[Hydro crouched in the bushes, the leaves rustling slightly as he adjusted his attire. He tugged at his Nardwuar-style cap, ensuring it was snug, and pushed his nerdy glasses up the bridge of his nose. He looked at his reflection in the phone screen, nodding to himself in approval. The tie was the final touch-a bright, almost obnoxious pattern that was clearly out of place.]
HYDRO: [muttering to himself, second-guessing] Alright, let's do this. Glasses, check. Cap, check. Tie... yep, still there. I'll just act like Nardwuar. What could go wrong?
[He paused, sighing deeply as he realized how absurd this plan really was. The fact that he could speak Japanese might help-Juliet probably wouldn't see him as some random creep, right? At least, he hoped not.]
HYDRO: [grimacing, embarrassed] This is gonna go horribly wrong... but here goes nothing.
[In front of him, the group of 19 cheerleaders, all wielding chainsaws identical to Juliet's, were chatting and laughing without a care in the world. Juliet herself, standing in the middle, seemed completely at ease. Hydro took a deep breath, feeling a bit unhinged as he prepared to approach.]
HYDRO: [nervously muttering in Japanese] E-excuse me...
[Juliet, caught off guard by the unfamiliar voice speaking Japanese, turned to look at Hydro, her bright blue eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity. The rest of the cheerleaders followed her gaze, their attention now fully on the stranger standing awkwardly in the bushes.]
JULIET: [surprised but cheerful] Oh! Hi! What's up?
[Hydro gulped. He was already regretting this. His heart was racing, but he had to go through with it.]
HYDRO: [awkward, fidgeting] I, uh... I was wondering if I could interview you... about something?
[The cheerleaders, still holding their chainsaws casually, exchanged glances, clearly intrigued by the guy speaking fluent Japanese in front of them. Juliet, however, seemed more amused than anything.]
JULIET: [excited, in Japanese] An interview? Sure! What do you want to talk about?
[Hydro blinked in surprise. She spoke Japanese too. He wasn't sure if that made things better or worse. He scrambled for something to say, mentally trying to channel Nardwuar's style of questioning.]
HYDRO: [mumbling to himself in English] This is really bad...
[Juliet towered over him slightly, waiting patiently for his question. Hydro cleared his throat, deciding to switch back to English. His mind raced as he tried to think of something that would catch her off guard-something that would make this feel like a true Nardwuar interview.]
HYDRO: [nervously, trying to sound casual] So, uh... what's it like, you know, being a zombie hunter? Is it, uh... tiring?
[Juliet laughed, her energy contagious. Hydro was immediately disarmed by her cheerful demeanor.]
JULIET: [grinning] Tiring? Nah! It's a blast! I mean, yeah, sometimes it gets a little messy, but it's all part of the fun. Plus, chainsaws are way more exciting than regular weapons, don't you think?
YOU ARE READING
Kairiki: Before the Nightmare
Adventure(This is a Prequel to the Comic: Kairiki) Hydro Undergrove was just an ordinary high schooler in our world until the Temporal Prism caused global chaos, leading to his and his family's death. However, he is mysteriously revived by an unknown presenc...
