In a small town lies Kaijo High School, but our story no longer takes place there. In the city of Tokuko, five hours from Kaijo, 4 old friends, who were a part of their high school culture club, alongside some new faces, embark on the next stages of their lives, and this is their story...
Kaijo. October 21st. 1am
Lizzy: Look I know it's late but something's wrong
Doctor: I know you're concerned but he's just resting. He will be up and down for a short while
Lizzy drags the doctor into the room where Kieran is sleeping
Lizzy: No you don't understand! I was here talking to him, he was tired but coherent. I leave for no more than 5 minutes and when I come back, his speech is slurred, he's disorientated and he looks ill.
Doctor: There's been no change to his treatment but you're right, his sats are lower than earlier and lower than they should be. I'll run some tests to see if we can isolate the problem
Lizzy: God damn bastard, you just couldn't stay stable could you?
Doctor: Excuse me?
Lizzy: Do I look like I'm talking to you?
As the doctor leaves, Kaylin - disguised as a nurse at the hospital - enters the room. She looks at Lizzy who stares back wondering if she recognises her from anywhere
Kaylin: I'm here to take Kieran for some tests
Lizzy: Already? The doc just left
Kaylin: Well we don't want to waste much time do we?
Lizzy: I guess not
As Kaylin goes towards Kieran's bed to move him, Lizzy still can't shake the fact she's seen the face before
Lizzy: Do I know you?
Kaylin looks a little taken aback
Kaylin: I-I'm not aware that you do
Lizzy: You just look really familiar. Did you go to school around here?
Kaylin: No, I come from near Tokuko
Lizzy: Oh right, sorry
Kaylin kicks the breaks off of Kieran's bed and begins to move him. Then Lizzy suddenly puts it together
Lizzy: No I do know you
Kaylin: I'm sure you're mistaken
Lizzy: It's your face, it's the same face that was on Kieran's desk. A photo of him and his girlfriend. You're her aren't you?
Kaylin: I-I-I-I think you've made a mistake
Lizzy: I'm never wrong
Kaylin suddenly bolts for the door and runs out of the room. Lizzy chases after her
Lizzy: BITCH GET BACK HERE! YOU CAN'T OUTRUN ME, I PLAYED SOFTBALL IN HIGH SCHOOL
Lizzy follows her out towards the back of the hospital, but the small corridors and multiple turnings mean Kaylin is able to slip out of sight. Lizzy finds the first doctor she can
Lizzy: HEY! My friend's psycho ex-girlfriend is here in the hospital dressed as a nurse, and not in a sexy way. I'm pretty sure she's trying to hurt him
Doctor: Where is she now?
Lizzy: I don't know! She ran pretty fast for a pregnant lady. We need to get back to Kieran, she may have gone back there
Lizzy and the Doctor rush back towards Kieran's room, along the way the Doctor notifies security. As the arrive at the room, they see the bed in the same position as before, always across the room but the patient is missing from it.
Lizzy: Kieran?
Doctor: Where's he gone?
Lizzy: I don't fucking know! He was passed out, ain't no way he'd suddenly jump up and run off. I bet she's taken him
Doctor: I'll call for help
The doctor calls through to security and they order a hospital lockdown but it's too late. Kieran has already been wheeled out of the hospital, bundled into a van and driven away
Kaijo. October 21st 2024
Lizzy: Thanks for coming
Yazzy: Well when you called us in a rush, we didn't really have much choice
Delia: Yeah, made it sound like life or death
Michi: Seriously why am I here?
Lizzy: It is life or death! Kieran's been kidnapped, right out of his hospital bed and by his freaking ex, well Tori, Delia, your ex as well
Yazzy: Kieran's in hospital? What happened?
Lizzy: I don't have time to explain it all. Look he can't have gone far but we need to find him
Katie: Thanks for letting us stay at your house
Lizzy: Well they've moved out and it's still available til the end of the month so it was ideal
Tori: Except for the fact that it's like 20 miles away from the freaking road
Lizzy: I think this will work best if we go off in pairs to search
Delia: I'm with Tori
Tori: Thanks gaskets
Delia: Your welcome Clyde
Lizzy: No
Delia: Huh?
Lizzy: You both know what Kaylin looks like, the others don't, we need a person in each group that knows her. So Delia, you go with Yazzy, Tori with Katie and I'll go with Michi
Yazzy: Let's do this
Lizzy: Let's meet in the town square at 8pm tonight, if any of us find him before that, call me and then I'll let everyone know
The group make their way down to the gates of Lizzy's estates and then separate. Lizzy & Michi head east, towards the area where Kieran's former apartment used to be, Tori & Katie head south, the direction of the high school and Delia & Yazzy head west, towards the town square
Kaijo. March 2016
Ash's Mom: I'm sorry guys, he hasn't left his room in 4 days. He won't see anyone, even us
Lizzy: Will you let him know that we're here?
Ash's Mom: I can knock on his door and say it, but Lizzy honey, he's not going to respond
Lizzy: What about uni? We're supposed to leave in just over a week
Ash's Mom: I wish I had the answers, it's not a conversation we've had I'm afraid
Yazzy: I'm really worried about him, we all are
Ash's Mom: We are too. We've just lost our daughter and Kieran is like a son to us, we don't want to lose him too
Lizzy: We'll come back another time, it's not fair of us all encroaching on you all when you're grieving
Ash's Mom: No I appreciate it, it's nice to see you all, you're not only here for Kieran but Ash too and if they were both here at the door, they would be happy
Lizzy: We'll see you later
Ash's Mom: Take care now
They walk away from Ash's house
Yazzy: Man that was tough
Tori: It's not good being holed up in your room, I should know
Lizzy: We can't push him
Yazzy: That's not like you
Lizzy: I'm grieving, it takes away my anger, sorry
Tori: Do you think he'll come with us to uni?
Lizzy: He fucking better. That I will kick his ass on, he can't stay here, he needs to get away
Yazzy: Do you think we'll ever get past this?
Tori: I hope so
Lizzy: Me too, I'm sure we'll get past it eventually, just don't know how long it will take until we get to that point
Kaijo. October 21st 2024. Delia & Yazzy's group
Yazzy: Hey can we slow down a bit? I can't keep up with your pace
Delia: Sorry, it's a gym thing, just end up walking a lot quicker naturally
Yazzy: Thanks
Delia: You're worried about him aren't you?
Yazzy: Well yeah like we all are
Delia: No I mean, you're really worried.
Yazzy blushes
Delia: You still love him don't you?
Yazzy: So what if I do?
Delia: Hey it's no skin off my back, I'm just observing
Yazzy: You can't just switch those feelings off you know. I'd liked him for a long time before we started dating. We had an amazing year together and then...
Delia: What?
Yazzy: He told me something. Something that didn't really matter now that I think back but at the time it did, and it hurt. We argued over it, I wouldn't listen, he wouldn't back down and next thing, he was being offered a job on the other side of the country
Delia: That's when you broke up wasn't it?
Yazzy: Well kinda. In a way, we never officially ended, we just sort of stopped talking. He said that he needed to take the job, and I was angry that he took the job over me but I couldn't do much about it. He tried to keep in contact at first, but I wouldn't answer. I didn't want to know and next thing it had been six months and I was in a bar with the girls when someone came up and asked me if I was single. Without hesitating, I said yes, and from that point onwards, that was it. Kieran came back after a year, like he said, but we hadn't spoken and in the end we just agreed to be friends with each as a way of stopping the tension from spreading throughout the group
Delia: If you had the opportunity then, would you want to get back together?
Yazzy: .....Yeah
Delia: So tell him! Don't waste your life regretting. It's too short for that. When we find him, tell him. The worst he can say is no. Look I don't know Kieran as well as everyone else. I met him when he came back from that trip and we've only hung out a few times since then but he's a good guy and more than anything, he listens.
Yazzy: Yeah. If we do find him and Kaylin's with him, will you be ok?
Delia: I can't wait to punch that bitch again
Yazzy: You hadn't been together long had you?
Delia: Not really but we were getting close
Yazzy: You cared about her?
Delia: Yeah. She seemed to get me, which is more than most people do, we got on and although it had only been a few months, it was a good connection. I hate relationships really, I say I want one but I don't, but when she came along, well I fell, hard
Yazzy: You'll find someone else
Delia: Eh, I don't really care. It happens or it doesn't, you know. It is what it is
Tori & Katie's Group
Tori: I swear Kaijo is bigger than I remember
Katie: I've only been here a few times so I can't really say
Tori: Can't believe I walked this way to school every day
Katie: Yeah the school's pretty far out
Tori: It's because it's got a lot of ground with it. They do a load of sports events and stuff here throughout the year
Katie: It always looks like a nice school from what I've seen, and like Lizzy always talked about it like it was good
Tori: It was alright, I suppose
Katie: You don't sound so convincing
Tori: Honestly, I hated high school. The only reason I came in everyday was the club and even then that wasn't enough. High school just isn't built for some people and I was one of them
Katie: You always seemed alright at Uni though
Tori: I like Uni, it gave me a bit more freedom, plus I could skip and no one gave a shit
Katie: Yeah but look at you now! Working in a hospital and everything
Tori: Yeah I guess things have worked out. You seem to be doing alright as well
Katie: I'm happy. Meeting Lizzy changed my life in all honestly. She made me feel more confident, she let me be obsessed with Love Live and Riko, and she just listened to all my problems. I got to feel like a human again
Tori: You've always seemed human to me, more than some of the others
Katie: Thanks. I guess I'm happy now, I have a job I love, friends I love and of course Riko
Tori: Naturally
Lizzy and Michi's Group
Lizzy: Completely trashed?
Michi: Absolute mess
Lizzy: Damn someone got there before I did
Michi: It was all so surreal, I've never seen anything like it
Lizzy: The kids didn't see it right?
Michi: No, we had to close off the whole corridor, and leave it for the police. We even had to ask them to come in later so that they wouldn't upset the kids, or worse, alert the parents that something was wrong
Lizzy: How'd they get in?
Michi: No idea, no windows were smashed or anything so it was hard to tell. Lizzy, this was the strangest thing though and I'm hoping you might know more about this than the we did...
Lizzy: What?
Michi: Well they had spray painted "scumbag" over the whiteboard
Lizzy: Sounds normal so far
Michi: On his desk, there was a baby scan, and written on the back was baby daddy
Lizzy: What?
Lizzy is aware of what this means, she doesn't think it's related to Kaylin, but most likely Ash, but how would someone know. Kieran said that she was the first person he had told, so no one else knew except her. Unless Ash had told someone before she died, but who? Lizzy tries to keep her face composed so not to let on that she knows what it's related to, not because she doesn't trust Michi, but because she doesn't want to betray Kieran's trust
Michi: I mean, I know he has a girlfriend
Lizzy: Had
Michi: Had- Wait really?!
Lizzy: Long story, I'll explain later
Michi: Anyway, he'd recently been in a relationship so we thought that maybe it's her that's pregnant but you can't really call him a baby daddy at his age. That's really for teens. He had a girlfriend though when he was in high school right?
Lizzy stumbles a bit but maintains her composure
Lizzy: They were lovesick puppies but that was as far as it went. I mean they spent every minute of the day together, even lived together - another long story - but they were too innocent, everything was all hugs and smiles, with a few kisses. Ash was my best friend anyway, she would have told me if they had gone that far
Michi: It doesn't make any sense then
Lizzy: Unless someone is trying to defame his character? It's easy to pull shit from the sky and make it land on people these days.
Michi: True
Lizzy: Clearly Kaylin is a psycho and has it in for Kieran, and she's clearly good at coming up with lies so not unlikely
Michi: Yeah
Lizzy: I just hope that we can find him soon. Damn man child is going to make me go grey at this rate and if that happens, I'll have to find him so I can kill him myself
They continue walking and approach Ash's old house. A year after she died, her parents sold up and moved away, needing a fresh start. No one except Kieran actually knew where they went, and Kieran has never given up where they are now, despite Lizzy trying. It's sat empty for 7 years. Kaijo is a town that is slowly losing its population, as more and more move into Hanabu City, only 30 minutes away. Lizzy used to walk past Ash's house often when she would come home from uni, and it was always the same: dark, cold, uninviting, the opposite it had been when Ash, Kieran and her family had lived there
Lizzy: Huh?
Michi: What is it?
Lizzy: I thought I saw a flicker of light in the house
Michi: Maybe something's not turned off from when the occupants left?
Lizzy: No I've done this walk hundreds of times, this is Ash's house, was her house, it's been dark for years, never a hint of anything
Michi: Maybe it's a reflection? It could literally be anything
Lizzy: I know, but it still seems strange
Kaijo. March 2016
Yazzy's Mom: Make sure that you're all safe. Yazzy, text me please when you're there
Yazzy: I will, don't worry
Yazzy's Mom: It's so exciting, my little girl going off to university
Tori: No Kieran?
Lizzy: Not heard from him since Ash died. He didn't even attend the funeral, although Ash's mom did say that he went later on his own. I don't think he's coming with us to uni
Yazzy: Isn't that him there?
Tori: So it is
Kieran makes his way over to the others. He looks tired and run down but he has his suitcase and the stuff he'll need for uni
Lizzy: You fucking bastard, where the fuck have you been, I could kick your fucking ass right now if I didn't have all this shit in my hand
Kieran: I'm sorry, I just needed some time
Lizzy: A little heads up would have been nice!
Kieran: I just couldn't face talking to anyone
Lizzy: Yeah, we know!
Yazzy: Look it doesn't matter, the main thing is that you're here and we can all go off together
Yazzy's Mom: Look at you all, let me get a photo
Yazzy: Mom please, we're not little kids
Yazzy's Mom: Come on, just one please
Lizzy: I don't mind
Kieran: I guess no one else does then?
Lizzy: Shut the fuck up
Tori: Guess the grieving's over then Lizzy?
Lizzy: I will start on you
Yazzy's Mom: Ok, everyone gather up, that's it, 3....2....1....
The flash goes off and Yazzy's Mom smiles at the photo of the four of them, ready to go on their next adventure
Ash's House. Kaijo. October 21st 2024
Kieran: Ugh...what's going on
Kieran is slowly coming round after the injection Ash gave him the night before
Ash: Don't worry, it's all going to be fine
Kieran: Ash? What? What's going on?
Ash: Genius planning, that's what. Kaylin proved to be an excellent decoy in the hospital, pulling Lizzy away long enough for me to come in and wheel you out
Kieran: I don't understand. How are you here?
Kaylin: He was easy to play. It's a shame I had to confess the truth to him though. I was hoping to keep it going a bit longer
Kieran: Kaylin? What?
Ash: Hiding away in my house for the last 7 years has given me the time I need to plan my revenge
Kieran: Revenge?
Ash: Don't worry Kieran, it'll all be over for you soon