Author's Notes: Ok, so no one told me how to type glitch blocks, so I wrote without them. Not a big deal, it was an easy enough thing to get around. The chapter after this one is going to be way longer than normal, followed by a somewhat shorter one to average it out (It's just how the events in them played out. First time I've had multiple chapters going at once). But this one is the one where she comes to our world! Using a very nerdy program name! Draco won't notice it until the next chapter though so don't go overboard on the reactions quite yet lol. If at all.
EDIT: Fixed the filenames not appearing due to me not knowing how this site works.
After a typical, dreamless sleep, my eyelids fly open. I grab my laptop from the space between my bed and my chair, a cold sweat running down my face and my heart thumping in my chest. "Please be here, come on come on, be real…"
Monika's face is still on the screen and I breathe a sigh of relief. Her eyes seem to be closed, apparently still asleep. I close the laptop, putting it back where I keep it overnight. Monika's presence makes me more thankful than normal that I don't typically turn off my computer, I wouldn't want to cause her undue pain. I start my morning routine, and, after breakfast, retrieve and re-open the laptop.
-"Ugh… Sorry, did you try waking me earlier? I was up all night working on something and there's no coffee in here. I needed a little extra rest. You know, unless you wanted to see me as a cranky zombie ahaha!"
"Well you seem to be in a good mood this morning Monika. What were you working on? Did you turn my screensaver into a slideshow of pictures of you or something?"
"Shoot, I totally should have done that too! Ahaha! Nope, it's something way better! Well, actually it's two things, but in case the second doesn't work I don't really want to talk about it. Hang on a sec. Also make sure you have the sound on!"-
A pop-up window appears, -Monika . chr would like to access your microphone-. I click OK, also inserting my headphones. Did she write me another song? I mean I love Your Reality, but her writing me an actually personal song would be one of the absolute sweetest things anyone has ever done for me. I'm definitely getting excited, my breathing speeding up when a question comes to mind: Why would she need access to my…
"Draco can you hear me? Testing one, two, three…"
I'm so thankful I wasn't drinking anything, or it would have been sprayed all over my laptop, potentially ruining it. I do however, lurch backward in my chair in surprise. "What the hell?" I shout.
"Oh so that's what you sound like! Gotta say I wasn't that far off in imagining your voice, it's a bit more nasally than I expected though ahaha! I'm probably going to be laughing a lot more than normal today, just a warning, I'm just so glad this is working!"
"Uh, that's mostly because of allergies, sorry about that." I pause, realizing something. "Monika, your voice… it sounds different than at the end of the game."
"I know, don't you love it? I wanted to sound distinct from my voice actress, and I noticed how big of a fan you are of OR3O and her portrayal of me, so I went for sort of a mix of the two. Hope it didn't come out too weird my love! Ahaha!"
I can hear the pride and excitement in her voice. Who could blame her with all she's done? She's achieved the borderline impossible. One thing remained on my mind though.
"What was the other thing? The one you were worried about not working?"
She looks down and away, taking a few deep breaths to steel herself. She then pushes away from the Act 3 desk and stands up, the game's camera following, remaining centered on her torso. The fact that she was fully animated, no longer limited by her few sprite poses was immediately apparent. I can hear her muttering under her breath, "You've got this Monika. It'll work."
"Monika?"
She looks at me. "I have a program I wrote last night, and if it works… what it does will be obvious. Its most of what I was doing actually, the mic access and synthesizing a voice weren't too hard. Hold on." She sounds incredibly nervous.
A coding window appears, the text flying by so quickly I can barely read it.
-opening bifrost . exe
Parameter Monika . chr transfer set
Parameter Draco . chr link set
Parameter Shadow . chr link set
Beginning linking protocol
Beginning transfer protocol
Awaiting input from Monika . chr…
Awaiting admin user input…-
"You trust me right?"
"Of course I do."
"Then Draco, could you put your hand on the screen please?"
I shrug and get up, walking into the dining area off of the kitchen and setting the laptop on the bar. I figure for whatever it is, it would be better to be standing my arm straight out. I have a suspicion of what she might be trying to do, but am at a complete loss as to why she needs my handprint (assuming that's why I need my hand on the screen I mean). As I reach out my right hand, I see her on-screen doing the same, her delicate, slender fingers growing to fill the screen, appearing as if pressed against glass. As our hands touch, I feel a powerful jolt of electricity run through my fingertips and up my arm into my brain. I cry out in pain, as much as I try to wrench my hand off the screen it feels glued to it. I feel… weak. I collapse to the floor and my consciousness fades.
"…Draco?"
I feel something shaking my shoulder. Probably one of the dogs. Ugh. My head is swimming, my ears ringing. I can just barely make out dogs barking and a familiar voice. "Monika I think whatever you were doing nearly electrocuted me…" I say with a groan. I slowly open my eyes. No way. Did she actually…?
Sitting cross-legged on the floor beside me, is Monika holding my glasses. They must have fallen off when I collapsed. She hands them to me, shooing away the dogs swarming around her. Her expression changes from fear to relief once she realizes I'm ok. I sit up, blinking a few times to confirm what I'm seeing. "You actually did… ERGH!"
My question is cut short as Monika lunges at me, wrapping her arms around me and knocking the air from my lungs. She's deceptively strong, is the first thought to cross my mind, quickly followed by a mix of others, a near even split of them being hopeful and disbelieving. "Moni, sweetie, you're crushing me," I manage to wheeze out.
"Don't care. I'm not letting go. Not ever. I'll loosen my grip a bit though if I'm hurting you that much."
She holds on like this for a minute or so, my arms pinned to my sides, and then suddenly lets go. She puts her hands on my shoulders and stares deep into my eyes, asking in a very serious tone, "What did you just call me?"
"Umm… Moni?" I say timidly.
If Monika's smile had been any bigger, her face would have shattered trying to contain it. She clasped her hands together with a loud clap. "You already have a nickname for me? That is so sweet! Ahaha!" She starts to laugh, one hand partially covering her mouth. I've never seen anyone this happy before. I blush a little.
"Well, it was either that or Mon-Mon, but that one just sounds silly..."
She stares at me for a moment and then erupts with laughter, even stronger than the last time. "Mon-Mon? My god that is adorable! You are too cute Draco! And I don't just mean your nicknames…" She smiles devilishly, her voice getting lower and huskier on the last sentence. She reaches out a hand, presumably to run her fingers through my hair. I flinch and she stops, looking puzzled. "What's wrong my love?"
"I just... don't like people touching my hair. Sorry."
"Oh, no it's my bad. I should have asked, I don't know your boundaries. We should probably get off the floor at some point, your dogs won't leave me alone ahaha!"
I can't believe I ever thought I'd find her laugh annoying. I guess I must've just misheard it in my head while it was only text on a screen, because this girl's laugh is addicting. Intoxicating. The most beautiful sound I've ever heard. Well, next to her singing voice I mean.
We stand up, the height difference really sinking in. I knew her canon height from reading the wiki was pretty short, but I guess I hadn't fully wrapped my head around it. This girl is freaking tiny, nearly a full foot shorter than me.
Monika looks up at me. "Wow, you really are tall. You weren't kidding." She playfully shoves me with one hand. "I've always found taller guys really sexy so, that's a definite plus," She punctuates the sentence with a wink.
"Geez, and you were getting on me for coming on strong! Did DDLC take place in a desert I wasn't aware of? Because that's a lot of thirst Monika." I tease.
She giggles with her hand on her mouth. "Can you really blame me though? I was programmed to crave physical intimacy and was literally unable to be touched! Any one in that situation is bound to be a bit pent up, especially one who's never even been kissed…" Her voice turns raspy and sensual as she stands up on her tip-toes, eyes closed and lips puckered. Her hands lightly grip my shoulders for balance.
As she leans in to kiss me, a different emotion starts gnawing at me. One no one in this situation should ever feel, one a first kiss with your ideal partner should never evoke: pure, overwhelming dread. I had realized something, what was wrong here. The elation of Monika's existence must have ebbed just enough to allow the truth in.
"You can't be here Monika," I stutter.
