Joy never liked the fog, growing up she used to listen to scary tales of the notorious Wellington Wells legend Foggy Jack and the rumors of him lurking in the fog for his next victim on nights like this. Foggy Jack was one of the few things Joy was scared of, though she would never admit it out loud.
The foreign Uma Musume quickly picked up her pace, trying to get back to her dormitory as quickly as she could.
The fog became thicker and thicker as the young Wellie charged forward, however the thick fog quickly proved difficult to navigate through. Joy though was determined not to be left exposed to a possible ambush. She charged forward, screaming out of fear as she did so.
Once Joy reached the safety of the glowing street lights, she was able to calm herself. Checking herself over to make sure Foggy Jack didn't lobbe off her tail or any other parts of her. Once Joy was sure she was all there she let out a heavy sigh of relief.
Not wanting to stay outside any longer, Joy turned around to enter her dormitory, however when Joy faced the direction to said dormitory she was met with something completely different.
Wellington Wells. Joy's hometown of Hamlyn Village met her gaze rather then Ritto dormitory of Trancen Academy.
Joy shook her head in disbelief, how could she be back home? Her mind was boggled at the moment, but her brain came to the rational conclusion that her sudden translocate from Japan to England was due to Foggy Jack. The thought made Joy shudder at the possibility of Foggy Jack being able to appear in any part of the world with the presence of fog.
Not knowing what she should do, Joy thought the next best course of action would be to call her parents. Surely they would know what to do in this scenario or at least provide assurance and comfort during this uncertain time.
Joy entered the town to find a phone booth, as she did a disturbing smell hit her nostrils. The air smelt like copper and rot, it nearly made the Uma Musume throw up on the spot. Joy was able to prevent herself from making a mess though as she entered a purple phone booth. It wasn't perfect, but better then the air outside, Joy inhaled a generous amount of air. Once she recovered, Joy quickly pulled out the change needed to make a call to her dad. Joy had her cellphone as well as her mom, but Wellington Wells wasn't as up to date as the rest of the world in the tech department, as such, a phone booth was needed. The British Uma Musume faced the booth to enter her change but was met with something other than a pay phone. Instead, it had been replaced by a strange candy dispenser. There were three different flavors; chocolate, vanilla, and blackberry, Joy starred at it bewildered. Why on Earth would someone put a candy dispenser in a phone booth? Curious though, Joy turned the little handle under the blackberry canister and pulled the lever. Soon a little purple pill slid through the tube and out the faucet. Once she caught the pill, Joy observed it pondering the reason to its existence. Despite it being in her possession, something in Joy's head was screaming at her to not consume the strange pill.
A sudden harsh knock from the outside brought Joy out of her inner thoughts.
"Oi! 'urry up in there! Some of us have places to be"! Came a demanding voice.
This however lit a smile on Joy's face as she quickly opened the booth's door to greet who was on the other side.
"Constable Turner"! Joy said in relief.
The bobby before her was her father's best friend. Constable Turner would always be around often having Joy in accompanying him in pulling off little pranks around the Constabulary HQ. Instinctively, Joy wrapped her arms around the bobby in a hug, happy to see a familiar face. In an instant though, Joy's joy was turned into shock as Constable Turner roughly shoved her off, Joy fell onto the floor, looking up at Constable Turner surprised.
" Get off of me you loony"! Constable Turner barked.
Joy was left speechless, her voice failing to utter the words her lips pronounced. Constable Turner approached the girl, the unease in his face as he approached quickly faded into a hungry grin as he realized something.
"You haven't taken your Joy." Constable Turner quietly said.
It was instinct, a natural response to danger. Joy's body's reflexes were working quicker then her thoughts. Muscle memory alone was guiding the stunned Uma Musume through familiar streets and faces. It was lucky for Joy that instinct was the prime drive to her actions, if it had been her mind, Joy would've perished.
Joy continued to run, her Uma Musume legs were more than enough to outrun human Wellies. However, their numbers were more than enough to overwhelm her. Joy had to avoid being corraled into a dead end or surrounded by the growing mob.
Up ahead she spotted a Popper, a form of transportation for the bobbys.
"Mom, I have to get to Mom. She'll sort everyone out and stop this insanity"! Joy thought.
She pulled out her credential card, this allowed the bobby's into restricted areas and access to the poppers. Joy quickly entered her mom's bakery's address and slid the credential card through, the mob closing in on her. They were less than two feet away when the popper opened. Joy quickly shoved herself inside, the glass door sliding shut just in the nick of time as a red bobby reached the popper, slamming his fist against the glass demanding Joy to get out of it. The frightened Uma clinging onto the pole for dear life, the trap door beneath Joy finally giving way and in a cloud of pink smoke, Joy disappeared into the pipes below.
Once she was given a moment of peace, Joy sobbed. She felt hurt and confused by how drastically her home changed, to Joy it felt like she was in a completely different reality.
The pipe passed by a big theatre screen, an Uncle Jack cooking segment was playing on it.
Joy was dumbfounded by what she was hearing out of the TV celebrities' mouth. Sawdust as flour extenders? Edible weeds? Had the whole island gone mad?
By now Joy had reached her destination, she stepped out of the popper and took a cautionary look around. Once she was sure the cost was clear, Joy darted for her mom's bakery. Already she could see the outline of the bakery building.
"Mom, something's gone pear shaped, the whole island has lost their minds"! Joy called out.
Joy charged for the door, her focus still on the surrounding area. Joy expected the bakery entrance to be right in front of her, but instead she slammed right into a brick wall.
"Wh... What"? Joy looked on in disbelief at the brick wall which should have been her mom's bakery.
Her ears flipped back at the sound of approaching footsteps from behind. Joy turned to face the approaching entity and her heart sank. It was another bobby, a very familiar one at that.
"Dad"? Joy chocked.
"Ah, so you're the bloody downer causing all this ruckus." Constable Rossetti accused.
Joy began to tear up.
"Dad, what's going on? Everyone is acting strange and violent, and mom, where is she? What happened to her bakery? Dad I'm scared"! Joy cried.
Constable Rossetti pulled out his electric truncheon.
"Right! I've 'ad it with you"! Constable Rossetti shouted as he charged at Joy.
Joy didn't run away, she was in too much distress at the thought of her own father about to harm her in such a painful manner. All she could do was cry and in a quiet shakey voice plead to her father.
Constable Rossetti raised his weapon, ready to give the strange looking downer before him a good beating. He swung down, or at least Constable Rossetti thought he did, but the lack of contact made him pause. His arm was still up in the air, Constable Rossetti tried bringing down his arm again, but it wouldn't listen. The Constable was befuddled, he had apprehended downers before in the same manner, but something about the strange downer before him was invoking a different response.
Joy was curled up, still crying her eyes out. Constable Rossetti loomed over her, these new paternal thoughts overtaking his constabulary obligation. Constable Rossetti gently scooped up the young Uma Musume lady and cradled her close. Joy in turn hugged him back, her waterworks turning into sniffles.
Constable Rossetti quietly made his way home, unsure to his own reasoning why he was heading there instead of the police station to book and jail the downer. It was late, so the citizens were already inside their homes for curfew and somehow Constable Rossetti had been very lucky not to run into any of the lads on his way home, luckier still that his wife would be out of town for a few days to attend her friend's bachelorette party.
Once inside, the constable set the Uma Musume on the couch, by now Joy had fallen asleep. Rossetti took a seat on his lounge chair, unsure of what to do.
Rossetti then noticed something had fallen out of the downer's pocket, a strange think black rectangle, curious, Rossetti picked it up. His touch activated the strange thing object, causing it to light up.
"Bloody hell"! Rossetti cursed, dropping the phone in surprise.
Once he was sure the device was harmless, Rossetti picked the phone up again, what he saw next boggled his brain. Right on the screen was a picture of the Downer, next to her was who Rossetti assumed to be the downer's mother, and..... him. Rossetti looked at the picture, trying to rationalize why he was in the photo, but couldn't. Rossetti found Joy's contact list. He paused at the contact labeled "Dad". Many thoughts ran through the constable's head, morbid curiosity taking over and the bobby soon pressed the call button. As the phone rang, Rossetti felt uneasiness, he didn't know what to expect and it was making him anxious. Rossetti felt his heart stop as someone picked up on the other end. The voice let out a tired yawn before answering.
"Hello, Joy is that you poppet? Is everything alright"? Asked the voice.
Rossetti felt like reality was collapsing, on the other line was his voice, not an echo but a separate entity. Rossetti couldn't mutter a single word, what would one say to another reality of themselves?
He felt someone remove the phone from his hand, it was Joy. The Uma Musume spoke to the other Constable Rossetti.
"Hi Dad, I'm fine, just made an accidental call." Joy explained.
"Oh, alright. How was school today"? He asked.
" It was good, I won the Hyacinth a few days ago." Joy responded.
" I know, your mum and I saw Uncle Jack's broadcast. Way to go sweetheart! You are keeping up on your studies too right? That's just as important as the track." Dad Rossetti asked.
Joy smiled a little.
"Yes Dad, I've been keeping up on my studies." Joy replied.
"That's my girl! Well, I better let you go now, your mum and I love you." Dad Rossetti said.
"I love you guys too. Talk to you tomorrow." Joy said.
As she ended the call, Joy looked over to the alternate Rossetti.
He looked on in disbelief at Joy and at what he had just heard.
"Tea, I think we can all use a good cuppa tea right now." Rossetti stuttered.
The Constable politely excused himself from the room. While in the kitchen preparing the tea, Rossetti contemplated life and his existence. As the tea brewed, he thought about the other Constable Rossetti and Joy. Thoughts raced with questions and curiosities, but as the kettle whistled, Rossetti realized that this situation must be really frightening for Joy. To be in a world so similar yet so far apart from your own, for your loved ones to suddenly turn on you with no explanation or reason.
He brought the tray of tea and very stale biscuits out to his guest. Joy quietly took her cup and a single biscuit.
For a while there was an awkward silence before Joy spoke up.
"I'm sorry..... For the quagmire that occured tonight." Joy apologized.
"No need to apologize love, tonight's been unforseen for both parties involved." Rossetti told the girl.
The conversation turned into one asking the other about their reality. From the competitive world of Uma Musume even to the Very Bad Thing. They talked for hours until the old grandfather clock chimed that it was midnight.
"You better get some sleep poppet, we're going to need to be bright eyed and bushy tailed in order to look for a way to get you home." Rossetti advised .
Joy nodded in agreement.
While Joy slept, Rossetti remained awake, pondering on just how he was going to get his other self's daughter home. He thought of three possibilities; Dr. Faraday, Dr. Verloc, and Sally Boyle. Each were brilliant in their own right, surely one of them must know how to bend reality just enough to get Joy back to her's.
Instantly, Rossetti mentally crossed off Dr. Verloc from the list. The head of Haworth labs came off as a bit unhinged to the constable in his private thoughts. Who knew what Verloc would do to the lost Uma Musume. Rossetti believed Sally Boyle would be a great choice; she was a brilliant chemist and the number one provider of Blackberry Joy. Though because the constables were so hungry for her "fine cooking" the chemist seemed to always be on her toes and may not be in the best mood to help the Constabulary further. That only left Dr. Faraday, a frighteningly brilliant scientist, who the Executive Committee had the Constabulary put under house arrest. Yeah, she may not be in the greatest of moods to help out either and even if Faraday did, she may take the opportunity to hitchhike with Joy back to her reality.
As the bobby felt a headache coming on from the stress, a polite knock came from the door. Rossetti felt his blood go cold, worried about this late-night visitor. He cautiously approached the door.
"Hello? Who's there"? Rossetti asked.
"Mal, its Peter's." Responded Chief Inspector Peter's.
If Rossetti didn't feel his stomach drop earlier, he certainly did now. As long as he'd been alive, Rossetti knew that it was impossible to slip anything by the chief inspector. if it seemed like you gave the inspector the slip, you didn't, he was a man playing 4D chess while everyone else was playing checkers.
"Hello, Chief Inspector. What brings you by at this time of night"? Rossetti asked trying to seem as unsuspicious as possible.
"I've received word from the Executive Committee about an abnormal Downer causing quite the ruckus this evening. I wanted to stop by and inquire if you had by chance come across this stranger"? Peters asked.
"What is so anomalous about this Downer may I ask"? Rossetti asked, trying to remain calm.
"Well, for one she is a very.... young lady, second this downer seems to have the most peculiar appearance. I have witnesses saying she was sporting a pair of horse ears and a tale. Third, this Downer is unprecedently fast, even are best runners on the force were unable to keep pace with this strange invader." Peters described.
"Nn... No, don't think I've ran into such a person." Rossetti responded, now sweating bullets. Chief Inspector Peters looked Rossetti right in the eyes, the younger constable hearing his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. Peters let out a sigh. "You're a terrible liar Mal." Peters said.
Rossetti felt himself go cold, his newfound parental instincts to protect Joy reacted quickly, causing Rossetti to grab the electric truncheon he kept in the umbrella bin next to the door. Chief Inspector Peters, however, spoke up before Rossetti could act. "I'm not going to harm her Mal." Peters told the bobby. "I...I'm sorry Chief Inspector, but I don't believe you"! Rossetti retorted in a shaky voice. Peters then proceeded to remove his helmet, exposing his horse ears. Rossetti looked on in shock. "You're from her world"? Rossetti asked stunned. Peters nodded. "That I am son; I've come to take Joy home." Peters replied. Rossetti felt a wave of relief and hesitation, he was relieved that there was now a way for Joy to return home, but at the same time, he didn't want to say goodbye. Peters, noticing the hesitation made an offer. "Why don't you accompany us, Mal? I can't let you go beyond the fog for safety reasons, but you can at least join us on the walk to its permeameters." Peters offered. Rossetti nodded in agreement. He went back upstairs and gently cradled the sleeping Uma Musume in his arms before heading out into the dead of night alongside Chief Inspector Peters.
When they reached the edge of the fog, Rossetti knew it was time to say goodbye. "Will I ever see her again"? Rossetti asked. Peters though for a moment. "Maybe and maybe not constable, that all depends on you." Peters replied. Rossetti didn't quite understand it, but just in case he never saw Joy again, he decided to say something he hoped would stick with the horse girl for the rest of her life. "This may not be your world, but no matter where you are in the universe, you'll always be my daughter." Rossetti said. He gave a soft kiss on the temple of Joy's forehead before handing her over to Chief Inspector Peters. Before he stepped away into the fog, Peters said one final thing to Rossetti. "You're a good father Mal, I believe the sort of love the other you has can transcend any plain of existence and is just as much a part of you as it is him." Peters said. And with that, Peters and Joy vanished into the fog, leaving Rossetti alone to reflect and decide where he wanted to go moving forward.
