Chapter Text
Detective Amelia Watson was tired. Her latest case turned out to be more difficult than she had expected, spanning across multiple timelines, and involving multiple versions of her friends that proved to be less cooperative than she expected. It was a tough mission which lasted a long week from her perspective. Finally, however, it was over and she was home. All she wanted to do now was rest and relax.
Sadly for her, a certain thief derailed her plans.
“You know, I prefer my clients visiting me at my office, not my home.” Amelia said, giving a deadpan and exhausted stare at the goth girl sitting on her bed, staring at her with a serious look on her face.
Amelia didn’t personally know her, but she had seen the face before, plastered in the security footage of her office. That woman, that thief, had entered her office, rummaged through precious artifacts and files from various timelines, and made way with them. Stealing artifacts, that made sense, since they were valuable and would sell for a good price in the blackmarket. Stealing boring documents intrigued the detective though. What would anyone want with her reports?
One thing was for sure though, she was no friend. Because of this, Amelia stood there cautiously, ready for a fight if it were to occur.
“So what, stealing my artifacts and records isn't good enough anymore? Do you want to steal my bedsheets now too?”
“I need to ask for a favor.” The intruder simply said, making Amelia roll her eyes.
“A favor?” The detective said, caught by surprise. “You know, you have some nerve coming here to ask for a favor after what you’ve done.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m desperate.” The other woman said, as she got up and gave Amelia a pleading look. “My friend needs help and I think you’re the only one who can make her feel better.”
“Make her feel better?” Amelia asked, keeping untrusting eyes on the woman in front of her “Does your friend need a doctor? Because you do know there are other doctors aside from me, right?”
“No, not a doctor. I need someone that can travel to different timelines, different realities.” Her intruder admitted.
“Ah.” Amelia said, before letting out a snort. “So, you read my reports and didn’t just use them as kindle.”
“I know what you’re able to do, detective. You’re the only one I know who can do that.” With each word, her voice sounded more and more shaky.
“So what? How can alternate realities help your friend?”
Smiling weakly, the intruder sat back on her bed, keeping her eyes locked on her.
“If you can spare the time, detective, I’ll tell you everything.
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Detective Amelia Watson was tired. Her latest case turned out to be more difficult than she had expected, spanning across multiple timelines, and involving multiple versions of her friends that proved to be less cooperative than she expected. It was a tough mission which lasted a long week from her perspective. Finally, however, it was over and she was home. All she wanted to do now was rest and relax.
Sadly for her, a certain blonde detective and a woman she vaguely recognized derailed her plans.
Sighing, Amelia shook her head and accepted the fact that rest would have to wait.
“Alright, what do you two want?”
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“Come on, Moco-chan, we’re going to be late for dinner!” Fuwawa called out to her, as her older sibling led the way to the dining room.
Mococo didn’t want to go. She preferred to eat her food in their room. But her sister insisted, saying it would be rude to not join their friends. Because of that, the younger demon dog reluctantly agreed.
However, as they got closer to the dining room, she felt the familiar unease in her stomach. She was feeling anxious. The room was reminding her of the terrible prank her sister and friends played on her the other night. Despite her sister’s apology, the memory and terrible emotions that hit her that night were still carved deep into her mind.
Desperately, she tried to find an excuse not to go there. But Fuwawa was insistent. There was no way out and Mococo knew she had to be a brave dog. She didn’t want to disappoint her sister after all.
Entering the dining room, however, she suddenly started to wonder if she made the right decision.
Sitting by the table were her three friends. But there was someone else there. It was someone new, someone unfamiliar to her.
Shyly, she moved towards Fuwawa, who was standing by the table.
“Bau bau!” Her sister energetically greeted. “Who’s our new friend?”
There was a brief silence, as her friend’s shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Eventually Shioro spoke. However, instead of addressing Fuwawa, the goth girl turned her attention to Mococo. The younger demon dog only found this strange and rude.
“Mococo, this is Doctor Amelia Watson.”
“Please, just call me Ame.” The newly introduced woman said, giving her a faint smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Mococo.”
The demon dog tried to smile back, but felt that something was wrong. Looking at Ame, then at her friends, she frowned at the fact that they seemed to be ignoring Fuwawa. Turning her attention towards her sister, she seemed to be unphased by this, as she continued to hold her smile.
Not wanting to be too rude, Mococo slowly leaned towards Fuwawa and whispered to her. “I don’t like this, sis. They seem to be ignoring you… Is this another one of your pranks, because I’m not liking it.”
“Who are you talking to, Mococo?” Ame suddenly asked.
Mococo blushed in embarrassment and shot a glance at Ame. The question caught her by surprise and she wasn’t sure how to respond.
“To my sister Fuwawa…” The demon dog meekly said.
Ame glanced at her and then towards where Fuwawa stood. “There’s no one there, Mococo.” She eventually said.
No. It was happening again. It was just like the other night. All of a sudden, she felt sick in her stomach, as her head began to hurt. She did not like this.
“Fuwawa!” Mococo said, her voice revealing fear and annoyance. “You said you wouldn’t do another prank like that again.
“I’m not, Moco-chan!” Her sister responded. Glancing at her face, the younger twin saw an honest look of confusion on her sibling’s face.
“Mococo.” Nerissa suddenly spoke, as she rose from her seat. Was she crying? “I know it’s hard to accept, but Fuwawa is gone. We all miss her, and we know no one misses her more than you, but you need to accept that she’s no longer with us.”
“But, Nerissa, I’m right here!” Fuwawa cried out.
“Yes, Nerissa, she’s right there!” Mococo said, gesturing to her side. Why do her friends keep on doing this? What was wrong with them?
“Fuwawa, there’s no one there.” Shiori informed her.
“You’ve been speaking for Fuwawa… You’ve only been speaking to yourself.” Biboo added, seemingly struggling to say those words.
“You’re lying again! All of you are lying!” Mococo barked. “Please stop doing this.”
Suddenly, Mococo dropped to her knees. She could hear everyone else get up from their seats, but she paid little attention to that. The pain in her head was getting too much, as she placed both her hands on her temples in an attempt to ease it. It did not help. The pain only continued to grow.
Feeling her eyes water up from both physical and emotional pain, Mococo couldn’t help but whimper out a cry. She wanted it to end. She wanted to stop hurting. She needed her sister.
Doing her best to look up, she saw that her friends and Ame were now standing in front of her, concerned looks on their faces. But she ignored them. Instead, she turned her head to look at Fuwawa, who was hunched down, arms wrapped around her back.
“Let’s get you back to bed, Moco-chan.” Fuwawa said. The younger sibling could only nod in response.
“Mococo, you can’t always run away from this.” She heard Shiori say as she began to stand up. “You need to accept the truth, before this gets any worse.”
“Stop it, you’re only making her stressed and feel bad. Leave my sister alone.” Fuwawa said sternly.
“You can’t continue pretending Fuwawa is there.” Nerissa called out.
“Please, Mococo, we just want you to get better.” Biboo sniffled.
Mococo ignored them. They were lying. She didn’t know why they wanted to trick her that Fuwawa wasn’t there, but she didn’t want to hear them anymore. Fuwawa was there right by her side and-
Mococo suddenly stopped.
All of a sudden, she found a worried Fuwawa standing by the door that led out of the dining room.
“Haeh?” She remarked, confused and bewildered.
No. That can’t be right. Fuwawa was beside her. Glancing to her side, she saw the elder demon dog holding onto her and supporting her. Noticing her stop, she met her gaze and gave a confused look.
“What’s wrong, Moco-chan?” The Fuwawa beside her asked.
“I…I…” Mococo stammered for words, but she didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t sure what she was seeing. For some reason, there were two versions of her sister in front of her. Was she seeing things? Did she imagine the second one by the doorway?
As if to answer her question, the second Fuwawa suddenly moved forward, cautiously at first, before rushing her and wrapping her hands around the younger demon dog. She was real, there was no doubt about that now.
Mococo was now scared. Why was there a clone of her sister? Was it a doppelganger? A fake?
As these questions swirled in her mind, she managed to get a good whiff of the Mococo hugging her. Her eyes then widened. She recognized that scent. It was sweet, comforting, and radiating with love.
It was Fuwawa.
The scent was slightly different, yet she knew in her heart that it was still her twin all the same.
Letting her walls down, Mococo relaxed her tense body and allowed herself to enjoy the hug. It felt so different from the hugs Fuwawa had given her recently. It felt very different.
At first, she wasn’t sure why it was so different. But then it dawned upon her. This hug was warm. She couldn’t remember the last time Fuwawa gave her such a warm hug.
Wait.
No.
She remembers.
The last time Fuwawa hugged her with such warmth, it was before their prison break.
A tear suddenly drips down Mococo’s cheek. This was followed by another and another. Soon streams were flowing down and soaking Fuwawa’s shoulders. She understood now. It was painful, it made her heart ache and her tummy sick. But it was the truth and she knew she had to accept it. She needed to be a brave dog.
Slowly, she dared to turn her head to the side. She kept her eyes shut close for the longest while, the last remnants of her disbelief. But eventually she opened them to see no one there. The other Fuwawa, the one who had been standing beside her, the one who had been with her all these months, was gone.
No, not gone. She had never been there in the first place. She had denied it for so long that she felt lost and empty now.
Her Fuwawa was gone.
As if sensing the sudden drop in her heart, Fuwawa began tightening her hug on her.
“Oh, Moco-chan, I’m so sorry...” She said. All the younger twin could do was wrap her hands around her and cry. This was not her Fuwawa, but she felt safe with her. At least she was real.
Soon she felt more arms around her. The others had joined in the hug. Wordlessly, they tried to comfort her. Despite all the love they were giving her, she never felt more alone.
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It had been a year since they escaped. It has been a year since Fuwawa broke her promise. It had been a year since she lost her twin sister.
Mococo took a risk going back to the place where they last saw each other, but she knew she had to do it. Even for a brief moment, she wanted to honor her sibling’s sacrifice and let her know that she was doing better now.
Eventually she found the small stream and from there the familiar looking place where her elder sister desperately tried to support her. This was the place, she knew it in her heart.
With a sad smile, Mococo took something out of her satchel bag and gently placed it on the ground.
“Thank you for everything, big sis.” She said, eyes watery. “I miss you. I love you.”
With that, she dashed away, leaving behind a blue glazed pon-de-ring donut.