- "Broken Sun; Memories Worth Holding"
Hina Akagi is one of the protagonists of NieR Reincarnation's second story arc, The Sun and the Moon, alongside Yuzuki Kurezome. She is a well-regarded honor student that was suddenly transported into The Cage. She cares deeply for her father and wishes to reunite with him.
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Heads up! Important plot details for NieR Reincarnation may follow. Read at your own risk! | Route(s) The Sun and the Moon |
It is discovered that Yuzuki is her younger brother who went to live with their mother after their parents divorced.
Appearance[]
Hina has the appearance of a young woman with short gray hair and brown eyes. She wears a white and gray school uniform along with black stockings and shoes.
Story[]
- "Smile with the brightness of the sun—even if it consumes you."
- — Poem of the Sun
Hina's story is explored throughout The Sun and the Moon arc.
As an honor student, Hina is at the top of her class and is well regarded by both other students and teachers.
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Heads up! Important plot details for NieR Reincarnation may follow. Read at your own risk! | Route(s) The Sun and the Moon |
However, due to her father's crippling debt caused by the reckless spending of her mother, she sells drugs in order to make extra money. She is eventually found out, and after being ostracized by her peers she returns home only to find her father had committed suicide.
Driven further into despair, Hina vows revenge on her mother, and poisons her as she lay sick in a hospital bed. She then discovers that her father's death was actually a homicide, perpetrated by her estranged younger brother—which leads her to The Cage on another quest for retribution.
Throughout The Cage, Hina is tasked with collecting three Sol Fragments to fix a broken sun by a strange, ghostlike being named Papa. After achieving this, she is granted one wish, and states she wants to live with her dad. Her wish is granted and they live peacefully for a time, but it is shown that no matter the timeline, Yuzuki will find a way to kill him—causing her to return to The Cage once more.
At the end of their separate journeys, the siblings meet and have a final stand-off at the edge of The Cage. There are three different endings depending on the choice the player makes.
Hina kills Yuzuki and appears to have a mental break as both of their bodies fade into light. Papa regards sadly that Hina got her wish, but notes that something about it doesn't feel right.
This ending causes Yuzuki's default costume to become its Husk version.
Yuzuki kills Hina and appears to have a mental break as both of their bodies fade into light. Mama regards sadly that Yuzuki got his wish, but Babe notes that something about it doesn't feel right.
This ending causes Hina's default costume to become its Husk version.
This option is only available after completing one of the two prior endings and redoing the end of the chapter.
Hina and Yuzuki conclude that there has to be another way to solve their differences. The Cage's sun and moon combine, and the siblings fall to the ground crying together. They realize that they are now destined to live out the rest of their lives in The Cage, which Yuzuki notes is a fitting place for people who have "committed grave sins."
This ending causes both Hina and Yuzuki's default costumes to become their Husk versions.EX Story[]
In a divergent reality, both Hina and Yuzuki exist in the mainline NieR timeline. In 2020, the siblings are rescued as children from a monster (Legion) by the Hamelin Organization in Tokyo.
By 2028, they are both soldiers working for the Hamelin Organization, where Hina in particular is well regarded as a captain. Her squad is tasked with assisting in the transport of a captured Legion by boat, but is subsequently attacked by Legion evolved to survive in water. Much of the crew is slaughtered, and the remaining survivors are ordered by Hina to escape while she stays behind to fight off the remaining monsters.
Hina successfully destroys the remaining Legion, where it is then revealed she suffers from a psychiatric disorder that causes her to find immense pleasure in dangerous, stressful situations.
The boat sinks, with her—and her secret—drowning in the depths.
Character Story[]
We were a perfectly average family leading a perfectly average life. I used to love Sundays when I was little. It was the one day of the week I got to spend with Mom, Dad, and my little brother. We'd always make lunch together.
And cooking is such an adventure for a little kid. I'd try to copy the cooking video playing on the tablet, but every time I went to crack an egg, things got...interesting. I'd go through an entire carton trying to get it right, and Dad would laugh each time I didn't.
One day, I finally got my egg in the pan with a minimal amount of shell. I whispered the magic word for my secret flipping technique and...
"EEEEEK!"
My brother poked the ticklish spot on my side, causing the egg to smear all over the pan. He was always such a little jerk...
Anyway, I draped the remains of the egg over some golden rice and called it good. Then I drew a smiling sun on it with ketchup and gave it to Dad. "This looks just like you," he said. And just like a sun, I beamed.
It was the first parents' visiting day of my elementary school life. The unusual prospect of a family visit set the class abuzz. Even our teacher—who was terrifying when angry—seemed nervous. Dad even took off work so he could come.
Our first class of the day was social studies, followed by science and math. Whenever the teacher asked who knew an answer, I waved my hand over my head like a crazy person and screamed, "Me, me, me!" Dad watched as I breezily wrote the answer down on the blackboard.
In our final class, the students had to give a presentation about the origins of our names. Everyone seemed embarrassed by their parents' reasons for choosing names. But I was ready. The day before, Dad said they named me Hina because it means "sunshine."
We wanted you to smile as brightly as the sun, he'd said.
When I was finished, my teacher told me my name suited me perfectly.
"You do have a very bright smile! It always cheers me up."
My friends all agreed, and I felt like I was going to explode with pride.
When I got to high school, our family underwent a seismic shift. My parents got divorced. We used to cook together on the weekend. Go on trips together. Now everything was different. I thought happy families like ours only got ripped apart in TV shows.
I ended up living with Dad. He was mentally and emotionally broken, and no longer smiled like he used to. He'd just lay down and stare into space. Even breathing seemed to cause him pain.
The people around me all worried about him. Teachers. Counselors. Friends. They constantly asked if I was doing okay, and seemed to be searching for a way to connect with me. But I just smiled and said everything was fine.
Even if it wasn't. Even if I was miserable. Because as long as I kept smiling...
I thought there was a chance Dad would go back to his old self.
The days following the divorce turned into weeks. Months. I tried everything I could think of to get our lives back, all while going to school. I just wanted a life like everyone else. But if Dad and I ever wanted to get there, I was going to have to put in some serious work. And I had no idea just how far we'd actually fallen.
One day, I was having a mindless chat with a friend on the phone. We were gossiping about random things at school. Near the end of the call, she got serious and asked if everything was okay at home.
"Everything's fine!" I replied in a chipper voice.
I ended the call. The screen went black. I could see my reflection in its surface, my face strained under the weight of a false smile. And in that moment, I understood everything.
My parents chose my name because they wanted me to smile as brightly as the sun. But it quickly became a curse that bound me. Because no matter how hard or painful my life...
Everyone expected me to have a brilliant, beaming smile on my face.
Other Stories[]
An Ocean Sunset, Part 1[]
Divergent Phenomena: Records 202005-202806
2020 - Tokyo
The ruined city lies covered in a thick layer of cloud.
The soft patter of rain echoes through empty streets.
Amidst the still and silence, a young voice emerges from the second floor of a crumbling building:
"It's okay. A kiss will make the hurt go away."
A young girl gently affixes a bandage to a scratch on her little brother's knee.
The pair have been drifting through the ruined city for days, as though running from something.
Wet clothes. Dry throats. Empty stomachs. Lost parents.
All these anxieties and fears weigh heavy on their minds.
Suddenly, there is a quick, faint shudder in the earth. They hold their breaths and grip each other tightly. The ground shudders again. It's getting closer. They grasp each other's clothes as the shaking grows greater. More intense. They know what is causing it, and that knowledge is a horror.
But then, the tremors come to a stop. And the bleached white bones of a monster's eyes peer through the building window.
2028 - Harbor
A girl stands on the deck of an escort vessel docked at a military harbor. Clad in a military uniform, she gazes up at the sky. It is the same girl from the abandoned city. She now stands in the warm sunlight, lost in thought. Years have passed since that day; she is no longer a scared little girl, but a soldier.
"The general is asking for you, Captain," says a boy in the same uniform. She turns around, smoothing hair mussed by the ocean breeze. "I'll be right there," she says softly.
The girl walks into the ship's control room and finds a number of officers gathered. None are older than twenty; all wear the same worried expression. The general—the same one who has summoned them here—begins his brief in terse tones.
"In our previous operation, some of you retreated from the front line without my orders."
The purpose of the previous operation was to capture Legion. Legion are white monsters with bone-like shells, and the greatest threat humanity has ever known. The organization the girl belongs to was formed for the sole purpose of eradicating Legion. Talented personnel have been gathered from across the world to dispatch the monsters wherever and whenever they crop up.
Just a few days prior, the girl and her squadron engaged multiple Legion in battle. But faced with greater enemy numbers than anticipated, several of her soldiers lost their nerve and ran. Now those same soldiers sit in the briefing room with sweat running down their bodies. The general opens his mouth to scold them—perhaps even punish them—when the girl suddenly speaks.
"I issued the order to retreat, sir" she says.
Her squad turns to look at her in surprise. She issued no such order. It is a lie. Yet she tells it in order to protect those who serve beneath her. "As the leader of this squad, our failure is my responsibility alone. If there is punishment to be had, permit me to take it in their place."
The general stammers in the face of his subordinate's sudden confession. But he quickly regains himself and informs the girl of her punishment:
Her squad will be assigned to maintenance and cleaning duties about the ship. Said vessel's purpose is to transport some precious cargo overseas. The ship must be fueled and prepped for the journey, then made ready to depart with all speed. Though the girl and her squad are combat personnel, they will now be used as the most base of laborers.
"I expect this ship to be ready to depart by nightfall," continues the general. "Once preparations are complete, return here."
"Should you fail, a number of your squadron will be discharged—no matter where the true fault lies."
It is an entirely unreasonable demand, but the girl only nods.
A moment later, she and her squad gather around a map of the ship on a nearby wall. The girl runs her finger across the map, calling out names as she glides over each room. When everyone has their assignments, she turns to depart.
"Begging your pardon, ma'am?" says a young squad member. "But the jobs you gave yourself are...terrible."
The boiler. The morgue. The sewage tanks. The girl has taken on the most demeaning and horrific tasks for herself. "Oh? I didn't realize," she responds with a smile before dismissing her squad to their work.
They say no more as they scatter to their stations. The girl makes for the morgue straightaway. Here she finds bodies of those who perished during the voyage, having suffered grave injuries in the last battle with the Legion. She follows the medical team's orders and disposes of the bodies, praying they might find peace in the next life.
Afterwards, she moves through the ship, taking care of preparation, maintenance, and cleaning in each of her assigned areas. Footsteps echo throughout the ship as her squad rushes to and fro. Crew members offer cheerful greetings as they slip by in cramped hallways. A warm, comfortable breeze blows through the ship as it prepares for an arduous voyage.
Once she is finished, the girl makes her way to the control room, where the deadline is looming. If she is even one second late, the general will dismiss her squadmates without mercy or recourse. After a moment's hesitation, she pushes open a rigid door to take a shortcut to her destination...
And finds herself in a storehouse far too large for the ship. In the center lies a sturdy cage that contains the massive Legion they captured the other day. This is the creature to which so many of her squad lost their lives. In an instant, she understands the nature of the ship's "precious cargo."
She gazes upon its white body, covered by a shell that looks like it might belong to some manner of crustacean. Part of it is stained a deep red, perhaps because it absorbed blood. The left arm is cracked and shattered like porcelain—damage sustained in the recent fight. Images of her squadmates being torn to shreds replay in the girl's mind.
The Legion's head moves slightly as it turns to look at her. Its eye sockets are empty. But when their gazes lock, a different emotion roils inside of her. She feels as though it sees straight through her, and so looks away.
Less than two minutes remain until the deadline. The rest of her squad has finished their tasks, and now waits for the girl in the control room. Fifty seconds left. Thirty seconds. None can hide their unease—their entire lives now lie in her hands. With ten seconds to spare, the girl bursts through the door.
"Sorry to cut it so close!" she says with a grin. Though he seems disappointed, the general announces there will be no further punishment. Muttering his displeasure, he leaves the control room.
Seconds pass after he leaves. The remaining squad members exchange glances...
Before bursting into a raucous cheer.
"We knew we could count on you, Captain!" they say. Some laugh. Some shed tears. They crowd around her, reveling in a shared joy.
The girl has always been willing to place her life on the line for her squad. She is skilled in both martial and intellectual pursuits, as well as capable and kind. She is, in short, the finest leader any of them could ask for. And as the sun dips below the horizon, its few remaining rays shine over them as though giving a blessing.
An Ocean Sunset, Part 2[]
2020 - Tokyo
Tokyo lies abandoned.
A girl and her little brother huddle in a collapsed building, hiding from a monster called Legion. As its earth-shaking footsteps grow closer, the monster's massive face appears in the window. They hold their breath, waiting for it to leave. But no matter how hard they pray, it does not go.
After a moment of stillness, the monster wails and leans against the building, where it has apparently decided to take its rest. Though the girl's brother is on the verge of tears, she takes his hand and attempts to lead him out quietly.
I'm the big sister. I need to stay focused.
Because if that thing sees us, it will be over in a moment.
How much longer would they have to live through this hell?
2028 - An escort vessel, at sea.
After finishing refueling and maintenance at the military harbor, the escort ship sets off across the ocean. The girl gazes at the cloudy sky through the windows of the officer's quarters.
"Four hours until we get there," she murmurs quietly. "Guess I've got time to read."
The whole squad enjoys a rare bit of downtime as they sail.
Their mission is the transport of a massive Legion to a foreign research facility. Once there, it will be researched so anti-Legion weapons might be produced. It is a vital mission—one which may well lead to the end of the battle between humanity and the Legion. Once they dock, they will have to transport the creature overland. As it is likely they will encounter more of the Legion; the girl and her squadron are under orders to guard the cargo.
With their lives, if necessary.
The squad is painfully aware of this truth. But for now, they rest to regain their strength. Suddenly, an emergency broadcast echoes through the ship:
"Alert. All personnel, report to the control room immediately."
A minute later, the crew is lined up neatly in the control room. They all wear serious expressions, their relaxed moments from the beginning of the voyage a forgotten dream. The general informs them the ship has received a request for support from their destination. The harbor was attacked by a horde of Legion with no warning, and they are presently engaged in a fierce battle. Their ship has been asked to aid in the fight.
If possible, they will assemble a vanguard unit and dispatch whatever Legion remain once they make landfall—a most dangerous mission indeed. The general pauses, clearly preparing to ask for volunteers. But the girl takes the initiative and volunteers to lead the charge. The moment she knew someone was being attacked by the Legion, remaining on the ship became untenable.
She quickly issues orders, assigning her unit various tasks. Some prepare first-aid kits in the infirmary. Others ready a submarine for infiltration. She leads the rest of the squad to the armory.
They gather black swords, handguns, grenades, and communication devices. Though the squad grumbles about having their rare moment of downtime interrupted, the girl does her best to put their minds at ease. Once they are outfitted, they prepare to leave the armory. But then something shakes the ship. Something massive.
As an alarm wails to life, a voice crackles over the PA system.
"We're under attack! We've got ten Legion on the deck—twenty! There's more! More are coming! Someone get up here and—"
There is a crunching sound, followed by a bloodcurdling scream. Then silence.
The ship is under attack. But why? Why would the Legion be attacking a vessel so far out at sea when the creatures live on land? It is a baffling situation, and panic immediately sweeps over her squad.
"What's going on!?"
"We're nowhere near the harbor yet!"
"We need to get on deck NOW!"
A window shatters. Metal groans.
"Why are they even here!?"
"Why is this happening!?"
"We're gonna sink! We're all gonna drown!"
The girl moves to each soldier in turn, calming them. Once they have themselves under some semblance of control, she whirls around and rushes to the main deck. Though she has survived countless battles with the Legion, this is a scenario she has never before encountered. She prays her unit can somehow remain safe as she flings open the door to the main deck. As she does so, the top half of a human torso comes skittering through the door and down the stairs.
One of the Legion stands on the deck, its arms covered in fresh blood. It howls, its voice terror incarnate. She has never seen such a creature before. A carapace clings to its back. A hard shell covers countless thin legs and tentacles. Fin-like protrusions wriggle from openings across its body. It is a monster that has adapted to life in the ocean—a kind of crustacean.
And now it and its fellows are launching a surprise attack at sea. Legion clamber up the side of the ship, shattering windows and wriggling their way inside. Screams ring out. Horror reigns.
"No," whispers the girl. "Not here. Not like this. I won't let you."
As one of the monsters turns in her direction, she tightens her grip on her sword and prepares to fight.
An Ocean Sunset, Part 3[]
2020 - Tokyo
As rain pours over an abandoned Tokyo, a young girl and her brother hide in a dilapidated building. The white monster called Legion has crouched near their hiding place to rest. They are attempting to slip away without alerting the creature. But when they open the door, it makes a piercing, metallic scrape.
They pray the rain drowns out the sound. But it is not to be. The Legion lifts its head and peers into the building. The girl feels as though her eyes have met the monster's. It has found them. They are going to die. The girl hides her brother in a futile attempt to save him. The monster reaches out, likely to idly crush them with a single massive hand.
2028 - An escort vessel, at sea.
An escort vessel has met with an ambush at sea. A horde of Legion crawls from the sea and into the ship. But on the main deck, a girl and her squad fight back.
The sound of machine gun fire is incessant. Deafening. The girl deftly dodges wildly flailing arms. After several hundred shots, the creature finally falls over and lies still.
But they can find no joy in subduing a single foe. The girl asks her fellow soldiers to guard the deck, then makes her way inside to take out whatever has infiltrated the ship. She prays to save as many of her squad as she can.
She runs through the ship at full speed. Each time a cry for help comes over her wireless system, she runs for the source. She knows the layout of the ship like the back of her hand. When she moves, it is always along the fastest route. Suddenly, one of the Legion juts its head into the hallway in front of her.
Without stopping, she draws her sword and leaps into the air. Her blade flashes like a meteor. Sword meets sheath as she lands. As she continues her mad dash down the hall, a head thumps to the floor.
The girl fells several Legion by herself as she moves through the ship. Using her handgun and precise marksmanship, she pierces the skulls of smaller enemies. She explodes Legion heads by kicking ammunition meant for the ship's cannons. She is the distinguished leader of an elite unit whose sole purpose is to eradicate the Legion. And now, all of her skills are being put to the test.
Each time she clears out a new area, she checks on the survivors. All who can still fight are sent to the deck to help ward off further attack. The despair in peoples' eyes slowly clears whenever they hear her voice. She is a single ray of hope in the gloom.
As she and her squad form up, they slowly push the Legion back. The ship is barely holding together. Casualties are great. But if they can keep it up...
She mulls over the situation as she runs down another corridor.
Suddenly, there comes the high-pitched shriek of metal, followed by a violent shudder.
"Status report now!" cries the girl into her comm.
The news is even worse than she feared. The hull of the ship has been torn open and water is rushing in.
For a moment—just one—she closes her eyes.
"What should I do?
How many will die?
There are still Legion inside the ship.
I have to locate the enemy.
I have to kill them.
Is everyone safe?
I have to protect them.
How far is land?
We're going to sink.
How did they breach the hull?
We're going down.
We need to close off flooded areas.
Was I not strong enough?
There must be some way out.
I have to get everyone out."
Despair fills her being, threatening to overwhelm her.
Her heart beats faster. Faster. Faster.
An Ocean Sunset, Part 4[]
2020 - Tokyo
In a ruined Tokyo, a girl and her brother have been discovered by a monster called Legion. The enormous creature reaches out to kill them. The girl places herself in front of her brother and closes her eyes. But then, the sound of gunfire and shattering rock rumbles through the air.
She cautiously opens one eye. Then another. The Legion's splintered body collapses to the ground in a cloud of white dust. Moments later, young soldiers in military uniforms rush to her side.
"You're all right," says the voice of salvation.
This deadly game of hide-and-seek has lasted for days. The girl's brother begins to bawl as he is released from overwhelming unease. As the young girl holds him tight, powerful emotions well up from the depths of her heart. She wants the strength to protect what is most precious to her. And at the same time...
2028 - An escort vessel, at sea.
Sirens wail throughout the escort vessel. A hole has been torn in the ship's hull, and it is beginning to sink. The survivors are mired in despair, but the girl alone refuses to succumb to it.
She activates her comm and speaks to whoever is left.
"All crew, abandon ship. I repeat: Make for the submarine and abandon ship. This is an order."
All who are able drop what they're doing and race for the submarine.
Minutes later, roughly forty souls are gathered in the hanger. It is less than half the number they started the voyage with—and the girl will not permit any more to be lost. The survivors clamber into the submarine. Once they're safely inside, the girl looks up at the lone figure beckoning her from the open hatch.
"No," she says. "I'm staying here."
"Captain, no! Don't say that!" As the soldier reaches for her hand, a Legion tears the hangar door from its hinges. Suddenly, the meaning of her sacrifice is clear: If she does not stop the remaining Legion, the submarine will never get clear of the ship.
She orders the submarine to push off as quickly as possible.
"Don't die, Captain!" she hears over her comm. "We'll come back for you!"
"All right," she replies with a grim smile. "Now go."
She turns her back on the sub as it begins to slip free of the ship.
Fearsome howls echo through the hangar for a time, as well as the clash of steel on bone. The creatures almost seem to be mocking her. Later—she knows not how long—she steadies herself against the wall of the hangar and looks out at the trail of dead. Her bones are shattered. Her body is pain. But she is not finished.
She still needs to escape. As water fills the halls, she finds herself losing the sense of up from down. But then, a deep rumble fills the air. Something is coming. And she knows precisely what it is.
Their cargo—the entire reason they set off on this transport mission—slowly rises up before her. The massive Legion has rent its cage asunder and is now wandering the ship.
This is what tore the ship apart. Water rushes in. Every movement is agony. An enormous foe looms in her path. Yet in the face of this hopelessness...
The girl smiles.
She drops low and swipes her blade at the Legion, her wounds forgotten. She dodges the arm it brings down and plunges her blade into the thin joint between bones. She is glee. She is delight.
This is her secret—one she has kept hidden ever since the day she awoke in Tokyo...
The city was a gray ruin. It was the day the organization saved the girl and her brother from the Legion. As she cradled her sobbing brother, she turned her face from him. Because she was smiling.
The girl suffered from a stress-induced psychiatric disorder, one that developed as a result of constantly protecting her brother. This illness led her to volunteer for increasingly dangerous assignments.
Like when she shouldered punishment in place of her squadmates. Or when she volunteered to lead the vanguard after receiving the SOS signal. Or when she single-handedly rid the ship of Legion. Each time, the stress of the situation sent waves of ecstasy flooding through her system.
"It's...over..."
But now, her chest fills with an unfathomable emptiness as she stands atop the Legion's shattered corpse. She gently lifts the monster's decapitated skull in her small hands.
"Thank you for amusing me," she says before pressing her lips to an exposed piece of bone.
The ship slowly slips beneath the waves. A girl clings to a broken secret amidst a broken world. And a metal vessel carries this secret into the depths. Moments later, the waves wash quietly atop one another as though nothing was ever there at all. And the rays of sun that shine between the clouds bathe the ocean in a soft and fleeting light.
Ch. 1: Making Memories[]
"I've separated your meals into portions for each day, so be sure to eat. Okay?"
We live in a modest apartment. I close the refrigerator door and turn to peer into the living room.
Then I give laundry and dishes instructions. I go on and on in great detail while my dad just nods quietly—should I be worried about how much of a worrier I am?
It's just me and my dad here, and I'm busy with high school at the same time. My dad was always so gentle, always wearing a warm smile, but ever since the divorce, he's been practically dead inside.
One day, his old, cheerful self would return. Or so I told myself as I tackled both school and my part-time job, all while keeping tabs on household expenses and doing housework.
For a while there, my dad had the most terrible fatigue, but the medicine his doctor recently prescribed has helped him reach a more stable level.
"Well, I guess I'm off."
Our school trip starts today. Even though my dad's relatively stable right now, I'm honestly worried sick about leaving the apartment.
He always sits in the corner of the living room, staring idly at the blank TV. But today, he's come to see me off at the front door.
"Go on, now. Make lots of memories."
There's no spirit in the way he carries himself, nor is he smiling, but his kind words remind me of who he used to be. It looks like the medicine is doing its job.
I packed only the bare necessities in my beat-up duffle bag. It's frayed, but I use it for everything. I cradle it in my arms and leave the house.
I peek back inside just before I shut the door, as I always do. My dad has already turned away. I can't see his face.
I look at the time on my phone and realize it's much later than I thought. And here I thought I was going to leave the house with plenty of time to spare...
I was busy putting everything in place for my dad's convenience while I'm gone on my trip, and I guess I lost track of time.
I run as fast as I can, but I'm too late. When I get to the bus stop, the bus is already shrinking in the distance.
My blood runs cold for a second, but it's no time for standing around. If I run to the nearest train station and time my transfers just right, I should make it in time for the meet-up.
My bag slips. I yank it up. I need to run, I tell myself as I put all my strength into my legs—
"Pardon me, Miss?"
A voice from behind me. I whirl around as I pitch forward. There stands an old lady, her face perplexed.
"Um... Is something the matter?" I say with as calm a voice as I can muster, pushing my disheveled hair behind my ear.
"There's somewhere I'd like to go, but I seem to be lost..."
She shows me a note. On it is the name of an orthopedic clinic I recognize.
"I know where that is."
The moment I take a step forward, it hits me again: I'm on the verge of being late for my trip.
Luckily, the clinic is on the way to the station. Once I drop her off, I can probably make the train if I run the rest of the way.
And so, as to not rush the old lady and her unsteady steps, I walk slowly.
I drop her off at the clinic with a smile. "I've got to get going."
She grabs my hand and places a handful of hard candies in my palm. I give her my thanks and run.
I check the time again—I'm a bit later than I initially wanted. I need to hurry. But then—
"Stop! Thief!"
An unusual call from nearby. I stop in my tracks despite myself.
I see someone dressed as a stereotypical thief—black ski mask and all—rush out from the convenience store with a bag in his arms.
The man in black must have been hit with security paint because a smear of orange is streaked across his back.
I calm my shock, gather myself, and then run toward the man. I throw my bag at his feet.
He trips over it and falls, just as I was hoping for. The convenience store staff run after him and helping passers-by keep him pinned.
The staff want to shower me in thanks, but I have to hurry to the station. I apologize with a quick bow of my head, collect my bag, and then rush off.
Of all days, when I'm going on a school trip, why does my life feel like an episode of a TV drama?
I arrive breathlessly at Tokyo Station to find students wearing the same uniform as me gathered in a group.
When my friends notice me, they smile and wave me over. I feel awful for making everybody wait as I make my way to the homeroom teacher.
"It's not like you to be so late. You're usually right on time," he says, but asks nothing more from me and begins to lead all of us students to the bullet train platform.
I was convinced I was bound to get scolded, so I heave a sigh of relief.
I sit down in my seat on the train and finally catch my breath. Sitting beside me is a friend I could easily call my best friend.
We've been in the same class since elementary school—we're inseparable. Every day, she asks me for a favor, "just this once!" and begs me for help with homework, but I just can't bring myself to dislike her.
"It's honestly been one thing after another today," I say, my voice a little louder than usual on our first day of the school trip.
I begin to tell her what happened on the way here, but she gives a disinterested "Mm-hmm" and keeps her eyes on her phone.
Something feels off about her cold reply. This inseparable friend of mine is the life of our whole class. I recently saw her chatting and laughing happily with everyone about how she was late for the gathering time.
"Want a candy?" I hold out one of the candies the old lady gave me.
"No, thanks," she says brusquely. She turns to look out the window as though shutting me out.
Ch. 2: Hoping for a Good Trip[]
What a way to kick off a school trip.
So many things happened before I even managed to make it to the starting point. It seemed for a minute like I was going to be late for my bullet train, but I made it there just in the nick of time and managed to reach my destination.
The roof that covers the station's central plaza is tall as can be, and is covered by a beautiful mesh of steel and glass. Having not been in the position to go on any kind of trip for a very long time, just knowing that I've made it to Kyoto is enough to light a fire in my heart. After everyone had dealt with their luggage and heard what the teachers have to say we were allowed to enjoy some free time, and in my group is one of my best friends.
I don't understand why, but something is off about her today. She's as cheerful as ever when talking to others, but when she talks to me she seems kind of...cold, somehow. I wonder if I did something to upset her. As I mull over the situation in my mind, the group decides to take a look around the city.
The former capital of Kyoto is steeped in history, and not only is the beauty of its architecture is out of this world, but there are adorable decorations made of wood and paper lined up along every store in sight. There are also confectionery stores and places selling tons of chopsticks... We had a great time checking out the various sights the city has to offer.
And while I'm having the time of my life on this trip, there's a part of me that worries about the father I left behind all alone... He must be waiting for me to come back...
"It's gonna be great! Don't you think?" I'm pulled back to reality as a friend in my group grabs my arm and talks to me.
"Oh, uh, sorry... What were we talking about?"
The place we're headed to next is the spot everyone in the group is most looking forward to visiting. Seeing the excitement on everyone's faces, I remember what's going on and offer a nod.
Going by the itinerary we planned ahead of time, where we're off to next is a shrine famous as a place that gives good luck to those looking for romantic partners. I must have looked like my mind was elsewhere, because as we make our way to the shrine my friend turns and said, "She's putting on a cool face, but who knows? Maybe she's already got her heart set on someone."
There's a hint of provocation in her voice. It's like she's taunting me. Everyone else in the group may not have realized it, but I did. Reject her statement as I may, all she does is disregard me with a sly chuckle.
"Whoa, there's someone you like? Who? WHO!?" I'm questioned by everyone in the group, but I manage to hold my ground by simply smiling and repeating "There's nobody, I swear."
With a sigh and a desire to move things along, I speak up, "Anyway, let's get moving! I hear you can test what your luck in love will be like!"
Saying this, I watch everyone in front of me walk along like they're having the time of their lives...and I start to feel a bit blue again.
It takes everything I have just to make it through the day. Love? When would I have had the chance to think about that? Desperate to act like the normal highschooler I'm supposed to be, I run ahead and join up with the group again.
At long last, we arrive at the shrine. On the stone path along its premises lie two stones bound with sacred rope. Word has it that if you go to the first stone, close your eyes, and manage to make it to the second stone without looking, you'll find true love. Wasting no time, everyone in the group takes stabs at the challenge, each of them failing with aplomb.
The two stones are about ten meters apart, and the distance combined with how easy it is to lose your sense of direction once people start calling out to you makes finding your way from one to the other a nearly impossible task.
Everyone in the group but me has already gone, and not a single one of them has succeeded. I guess it's far more difficult than it looks.
"You're up," says a friend as they give me a little push on the back. I considering refusing, but decide against it out of fear that everyone would think I'm a wet blanket.
Resigning myself to my fate, I place my hand on the first stone and my friends begin to excitedly chatter amongst themselves. I close my eyes and, trying to stay on as straight a course as possible, stretch both arms out directly in front of me and move forward one careful step at a time.
My friends shout directions at me from time to time, but because I'm focused primarily on simply not falling over, I can't really hear what they're saying.
After what feels like an eternity, I feel my hands press up against cold stone, and my friends erupt in cheers. I open my eyes to see that, somehow, I was the only one in the group who managed to reach the second stone.
As I'm rejoicing with everyone, we are approached by a group of boys that had been observing from afar.
"Hey, this looks fun. Maybe I'll give it a try too," says a boy from my class who has always had excellent grades. Our group decides to stick around and see how his shot at the challenge pans out.
He's the type to knock anything and everything out the park without breaking a sweat, and while it looks for a moment like he might not make it, he manages to reach the second stone on his first try just like I did.
Returning to his group, his friends engage in some light ribbing to celebrate his achievement. After basking in their cheers, he comes over my way and says, "So it was just us two who got it first try, huh? Maybe we're a good match."
Unable to determine if there's any sincerity to his words, I simply smile at him and say "Impressive as always."
The story of what happened at the shrine gets told and retold across the various groups on the trip, and I eventually catch wind of a rumor that says the boy in that group seriously likes me and plans to ask me to go steady at some point during the trip. This news takes me by surprise.
Thinking on it, I suppose he does send me messages quite often, and there are times we had talked when school was on break, but I never thought he might have feelings for me.
My friend—the one who had been acting cold lately—turns to me and says, "Yeah, I figured you'd react like that." I detect a tone of malice in her voice. "You just gonna pretend you had no clue lots of guys are into you?"
She knows that I have trouble with these kinds of topics, and she's usually the one to help me find ways to navigate them whenever they come up. Why is she doing this? What's up with her today?
"No, uh...I just... I had no idea..." As I put on a fake smile and desperately await the arrival of a different topic of conversation, I let out a small sigh that I hope nobody hears.
Ch. 3: A Lot Happened[]
After leaving my father at home all alone, I've come to Kyoto on a school trip. Dad told me to come out here and make lots of memories, but I simply can't find a way to get my spirits out of the gutter.
There's been a strange, prickly vibe whenever I'm around the friend who's been cold to me lately. What's more, there are silly rumors going around that one of the boys on the trip is planning to ask me to go steady with him. That topic is obviously one I'm not interested in entertaining any sort of discussion on, so I do my best to just act normal.
After everyone had finished eating dinner at the inn we're all staying at, it's time for us all to get back into their groups and take their turns hitting the baths. Our trip's just about over, and we're set to head home tomorrow.
As I take another look at a copy of our schedule, I notice my cell phone vibrating. I guess someone's sent me a message.
"Can you come to the roof of the inn?"
The above message displays alongside the name of a boy in my class. I start to break out in a cold sweat. My head limply hanging, I stare down at my cell phone's screen and consider my options. I could just pretend I never saw the message... But...
"I'll be right there."
After sending off my reply, I throw a coat on over my robe and get on the elevator to the roof. The inn we're staying at is on the outskirts of the city, and the roof offers a beautiful view of Kyoto. The nightscape of the ancient capital boasts an elegance unlike anything you'd see in in the harshly lit metropolis of Tokyo.
"Nice view, huh?" I call out to the boy waiting on the roof. He should have heard the sound of the door opening and realized I'd come, but his back remains turned. Arriving by his side, I suddenly feel an incredible awkwardness. I simply stare at the sleeves of his robe dancing in the wind as I wait for him to say something.
"Thanks for coming," he says.
"Don't mention it," I reply, sensing a kind of unsteadiness in his voice. The conversation stops, and I gaze upon the view for a short while.
"So, uh..." The boy speaks up again. "I kind of, uh...really like you. I always have," he admits.
"Oh..." I reply, noticing that he's now turned to face me. There is a sense in determination in his posture, but I notice he's avoiding eye contact. Maybe he's nervous? Hoping it'll get him to continue, I offer a small nod in response.
Summoning his courage, he finally exclaims, "So, what I want to say is...please be my girlfriend!"
"......"
I fall silent for a short while, feeling the boy's timid gaze on me as he awaits my reply. I'm sure I must have quite the troubled look on my face. It's not as though I don't like him. In fact, I think he's a great classmate, but...that's all he is to me, really.
"I'm...not the kind of person you think I am..." A strange look crosses the boy's face as he listens to me talk. "There's got to be someone out there who's a better match for you. I just...don't think I'd be good enough for you." Ending my explanation, I leave the roof as quickly as my feet can manage, not stopping to listen to what he tried to say in response.
Wondering to myself if I did a good job handling that situation, I return to the elevator hall to see a familiar highschool girl sitting on a nearby sofa. It's my best friend...the one who's been cold to me throughout the entire school trip. Unsure of why she's there, I glance in her direction and she makes a sour face in response.
"You know that I like him, don't you? I swear, you are just the worst." She pouts.
In that moment, I finally understand what it is that's been on my friend's mind this entire trip—that boy is the reason she's been acting so weird this whole time. She knew that he was planning to ask me to be his girlfriend at some point during this trip and couldn't keep her emotions in check.
Hoping to finally nip this situation in the bud, I talk to her about how I feel—nothing but the truth. I tell her that I did not know she has feelings for the boy...and that I turned him down after he confessed his feelings to me. As I finish, she looks at me with surprise in her eyes. "Seriously? I thought for sure you'd start dating. You seem like you'd be perfect for each other..."
After a moment passes, she casts her gaze at her own feet and continues, "I mean, compared to you, I... I'm not nearly as pretty...or as smart...I could never work up the nerve to tell him how I feel... I mean, he'd obviously turn me down flat..." I can hear the pain her voice as she talks. I had no idea she had this side to her. She's so cheerful all the time, and always at the center of whatever group she's in. I'm briefly surprised by this unknown side of her, but that surprise is quickly overwritten with shame. After all, I know better than anyone that we all have sides of ourselves we never show to others...
My depressed friend and I return to the room where our group is staying, an upon opening the door, something suddenly comes flying in our direction. I dodge, and it hits my friend in the face. It's a pillow. "All right, who threw this!?" yells my friend, immediately returning to her usual high-octane self as she jumps into the fray of pillow-throwing girls.
"Now that everyone's here, let's add a new rule into the mix!" shouts one of the girls that was already part of the melee. "Whenever you throw a pillow at someone, you've got to tell them something you wouldn't usually say to their face!" My friend, who you wouldn't think was sad as can be just moments before, quickly rises to the challenge.
"That's a dumb rule. I'm SO in," she sneers as she grabs a pillow and bravely marches into battle.
I move to the corner of the room, and just as I'm taking off my coat and placing it on a hanger... Wham! A pillow violently collides with my back, and I hear my someone yell, "You know, you really are way too much of a wet blanket in situations like these!
I turn to the voice and see my good friend staring at me with a complicated look on her face. Slightly troubled, I pick up the pillow. As I do, I hear other girls in the room say things like "You know what? She might have a point," and "C'mon! Say something back!" as they try to goad me into joining the action.
Reluctantly, I throw the pillow back at her and say, "Would it kill you to do your homework for once?" opting to point out a relatively mundane flaw of hers.
In short order, she then throws the pillow back at my face with even greater force than before. "Everyone knows that you think you're better than everyone else just because you're an honors student!" she exclaims.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I reply, a bit taken aback. Looking around, I notice that all the other girls are busy with their own pillow fights. Nobody is paying attention to us anymore, but I can tell that my friend is being serious right now.
Bothered by her provocative words, I start to lose control of the emotions I had been keeping bottled up. "You rely too much on others! Why can't you put even the slightest bit of effort into anything you do!?" This exclamation is how I honestly feel.
Whether it's for homework or studying before tests, she always tries to take the easy road by leaning on me for solutions. After throwing the pillow, I'm surprised at myself for having said that... And just like that, the floodgates open, and my friend and I engage in a heated pillow fight, with each pillow thrown flying on wings of brutal truth.
"You always look down on me! You think I'm just an airheaded dope who always goes with the flow, don't you!?"
"Oh my god, what is WITH your persecution complex? Maybe it'd help your emotional stability a bit if you actually accomplished something on your own for once!"
"You know everyone just uses you, right!? I bet you feel so smug all the time, thinking everyone's always hanging around you because they like you as a person!"
"Oh, shut up! I'm not gonna take that from someone who can't even finish their homework unless they have someone holding their hand the entire time!"
"The way you act like you can do anything is SO annoying! What on earth do guys see in you!?"
"What are you even talking about!? Honestly, the way you make these random assumptions and then act out based on them is unbelievably aggravating!"
"Random assumptions!? You're one to talk! God, it must be nice to be you—you've got everything!"
"I... I have nothing! Do you have any idea how much work I had to put in to make it this far!? How much I had to suffer!? You've got guts pretending to be my friend when you don't even know the first thing about me!"
Locked in our intense pillow fight of truths, we didn't realize that all the other girls were completely overwhelmed by our battle and had stopped to watch. "Uh... Those two might be taking this too seriously," says one, clearly aghast.
Ignoring the confused voices that surround us, my friend and I continued our great pillow war until one of our teachers came to the room and gave us a thorough scolding for the incredible amount of noise we were making.
Ch. 4: Memories Made[]
Our school trip comes to an end, and we ride the bullet train home. I sit next to my old friend, just as I did on the way there.
Just the previous night, we bashed each other both with our pillows and our honest feelings.
Despite how much I want to put responsibility on the boy she's crushing on—who told me how much he likes me—I know that was simply the spark that started the fire.
In the end, I realize we've been bottling up a lot of things. Yelling at each other was awfully cathartic, but it's entirely possible that was only temporary as well.
Even after the Kyoto scenery vanishes from the train window, the silence continues.
Talk about awkward...
As I sit in silence, making no effort for conversation, she sticks her hand out to me. "Want some candy?"
It's a pretty piece of hard candy with traditional colors that she bought as a souvenir.
"...Sure. Thanks." I accept it with a genuine smile, and she returns a look of relief.
I suppose she felt the same way I did. Even if the words she slammed me with last night during our pillow fight were real, she was still the same as ever—my best friend, even after all this time.
As I enjoy the sensation of the candy rolling around in my mouth, she suddenly speaks.
"...Do you remember the first time I had my heart broken?"
I remember it as clear as day.
"That was in fourth grade, right? We sat in the park, and I listened to you complain all day."
"Yeah... I was always grateful for that."
That was so long ago. We've been in almost every class together since elementary school, and my memories of each school year are filled with her smiles.
"Listen... I've been kind of lonely lately," she says.
My eyes widen.
She then goes on to tell me what she's been keeping close to her chest.
Ever since we started high school, she feels like I've been distant. She's worried I've been forcing my smiles, unlike the times in the park when we'd sit and complain with one another.
She's ever cheerful and the life of the party, yet the loneliness on her face has never been more evident. I place my hand on hers, and I reflect on my answer.
"...I'm so sorry I didn't notice. I've been so focused on what's going on at home, and I..."
"Right! If you just told me what's going on, I'm sure I could help you!"
I can't tell her.
But I am genuinely delighted to hear those words. I've been blessed with such a good friend, but here I am, neglecting her...
Afterward, we talk and laugh about the events of the trip and reminisce on old memories as though making up for the entirety of our awkward school trip.
And then, eventually, we tire ourselves out from talking and fall asleep...
After we get to Tokyo and say goodbye, I receive a message in my school group chat.
It's a picture of me and my old friend, heads leaning against each other as we slept.
The warm, golden glow of sunset washes over us. Saliva spills from the corner of my friend's mouth, reminding me of how she was in elementary school. I can't help but smile.
"I'm so glad we made up."
I couldn't buy any souvenirs like the rest of my classmates, but I made more than enough memories to share with my dad. As the ideas bounce around in my mind, I step back inside the apartment.
There, I find the small room dim, moonlight peeking through the drawn curtains. Dad must already be asleep.
I take a few steps inside, and a slightly stale, sweet scent greets me. I then notice several beer bottles scattered across the floor.
"Dad?"
He remains huddled under his blanket and does not turn to look at me. His medicine sits untouched on the table.
I notice parts of the room have been riddled with traces of my dad's pain—I can only imagine the state he's been in while I was away.
I can't believe I left him alone like this... A bottomless well of guilt fills my chest.
I rode the train with my friends, and we went sightseeing together. In a place with a beautiful nighttime view, a boy from my class told me he liked me. I fought with my best friend, and then we made up...
It was like the entirety of high school life was condensed into the span of a few days.
Those brilliant memories begin to blur and fade like a fantastical dream. And yet, I find an odd sense of relief, like they've returned to where they belong.
My phone suddenly buzzes—I have a message from my boss at work, which pushes down the warm chats I was having with friends.
It's about something I could never tell another soul.
I go stiff as I stare at the screen when yet another message comes through. It's from my oldest and best friend.
You can talk to me about whatever you need to from now on, okay? I can't promise I'll ever be much help, but I'm always on your side.
She must have been embarrassed by the unusually honest message because she follows it up with a silly emoji.
That's so like her.
But I'm sorry, I...
It takes me a few minutes to think of a response.
If anything happens, you'll be the first to know!
I send her the message, then switch to my chat with my boss.
Thank you for letting me take a few days off. I'll be back at it tomorrow.
This is all for my dad, after all.
The moon slinks behind the clouds, and darkness engulfs the room. I shut off my phone and sit beside my snoring dad.
I made so many memories, Dad.
These are my first and last memories of a normal high school life. I always figured I would graduate without ever getting the opportunity, so what I have is enough. It's perfectly sufficient.
"...I'm home..."
I announce with a quiet, dry whisper and a smile.
A Secret Record[]
Papa: Hina looked like the perfect student in all those memories we had on our little journey. But the girl walking around with me felt completely unlike her. She was still kind, though. Like when she saved little ol' me from getting pecked to death by those black birds! But when she'd get scared of heights or lightning or stare out hopelessly at the scenery, she did strike me as a normal girl. Maybe she's her true self when she's in The Cage...
Hina: What are you muttering into your phone?
Papa: Oh, I thought I'd start keeping a little journal. You've been recording what's happening on our journey on your phone too, right?
Hina: Sure, but... Wait. How do you know about my diary?
Papa: I had a little peek... Er, Hina? I've heard of staring daggers, but this is more like chainsaws!
Stage of Reality[]
A Day in the Life of a High School Girl
During a break between classes:
The teacher furrows a troubled brow before a large stack of worksheets on her desk. The girl sees this and immediately volunteers to help, whisking them away to the staff office. When she returns, her classmates surround her. Help us with our assignments! they cry in needy voices. But the girl never once makes a sour face, instead kindly helping each and every one of them in turn.
On the way home:
The girl rushes into the grocery store and buys discounted food out of consideration for her father's meager budget. But she also makes sure to choose mostly bland vegetables due to his declining health.
After dinner:
The girl quietly washes the dishes and takes a shower, mindful of using too much water. She silently flicks on a dim kitchen light so as not to disturb her sleeping father, then opens her textbooks on the floor and begins to study.
Late:
Sundered Amusement Park[]
One day, a young girl went to the amusement park with her father and little brother. As they stood in line for a ride in the harsh sunlight, their father grew faint and dizzy.
"Dad, are you okay?" She busily minded her dad and decided to buy a cold bottle of tea from a nearby gift store. And as she twisted open the cap to hand it to her dad, her little brother tugged on her sleeve, causing the bottle to fall to the ground and spill everywhere.
In her genuine worry for her dad, she coldly said to her brother, "Stop it! Get away!" She felt a slight pang of regret when she saw how he hung his head, but she was more concerned with caring for her dad. After a moment of thought, she realized that she was so happy to spend a day out with her dad that she spent the entire time talking to him. Of course the neglected boy would crave attention.
Once her dad recovered, the girl turned to apologize to her brother...but he vanished in the crowd. All that was left of him was his hat, resting by its lonesome on the ground where he once stood.
The Treaty Pair[]
The girl's family started gradually falling apart when she was in middle school. The stress of attempting to deal with the debt incurred by her mother had taken its toll on her father.
Hoping to keep her family together, the girl did all she possibly could to mediate, but nothing she tried brought happiness back to her home.
Though once gregarious and cheerful, the girl loses the confidence she once had in herself and then, one day, decides to skip school, sacrificing her perfect attendance record. She does nothing in particular that day; she simply lies in bed and stares vacantly at the ceiling.
Just as evening falls upon the city, however, something happens: her smartphone shows some kind of notification. Taking it in hand, her screen shows a plushy of a baby bird and a message from her little brother that reads, "Found a good one."
The corners of the girl's mouth turn slightly upwards, and she feels as though her burden has been lightened somewhat. She thinks on how amazing her brother is for never wavering no matter what situation he finds himself in. Even in this household that teeters on the brink, there is still one thing about it that refuses to change... and perhaps that one thing is all someone needs to find the courage to press onward. In that moment, the girl vows that she will never show weakness in front of her brother.
Twin Stars of Envy[]
When the girl was young, she went camping with her family over summer vacation.
Together they pitched a tent, then barbecued meat over the grill. When night fell, stars blanketed the campground. Her dad set up his telescope, and her little brother, unable to contain his excitement, was the first to take a peek.
"Let's see if we can find those two stars." After her father taught him how to use the telescope, her younger brother would spout every bit of knowledge he had about the stars. What a warm sight—father and son with a shared interest. Yet for some reason, the girl felt a terrible sense of loss.
Stargazing, photography—all of her brother's hobbies came from their father. But she was born first. She adored their father more than anyone. Why couldn't she be where her little brother stood?
The twin stars shone brightly in the night sky. Like one of the distant stars scattered around them, she stood a ways away, watching the pair, unable to ever get close.
Loss Sought[]
Brother and sister wander The Cage, and they come across a cluster of high-rise buildings. There, they find the apartment where their whole family used to live before their parents' divorce. What is their old house doing here?
They find the corridor leading into the building, and when they come to their apartment, they find it in the exact same state as it is in their memory, down to the scuffs on the wallpaper and the miscellaneous trinkets scattered about. With an intense nostalgia for their old life in their hearts, the girl and her younger brother begin to search the house.
In the kitchen, she finds the children's knife she used to use when she was young. On the weekends, she and her brother would make omelette rice together, wouldn't they?
In her bedroom, she finds her baby chick plushie by her pillow. On her worst days, she would hug it as she drifted off to sleep, wouldn't she?
In the end, they come together again in the living room, and she takes the picture frame she finds there in hand. It is a picture of their family, all smiling together... The brother and sister only stare silently as they think back on a time to which they will never return.
At that moment, they both feel a peculiar, out-of-place sensation. It is at that instant that the solar eclipse cracks and shatters.
They both feel as though they have lost something dear to them. But surely, it is something they are both better off not remembering.
The vacant pair return to their journey across The Cage, never to understand the gaping chasms in their hearts.
Akagi[]
Grades. Friendships. Evaluations. The girl has long
played every role in the part of an exemplary high
school student, all so her destitute father
might find a way to smile again.
She works an immoral job to repay her father's
debt—one where others suffer as a result of her actions.
But she continues to break the law for his sake.
She does it all for him.
When her crimes are laid bare, all her hard work crumbles.
With a heavy heart, she heads home to the one thing
she never wanted to lose, only to discover her
father swinging from the ceiling.
She gets revenge on her mother—she who drove her
father to death. But then she realizes that his death was,
in fact, a homicide, and vows to spend the
rest of her days in search of retribution.
Defective Akagi[]
When the girl wakes, she finds herself in a strange world called
The Cage. Though flustered she can't use her phone,
the beautiful view stops her cold and lifts a weight from her heart.
A strange creature in a white sheet guides her through
The Cage. He is chummy and loud, and she worries about
trusting him—but the way he says
her name makes her feel like a child again.
As they traverse The Cage, she finds clues that her brother is
somewhere nearby. Warm memories erupt—playing the piano,
going to the aquarium—but she buries them deep in her heart.
She faces off with her brother—the one she must kill to avenge
her father. But she cannot make this dream a reality, and instead
burdens herself with redemption—and wandering
The Cage for eternity.
Type-2 Dawnstar[]
The small, cold room smells of mold.
This is my dad's entire world,
and I've decided to clean it up over the weekend.
I'm sure he'll start feeling a little better if I put things in order.
I began cleaning one weekend morning.
Kitchen, bathroom—all clean. But in the closet,
I find a pen my brother gave me for my birthday,
as well as a picturebook from Mom. They really take me back.
I look at the gifts and recall how I was convinced we'd be
together again as a family. So convinced, in fact,
that I kept these things. But it's time to toss them out;
such happy days will not come again.
The next day, Dad gives me flowers for my birthday—little
blossoms I don't know the names of. I'm going keep them
even when they wither away, because
I want to cherish everything from him.
Scarlet[]
No one responds when I announce I've returned home,
but I'm grateful that there are at least some things
that never change.
Just that my father is still here is good enough for me.
I've got almost no ■■■■■ left in my ■■■■ account...
I need to ■■■ shampoo and our refrigerator's basically
■■■■■, but it'll be fine. I'll ■■■■ something out.
So...please ■■■■■, Dad.
It's exam ■■■■, so students are ■■■■ing out in ■■fes as
they study. I can't afford that kind of ■■■■■■, but I can't
tell my frie■■■ about my sit■■■■on either. Now that I think
about it, I used to go to ■■■■■ with my d■■ sometimes, huh?
I return to my ■■■■■ from the staff room, gather my ■■■■■■,
and ■■ave sch■■■. ■■■ do I ■■■■■■■ all this to my dad?
What should I ■■ now? ...It'll be ■■■■. It doesn't ■■■■■■
what it ■■■■■, I'll ■■■■ something out.
Hamelin Special Sword[]
My little brother and I wandered the empty city.
We hadn't eaten in days. We were filthy.
But there was a monster about, and every time I sensed it,
I felt my heart stop. I had to protect him.
Years have passed since I joined the organization.
I thought I could create a world where my brother and
I could live together again, but all I did was run
through the dark chasing impossible dreams.
Our ship was attacked by monsters. Most of us died.
I hadn't grown at all since those days in the city—I couldn't
protect anyone. I fought the monsters, but eventually
succumbed to the dark.
Someone calls my name. The worried voice says it's
here to save me before becoming light and shining down.
I can't die here. I need to eradicate the monsters from this
world—for my brother's sake.
3 Records match the category selection:
| Banner | Title | Event Character | Other Character | Duration(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rebellion's Illusion | Hina | Joker and Queen | 9/8/2022-10/12/2022 |
|
Rebellion's Reality | Hina | Joker and Queen | 9/15/2022-10/12/2022 |
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An Endearing Journey | Hina | 10/30/2023-11/19/2023 |
Remnants: Sunbeam[]
Obtained after completing The People and the World Act II: The Return (Cherished Memories)
Your name is...Mama?
No, it's fine. You just reminded me of someone
I haven't seen in a while... I wonder what they're
up to.
Whenever I think of them, I can't help but remember
the days when my family was still together.
During this journey, I learned that there's an infinite
number of worlds out there. I wonder if there's even
one of them where the four of us managed to stay
as one big happy family...
But even if there was, that wouldn't change anything
about my own life, right? It's because our family separated
and I fought with my brother that The Cage and everyone
in it were put in harm's way.
That's why I won't ask for anything more than I already
have. But... Please... At least let me be with my brother...
Hina Memo[]
Hina's posts on the official Japanese NieR Reincarnation Twitter during April Fool's.
Twitter Post 1[]
こんにちは。陽那といいます☀️友達に誘われてはじめてみました。よろしくお願いし[2]
Translation: (to be added)
Twitter Post 2[]
間違えて送っちゃいました…今度こそよろしくお願いします！（# をつけるといいらしいので、つけてみました☀️）
#ひなめも[3]
Translation: (to be added)
Twitter Post 3[]
綺麗な花を見つけたので、おすそ分けです。素敵な一日になりますように🌸
#ひなめも[4]
Translation: (to be added)
Twitter Post 4[]
お昼ご飯何にしようかな…皆さんは何を食べましたか(๑´ڡ`๑)？
#ひなめも[5]
Translation: (to be added)
Twitter Post 5[]
今日のお昼はナポリタンでした🍝結構上手にできたんですけど、写真は上手に撮れませんでした…
<br<#ひなめも[6]
Translation: (to be added)
Twitter Post 6[]
最近始めてみたスマホゲーム、友達がいつも声援送ってくれてうれしい☀️
#ひなめも[7]
Translation: (to be added)
Twitter Post 7[]
もうこんな時間…これからバイトに行ってきます。今週もたくさん頑張らないと！
#ひなめも[8]
Costumes[]
Variations of characters and weapons can be unlocked through the in-game gacha system.
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Dedicated Pupil (★★)
Force: 11470
Character Skill: Turbulence
Character Abilities
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Dedicated Husk (★★)
Force: 11470
Character Skill: Turbulence
Character Abilities
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Guardian Pupil (★★★)
Force: 19246
Character Skill: Mountain Fog
Character Abilities
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Celebratory Pupil (★★★★)
Force: 26417
Character Skill: Parhelion
Character Abilities
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Mechanical Pupil (★★★★)
Force: 24596
Character Skill: Mastery: Crest
Character Abilities
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Abstract Pupil (★★★★)
Force: 22639
Character Skill: Ring of Light
Character Abilities
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Abyssal Pupil (★★★★)
Force: 34292
Character Skill: Light Pillar
Character Abilities
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Reborn Prodigy (★★★★)
Force: 23991
Character Skill: Midnight Sun
Character Abilities
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Voicelines (English)[]
- "When I hear friends talk about fashion and dating—look, don't get me wrong, I am interested. And I know these are things normal high schoolers talk about, but it feels like another world to me."
- "Dad's eyes are always so dull and lifeless. I...I'd do anything to see him smile like he used to."
- "A classroom has so many memories, doesn't it? Passing notes without the teacher noticing, comparing answers with friends after a test—if only I could relive those days."
| Entrance Dialogue | EntranceDialogue |
| New Wave | NewWaveDialogue |
| Attacking | AttackDialogue AttackDialogue |
| Counter | CounterDialogue CounterDialogue CounterDialogue |
| Receiving Damage/Debuff | |
| Receiving Healing/Buff | ReceiveHealDialogue |
| Giving Debuff | DebuffDialogue DebuffDialogue |
| Healing | HealDialogue HealDialogue |
| Giving Buff | BuffDialogue BuffDialogue |
| Companion Skill | CompanionDialogue CompanionDialogue |
| Revived | ReviveDialogue |
| Death | DeathDialogue DeathDialogue |
| Quest Complete (Unused) | QuestCompleteDialogue QuestCompleteDialogue QuestCompleteDialogue |
| Enhancement (Unused) |
Trivia[]
- Hina's name reflects the motif of her story and is also a direct contrast to her brother.
- Hina's favorite food is eggs over rice with soy sauce.[1]
- Hina's hobby is collecting photos of chicks.[1]
- Hina's special skill is playing piano.[1]
- Prior to the release of "Mechanical Pupil", its concept art was accidentally released on the official English NieR Reincarnation Twitter.
- For April Fools' 2022 the official Japanese NieR Reincarnation Twitter posted tweets from Hina's perspective during the day.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 https://twitter.com/NieR_Rein/status/1515208370583744516
- ↑ https://x.com/NieR_Rein/status/1509697118575169536
- ↑ https://x.com/NieR_Rein/status/1509697272610955267
- ↑ https://x.com/NieR_Rein/status/1509712356020207621
- ↑ https://x.com/NieR_Rein/status/1509727471100661760
- ↑ https://x.com/NieR_Rein/status/1509757630545543169
- ↑ https://x.com/NieR_Rein/status/1509787680833675265
- ↑ https://x.com/NieR_Rein/status/1509802831179829249
