Episode 1: New 7 Days (Part 1)

 

(𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑶 𝑺𝑼𝑷𝑬𝑹 𝑩𝑶𝑵 𝑩𝑶𝑵 𝑩𝒀 𝑺𝑶𝑼𝑳 𝑪𝑶𝑼𝑮𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑾𝑯𝑰𝑳𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑫𝑶𝑵𝑻 𝑭𝑶𝑹𝑮𝑬𝑻 𝑻𝑶 𝑷𝑼𝑻 𝑰𝑻 𝑶𝑵 𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑷) ∇∇∇

-As Tsugumi drifted through the oblivious crowd, a flicker of movement caught her attention. Near the iconic Statue of Hachiko, a young man stumbled, his face contorted in a silent grimace. He crumpled to the ground, his limbs splayed at unnatural angles, his skin taking on a disturbing pallor.

Curiosity, cold and detached, propelled Tsugumi towards him. It wasn't empathy that drove her, but a morbid fascination. This was something different, a disruption in the monotonous flow of oblivious existence. She knelt beside his lifeless form, her hand hovering inches above his chest. Hesitantly, she reached out, her fingers brushing against his chest.

A jolt, unexpected and unsettling, ran through her. She could touch him. Unlike the living masses who passed through her as if she were air, this fallen figure could be touch somehow. But as her fingers made contact a little more, a strange phenomenon occurred. The young man's form began to shimmer, the edges blurring as if he were dissolving into the very air around him. In a matter of seconds, he was gone, leaving only a faint, lingering chill on the pavement.

Tsugumi recoiled, a gasp escaping her mouth. What had just happened? He was solid, then... not. And she could touch him, yet he vanished upon contact. This was a new layer to the bizarre reality she found herself in.

Her attention was abruptly drawn to a commotion to her right. Near the a building, a small group of people had stopped, their faces etched with terror. They were clutching at their arms, their skin crawling as if infested. Tsugumi's turn around and drifted closer, her detached curiosity now tinged with a flicker of unease.

She watched in morbid fascination as strange, intricate patterns began to appear on their skin, swirling lines that resembled dark, organic tattoos. The patterns spread rapidly, tendrils creeping across their limbs and faces. The victims screamed, their voices raw with fear and pain, as their bodies seemed to flicker and fade, mirroring the disappearance of the young man near Hachiko. They were being... erased. Slowly, agonizingly, pulled out of existence.

Tsugumi felt a genuine jolt of alarm. This was beyond the strange rules of her own spectral existence. This looked dangerous.

Suddenly, the source of their demise became horrifyingly clear. From the swirling, tattoo-like patterns that had consumed the disappearing individuals, grotesque creatures began to emerge. They were roughly the size of large frogs, with slick, emerald-green bodies, unsettlingly yellow eyes that scanned their surroundings, and vibrant blue, geometric tattoos adorning their powerful hind legs. They landed with a soft thud right in the middle of Scramble Crossing, their presence utterly unnoticed by the oblivious throngs continuing their hurried movements.

Tsugumi gasped, instinctively recoiling. These creatures... they were real, dead real. And they seemed to be connected to the terrifying erasure she had just witnessed. "What are those things?!"

The green, tattooed creatures moved with an unsettling agility, their yellow eyes darting around as if searching for something. They croaked, a guttural sound that was thankfully inaudible to the oblivious humans. Tsugumi watched, frozen in her spectral state, as one of the creatures hopped towards the spot where the young man had disappeared, its movements jerky and purposeful.

This was no longer just a bizarre inconvenience. This was something actively malevolent. These creatures, these disappearances... it felt like a direct threat, a very dangerous one.

A surge of adrenaline, a ghost of the fight-or-flight response, coursed through her. She had to understand what these things were, where they came from, and why only she and the vanishing victims seemed to perceive them.

Her gaze fell upon the pin clutched in her hand. It pulsed faintly, a silent reminder of her connection to this strange reality. People around were just having their own lifes not knowing the danger she was about to face on that moment.

Tsugumi focused, trying to use the pin to glean any information about the creatures, about the disappearances. She pressed it lightly, focusing her intent, but all she received were the usual mundane thoughts of the unaffected crowd. They saw nothing. They felt nothing. They were completely, terrifyingly unaware.

This realization was chilling. She was trapped in a layer of reality invisible to the living, witnessing horrors they couldn't even comprehend. And she was just as powerless to interact with these creatures as she was with the solid world.

One of the green, tattooed creatures hopped closer to her, its yellow eyes seeming to fixate on her intangible form for a fleeting moment. A shiver of pure dread ran through Tsugumi. Could they see her? Could these grotesque beings perceive her spectral presence?

The creature croaked again, its gaze lingering for a fraction of a second longer before it hopped away, seemingly losing interest. But the brief eye contact sent a jolt of fear through Tsugumi. She was not entirely invisible to everything in this twisted reality.

She had to move, to get away from these things. But the invisible barrier still confined her to Scramble Crossing. She was a ghost trapped in a cage with monsters the living couldn't see.

Tsugumi began to move cautiously, keeping herself close to the oblivious crowds, using them as a form of camouflage. The green creatures hopped around the crossing, their movements seemingly random, yet carrying an undercurrent of predatory purpose. They occasionally paused, their yellow eyes scanning the oblivious faces, as if searching for more victims.

The terror of the disappearing individuals, the horrifying emergence of these creatures... it shook Tsugumi's newfound information, This was dangerous. People were being erased on thin air. And she was a powerless witness.

The initial allure of being a ghost, free from the burdens of human interaction, had completely evaporated. What good was being unseen if it meant being unable to act, unable to warn, unable to protect? A surge of frustration, sharp and potent, coursed through her.

She had to find a way to understand what these creatures were, what the "7 DAYS" meant, and how to escape this prison once for all. Relying on the oblivious thoughts of the living was clearly useless. The pin seemed to offer a connection to this hidden layer of reality, but she didn't know how to fully utilize it.

Her gaze fell upon the spot where the young man had vanished. There was no trace of him left, no lingering energy, just the cold, hard pavement. The finality of it was chilling.

Tsugumi clenched her fists. She wouldn't become another silent victim in this bizarre situation. She had survived dread, a fate far more terrifying than mere fear. She would find a way to survive this too. She had to. The sight of those disappearing people, the grotesque creatures that emerged from their fading forms... it was a stark reminder that there were dangers far greater than the irritating happiness of the living. The world had just shown its teeth, and Tsugumi knew, with a chilling certainty, that the next seven days would be a fight for a survival she hadn't even understood until now, with all that...

The sudden, horrifying reality of the dissolving victims, the grotesque creatures emerging from their vanishing forms - it was a shock that momentarily shattered Tsugumi's carefully constructed detachment. The silent observation was over. This was a direct, undeniable threat. Tsugumi turns back, looking for a place that could be safe for her to hide until something less dangerous happens.

As if sensing her presence, or perhaps simply sensing the lingering aura of a enemy that they should erace, the emerald-green creatures, Dixiefrogs, turn back at her their peculiar, hopping gait and unsettling croaks, swiveled their yellow, intelligent eyes towards her. Their collective gaze fixed upon her. A chill that had nothing to do with her intangible state snaked down Tsugumi's spine as she slowly looks back. They could see her.

One of the Dixiefrogs, larger than the others, let out a guttural croak that resonated with an almost physical vibration in the air around Tsugumi. It lunged forward, a surprising burst of speed from its blue-tattooed hind legs, its form blurring as it closed the distance. 

"Erk!" Tsugumi didn't hesitate. She ran making the strange frog fall right behind of her.

Tsugumi starts to run effortlessly through the oblivious human crowd. The Dixiefrogs, however, moved with an unsettling purpose, weaving through the crowd as if the humans were mere inconveniences, their movements precise and direct. They were faster than she expected.

She dodged a bustling office worker, then swerved around a group of tourists, her heart hammering against her ribs with a frantic rhythm she hadn't felt in years. The Dixiefrogs were hot on her heels, their croaks growing louder, more aggressive.

Suddenly, a series of iridescent, glowing bubbles erupted from the mouths of the pursuing Dixiefrogs. They arced through the air, surprisingly slow, yet filled with a menacing shimmer. Tsugumi, still running blindly, felt a searing heat erupt behind her. She instinctively glanced back. Where a bubble had landed, the ground rippled, and a section of concrete vanished, consumed by the same tattoo-like patterns that erased the floor like a crater. The bubble exploded with a soft, wet pop, leaving only a void.

These bubbles weren't just damaging the environment; they were designed to erase. And they were aiming for *her*.

Panic, raw and unadulterated, threatened to overwhelm her. There was no time to think, only to react. She wove a frantic path around the central statue of Hachiko, doubling back on herself, trying to throw off her pursuers. The Dixiefrogs mirrored her movements with chilling accuracy, their yellow eyes unblinking, their pursuit relentless. "No no no no no! Stay away from me!!!"

Another volley of bubbles. Tsugumi twisted sharply, barely avoiding one that would have detonated directly in her path. The air behind her crackled, and another section of the crossing dissolved into nothingness. The invisible barriers that confined her to Scramble Crossing now felt less like a cage and more like the walls of a death trap. She couldn't escape the area, and within it, she was being hunted.

The chaos of Scramble Crossing, once merely irritating, now felt like a desperate ally. She used the dense crowd to her advantage, darting between oblivious pedestrians, hoping to momentarily obscure herself from the Dixiefrogs' sight. They were fast, but navigating around solid obstacles slowed them down slightly.

She could hear the faint, distant whispers of the humans' thoughts as she flew past them - *"Almost missed my bus!"* *"This new app is amazing!"* - a surreal counterpoint to her desperate fight for survival. Their oblivious joy now felt less irritating and more tragically ironic. They were dancing on a battlefield they couldn't perceive.

Tsugumi's analytical mind, even in the grip of terror, began to assess the situation. The Dixiefrogs were fast, but they seemed to have a slight wind-up before launching their bubbles. That offered a precious fraction of a second to react. Their attacks were precise, but they weren't unerring. And their method of erasure... it seemed to require direct contact.

She roams around Scramble Crossing, a frantic, spectral dance of survival. The explosions of vanishing pavement behind her were a constant reminder of the stakes. One wrong move, one moment of hesitation, and she too would be reduced to nothingness, consumed by those horrifying tattoo patterns.

Her gaze darted to the 104 billboard, the "YOU HAVE 7 DAYS" now mocking her desperate flight. Seven days to live, or seven days until inevitable erasure? The rules of this game were being written in vanishing concrete and terrifying pursuit.

She glanced at the pin clutched in her hand. It was her only link, her only tool in this intangible war. Could it do more than just let her hear thoughts? Could it... fight? The thought was fleeting, dismissed almost immediately. She had no idea how to use it for anything other than passive observation.

A Dixiefrog, larger than the rest, suddenly veered and cut off her path, its yellow eyes locked onto her. It croaked, a deep, resonant sound, and began to charge, its body shimmering with an unsettling energy. It wasn't shooting bubbles this time; it was aiming for a direct, physical collision.

Tsugumi reacted instinctively, throwing herself to the side, passing through a bewildered businessman. The Dixiefrog slammed into where she had been a moment before, its momentum causing it to spin wildly, its blue-tattooed legs flailing.

This was a test. They weren't just trying to erase her with bubbles; they were trying to corner her, to overwhelm her with their numbers.

She had to think. Running in circles wouldn't save her indefinitely. She needed a strategy. But with every near miss, with every blast of searing heat behind her, her mind struggled to focus beyond the primal urge to survive. "This is bad! Really bad!"

Tsugumi's desperate, frantic dance around Scramble Crossing came to an abrupt as she enters Statue of Hachiko, The Dixiefrogs, with their unsettling agility and unwavering focus, had finally herded her into a corner. The familiar, stoic statue of **Hachiko** stood impassively beside her, an ironic witness to her impending demise. She was trapped, a prey caught in a ring of frogs.

To her left, a Dixiefrog lunged, its powerful blue-tattooed hind leg blurring into a vicious kick. Tsugumi instinctively tried to phase through, but an unexpected force, more solid than the invisible barriers, slammed into her. She was sent reeling backward, a wave of disorienting pain shocking her intangible form. The sensation was agonizing, a deep ache that resonated through her very essence, proving that even as a ghost, she could be hurt. "Gah!!"

She spun to her right, hoping for an opening, but another Dixiefrog was already there, mirroring the first's brutal assault. A second powerful kick sent her staggering back, the phantom pain compounding the first. Behind her, a third creature moved in, its attack equally precise and forceful, driving her back towards the unyielding statue. And in front, the largest Dixiefrog, its yellow eyes gleaming with predatory intent, completed the circle. "Ahh! Urgh!!!"

Each impact left Tsugumi feeling more disoriented, more fragmented. The blows were purely energetic, yet they tore at her, leaving her aching and battered in a way she hadn't thought possible. Her breaths came in ragged, silent gasps. The strength she had once felt, the grim resolve to survive, was rapidly ebbing away. "D-damn frogs"

This was it. Cornered, trapped, and utterly powerless. The sensation of being physically hurt, was a horrifying new variable, shattering any lingering sense of invulnerability. The world, or rather, this distorted layer of it, had found a way to touch her, to break her.

The Dixiefrogs tightened their circle, their croaks a low, guttural chorus of impending doom. Their iridescent bubbles shimmered, ready to launch. The **"YOU HAVE 7 DAYS"** on the 104 billboard seemed to mock her, a cruel countdown to an end that was now undeniably imminent.

Perhaps this was the life's true nature. Not a puzzle to solve, but an inescapable trap. A slow, agonizing erasure. Tsugumi closed her eyes, the bitter taste of defeat filling her nonexistent mouth. The fight was over.

....

....

....

....

....

....

Just as she was ready to take the last attack, a blur of vibrant color shot across the Statue of Hachiko. A girl, clad in impossibly trendy fashion and radiating an energy that felt utterly out of place in this grim scenario, was charging directly at the Dixiefrogs.

The strange girl slammed into one of the frog creatures with surprising force, sending it skidding back a few paces. Before Tsugumi could process this unexpected intervention, the girl lunged forward, grabbing Tsugumi's hand.

A sudden, intense **blue glow** erupted around them, enveloping both Tsugumi and the girl. The light pulsed, almost blindingly, and Tsugumi felt a strange surge of power, a connection she hadn't known was possible. The Dixiefrogs, momentarily taken aback by the brilliant flash, recoiled a step. The girl, her eyes squeezed shut, seemed to brace herself, a flicker of fear crossing her face even amidst the powerful energy.

As quickly as it appeared, the blue light dissipated, leaving only the lingering afterimage of its brilliance. The vibrant girl, now with a triumphant, beaming smile, shot Tsugumi a thumbs-up. "I saved ya!" she declared, her voice surprisingly loud and cheerful in the perpetual daylight of the all that.

She turned to Tsugumi, her expression bright. "You felt that, right? That means you're a Player too! Just like me!" She struck a "cute" pose, hands framing her face, and introduced herself. "I'm Ao! Aoi Hoshino! But everyone calls me Ao!"

Tsugumi stared, utterly bewildered. "Player?" The word felt alien, meaningless in the face of her near-erasure. This girl was too much - too loud, too cheerful, too... everything. The last thing Tsugumi wanted was to interact with someone so overtly enthusiastic, especially not after what she'd just endured. Who was this person? What was she talking about?

Before Tsugumi could voice her confusion, Ao's cheerful demeanor vanished, replaced by a sudden, intense seriousness. Her eyes narrowed as she looked past Tsugumi. "Uh oh! Looks like they're not giving up!" The Dixiefrogs, having recovered from the light blast, were indeed closing in again, their croaks growing more insistent.

Without another word, Ao quickly tossed something towards Tsugumi. Tsugumi's instincts, sharpened by the recent near-death experience, made her snatch it out of the air. She glanced at Ao, then down at her hand. It was a **pin**, similar in shape to the one she already clutched, but this one featured a dynamic image: a **puck mid-flight**, seemingly leaving a trail of destructive energy.

Ao didn't wait. She thrust out her hand, and a burst of **fiery flames** erupted from her palm, searing through the air and engulfing several of the Dixiefrogs. A pathetic, yet determined, war cry escaped her lips as she charged headlong into the remaining creatures, leaving Tsugumi standing dumbfounded amidst the chaos, the strange new pin hot in her hand.

What was happening? What was a "Player"? Who was this strange girl? And how was she able to summon flames from her hand and send creatures flying? Tsugumi's mind reeled, a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. The game, whatever it was, had just taken an even stranger turn.

Ao launched herself into the fray with a battle cry that was more enthusiastic squeal than roar. Flames danced around her hands, turning the air shimmering hot as she unleashed rapid bursts of fire, incinerating the Dixiefrogs nearest to her. Tsugumi, however, remained rooted to the spot, a bewildered phantom dodging attacks she didn't understand how to counter. The Dixiefrogs, seemingly unfazed by Ao's initial assault, shifted their focus, some continuing to pursue Tsugumi while others engaged Ao.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Ao shrieked, dodging a lunging Dixiefrog and blasting it with another fiery shot. "Don't just stand there! Fight back! Come onnn!"

Tsugumi could only stare, her mind a whirlwind of confusion. Fight back *how*? She was like a ghost. She had just been pummeled by kicks. And what was this pin Ao had thrown at her?

A wave of iridescent bubbles erupted from the Dixiefrogs targeting Tsugumi, forcing her to abandon her daze and resume her desperate, circular sprint. The ground behind her vanished with explosive pops, leaving gaping voids in the concrete. She heard Ao curse, a genuine frustration entering her usually cheerful tone.

"The pin! Use the pin!" Ao yelled, her voice strained as she parried a Dixiefrog's claw with a burst of flame. "The one I gave you! **Shockwave**! You gotta think it! Like, *really* think it!"

*Think it?* Tsugumi glanced down at the pin in her hand, its surface cool against her palm. A puck passing finisher, the design suggested. What did that mean? Her logical mind struggled to grasp the abstract command amidst the immediate threat. She was not a psychic.

One of the Dixiefrogs, particularly large and aggressive, cut off her escape route, its yellow eyes gleaming. It charged, aiming for a direct strike. Tsugumi braced herself, the phantom pain of the earlier kicks a vivid memory.

"Think of a wave!" Ao screamed, her voice cutting through the din. "A big, white *SHOCKWAVE*! Push it out! Imagine it!"

The words, simple yet frantic, pierced through Tsugumi's confusion. A wave. Push it out. She closed her eyes for a split second, picturing the invisible force that had sent her reeling moments ago. She pictured that force, but reversed, emanating from *her*. She imagined a burst of energy, a shockwave, radiating outwards.

As the charging Dixiefrog closed in, Tsugumi focused her will, clutching the pin, and *pushed*. A sudden, unseen force erupted from her hand, a concentrated burst of pure energy. The Dixiefrog, caught mid-lunge, was violently shoved backward, tumbling head over heels before crashing into its brethren. It croaked, a sound of surprise and pain, as it struggled to regain its footing.

Tsugumi gasped, her eyes flying open. It worked. She had done it. A surge of exhilaration, sharp and unexpected, coursed through her. She was no longer just prey. She had a weapon.

"YES! That's it!" Ao cheered, her voice echoing across the crossing, her own flames flaring with renewed vigor. "Now keep it up! We gotta clear 'em out!"

The battle intensified. Ao, with her fiery Pyrokinessis Pin - as Tsugumi now understood her abilities to be called - was a whirlwind of offensive power. She ducked, weaved, and spun, her hand-fired flames incinerating Dixiefrogs, leaving only wisps of dark smoke behind. But her attacks weren't without cost. Several Dixiefrogs managed to land glancing blows, their kicks sending ripples of pain through her. She grunted, grimaced, but pressed on, her determination fierce. "Gah! Bad frogs!"

Tsugumi, now emboldened, began to experiment with her newfound ability. The **Shockwave** pin, when activated with focused intent, unleashed a burst of concussive force from her hands as she slashes around the Dixiefrogs on her way like a blade, sending multiple Dixiefrogs tumbling with a single focused slash. She learned to time her slashes, creating space, disrupting their formations, and knocking them off balance.

A volley of iridescent bubbles arced towards Ao, who was momentarily overwhelmed by a group of Dixiefrogs. Without thinking, Tsugumi darted between Ao and the incoming attack, unleashing a powerful **Shockwave**. The unseen force intercepted the bubbles mid-flight, scattering them harmlessly.

"Whoa! Nice save!" Ao yelled, grinning. "See? We make a great team!"

Tsugumi didn't respond, her focus absolute. The Dixiefrogs were relentless. They adapted quickly, learning to spread out, making it harder for Ao to hit multiple targets, and trying to flank Tsugumi's pushes. Their bubbles became more frequent, forcing both girls to be in constant motion.

A particularly powerful Dixiefrog managed to bypass Ao's flame defense and landed a solid kick to her side. Ao cried out, stumbling, clutching her ribs. Her aura flickered, and for a moment, her cheerful face contorted in pain.

"Hey!" Tsugumi called out, a flicker of genuine concern breaking through her usual stoicism. She launched herself towards the injured girl, unleashing a rapid succession of **Shockwaves** that created a temporary clear path.

"I'm fine! Just a bruise!" Ao gasped, pushing herself back up, but her movements were clearly more strained. She forced a grin. "Can't let 'em get to us, right?"

Tsugumi, now standing back-to-back with Ao, unleashed another powerful **Shockwave**, pushing back a cluster of approaching Dixiefrogs. The constant exertion, the repeated impacts from earlier, and the mental focus required to activate the pin were taking their toll. She felt a deep ache in her core, a reverberation of fatigue that surprised her. Even as a ghost as she thought, her energy could be depleted.

"Okay, new strategy!" Ao panted, her bright hair slightly disheveled. "We gotta focus fire! Pick a target, then both hit it! My flames can finish 'em if you knock 'em down!"

Tsugumi nodded, a silent agreement. The sheer practicality of the suggestion cut through the chaos. Their combined efforts would be more efficient. "Tsk"

"That one!" Ao pointed with a flaming hand at a large Dixiefrog that had been particularly aggressive. "Ready... now!"

Ao unleashed a concentrated blast of fire, forcing the Dixiefrog to stagger back. Before it could recover, Tsugumi followed up with a focused **Shockwave**, slamming into the creature and sending it crashing onto the pavement with a sickening thud. Ao immediately covered it with a volley of flames, and the Dixiefrog let out a final, guttural croak before dissolving into black smoke.

One down. Many more to go.

They fought as one, a dance of contrasting powers. Ao's vibrant, destructive flames illuminating the grim reality of the battle, Tsugumi's concussive slashes and cuts pushing back the tide. They moved with a newfound coordination, a silent understanding forging between them amidst the chaos. Ao would unleash a flurry of flames, forcing the Dixiefrogs to scatter, and Tsugumi would use the opening to pick off stragglers or knock down charging attackers. If Tsugumi found herself overwhelmed, Ao would pivot, launching a defensive wall of fire. If Ao took a hit, Tsugumi would be there with a timely **Shockwave** to give her breathing room.

The ground around them became a patchwork of dissolved concrete and lingering smoke. The air, despite the endless daylight, grew heavy with the smell of ozone and something acrid, the scent of erased matter. Both girls were breathing heavily, their faces grim but determined. Ao's trendy clothes were singed in places, and Tsugumi felt a persistent ache in her spectral limbs.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last Dixiefrog dissolved into smoke, leaving only the silent, bustling crowd and the scarred pavement of Scramble Crossing. The sudden absence of the threat left a strange, ringing silence in Tsugumi's ears, a void where the croaks and the explosions had been.

Ao slumped against the Hachiko statue, panting, a wide, triumphant grin slowly spreading across her dirt-smudged face. "We did it!" she crowed, her voice hoarse but still full of a ridiculous cheer. "We totally wiped 'em out!"

Tsugumi simply leaned against an invisible wall, her body trembling with exhaustion. The battle had been brutal, terrifying, and utterly disorienting. But they had survived. And for the first time in a long time, the familiar bitterness towards the oblivious crowd was replaced by a different sensation: the lingering heat of adrenaline, the ache of expended effort, and a grudging sense of... partnership. Ao was loud, ridiculous, and everything Tsugumi usually detested, but she had fought with courage, and she had explained how to use the pin. She had saved Tsugumi's life.

Ao pushed herself off the statue, rubbing her side where she'd taken a hit. "Man, that was intense! But hey, you picked up the **Shockwave** super fast! You're a natural, T-chan!"

Tsugumi raised an eyebrow, a flicker of irritation at the nickname. "T-chan?"

Ao giggled, completely unbothered. "Yeah! It's cute, right? So, you're a Player, I'm a Player... that means we're partners now! We gotta stick together to survive this game!" She extended a hand towards Tsugumi, her smile unwavering.

Tsugumi looked at the offered hand, then at Ao's bright, expectant face. Partners. The word felt foreign, unsettling. She had always preferred to be alone. But they *had* fought together. They *had* survived. And a game?... this was clearly not something she could face alone.

The 104 billboard still screamed "YOU HAVE 7 DAYS." The Dixiefrogs were gone, but the threat, the game itself, remained. And for the first time, Tsugumi knew she wasn't entirely alone in this strange, new Shibuya.

Ao sagged against the Statue of Hachiko again, a dramatic sigh of relief escaping her lips. Her eyes fluttered open, and she watched with satisfaction as the glowing timer on her right hand-a digital countdown that had been steadily ticking down since the all that began-winked out of existence, leaving only smooth skin behind. "Phew! Day one cleared!" she chirped, pumping a fist.

Tsugumi, who hadn't realized she too possessed such a timer, instinctively glanced down at her own hand. Just as Ao's vanished, the faint, glowing digits on her palm likewise flickered and disappeared. The sudden revelation, combined with Ao's casual remark about "Day one cleared," added another layer of mystery and urgency to her situation. Ao then proudly displayed her own Pin, holding it up for Tsugumi to see. It depicted a dynamic image of fierce flames, glowing with raw, untamed glow. "I have a pin too, It's called Pyrokinessis I think or something like that" She smiles.

The revelation of the shared timer, the concept of a "Day 1?," and now this distinct pin-all of it swirled in Tsugumi's mind. She stumbled back a step, absorbing the deluge of information. The annoyance that had been simmering beneath her fear and confusion suddenly flared. She disliked being out of the loop, disliked being dependent, and most of all, disliked the bubbly, overly familiar girl who had just saved her life.

Without a word, Tsugumi reached out, her hand shooting forward to grab Ao's collar. With surprising strength, she lifted the lighter girl off her feet, her own face a mask of cold fury. "What is this?" Tsugumi demanded, her voice low and dangerously controlled. "What game? What 'player'? And how did you know my name?"

Ao let out a surprised "Woah, woah!" her eyes wide as she dangled in Tsugumi's grasp. "Easy there, T-chan! Don't get so intense!" She wriggled a little, trying to free herself. "Okay, okay, I'll explain! Just put me down, pretty please?"

Tsugumi's grip didn't lessen immediately. Her gaze was unblinkable, unwavering, demanding immediate answers.

"Okay, so!" Ao continued, trying to sound as unconcerned as possible despite being held aloft by her collar. "This is the Reaper's Game! Duh! And we're Players! See the timer that we both had? That's how many minutes we had to like finish a mission. Beat the mission for the day, and it disappears! If you don't... poof! You're..e-erased! Like those people we just saw!" She shuddered visibly at the memory. "And the pins? Those are how we use Psychs! Mine's **Pyrokinesis**, yours is **Shockwave**! You figure out what they do by, like, *thinking* really hard at 'em! Pretty neat, huh? The same is for our Player Pins but whose don't help much at fighting Hehe~"

Tsugumi listened, her mind racing. The Reaper's Game. Players. Missions. Erasure. It all clicked into place, a horrifying yet strangely logical explanation for her predicament. She finally lowered Ao, who smoothed out her rumpled collar with a huff.

"As for your name," Ao continued, dusting off her skirt. "When two Players make a Pact, they automatically know each other's names. It's like, part of the deal! But I was just being polite, you know, introducing myself properly with my nickname. Ao! Remember? I know you knew my name too after we hold hands" She gave Tsugumi another dazzling, overly cheerful smile.

Tsugumi felt her face contort slightly. This girl was... insufferable. "So, you're telling me... I'm stuck in some kind of deadly game... with *you*?" The disdain in her voice was palpable.

Ao giggled, completely unfazed. "Yep! Pretty cool, right? We already make a great team! You're super intense, T-chan, but you're a total pro with that **Shockwave**! And I'm, like, the queen of flames!" She bounced on the balls of her feet, radiating boundless energy.

Tsugumi just scowled. Intense. That was one word for it. Aggravating was another. The very idea of being tethered to this whirlwind of perkiness for seven days filled her with a profound sense of dread. She had already found her partner, and she was everything Tsugumi actively disliked. Loud, overly familiar, perpetually cheerful. Tsugumi grabs Mr. Mew a little harder, putting all the anger she was feeling towards Ao on him.

"I'm leaving," Tsugumi stated flatly, turning on her heel. The battle was over, the "day" cleared. She needed to process this new reality, and she preferred to do it in solitude, far away from Ao's relentless optimism.

"Huh? Wait!" Ao cried, instantly trailing after her. "Where are you going? We're partners now! We gotta stick together!"

Tsugumi ignored her, pushing through the oblivious crowds, walking effortlessly. The sheer volume of Ao's presence was already grating on her. She needed space. She needed quiet.

"Hey! T-chan! Come on!" Ao's voice followed her, annoyingly persistent. Tsugumi could almost feel Ao's thoughts now, a mix of genuine concern and a desperate need for companionship. "It's dangerous to be alone out here! What if more of those Dixiefrogs show up?"

Tsugumi didn't respond. She just continued her deliberate, unwavering stride, heading back towards the edges of Scramble Crossing, the invisible barriers now lifted, replaced by the open, yet still confusing, streets of Shibuya. She had survived the first day, but the true challenge, she realized, might not be the Reapers or the Noise, but the inescapable presence of her new partner. Ao, however, remained determined, a vibrant shadow relentlessly following Tsugumi into the labyrinth of the city...