Trapped in a Strange New World
Steins;Gate
Chapter Fourteen

2012.07.24 - 9:55 PM MDT
Tuesday

We arrived at the rendezvous point with about five minutes to spare. The time machines were meant to touch down at ten o'clock on the dot, so all we could do was wait. Usually I would feel really uncomfortable going onto private property like this. We were trespassing. We could get arrested if someone found us here. All this was at the back of my mind, but I wasn't wasting my energy worrying about it. I was far more concerned about what just went down at the cottage. Papa was nice to me. He accepted me for who I was. Did I really want to go back to the previous worldline? I was so conflicted.

Once the five minutes had passed, I heard a whooshing sound followed by a bright flash of rainbow coloured light. The two time machines appeared and the doors slid open. The older Violet and Okabe stepped out and greeted us. My older self then emerged from her time machine, alongside a smiling Mayuri. I guess she really did land up enjoying the ride.

"Kurisu! Violet! How did that visit to your father's house go?"

That innocent question from Mayuri really broke something inside me. I realized I would never see Papa again if I went back. He was insane and imprisoned in Russia. Even if I got a visa and managed to get permission to see him, would I really want to? I fell to my knees in tears. Suzuha and the younger Violet came to my side. They were with me at the cottage, so they were aware something was wrong. Especially Violet. She knew everything. I sensed my older self walking up to me. I look up at her and she smacked me across the face. Everyone was shocked.

"I understand what you're going through, but we need to stay strong." She told me. "This worldline is a lie. It's cheap and unearned."

"Really? Why should I have to earn the love of my own father? Why should I go back to a worldline where he hates me?" I wait a few seconds and I then stood up and slapped my older self across her face. This was in response to her lack of an answer. "Well? Tell me!"

"Is that what you're basing your this outburst on? You think you'll stay here and spend more time with Papa?" She closed her eyes and sighed. "I think you need to know that his days are numbered. Papa dies in 2015."

"Wha… what?" A deep wrenching pain formed in my chest. He… dies? And only three years from now? I… I didn't want to see that. He was too kind and compassionate. I said nothing. I didn't have the energy to muster up a response. Okabe and the older Violet nodded in confirmation. Mayuri and the younger Violet also freaked out, much like I did. My older placed her hand a my shoulder.

"You need to be careful. I also thought that everyone would be happy if stayed here and played along." She told me. "Things are never that simple though. My miserable mood was contagious and it spread around. No one was ever truly happy. Not Violet, not Okabe, not even Mayuri. If you continue down this path, it will be the end of you. The end of us. Trust me on this."

I couldn't think of anything to say to this. I guess this worldline wasn't as wonderful as I thought. My older self was painting a rather dark picture. No one would be happy. That's not what I wanted at all. I wanted everyone to be happy. I didn't think this worldline would be so sad and depressing. Maybe I should change it back. Maybe this was the right thing to do.

With tears still in my eyes, I informed everyone of what happened at the cottage. I told them that Papa did get a dmail, but it was very long. The Phone Wave couldn't have sent the whole message all in one go. It was also sent through the mail, so there was no phone number to track it from. It seemed like a dead end, but then Okabe asked me something I hadn't thought of yet.

"I find it hard to believe that this one dmail is to blame for all our problems." He told me. "Are you sure there's no changes unrelated to your father?"

I thought long and hard about this. Nothing was coming to mind. Then the older Violet spoke up with something her had just remembered.

"Oh. Didn't you mention that Okabe had Reading Steiner back in your worldline? Well, now he doesn't. That doesn't sound related to Papa."

"You're right." Okabe noted. "How did I originally acquire this power, Christina No. 1?"

"You told me that you got really sick sometime during your childhood." I told him. "That apparently resulted in your special ability."

"Well, that's helpful." Okabe growled in annoyance. "I didn't go into any further detail, did I?"

"No. You didn't." I said sternly. "But let me ask you this, do you remember getting sick?"

"I… don't." Okabe muttered to himself. "Do you remember me getting sick, Mayuri? Like really sick?"

"No. Mayushii doesn't remember anything like that."

"That's probably because it never happened." The older Violet jumped in. She then turned to me. "I think you're onto something here, Kurisu."

"Yeah. This also explains how you got Reading Steiner." The younger Violet commented. "Remember when I was telling Ruka about that horrible cold you caught back in 1999? That must've been the sickness Okabe was supposed to catch."

"I suppose that makes sense." I told everyone. I was distracted though. Something about the year 1999 seemed familiar. Then it hit me. "Okabe, didn't your family also travel to Hong Kong that year?"

"Yes. My father won second place in the lottery and he used some of the money for…" Okabe trailed off, his eyes widening in the process.

"What's wrong, Okarin?" Mayuri chipped in. I wanted to know to what was wrong as well. We soon found out.

"He won that money through the lottery, right? The number he used for the ticket. My father got it from an email he received. Do… do you think that was a dmail?"

"It's certainly a possibility." My older self answered. "May I ask why this has never come up before?"

"You've never been open to discussing this before." He told her. "That's why."

"Is there a chance that this email still exists?" I asked Okabe. "Would your Dad delete it?"

"I don't think he would delete it. Especially after he won all that money." Okabe paused to collect his thoughts. His eyes widened in realization. "Say, do you know where the Phone Wave (name subject to change) is right now?"

"Yeah. I have it in the back of the truck." Suzuha gave Okabe a confused gaze.

"Go and get it. The cell phone that I included with it is from my father. I got it as a hand me down."

We ran out to the truck. Suzuha opened the back door and grabbed the package with the cell phone in it. She ripped it open and pulled the phone out for everyone to see.

"And I thought 2010s tech looked ancient." Suzuha turned the cell phone on. She wore a puzzled expression. "What's the password, Uncle Okarin?"

"Password…?" Okabe was confused. He walked over to take a look for himself. "Right. This is Dad's business phone. Of course it would have a password. Try entering…"

Okabe trailed off just as he was getting to the important part. He then looked over at Mayuri.

"Mayuri, did I ever tell you the password? It's been so many years since I last used this phone."

"Hmm… I don't think so." Mayuri answered. Okabe then turned to the younger Violet.

"What about you?"

"No. I don't know the password either." Violet said this with a shake her head. Everybody sighed.

In order to get access to the lottery email, we needed that password. Only the present day Okabe knew the password though. We had to contact him. Suzuha tried calling the present day Okabe multiple times, but it kept going straight to voicemail. Honesty, it was more than a little frustrating. We spent about an hour trying to call him and we eventually gave up for the night. My older self felt that I had the situation under control and she decided it was time to return to 2036. This included Suzuha. The four time travellers prepared to make the 24 year jump home. The older Violet then made a passing remark.

"This was fun, I can't wait to get back to the streets of New York." She told us. "I love showing those Japanese tourists around the Big Apple."

The younger Violet looked shocked. I did too. This morning we were told that Violet became a flight attendant. Now she was a tour guide? The worldline must've shifted. My older self was surprised also, but she was much better at hiding it. Reading Steiner can really be curse.

"You're… you're an American citizen?" This was the question we were all asking. The older Violet covered her mouth in surprise.

"Oops. That was a rather large spoiler. Sorry about that."

"No. I'm happy you slipped up there." The younger Violet said with a smile. "I've always wanted to live here permanently."

"Yeah, I know." The older Violet laughed. "You still shouldn't know too much about the future though."

She then climbed into her time machine, followed by Okabe and my older self. Their time machines then faded and disappeared into the same rainbow coloured light we saw before. It was now Suzuha's turn. Suzuha told me that she really wanted to stick around, but there was four of us and only three seats in the truck. One of us couldn't come, Suzuha had to go. I promised that we would return this rental truck for her. Suzuha then hopped into her time machine. We saw the light show one last time and Suzuha jumped back to 2036. Three of us remained. I then turned to Mayuri and Violet.

"Let's go back to the cottage."

I walked passed them and opened the driver's door. I was about to place the key in the ignition when Violet stopped me.

"What… what do you think you're doing?"

I honestly didn't get this question. I gave her a puzzled expression.

"I'm starting the engine, of course."

"That's exactly it. Are you planning to drive us too? Kurisu, you don't have a driver's licence."

"Huh?" I almost doubted what I heard. What did Violet mean I didn't have a driver's licence? I immediately dug into my wallet looking for proof that she was wrong, I couldn't find it. Just as I getting used to this worldline, it had to throw another curve ball at me. I was a bit embarrassed. Violet then took out her wallet and showed me her driver's licence.

"Scoot over." She told me. I obeyed her and Mayuri sat in the passenger seat beside me. The middle seat felt so uncomfortable. How did Violet stand this for six hours? Speaking of Violet, I handed her the keys and she started up the truck.

Suzuha had left the radio on a generic pop station. As Violet pulled out of the golf course's parking lot, the music stopped. A series of irritating tones replaced the music, followed by one longer tone. I was about to change the channel when that tone stopped as well. An eerie robotic voice then filled the air.

"The following message is transmitted at the request of the United States Government. At about 8:45 PM PDT, an airliner of foreign nationality entered American airspace over Washington State without any contact with air traffic control. This aircraft has proceeded inland and is now in Idaho's airspace. It is not clear whether or not this is accidental or an act of terrorism. Repeat, it is not clear whether or not this is accidental or an act of terrorism. While the intentions of this aircraft are unknown, precautions are being taken in case it is declared hostile. Fighter jets are currently shadowing the airliner, but citizens are being advised to stay inside. Go to the basement or the lowest floor in the building. Get under sturdy furniture if possible. Please stay tuned to local media outlets as more information comes in regarding this developing situation."

This was followed by another series of tones and then pop music started up again. Other then that, there was silence. Mayuri was the first to speak up.

"What was that?" She asked us. Her English wasn't that strong, so she probably didn't understand the whole broadcast. Violet beat me to answering her question.

"That was the Emergency Alert System." She told Mayuri. "It was just informing us of some incident that's occurred aboard an airliner."

"Oh." Mayuri instantly frowned. I guess she was expecting something a bit happier than that. Mayuri then switched to a puzzled look.

"Wait… Emergency Alert System… is that like the American version of J-Alert?"

"Yeah. Something like that." I answered. "Except it's strictly TV and radio. America doesn't have large speakers just lining the every street."

"Right. Got it." Mayuri really was oblivious sometimes. She just got informed that something bad has just happened onboard an airplane and now she was smiling again. It all went in one ear and out the other. Mayuri was too innocent for her own good.

"Anyway, we really need to get back to the cottage now." Violet interrupted my train of thought. "If Papa heard that broadcast, he's gonna be worried sick."

Violet was right. We needed to get over there. With that said, Violet continued speeding towards our destination. Meanwhile, we had no idea what was going on 30,000 feet above our heads.

******
(Chapter Fifteen: Out Now!)