*A/N* First Fic, sorry if the writing seems stiff. Hope y'all can enjoy it regardless.

"Okabe! Is this really okay?! Are you okay with time leaping?! Are you?!" Kurisu shouts while setting up the Phonewave.

Smoke completely fills the room, making sight nearly impossible. Squinting through the fog, I grope for the headset.

"Do it, Kurisu! Activate the machine!" I have to change the past! I can't let Mayuri die. Not like this.

I can barely see anything in the thick smoke that Future Gadget #4: Monad Snake had produced. This was good though. Maybe I won't have to see any more of my friends shot before I time leap. A chill runs down my spine as I recall Mayuri's lifeless body, falling to the ground after being shot by Moeka.

Right as I finish this thought, a spray of bullets enter the room.

"Ah!"

While I couldn't see it, I knew that Kurisu had just been shot. Flecks of blood splash onto my hands.

"Kurisu! Activate it!"

Right as I shouted this, a large shaking filled the room. The discharge phenomenon is starting! Through the smoke, rays of blue lightning snake out from the Phonewave. I roughly shove the headgear on my head. Holding my phone up, I prepare to dial the Phonewave.

Mayrui! You will not die. I will save you!

As I thought this, another shower of bullets enter the room. As the smoke starts to dissipate, I see that there are yellow sparks mixed in with the blue lightning. Confused, I give the Phonewave a quick examination.

…

...

Fuck.

The Phonewave had been shot several times. Smoking holes appeared on the Phonewaves panel. I could see several frayed wires poking out of the machine. That must have been what was producing the sparks.

"O-Okabe, what are you doing?! Hurry and time leap! This is no time to second guess yourself!" Kurisu shouts over the roar of bullets.

She's right. If I don't time leap now then Mayuri will stay dead.

Before I wasted anymore time, I pushed my thumb onto the call button. The CRT downstairs was still on, and it's still producing energy. It has to work.

The world starts bending. It's working!

"STOP!" I see one of Moeka's men rush in with his gun. He raises his rifle and aims directly at my forehead.

Right as I see his finger push the trigger down, the world goes dark.

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…

S-S-So… dark….

So cold...

What is this? Where am I? Where is Mayuri?

I can't move anything. My whole body is numb. I try to scream but no noise comes out. It felt like I was dunked in frozen water.

I immediately decide that this must be hell. Funny how most people think that hell is supposed to be hot. They were all wrong. This cold void must be what awaits damned souls. I tried to defy time, and by extension tried to defy God. I was probably shot by that guy before I could time leap.

I'm in hell. Stuck for all of eternity in this pit? I guess I deserve it.

…

…

...

...

Then, after what seems like years, the air around me turns warm again. What was happening?

Everything hurt. It felt as if thousands of knives were stabbing me over and over again. My head kept pounding so hard that I wouldn't be surprised if it suddenly exploded. How can I be in this much pain? Slowly, I opened my eyes. I didn't even realize I had been closing them. I find myself staring at my phone. I'm back in the lab. The time leap worked. Was that void just what happens when I time leaped?

"Okabe? Are you okay? You're shivering…"

I slowly turn my head to the left. Kurisu is staring at me with worried eyes. Seems like the time leap worked after all, given she doesn't seem to have a bullet wound on her. She was standing at the entrance of the lab. As warmth starts to return to my body, I realize that I could feel again. Kurisu was right. I was shaking so much that I had even knocked down the Upa pillow that was placed on the sofa.

"N-No… I'm fine. I'm just feeli- urp!" I tried to say an excuse but a wave of nausea suddenly overtook me. I jumped out of the couch and ran to the kitchen. I barely make it to the trash can when I started throwing up my insides. Strangely enough, my headache started to dissipate as I vomited into the trash can.

"Okarin! What's wrong with you dude? Did you eat some expired food or something?" Daru had been playing a visual novel on his computer. He looked at me over his shoulder with furrowed brows.

"N-Nothing. What's the time and day?" I managed to choke out a response.

"Huh?" Daru looked even more perplexed. "What does that have to do with anyth-"

"Just tell me damn it!" I need to know how much time is left before Moeka and her men attacked again.

"Well, it's the 13th, a little past 5."

Alright. If that's the case, I only had a couple more hours until Moeka and her Rounders break into the lab. I needed to find Mayuri before the deadline came up. I brought up my phone and dialed Mayuri's number.

"Tutturu! Mayushii here."

I hear Mayuri's cheerful tune on the phone. The voice brings relief to my mind.

"Mayuri! Where a-"

"But I can't answer the phone right now."

Shit. It went to voicemail.

"Mayuri. Call me back as soon as possible, alright? Please." I must have sounded desperate because Kurisu narrowed her eyes at me.

"What's going on, Okabe? Is Mayuri okay?" Kurisu started to question me. I had no time for this.

"You two, get out of the lab. Go back to your houses and stay there until tomorrow." I spat out those words and ran out of the lab as fast as possible, to the confusion of Daru and Kurisu.

I have to save Mayuri! If I fail again… I would need to go through that time leap again

I would really prefer not to jump into that void again but if I fail to save Mayuri this time, I would have no choice but to time leap again. This time, I have an advantage though. I know what Moeka will do. I should be able to prevent Mayuri from dying this time.

As I steel my resolve, I walk torwards Yanabashi Shrine. I will keep Mayuri safe, no matter the cost.