超ヒロイン戦記 - Super Heroine Chronicle/Flow Chart/Episode 7: Partner
第7話: パートナー
Episode 7: Partner
Episode 7: Partner
Meru: Karaoke was fun!
Rem: You’re right, though there was an accident, feels like Aria-chan and us are no longer restraining ourselves and getting along.
Claude: Even so, she’s still keeping a strict watch over us though…
Rem: That reminds me, where’s Hibiki-chan?
Meru: She went somewhere while taking Aria-san with her.
Rem: Before anyone knew, looks like Hibiki-chan is able to do what she wants with Aria-chan.
Meru: She’s powerful!
[Scene Change]
Hibiki: Osu! Please take care of me!
Aria: Are you really going to do it like this without protection? You know its okay to transform.
Hibiki: I’m fine! What I want to learn from being taught is how to be strong!
Aria: To be strong, you said such an abstract thing.
Hibiki: Actually, right now I…can’t use my power very well.
Aria: What do you mean?
Hibiki: Because I can easily go berserk, that’s why I’m still training to become stronger in order to control my power.
Hibiki: But, I still can’t use my power well, and because of that…I’m scared to use my full power.
Hibiki: …Though I know it’s shameful to talk like that.
Aria: So that’s why you continue training?
Hibiki: Yes! I try to use good ideas from others too.
Aria: I’ll say this first, there are 3 phrases I hate the most. ‘It’s impossible,’ ‘It’s tiring,’ and ‘It’s a bother…’
Aria: Those 3 phrases prevent people from being able to push themselves. Never use those in front of me. Okay?
Hibiki: I promise!
Aria: Then, for 30 minutes, dodge or protect yourself against my continuous attack.
Hibiki: Eh? Not 3 minutes but 30 minutes?
Aria: Yes, Start!
[Time passes for training]
Hibiki: Hoe~~…
Aria: I’ll praise you for not dying. Though you still get 0 points.
Hibiki: Thank you very much…ha~ ha~…
Aria: Do you understand now?
Hibiki: Yes…I really understand. This means I still need to get stronger…
Aria: …Hmmph. Because you’re like that, I hate it…
Hibiki: That’s right, Aria-san! Let’s go get some food to eat! Food! You’re hungry too right?
Aria: Ha!?
Aria: (Even though she’s beat up all over…she’s already recovered? Who the heck is she?)
Hibiki: Hm?
[Scene change]
Rem: Even though we’ve been on this world for some time, we haven’t been able to gather any information.
Meru: Um, I want to investigate whether or not sensei came to this world. Though there doesn’t seem to be any clues.
Claude: Seems like Hibiki-san’s training is the only thing going well.
Hibiki: Yes! And every day the food has been good!
[Shirauki arrives]
Shirayuki: I’ve come to tell everyone someone. Is now a good time?
Meru: Hello, Shirayuki-san.
Rem: Is something the matter?
Shirayuki: No, I came to say that I will be in charge of helping you.
Hibiki: And Aria-san? Did she quit?
Shirayuki: In order for Kanzaki-san to cooperate in an investigation for a big case, she’s taken a leave of absence from Butei High School.
Hibiki: Could it be, about the Butei Killer going like overseas?
Shirayuki: No, she’s being involved in an investigation for a case about a series of bizarre murders.
Shirayuki: The reason why Kanzaki-san is cooperating with the police with the investigation is because of the headless corpses of the murdered girls that were found.
Rem: Wait, did you just say headless corpses!?
Rem: That case, let me also help cooperate with the investigation! That is same as the case that happened on my world!
Shirayuki: Um…I appreciate your feelings but that’s impossible.
Rem: Why?
Shirayuki: For this case, the police are moving to protect the welfare of the public. Also your existence here is a secret, and because of that…
Hibiki: That might be the case, but wouldn’t it be bad if dream demons and Noise appear?
Meru: If Aria-san is alone, it’ll be dangerous!
Shirayuki: I’m sorry…this was the decision of Butei High School, even I can’t change it now. I hope you understand…
Rem: I see…
[Time passes]
Rem: Haa~, even though I wanted to negotiate with getting cooperation with Butei High School…
Meru: In the end, we couldn’t get anything.
Hibiki: If that’s the case, let’s force our way and go help Aria-san!
[Riko appears]
Riko: I heard everything you said! That means you all love Riko!!
Meru: Riko-san!?
Riko: Hello~☆
Rem: Riko-chan heard us? About Aria-chan…
Riko: Of course, it’s Butei High School’s number 1 hot topic right now.
Riko: And there’s something I want everyone to hear.
Riko: Uh, Aria has always been looking for a partner.
Rem: Partner?
Riko: That’s right. Every generation in Aria’s family has always had an excellent partner.
Riko: But, Aria hasn’t been able to find one. She hasn’t been able to discover a partner who can go well with her own power.
Riko: That’s when Aria decided. She’ll do everything alone.
Hibiki: By herself…just like her name.
Meru: Hm? What do you mean?
Hibiki: An aria is a solo vocal piece in an opera. A part that is sung by only one singer. That’s what I learned at the academy.
Riko: Since she’s doing this alone again, wouldn’t it be bad for her? Wouldn’t she be a tempting target for the Butei Killer?
Claude: Eh, please wait a second, why does Riko-san believe that the Butei Killer and the headless corpses murder case are related?
Riko: The Butei Killer is really cunning. Don’t you think that while using the case, they could attack Aria while she’s by herself?
Rem: While she’s distracted by the serial murder case, they would have an opportunity to kill Aria-chan then…that is possible.
Hibiki: Rem-san! I knew it, we should go!
Meru: But, we can’t just selfishly move on our own…!
Riko: Then, this is when Riko makes her entrance! Make a contract with Riko of the detective department [Inquesta], and I’ll be able to help you out with a lot of things~☆
Riko: Disrupting information gathering, evidence destruction, and cover up work! Want me to make it nice and cheap for you?
Rem: …Guess we don’t have a reason to refuse.
[Scene change]
[Aria on her own doing an investigation]
Aria: A murder investigation, huh. Even though this is first time doing one, to be feeling this nervous…
Aria: No…that’s wrong, this is just my intuition but this will teach me some things…!
Aria: The weather looks suspicious…this is bad…it would be good if it was only this though…
??? Ho~, that’s a nice face…let me see more.
Aria: Who’s there!? Show yourself!
[Shinigami Hakase appears]
???(Shinigami Hakase): Tonight’s prey has been decided…
Aria: I’m the prey? Then, you’re the Butei Killer!
???(Shinigami Hakase): Butei Killer? I won’t kill something that worthless. What I kill are, only those that are beautiful.
Aria: I see, so you want my neck. Unfortunately for you, you can only blame the luck of the moon because you appeared before me.
???(Shinigami Hakase): That’s good…that strong face twisting into fear, when you make your scream of terror, your running away form, I hope you show it all to me. Inside the dream that is…!
Aria: Ha!? Inside the dream? I don’t get what you mean! Prepare yourself, pervert mantle!
Shinigami Hakase: Fufufu…
[Sound of gas being released]
Aria: Na!? G-Gas…!?
Shinigami Hakase: Good night, mademoiselle…
Aria: Ku! My consciousness…
[Aria collapses and falls asleep]
Aria: Su~…Su~…
Shinigami Hakase: All too easy…It’s entertainment time. Let me enjoy your lovely nightmare…
[Shinigami Hakase disappears]
[Claude and the others arrive]
Hibiki: There she is! Aria-san! Eh, huh? She’s sleeping?
Rem: This is the 'Outbreak of People Sleeping on the Road Phenomenon'! We have to quickly wake her up!
Rem: With this alarm watch…Wake up! Aria-chan!
[Alarm sounds off]
Aria: Uu…ha!? What? What was I…?
Hibiki: Aria-san! Thank goodness!
[Shinigami Hakase appears]
Shinigami Hakase: Fu~fu~fu~fu~…So you finally came…
Rem: I knew it, it was your doing…Shinigami Hakase!
Shinigami Hakase: It’s been a long time, Dream Hunter Rem. For the sake of seeing your face again, I have returned from the depths of hell…
Rem: You’ve revived again! You really don’t learn!
Hibiki: Rem-san, that is!?
Rem: The criminal responsible for the 'Outbreak of People Sleeping on the Road Phenomenon' and the serial bizarre murders, my old enemy…Shinigami Hakase! I’ve already killed him 3 times…!
Meru: Killed him 3 times? What do you mean!?
Shinigami Hakase: You don’t need to understand.
Shinigami Hakase: Rem, the way you are now, you can’t kill me. You understand right? If you fight me now, you will not win.
Rem: …
Shinigami Hakase: That’s a good face. Then I will erase that strong face and paint it with fear…allow me to enjoy this to the utmost.
Shinigami Hakase: That will…
Aria: Shut up, old man! I’m going to blast holes in you!
[Aria shoots at Shinigami Hakase]
Shinigami Hakase: …
Shinigami Hakase: Hmph.
Aria: No way!? Even though the bullets hit him!?
Shinigami Hakase: Now what shall you do? Would you like to ‘blast more holes’ in me?
Aria: …!!
Shinigami Hakase: Fu~fu~fu~fu~, Haa~~Ha~Ha~Ha! Hii~Hiihiihiihii! Haha~~!
[Shinigami Hakase disappears]
Aria: What…he turned into liquid…he disappeared…?
Rem:…Kuu!
Aria: It’s him…! It’s him! It’s him!! He’s the Butei Killer! There’s no mistake!!
Aria: Get back here! I’ll catch you and send you to court!!
Riko: Ahahaha~. He’s the Butei Killer? Aria must definitely have a talent in comedy~!
[Riko appears]
Riko: Yo!
Hibiki: Riko-san…?
Riko: With that stupid reasoning, don’t you think you should apologize to your ancestor? Ne, Holmes.
Meru: Holmes? Who? Who is that…?
Riko: Hey, this is a request, can you not lose to anyone else but Riko? If you lose to someone else, that’ll be a problem for me…
Aria: …What do you mean?
Riko: An idiot that can’t be helped. Even though I came out in front of you. It can’t be helped but to introduce myself.
[Event CG: Riko’s self introduction]
Riko: My name is Riko Mine Lupin IV.
Rem: Lupin…
Riko: That’s right. France’s great Kaitou(mysterious thief) Arsene Lupin is Riko’s great-grandfather. Also, one more thing…
Riko: I’m also the Butei Killer.
Aria: Ha!?
Hibiki: Riko-san is the Butei Killer?
Riko: Kufu! Wouldn’t it have been better if you realized it much more quickly?
Aria: You…? Why!!
Riko: Because, Riko is Riko.
Rem: What do you mean…?
Riko: All the people in Riko’s house, no one calls Riko, ‘Riko.’
Riko: Even though Oka-sama(mother) gave me such a cute name…they always say ‘IV’, ‘IV’, ‘IV-sama’(the 4th-sama).
Riko: Am I a number!? Just a holder of genes!? I am Riko! I’m not a number!
Aria: Why are you snapping!? What do you mean number!!
Riko: I don’t want to be always treated as just Lupin’s great-granddaughter! If I don’t surpass great-grandfather, I will never be me!
Rem: And what does that have to do with being the Butei Killer?
Riko: Butei Killer? That was just playing around. My real target was you! Holmes IV!
Aria: After me…?
Riko: Don’t say you don’t know. 100 years ago, Lupin and Holmes had a showdown that only ended in a draw.
Riko: If I defeat Holmes IV, then I can prove that I have surpassed great-grandfather!
Riko: …Also all of you, be sure to do your role as well okay?
Claude: Yes?? Our role…?
[Battle Map]
Riko: Because Holmes didn’t have a partner, I couldn’t kill her immediately…however that’s when all of you appeared.
Riko: Though that is to say, Riko would have preferred someone of this world.
Riko: But then Holmes wouldn’t be equal against Riko on her own right?
Riko: Your abilities were a bit doubtful, but if you were all together, you all should be able to qualify and work as Holme’s partner?
Aria: You’ve been saying whatever you please just now. I don’t need a partner!
Aria: I’ve already decided! I will by myself…
[Sound of violent thunder]
Aria: Kyaa~!?
Meru: Aria-san? You couldn’t be, about thunder…
Aria: I-I-I-I’m not scared. I’m not at all scared of…
[Another sound of violent thunder]
[Aria falls down after hearing another one]
Aria: Hyaa~!
Hibiki: Aria-san! I’m here with you! If thunder comes again, I’ll use my fists to crush it!
Aria: Hibiki…!!
Claude: Aria-san, I don’t know if we can be a partner to your solo act, but…!
Claude: I think we can work as your back up chorus.
Meru: That’s right!
Rem: Let’s catch the Butei Killer!
Aria: You guys…
Aria: …I don’t know what it means to be partners, and I don’t like being used for Riko’s plans. But…!
Aria: I have something I need to do! If it’s for that…!!
Riko: That’s fine, Holmes! Just as planned! No one will have complaints!
Riko: Today, Riko will be Riko~!
[Grunt enemies appear]
[Battle start]
[After Riko takes a certain amount of damage]
Riko: Ku~. You’re pretty good…
Aria: For the Butei Killer crime, Riko Mine Lupin IV! You’re under arrest!
Riko: …If you’re able to do this much, then those people are qualified enough to serve as Holmes’ partner.
Riko: If you can understand that much, then that’s good. Holmes! If you want to arrest me, then chase after me!
Riko: When you and your partners show your power, and after you defeat Riko! Then I will…!!
[Riko disappears via the mysterious light]
Aria: She disappeared!?
Rem: That light was…!
Meru: That’s the same light that took us to another world…?
[Battle over]
[Return to Visual Novel]
Hibiki: Riko-san disappearing, just like us, could it be a coincidence…
Rem: No, she said to ‘chase after.’ It’s not hard to think that it’s not a coincidence that she doesn’t know where she’s going.
Meru: That is a mystery…
Aria: Yareyare, because of you all, now we got a complicated topic. If it’s like this, then it’s better for me to be on my own.
Claude: Aria-san…
Aria: Sorry, that was a lie.
Aria: I don’t have any more time to spare to search for a partner. I understand that now.
Aria: Even though finding my only partner is an ideal, for now you guys will do…
Hibiki: Aha!! Really!?
Aria: Don’t get the wrong idea! Riko disappeared earlier, didn’t she? There is only one way then!
Rem: That’s right. Since we have similar goals now, it’s best to work together.
Aria: T-That’s obvious!
Claude: Thank goodness…
Aria: What do you mean ‘thank goodness?’! You’re training as my apprentice slave, you still need to be work hard towards being a workhorse!
Claude: A-Apprentice slave…so I’m still not at the level of being treated as a workhouse…!?
Aria: Shut up! This has already been decided!
Claude: I-I want to be treated as a human soon…
Meru: That reminds me. Who is Holmes?
Aria: That’s my middle name. Holmes is read in French, it’s spelled H O L M E S.
Aria: Aria Holmes Kanzaki. That’s my full name.
Rem: Holmes? You mean that great detective Holmes!?
Hibiki: I also know him! Heh~, so that person actually existed here!!
Claude: Uh…
Meru: Who is exactly Holmes?
Rem: (So these two don’t know…)
Aria: Well then, this is a bit sudden but, tell me the method of how to chase after Riko.
Rem: Eh?
Hibiki: Eh?
Meru: Eh?
Rem & Hibiki & Meru: Eh?
[Slight pause]
Aria: What? That’s your specialty right?
Hibiki: Um, we don’t know how it works, couldn’t we try getting help from Butei High School…?
Rem: We couldn’t get anything else besides observation condition though…
Aria: What’s with that!? Then that means we can’t chase after Riko?
Claude: At any rate, we did get the strongest S rank Butei of the frontline assault department [Assault] to guard us…
Aria: Shut up! Keep saying troublesome things and I’ll blast holes in you!
[The group is wrapped in the mysterious light]
Claude: Uu!? …I’ve been shot…
Aria: I didn’t shoot!
Claude: But the gun’s muzzle flash…
Meru: This is different!!
Rem: What does this mean, can’t think of this timing as mere coincidence now…
Hibiki: I wonder where we’ll be taken to next?
Aria: Eh!?
[The mysterious light takes them.]
[Scene change: DOKOKA Town]
Aria: …W-What happened?
Hibiki: This place must be DOKOKA Town.
Claude: Fuu…seems like we were suddenly brought here again.
Rem: You don’t really know? Look! There seems to be people here!
Meru: Hawa!? Who’s there!?
[Noel appears first]
Noel: Aah~! Meru!
Meru: Noel?
Noel: Mou~, where have you been!!
Meru: Right back at you! You never showed up at Rem-san’s office!
Haruka: Ah, look Aoi-chan. There’s a lot of people here!
Aoi: You’re right. Though it looks like its only people that Noel-san knows…
Sonico: …Ah~! G-Good work everyone! Um, guess we’ll be having a costar party!
Rem: Seems like Noel-chan’s party got more people now.
Claude: Huh? But, Tsubasa-san isn’t with you?
Hibiki: Tsubasa-san!? Is Tsubasa-san here!?
Noel: You’re Tsubasa-san’s partner, right? Tsubasa-san is…
[Time passes for explanation]
Hibiki: Eh…Tsubasa-san used the Swan Song…
Noel: It was such a frightful power. But if Tsubasa-san didn’t use it, we wouldn’t know what to do at that time…
Hibiki: Tsubasa-san thought that as well, she thought she had no choice but to use it.
Noel: The Swan Song, using that is tiring right?
Hibiki: I would need to know how Tsubasa-san was at that time. Worst case scenario, she would have died from using it, however Tsubasa-san should be okay…that’s what I think.
Noel: …I also thought this about Tsubasa-san, you are also strong too.
Hibiki: No, I still have much to learn. Aria-san has been teaching me a lot.
Aria: Hibiki, do you know these people?
Rem: We should spend some time exchanging information with each other.
[Time passes for information exchange]
Haruka: Heh~! Hibiki-chan also does a similar transformation like Tsubasa-chan?
Hibiki: Yes! Have you heard Tsubasa-san sing?
Haruka: Un! It was very cool!!
Haruka: Ah, but…
Hibiki: Ah, um, I’m sure Tsubasa-san is okay. Even though Tsubasa-san has the resolve to fight with her life on the line, she will never thoughtlessly throw away her life.
Hibiki: I know her the best because I’ve fought alongside her.
Haruka: Hibiki-chan…
Aoi: Trusting in each other, that’s what it means to be partners.
Hibiki: That’s right!
Aoi: However, the truth is, without Tsubasa-san using that power, she wouldn’t have been able to protect us or prevented the enemy from stealing the “Angel’s Tear.”
Aoi: Because of that, I wish to give my thanks. We were saved because of Tsubasa-san.
Hibiki: Please give your thanks to Tsubasa-san directly! I’m sure we’ll meet up with her again!
Aria: You say that with such confidence without any basis whatsoever.
Hibiki: That’s because I believe in Tsubasa-san.
Rem: And you only need that much just to fight alongside each other.
Haruka: Hibiki-chan and Tsubasa-chan are so great…I want us to be like that too…
Aoi: Fufu, you’re right, Haruka-san.
Aria: (Partner, huh…)
Noel: Huh? How does Aoi-san and Haruka-san fight? Are you two responsible for calling Twin Angel?
Aoi: Yes. Even though Haruka-san and I don’t directly fight, we have always been friends with them.
Haruka: Right, Aoi-chan!
Rem: Speaking of partners, where is Meru-chan and Noel-chan?
Sonico: Ah, about those two, since it was noisy here, they went over in that direction!
[Scene change]
Meru: Mou~! That’s why I said not to do anything unnecessary and come to Rem-san’s office!
Meru: Getting involved with her because of that, even Tsubasa-san…!
Noel: T-That’s wrong! Then what about you!
Meru: I understand it pretty well!
Meru: After all, Noel is the type to just use force with any issues!
Noel: Unyuuuu~, then what about you!
Noel: Even after listening to us talk, Meru still didn’t decide to do anything!
Meru: T-That’s not the case! Even I can…
Noel: Being involved with Rem-san and the others, haven’t you just been carried the whole time?
Meru: Mukaa!! Even if it’s as you say! Then have you been properly looking for sensei?
Noel: Before looking for sensei, we have to find a way back to our world!
Meru: Didn’t you think that sensei might also be in a different world?
Noel: Ah…
Meru: As I thought, Noel is an idiot!
Noel: I’ll listen but, have you’ve been properly searching? Have you found any clues?
Meru: There hasn’t been any, but, but…
Noel: In the first place, where’s the proof that sensei is on another world? Then wouldn’t finding a way back to our world be first?
Meru: Then wouldn’t it be possible that we would forget about finding sensei?
Noel: …
Noel: Fine…I get it. Then we’ll just split up and search for her then.
Meru: Eh?
Noel: Then I will search for sensei my own way. That’s fine right!
Meru: That’s just you doing your own thing again!
Noel: That’s fine! I’ll just do it my way! Bai Ba~~i!
[Noel leaves]
Meru: Noel!?
Noel: I’m not a clumsy dog like Meru!
Meru: Mou! You’re being really selfish!
[Claude arrives]
Claude: Um, shouldn’t you chase after her…?
Meru: It’s about time to eat, she’ll come back soon enough.
[Scene change]
Noel: Don’t lose my way! Here I go~!
[Noel gets taken away by the light]
[Scene change]
Meru: No way! That Noel!?
Catherine: Yes! She left here completely! She’s no longer in town!
Meru: Mou! She didn’t reflect at all!
Meru: …Idiot…
[Scene change: Everyone gathers together]
Rem: Noel-chan really left on her own?
Haruka: We have to go after her!
Aria: Go after her, but where?
Rem: That’s the problem. Even if we left DOKOKA Town, we have no idea where to go to next.
Aoi: Then, the best thing for us is to wait for Noel-san to return here.
Aria: If that’s the case, I’ll leave first. No point in waiting here, since Riko won’t appear here.
Hibiki: Isn’t it a good idea to split up then?
Aria: She won’t just disappear and cause problems because she did it for her own sake, that’s impossible.
Meru: It’s just as Aria-san says. It’s fine if you don’t worry about Noel’s situation.
Haruka: Aren’t you worried Meru-chan?
Meru: I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried. But if we keep spoiling her she won’t grow up.
Rem: That means that Meru-chan is confident for her to be okay even on her own then.
Meru: Even though her mind is like a child, but the techniques Noel has are very strong.
Sonico: T-This could be a new development! Just after reunited with each other, suddenly they’re separated again…!
Aria: You’re awfully carefree about this, huh?
Aoi: [whispers] (Aria-san, Sonico-san misunderstands and thinks our situation is a movie shoot, she’s a rookie idol…)
Aria: [whispers] (She is mistaking this for a shoot…Well, if she doesn’t know anything and returns back to her world happily, that would be good though…)
Rem: For the time being, we’ll all move together, okay?
Meru: Yes.
Aria: (Riko, I’ll definitely catch you…! Please wait for me, mama…)
[EPISODE 7: MERU ROUTE END]
[Go to [Episode 8: Violent Assault on IS Academy] to continue]