What Once Was (A Steins;Gate 0 Story)
Chapter 14-Planning For the Event
Disclaimer:I don't own Steins;Gate, only this story...
"So, you're saying that because Suzuha was in hiding at the Lab, you had a delayed reaction to her 'Arclights' and sometime, between you going to sleep and waking up, your power to time travel was activated. After learning what you needed to know in the past, when you came into direct contact with Suzuha you nearly died, and were sent back here just in time to scare me half to death, screaming at the top of your lungs in terror. Is that the gist of it?"
"On the base level, yes."
"That dream that I had about meeting you back then was real, wasn't it?"
"Yes, that was a new memory you acquired, catching up to you in the future. It only happened because I changed it a bit, by encountering you earlier than I was supposed to."
After that little incident, they had eaten breakfast, and now they were sitting at the table, discussing the reason for his distress. Okabe had just finished telling her what happened, and that was her response. Withholding information that was of great importance, was not something that he wanted to do, and he already had to provide an explanation for waking her up, so it would not be wise to conceal the truth. He knew that if he wanted to live out on the streets, instead of staying with Kurisu, then keeping that big of a secret from her was the fastest way to do it. It was even worse, if such knowledge was kept under lock and key during a life or death situation.
"You also said that we have, at most, a few days before they find us. It could be tomorrow, for all we know."
"That is a possibility, though I hope we are not unfortunate enough to have that happen. It would be the worst case scenario, for it to occur so soon."
Seeing that the mood was so somber, Kurisu tried to create a break in the storm clouds. She perked up, proclaiming with confidence, "I'm not worried! I have you to protect me, after all. I know that you will do everything you can, to keep me safe." She reached over and wrapped her arms around him, as he did the same, holding each other tightly. He smiled softly, grateful beyond words to have her back by his side. The smell of strawberries calmed him down, and he sighed.
"Oh, Kurisu! What would I do without you?"
She grinned. "You'd be a sad scientist, not a mad one." Her tone shifted to seriousness. "You would be a depressed and miserable person. You WERE for so long, until you came back." She returned to the slightly more cheerful tone that she had previously. "You don't have to worry either! I'm not going anywhere."
Okabe prayed against all odds that that would be the case, but he couldn't shake his fear of losing her again. He couldn't bear the thought of being responsible for the situation that caused her death, more than once. The first time it happened, he was nearly crushed under the weight of his own guilt. If his friends hadn't been there for him, then he might have ended it all. Even with their help, there were days where he still felt like he could barely move forward, that simply staying alive was a struggle. No, it wouldn't happen this time, he'd make sure of it.
"Since the event can happen at any time, we need to be careful. I don't know what we're up against, so it's hard to be prepared. We can't come up with a plan for what we don't know, but I think we should go find Suzuha, and tell her what happened. Perhaps, she could give us some advice, even if we don't know what to do." Okabe suggested, knowing that Suzuha could probably help in some way.
"All right, it wouldn't hurt to get her opinion on it. We need all the help we can get right now." Kurisu agreed.
They left Kurisu's apartment, making sure to grab the wheelchair he had been using on the way out. Before stopping by the Lab, they would have to return it to the hospital, now that Okabe no longer had any use for it. Once it was done, they made haste getting to their destination, arriving in record time. Okabe knew the path so well that he could have run through the streets blindfolded, and he still would have found it.
The Lab was home to him. A safe haven for others to gather and make merry, accomplishing whatever task they had decided on. Whether that was creating a new invention, or thwarting the schemes of the dreaded 'Organization'. The denizens of this fabled place knew the wonders and joys that it could bring. The full name of the place was 'The Future Gadget Lab'. Each member was assigned a number and a matching pin to wear, as proof that they had been taken in by its charms. At the moment, there were only 3 members, but across all the worldlines, the number extended to 8. The numbers were decided by the order that they had joined in.
The total number of inventions that had been created was 8. There were only 7 now, because the 8th one was 'The Phonewave (Real name TBA)' and Okabe had destroyed it to prevent anyone using it ever again. There were actually 9 inventions, if you counted the one that he had made in the Beta worldline, 'Aphrodite's Umbrella' or 'Pocket Parasol'. Unfortunately, he had not been able to bring it with him, because of his abrupt departure. If he was going to stay here for awhile, possibly for good, then he could always create it again. It wasn't THAT hard to make, so it was no big deal.
Kurisu was the first to open the door, Okabe right on her heels. Daru was at the computer like always, lounging in his favorite computer chair. He had claimed in the past, that one of the reasons that he liked it so much was because of the chair's deceptively good back support. It didn't look like that was true, but no one in the Lab had ever had a chance to test it, so there was not much proof.
"Hey, Daru. Where's Suzuha?" She questioned casually, like it wasn't a big deal. Her plan worked like a charm, as Daru responded without even looking up from his computer, too engrossed in whatever virtual fantasy world was displayed on the monitor.
"She's not here right now. I think she said that she was going to blow off some steam, but I'm not sure exactly where she went."
A few seconds too late, he realized what a big mistake he had made. His eyes widened, and he could already feel the cold sweat beginning to run down the back of his neck. "Oh, crap! I wasn't supposed to say anything. She's going to kill me for this! I always imagined that I would die surrounded by hot chicks, not because my future daughter murdered me!" He turned to Kurisu. "Wait a minute. How did you find out she was here?"
Okabe stepped out from behind her. "She didn't. I did."
"Well then, how did YOU do it? I thought she was so well hidden, that you would have no idea she was here!"
Okabe sighed, not wanting to waste time explaining the whole story when they had better things to do. "The details aren't important, but the gist is that I traveled back in time and met Suzuha, at which point she told me she would be here at some point in the future."
Daru raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I thought you stopped all of that stuff after Mayuushi…well, you know."
"Believe me, Daru. It was not by choice. As much as I would like to say that it's over, it's not, and the second round is about to begin. It will be a while before the fight is over, and I'm done for good. Even if it never ends and I have to deal with it for the rest of my life, I will do what I have to." Okabe stated, with such conviction that Daru was speechless.
"All right man, I understand. Just let me know if you need any help. You're not in this alone, and you never were, even if at one point you thought that. Do what you have to do." After that, Daru turned back to his computer, meaning that the conversation was over.
"I guess we'll be going now." Kurisu said, as
she exited the Lab, with Okabe in tow.
"Later." Daru half-heartedly replied, most of his focus back on the game he was playing.
Okabe and Kurisu returned to the streets, trying to figure out where to begin searching. "Where do you think she might have gone, Kurisu?"
Kurisu had been thinking, but had come up with nothing so far, because of one pretty big reason. "How would I know, where she would go? I haven't even met her!"
Okabe grinned sheepishly. "That's true. I hadn't thought of that. I suppose it was stupid of me, to ask you something like that. Of course, you wouldn't know what a person liked or where they were most likely to go, if you have had no prior contact with them. I suppose that this one is all up to me."
Kurisu frowned, frustrated at her inability to do anything. "Sorry. I would help you if I could, you know."
"It's quite all right. I've grown used to having you around to help solve my problems, but I can also figure things out on my own." Okabe stated, truthfully.
"Let's see…I don't know much about this version of Suzuha. I know she was trained to fight like a soldier, and she's good at using guns. Hmmm…does she like guns, though? If she does…" Okabe trailed off, having been speaking to himself, but also out loud.
Kurisu had been following along, up until that point. "Okabe, what do you mean? What would knowing that she likes guns change?"
"That may not be where she went, but there is a shooting range inside a sporting goods store near the Radio Building. It's in the back of the store, but hunters seeking to enhance their aiming capabilities mostly use it. Anyone can use it, though, so if she likes guns like I think she does, then she would go there to blow off some steam."
Kurisu was looking at him in surprise, not expecting him to know about such a place. She couldn't say anything though, since she had never heard of it. Even though she had been staying in Akihabara for a while, she never really got out much unless she was going to the Lab, or to get groceries or something. She knew Okabe well enough to know that he wasn't interested in that type of stuff, so she didn't understand how he would come across knowledge, about such an out of the way place.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Okabe asked, taking notice of the way she was staring.
"I didn't expect you to know about such a place, so it just surprised me, is all. I was wondering, how you found out about it."
"I've never been there myself, but I have passed by that store many a time, and I heard various people on the street talk about it throughout the years. It's been there for a long time now, and supposedly, it's pretty popular with those who hunt." Okabe explained, satisfying her curiosity.
"All right, let's head there then. Even if she isn't there, it's worth checking out." Kurisu reasoned.
Okabe nodded, and they set off for the hunting goods store, hoping that they would find what, or rather who, they were looking for. Upon entering, there was no indication that it was any more than a regular store, but the back room must have been soundproof, because once they went through the door, the atmosphere was totally different. The smell of gunsmoke filled the air, and there were human cutout targets lining the back wall of the room. Most of them shot full of holes to the point where they had more in common with Swiss cheese, than representations of people. Each target had a person lined up with it, with none of the spots empty. It took them a minute to spot her, but sure enough, Suzuha was on the far side of the room.
She appeared to be using the same pistol that she always had on her, or at least something similar. It wasn't like Okabe could tell the difference, since he wasn't exactly gun savvy. They approached her carefully, making sure not to disturb the others around her. She had earplugs in, because all the noise from the guns was distracting her and breaking her focus. Okabe was impressed at her accuracy, seeing over 20 bullet holes on the cutout she was firing at, and all of them were either a bullseye or an inch or two away from it. There was no good way to get her attention, so he settled for tapping her on the shoulder from the side.
She was so startled that when she turned to him, she accidentally pressed the trigger, while the gun was aimed right at him. Okabe was rooted to the spot in horror, watching as the barrel flashed, sending a spiraling bullet on a direct path to his face. He was sure that this was it for him. Kurisu's legs were moving before she even realized what she was doing, acting to protect the life of the one she loved. She charged him full force, tackling him out of the way at the last second. As a result, the gleaming piece of metal only grazed his chin, shaving off a few of the hairs on it and leaving behind a shallow cut that immediately began leaking blood, dripping onto the floor. Considering the circumstances, it could have been worse, and he would much rather live semi-injured, than not at all.
They landed on the floor a few feet away, Okabe lying on his back, with Kurisu on his chest. Suzuha took her earplugs out, and dropped the gun on the floor in shock, hands shaking. Okabe was dazed for a moment, but he snapped out of it, sitting up, with Kurisu readjusting her position so she was on his lap. Miraculously, he was unhurt, except for the cut on his chin. "Are you all right?" He asked Kurisu, weakly. Even though the cut wasn't very deep, he was losing a lot of blood from the constant stream pouring out of it.
Kurisu shook her head in exasperation. "That's just like you. Worrying about someone else's safety, over your own. I should be the one asking if YOU'RE okay, not the other way around. I'm fine, by the way." She broke down all of the sudden, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Oh no, what have I done? What kind of terrible person must I be, to make her cry so often? I don't like to see her like this, and more often than not, lately I've been the cause of it."
"Y-You have no idea how worried I was about you! I thought that you might die, and I didn't know if I would make it in time. And…And…" Her eyes widened, as he leaned forward, silencing her with a kiss. It did just what he had expected it to do and she calmed down, accepting it. When they broke free, she sighed. "I love you, Okabe Rintarou, and that's all there is to it. I'm just glad you're alright."
Okabe smiled gently. "I love you too, Makise Kurisu, even if I don't usually say it."
At that point, Kurisu noticed how bad his wound was and her face turned pale. "O-Okabe that looks really bad! We need to get you some help. Actually, you don't need to go anywhere, but I need to!" Kurisu got up to go get some help, but she saw that most of the hunters were gone, and some of them had called the paramedics. She knew that they would patch him up, so she went over to check on Suzuha. The girl had dropped to her knees and her eyes were wide, pupils dilated.
She was rocking back and forth, her arms wrapped around her. "I failed. I failed. I failed. I failed."
Kurisu heard her repeating that phrase over and over, as she got closer. She crouched down next to her, starting to put a hand on her shoulder, but thinking better of it when she remembered what had just happened to the last person who did that. "What do you mean, you failed?"
Suzuha's eyes flickered up to her briefly, then back down to the ground. "My mission. I was supposed to protect the two of you, not kill you, before whoever is coming after you does!"
"You didn't kill him, and you obviously didn't kill me. We know it was an accident, it's okay. The reason we came here, was because we were trying to meet with you to discuss what we should do about the incoming threat."
Suzuha nodded, calming down a little bit. "I remember meeting him in the past, and telling him that he should find me, so I should have expected your arrival."
"Okabe also told me about all the information you gave him, and that helped a lot. Look at it like this: you didn't fail, you just haven't succeeded yet."
Suzuha smiled. "I guess, you're right. This isn't going the way I hoped it would, though."
"Most things in life don't." Kurisu agreed.
The police had been called too, and they were approaching Suzuha to question her. "Go ahead and go see Okabe, I'll explain everything to them. He needs you, right now."
Kurisu did as she said, going to where the paramedics were around, knowing Okabe would be there, as well. A few of them tried to stop her, since they were still treating his wound. "Sorry miss, but we're trying to treat him, and no one is allowed to go near him until then."
Even though the guy was probably just following the orders he had been given, she couldn't stop herself from blowing up at him anyway. "Listen buddy, for your information, I'm not just some random girl that's trying to get through to him. I am his girlfriend, and you'd better let me through before I do something that we'll both regret! Although, I'm sure that you will regret what happens WAY more than I will." The man gulped and stepped back, all of the others in her way doing the same. They had heard the threat that she made, and they didn't want to be on the receiving end of it.
She walked up to where Okabe was, as the last few paramedics finished up, leaving behind nothing but a bandage to cover his wound. They told him to be careful and left, taking all the others with them. Kurisu reached over, and ran her thumb over the bandage gently. "It doesn't look too bad. How are you feeling?"
Okabe smiled at her, glad to have someone he was more comfortable with at his side, after dealing with so many strangers. "Yes, it doesn't hurt that bad. I can barely feel its sting, though, that may be because it has gone numb for now." He looked around, noticing the police officers gathering around Suzuha. "Hmmm. Why would they need that many officers to question her?" He counted at least 4, when they should have only had about 2. He felt it in his gut, that feeling that he had felt so many times before. He knew that something was wrong, he just didn't know what it was. He had a feeling, and it was telling him that they needed to get out of there as fast as they could.
Kurisu hadn't noticed yet, but there was no time to waste. He got to his feet, and grabbed Kurisu's hand. He ran out of the room, pulling her along behind him, until she started running too. He had no idea if they had seen them leave or not, but there was no way he could stop until he was far, far, away from that place. If those cops were plants like he thought they might be, then the attack had already started. Okabe felt bad for leaving Suzuha behind, but his main priority was to keep his girlfriend safe, and that's what he was going to do. He knew that she could take care of herself, so maybe Suzuha would be all right.
"What's happening, Okabe? Where are we going?" Kurisu wondered, trying to keep up with the long strides he was making that she couldn't, with her considerably shorter legs.
"I'm quite certain that the attack Suzuha came back to protect us from, has started. I'm trying to get us as far away as possible. As for where we are going, I don't know."
"All right Okabe, I'm trusting you with my life. Let's protect each other, like we said we would."
"Yes." Okabe replied shortly, trying to concentrate on where he was heading.
Unfortunately, their momentum was broken when they got stuck in the crowd of people coming home from work. That forced them to slow their pace. As they waded through the crowd, Okabe made sure to remain in contact with her at all times, since it would be easy to lose her in it. If they had seen them and followed them, then this would be the place where they would want to strike, because he might lose track of her here. Suddenly, Kurisu felt a hand latch onto the wrist of the hand that wasn't attached to Okabe's. Whoever it was, they were strong, pulling Kurisu out of his grip after only a moment's struggle. He had been holding onto her as tightly as he could, so that was saying something.
"Okabe!" Kurisu's scream echoed in the empty air where she used to be, as she was pulled back into the crowd. More people joined the crowd, leaving no trace that she had ever been there seconds before, quickly filling in the empty space.
He hated it when he was right.