Ren is like family
*Yes No
I need Aoba
*Yes No
Clara annoys Ren
*Yes No
Ren's eyes are brown
Yes *No
Ren likes Clara
Yes *No
I love Aoba
*Yes No
Ren does not bark
*Yes No
I worry about Aoba
*Yes No
Ren is an old model
*Yes No
Ren is polite
*Yes No
"…"
"Ren…"
Under the wall was Ren, standing there with a sad look in his eyes. I can't sense any murderous intent from him.
After this, I'll face him.
I'll be facing his true feelings.
He stares at me for a little bit, and then slowly opens his mouth.
"I've always been watching over you. I was always with you."
"…Yeah."
"I was born for that reason. My role was to protect you by keeping the balance of your mind in check. But as you started to lose control over yourself and became unstable, my voice couldn't reach as far."
That must've been when I used to lose control during Rhyme. I made Granny so worried…but it must've been a burden on Ren too.
"I don't know what would've happened to you if you lost all control over your heart and my voice wouldn't reach you anymore. But I couldn't do anything except call out to you from inside. Nothing physical. Terrified of my lack of ability, I was left to only imagine what I could do. But that when I went inside of that old Allmate."
That Allmate… so that dog one Ren was in.
Ren was thrown out on the roadside, and the sight was so pitiful that I ended up picking him up.
"I thought it was my chance. When the Allmate was registered, the registrant recognition chip went online and I transferred in my consciousness. And when that happened, my consciousness tuned in with the dog Allmate. As an Allmate, I could physically influence you."
"For a short while, as that Allmate… as Ren, I connected with you. I knew everything about the accident with Rhyme. But until now, all memory of that incident had been erased. And then I had forgotten both about the Rhyme incident and who I really was, that I was 'the other person inside Aoba'."
"I'd led myself to believe that I was living as Ren, but I remembered. Who I was, what my purpose is. I remembered it because of that worm. The worm that led to the bug had been built into the system and manifested in all the Allmates as emotional outbursts."
"'Emotional outburst?'"
"It just hasn't been announced publicly. All Allmates have had it built in from the beginning."
If they were all infected from the beginning, it must've been Toue's work. Noiz said that there was a bug going around with no wat to repair it, and this was probably it.
"Not only does the bug tamper with emotions, but memories, too… it rattles us with emotions that shouldn't be there. When an unexpected error occurs, the bug will link with an Allmate's consciousness. It effects an Allmate's emotion function, and that is why these emotions were born inside of me. So…I ended up becoming Ren, unable to live as my original self."
"What do you mean…?"
"The first emotion I learned was an unbearable pain. I… Ren was an old model. No match for a new model in terms of functions. Envy, an inferiority complex, despair. I panicked at the thought that you might throw me away for a new model. It may have been the feelings of 'Ren', not me, but…"
"I notice that… it was a feeling that made me tremble with fear. I don't want to hand you over to anyone. I always want to be by your side. Not just watch over you, but be something that could experience emotions with you."
"…"
"It was an idea far from what my original duty was. I knew that, but I couldn't stop it. Stuck between my emotions and my duty, I wasn't able to pick either one. So I accepted the route where you would remove me from yourself. If you would strongly reject me, I'd disappear."
"And…when you were separated from me, you'd bare your teeth at me and snap."
"…"
Ren keeps silent.
After listening to his entire story…
Frankly, I was a little pissed off.
Half of it was just shock, but the other was…
What the hell was he saying?
"You're such a little kid. If you've always been with me, should you know me the best? Do you really think I hate you just because you snapped at me?"
"…"
"Why do you think I kept working on you for so long even though you were some old model? Because you're important to me. You're important, so I'd search like hell for parts just to fix you if you were broken. All of it, all, all, all of it was because you're precious to me. Who cares about newer types? I don't really get what you're going on about with your emotions and all, but is it really that bad? Is it such a bad thing to feel emotions, or to think about things?"
"…Right now I'm going against my very reason for being. My role is only to keep your mind in balance, but I'm only disturbing it now. I can't exist like this. Neither your mind or body can take my contradicting existence for long. I'll finally be extinguished."
"No…" The idea of Ren disappearing entirely from my life flashes through my mind. "…No. I won't ever forgive you. Aren't you me? Aren't I the one who decides whether you can or can't be here? I'll do whatever I have to do to keep you here. Rhyme was like that too."
"The one who vanishes will only be me. The Allmate Ren will return back to what it was like at the beginning, without any problems. So there won't be any drawbacks for you."
"…! No one said anything like that. It's not about the Allmate. Now, you listen to me. Ren, you're… irreplaceable, and not as an Allmate. I don't want you to go away. I want you to stay with me."
"…"
"But you're still going to disappear…?"
"Aoba…I'm very happy that you feel that way, but…" Ren shuts his mouth and casts his eyes downwards.
No matter how much we argue, nothing will get through for sure. So I went up close to him. I reached my arms out and gently embraced him.
"Aoba…"
"I'll say it over and over. I don't want you to disappear. You're irreplaceable. So, stay with me."
"…"
When I raise my head, I see Ren's expression changing for the first time. His eyebrows squeeze together, and he squints with pain. His hand timidly touches my cheek…
And he tightly returns my embrace.
"…! Aoba…!"
This world is fake, only composed of data. I'm not truly able to touch Ren, and he's not able to touch me. But the feel of Ren's skin is definitely on my hands. His body heat seeps through to my skin and under it.
Ren holds me with a frightening strength, enough to make it hard to breathe…
But it makes me happy.
Feeling Ren's strong emotions for me, I firmly hug him back. Right now, we're both here. The two of us. And that's the most important thing.
"Ren, promise me this. Promise me that you'll never think of disappearing ever again."
"Aoba…"
"Promise me."
"…I understand." Ren buries his face into my shoulder. "I understand, Aoba. I promise."
"…Okay." I slowly move away and look into Ren's face. Inside of his amber eyes, I see a dim twinkle. "Now, let's go. Everyone's waiting on the other side."
"Yeah."
I grab Ren's hand, nod to him, and close my eyes. I concentrate, thinking of the two of us rising up from the ground.
Higher, higher…
I picture the image of breaking through an invisible wall.
.
.
"….-ry your… -ld."
"…-ne…y…can…al- it."
"…-roy…the…world…-less…"
"…!"
"Aoba!"
"Master!"
When I open my eyes, I see Clear and Koujaku's worried faces.
"I finally got feedback. Barely made it." Noiz mumbles things here and there while typing on his keyboard.
All of his rabbit Allmates are scattered around him.
"This…"
"I've got my hands full. Can't help it."
"We can show off a little since you're back now, can't we?" Koujaku smiles boldly as he thrusts out his long sword. "Hey! Aoba's back!"
Mink, who's fighting the guards and the Allmates, looks back over his shoulder.
"All right, let's stir some shit up!" Koujaku rises up, running over to Mink with his large sword in his hands.
Speaking of which, where's Ren? He should've come back with me.
"!"
Ren was standing behind me. He must still have some bugs left in his system, but his gaze is still steadily fixed on me. When I look back, a smile instinctively grows on my face.
So it's all back to normal.
Ren is looking at me like he always does. Just thinking about it makes me feel relieved.
I get up, and look at Ren and Clear. "We're going too. Let's clean this up in one go."
"Right."
"Yes."
We started to run towards Mink and Koujaku.
"Ohhhryahhhh!"
"…"
Koujaku triumphantly swings around his sword, and Mink blows massive numbers of the guards and Allmates away with his fists.
"Ren, MERCY set! …Uryahh!"
"Roger."
A little behind the rest of the group, Ren and I fought together. Kicking the guards facing me into the air, I give Ren instructions. Ren changed his arm into his weapon, tearing most of the Allmates to pieces.
"Hey, LOSS."
"LOSS set!"
"Roger!"
Noiz types on the keyboard while giving instructions to the Pseudorabbits, backing us up.
"Please stoooooooooooooop!"
"Ren, defense!"
"Roger."
"Toryah! Just a little more!"
"These are just the small fry."
"Please don't come over heeeeeerreee!"
"DEMOLISH."
"DEMOLISH set."
"Roger!"
"Ren! Cover Noiz's attack! JUBILATION set!"
"Roger."
.
.
"…"
…I've finally made it back to reality.
When I look around, it seems that everyone else had woken up too. This is definitely a different place from before. Noiz did say that he forced the field open, so maybe the area has just changed.
"…!"
Another feeling of pain and heaviness goes through my head. When I slowly sit up, I notice something placed on my hand.
A small, blue paw.
"Aoba."
…Ren.
Ren, in his dog form with his tongue sticking out like it always did, looked up at me.
When I saw him, I almost felt like crying.
…I'm so glad. He made it back.
I'm so happy…
I'm so…
"Ren…!"
I pick up the blue ball of fluff and slowly bring it to my head. Ren bumps foreheads with me without any resistance.
"…I'm so glad."
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine, already."
"Aoba…"
…I'm different from what I was before. Ren was originally part of me… or rather, a part of my actual self, not just my body. But Ren let himself acknowledge that he was a different existence. It must be that my head feels a little empty after such an impossible feat.
It feels a little weird, like I'm a little heavier. But it's all right. I can deal with this since it means that Ren doesn't have to disappear.
"-Ouch! So I guess it went well?"
"Everyone has come back. Master is all right as well. That's amazing!"
"It would've been dangerous if it lasted any longer."
"Everyone…Thank you for coming here."
"Don't say that. That's kinda embarrassing." Koujaku said.
"It wasn't really for you or anything." Noiz mutters.
"It's great that Ren-san is back, too!" Clear said.
"Yeah." I nod.
"I caused some trouble." Ren said.
"You sure did. I was so worried!" Beni flapped his wings.
"It's a big thing to survive that bug." Tori said.
It's really great that we all came back safely.
"What about the guards and the Allmates?" I asked.
"They're around somewhere. There are other floors." Noiz said.
"Toue's next. That bastard, we need to get to him quick." Koujaku said.
"Toue… Wait, what about the Old Resident District? Are they okay over there?"
"Not right now. It looks like they're having a mandatory broadcast of Toue's speech for the end of the event today."
"Something bad is happening down there. Yesterday was the music. This time…" Noiz said.
"It's lights and music so they can get all of them at once." Mink said cutting Noiz off.
"…"
That equipment must be one of those things that imitate Sei's powers. My mood sinks when I remember what Virus and Trip told me.
I have to stop Toue quickly.
And… I want to save Sei if I can.
I'm here all because of Granny, but Sei was always trapped by Toue.
"So, where is he? Upstairs?" Koujaku asked.
"Toue's office should be on the highest floor." Mink said.
"Idiots like him like tall places." Noiz said.
"So if we can make it there without any trouble…"
Ring
Ring
My Coil suddenly rings. I have a call.
The caller is…unknown?
"Who's it from?" Koujaku asked.
"I don't know."
I take the call and the monitor pops up.
An image of Toue comes up.
"!"
"Toue…!?"
"Hello there, Aoba-can. Welcome. How are you feeling?"
"…!"
"I didn't expect you to make it all the way up here, but you did. I saw something very interesting as your wonderful comrades came to save you. Now, I have something small to ask… I'd like for only you to come up, if that's possible. Your group is a little too rowdy for my tastes. I won't do anything bad to them. If you come up to me, alone, then I won't do anything to the Old Resident District, I promise you. Think about it and then take the elevator. I'm on the top floor… Until then."
The monitor closes and the elevator door opens.
We just stared at it in silence.
"…What do we do, Aoba?"
"…There's no choice but to go."
"It might be a trap!" Clear said.
"There's no way it isn't." Noiz said.
"He said that if only Ren and I go, then he won't touch the Old Resident District."
"Do you really believe that guy's words?" Koujaku asked.
"But if I don't listen to him and something happens to them, then…"
"… …I got it. Go ahead."
"…Koujaku."
"You'd go even if I tried to stop you. And I don't trust Toue much, but I do trust you. So make sure that you contact us when you do down the tower. We'll be making preparations there."
"Preparations?"
"Some here and there. On orders from this bigshot." Koujaku looked over to Mink.
"Everything's set up to counteract any situation." He said.
"Master, I believe in you! So please make sure to come back!"
"Yeah." I look at everyone and give them a firm nod.
"Hey, Ren! You better make sure to protect Aoba and come back! Be a damn good Allmate!" Beni said.
"Yeah."
"Well, if it's you, then it'll be fine. You're a lot brighter than that sparrow over there." Tori said.
"What!? You stupid ass pink cockatoo!" Beni flaps his wings around and spins in the air.
"All right. We gotta build some fighting spirit. Aoba, put your hand in!"
I put my hand out and Koujaku puts his over mine with a childish grin.
"You guys too, hurry up!"
"Yes!"
"…Huh?"
"This is stupid."
Noiz and Mink both pout and reluctantly join in.
We all look at each other, hands piled.
"Aoba. See you soon." Koujaku gives me a reassuring smile. His eyes show that he believes I'll definitely come back.
So I gave him a straight answer.
"Yeah."
.
.
When I split up with Koujaku and the others, I put Ren into my bag and board the elevator. I stare at the numbers as the elevator goes up and up.
Toue is at the top of this.
Sei is, too.
In any other situation, the anxiety and tension would have crushed me. But I have Ren with me. So I'll be all right.
"This is…"
When I stepped off the elevator, the first thing I saw was a door. The atmosphere of this floor was different from the others.
"Let's go, Ren."
"Yeah."
I silently gripped my hands into fists and went forward.
