The newly renovated Hololive EN building stood pristine against the morning sky, its walls still smelling faintly of fresh paint and possibility. After countless Tuesday incidents—explosions, floods, interdimensional rifts, and that one time Gura accidentally summoned a kraken in the break room—management had finally completed repairs. The building gleamed with reinforced steel, blast-resistant windows, and what the contractors optimistically called "chaos-proof" infrastructure.
They would be proven wrong by breakfast.
On the residential floors, tucked away in the Hololive Council wing, Kronii's room existed as a perfect sanctuary of order. Blues and whites dominated the aesthetic—crisp linens, geometric patterns, floating clock mechanisms that ticked in harmonious synchronization. Everything had its place. Everything moved according to schedule.
The Warden of Time herself lay perfectly centered in her bed, breathing in measured intervals even in sleep. Then, at exactly 6:00:00 AM—not 5:59:59, not 6:00:01—her eyes opened.
"Right on time," she murmured to the empty room, because of course she did. She was Time, after all.
Kronii rose with practiced elegance, her movements fluid and unhurried. She made her way to the bathroom, running through her morning routine with the precision of someone who could literally rewind mistakes. Shower at the perfect temperature. Skincare applied in exactly the right order. Hair styled until each strand fell precisely where it should.
She returned to her bedroom, selecting her outfit from a closet organized by color gradient and occasion. The blue jacket with its white accents. The form-fitting bodysuit beneath. Each piece slipped on with practiced ease.
Then came the accessories—the floating clock ornament that orbited her like a tiny moon, the ribbons that somehow defied gravity in her presence, the subtle jewelry that caught the morning light just so.
Finally dressed, Kronii approached her full-length mirror. She paused, studying her reflection with an intensity that would have seemed narcissistic to anyone who didn't understand the relationship between Time and her own image.
What happened next would have taken thirty minutes for any observer to watch. But Kronii slowed time around herself, stretching seconds into subjective minutes while the rest of the world crawled forward at a glacial pace.
She tilted her head, examining the curve of her jaw. Perfect. She turned slightly, checking her profile. Flawless. She ran a hand through her hair, watching it cascade back into place. Immaculate.
"God, I'm hot," she said to her reflection, her voice echoing in the stretched moment.
She leaned closer to the mirror, her breath fogging the glass. Then, with deliberate slowness, she pressed her lips against the cool surface, leaving a perfect kiss mark. Her tongue flicked out, tracing along the mirror in a serpentine tease that would have scandalized anyone watching—but no one was. Just her and her reflection, existing in a pocket of dilated time.
"Mwah," she whispered, pulling back to admire her work. She blew one final kiss to her reflection, her lips pursing perfectly.
Time snapped back to normal speed. The entire display had taken exactly one second.
Kronii straightened her jacket and stepped into the hallway, pulling her door shut with a soft click. The corridors of the Hololive EN building stretched before her, already alive with the sounds of her fellow idols beginning their day.
Chaos greeted her immediately.
Through the large windows overlooking the backyard, Kronii spotted Gura sprinting across the grass with manic energy, her shark tail swishing behind her. Behind the apex predator came Gigi Murin, the gremlin's oversized mechanical gauntlet sparking as she ran, and Bijou, clutching her Yamato katana from Devil May Cry—because apparently Advent had never confiscated it yet.
"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, NERDS!" Gura's voice carried through the glass.
"GURA, THAT'S MY BREAKFAST!" Gigi shrieked.
"WAS YOUR BREAKFAST!" Bijou corrected, laughing maniacally.
Kronii kept walking. Not her problem. Not yet, anyway.
A flash of movement above caught her attention. Bae hung from the ceiling, having somehow inverted gravity around herself, walking upside down with her hands in her pockets. Her asymmetrical hair defied physics even more than usual.
"Mornin', Kronii!" Bae waved cheerfully, her face flushed from the blood rushing to her head.
"It's Tuesday," Kronii said flatly.
"I know! Isn't it great?" Bae grinned. "I give it two hours before something explodes."
"Optimistic."
"One hour?"
"Better."
Kronii continued her journey, passing familiar doors. Sana's room still bore the nameplate, though their friend had moved on to other horizons. A hand-written sign hung from the handle: "Sana sleeping. Do not disturb unless it's really important. Or unless you brought snacks."
From inside, soft snores drifted out. Kronii smiled slightly. Some things never changed.
Further down the hall, she found Mumei standing frozen mid-step, one foot raised, her eyes unfocused and staring at nothing.
"...Mumei?"
The owl-girl blinked slowly. "Oh. Hi Kronii."
"What are you doing?"
"I..." Mumei furrowed her brow. "I forgot."
"Where were you going?"
"I don't remember that either."
"Were you going to the bathroom?"
Mumei's eyes widened. "Oh! Yes! Thank you!" She hurried off, then paused. "Wait, which way is the bathroom?"
"Left, then right."
"Thanks!" Mumei disappeared around the corner, then her head popped back. "...Left first, right?"
"Yes."
"Okay!"
Kronii shook her head fondly. Civilization itself, forgetting where the bathroom was.
She descended to the main floor, where the activity level increased exponentially. The Fuwamoco twins burst past her in a blur of pink and blue, their voices overlapping in that way that made it impossible to tell who was saying what.
"Moco-chan we should play the horror game—"
"But Fuwawa we played horror yesterday—"
"But we didn't finish—"
"But I want to play the cute game—"
"Bau bau!"
They vanished around a corner, leaving only the faint echo of canine enthusiasm.
As Kronii passed the Advent section, she noticed Nerissa's door hanging slightly ajar. Unable to resist, she peeked inside. The demon lay sprawled across her bed, wings draped over the edges, staring at her phone with an expression of absolute adoration.
"Oh my god, Kiara's morning tweet," Nerissa breathed. "She's so perfect. Look at this photo. LOOK AT IT. The lighting? Immaculate. The angle? Divine. She's literally glowing. How is she real? How do I exist in the same timeline as this goddess?"
"Nerissa."
The demon nearly fell off her bed. "KRONII! Don't sneak up on me!"
"Your door was open. Also, you're simping again."
"I'm not simping, I'm appreciating—"
"You're simping."
"Okay maybe I'm simping a little, but can you blame me? Have you SEEN Kiara's morning selfies?"
"Every day. You retweet them. Obsessively."
Nerissa hugged her phone to her chest. "I'm a simple demon with simple needs. And those needs include supporting my wife—I mean, my friend—I mean, my valued colleague—"
"Go back to simping."
"Already on it!"
Kronii continued downward, reaching the main lobby just as Hololive Justice prepared for their morning meeting. Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame strode forward with regal bearing, her crimson hair flowing behind her like a banner. Cecilia Immergreen glided alongside, her green dress somehow managing to look both elegant and practical. Raora Panthera prowled at the rear, her feline features alert despite the early hour.
"—so then I told the director that we needed at least three more takes," Elizabeth was saying. "The lighting wasn't capturing the proper gravitas of the scene."
"Very professional," Cecilia agreed. "Though perhaps we should also consider—"
"IL PROBLEMA È CHE NON CAPISCONO L'IMPORTANZA DELLA PRESENTAZIONE!" Raora suddenly exploded in rapid Italian, her tail lashing. "We spend HOURS preparing these streams, and they want to cut corners on the production value? Assolutamente inaccettabile!"
Elizabeth and Cecilia exchanged glances.
"She makes a good point," Cecilia translated diplomatically.
"She usually does," Elizabeth agreed. "Even if she makes it... enthusiastically."
They disappeared into the conference room, Raora still gesturing emphatically.
Kronii finally reached the kitchen, where the smell of breakfast hung in the air. Kiara stood at the stove, expertly flipping something in a pan while humming a cheerful tune.
"Oi, Kronii! Kikirikii!" The phoenix turned, brandishing her spatula like a sword.
"Hey." Kronii headed straight for the refrigerator.
"You're up early! Well, early for everyone else. Right on time for you, right?" Kiara laughed at her own joke. "What brings you down? Usually you skip breakfast."
"No reason. Just grabbing something." Kronii pulled open the fridge, surveying the contents with a critical eye.
"Oh, raiding the fridge? Go for it! IRyS and Ina restocked everything last night. Well, technically this morning. They did the grocery run at like 4 AM."
Kronii paused, a carton of coconut juice in hand. "Why would they go shopping at 4 AM?"
"Oh, you know. They were watching a movie and lost track of time."
"Disney marathon?"
"Nah, horror movie night. Ina wanted to watch this new cosmic horror thing—you know how she is with eldritch stuff. IRyS couldn't sleep afterward though. She kept seeing shadows move."
"And Ina?"
"Ina was fine. Perfectly calm. Made popcorn during the scary parts." Kiara shook her head. "That girl is unflappable."
As if summoned by her name, Ina shuffled out of the nearby restroom, her hair slightly disheveled, her eyes half-closed. She made direct eye contact with Kronii and Kiara.
"Wah," she said, with the energy of someone who had transcended the need for full sentences.
Then she vanished around the corner, probably heading back to her room.
"See?" Kiara gestured with her spatula. "Perfectly normal."
Kronii had already resumed her shopping, pulling out coconut juice, various summer snacks, a container of premium ice cream, more juice, some fruit, and what appeared to be enough supplies for a full day of leisure.
"Whoa, whoa, why so much food?" Kiara leaned over, watching the pile grow. "You having a party? Am I invited? Wait, are you having a party without me?"
Kronii glanced back, her expression deadpan. "You forgot what today is?"
Kiara blinked. "Tuesday?"
"Exactly. Tuesday."
The color drained from Kiara's face.
"Oh no."
BOOM.
The explosion rocked the entire building, rattling windows and shaking the foundation. Somewhere upstairs, Calli's death metal alarm started blaring at maximum volume. The fire alarm joined in for good measure.
Kronii didn't even flinch. She calmly closed the refrigerator.
Through the kitchen windows, absolute pandemonium unfolded. Gura, Gigi, and Bijou now rode atop a stampede of water buffalo—massive, snorting beasts that had absolutely no business being in Hido City, let alone inside the Hololive EN building grounds. Worse, each buffalo had what appeared to be cartoonish bombs strapped to their backs, with lit fuses sparkling merrily.
"YABBA DABBA DOO!" Gura screamed, brandishing a trident.
"WHERE DID WE EVEN GET BUFFALO?" Gigi shrieked, clinging to her mount.
"DON'T QUESTION IT, JUST RIDE!" Bijou laughed, raising her katana above her head.
Ame rounded the corner at a dead sprint, her time-travel watch sparking. "AMBUSH! IT'S AN AMBUSH!"
Fauna emerged from her garden, covered in dirt and holding a shovel like a weapon. "CALL THE ID BRANCH! WE NEED REINFORCEMENTS!"
Another series of explosions detonated across the lawn. Saplings—Fauna's army of tree spirits—scattered in all directions, some of them actually on fire.
Calli's window slammed open on the third floor. "WHO THE FUCK WAS THAT? IT'S SIX IN THE GODDAMN MORNING!"
"IT'S TUESDAY!" multiple voices chorused back.
"GODDAMMIT, I FORGOT IT WAS TUESDAY!"
"THE SAPLINGS ARE BURNING!"
"SOMEONE GET THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS!"
"WE USED THEM ALL LAST-LAST TUESDAY!"
But Kronii had known. Of course she'd known. She was Time itself—every Tuesday lived in her awareness, every chaos-filled moment catalogued in her infinite memory.
She raised her hand, fingers spreading wide.
The world... slowed.
Not stopped—stopping time completely was exhausting and unnecessary. But slowing it? Making everything move at a crawl while she walked at normal speed? That was easy. That was just Tuesday.
The world transformed into a dreamlike crawl around her:
Nerissa burst through her door, raven wings fully deployed, flapping in panicked slow motion as she tried to achieve flight. Her phone tumbled from her grasp, spinning lazily through the air, still displaying Kiara's Twitter profile.
Gura charged ahead on her buffalo, frozen in mid-war-cry, her shark teeth gleaming. Behind her, Bijou had already begun her attack—the Yamato katana glowing with power as she executed a Judgement Cut. The dimensional slash carved through space itself in slow motion, heading directly for the east wing. Kronii could see the air splitting, the fabric of reality parting like curtains.
Cecilia had emerged from the conference room, her lance Brunhildr extended, trying desperately to halt its trajectory before it impaled the buffalo charging at her. Her face showed the exact moment she'd realized she might have overcommitted to the thrust.
Raora's transformation was half-complete, her claws extended, frozen mid-swipe at an oncoming buffalo. Her mouth was open in what was probably a very impressive Italian battle cry.
Kiara stood in front of the pantry, her sword Sword raised defensively, flames just beginning to erupt around her. Her phoenix instincts had kicked in faster than her conscious mind.
Ina had just finished her late-night Just Chatting art stream—her tablet was still in her hand as she blinked at the chaos, tentacles beginning to emerge from her back. "Wah?" she said, the word stretched across three full seconds.
Mumei stood in the hallway, dagger drawn, facing down at least twenty buffalo. She'd apparently remembered she was Civilization and civilizations sometimes required stabbing things. Her owl features were partially emerged, giving her a predatory edge.
Bae sat on the ceiling—still inverted—eating popcorn and watching everything unfold. Even in slowed time, she somehow managed to catch Kronii's eye and wave.
Kronii walked through it all, humming tunelessly.
She passed Ame, frozen mid-sprint, her expression showing the exact moment she'd realized her time watch was out of batteries. Rookie mistake.
She stepped around Gigi's oversized gauntlet, which hung in the air inches from Elizabeth's face. The impact would probably hurt. A lot.
She sidestepped debris—chunks of wall, pieces of furniture, one entire door—all suspended mid-explosion, hanging in the air like some avant-garde art installation titled "Tuesday Morning."
Kronii reached the front door, pushed it open (even in slowed time, doors still worked), and stepped outside into the beautiful morning.
Behind her, the building continued its slow-motion collapse. The east wing buckled. The west wing tilted. The roof developed a crack that spiderwebbed across its entire surface. It was actually quite beautiful, in a catastrophic sort of way.
She took a sip of her coconut juice. Still perfectly cold.
"Tuesday," she murmured to herself, walking away from the carnage with measured steps.
Time snapped back to normal speed.
CHAOS.
"EVERYONE GET DOWN!"
"TOO LATE, WE'RE ALREADY DOWN!"
"THEN GET DOWNER!"
"THAT'S NOT A WORD!"
"IT IS NOW!"
The building didn't so much collapse as explode inward, then outward, then sideways for good measure. Bijou's Judgement Cut had done its job—the east wing was now the east pile. The buffalo stampeded through the wreckage. Something else exploded, because of course it did.
"MY ROOM!" Nerissa wailed.
"MY KITCHEN!" Kiara screamed.
"MY MORNING!" Calli roared.
Kronii kept walking. She reached the private beach area behind the building—one of the perks of their location—and with a casual gesture, her outer clothes vanished into her personal time-space pocket. Underneath, she wore a perfectly coordinated blue bikini, because of course she'd been prepared.
She laid out her towel with geometric precision, arranged her snacks within easy reach, and settled into her beach chair. The sound of absolute bedlam continued behind her—screams, explosions, Gura's manic laughter, Bae's whooping, and what might have been Fauna attempting to reason with the buffalo in tree language.
Kronii popped open her coconut juice and took a long sip, staring out at the peaceful ocean.
"Hmm, beautiful day," she said to no one in particular.
A particularly large explosion erupted behind her. She didn't turn around.
Not her problem.
She was Time, after all. And Time, as always, moved forward—preferably somewhere quiet, with snacks, away from buffalo and chaos and Tuesdays.
Behind her, Yagoo probably just felt a disturbance in the Force. His dream, such as it remained, took another hit.
But that was okay. It was only Tuesday.
They'd rebuild. They always did.
At least until next Tuesday.