The Leftover Fragment

by Aiko Isari

She doesn't remember, not a thing. It all got erased, including the man who is so fond of her and cried for some reason she doesn't know, and the people she meets in the 'net are too familiar but all her memories are melding together now ever since her children died. Nothing makes sense, and nothing is beloved. That's what time travel does to you.

6. 6

Noisy.

These people are noisy. It's almost like being in a crowd between the two of them, only easier because there is less being forgotten here than there is in a crowd.

(Right? She's telling the truth, isn't she?)

They didn't have to look at each other in the chat, but this is real life, real conversation. She's never realized how much she hates it.

Still. She likes EDEN. It's a nice little garden. Lots of people tend to it and make it grow and spread.

(But it's not your garden, is it?)

Ignore the thought, keep moving forward. Don't think of the kind person looking at you so sadly from that monitor, don't think of the strange misshapen longing in his eyes, don't think of any of it-

Nokia, Akiino, is the epitome of noise, but it somehow comforts Sayo to have her constant chatter about anything and everything. Most of it is new to her. She doesn't spend much time at home. She will now though, won't she? She's not allowed to fight anymore, has nothing to fight with.

Arata himself, Bluebox, is actually rather playful, sober too, and easily irritated. Sayo wants to play with his hair, see if cat ears come out. He flicks her hat a lot, flicks it and her nose and smiles at her like he knows how not okay she actually is.

They are good people, strange but good. For some reason, they are also very, very familiar.

She's not sure if she likes that.