[4th Wall: Action for Goldenrod]

[deadfreesia]

[SNOW. For Mamoru, it means wearing boots and a heavy coat to the store. For Shiro the Togepi, it means walking to the store is more fun than ever. Every few feet he has to stop and play. Then Mamoru passes him so he has to dash ahead again so he can play some more. The entire path between their home and their current place on the road has this

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[worththeclub]

[ It's freaking cold... and Ouka was nowhere near dressed for this kind of weather. Honestly, she hadn't expected it, since one moment, she'd been sitting in her room, happily thinking about her upcoming dinner with Omi, and the next... she'd somehow woken up surrounded by snow.

She was busy looking around when a little...

Was that a Togepi? Ouka didn't play a whole lot of games, but being well-off and Japanese meant that she at least knew Pokemon. Except... this was a real live Togepi. And it was running toward her. ]

... Hi... there...

[ Despite wearing only her school uniform, Ouka kneels down to be at the level of the Togepi and holds out a hand. Now this... this is just strange. ]

[worththeclub]

[ Ouka takes a moment to look around the house. She doesn't venture too far, but just enough to get an idea of what the rest of the level looks like.

Instead of taking a seat, she follows Om-- Mamoru into the kitchen and leans up against a far wall. She takes some time staring at him as he goes about boiling water for the tea.

She saw him only a few hours ago... ]

Is this... a dream...?

[ But Omi-kun in her dreams would be absolutely delighted to see her in every sense of the word. ]

[deadfreesia]

[Mamoru hesitates at her question.]

To be honest, I'm not completely sure what it is. I don't think it's a dream, but it can't be the reality that we know, either.

[worththeclub]

What is Omi-kun like in this reality...?

[ Other than being "Mamoru" now... she still can't quite wrap her mind around that bit, and she's a little stubborn in insisting that he's still Omi-kun, despite all the signs that point to the exact opposite ]

[deadfreesia]

[And how could he answer that? Was there any response that wasn't simply sad, however ambiguous he made it? The fact of it was that "Omi-kun" was dead. Long dead. He'd pulled up the old behavior and speech patterns from how he remembered himself to have been all those years ago, but it was an act-- and not one he was comfortable perpetuating, as evidenced by his quick reversion to Mamoru.

Perhaps it's simply best to humor her use of a name he no longer owns.]

That's a difficult thing to describe. I'm what you see now... I've grown up, I suppose.

[worththeclub]

[ This man that calls himself Omi... (though, in his defense, Mamoru had only really called himself Omi due to the fact that she refuse to accept anything else) it seemed as though he rarely really smiled.

Maybe he's grown up, but Ouka isn't very pleased with the transformation. ]

How old are you now?

[deadfreesia]

[He'd known that question would have to come sooner or later.]

Including the time spent here... I'll be 23 within three months.

[worththeclub]

[ It's been a long time, then... She makes a mental note that, once she gets back home, she'll work on steering her Omi in a different direction. 'Cause, whatever happened to this one... she's not liking it. ]

I... see...

[ Maybe, if she reminds him of how fun it was to be Omi, he'd want to go back to it. ]

I'm still only 15. [ As if he didn't notice. ] Do you remember that dinner with my parents that you promised to go on? You agreeing to go with me is the last thing I remember before somehow ending up here.

[ A pause. Then, she leans forward a little, and smiles. ] What was it like, the dinner?

[deadfreesia]

[Mamoru looks briefly taken aback.]

...That would be difficult to tell you about. Ouka, it was years ago for me. I don't remember. I'm afraid you'll have to find out for yourself when you go back.

[A small smile.]

If you find out and come back, you can refresh my memory, all right?

[worththeclub]

[ Well. That was slightly offensive. She'd have remembered any date with Omi for years to come.

Excuse her if she looks a little butt-hurt and offended... it's the "spoiled princess" syndrome. You've known her long enough to know it happens. ]

Do you not remember me at all, Omi-kun?

[ She knows he does. But she can't help but ask anyways. ]

[deadfreesia]

I don't think you would be standing in this kitchen with me right now if I didn't.

[worththeclub]

[ He makes a good point. Since she already knows that her Omi likes her, she's not afraid to ask: ]

What am I to you now?

[deadfreesia]

[Oh boy.]

Well. Let's wait until you have your tea before we discuss that. Ah-- it looks like the water is ready.

[Without further explanation, he turns to finish making the tea.]

[worththeclub]

.....

[ It's a good thing she trusts Omi... She nods, and takes a seat at the table, patiently waiting for the tea to be served so she can start grilling him on everything. ]

[deadfreesia]

[Mamoru doesn't say another word as he waits for the tea to steep. What is she to him now. There were many wrong ways to answer that question, and he was not sure a right way even existed. A lie was too risky. The full truth was far too harsh. It would take a careful balance and just the right delivery to minimize the damage.

When the tea is ready, he carefully carries it to the table and sets it before her. He eases into the chair at the nearest corner. After two seconds, he sighs.]

I'm afraid I have some difficult news. The name Omi Tsukiyono... It was given to me because I didn't know my real one. Sometime in your future, I learn the name of my father, and so go back to the name I was given at birth. That's why my name is Mamoru now.

The name of my family... is Takatori.

[worththeclub]

[ She freezes. No. But that's her family's name...

There must be a mistake. Maybe another Takatori family. Just... not that.

She can't formulate words. Ouka just simply sits there, and stares. She's waiting for an explanation. An explanation that she'll like... ]