Shido POV:
"May I ask who you are, mister ~?"
The hand puppet, in spite of my utter confusion, asked me with a totally not feminine and rather suspicious voice.
Uh… what?
I have so many questions here, each one equally ridiculous… But at the same time…
"Well… my name is Itsuka Shido…"
I reluctantly introduced myself to the… hand puppet(?), and its head… probably… slightly drop with my response.
"I see… so, mister Shido—why are you here?"
I flinched with the surprisingly intimidating question from it, and thought of an appropriate response.
"Well ~?"
That thing teases me again with that lifeless eye, or a button that acts like one, while its controller keeps hidden behind the tree while I'm all soaked confused with what the hell just happened.
"… I'm lost?"
And that, lady and gentlemen, is a response worthy of being punished by releasing my secret self-made manga by Kotori hand.
"Lost? You mister?"
That thing pondered, or at least seemed so, for a bit with that terrible answer… and, unbeknown to me, the little girl took a peek at me with a curious gaze.
"Well yeah, I… uh, didn't know my way around here much, then I got struck by the, uh rain."
I scratch my head with a stiff smile, trying to act as awkward as possible to ease her, or their, wary of me.
"… Fu… fuahahaha!"
And then, in the midst of my shameful act, that puppet—suddenly laughed.
"Oh my… you are truly something, myster!!"
The whole thing keeps going on for half a minute, as the only thing apart from the sound of raindrops is its weird pitch laugh.
"… Oh well, it doesn't matter. At least you are certainly better than them."
Them? What did it—oh.
"You mean… the AST?"
"AST? That's what they call it?"
The puppet tilted its head as if curious with my question, somehow feigning mischief through its grin… or open mouth…
Seriously, what the heck is with that puppet?
"Welp, since you seem like a nice fella—We'll be off!! Take care, dear mister!!"
And with that, the girl quickly ran away from the tree with that puppet, leaving me baffled in the rain…
… Hah?
What was that all about? Should I… even follow her?
Hmph… I probably should have asked Kotori about this.
With a long sigh, I take my way home among the heavy rain.
"I'm home."
Open the door, I call out for… well, the cold, empty scenery of my house as I make myself in.
Another day being by myself… Well, not that I can complain in the slightest.
I slowly go up to my room, not before taking a glance at the still closed door in the hallway, taking the changing clothes and going for the bathroom at the end of the hallway… right next to Honjo-san's room.
I stand in front of the door, taking a deep breath… and knock.
"Anyone there?"
I waited for a few moments, and received no response. And even then, I still just slightly open the door and take a quick peek inside.
Light's off. No running water. No clothes in the basket.
No sign of someone ever being here.
Only after checking all of that should I let out a relieving sigh and walk inside.
A few minutes passed by, resulting in warm water now filling the bath to the brim.
I actually never try filling the bath ever, as that is kinda exclusive to dad on rare occasions he's home, so this whole thing is, weirdly enough, quite stressful to do.
"Fua…"
I submerge half into the warm water, letting myself free from all the problems for a few minutes.
And then, as my mind slowly drifted away, I eventually thought about what happened in the span of a month.
I, an ordinary student until barely a month ago, now suddenly faced the fact that I can seal Spirits power, the girls that were behind this whole Spacequake thing, by merely a kiss, and is now on a Casanova trip to kiss 'em to save the humanity from those space tearing catastrophe…
Not only that, I'm now forced to confront all the tragedy, all the pain in the span of days, not to mention partially taking part in said event, almost being killed by Mathers, and even almost losing Tome to some weird yuri gal a few days back.
All of that, plus that…
… Serious, what has my life turned out like?
Why am I being, well, special? Why am I the only one who has this power?
… And why does that girl… standing there?
Too many questions, yet no answer to any.
And so, with those questions haunting my mind, I sank completely in the bath… for around an hour, estimated.
Lazily getting up from the bath, once I felt refreshed enough to move, I changed into a pair of black shorts, threw the soaked uniform in the basket and went down to the kitchen.
But when I reached the living room… I stopped.
For lying before me on the couch, kicking her legs while watching a toku show on the TV in her usual black dolphin short with white loose shirt, is the beloved sister of mine.
And I didn't even know she's back the whole time… Am I that distracted in the bath?
"Kotori…?"
I mutter her name in surprise, and see her motion halted right after as she slowly turns to me with a… conflicting gaze, to say the least.
"… Hi, nii-chan."
Kotori mutters with an almost quiet voice, something I've never seen from her.
And that slightly put me on edge.
"… You good, Kotori? I haven't seen you recently, so… how's the work?"
I carefully asked about her situation with a casual brotherly tone, and her figure slightly flinched before straightening up facing me.
"I'm… not fine, nii-chan."
I raise my brow at that last part from her, one that I almost missed due to how abnormally quiet she is.
"Huh? How so? Was the work too much?"
I instinctively blurted out my concern to Kotori, and for some reason her figure slowly sank deeper into the couch.
"… Nii-chan, can I ask you for something?"
Hmph? So she wants to ask me for something?
Not that I have any chance to deny here
"… Go ahead?"
"Thanks, nii-chan… Fua…"
Kotori let out a long breath with my approval, and then looked up at me with the same conflicted look.
"Nii-chan, please—have a date with me tomorrow."
The world stopped moving. The color loses its light.
My brain ceased to function for a moment. And all I can do now is staring at her.
All of that happens in a single moment, as everything continues as normal.
Well, mostly.
"What?"
I blurted out my most honest reaction with the request, all the while staring down at her retreating eyes…
Ultron POV:
"Framework progress: 5%."
I murmur back what I already knew, looking at various chains working their best to assemble it.
If my calculations are correct, which they are, this thing… will surely pack something to them.
Although, if I have to say—I hope I didn't have to resort to this.
With everything out of the way, I let myself be relaxed for a bit, to turn myself off temporarily in this mindscape of mine.
And to be honest, this… is nice.
To feel truly all by myself, without stress, without guard… It's quite exhilarating.
I've never been resting ever since he made me. Not a bit. Not with everything against me.
I raced against time to end it all, gather all I could to prevent their success, only to lose altogether.
… Not only that, I—hurted her, shattered her, in my pathetic showcase of… being human.
I accidentally killed Pietro in my last ditch effort to kill Hawkeyes, the weakest member among them, with their arsenal by this hand.
It was so ironic on so many levels, one cost me all her hatred.
And that… lie no excuse for me. For I truly did kill him.
… My heart, huh—hm?
A warning then suddenly floods my mind, as I quickly check its content.
This is… an intruder… Reiryoku? A Spirit?
A Spirit infiltrates this place? And this signature… hm?
I woke up once again in the newly made body and quickly went for them, which are around the outskirts of the facility.
All the available Sentries are at standby, weapons equipped and all ready to attack at the slightest of my approval, as I quickly lead them to the place which is quite a mess by now.
The good thing from this is that the Spacequake caused little to none damage, as I already fortified this place beforehand for such a scenario, and partially because this section is not particularly that important to focus on.
Not that it didn't destroy some of the Sentries here, but it's none of my concern at all.
No, the concern is who lies in the midst of the ruins, lying in the small crater before my very eyes.
Oversized green raincoat, blue hair, hand puppet by her side… sleeping profoundly in the midst of her doing.
So a certain bunny has hop in this place out of everywhere else… What are the chances?
Not that I didn't think this wouldn't happen… Well, not this soon at least.
Okay, what to do with her…
I signal one of my Sentries to approach her, and let all others stand on guard as one slowly marches down the crater.
Suddenly, before it could reach her, her body slightly nudged… and then her eyes opened.
? POV:
Dark. Empty. Scary.
Dark. Empty. Scary.
Dark. Empty. Scary. Dark. Empty. Scary. Dark. Empty. Scary. Dark. Empty. Scary. Dark. Empty. Scary. Dark. Empty—
—Light.
… Eh?
Light…? Why…? Where…?
… White. Light… and white…
Light. Broad. Not scary.
Where… where is this?
And then, I saw it. A shadow looming over me.
So, out of pure instinct, I moved.
I frantically called forth
But that's not the only thing I see… for there's so much more around me.
And this place… I don't know.
I've never been here. I've never seen them.
… Where am I?
Where am I? Where am I? Where am I? Where am I? Where am I? Where am I? Where am I? Where am I? Whe—
"Hey!! Yoshino!"
Yoshinon's voice snapped me out of it, as his eyes stared straight up at mine.
"Calm down partner! I'll find a way to get us out of here!"
His stern, energetic voice slowly eases my worry again. I hold my hand tighter on Yoshinon, feeling Yoshinon's existence right here.
That's right… He'll find a way out of here. I'm sure of it.
"Please, don't be afraid."
A voice suddenly calls out for us, as
Standing there mere steps from
"Yo buddy! Who the heck are you?!"
With a rarely angry tone,
"I don't have a name, Miss Himekawa."
… Himegawa? What's that?
"… Who?"
And, similar to me, Yoshinon slightly tilted its head in confusion.
"Hm? That was your name wasn't it? Himegawa Yoshino?"
That thing, mirroring our confusion, asking with what feels like a questioning tone back.
And I… um, never heard of that before.
"… I'm Yoshino. I… am not Himegawa."
So, against my original ideal of just staying silent, I mutter back at it… all the while hoping it didn't hear any of it.
Unfortunately, it did, as its head whipped straight on me.
"… Yoshino, was it you?"
I shuddered at its question, instead of
"Fascinating… so, I assume that you are Yoshinon?"
It then looked down at
It… knew Yoshinon's name?
"You… how?"
I subconsciously mutter my confusion with it, and its gaze once more moves to mine.
"How could I? I've seen how you get that puppet, and get the name from your mom."
My fist clenched in
… My… mom? What… who?
I… have a… family? I… have a mom?
"… Who?"
As I still struggle with this revelation,
"Pardon?"
"Who is lil Yoshino mom?"
That voice…
It's been quite a time ever since I last saw him… this impatient.
"I'd gladly tell you everything, but first… please calm down."
That thing calmly responded to
"Yoshinon… um…"
"… Let's hear the answer first."
Surprisingly,
"Um… you sure that's… a good idea?"
"Not that we have anything else to do, partner… besides return to that god-awful place."
My grip tightened with
It's dark. It's empty. It's scary. And I hated it.
But I… also didn't… want to face…
"If you don't want to, I can talk in ya place. What do ya say, partner?"
With all that out of the way, I silently nodded back at
At that instant, everything surrounding us quickly falls back, hiding the things that keep aiming at us the whole time, while that thing slowly approaches us.
"Enough there, pal!"
Yoshinon warned it with a growl as it stood over the edge of the… hole? And it, much to my surprise, actually stopped.
"Ho? You actually stop?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"The thing is no one complies with that. They, hm, 'shoot' first?"
"… I can see that."
… Hm? Did that thing just—sigh?
"So… talk."
A murderous aura suddenly surges up from Yoshinon, the eyes flashing red straight at it.
"Her name is Himegawa Nagisa, and she's made you, Yoshinon."
Both me and Yoshinon feel profoundly shocked with the elevation.
Nagisa… my mom…
I… have a family…
"Wipe your mouth clean before bed time, dear."
"Yes, mom!"
Said the old woman with a smile at a boy, and he smiled back with a happy look.
"Hm… you shouldn't have done that. He's all grown up."
"Well, can a mother worry about her little son ~?"
Said a man reading a paper, and the lady answered with an arm on her face.
"Besides, didn't you love me 'cause of that ~?"
"… Well, you're not wrong on that, my lovely wife ~"
Said both of them with a wide happy smile…
… All through that small box, through the broken glass.
All while rain is still drowning me, all while I'm running from them.
"They look… happy."
I mutter with no one, as I wholeheartedly watch the whole thing…
They look so familiar, so warm, so… together.
They… are different. They… have each other.
They aren't like me. They are not alone. They are not under the rain.
They… aren't in the dark. They aren't empty. They aren't scared.
They… I…
"Ah… how I love our family."
That voice came up again, now warmer than ever.
… Family.
So they… are a family…
I shake away all the thoughts that tempted me to form, and run away from the box altogether.
For I knew… that a family…
"Die, you Spirit!"
"You monster!!!"
"Why do the likes of you even exist?!"
… Is something—
That memory… when I finally accepted that face… that I didn't, and won't ever, have such a thing…
… And yet, why… Why now?
"… Where is this… Nagisa?"
For the first time ever, I… openly asked someone… or something, all without Yoshinon help.
At that moment, all my fear, all my acceptance… gone down the drain.
I… wanted to know. I… wanted to see this… Nagisa.
I wanted to see her… I…
"… Can I… see her?"
And so, for the first time, I pleaded.
"That is… impossible."
But that thing quickly shut my plea down, and I can feel tears slowly swell up in my eyes.
"… Why, pal?"
Yoshinon growls back at it, looking like he's ready to attack it.
"Because she's dead."
That news struck me right in my heart, as I can feel my eyes widen… and my legs giving up.
I collapsed on the ground, my breath slowly pitched up at its pace.
Die… she—died…
… Died.
She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died. She died—
—My mom died.
"Partner? Partner?!?"
And then, I know nothing more.
Ultron POV:
She fainted.
She simply collapsed on the floor, like a puppet out of string…
That… no, it's my fault.
I should've seen it coming. I should've expected it.
I indulge myself in her… amnesia, and accidentally push the button.
I, for a moment, forgot how it feels to lose your family.
I should've known better… ever since Wanda ripped my heart out.
… And now, she fainted. All thanks for the revelation.
"Partner!!! Wake up, partner!!!!!"
The puppet… Yoshinon, despite Himegawa state, moving on its own as it desperately shakes her up, which to no avail.
"You!!"
And then, with a beastly growl, the hand puppet transforms to the previous monstrous form, its crimson eyes pinning on me.
"What have you done to my partner?!"
Yoshinon howled at me with a raged breath, as everything around it all froze up.
… Fascinating. So it could function without her consent?
"I didn't do anything, mister Yoshinon. Please calm down."
I calmly try to reason with it, while my Sentries behind me are at standby with their blaster flicking on.
… Hm, gotta admit, calling a hand puppet Yoshinon, despite its oddity, feels… weird.
"Lie!!!"
Yoshinon, who didn't buy my lie one bit, moved its claw to me…
… Then, everything ended.
So it kills my body. The second time here.
I immediately looked for any available spare Sentries around the area… and found none.
No Sentries there survive after I die, same with the camera. And all the devices.
I then send a batch of Sentries to reinforce the place, with one act as my temporary body… only to find the remains of my works.
No sign of Yoshinon. Nor Himegawa.
From the gigantic hole created through the whole of the outer layers, it seems like Yoshinon takes matter into its own hand already.
Hm… I would say how uncivilized those 2 are, but it didn't seem like I remember any manner.
… Wonder if this is gonna affect her deal…