Tanaka breathed in the frosty air. It was the first week of spring. The fragile new buds of life had just begun poking out of the icy earth, and gently competed with each other for room to grow. The barren trees were preparing new leaves to replenish their empty branches. The ground was softening, free of the cold that hardened it to the core. The arrival of spring meant that soon, new life was to be found.
His boots crunched against the rough soil. He carefully avoided stepping on any delicate blooms. He was not a botanist, but it would be interesting to see how the animals of the forest would interact with these young plants. This environment was still unknown to him. Many of the plants he could not identify, so how was he supposed to provide information on the animals here? He crouched down and perched himself over a particularly strange sprout. It was no more than a few inches from the ground, but its stem was split into four, creating a peculiar cross pattern. Tanaka wondered what it would look like when fully matured.
Distantly, Tanaka heard soft footfalls. He stood up and looked around cautiously. If it was a mother bear with her cub, he would have to be more careful with his next actions. He drew slow deep breaths to calm himself and tone down his presence. What poked its head around the trunk of the tree was not a mother bear, but instead a doe and her fawn. The fawn looked to be around two weeks old and looked curiously at Tanaka. Slowly he reached out his right hand and began his chant of "It's okay. You're alright. Everything's fine."
Although the fawn seemed hesistant at first, it slowly stepped forward and began to sniff Tanaka's fingers. The mother followed behind it. Tanaka allowed them time to become acquainted with him before lightly stroking the top of the fawn's head. The fawn leaned in to his touch and soon Tanaka had both deer rubbing up against him.
The loud snap of a breaking branch startled the animals and they jumped up, alert. Tanaka protectively shielded them with his arms. He was not one to mess with the dog-eat-dog methods of nature, but he had not yet recorded the statistics of these two and was not willing to feed them to predators so easily. The snapping of the branches grew closer and closer. Tanaka began to doubt that it was a predator, for no creature would walk this rambunctiously up to its next meal. The deer, full of fear and panic, leapt from their places by Tanaka's side and bounded off into the forest. Tanaka sighed. It was such a shame. He was ready to investigate the source of the commotion when a figure stepped out into view.
It was, in fact, no mere animal. A young girl stood there, looking around. She was dressed in a simple green and white dress with a large red ribbon over her chest. The red ribbon was topped with an elegant looking blue jewel and was tied under the dress's collar. Her blonde hair fell down to her knees and was held in a braid by a lovely black bow. Her pale green eyes met Tanaka's and she appeared surprised.
"Tanaka-san…? It cannot be… I cannot believe it… I absolutely cannot believe it!" she exclaimed. "Truly, are you truly Tanaka-san?"
That voice. The voice with a faint Novoselic accent that had charmed Tanaka so many times back when he was still alive. He stared at her first in wild disbelief, then quickly became outraged. His voice was so low that he could have been speaking to himself.
"What foul sorcery is this…?" he snarled. "Do the tendrils of hell pursue me to no end?!" He began walking slowly towards Sonia, hands clenched into fists at his sides. She looked up at him in fear and took small steps back, trembling with shock. She had never seen him so crazed before, so aggressive.
"T-Tanaka-san?" she cried. He said nothing, only glared at her with bewildered eyes as he closed the distance between them. Her heels collided with the trunk of a tree. She was cornered now, with nowhere to run. She braced herself for the worst. Would he hit her? Kill her even? Her body rushed with adrenaline and she felt a heavy weight inside her chest. Her heart beat rapidly and her breaths were hasty.
I'm afraid. she realized. For the first time in her life, Sonia Nevermind was afraid of Gundam Tanaka.
He came to a stop just a few inches away from her. Sonia closed her eyes and held her arms infront of her protectively, waiting for the blow.
It never came.
Instead, she felt Tanaka's arms pull her into a warm embrace. He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on the top of her head, then moved down and nuzzled her neck. His touch relaxed her body instantly and her arms fell slack at her sides. She had missed his gentle touch. Leaning into him, she wrapped her arms loosely around his back. He rested his head on her shoulder.
"You have returned to me at last, my lady." he whispered. "Although you are just an illusion sent by the demons of the underworld to deceive me, I have wished to see you again for quite some time." Sonia nodded into his chest.
I must be dreaming, she thought. Tanaka-san is just another part of my dream. When I wake he will be gone again… oh… when did I fall asleep I wonder?
Sonia had woken up on the forest floor. It was quiet and cold, and she had no clue as to how she had gotten there. She shivered slightly, her simple dress not protecting her from the freezing winds. She looked around for someone who could help her, or provide an explanation, but the surrounding area showed no signs of other people. Her body was unusually light, and her chest felt deeply… empty. She thought it was quite strange but decided to focus on leaving the forest instead. It would not do to stay overnight without the proper supplies.
A particular area beckoned Sonia to walk in its direction. She didn't know why, but she followed it with slow, steady steps. It called to her, lulling her with its promise of comfort and safety. It was as if fate had tied her with a thread and was pulling her along. She continued, patiently following, until she heard the rustle of movement nearby. She turned, and that was when her obedience paid off. There, standing in the clearing, was Gundam Tanaka.
They stood there, entwined in each other's arms, for several long moments. Finally, it was Sonia who pushed away to look up into Tanaka's eyes. She kept her hands in his, afraid that if she let go, he would disappear. She blinked at him. He still looked the same, with his distinct red and grey eyes, and the jagged scar that ran down the left side of his face. His hair remained styled, albeit slightly messy, and she smiled at the sight of some unruly strands. She lifted a hand to smooth them back.
"I must be dreaming." she said. The heavy air around them seemed to dissipate as Tanaka's smile grew bigger and bigger before finally, he gave in and roared with laughter.
"Fuahahahaha! Such are the costs of living a conjured life!" he shouted. "Worry not, Lady Sonia, for as long as you wish to stay in this dream of yours, I, Gundam Tanaka, shall keep you tethered to this realm!" He picked up a fallen branch and began drawing ritual circles on the ground beneath them. Sonia watched in awe as he swiftly traced out some intricately connected shapes and rings. She was amazed at how well he could remember the positioning of all of it.
"This is hella cool, Tanaka-san!" she exclaimed. His graceful hand slipped briefly as he looked up, flustered. He pulled his scarf up to hide his blushing face before going back to shakily continue his work.
"T-thank you." he replied hastily. He filled in the last of the spell inscriptions before declaring, "The preparations are now complete." He offered Sonia his bandaged hand and she took it gingerly before carefully stepping into the circle. Tanaka kept his hold on her as he led her into the center.
"Now, I inquire of you, Lady Sonia, as this must be answered honestly for the ceremony to be successful, do you wish to remain in this realm with me for the rest of your indefinite life?!"
She smiled honestly before answering. "I do, Tanaka-san."
"Then so be it!" He raised his right hand in some kind of prayer, his other hand still grasping Sonia's. Tanaka closed his eyes and began to chant an incantation filled with words Sonia could not understand. She waited patiently as he went through verse after verse, before finally relaxing his hand and opening his eyes to meet hers. "It is done." he said.
Sonia jumped with the excitement of a young schoolgirl. She hugged Tanaka, whose scarlet face was quickly turning a deeper shade of red, and looked at him in admiration. "That was amazing, Tanaka-san! You are truly the best! Once I return to Novoselic you must come with me so I can appoint you the role of head sorcerer!"
He shook his head. "That is not wise, Lady Sonia. If my tainted being were to set foot in your beloved country of Novoselic, all your crops would become afflicted with blight and great ruin would be brought to the land. It is only due to my self-casted barrier that you are protected from my destructive powers, princess. However, it is imperative that no mortal lips ever make contact with mine, as their fragile soul would be absorbed by my inescapable presence-"
Upon hearing the word "lips", Sonia thought of an idea. She leaned in closer to Tanaka, who was still absorbed in his monologue about the cataclysmic events he had caused upon gaining his earthly body. He noticed her movements too late and had no time to react as she balanced on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips up to his.
He did not pull away immediately like she had expected. She thought that perhaps he had been frozen in place by shock, but when she opened her eyes and met his gaze, she found that his eyes showed hints of pleasure. His face was, of course, the deepest shade of red that Sonia had ever seen, but that didn't stop her from enjoying their kiss. She had waited for this moment for so long, and now she was finally getting it. It felt like an eternity that they were there, with their lips connected, but at last, Tanaka pulled away.
"Perhaps," he breathed. "Perhaps you are no mere mortal…" Sonia giggled at this and pushed at him playfully. He looked at her in mock annoyance and haughtily shouted, "What mischief is this? You dare lay hands on the great Gundam Tanaka? Then I shall not hold back! Not even on a fair lady such as yourself! Face my wrath!"
He leapt at her and tickled her all over as she fell to the ground, laughing. "Tan-Tanaka-san! Hahaha! Stop! I beg! T-Tanaka-san!" They rolled on the soft earth, enjoying each other's company. Sonia's giggles echoed throughout the forest, accompanied by Tanaka's roars of laughter. As they lost themselves in their merriment, neither of them kept track of the passing time. When the two eventually rose, they found that hours had passed and the sun had already begun its descent into the horizon. Tanaka offered Sonia his hand once more.
"Come, my lady. The night is upon us and it would not do to dwell in our current position. I have made my place of residence nearby, and we may shelter ourselves there for the evening." She took his hand as a sign of her approval, and the couple proceeded to make their way to Tanaka's home. As the two marched into the distance, Sonia couldn't help but think about the emptiness she felt inside her. Something in the back of her mind told her that she wasn't dreaming, but what did it matter anyway?
She smiled at him, genuinely pleased. It was not the fake smile that she gave as the princess of Novoselic, nor was it the polite one she gave to solemn noblemen. No, this smile was authentic, and was one that belonged to Sonia Nevermind, the eternal companion of the Ascendant Ruler of Ice.
"I wasn't able to find anything. I'm sorry."
The survivors and the Future Foundation had met back up in the meeting room the next day, as planned. Alter Ego had gone through the files but hadn't been been able to pinpoint the source of their troubles or replicate the altered memories that had been transferred into the remaining students. It was quite a bother, not knowing what the survivors could remember, but nothing could be done at the current time so they dropped the subject rather quickly and went back to more immediate matters.
"This is troublesome." said Kirigiri. "Is it possible that Enoshima's virus corrupted the data as it was being transferred?"
Alter Ego shook its head. "It shouldn't be. When I checked Nanami's files she seemed untouched, so Enoshima's virus should only be affecting the simulated areas of the program. That's why it's safe to export her out…"
"But aren't our memories taken from the simulated places?" asked Souda. "Think about it, that's where we were the whole time. Wouldn't be surprised if Enoshima got in from there and all."
Togami nodded. "Yes, that is a rather interesting point isn't it…"
"Still!" cried Alter Ego. "It shouldn't be possible. Even though your avatars were in the simulated areas, your actual memories were moved to data storage where they should have been held. Unless Enoshima got access to the database, they shouldn't have been touched by her. But, if she did have access, Nanami would be affected as well! I-I'm sorry. I'm just bringing up more questions…" The program looked conflicted, as if deciding between further explanation or letting everyone think for themselves.
"Is there anything else you can look at, Alter Ego?" asked Kirigiri.
"No… I'm sorry. I've gone through it all already…" The A.I. had a habit of frequently apologizing, even when it wasn't at fault.
"I see…" Kirigiri looked up. "It's unnerving to think that something else may have infiltrated its way into our systems. Although it shouldn't be a problem, it makes me somewhat… hesistant about exporting Nanami." She closed her eyes, deep in thought. "Perhaps we should wait until this is cleared up to-"
"No!" Kirigiri's eyes shot open. Everyone in the room stared curiously at the hologram, who cleared its throat sheepishly. It was obviously uncomfortable with all the attention it was getting. "I-I'm sorry. That was unlike me. It's just that… Nanami's been alone for so long… the whole time she's been waiting for you guys to go and get her. She shouldn't have to wait any longer!"
Naegi had never seen the A.I. act so passionately before. It had always been timid and diffident, obediently following the Future Foundation's every command. He was surprised to see that it would oppose Kirigiri's suggestion, but surely, if it were reacting so strongly, its opinion was to be considered. It was possible Alter Ego was correct anyways. Naegi didn't know what it was like to be a computer program, nor did the rest of them. Perhaps Alter Ego was merely looking out for its fellow A.I., and knew what would be best for both of them. Naegi nodded.
"Alright, Alter Ego. If that's what you think is best, then we'll try and get her out of there as quickly as possible. Her synthetic body should be finished in a matter of days, if not sooner. We'll alert you immediately when it's ready."
A huge smile lit up the program's face. "Ah! Naegi-san, thank you! If I could hug you I would, but…" It smiled again awkwardly and gestured at its parameters. This caused Sonia to giggle, and a wave of deja-vu surged through her. She shivered at the unnatural feeling. Kuzuryuu seemed to notice.
"Hey Sonia, are you okay?" he asked. She nodded and dismissed his concern with a wave.
"Forgive me, I'm fine. I just felt as though… I were forgetting something is all." He seemed to accept her answer and sat back in his chair.
"Oh, I see. Understandable with our current situation."
"If I may interrupt your little chat," spat Togami. "We have more pressing matters to attend to."
Kuzuryuu's brow furrowed and he growled. "What the fuck is your problem, shithead?! I was just checking up on her!"
"Checking up on her doesn't take priority right now. If it's not of immediate importance, you shouldn't force everyone to waste their time, listening to trash like you."
As the two bickered in the background, Sonia's thoughts drifted towards the shudder she had felt when she giggled. Perhaps it was because she hadn't laughed in such a long time, at least not since… the incident. Still, she felt a little uneasy and couldn't help stop herself from wondering what had caused it. She remembered Tanaka talking about how people felt chills when spirits passed through them.
Then it must be Tanaka-san who is here, no? She smiled at the thought of him watching over her and let out a quiet, happy sigh. It is surely him.
Oh, Tanaka-san… when will we be reunited again?
