Chapter 29: Through the Looking-Glass

The stream shut down. Like that, John Titor vanished once again into the mist, leaving nothing but an unsolved mystery behind until the next time.

However, for John Smith…

He placed a hand over his face and let out a long sigh. “Well, I guess it wasn’t that bad this time.”

It was still cringe-inducing. John was sure that if he had to watch a playback of the video, he’d be screaming in agony and begging it to stop.

Probably.

Shaking his head, he glanced over at Beta and said, “How’s the reaction?”

Beta tapped on her keyboard for a while and said, “Overall, reaction is good. There were some other livestreams watching as well in real-time.” She clicked her mouse a few times, skipping around videos and said, “A few of them cringed at your performance at the start, but by the end, most of them seemed interested… and a few extremely invested.” She looked up and said, “Overall, it seems that your skills at scamming the populace have done their magic yet again, Father.”

John tossed off his lab coat, throwing it into his Heavenly Realm. Afterwards, he reached in and pulled out a random wine bottle and a glass, pouring himself a drink.

Seeing that, Beta ignored John and went back to monitoring something on the computer. Probably managing the comments section or something.

Taking a swig from his glass, John looked over at his oldest daughter and said, “What? Nothing to say to your old man about his recent accomplishment, Alpha?”

The black-haired beauty glanced up from her game console briefly before looking back. “Firstly, do not talk like that. It is disgusting. Secondly, what is there to say? It is hardly the first time that you have done something like this.”

“Ouch.” John winced and said, “For my dearest daughter, you’re pretty harsh, Alpha.”

“If I was not, you would have fallen into debauchery and sin a long time ago, Father. Now, I am in the middle of intense combat practice. Please refrain from interrupting me.” Saying that, she went back to playing her game console, the sounds of a certain red plumber shouting echoing from it.

John shook his head and then walked over to Beta. Conjuring a chair beside her, he sat down and took a sip from his wine. “You support me, right, Beta?”

Beta glanced over and said, “Sometimes against my better judgment, yes.”

John smiled and then shifted his gaze to the monitor. “So what are you doing? Just setting things up for later?”

Beta nodded, opening a few windows. “Now that we are planning to properly launch, it is essential that we have a working website. For now, I have opened and reserved the domains for MirAIs and MythInc as well as Titor and JohnTitor. However, there is quite a lot of work left to be done. Biographies, contact information…” She let out a sigh and then turned to John. “Father. Did you do any research on what was required of an idol group like this before you began?”

John coughed. “I did the essentials, didn’t I? The paperwork and tax information is all filed properly.”

Beta glanced back at the screen and said, “Yes. But setting up UTube channels, calling representatives at Googol, finding the proper translation algorithms to open to a wider audience…” She trailed off, frowning. “It is no wonder Mistress is always under so much stress if this is how you ran our sect as well.”

John rubbed the back of his neck. “…Sorry?”

Beta rolled her eyes, fingers flying across the keyboard as she set up the HTML for the website pages and UTube channel for Hana Homura. “Apologize by setting up John Titor’s UTube channel and start posting content so that I can add you as a moderator for when Rin begins her debut.”

“…Can’t we just use a bot or one of my shadow servants?”

“That depends. Do you want to disappoint Miss Rin by not being involved in what could be one of the most influential days of her life?”

John sighed and then made a laptop. Opening up UTube, he started running through the registration processes. As he did though…

“…Dammit. Just when will I get to laze around?”

“Politely stop complaining and take responsibility. Or are you going to be a deadbeat father who relies on his daughters to take care of him?”

“…I’ll get to work.”

—–AI|IA—–

6 AM. Two hours before the debut of Hana Homura as the first in the MirAIs project.

Rin placed her hands over her chest, trying to calm down her racing heart.

Sakura glanced over at her daughter from the driver’s seat and smiled. “Nervous?”

“Of course!” Rin nodded and then stared at her phone.

Hana stared back, the virtual girl looking just as nervous as she did.

Seeing that, Rin sighed and smiled. “Sorry, Hana.”

“Don’t worry too much, Sweetie.” Sakura glanced over again and said, “You’ve done a lot of training and improved a lot over the past few days. I can confidently say that people would have to be blind to not like you.”

Rin huffed. “You’re just saying that because you’re my mom.”

“I am. But I also knew a lot of idols when I was your age. Believe me when I say that you’d blow them all out of the water.”

“…Really?” Rin glanced at Hana.

“Really.” Sakura nodded and said, “And even if you are worried, remember. It’s not just ‘you’ that will be up there on the stage. Your friend Hana will help you out too.”

“That’s true…”

Hana Homura. That was who she would be performing as. A cute high school girl from a ruined future with dreams of becoming an idol.

“…But can I do it?”

She didn’t want to disappoint them. Hana, Mister John, Miss Alpha and Miss Beta… If she messed up…

Sakura sighed. “Honestly… You really take after me too much.”

“Huh?”

Sakura frowned and said, “Sweetie… No. Rin. Tell me, do you really want to be an idol?”

“…I do.” Rin tightened her grip around her phone, staring at Hana. “I… I really do.”

“Then just do it.”

“E-Eh?” Rin blinked and looked at her mom. “Um… Isn’t this where you cheer me up?”

Sakura scoffed. “You’re my daughter. Well, you’re also half of that bastard, but even then, you’ve got the spirit, the looks, and the talent. If John had opened a proper idol agency, I’m confident you would do just as well there. But this is special.” She glanced at Rin’s phone and said, “This isn’t about ‘you’ being an idol, remember? You’re working to fulfill Hana’s dreams. So don’t worry about not being good enough. Instead, turn that worry into determination to make Hana’s dream come true.”

Rin paused and then stared at Hana. “That’s… right.”

She had forgotten. While Rin would definitely be the one behind Hana, this wasn’t for Rin. While it was true that Rin would benefit from it, what she was really doing was giving Hana life.

If she thought about it like that…

“It’s easier, right?” Sakura smiled.

“…Mmhm.”

Working for someone else’s sake… Right. If Rin was worried, she just had to remember that.

“Good. Now… it looks like we’re here.” Sakura slowed the car to a stop, parking in the garage near Myth Inc. HQ. Turning off the engine and pulling out the key, she turned to her daughter and said, “Ready?”

Rin took a deep breath and then nodded. “Ready!”

—–AI|IA—–

After sensing that Rin and Sakura had arrived, John went down to the first floor to greet them. Since the debut was a big deal, he thought he might say a few words to try and cheer Rin up before they went live.

But to his surprise, she didn’t look nervous at all. Instead, there was a spark- No, a fire in her eyes.

Confused, he looked over at Sakura as he walked forward.

The beautiful brown-haired woman simply smiled back.

“Good morning, Mister John!” Rin stepped forward and said, “Rin Hibana, ready to go!”

John chuckled. “Well aren’t you pumped up?” He glanced at Rin and then nodded. “Seems like you prepared properly too.”

It was going to be fairly relaxed since it was just a debut stream, but John had given Rin a uniform to get in the proper state of mind, just like how he wore the lab coat for John Titor.

A bright orange blouse with a yellow ribbon. A white frilly dress with orange stocking and white boots. Matching fingerless gloves that were also white… Basically a typical over the top idol outfit.

…That might or might not have been made from divine materials John had lying around.

“Of course!” Rin nodded and said, “I can’t let Hana down, can I?”

John smiled and then turned around. “Alright. Then let’s do a quick run-through of the outline before we go live.” He glanced at Sakura. “You coming to watch?”

“Do you even need to ask?” Sakura walked up beside her daughter and said, “I’d hate to miss my daughter’s first major performance.”

Rin beamed at her mother.

John nodded. “Fair enough.” Saying that, he opened the elevator and walked in.

Rin and Sakura followed after him before the door closed.

John pressed the button to the top floor and then glanced at Rin. “Now, just a reminder, but when you’re live, you’re not ‘Rin Hibana’ but ‘Hana Homura.’ Well, in name, at least. That’s for your own protection. Remember that.”

Rin nodded. “I remember.”

“Good. Now, we’ve prepped Hana’s bio, the slides… You know the drill. Everything is setup, Alpha will be moderating the chat, and both myself and Beta will be around to help you if things go awry. Also, though it’d probably be best if John Titor didn’t have to show up, we have it as an emergency option as well. In short, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Rin nodded again.

The elevator chimed. A few floors left to go.

“Alright.” John hummed and said, “There’s not much left I have to say. You know the drill, you know the plan, and you’ve made your choices. All that’s left is to show Hana off to the world and make both of your dreams come true.”

The top floor. A soft chime and the elevator doors sliding open.

John walked out, heading down the corridor.

Rin took a deep breath and then walked after him.

Sakura trailed the group, a soft but proud smile on her face.

And then they arrived.

Beta sat behind the main computer, streaming software up and running as well as various windows monitoring statistics of the chat and the various places they were streaming.

Alpha sat in the corner, propped up with her back against the wall and a laptop on her legs. From how her fingers were flying across the keyboard, it seemed like she was already fast at work interacting with the chat.

John walked over to Beta’s side and opened up the laptop on the desk next to her. Glancing at the screen, he nodded and then turned to Rin.

She took a deep breath and then walked forward, facing the giant wall monitor and staring into it.

Usually, it would have just been like a mirror. A flipped image of the studio, but with the people changed into corresponding avatars. But this time was different.

A dusty warehouse, barren except for a bed and a small closet. A door was off to the right side, matching with the corridor leading to the elevator. And then off to the back, where John was sitting, there was a tiny window, showing a drab and gray sky.

Overall, it was dark. Gritty.

But standing in the middle of that place was a girl. Bright orange hair, an outfit that was just as vibrant and colorful. And a cheery smile, one that shone even in the seemingly hopeless environment.

Staring at that image, Rin was suddenly at a loss for words.

Was it because it was so realistic? Or because it reflected how she felt back then so closely?

For a brief moment, she felt a pang of despair. Fear. Rin blinked and then lowered her gaze. But before she could even start to dwell on it, a gentle hand grabbed her right shoulder.

Shocked, she looked back up.

Hana’s bright smile had vanished, her face scrunched up in worry and hopelessness.

But she wasn’t alone anymore.

A man wearing a white lab coat stood beside her, giving her a reassuring smile with his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”

Rin blinked and glanced back to see that John was standing there, just like the man behind Hana.

No. That person was ‘John’ too, wasn’t he?

The man that reached out and pulled Hana out from her grim future. The one who broke through the dark sky and pulled her away.

Rin turned back to the monitor.

The John there stood with a soft smile. Well, considering his slicked back hair and somewhat haughty face, it wasn’t quite so soft. Still, his gaze was the same as a father supporting his daughter.

And Hana was smiling too, though somewhat shy.

Confused, Rin reached up to touch her face and realized that she was doing the same.

So she laughed.

John frowned. “Something funny?”

“No. I’m just… happy.” She smiled, an expression mirrored by the orange-haired girl on the other side.

Right. She was happy. And at the same time, she realized why.

Staring at Hana and the man standing beside her like a supportive father…

“Anyway.” John patted Rin’s shoulder and said, “Let’s do a quick practice run and then get going.” Saying that, John walked off, heading back to his laptop. In the monitor, that John walked off as well, vanishing through a holographic wall.

Rin took a deep breath, mirrored by Hana, and then she smiled.

“…Let’s do this, Hana.”

Was it her imagination?

As she stared at the girl behind the screen, Rin could have sworn she heard a voice answer her.

‘I believe in you, Rin!’