Michael stood at the edge of the airport terminal, dragging a single worn-out suitcase behind him. It didn't carry much—just the essentials. He hadn't felt like packing more. After everything that happened, he needed to get as far away from that place as possible. A fresh start in a new country.
[Insert image of Michael Afton Here]
Japan was cheaper. And with his father missing and no other immediate family in the States, Michael had no one left—except an uncle he barely remembered.
He glanced up at the cloudy sky. The air was different here. He pulled his purple varsity-style jacket tighter around his shoulders, the fabric brushing over his plain black shirt. Jeans? No thanks. He hated how they clung to his legs. He never understood why people liked them.
As he passed a large window, he paused. In the reflection, a child stood across from him. Brown hair, flat expression, familiar brown eyes... clutching a Golden Freddy plush.
Michael froze.
He blinked.
The boy was gone.
He muttered under his breath, "You're not real."
He kept walking.
"Michael."
He turned.
A man was approaching him—tanned skin, short brown hair, a bit of stubble, and sharp blue eyes that mirrored someone he hadn't seen in a long time. His build was sturdy, like someone used to manual work. He wore a white button-up shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and dark pants. The man smiled faintly.
[Insert image here]
Michael recognized him immediately.
Makoto Afton. His uncle.
"Hey there, kid," Makoto said, slapping a hand on Michael's shoulder. "Haven't seen you in a long time."
Michael looked away, his voice low. "Yeah. I'm... okay."
Makoto's smile faltered. He sighed. "Hey, don't worry. The police are still searching. They'll find your dad."
Michael turned to face him, eyes serious. "I have a feeling they won't."
Makoto didn't argue. He just nodded and gave Michael a gentle pat on the back.
"Alright. You must be tired from the flight. Let's get to the car. It's going to be a few hours' drive to Hinamizawa."
Michael managed a dry chuckle. "Great. I guess we've got time to catch up, huh?"
Makoto smiled again, but his eyes didn't quite match it.
"Yeah... I suppose we do."
The drive was long and quiet. Michael gazed out the window, watching the scenery shift from bustling city streets to more rural, isolated areas. The lush, green hills were beautiful, but there was something... off about it. The silence in the car was palpable, save for the hum of the engine.
After a few miles, Michael finally broke the silence, glancing over at his uncle.
"So, what makes this small village you live in so special?" he asked, his voice betraying a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
Makoto let out a soft chuckle, his eyes never leaving the road. "Nothing much, really," he replied, his tone casual, almost too casual. "Maybe the god we worship there."
Michael raised an eyebrow, unsure if his uncle was joking or being serious. "A god?" he asked, his voice skeptical.
Makoto chuckled again, a little more to himself this time. "Yeah. A local god. It's kind of a tradition. Nothing too serious, though. Just part of the culture, you know?"
Michael leaned back in his seat, still processing. The village sounded more and more like a place with its own strange charm. The way Makoto spoke about it felt dismissive, but Michael could tell there was something behind his words.
"Sounds... weird," Michael muttered, tapping his fingers against his knee.
Makoto smiled, but there was something unreadable about the way his lips twisted. "You'll see for yourself soon enough. It's a peaceful place. Everyone knows everyone. Quiet. Maybe that's the best part of it."
Michael could hear the faintest hint of nostalgia in his uncle's voice. But before he could probe further, Makoto added, "But hey, no matter what you hear about it, don't let anyone tell you it's cursed. People tend to talk, especially with all the... rumors."
"Rumors?" Michael asked, his curiosity piqued.
Makoto didn't respond right away. The silence stretched again, the only sound the tires rolling over the winding road. Finally, Makoto spoke, his voice more solemn.
"Some stories get passed down, you know? Things that happened before we were born. Nothing to be worried about."
Michael eyed his uncle suspiciously, but he didn't press the matter further. He knew when to back off—especially when he could sense someone wasn't being fully upfront with him.
But deep down, something gnawed at him.
What exactly was his uncle hiding?
The car wound its way through the narrow, winding roads of the Japanese countryside. Michael couldn't shake the unease gnawing at him. Every turn in the road felt like it was leading them deeper into something unknown. The sun was starting to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows over the fields.
As the car rumbled along, Michael glanced at his uncle again. Makoto seemed calm, even content, but there was something about his demeanour that felt off. The words about the "local god" and the mention of rumours stuck with him. It wasn't like Makoto to be so cryptic, but he hadn't pressed him on it.
Michael leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes for a moment. He was tired, both physically and mentally. He had hoped moving to Japan would give him a fresh start, but everything felt more confusing the longer he stayed. His father's disappearance, the death of his brother—everything felt like a weight on his chest, one he couldn't quite shake.
"You alright back there, Michael?" Makoto's voice cut through his thoughts.
Michael opened his eyes, looking at his uncle, who was still watching the road.
"Yeah," Michael muttered, not wanting to talk about it. "Just thinking."
Makoto glanced at him with a raised brow, but he didn't press it. Instead, he turned his attention to the road ahead. "We're almost there. You'll see, the village is... different. It grows on you. The people, the atmosphere. It has its quirks, but it's peaceful. Maybe that's what you need right now."
Michael nodded absently, though he wasn't so sure. He couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right about the village. It seemed too perfect, too... untouched. No distractions, no noise. It almost felt like it was hiding something beneath its serene exterior.
As they neared the outskirts of the village, Michael saw the first signs of the rural community—small houses nestled between patches of forest, traditional Japanese architecture dotting the landscape. It was beautiful, but unsettlingly still.
Finally, Makoto slowed the car, pulling into a small, gravel driveway beside an old but well-maintained house. The lights were already on inside, casting a warm glow through the windows.
Makoto turned to Michael, a reassuring smile on his face. "Welcome to Hinamizawa. Home sweet home."
Michael's stomach twisted. It was a small, quiet village, but something in the air felt heavy. He couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to change forever—and not necessarily for the better.
Later That Evening
After dinner, Michael was shown to a small guest room in the back of the house. It was modest but comfortable enough for the time being. As he sat on the edge of the bed, unpacking his few belongings, his thoughts kept drifting back to the strange conversation with his uncle.
He hadn't expected a warm welcome—he didn't even know what to expect—but something about Hinamizawa felt... off.
There was a knock on the door.
Michael looked up, frowning. "Yeah?"
The door opened slightly, and his uncle's face appeared in the crack. "I know this is a lot to take in, but I just wanted to say—if you need anything, I'm here, okay?"
Michael forced a smile, though it felt stiff. "Thanks, Uncle Makoto. I'll be fine."
His uncle nodded, but there was a lingering look in his eyes like he was about to say something more. Finally, he just shook his head. "Get some rest. We've got a lot to do tomorrow. You'll meet the people in the village, and I'll show you around."
Michael nodded, but as his uncle closed the door and left, a strange sense of foreboding settled in. The air felt colder now, even though the room was warm.
As he lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, he couldn't help but think of the strange words his uncle had said earlier. "Don't let anyone tell you it's cursed."
His eyes fluttered closed, but sleep didn't come easily. His thoughts kept racing, and the only thing he could hear was the soft rustling of the wind outside the window.
The next day, Michael woke early, the sunlight streaming through the curtains of his small room. He had barely slept. The sounds of the village were just as quiet as the night before—too quiet.
After a quick breakfast, Makoto took him on a tour of Hinamizawa. The village was small, tucked away from the world. The people were polite and welcoming, but there was something in their eyes that seemed distant. It was like they were all waiting for something, holding their breath.
They passed the school, where Michael saw a few kids playing outside. As they walked past, one of them, a girl with short hair and a bright smile, waved at him.
[Insert Image of Rika]
"Hey!" the girl called out. "You're the new guy, right?"
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah. Michael."
The girl's smile widened. "I'm Rika. Welcome to Hinamizawa! You're gonna like it here."
Makoto chuckled. "That's Rika. She's the village's little ray of sunshine."
Michael nodded, but something about the way Rika spoke felt... too cheery. It almost felt like she was trying to convince him of something.
"Thanks," Michael said, forcing a smile.
Rika's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer than usual before she turned to join her friend, Satoko, who was running up to them. As they walked away, Michael couldn't help but feel like there was something he wasn't being told—something important.
[Insert Image of Sakoto]
Makoto didn't notice, or if he did, he didn't say anything. He simply continued, leading Michael further into the village.
But Michael had a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that the deeper he went, the more he would find things he wasn't prepared to see.
And the more he'd wish he never came.
As Makoto and Michael continued their tour of the village, Rika stood outside the school gate, watching them silently from a distance. The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, and the kids flooded out of the building, chatting and laughing. But Rika's focus wasn't on them.
Her eyes narrowed as she watched Michael. There was something about him that felt... different. The faintest glow in her eyes turned red, an eerie, almost imperceptible flicker that no one else would have noticed. She stood there for a moment, calculating, her thoughts running a mile a minute.
"500 loops... and we get a new face," Rika whispered softly to herself, her voice barely audible. It was a thought only she could hear, her own mind speaking louder than the world around her. "He's an unknown. But is he just part of this loop? Or is there more to him? Either way... he's here now."
Her eyes closed for a moment as she processed the possibilities. It wasn't just the new face she was concerned about. It was him. The way he carried himself, the way he fit into the puzzle—too perfectly. Rika was no stranger to the loop. She had experienced it more times than she cared to remember. But he was different. There was something deeply unsettling about him, something that resonated with her in a way no one else could.
A slight, almost imperceptible smile tugged at her lips, but it was cold, calculated. "Is he the reason for the loop? Or is he just hiding all along, waiting for the right moment to reveal himself? If he is... then I'll just end him today."
Rika's fingers twitched, and for a moment, her mind raced through countless scenarios. She knew the loops, the deaths, the betrayals. She had seen it all. But if Michael Afton was truly a key to this, someone she hadn't seen before, someone who didn't belong, then it was a problem that needed to be solved—immediately.
Her gaze flickered back to him as Makoto led him further into the village. She couldn't shake the feeling that this was a turning point. The loops were already starting to twist in new directions, and she was beginning to wonder just how far Michael would push things.
She took a deep breath and forced the smile back from her lips. No matter what happened, she had a job to do. And if Michael Afton was a part of the equation that was messing with the delicate balance of this loop, then she would do whatever it took to fix it.
But for now, she would watch. She would wait.
And if necessary, she would end him.
They walked back home, Makoto looked at Michael as he spoke. "I'm gonna be in the hospital today; I have dinner ready; just heat it, ok".
Michael looked at him as he spoke. "Oh, ok".
Makoto laughed as he spoke. "Yeah, not gonna be home today, there are two spare keys and you can use one"
Michael raised an eyebrow at that, but he didn't speak; as they went back, Michael then went to his room, and as he did, he opened his bag and finally pulled out something.
It was Blue Print, it had a Skeleton like a robot to it, with schematics, degine Ans much more, the Blue Print seemed to be an old one as he looked at it
[Insert Image of Endo Skeleton Blue print]
Michael looked at Blue Prints as he spoke. "Why did I even bring you, it is not like I can do anything with you?".
To be continued
Hope people like this ch and give me power stones and enjoy