She had spent a year within cyberspace and in all honesty, it was torture. She's never experienced such a lonely existence; it was agonizing to say the least. No one to talk to, the inability to feel, it was something too unbearable to was never even any kind of stability within this world. She had visited many sites during the last year and the next time she saw them they'd be completely different; A website that used to be heartfelt songs composed by a youth had changed into a chat site full of lonely strangers begging for conversation, a fan-site for a popular band had been reduced to a shady cosplay site. She didn't even know of her own stability, now a computer program she existed as a code. But she was dead, right? The motionless figure she saw a year ago surrounded by wires was unmistakably her.

"Open your eyes."

That was the command the snake spoke unto her, yet she was still baffled of that memory in itself. She could remember the words, her burning eyes and blue. Everything was blue. Her surroundings, her form. It was only moments before in which she was terrified for her life -if she was even considered alive- and the fast pace at how she was disappearing. Now a program, she figured the snake had saved her in a way. The girl felt like whatever state she was in was the equivalent of dying.

Something which shocked the cyber girl most was the people she saw. Tateyama-sensei was there speaking of a haze, which she didn't fully understand. However something even less understandable was the body within the container. Konoha. A game character, it was impossible, she figured it must be something to do with Haruka, that's the only thing that could explain it. But if that was true did that mean Haruka was alive right now. Probably wishful thinking on her part.

Thinking back on those memories confused her as they gave her nothing but unanswered questions as to what happened and how it was possible, she shook her head, leaving the thoughts and went back to what she was doing, she was almost at her destination.

She had sent herself to a familiar e-mail, one of Shintaro Kisaragi, she wouldn't know if they were friends, he pissed her off too often for that but he was important right now. If this was to work she'd be able to get somewhere. The amount of people she used to be somewhat close to was sparse. Haruka was either dead or had somehow lived (She figured the existence of Konaha may be him), and Ayano, well, she had visited news sites and stories of an 'Ayano Tateyama's suicide were present. At the time this caused the cyber being more confusion and sadness, she had no idea what drove her to do it, she was like the embodiment of happiness. She never thought something like that was even possible with Ayano, but she guessed it was something she had to face. To others she, herself, would be considered dead now, wouldn't she? All of this was more reasons why she needed Shintaro, as much as she never thought she would think of something like that, she couldn't deny it. She could only imagine his smug grin and defiance towards helping her, but in a state like this, she expected refusal must be out of the question.


Shintaro Kisaragi was sat at his desk, the same place as usual, like every other day. Clad in black with dull eyes, what more could you expect from someone who hasn't left their house in a year? He was isolated within his room, the only noise was the clacking of keys and the occasional click of a mouse. Darkness shrouded the room like a blanket, not even a ray of light could fight its way past the opaque curtains. One side of the computer stood an opened bottle of cherry coke, the other, a frame holding a picture of a young female, red scarf draped round her neck and a smile so beautiful it would even make Aphrodite jealous. But of course a picture was never as good as the real thing, but in this case the real thing wasn't even attainable anymore.

The male's tired, muddy eyes were focused on the screen of the computer, this was normal. Day in day out his eyes would be on the screen. He was helplessly addicted to the computer - more-so, the internet. He would wake up and drag himself to the computer, after all, it was the only thing the world had to offer him anymore. Now that she's gone, it was increasingly hard just to find a reason to live. He hated himself for what had become of her, he could've stopped it, he could've..

A painful sob escaped his lips.

He saw her crying that day, consoling people wasn't in his nature so he let her be. One day after school he pushed her away like she was nothing, saying things like "You're annoying!" and "Leave me alone!" How could he push her away like nothing when she meant everything? How could he tell her to leave him alone when everyday for the past year he prayed for her to come back?

The only thing he could do to reach her was sleep. In his dreams she was still there. She would give him that smile he loved so much. The smile he begged to stay in his mind forever. The red scarf, her deep chocolate hair, her voice. He had to remember them. If he couldn't who would? But every day it was fading. With hands clutched in his raven hair he hunched over. This is why he couldn't interact with people, the more he's around people the more he'd forget her. If he can't go back to the past then he just has to grip onto his memories with all his might.

The NEET was so consumed by guilt and longing he almost missed the noise from the computer indicating he had an e-mail. Using his sleeves he rubbed his eyes and tear stained cheeks. He was so pathetic.

The sender was anonymous, but he wasn't in the right mind to question it. The dark male stupidly opened the e-mail without hesitation. He realised his mistake too late when bright blue pixels scattered around his screen forming a girl of some sort.

What was this, some sort of virus? He really couldn't deal with this. Not now.