Wish Upon the Stars and Do your Homework

Hayami had been reaching for his own switch when the bullet was fired, but he hadn't hit it when Sarina got in between him and it. In an instant, he was at her side, looking at her shoulder. To anyone who didn't know him, he would look and sound completely calm, but there was a strain in his voice, and his eyes betrayed both his anger and his fear for her safety.

"That wouldn't exactly be the phrase I would use. What made you do something so stupid?"

"Yeah. Considering." She nods toward a frame on the wall. "Kisaragi’s an idiot, but I’m pretty sure the dumbass will pull it off somehow. He’s already done things completely asinine and impossible."

He looked over at the frame she indicated, and his eyes widened. He got up off the couch and walked over to the frame. “Wait, is this a master’s degree in astrophysics?” A small smile appeared on his lips. “Way to go, future me.”

"Yea. You wouldn’t believe how often i have to listen to you ramble about this space junk." She got up off the couch. "thats the price I pay for living here. You want another beer?"

"Damn straight it is. Besides, space is pretty amazing." He looked down at the bottle and realized he had finished his first bottle. "I guess so... I probably shouldn't but if I'm actually 30-ish, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Maybe. If you’re into all that space stuff, that’s probably where he tracked you down…" She gave a weak laugh, "We’re all friends with Kisaragi whether we want to be or not. You, me, and the whole damned universe."

"I am considering getting my degree in astrophysics, so yes, I guess I am ‘into all that space stuff’." He did the air quotes along with the phrase. "You have got to be kidding. No one can be friends with the whole universe."

"Yeah. Considering." She nods toward a frame on the wall. "Kisaragi’s an idiot, but I’m pretty sure the dumbass will pull it off somehow. He’s already done things completely asinine and impossible."

He looked over at the frame she indicated, and his eyes widened. He got up off the couch and walked over to the frame. "Wait, is this a master's degree in astrophysics?" A small smile appeared on his lips. "Way to go, future me."

"Tch… Persuasive bastard… He strung you and I along for years. I’m not sure how long he had you before he had me, but he really made us believe that he could lead us to beign something greater." She sighed and shook her head. "Oh Kijima’s not even the worst of it. Wait until you meet Kisaragi."

"Well, less than 15 years, at least. Maybe he got me in college or something?" He winced. "There’s someone worse than Kijima? I fear for my future."

"Maybe. If you’re into all that space stuff, that’s probably where he tracked you down…" She gave a weak laugh, "We’re all friends with Kisaragi whether we want to be or not. You, me, and the whole damned universe."

"I am considering getting my degree in astrophysics, so yes, I guess I am 'into all that space stuff'." He did the air quotes along with the phrase. "You have got to be kidding. No one can be friends with the whole universe."

"I’d still probably punch him. I kind of hate nearly everyone." She sighed and drank, "I told you he was a psycho… He’d have killed the whole damned school if he wasn’t stopped… Asshole." She frowned, quiet for a few moments, then gave a small laugh. "Oh you can’t stand Kijima. But that’s how he likes it. He goes out of his way to antagonize others."

"I have no idea how he managed to get me to be on board with that at any point, but he was probably a convincing psychopath. It’s not that uncommon." He rolled his eyes and took another drink. "That’s his idea of friendship? He actually sounds like the kind of weirdo that would consider being friends with someone like me."

"Tch… Persuasive bastard… He strung you and I along for years. I’m not sure how long he had you before he had me, but he really made us believe that he could lead us to beign something greater." She sighed and shook her head. "Oh Kijima’s not even the worst of it. Wait until you meet Kisaragi."

"Well, less than 15 years, at least. Maybe he got me in college or something?" He winced. "There's someone worse than Kijima? I fear for my future."

"Ester likes to get out a lot. She likes warm places so she tends to stick around certain people." She drank from her bottle. "Actually he sounds like I’d probably punch him. I’m not exactly a social butterfly." She nodded a bit, "I wasn’t producing results, so he had me throwing into what he thought was a hellish space void. It was actually a satellite. I broke out later." She grinend a bit. "Blame accepted, because I know Kijima is my fault."

"Well, I have no idea how he grew up, but Ken would probably not force someone else to hang out with people. We’re twins, though, so I’m the exception to that." He snorted. "Wow, he doesn’t exactly seem the brightest. Does sound like a douche though. How heroes fall." He let out a dramatic sigh before he looked over at her. "Why do I have the feeling that this Kijima person is not someone I actually get along with?"

"I’d still probably punch him. I kind of hate nearly everyone." She sighed and drank, "I told you he was a psycho… He’d have killed the whole damned school if he wasn’t stopped… Asshole." She frowned, quiet for a few moments, then gave a small laugh. "Oh you can’t stand Kijima. But that’s how he likes it. He goes out of his way to antagonize others."

"I have no idea how he managed to get me to be on board with that at any point, but he was probably a convincing psychopath. It's not that uncommon." He rolled his eyes and took another drink. "That's his idea of friendship? He actually sounds like the kind of weirdo that would consider being friends with someone like me."

Sarina smiled as the scorpion climbed over her shoulder and nested into the collar of her shirt. “Her, and two others, Adi and Sebastian.” she nodded toward the tank across the room. “Well, you did take them in while i was trapped in space… So maybe.” She shrugged slightly, “I’ve never met your brother, so your sudden pile of unwanted friends is all your own fault. Or my fault. More likely my fault.”

"Cool." He realized he had repeated himself, but he didn’t try to correct it. "If you had you’d probably like him. He’s like me except nice, and slightly dumber. He makes me hang out with him and his friends a lot." He took another sip from the beer. "I assume the trapped in space thing was Gamou’s fault? Also, I will hold you responsible for my unwanted friends because I am incapable of making friends myself."

"Ester likes to get out a lot. She likes warm places so she tends to stick around certain people." She drank from her bottle. "Actually he sounds like I’d probably punch him. I’m not exactly a social butterfly." She nodded a bit, "I wasn’t producing results, so he had me throwing into what he thought was a hellish space void. It was actually a satellite. I broke out later." She grinend a bit. "Blame accepted, because I know Kijima is my fault."

"Well, I have no idea how he grew up, but Ken would probably not force someone else to hang out with people. We're twins, though, so I'm the exception to that." He snorted. "Wow, he doesn't exactly seem the brightest. Does sound like a douche though. How heroes fall." He let out a dramatic sigh before he looked over at her. "Why do I have the feeling that this Kijima person is not someone I actually get along with?"

"There’s a handful of us that made shitty choices. Now we all hang out and try to make less shitty choices. It’s more that we all talk to you, and I just never leave." She reached out and put her hand on his head. "Come here you. Come back to mommy before you scare the poor kid." She withdrew her hand, revealing a large emperor scorpion making it’s way up her arm. "That’s a good girl."

Kouhei blinked as he saw the scorpion and took another drink of his beer. “That’s Ester? Cool.” He leaned back on the couch and looked at the ceiling. “Maybe I keep you around for your scorpions… Does my brother have anything to do with me having friends, or at least people that talk to me?”

Sarina smiled as the scorpion climbed over her shoulder and nested into the collar of her shirt. “Her, and two others, Adi and Sebastian.” she nodded toward the tank across the room. “Well, you did take them in while i was trapped in space… So maybe.” She shrugged slightly, “I’ve never met your brother, so your sudden pile of unwanted friends is all your own fault. Or my fault. More likely my fault.”

"Cool." He realized he had repeated himself, but he didn't try to correct it. "If you had you'd probably like him. He's like me except nice, and slightly dumber. He makes me hang out with him and his friends a lot." He took another sip from the beer. "I assume the trapped in space thing was Gamou's fault? Also, I will hold you responsible for my unwanted friends because I am incapable of making friends myself."

"They sure are." She took another pull from the bottle. "We’ve got a circle of a couple of decent ones though. We’re all still shit, but at least we can trust each other." She glanced over and raised an eyebrow, "IT’s probably for the best you won’t remember. Even if you’re a kid, Ester still seems to like you…"

"You see, you’ve lost me again. I trust a circle of semi-decent people? I have a circle of people I talk to?" He drank from his bottle again, and then didn’t move as she seemed to be looking at the top of his head. "Should I ask who Ester is?"

"There’s a handful of us that made shitty choices. Now we all hang out and try to make less shitty choices. It’s more that we all talk to you, and I just never leave." She reached out and put her hand on his head. "Come here you. Come back to mommy before you scare the poor kid." She withdrew her hand, revealing a large emperor scorpion making it’s way up her arm. "That’s a good girl."

Kouhei blinked as he saw the scorpion and took another drink of his beer. "That's Ester? Cool." He leaned back on the couch and looked at the ceiling. "Maybe I keep you around for your scorpions... Does my brother have anything to do with me having friends, or at least people that talk to me?"

Sarina sighed and shook her head. “Oh, kid… ” She got up and walked to the refrigerator, retrieving two bottles. “Are you sure you don’t want one of these?” She set one beside him anyway before perching on the back of the couch and opening her beer. “Gamou and Emoto killed Utahoshi. Gamou orchestrated the whole thing. Emoto was just a weak idiot who could have stopped him and never did…” She took a pull from the bottle. “Son of a bitch opened a school.. Lured you in somehow… Started lying to students.. Made the both of us into monsters and used us to create more.”

Kouhei listened to her talk, letting her finish before reaching over for the beer and opening it. “Should have known. People are shit.” He took a drink of the beer, and then looked down, slightly surprised. “This isn’t so bad.” He looked over at Sarina. “I probably won’t remember any of this when I get back to my time, judging by the not sudden falling apart of this reality. That or I’ve just been temporarily aged down, as opposed to any time travel.”

"They sure are." She took another pull from the bottle. "We’ve got a circle of a couple of decent ones though. We’re all still shit, but at least we can trust each other." She glanced over and raised an eyebrow, "IT’s probably for the best you won’t remember. Even if you’re a kid, Ester still seems to like you…"

"You see, you've lost me again. I trust a circle of semi-decent people? I have a circle of people I talk to?" He drank from his bottle again, and then didn't move as she seemed to be looking at the top of his head. "Should I ask who Ester is?"

"Oh lord I forgot we all used to actually like that asshole…" She sighed and shrugged, "Yeah, he was kind of our boss. And kind of a complete psycho."

"What do you mean? Gamou Mitsuaki is a intelligent, incredible person! He was part of an expedition to the moon with the astrophysicist Utahoshi Rokuro and Emoto Kuniteru. They were studying something called Cosmic Energy, that had never really been studied before. There was an accident, at they lost their base, as well as Utahoshi-sensei, but there’s no way someone like him could be and asshole or a psycho!"

Sarina sighed and shook her head. “Oh, kid… ” She got up and walked to the refrigerator, retrieving two bottles. “Are you sure you don’t want one of these?” She set one beside him anyway before perching on the back of the couch and opening her beer. “Gamou and Emoto killed Utahoshi. Gamou orchestrated the whole thing. Emoto was just a weak idiot who could have stopped him and never did…” She took a pull from the bottle. “Son of a bitch opened a school.. Lured you in somehow… Started lying to students.. Made the both of us into monsters and used us to create more.”

Kouhei listened to her talk, letting her finish before reaching over for the beer and opening it. "Should have known. People are shit." He took a drink of the beer, and then looked down, slightly surprised. "This isn't so bad." He looked over at Sarina. "I probably won't remember any of this when I get back to my time, judging by the not sudden falling apart of this reality. That or I've just been temporarily aged down, as opposed to any time travel."

"I don’t know. Probably something to do with Gamou." She shrugged, "That’s how I ended up as one."

"Gamou? You mean the famous astronaut Gamou Mitsuaki?" He was suddenly very interested. "I get to meet Gamou-san, and he has something to do with me becoming a teacher?"

"Oh lord I forgot we all used to actually like that asshole…" She sighed and shrugged, "Yeah, he was kind of our boss. And kind of a complete psycho."

"What do you mean? Gamou Mitsuaki is a intelligent, incredible person! He was part of an expedition to the moon with the astrophysicist Utahoshi Rokuro and Emoto Kuniteru. They were studying something called Cosmic Energy, that had never really been studied before. There was an accident, at they lost their base, as well as Utahoshi-sensei, but there's no way someone like him could be and asshole or a psycho!"

"Oh believe me, you drink. Lightweight." She sat on the arm of the couch, "You didn’t screw up my life, you just think you did. You’re older than me. youw ere my teacher. For someone who doesn’t like people, you sure picked a job that threw you right int he middle of them…”

"I don’t drink now. I’m sixteen." At this point, he was pretty openly doubting her. "I don’t. People and me don’t get along and I like it that way. Trying to get people to understand me is just a waste of time. So why the hell would I become a teacher?"

"I don’t know. Probably something to do with Gamou." She shrugged, "That’s how I ended up as one."

"Gamou? You mean the famous astronaut Gamou Mitsuaki?" He was suddenly very interested. "I get to meet Gamou-san, and he has something to do with me becoming a teacher?"

"Well you’re sort of… thirty-ish then… And I sort of just started sleeping here and never left because you felt like you owed me for screwing up my life even after I’ve told you a hundred times that it’s not your fault…"

Kouhei blinked. “What? How the hell did I screw up your life? I don’t like people. Why would I interact with someone enough to screw up their life?” He rolled his eyes. “And yeah, I kinda figured the age thing didn’t stay consistent. I don’t drink.”

"Oh believe me, you drink. Lightweight." She sat on the arm of the couch, "You didn’t screw up my life, you just think you did. You’re older than me. youw ere my teacher. For someone who doesn’t like people, you sure picked a job that threw you right int he middle of them…”

"I don't drink now. I'm sixteen." At this point, he was pretty openly doubting her. "I don't. People and me don't get along and I like it that way. Trying to get people to understand me is just a waste of time. So why the hell would I become a teacher?"

She frowned and took the book, looking it over. “Christ.. You read this junk even when you were that young?” She tilted her head and frowned, “No wonder you were only a few years older than me and already had that many degrees.”

He tried to turn away from her with an annoyed tsk. “Don’t you have anything better to do? Go away.”

"The couch is sort of my territory, so no not really." She looked around. "you want a beer or something? I could use a beer right now…"

"Assuming this is my house in the future, why the hell would I let someone live with me?" He gave her an incredulous look. "I’m sixteen.”

"Well you’re sort of… thirty-ish then… And I sort of just started sleeping here and never left because you felt like you owed me for screwing up my life even after I’ve told you a hundred times that it’s not your fault…"

Kouhei blinked. "What? How the hell did I screw up your life? I don't like people. Why would I interact with someone enough to screw up their life?" He rolled his eyes. "And yeah, I kinda figured the age thing didn't stay consistent. I don't drink."

She frowned and took the book, looking it over. “Christ.. You read this junk even when you were that young?” She tilted her head and frowned, “No wonder you were only a few years older than me and already had that many degrees.”

He tried to turn away from her with an annoyed tsk. “Don’t you have anything better to do? Go away.”

"The couch is sort of my territory, so no not really." She looked around. "you want a beer or something? I could use a beer right now…"

"Assuming this is my house in the future, why the hell would I let someone live with me?" He gave her an incredulous look. "I'm sixteen."

"…." Sarina held up a hand as if to ask him to hold on a moment, looked at the clock, then sighed. Too early to be drunk. "Sem….. Haya…. Hnn… "She sighed and pulled a hand through her hair. "Geez… What the hell happened?"

He picked up the book he had been reading when she walked in. “I’d guess some sort of time travel or something judging by the fact that this book came out about fifteen years after the last date I remember.” He seemed to be very intently trying to ignore her now.

She frowned and took the book, looking it over. “Christ.. You read this junk even when you were that young?” She tilted her head and frowned, “No wonder you were only a few years older than me and already had that many degrees.”

He tried to turn away from her with an annoyed tsk. "Don't you have anything better to do? Go away."