AKB0048: Glimpses of Humanity sub-series
Chapter 1: Help from NO NAME's Kanata, Orine, and Chieri!
Note: This is best seen after you have seen 'Glimpses of Humanity'. It is several scenes of Glimpses of Humanity but basically narrative that cannot be placed into the first-person narrative.
You see, Glimpses of Humanity was originally supposed to be a narrative based on Chris's POV, but there are some narratives ideas that I felt unsuitable in Chris's POV, so I decided to scrape it.
The scrapped idea, however, did not escaped my mind, so I decided to weave those compilation of unused/scrapped ideas into a Third-person Narrative.
You can also see it as a 'Expansion Pack' for Glmipses of Humanity as it will feature cameos from Love Live!
Note 2: NO NAME is basically the sub-group consisting of - Kanata, Chieri, Suzuko, Nagisa, Yuka, Orine, Sonata, Mimoti, and Makoto.
(From Phase One - Empathy)
Episode Four - I won't let down their efforts
(After the events of the Shinonome's reunion stated in Glimpses of Humanity.)
The very thoughts of her not being able to have a complete family struck again.
After reuniting Kanata, Sonata, and Mrs Shinonome with Mr Shinonome, those accursed thoughts struck its way to her heart once more.
Chris felt that surge of familiarity every time she reunited a family and she was no stranger to it.
AKB0048's Dormitory - Bathroom
"You're not alone, Chris-sempai!"
Kanata's words rang upon Chris's mind like an endless echo across the mountains.
"Why are they crying? Isn't crying for the weak?"
Chris could feel her cheeks becoming damp; she was crying...silently.
"Am I really weak for doing that?"
"Is this humanity, the ability to...to cry; to feel emotions, to be hapy, relief, and sadness?"
"Am I really alone?"
"Is it my fault the Fuschias died?"
Chris shook her head and clenched her fists upon a glass bottle of apple juice; the glasses shattered and cut her fists. A trickling fluid of red and blue slowly but steadily bled from her fists as the Icy Maiden shook her head.
"I don't know...I don't know...I don't really know..." Chris shook her head, but felt a soft grip upon her shoulders...
"Who...?" Chris turned around, slightly shocked, but saw a familiar redhead.
Kanata Shinonome...
"Chris-sempai...Y...You're bleeding! Are you okay?" the young idol exclaimed in worry.
"I..." Chris looked away, her cold, blue eyes calmed down as she shook her head. "That's nothing...you don't have to care much."
"Don't have to care much? You are still bleeding, for Pete sake! You are going to fall ill or get an infection if it's not treated! I am getting a first-aid kit, just stay here, okay?" Kanata frowned in concern.
Chris did nothing as Kanata ran out of the restroom to call for Yukirin's help. A few minutes later, both the sixth Yuki Kashiwagi and Kanata arrived with the former holding the kit in her hands.
"Kanata...I told you. My regeneration systems can deal with the task. You shouldn't bring huge inconvenience towards Ayako, right?" Chris frowned.
"Well, how about speeding up the healing process sound? You need bandages to slow the bleeding down like all wounds should; after all, what's worse than falling sick the next day due to injuries despite being a cyborg?" Kanata huffed.
"With those injuries you would have been on a cast. It's a relief that your body could hold out very well despite the shattered glasses." Ayako heaved in relief.
"Project Tundra, Magnetic dampeners and Liquid Nitrogen mixture augmented in my bone marrows, muscles, mechanical joints, and nerve endings." Chris sighed.
"Damage reduction, I see?" Ayako simpered. "Hold still, okay? Let me apply the bandages for you."
"I thought you will be shocked in seeing me smashing bottles to bits...Kanata." Chris frowned.
"You're still learning the meaning of humanity, Chris-sempai...I understand you will be struggling with the issue of whether crying is weak or just a sign of being human..." Kanata simpered as she placed her right hand upon Chris's left shoulders.
"Am I...really not alone?" Chris asked.
"I don't want to provoke another outburst Chris-sempai, but I am sure you will understand what Sonata and I said earlier...Besides, thanks...for saving my dad. I really thought he's gone four years ago, but your healing techs - stasis and cryosurgery - saved him." Kanata bowed and simpered once more.
Chris could feel a wave of warmth coursing through her body; a sign that even Yukirin's bird-like Kirara could detect. The cute creature flew near Chris and gave a small peck upon Chris's left cheek.
"There we go, all set and done! Your palms should be healed in about a day or two; get well soon!" Ayako simpered.
"Thanks...Ayako...and Kanata..." Chris sighed. "Sorry to have caused much inconvenience to the both of you."
"You are learning to be human, Chris. Kanata is right; you will understand the meaning of humanity soon. Just hang in there; you ain't alone!" Ayako nodded.
Kanata gave a huge grin, eliciting a small chuckle from Chris amidst her stained face.
"Thanks...I guess." Chris simpered.
Episode Seven
AKB0048 Dormitory Living Room
"We now know everything about the Fuschia's demise and how you are tied into all of this! They must be thinking about how they gave birth to such a useless, pathetic swine like you; failing to do your job as the Fuschia's daughter in rescuing them from their deathbed!" Megumi snarled.
Alito clenched her fists and was about to cross her hands when Chris patted her right hand upon Alito's shoulders.
"Alito...remember our promise to ourselves...we have to find the truth." Chris reminded. "Whatever Megumi says does jack to us now."
"But my Lady..."
"Remember what the Pale Rider said two years ago...it could be worse..."
Alito took a deep breath and sighed deeply. The rush of air concentrating upon Alito's palms dissipated as she continued to glare at the jealous Kenkyusei.
"Megumi...even if you think it's our fault that our parents died; we will trudge on until we find the truth at hand. Until then...watch this space!" Chris frowned as her eyes glowed blue and clenched her right fists. "Alito, no point in being angry towards Megumi; we have to search for Chieri. Let's go..."
Both Chris and Alito quickly dashed out of the room, leaving a shocked Megumi behind she was expecting them to crack down as Chieri did minutes ago...
"Um...Megumi...Not gonna lie, but we're threading on groundless accusations about Chris and Alito's parents. Sure...their parents died, but we really have no evidence that it's their fault. We might be on hot water here..." Hazuki Yanagawa looked upon her friend with eyes of deep worry.
Megumi looked down...and yelled, "DAMN IT!"
Meanwhile...after Chris, Alito, and Kanata consoled Chieri and telling her that her dreams of being an idol had nothing to do with her father...
*Knock! Knock!*
"Doors open...Help yourself!" Chris softly called out as she and Alito looked through the documents for the Audi A3's upcoming launch and the tuning parts agreements for her Audi Le Mans Quattro.
In stepped Chieri Sono in her light green sleeping gown...
"Oh...Chieri you have not slept yet? Are you still thinking about the incident hours ago, dear?" Chris caressed the light blue hair idol's hair and simpered. "It's alright...When the time comes we will talk some sense into your father. For now, don't worry, mm?"
"That's not why I'm visiting you and Alito..." Chieri gave a warm simper upon her delicate face. "Thank you...Chris and Alito-sempai."
"Huh?" Chris and Alito wondered.
"All the time during my stay at AKB0048, I was nothing but a complete prick towards Nagisa and co. At first, I thought that I am just doing this for the idols' good given the nature of the entertainment industry. But alongside Kanata, both of you make me realize that I can be speak my mind, but in a way where I don't have to look like someone rude to others. You made me realize that I'm never alone with my friends, even when I'm usually alone in the past..." Chieri simpered.
"But...all we ever did were embracing you and saying that your past has nothing to do with your past...We did nothing else...so how can you say that we helped out? If any, it's Kanata who helped out the most..." Chris wondered.
Chieri shook her head and simpered once more. "Those actions are well enough..."
"Miiii..." Chieri's green, squid-like Kirara with a hemisphere-like body and small blue cartoony eyes squealed softly as she hovered between Chris and Alito's shoulders and started glowing softly.
"My Kirara and I can feel it; the pain...the sorrow...the eventual feeling of loneliness and losing yourself amidst the darkness of it all, and the scars that you have to endure through the fourteen years..." Chieri wistfully smiled.
"How is it...?" Alito wondered.
"Kiraras are capable of feeling emotions within a person's soul - be it radiance, rage, anger, happiness, or sorrow. Besides...given the environment we lived in - living under the Entertainment Ban with war brooding around every corner of existence - I can feel that which the scars of your pasts are." Chieri then pulled the two maidens into a slow, yet warm embrace; wrapping her arms around their waists. "That is why I want to help the both of you too. Remember what Orine said about helping you find the truth of it all? Can I help?"
"But...why?" Chris wondered.
"You can't do this alone, Chris-sempai...Both Alito-sempai and you have helped us, and now...I want to help the two of you!" Chieri gave a bright smile, with Chieri's Kirara giving a soft mew and glowing softly once more.
"She can feel my pain, just like how her Kirara does...So...that's what Humanity is - warmth, empathy, and working with one another to reach our desired goals - right? It is...right?" Chris found herself smiling wistfully.
"As I have said earlier - you have helped us...now we will help you!" Chieri simpered as she extended her left hand.
Chris and Alito looked at each other and nodded.
Chapter 1 done! Chapter 2 will be up with cameo from Team Muse!
