened up to about my past here. We took a trip to Japan together once, he wanted to see the lifespan on his alternate living in this world and I showed him my village."
"...I am sorry," Teru said, again, inadequate though it was. He reached out to touch Rika's shoulder, but then held back, not sure she'd appreciate it.
"He could come back," Rika now turns to look at Mikami's face. "This isn't the worst way to lose a friend, even if he comes back and doesn't remember me. No matter how many versions of the same person you see, they are still themselves."
Rika takes Mikami's reached out hand with one of her own, giving a small smile. "Have you recovered from your camping trip? I could tell you my past now."
"He - he could, I suppose you're right." He was still looking at the plaque, or through it. "...I don't know about recovered," he added, half to himself. "But I'm ready to hear, if you're willing to tell me."
Still holding his hand, Rika led the way to her room. If the hallway was empty Rika seemed to be quietly thinking about something, but if there was anyone else around she would put on a smile, hum a tune, and playfully swing her arms until that person was gone. That way no one would think anything was wrong and leave them alone. One time Rika slowed to ask a house elf to deliver bottled water and a small bucket of ice cubes to her room, but offered no explanation to Teru.
Once they were in sight of Rika's room she let go of Teru's hand and opened the door, bringing in the water and ice a house elf left there. From a nightstand drawer next to her bed, Rika brings out two cups, "Would you like a glass of water?"
Rika might bring out her wine bottle later, but she thinks it would be best to offer some of the water in case she changes her mind about her drinking choice later. There aren't any chairs in the room so Rika lays out a large blanket for them to sit on as she waits for Teru to answer.
"Ah - yes, please." He took a seat on the blanket after Rika laid it out. This felt somehow very formal. As if a responsiblity was being passed on to him, now that Yagami had gone.
Rika pours Teru a glass, even though she could have just handed him the bottle. After Teru has his drink she puts ice in her cup before filling it with water and sits down on the blanket opposite of Teru. The small ice bucket sits between them.
She takes a sip before speaking again, "I'm going to try to simplify the situation a bit since it would take too long to explain everything individually. To start with, there are three rules deciding the fate of Hinamizawa in June of the year 1983. The first rule is that 'a random person in Hinamizawa is possessed by a mad suspicion and then is induced to commit horrific acts of violence'. This rule affects my friends and attempts to medicate them back into a calm state usually fail."
"To defeat fate I had to break all of the world rules, so I used to give up by the time someone died," it is natural for Teru to be horrified, so Rika continues without giving his reaction any special attention.
"Which brings me to the second rule: Takano Miyo and Tomitake Jirou are always killed the same way in every world. Although this rule has no connection to the first one, Takano and Detective Ooishi tried to tie them together which only worsened the situation. 'Who will be the one to die this year?' that sort of question only heightens the paranoia experienced by victims of Hinamizawa Syndrome." A very frustrating rule, especially considering Takano never died and Ooishi can be a valuable ally.
"The final constant in every world is that the Sonozaki family acted like they were behind the murders and kidnappings that happened on the night of the cotton drifting festival. That bluff threw off the investigation and sometimes helped to create a world where I am killed by a friend of mine because she was suspicious of the three head families of Hinamizawa."
At this point Teru can ask questions now that the rules are out of the way, then she can set up the game board and explain the pieces to him.
He sipped his water, considering this. "Why would they pretend to be responsible? To derail the investigation, yes, but why draw suspicion on themselves?"
Sometimes you roll sixes and gain valuable friends, and other times you roll ones and lose them.
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There, he could be sorry for Rika. That was relatively uncomplicated.
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Rika takes Mikami's reached out hand with one of her own, giving a small smile. "Have you recovered from your camping trip? I could tell you my past now."
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Once they were in sight of Rika's room she let go of Teru's hand and opened the door, bringing in the water and ice a house elf left there. From a nightstand drawer next to her bed, Rika brings out two cups, "Would you like a glass of water?"
Rika might bring out her wine bottle later, but she thinks it would be best to offer some of the water in case she changes her mind about her drinking choice later. There aren't any chairs in the room so Rika lays out a large blanket for them to sit on as she waits for Teru to answer.
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She takes a sip before speaking again, "I'm going to try to simplify the situation a bit since it would take too long to explain everything individually. To start with, there are three rules deciding the fate of Hinamizawa in June of the year 1983. The first rule is that 'a random person in Hinamizawa is possessed by a mad suspicion and then is induced to commit horrific acts of violence'. This rule affects my friends and attempts to medicate them back into a calm state usually fail."
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"Which brings me to the second rule: Takano Miyo and Tomitake Jirou are always killed the same way in every world. Although this rule has no connection to the first one, Takano and Detective Ooishi tried to tie them together which only worsened the situation. 'Who will be the one to die this year?' that sort of question only heightens the paranoia experienced by victims of Hinamizawa Syndrome." A very frustrating rule, especially considering Takano never died and Ooishi can be a valuable ally.
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At this point Teru can ask questions now that the rules are out of the way, then she can set up the game board and explain the pieces to him.
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