Cherreads

Chapter 4 - Chapter 3: It Spreads

-"Woah- Watch out you two!"

A soft voice stated, directing her words to the running twins, who were rushing to their place for streaming. They were sprinting and laughing as they did so, their hands behind them as they ran, but they failed to notice the fact that they were about to bump into someone.

-"First to reach gets to say hello to the Ruffians, Moco-Chan!"

Fuwawa's breath left her body as she collided with someone, sending them both toppling over to the ground, Fuwawa laid on the ground, a loud "Fweehhhhh.." produced from her mouth as her momentum deflated.

The other person they had collided with whilst running was a man wearing a suit, he had fallen on his back with an OOMPH to accompany it.

Everyone in the hallway of the building froze and turned to look at the commotion, even Mococo who would've normally without a breath taken attended to her sister, stood still.

Fuwawa recovered as she sat up, seeing who she had collided with, she squealed and immediately tried to help them.

"Yagoo-San! I'm so sorry! Did I injure your back!? Please answer me!!! Don't die on me!! Noeeehhh-"

Yagoo, the suited man who tumbled due to Fuwawa's carelessness, laughed breathlessly as he sat up, patting her head to calm her down.

-"Relax, relax, I'm fine, It's just a simple fall. Thankfully you're quite the small chihuahua so it didn't hurt much."

He spoke with a light tease, he knows Fuwawa hated being referred to as a chihuahua.

-"...Fuwawa is not a chihuahua!!!!"

She replied, her face still flushed from embarrassment at the situation that had occurred.

Most of the people in the hallway they're in took a deep breath of relief, and continued their work, some security guards came to check on Yagoo and Fuwawa, but it was all good in the end.

Mococo felt bad as she stared at her sister, her heart felt like it was going to implode any minute, she was supposed to help Fuwawa immediately but she failed her! She's a terrible twin!

Yagoo, being the all-knowing CEO that he is, took notice of Mococo's disbelief of herself, and made sure to keep her head straight, placing his other hand on her head, patting her as well.

-"Relax, Mococo, accidents happen, and you're not at fault for not stepping up, calm down.

Now go, go to your stream, it's going to start in a couple of minutes, don't-"

They had already ran off before he finished saying that, two minutes was nothing for them to prepare!!

"-run.. Ah whatever.. Everyone, back to work!"

He clapped his hands, the systemic worklife of the remainder of the observing workers and VTubers of HoloCorp returning to normal fully.

Being the leader of HoloCorp and the overall manager of everyone under his company's wing, Yagoo had grown to be a very aware individual. He was always first to the aid if anyone experienced trouble, from the lowest in the corporate ladder to the VTubers and their managers.

But it wasn't always easy going. HoloCorp was the housing/sanctuary of entities, some that could eviscerate reality with the snap of a finger. And so, his reputation of being a strong, commanding leader within the company came from his actions towards outsiders who were trying to snoop in.

He had personally ensured any threat to the information inside his own corporation was dealt with.

Whether it be termination, silencing, and many many other methods.

And he felt today, it might happen again, why?

Because staring at the door in front of him, the door that read "Shiori Novella's Reading Room", he felt an unknown presence inside.

Yagoo opted to stay outside and listen to their conversation, it wasn't a good thing to do, it was morally bad, but he had to know. This was a do or die situation to him.

-"You aren't human, Jude. You cannot possibly be. I verbally cannot emphasize my point more. You are not a normal human being.

Seeing us in our covers is limited to those who possess unique powers, or aren't exactly the most normal humans of this time period."

Eyes widening, Yagoo took a deep breath of relief. It seems there was other resolutions to this problem, his mind going faster than light, thinking of a seemingly infinite amount of potentialities.

The conversation continued as he focused on two things.

-"I am. Will everyone stop telling me that I am not? Just because I have an eye that chooses to glow randomly like an anime character doesn't mean anything."

Jude's words were immediately shut down by Shiori's sharp retort.

-"You're right, it doesn't mean anything. Because it automatically excludes you from being a normal human being. Escaping that factuality of that word is absolute."

-"No. I won't believe this. No."

-"It doesn't matter, Jude, don't break your own mind trying to deny it. Stop facing away from it. Come on, see the light, I'm offering you another way to live."

Yagoo laughed internally, proud of Shiori for the fact she was acting off her own ways, he would've done the same thing.

-".."

-"Come on! Say yes! You won't regret it!"

-"...."

-"Come onnn!!"

Her playful nagging was about to push Jude over the edge, but their conversation paused as Yagoo entered the room.

Shiori's eyes widened, covering her mouth with her hands, meanwhile Jude stared confused at the newcomer.

-"She said what I would've said had I known what transpired.

Tell me the story, Shiori, who is this person?"

Shiori internally cursed herself, how did Yagoo know this was going down? Did Fuwawa and Mococo tell him? She explicitly told them, right? She swears she could remember doing that.

She took a deep breath and summarized the story immediately in her mind.

-"Okay, Yagoo-San. Our friend here, Jude, found FuwaMoco in the street arguing, even though they had been using their covers.

They said he was totally normal and nothing else was the case, but, something told me there was definitely more evidence to use for the prosecution."

Yagoo nodded along to what she said, Jude just staring silently at the two, he wanted to interject but found himself unable to open his mouth to interrupt, an unseen pressure sewing his mouth shut.

"I might've.. Went to his house without full confidence in my conviction, he could've just been a once in a lifetime human who managed to see them, or they could've slipped up..."

Then Yagoo stopped her, sighing.

-"Shiori, you know I don't like you guys endangering yourselves, this was totally reckless, if Jude wasn't who we know he is now, you might've totally compromised us."

Jude wanted to speak out against that, but again, found himself totally silenced.

Shiori looked down in shame, agreeing to anything Yagoo would have said to her.

"You're smarter than this, Shiori. I won't punish you for this, but I sincerely hope this never happens again."

-"You're right, I apologize Yagoo-San, this will never happen again, I'll make sure of it, the same goes for FuwaMoco."

-"Now, continue, you didn't seem to have finished talking."

Shiori smirked slightly, sipping at her now half-empty coffee mug, she had drank the empty half as she was debating with Jude so it seems.

-"Perceptive as always, Yagoo-San, yes, I indeed haven't finished this intriguing story."

She cleared her throat, continuing her storytelling.

"When I had went to his house, he was unconscious, laying on the floor of his room.

The room was filled with a grey fog, and upon further inspection, it seemed to come from his right eye."

Clenching the armrests of the chair he was sitting on, Jude's discomfort began showing. He really failed at hiding his eye three times in a row now, Yagoo took note of his discomfort and kept it in the back of his mind.

"However, the moment I looked at his eye, a black bandana materialized on the right side of his face, as if it was protective instinct."

This was the first time Jude had ever heard of anything like this. Knowing that, doubts began creeping into his mind. Is he really human? Never in his 19 years of being on this earth has he had more doubts than now.

His Mother never spoke about it either, she never mentioned his eye directly in front of him as something inhuman.

Feeling his lips open slightly and his jaw relax, Jude took the opportunity to speak as Shiori looked at him, expecting him to take his turn.

She was the one who had sealed his mouth shut, which made sense in relation to her existence as an avid novelist, she'd want people to listen to her sometimes.

Jude spoke in a low voice, defeated.

-"..I haven't.. Had that happen before."

-"I rest my case, the court asks the Judge to move forward and dish out justice!!"

Shiori said as she gave a smug grin, before breaking into laughter.

"Sorry, sorry, felt fitting for the moment."

Yagoo tapped his chin with his index, thinking deeply about what Shiori had said and Jude's inaudible surrender.

-"Haaah.. What a daze, Shiori! But, it's good that I found out now, thank you for being honest about this.

I will take Jude now, you may continue your day as it was meant to be, alright?

I'll be in contact with you about this matter very soon."

He gave Shiori his signature smile as he stood up.

"Follow me, Jude, we have much to discuss."

Shiori gave Jude a little wave as he stood up, falling in step beside Yagoo as they both left.

-"..Nerve wracking. To know a life was in my hand, I wouldn't have forgiven myself if Jude was never seen again after this.

Sorry Jude, I had to spill your secrets, it's for your own good."

She pulled out a book, crossing one leg over the other as Jude's coffee mug disappeared, leaving hers sitting on the table alone.

Steps filled the sound of the hallway that Yagoo initially came from, and not just that, stares.

ALOT of stares.

They weren't judgemental, they weren't ones of anything bad, they were just ones of wonder.

-"Yagoo-San! How are you- Oh, who might that be?"

A lady with a very apparent accent spoke, peaking to the right of Yagoo to see Jude.

She was holding a slice of pizza as she seemed to be idling around waiting for someone.

-"Raora, this is Jude, we are sort of busy at the moment, so, if you wouldn't mind waiting until later to ask."

The cheerful lady smiled, opting to nod instead of speaking due to the pizza in her mouth, her small fangs showing as she did so.

She waved them goodbye, as Jude started walking away.

To him, this was a place of strangers, he wouldn't have to say goodbye to anyone after today, he just has to talk with this Yagoo person and leave afterwards, so best not to get to know anyone.

Raora's ears drooped a little as Jude chose to ignore her, frowning slightly.

-"He's quite the individual, enjoy your slice, Raora."

Her cheer returned momentarily as Yagoo waved back at her and continued moving, shaking her head in happiness as she continued munching on her slice.

They continued to attain stares as they walked, all sorts of different looks of people took in the sight of Jude beside Yagoo.

Worry arose as some people remembered what happened to.. formerly unknown individuals who messed around and found out.

But Yagoo's expression spoke otherwise, they know that look, it's the look of more to come.

An elevator dinged as they stepped inside, the whirring of the elevator as it ascended to the top floor was quiet, but the silence between the two men was quieter.

Yagoo thought to himself as he looked down towards Jude with an exasperated expression.

The elevator ride that seemed to last an eternity came to an end as the metallic door opened to the sight of a medium-sized office, nothing really over the top, the lower floors were much more extravagant than this office was.

Hard to believe such an advanced company had such a simplistic office for its CEO.

Stacks upon stacks of papers, poor dude, he's never finishing any of it anytime soon.

---------------------------------------------------------

Intermission: Raora Panthera

A pantheress-woman who debuted in the HoloLiveEN "Justice" Unit, nicknamed "The Artist with God Eyes", she is a very bubbly and patient individual.

Sharing the same traits of kindness as her co-workers in the space, Raora makes sure everyone is treated as nicely as possible in her streams, her fanbase, whom she named the "Chattinis", is always showered with the best of art.

Speaking of, she is very very easy to torment, due to harboring such a strong Italian heritage.

Often tormented with pineapple pizza, Raora's nightmares are filled to the brim with her gen-mates spoonfeeding her the most heretical of foods.

More Chapters