Fancifurry Daydream

Nekoko? What're you doing here?

Mrow?!

N-Nyothing.

Oh. I thought maybe you were looking for something.

I'm nyot. It's just that, in the Izana I know, you can't come and go as you please. I'm surpurrised at how different this Izana is.

So it looks the same, but feels different? Well, what'd you think of the Cat Shrine? Did that seem different, too?

I, um...haven't gone there yet...

Then why don't we go now? It's a nice place. I'm sure you'll love it.

Mrow...

Thank you, Necoco.

Huh? How come you know me too?

I used to pray at the Cat Shrine quite often.

But you were little back then, so I suppose you don't remember me.

(There's another me in this world.) (If I go to the Cat Shrine, I'll run into her...)

What's the matter, Nekoko?

Nyothing... So if you reaaaaaally wanna go, then I suppose I can be your chapurrone.

If you don't wanna, we don't have to. I'm not trying to force you.

(Phew... Looks like I'm safe for mrow...)

(Nyo, wait. If I refuse to go, what will Aldo think?)

What's the matter? Too much of a scaredy- cat to meet the other you? Heh heh heh.

Yeah, you should be scared. You're no match for her anyway.

I'm nyo scaredy-cat!

Whoa. Where'd that come from?!

You think I don't wanna go to the Cat Shrine 'cause I'm scared of the other me!

What? No, I don't!

I'll purrove to you that I'm more than a match for her!

But you really don't need to...

I said, I'm doing it!

Okay, okay! Calm down. We'll go to the Cat Shrine.

That wasn't so hard, was it? Purrhaps you'll be more honest from mrow on! Well, let's get going!

Aw man... You've gotta be kitten me...

I really don't wanna go, but if I run away mrow, he's definitely gonna think I'm a scaredy-cat...

Necoco?

(So there's a Nabeshima and Fukurobe in this world, too...)

Oh, and Aldo too? Where's Nyanjiro?

Mrow... Um...

(They think I'm the other me? Then I'll just purretend to be her...)

I bumped into Aldo while I was out... So we decided to head back here first.

Mrow? Not "meow"?

Is there a difference?

Necoco, try saying "meow" for me.

Mrow...

Hmm...

What am I missing?

It's just that there's something slightly off about the way Necoco's speaking.

(Aldo! Help meowt here!)

Um... How do I explain this... She's not Necoco, she's Nekoko. She's Nekoko with a K, and your Necoco is Necoco with a C... Gosh, does that make any sense?

Sure, it makes sense.

Come to think of it, she's not in Necoco's usual outfit.

And her hair's a slightly different color.

She's taller too.

How was all that less obvious to you than the way she said "meow"?!

You could chalk up all those other things to a style choice.

Still...to think there are TWO girls as cute as Necoco out there...

And this one seems a little more mature. Like she'd take her work a bit more seriously than our Necoco.

O-Of course I do!

You wouldn't ditch work to go sunbathing?

Nyo, never...

And you wouldn't eat the shrine offerings?

Nyope...

You're definitely lying.

(H-How did she know that?!)

Hahaha! Well, go figure. She may not be our Necoco, but she is SO Necoco.

That gives me an idea, Fukurobe. Maybe this Necoco could help us out with that thing...

Yeah, good thinking. It'd be a shame to waste this opportunity...

What're you two talking about?

Time to go, Aldo! There's nyo point hanging around any longer.

Why are you running away?

'Cause I know you two just as well as you know me! So I can tell what you're up to!

Hey, Aldo. Are you free right now?

Um, I guess. I don't have anything particularly urgent going on.

Great! You see, there's a favor we want to ask of Necoco... But our Necoco never listens to us. We thought maybe we could ask you two instead.

Oh, I see. Sure, we can help you out.

("We"?! I beg your purrdon! "We" don't even know what they want!)

Perfect! I knew you'd be down to help, Aldo.

Would you mind fulfilling one of the wishes written on those ema over there?

Sure, we can do that. Come on, Nekoko! Let's do this!

But I don't wanna...

Yeah, it figures. If all our Necoco ever does is sunbathe, how could we expect this one to be any different?

......

Don't underestimate me! Your Necoco might be a useless slacker who does nyothing but sunbathe... But nyot me! I can do that work, nyo purroblem!

Amazing! I knew we could count on you, slightly more mature Necoco!

Come on, Aldo! Hurry up and pick us out a good wish!

(Wow, she really took that bait. Well, whatever gets her motivated...)

How about this one? To do some weeding in Ikarga.

(It sounds boring, but at least it won't be dangerous.)

Sure, why nyot?

Great. Then let's head to Ikarga.

See you later! Good luck!

I can't believe you came all this way to help little old me, Necoco. I'm so incredibly grateful. Now, what I wanted was some help with all these weeds...

Mrow... Looks like this place hasn't had any attention in a while.

Oh, you know how it is. So much to do, so little time... I'd feel so bad for the Cat Deity if I didn't at least get the area around the hokora cleared.

I'm sure the Cat Deity knows how you feel. Okay, time for some gardening!

Thank you. I'll leave this to you, then.

Okay, let's get started.

This is supurr boring!

But we just started.

So? I'm still bored.

Can't you hold out a little longer?

But it's nyo fun! Pull one weed here, another weed there... It's so BORING! I need something to distract me.

Ooh, I knyow. You said you'd traveled around a lot, right?

Yeah, I guess.

Then tell me about your travels. Maybe that will make this weeding a little more amewsing.

Fine. But you have to work while you listen.

Then tell me the most exciting tale you have!

Way to up the pressure... Okay, I'll tell you about the first time I came to this continent...

There! I think we're pretty much done.

......

What's wrong, Nekoko? Tired?

Mrow...

You did work pretty hard there.

(In Aldo's story...) (That Altena girl got the power of the Sacred Beast.)

(Then the Nekoko of this world wasn't able to fulfill her role of becoming the vessel of the Sacred Beast?)

My, you've really tidied this place up. The Cat Deity will be so pleased. Thank you.

Mrow...

It was nyo problem at all! If you ever need anything else, just let us knyow!

Okay, that wish is all taken care of. Let's go back to the Cat Shrine.

Welcome back, you two. Did you fulfill the wish?

Of course! As if I'd do anything less! Honestly, your Nekoko must be a total slacker if she can't even do a thing like that.

Well, it's not like she slacks off all the time. Sometimes she's willing to put the work in.

Sometimes? Wow, how good of her... Tell me, what's this Nekoko like.

Well... She can be a little fickle and selfish...

But she's a good person, and all the visitors love her.

Mew don't say...

Would you like to hear some funny stories about Necoco? Let's see...

(I'm purroud to say I was chosen to be the Sacred Beast's vessel and inherit its power.) (But what if I wasn't able to carry out my purrpose? I don't even wanna think about it...)

(This Nekoko didn't fulfill her duty, though...but she still has a happy life. Everyone loves her.)

(If that happened to me, I wouldn't be able to land on my feet like she did.) (How'd she manage to claw her way back up from the bottom?) (Part of me wants to knyow...but another part of me doesn't.)

Is this...my world? What was all that? Was it all some kind of daydream? All born out of some hopeless wish that everything would work out okay, even if I didn't fulfill my duty?

I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I couldn't inherit the power of the Sacred Beast. So nyo matter what happens, I will accept my duty. I won't let anyone else take on the pain and suffering of the Sacred Beast!