Conscious, Conscientious

Lammy and Zayza stared back at Hiroko in uncertain silence.

In person, the young woman was just as intense and alluring as she seemed in all the ads and replays—if not more. But instead of her usual purple and black fighting clothes, she dressed in a casual black t-shirt and shorts.

Even still, she was naturally larger than life. Her toned build left no doubt in Lammy or Zayza’s minds that she was one of the two toughest in the Country.

But in contrast, her light blue eyes were filled with love.

“I can’t believe it’s really you…” Hiroko whispered to Zayza. She stepped back and opened the door wider for them. “Quick—you should probably come in,” she added, checking past them.

Lammy exchanged glances with Zayza. He could see a wary glint of hope in her eyes. Lammy shrugged; so far, this didn’t seem like the behavior of someone trying to trap them.

They followed Hiroko into the hotel room, which was easily the most luxurious place Lammy had ever seen. It was probably bigger than the entire first floor of his house, its glossy white walls shimmering from the light orbs drifting about in the air. From the elegant black couches to the silvery full kitchen on the side, everything was impeccable.

“This is quite a remarkable room,” Zayza noted.

Hiroko seemed rather unattached to the place as she guided them towards the kitchen. “It’s pretty weird hearing that from you,” she said. “Here, let me help you with all that stuff.”

She took each of the boxes from Zayza and Lammy, and together the three arranged all the items on the long counter. All the while, Lammy couldn’t help but watch Hiroko closely. Her eyes hardly left Zayza, seemingly prying for answers.

On top of that, he began wondering if Hiroko was really about to eat all of this food herself. She was the only one here, but before them lay the complete order on display: several sandwiches, countless sides…and not to mention a dozen large Phoenix Floats.

“Well, looks like everything’s here,” Hiroko confirmed. Then, with a patient smile, she let out a sigh. “Kotono, you’re right: it’s definitely her,” she called across the room. “It’s Zayza.”

Lammy and Zayza both turned in response. After a few moments, a door to the bedroom at the other side of the hotel room slowly vanished. Eventually, a dainty figure poked her head into the room with wide red eyes and a deep blush.

“Zayza…I knew it,” Kotono uttered. Suddenly, she flinched when her gaze landed on Lammy. She fell totally silent.

Lammy could physically feel her wary stare pushing against him. “Oh—um…I’m Zayza’s friend, Lammy. We’ve been traveling together. I made your drink yesterday,” he explained quickly. “Sorry to intrude.”

“Oh…h—hi,” Kotono mumbled, barely audibly.

This is what Kotono Inoue is really like? She’s nothing like all the ads, Lammy realized. She makes ME look outgoing.

“I’m just gonna get right to the point,” Hiroko declared. “Zayza, you’ve been missing for weeks. And then you suddenly turn up working for a vendor at this Conscious Competition? What are you thinking?”

“A—And…we’re the only ones who recognize you somehow…” Kotono nervously chimed in.

“Right,” agreed Hiroko soberly. “We have so many questions. We have to know what’s going on.”

Lammy’s heartbeat intensified.

“And so…” started Hiroko. Then, abruptly, she turned to all the food on the counter, “Care to join us for dinner?” she requested plainly. “It’s been way too long.”

That’s what all this food is for?! Lammy thought.

“I’m…truly sorry, but…I have many questions for you, as well,” Zayza shared. She met their gazes with heaviness in her eyes. “How…do we know each other again?” she asked.

The entire room went quiet for a moment. Kotono and Hiroko glanced at each other, communicating an unspoken thought.

“Huh? But…Zayza…” stammered Kotono softly.

“It looks like we have a lot more to talk about then I thought,” Hiroko said. She paused, clearly still shaken by Zayza’s words. “Why don’t you all get comfortable? I’ll bring over the food.”

With seemingly a great deal of willpower, Kotono managed to slip into the main room and make her way towards the couches. She dressed in fluffy slippers and a loose white t-shirt too big for her—Lammy figured it was Hiroko’s. Zayza cautiously made her way to the couch across from Kotono as Hiroko began gathering their feast.

Lammy stood stiffly as he watched the three young women get settled, since technically he wasn’t part of whatever was unfolding. Alone in a room with just Zayza and two beloved celebrities, he felt incredibly out of place.

Eventually, their eyes all fell on him with curiosity. Lammy’s face flushed.

“Lammy has been my companion for quite some time now,” Zayza explained. “He’s even saved my life. May he join us?”

Hiroko’s glare grew icy, like a mother guarding a child.

Lammy gulped.

“Well…” started Kotono, “he did try to give me a Phoenix Float the other day, Hiroko…”

“What—Giving you a beverage doesn’t make someone automatically trustworthy,” Hiroko countered. “But…he saved Zayza’s life, huh? Alright…Lampy, was it?”

“Lammy—though I’ve heard worse guesses,” Lammy said timidly.

Hiroko shrugged. “Okay, join us for dinner. I’d like to hear your part in all of this, too.” Her eyes stayed set on Lammy for an extra moment as she returned to bringing the food over.

“Yes ma’am…” Lammy muttered, sheepishly making his way over to Zayza’s couch. Intimidating as Hiroko was, her behavior was reassuring: it seemed her interest was in protecting Zayza.

If that was the case, they shared the same goal.

Soon, everyone sat with a sandwich, potato wedges, and a Phoenix Float before them on the low table between the couches.

Kotono bypassed the food entirely and immediately began sipping her Phoenix Float. She snuggled up to Hiroko, glowing like she found heaven.

“You’re the best, Hiroko…” she sighed blissfully.

Hiroko wrapped her arm around her teammate. “You’re too cute—Told you I’d get you all the Phoenix Floats you want,” she said.

Then, abruptly, they both focused on Zayza and Lammy.

They’re staring hard…thought Lammy. We must come off more suspicious than I thought…

“So…you really don’t remember us?” Hiroko asked Zayza slowly.

Zayza shook her head. “I’m so sorry…I misplaced my memories, and only some have come back. I don’t recognize either of you. Were we close?”

Kotono set aside her Phoenix Float for a moment. “Zayza…you’re our best friend,” she shared. “You’ve known us since our very first Conscious Competition.”

Lammy felt a weight begin to lift. Did we…just find allies?

Hiroko leaned forward. “What’s your earliest memory right now?” she questioned calmly.

Zayza sighed. “Aside from vague glimpses of places and scents I’ve been getting recently, the first thing I remember is waking up in the woods of No Man’s Land. I wandered there for days, trying to find my memories in the Dream World. And then, I met Lammy.”

“And where did you come from?” Hiroko asked Lammy quickly.

“Uh—um—my home, Tailpiece, ma’am.”

Hiroko’s eyes narrowed. “Kotono and I have been across the entire Multiverse several times, and I’ve never heard of a ‘Tailpiece.’”

Lammy swallowed hard. “Well—the thing is, I don’t exactly know how I ended up in No Man’s Land, either. I spent my whole life in Tailpiece, and then somehow I just…fell into No Man’s Land. I don’t really get it, honestly…”

“Strange…” Kotono noted.

Zayza and Lammy did their best to recount the events of their first encounter with each other: the invisible wall blocking Lammy from re-entering Tailpiece, their brief separation, and worst of all…

“…They tried to kidnap Zayza,” Lammy finished.

“Who?”

Lammy and Zayza’s eyes met instinctively.

“Their names…are Fewpar and Najinzu,” Zayza said with a shudder.

Like a harsh flash, Lammy practically saw the two bloodthirsty men climbing into the carriage to hurt them. He could smell the forest rain and hear the horses’ trots.

For an instant, he felt cold.

Kotono immediately turned to Hiroko. “Them?” she whispered.

Hiroko grit her teeth. Then she observed the marks all over Zayza’s arms, and grit them even harder. “So that’s who they assigned to your case…” she grumbled.

“I’m sorry…what do you mean?” Zayza asked. “You know them?”

“Vaguely…th—through you,” replied Kotono.

“You grew up with Fewpar and Najinzu. They’re your colleagues,” Hiroko explained. “They never seemed like the cream of the crop, based on how you used to talk about them. Fewpar studied the Dreamer Arts with you, and Najinzu’s his childhood friend. He ended up becoming a Pain Tolerance Trainer.”

Najinzu’s peculiar thin knives, which left Zayza permanently scarred, intruded Lammy’s memory. He wondered if the mental scars Najinzu left behind in her were just as complex as the black tattoos.

While his torture granted her the ability to withstand great levels of pain before being ejected from the Dream World, it was all merely so Fewpar could brutalize her even further.

How were men this evil were once Zayza’s colleagues?

“They’re making it personal, assigning Fewpar and Najinzu,” Kotono uttered to Hiroko with disgust. “Especially Fewpar, since he was—”

“Wait, Kotono,” Hiroko interjected. “There are some things I’m not so sure I want Zayza to hear yet.”

Kotono looked away, nodding sadly. “You’re right…”

“So, they failed to kidnap you?” Hiroko prompted Zayza.

Again, Zayza did her best to retell their adventures thus far, starting with the apparent ability Lammy’s mother had to teleport them to safety near Our Snowy Village. After Felix and Snowdust, and Ryan’s sacrifice for them by betraying Fewpar and Najinzu in the caves, she reached the point where her former colleagues finally captured them.

The gaps between her sentences increased, and Lammy realized if he didn’t chime in, Zayza would make herself cry. If he was being honest to himself, he was holding back tears, too.

Without the bright, busy reprieve they found here in Gloat Center, Lammy didn’t know how they could have held it together. He found he wasn’t ready to rip off the bandage and watch it bleed again.

No more feeling that way…If we ever see those two monsters again, it’ll go different next time, Lammy swore.

With a deep breath, he did his best to take over for Zayza and describe their encounter. But when he was about to explain Zayza’s scars, the looks on Kotono and Hiroko’s faces told him there was no need.

They clearly knew exactly what Najinzu had done to her.

“Again…” Kotono uttered shiveringly. “They made you do that again…”

Carefully, Lammy attempted to explain their escape, thanks to Zayza’s returned Dreamer fighting abilities, and to his odd new powers. The champion team’s intrigue was unwavering.

“But…some things still don’t add up,” Hiroko brainstormed aloud. “What are you doing working here? And why is it just us who recognize you?”

“These earrings,” Lammy said. “After we escaped, we ended up at an Ancient Sage’s Hut—”

“You—you met an Ancient Sage?! Those are real?!” Kotono exclaimed.

“Well—we met two,” Lammy clarified. “One healed us.”

“The other granted us these enchanted earrings,” Zayza shared, brushing back her long hair to show them. “Because of these, the only people who remember us from our pasts, are those who know our true selves.”

After a moment of silent thought, Hiroko’s eyes fell back on Lammy. “So that means…” she started lowly.

Lammy jumped. “M—ma’am?” he stammered.

But a warm smile grew on her face. “Just ‘Hiroko’ is fine,” she said. “Alright, if you still remembered our Zayza after she put on the earrings, you really know her like we do. I think that means we can trust you.”

Kotono gave an endearing smile, as well. “Told you, Hiroko,” she said.

“I…I can say the same to you both,” Lammy replied, the weight of worry now fully lifted. “And honestly, that’s why we came here tonight.”

“That is why we came here…” Zayza agreed nervously. She gripped the couch tightly with both hands, her head hanging forward. “Please…you both know my true self…you know my past…you’re my best friends…”

“We are,” Kotono confirmed. “We thought we lost you.”

“Then please…I must know…” She rapidly stood to her feet. “What horrific things did I do? What did I do to make Fewpar and Najinzu hunt us down and hurt us? Are they right about me? Am I truly an evil person?!”

Her tears dropped onto the table around her uneaten food.

“Zayza…” began Hiroko slowly. “It’s not a matter of what you did. It’s a matter of what most of Fantasy Country accuses you of doing,” she said. “Something absolutely horrible happened to your home kingdom, but…Kotono and I…we believe you’re innocent.”

“Innocent…of what?” Zayza asked chokingly.

Kotono tried to speak several times, before taking a pause. “Of murder,” she finally uttered.

Zayza let out a cry of shock. She fell back onto the couch beside Lammy, her mouth quivering. “…Who?” she managed.

“It’s…delicate…”

“Please, who?”

Kotono tugged Hiroko’s sleeve. “She should know,” she said solemnly.

Hiroko sighed. “Zayza, you have to understand, I want nothing more than to protect you. There are extremely dangerous people after you, and they want all the evidence they can find to use against you,” she explained. “I’m not sure why you lost your memories, but…the less you know right now, maybe the safer you’ll be.”

After a moment, Kotono nodded.

“But…my memories might come back anyway,” said Zayza shakily. “My darkest memories have been trying to hunt me down in the Dream World every night—Lammy helps me scare them off. But whenever they get close…they make me feel dirty. What could that mean…?”

“What it doesn’t mean, is that you’re the culprit,” Kotono insisted. “You got caught up in something horrific; it wasn’t your fault.”

“Someone is trying to place all of this on you,” said Hiroko. “Think about it: you’re with three people right now who, according to the enchanted earring, know your true, inner self. And none of us think you’re guilty.”

“Exactly,” Lammy agreed.

“And I swear,” added Kotono, “we’ll do whatever we can to hide you from Fewpar and Najinzu.”

Lammy smiled as a warmth welled up in his heart. He could see their love for Zayza—and their long history of it—all over their faces. He and Zayza didn’t have to continue this journey all alone. And not only were two more people on their side: they were the two strongest consciousnesses in all of Fantasy Country.

The tables had turned. Fewpar and Najinzu—and that mysterious organization Proscious—couldn’t step all over them anymore. Plus, with Lammy’s powers somehow evolving, and Zayza’s Dreamer abilities returned…

They were a force.

Zayza gazed back at Kotono and Hiroko for a while, her tears finally ceasing. Then, she turned to Lammy.

“So…perhaps you’re right,” she said softly. “Maybe I can be a good person…and that’s all I want.”

“‘Can be?’ After everything we’ve been through—of course you’re a good person!” Lammy assured.

“You already have been, Zayza,” said Kotono. “Since the day we met you at our very first Conscious Competition, you’ve loved us more than anyone. You may not remember, but you used to come to all of our Conscious Competitions in Fantasy Country.”

Hiroko smiled. “You did.”

“The first time, you were just a spectator. We met you at some boring after party a rich manager guy invited us to,” Kotono recalled. “He wanted us to hire him.”

“That party was the worst,” Hiroko recalled with a chuckle. “You looked bored out of your mind too, so we hit it off with you.”

“Then we ditched the party together!” Kotono laughed.

“Your family made you go to those kinds of parties all the time, and eventually so did our manager. So we saw each other a lot,” explained Hiroko. “We’d always come find you and sneak out.”

“We got in so much trouble, Zayza…” added Kotono. “Hiroko, remember the shoe statue? And the guy…?”

“Oh yeah…we were awful!” laughed Hiroko. “The marshmallows…?”

“NO!” Kotono exclaimed, falling back on the couch in a fit of embarrassed merriment. “Zayza’s hair…it took me hours to get it all out!”

“You never got it all—she found more the next day, after a date.”

“HUH?! ZAYZA I’M SO SORRY!!”

A sense of peace wrapped around Lammy like a hug as Kotono and Hiroko continued recollecting all their antics with Zayza. It turned out her past wasn’t only shrouded in darkness. These were two, genuine friends.

His heart only warmed further when he saw Zayza’s bright smile.

“I’ll do my best,” she said, “to remember all our time together.”

Hiroko nodded. “It’ll come to you.”

“A—and…It’s not just silly stuff that make you such a great friend,” Kotono said. Her tone had softened. “You’ve always accepted us. And…you’ve always kept our secret.”

“Secret?” repeated Zayza.

Hiroko’s hand found Kotono’s on the couch, and grasped it tenderly.

“Management doesn’t allow us to be in relationships—I guess it’s bad for the fanbase’s hopes and dreams or something,” Kotono elaborated.

“And my clan wouldn’t approve if they found out about me and Kotono,” Hiroko continued.

“You’re the only one who knows,” finished Kotono.

Lammy glanced between them for a second before it clicked. Oh…they’re that kind of together, he realized.

Suddenly, he noticed Kotono and Hiroko’s eyes fall on him fixedly.

Again with the staring! he noted.

“Oh—he’s here,” Kotono realized.

They forgot?!?!

“Mind keeping that to yourself, Lammy?” Hiroko requested with an unreadable expression.

Lammy almost flinched. “Uh—um…I won’t tell anyone, I swear, ma’am! I mean—Ms. Hamasaki—I mean Hiroko…”

Kotono giggled, and Zayza let out a laugh.

“Likewise: now that I know again,” said Zayza, “your secret is safe with me.”

“And yours is with us,” Kotono assured. “We’ll do whatever we can to protect you. Come to think of it, Hiroko…what should we do?”

Hiroko thought for a moment, before an answer evidently became clear. “Well first…we have to win the Championship,” she declared.

“We have to do that, anyway, though.”

“Right, but not only for my people—if we win and Imagine Change restores my homeland, Zayza and Lammy can hide there. After the press coverage dies down and the changes are finished, it’s remote enough that they won’t be able to find them.”

“But…if they know you’re her friend…” pointed out Kotono.

“They can’t just barge in,” Hiroko said. “It’s sacred land. That will buy my clan time to hide Zayza and Lammy. Plus, they’re maybe the only people in Fantasy Country who would side with her, because they trust me. They’re good people—they’ll protect them, for however long we need.”

She ran a hand through her short purple hair. “I wish I could keep you both with us, but…Kotono and I are too high-profile. It’s too risky.”

“So then…” Kotono nodded definitively. “We’ll win the Championship. For Hiroko’s people, and for you. I promise we will. And also—are you guys gonna finish your Phoenix Floats? If not, I’ll take them.”

Hiroko nudged Kotono. “Focus!”

“I’ll find some way to repay you both,” Zayza promised.

“Nope—that’s not how best friends operate,” denied Hiroko. “We got you.”

“Well…I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to more Phoenix Floats…” muttered Kotono.

“YOU HAVE SIX MORE IN THE FRIDGE!!”

Kotono shrugged, and ultimately surrendered.

“Um…If I may…” started Zayza slowly. “I know you’re omitting things about my past to protect me, but…I wish to know what happened. Where am I from? And…if I wasn’t the killer, why can’t I know who was murdered? I just…need to know the truth. I need to hear it from friends—not from my own dark memories.”

The silence that followed quickly deflated the joy that had begun filling the room. Lammy knew Hiroko and Kotono were avoiding the subject, overjoyed to reunite with their best friend, but too many questions still remained: questions that Zayza would likely find answers to one way or another.

“I agree,” Lammy uttered. “I think she should know.”

After exchanging glances, Hiroko and Kotono sighed.

“It’s only right,” Hiroko finally decided. “Zayza—”

A device vibrated on a table beside the couches.

“Your TeamTrack,” Kotono said.

Hiroko stood to pick up the device. After she activated the screen and read its contents, her eyes went wide.

“Our manager’s coming by,” she said rapidly. “Quick Kotono, hide the food! Wait—”

She froze.

“HIDE THE ZAYZA!!!” she exclaimed, her calm demeanor melting into panic.

“Um…I’m sorry, but you guys need to get out of here,” Kotono urged awkwardly, hurrying to pick up as much food as possible.

Hiroko helped her. “You have the earrings, but we have to play it safe,” she explained. “Plus…we’re not exactly allowed to have guests this close to the championship fight.”

“Or sweets,” added Kotono, taking a massive sip from her Phoenix Float.

“Or fried food,” said Hiroko with a potato wedge in her mouth, running to the kitchen and shoving what she could into cupboards.

“We don’t really follow rules around here…” finished Kotono.

Zayza was frozen with reluctance for a moment, but then she nodded. “Understood. Lammy, let’s be quick.”

“Oh—right!”

As they stood and made their way to the door, Lammy’s legs couldn’t help but grow heavy with hesitation. Finally, they’d found someone from Zayza’s past who were on her side. He was certain she felt the same way—especially when they had gotten this close to the truth.

“Z—Zayza,” Kotono called from behind the open fridge. Her big, determined eyes peered above its door. “We’ll win the Conscious Competition. It’ll all work out.”

“I’m sorry it had to happen like this—we’ll find a way to speak again,” Hiroko promised. She pressed her TeamTrack and a red light rose from the ground in front of the door, beneath Lammy and Zayza. “As soon as I find a way—something untraceable—you’ll hear from us again. For now, look out for each other.”

Zayza smiled, fighting back tears. “Thank you…I’ll remember you again, I swear.”

Caught in the moment, Lammy felt the need to offer his gratitude, as well.

But before he could find the right words, the light overtook them. As the magic transported them from the hotel room and back to the lobby, a single thought filled his mind. He figured it was what he probably could have said:

I’ll be rooting for you, Hiroko and Kotono.