Episode 2: "Waking From a Nightmare"
Yo Kuronaka
"What the... Was that a dream?"
Yo was drenched in a cold sweat when he awoke from his nightmare.
Freed from the heavy weight of his dreams, he placed his hand on his chest in an attempt to calm the rapid pounding of his heart.
After a moment, he realized he was atop a bed in an unfamiliar room.
Yo Kuronaka
"Damn... That dream was the worst.
Tsuki... Sui... I'll avenge you both, no matter what it takes!"
His dream had forced him to confront the brutal imagery of his childhood friends' deaths. Rage coursed through him, directed toward the one responsible—Zero.
The flames of revenge had been ignited in his chest, and his hands began to cramp from how tightly he kept them clenched.
The room was almost eerily silent, which was enough for Yo to relax his grip just a little. After a moment, a single question arose in his mind.
Yo Kuronaka
"Come to think of it, how did I get here, anyway?"
The last thing he could recall was that he'd been playing a game of XB against Zero. Now, he was alone in this room.
Though he'd just been with Kazuki and the others, they were now nowhere to be seen.
He realized it would be up to him and him alone to investigate his surroundings and figure out just what was going on.
With that thought in mind, he pulled himself out of bed and surveyed the room.
What caught his eye almost immediately were the countless lights twinkling from the other side of the window.
Drawn to the sight, he approached the glass to take a look.
Yo Kuronaka
"...Wow. There are a ton of buildings here. So this... is Shinagawa City, huh?"
The view was lined with skyscrapers, adorned with the logos of Neo Tokyo's most renowned companies.
It served as an obvious symbol of Shinagawa's reputation for being a city of commerce.
At least, it matched the description given to him by Tsuruko, the girl who'd been wearing a school uniform.
Given that he couldn't recall anything about the area, Tsuruko had given Yo a quick rundown of Shinagawa City's idiosyncrasies while running the bases.
After a moment, Yo backed away from the window and took a better look at the room.
Yo Kuronaka
"So... does someone live here?
Probably not. This place doesn't seem very homey..."
He took a lap around the room and made note of the minimal furnishings and lack of any personal belongings.
Yo coughed, his throat dry.
He looked for something to drink. Soon, he found a bottle of water on the counter across the room.
Yo Kuronaka
"Not sure whose it is, but I guess I can just take it..."
He grabbed the bottle and quickly unscrewed the cap before bringing it to his mouth.
He hadn't realized just how parched he was.
Before he knew it, he'd gulped down the entire bottle.
His gaze landed on what looked like a business card as he placed the empty bottle back down on the counter.
The top portion of the card read "Room cleaned, except bed". Beneath it, "Shinagawa Princess Hotel" was written in gold ink.
Yo traced the edge of the card with the tips of his fingers as he finally understood where exactly he was.
Yo Kuronaka
"Shinagawa Princess Hotel...
A hotel? But why..."
He took note of his surroundings once more. A queen-sized bed, and a window that spanned the entire length of the wall.
Elegant marble flooring. Soft, indirect lighting. Everything about the room undeniably felt like a luxury hotel.
Even the faint, pleasant scent that wafted through the air likely came from some sort of expensive air freshener.
The more he considered all of those factors, the less he could understand why he was even there to begin with.
Yo Kuronaka
"Okay, just calm down.
I'm sure I can remember something if I just think everything through..."
He closed his eyes as he began to sift through his memories.
...
......
.........
The very last thing he could recall before losing consciousness was...
Standing on home plate, focused on Zero's final pitch—the one they were betting the entire game on.
Zero had snapped, and using an ability that seemed far beyond the capabilities of a normal human, had imbued the XB Ball with a magenta aura before unleashing a blazing fastball.
Yo recalled using all the power he could muster when he swung at the pitch.
However...
Yo Kuronaka
"...Did my bat actually connect with that pitch?"
He couldn't remember anything beyond that.
From what he could tell, he lost consciousness the moment he hit the ball.
While he was undeniably worried about the outcome of the game, Yo was far more worried about the safety of Kazuki and the others.
Yo Kuronaka
"Maybe I should head outside.
They might be nearby..."
Slowly, he made his way to the room's heavy door.
When he was just a few steps away...
The rattling sound of the door knob turning caught his attention.
...Who could that be?
Yo tensed up at the unexpected visitor.
