Starting Over

I fast travel to the manga café and set myself up reading “I Was a Spider Now I’m a Witch, What Now?”

In-between reading sessions I check in on Shinichi but, he’s mostly just putting in his time at the pharmacy and playing his online game.

Sometimes he goes online to catch up on some things that are going on in the field.

I have no idea about any of that stuff but he seems to be soaking all the info in.

When I’m not checking in on Shinichi I go ahead and visit Peter.

It really is nice to talk to someone, even if he’s a rabbit and not a person.

I couldn’t spend too much time with him however, since Yoko is finishing her current job and packing things up for her move.

That will change once Yoko and Peter move in next door to Shinichi.

I mean I could always talk to Hiroko but, she has her hands full with her son.

You know it’s pretty nice to have some me time and not have to rush around fixing things.

I’ve been running pretty non-stop since I came back.

Monday morning comes around and I go to visit Peter and Yoko.

They’re all packed up and Peter is tucked away in a small carry case.

He seems to be sulking.

“Aww what’s wrong?”

“You don’t have to tease me. I hate it in here and I have no idea what to expect. I have never been on a train before and I’m usually only in here if I have to go see the doctor.”

“Those things are pretty fun actually.”

“Are they?”

“Yeah, you see the view go by so quickly.”

“That…That sounds scary.”

“Hey, at least you’re not taking a plane. You’d be flying really high in the air.”

“That sounds really scary. You humans are crazy. Shouldn’t you just use your feet to go places?”

“Well, the world is a big place and we like to travel all over and see what’s out there. We have to have some way to get there or it’d take a very long time by foot. Like days, weeks months or even years!”

“That’s crazy! This really is a big world, isn’t it?”

“Yup it sure is.”

“I’m just fine being with my master where she gives me tasty food and takes me out to the fresh grass every once in a while.”

Good thing I didn’t tell him about outer space.

I think that’d hurt his little rabbit mind.

He’s definitely a rabbit.

At least he’s content with being a rabbit doing rabbit things.

Yoko is just gathering the last of the garbage to put out and takes a last look at her apartment.

Once she’s done, she picks up Peter in his travel cage and leaves the apartment.

“I’ll see you in a little bit, Peter.”

“What? You’re going to leave me?”

“I’m a ghost. I don’t need to be on a train to travel. I just need to think of where I want to go and “poof” I’m there.”

“Must be nice. You can go to all sorts of places that way, can’t you?”

“Yeah I got to visit a couple of places I always wanted to.”

“That’s really good but, what now?”

“I’ll see you at the apartment I yell out to him as Yoko leaves the apartment and heads down the stairs.”

Well not much to do anymore right now.

I guess I’ll go back and read a bit more while Shinichi is at work and Yoko and Peter are heading to the new apartment.

Must be nice being able to start over.

Since Yoko and to a lesser extent Peter are starting over from scratch.

Shinichi, however, while he is starting his new job, he still has some things he’s not letting go of.

So, he’s not quite starting over completely but, is starting over nonetheless.

If that makes sense at all.

Well off to the manga café for a bit more reading.

It really is a good story with a lot of twists.

Once I finish off the third book, I look at the time and noticed it should be time for Yoko and Peter to arrive.

Oh, I can’t wait.

I hope they like the place.

I’m so nervous.

Like the time I moved here and met Shinichi.

I head back to the apartment and wait for them to arrive.

Eventually, I hear the door open and Mrs. Nagahama opens the door to let Yoko and Peter in the apartment.

“Here is the apartment. I hope it is to your liking.”

“Oh, it’s not too different to from my old one really. It’s a little smaller but it’s fine.”

“I’m glad. Here is your key and if you have any issues, please let me know/”

She hands the key over to Yoko.

“Oh, by the way there’s a great park nearby that will be great for your little friend there.”

“Thank you very much.”

“How long will it be until your bed and items arrive?”

“They should be here tomorrow. I will probably stay at a hotel tonight. The company said they would reimburse me for it anyway.”

“Oh! We have a guest room on the third floor. It’s not much but it does have a sleeping bag and a TV. You can stay there and be ready for when your items arrive.”

“That’s great! Thank you very much!”

While the two of them are conversing, I look over to Peter in his travel case and wave to him.

“Welcome home!”

“I’m home…for now it seems.”

“Well, what do you think?”

“I don’t know what to think. It just the hole you people live in. It looks the same as the one we left.”

“Well, that can be a good thing, right?”

“I suppose.”

As we finish our banter, Yoko picks up Peter’s travel case and locks the door up to their new apartment.

Yoko, Peter and Mrs. Nagahama head to the stairs

Coming up the stairs is Shinichi getting home from his first day at his new job.

Mrs. Nagahama stops to say hello to him.

“Good evening Mr. Kitaji.”

“Good evening, Mrs. Nagahama.”

“This is Miss Usada. She will be living in the apartment next you starting tomorrow.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Shinichi Kitaji.”

“N-nice to meet you as well, I’m Yoko Usada.”

Mrs. Nagahama continues.

“Well, we are going up to the guest room now. I hope you have a good night.”

“Have a good night as well.”

He bows and then heads off to his apartment carrying his carrying another convenience store dinner.

Uhg, more junk food.

I gotta do something about that but, it’ll have to wait for now.

Soon though, I’ll get you to stop with the junk.

It’s fine to eat once in a while but, not all the time and it can have an effect on your mental health too.

I continue to follow Mrs. Nagahama upstairs to the guest room.

Well, it seemed Yoko was a little nervous meeting Shinichi but, they met now so anything that happens will just further things along.

I follow them to the guest room and Mrs. Nagahama opens the door.

“Here you go.”

“Oh, it’s really nice.” Yoko says.

“Thank you very much. There is an electric kettle with some tea near the sink. There are some disposable tableware in the cabinet. Over here is the closet with three sleeping bags.”

“Thank you for letting us stay here for the night.”

“It is my pleasure. I hope you have a good night.”

It is a lovely room. There’s even some seat cushions and a table to sit around.

“Looks like you got a nice place to stay, Peter.”

“It’s okay, I guess. I really need something to eat right now other than the grass I been gnawing on the last few hours.”

“Well now that you have a place to stay tonight I’m sure she’ll get you something.”

Just as I tell that to Peter.

“Well, P-chan, I think this will be a nice place to be after all. Oh yeah, I need to get you your dinner. Luckily there is a convenience store nearby. I’ll be back shortly.”

With that she grabs her purse and heads out the door.

“See, all taken care of. No problem at all.”

“It’s about time. I don’t know how much longer I can take.”

“You’re so silly. I can’t let you out this time though. It’d cause too much suspicion.”

“I know, I’ll just sit here and wait for her to come back.”

“I’ll keep you company while she’s out.”

“Thanks for that.”

“No problem. Hey, that park that Mrs. Nagahama mentioned is really nice you know. I remember going there with Shinichi many times over the years.”

“That sounds great. I hope the grass is tasty too. Oh, dandelions would be great too. I always love those.”

“Hahaha. You’re so funny.”

“Well, I am pretty hungry. I hope she returns soon.”

“The convenience store is not that far, and they usually have bananas there. Some people get one the way to work.”

“Good. I’m really at my limits here.”

“You sound like an addict, hahaha.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“It’s ok. I hope she gets back soon too. I have to check on Shinichi. It’s his first day at his new job.”

“I see. Well, you don’t have to stay here for my benefit.”

“I have plenty of time.”

As I finish, I hear the door rattle and then Yoko walks through the door.

She’s carrying a bag with a few items and a few food items too.

She goes over to the sink area, gets a plastic knife and cuts off a piece of banana.

“Here you go.” She says as she opens the travel carrier and hands him the banana.

He goes for the banana and begins devouring it.

“Well, I’ll let you two be. Sleep well.”

I head downstairs and to Shinichi’s apartment.

Instead of loading up his game, he’s looking at some scientific articles.

This is the Shinichi I remember.

Sometimes he’d become so absorbed in his research and studies he shuts off everything around him.

I’d have to do a little bit of “appeal” to his most baser instincts to pull him back.

Sadly, I’m not here to do that to him now.

I just hope that Yoko is up to the task when the time comes.

He finishes his “dinner” and then logs into the game.

Once he’s logged in, he begins crafting.

“I might as well do my daily turn ins.”

Must be some sort of daily quest or something.

About three items in he gets a message.

Yamashi> Hello, friend!

Yamashi< Heya, just doing my dailies. What’s up?

Yamashi> How was the new work place?

Yamashi< It was good. I mostly did orientation stuff but, I did get setup in my new lab as well.

Yamashi> Oh ho! Ready to discover the secrets of humanity or bring cat people to the world?

That Yamashi guy is funny.

Yamashi< Small steps first. I have unfinished business with what I was working on in college.

Yamashi> That’s great! I hope it’s something cool.

Yamashi< It’s nothing too great but if I can get it solidified, there will be a lot less diseases we will have to contend with.

Oh, yeah.

I remember that stuff he was working on in college.

It was his thesis if I remember.

Yamashi> That sounds pretty cool to me.

Yamashi< Yeah, I guess so, if it all works out. I still have a way to go though.

Yamashi> Does this mean you’re going to have to stop playing soon?

Yamashi< Well, I am going to have to drop out of most of the events but, I’ll still be here when I can.

Yamashi> I’m sad to hear that. You were always one of the most important members in Alternys runs.

Yamashi< Thanks, but I just did my best. You have my information though so; we can always meet up sometime. Anyway, I need to finish up these dailies and then head off to bed.

Yamashi> Right, we should definitely do that. Well have a good night.

Yamashi< I’m just finishing up my last turn in so, I’m about to log out. Have a good night as well.

With that he logs out and prepares for bed.

Well, nothing left to do today so, I’ll just head back to read some more.