Now the group activity phase begins.

Did I mention how much I regret it that I let Chiaki drag me into the rider's battle?

Not only that the whole point of this activity is that we're literally sitting upon each other, while I'm not too great with physical contact, I'll also be elevated so the whole school can stare at me!

Sigh.

But I don't see how I'd get out of this now.

A short time later, I'm meeting up with my group.

Which is convenient, as there's something I had to verify from Nanako.

"Is everyone ready?!" (C)

"Just a moment, please. Nanako, I'd like to ask how you're getting by with the new rumors." (I)

"Uh, well, I think we're making progress?" (N)

Why does that sound like a question?

"In what way?" (I)

"Well, coming up with fitting stories isn't all that easy. At the moment, we're still at it to interact with the wonders to find something that is for both sides agreeable. The creative act itself being the most difficult." (N)

"Okay... It's just that a moment ago I had to prevent the running boy from injuring our classmates." (I)

It's a bit of a thing that tells me there isn't too much of a change happening yet.

However, I should've considered the reaction I would cause.

"I'm sorry, my dark lady! I didn't intend to disappoint you!" (N)

Not only does she shout, but she's also throwing herself into the dirt!

Damnit, people are staring.

"Are you fucking crazy?! You can't prostrate yourself to me in public! I can't have this kind of attention!" (I)

Invisible tentacles push up from the ground below her and get her back on her legs.

Yet my outbreak didn't help calm her down.

No, she looks genuinely terrified.

Is something up with my face?

I seriously need to calm down.

So, how to deal with this?

The fact that she still has a breakdown in public is a huge issue and can't continue like this.

So I need to do something.

Yet if she won't even look at me, it doesn't make this an easy task.

So I once again apply my invisible tentacles to nudge her to look at me.

"Look, I'm not angry at you. It's just that I want you to act normally around me, okay? Once we meet up with the others, we'll figure out how to deal with those rumors and everything will be good. Can we make that happen?" (I)

Her eyes are still wide open, but at least she stopped quivering and whimpering.

"Hey guys! Did I miss something?" (S)

Oh, you have no idea, Sora.

"We, we were discussing how to get good rumors going." (N)

She got a hold of herself quite quickly.

Does she not want to appear vulnerable in front of him?

"Ah, right. I still think they have to be catchy, but the big problem is going to bring them among the people." (S)

"Guys, I think we should start with practice. People are still looking, so we should give them a good show! Also, we can continue talking while we're at it!" (C)

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That shows more situational awareness than I would've given Chiaki credit for.

So we start training our rider structure while discussing the particular rumors and how they should stay engaging while not being deadly.

Some are easier on this than others.

Doreo, for example, can just hand out helpful knowledge.

I'm sure there's quite a demand for anyone looking to study something.

A prayer to a library demon shouldn't pose an issue if there's no severe price to pay, even if he's a creep.

Some of the more complex, and more deadly, ones pose more of a challenge.

The faceless nurse is quite hardcore I need to say.

It's difficult to tune down from "slicing their faces off and wearing them as her own" while preserving the original sense.

I don't want to replace them, so the rumors need to be at their core depicting the same wonders or there'll be just another one kind of plopping up, according to Zika.

Intimate knowledge about their nature helps to keep them who they are to a degree.

Of course, some of these stories are rather disturbing, but we're working through them.

All this while repeatedly forming human pyramids!

On another note, it disturbs me on some level how casual this formation comes to us by the end.

As if we're mentally connected and in sync or something like that.

Probably just my imagination.

Mhm.

"Hey, we're rather good. I think we might win this!" (S)

"We 'might'?! I'm totally set on victory! With Iori we just can't lose!" (C)

Ehm, where did this come from?

"Aren't you a bit too confident? We only manage to walk steadily by now. That's not telling anything about how well we'll do in competition." (I)

"You're already doing so well! There's nothing that could possibly stop us!" (C)

Sometimes I feel like talking to a brick wall would be more responsive.

Though, in my current state this might actually hold some truth if I'd call upon the soul of an object or something.

"As a matter of fact, I'm small, which means my reach is limited. Also, my body coordination isn't all that great." (I)

I still remember that bloody smear I left on Soraja's mountain.

"I'm sure if you're hanging in, maybe supported by some otherworldly inspiration, you can overcome that! Or you could use those invisible tentacles you've already called forth all day to snatch the others' headbands." (C)

She was aware of them?!

"I knew there was something!" (N)

"I'm certainly not going to use my horror powers to cheat in a competition. That's plain wrong!" (I)

"Awh, but it would be such a great advantage. Then we'll just have to support you as best as we can!" (C)

Brick wall, I say it!

Fortunately, all this ridiculousness makes the time fly by, so eventually, I can finally grow back into my casual clothes and be on my way.

"See you tomorrow, Iori!" (C)

"Yeah... You too." (I)

----------------------------------------

The way back home goes just as easy.

I notice from the bus that more ghosts are lingering around in the streets than in the past few weeks.

Might be that they grew used to this underlying aura of dread I'm apparently emitting.

If I remember it right, the talisman I'm carrying suppresses the complete aura of doom, and more importantly, makes me look normal within it.

But it can't completely get rid of it, only make it appear less threatening.

So by now, it's probably more of an undercurrent than a "stay out" sign.

So I arrive at my home.

The first to welcome me is Dad.

Of course, I directly jump into his arms.

It actually feels a little weird to be within his field.

Hard to describe what it is.

In some way, I'd say that I feel more pure, more like a human, without all the disturbing corruption that comes with me, but at the same time, I'm not quite whole.

In this regard, I probably need to live with the fact that my true nature is being corrupted.

It's because of this that I somehow feel wrong when the field my future me established turns me into something like a regular human.

At least on the surface.

Deep within me, or probably at a completely different place, on the other end of a tunnel I'm connected with, I feel it still squirming.

The power that wants to rush back, right at the border of the field.

Or even within it?

As I said, it's difficult to describe.

"My! Never saw you this lively! It's actually kinda nice." (Chr)

I probably should stop pondering about what his true thoughts would be if he knew what is really going on with me.

It... doesn't really help.

"There you are! How was school today?" (S)

"Uh... Sports days aren't really mine. Or preparation days." (I)

"It seems some things will never change. Did you at least get an activity you're fine with?" (Chr)

"About this, Chiaki kinda forced me to be the head of the riders' battle." (I)

"Wow! That's pretty big for you. You think you can do it?" (Chr)

"Totally not sure if we're going to win anything, but I promised Chiaki to give it my all. At least we manage by now to stay stable together." (I)

"That's my girl!" (Chr)

Well, the good thing about low expectations is that they're very easy to fulfill.

"I hope all this competing didn't kill your fighting spirit, or you won't have a chance against me in 'racers'." (Chr)

Oh my!

It's been so long since I could play video games with Dad!

I run into my room, but once I look at my TV I see that it's already on.

"Kuri, didn't I tell you not to leave my gaming console on the whole day? That costs energy!" (I)

"Mum?" (K)

I try to close the game so I can start "racers", but find that it won't react.

Is something wrong with the controller?

Should I maybe use my powers to get this thing to work?

Can I even manipulate technical gadgets without having studied engineering?

If anything, I want it to work properly and not in some weird eldritch way.

"Could you already start the game?" (Chr)

"Uh, no. It's somehow stuck in this menu." (I)

Why did Kuri even play a fighting game?

"Really? Let me take a look." (Chr)

Lacking a reason to deny him I hand over the controller.

"Let's see. Hm. What do you mean? It works just fine." (Chr)

He's right!

It works just fine.

Okay, does Dad have something like the technical equivalent of a green thumb?

Well, I won't complain if he gets it going.

"Kuri! Do you want to join in?" (Chr)

It's so nice of him to include her.

While Kuri for certain reasons feels uncomfortable next to Dad, I signal to her that it's fine.

After this, we all play together, Dad on my left, and Kuri on the right.

Due to his field, Dad isn't even bothered by all the miasma Kuri is releasing while she's losing.

It's nice to spend time like this.

I think I could live with it if everything would stay as it is.