When All Was Lost...
Chapter Twenty-Seven
27
Everything Stays
"You're gonna wanna look for a small shack near the B.A.D Area...You might remember it since you lived there for a while. His hideout hasn't changed since you left, it's right by Daedalus Bridge! So you should be able to recognize it easy!"
Hopefully...
I sighed.
This is what Rally said...But...
I sighed once more as I eyed my surroundings. So familiar yet different now, but some how the same in my memories that I can't recall. I stopped just short of a shack thet matched Rally's description. Not far from it was an unfinished bridge. A bridge with a scene burned in my memory...
An old one...
The two of us would sit there together all the time...
I thought to myself as I stared at the empty space, playing a schema in my memory like old video footage. I saw our backs. side by side. We were close together him and I.
This is where he told me stories of hope...
I blinked.
It's also where we...for the first time...
An old memory played itself. One that I kept locked away within me...
We faced each other. We shared a smile.
"Well...I won't tell if you won't."
"Seriously? Who would I tell?" I blinked.
"You're right. Whose business is it anyway!?"
He would laugh.
"If they found out...we'd never hear the end of it."
"We won't hear the end of it if we don't either." he would sigh.
"At least I won't."
"Why are guys like that?"
"Who knows? Guys are weird."
"Well I suppose if it has to be someone...I want it to be with someone I trust."
"That's a valid and respectable reason." he stated,"Me too..."
"So...?"
"Close our eyes?"
"Right...let's try."
We would stare at each other for a long time. Each of us gulped and closed our eyes as we moved in closer...and closer...and...
"UNRECOGNIZED PRESENCE"
"Ahh!?" I let out a startled cry as an automated voice system spoke out from the shack.
An alarm system?
I blinked.
When did he set that up?
"VOICE VERIFICATION "Ahh!" CONFIRMED AS: AKARII RHODES"
"What!?"I blinked.
"Welcome Back, Akarii."
Okay...that's weird...how did he set it up to recognize my voice when I haven't been here!?
I blinked back to old memories when he first started building this computer.
"Hey Akarii, Could you help me test the sound here?"
"Sure!" I beamed as I took the mic while he fiddled with the sound systems,"Test Test-"
"Don't you dare say it!"
"Awe come on! It's funny!"
"It's NOT Funny! I swear if you say it, I'll-"
"Testicles~"
"That's it!"
"Ahh!"
...That jerk.
Still...It's a pleasant memory.
Since the security system approved my presence I went ahead and wandered inside. Though Crow didn't seem to be there.
When I wandered in the shack ...I found no one waiting.
Everything was as I left it, except for old photos on the desk lying face down.
When I came across them I found that they were faded...
The imaged side was lighter when I flipped it around.
But...
Everything stayed...
Just as I left it.
Yet somehow...It's all changed.
Only slightly in little ways but still...
Everything stayed.
I sighed as I took in all of the nostalgia.
"Akarii, Your user settings have not been updated for 3 years. Shall I update them now?"
"Uh...no thank you?"
"Confirmed. Saving Settings..."
Wow Crow sure put in a lot of time and care into this system AI...
He was such a dork growing up I actually forgot how incredibly smart he actually was...
"Akarii...?" A small voice sounded from behind me, startling me, I whipped around to see who it was, and I saw two familiar children...a boy...and a girl.
"...Itsuki?" I blinked and glanced over to the smaller female,"...And Annie...!"
"Akarii..." Itsuki sobbed,"It really is you!"
"Where have you been!?" cried Annie,"We were so worried about you!" I found myself squeezed in two tight embraces around her legs.
"Look at you two..." I said softly as she put a gentle hand on each back."...You've gotten so big..." I chuckled and lowered myself to my knees as I hugged them both,"I've been on...a crazy adventure." I laughed.
"Really!?" said Annie.
"You'll tell us, won't you!?" asked Itsuki.
"Well I-"
"PRESENCE AUTHORIZED."
"Huh?" I blinked as the sound of an oddly familiar Duel Runner Engine sounded in the distance.
"Oh, Crow must be back!" Annie giggled.
"Wait until he sees you, Akarii!" said Itsuki,"He'll be so happy!"
"Wait...Crow is back!?" I gasped in a panic. The Computer must have locked onto his runner's CPU and that's why it recognized the presence even before fully arriving, because he was in range.
Oh no! I...I don't think I'm ready...!
"Wait here, okay!?" said Itsuki,"Don't go anywhere!"
"Yeah, we'll go get him!" said Annie, and they took off running outside.
I guess Crow is still raising our kids...
I thought to myself.
I'm so happy... but...
"Welcome back, Crow."
"Thank you." I gasped at the male voice that was just outside the door, and began to internally panic.
"Crow! Crow!" Itsuki and Annie called out to him in unison and I could hear them attack him with hugs.
"Woah, Hey, watch it!" he laughed,"What's up with you two today?"
"Crow, it' Akarii!" said Itsuki.
"She's back!" Annie beamed.
The sound of a loud clatter could be heard against the run down concrete, as though someone had dropped something. Followed by a long silence.
"Come on you two..." he said softly,"That's not funny. And you shouldn't joke like that either! It's not very nice!"
"But we're not joking..." Annie whimpered.
"We really did see Akarii!" said Itsuki,"She's inside!"
"...Are you serious?"
Another silence.
They must have nodded.
But it seemed Crow, still had a little doubt.
"Computer!" he stated,"How many users are online right now?" he asked.
"VARIFYING" the automated sound began calculating.
"TWO"
Crow's soft gasp could be heard just outside...but I couldn't make a move.
"Usernames." he stated,"Can you varify?"
"VARIFYING," it stated.
"ADMINISTRATOR: Crow Hogan."
"Of course." he said with a soft scoff.
"USER: Akarii Rhodes."
He gasped again. I still couldn't bring myself to move. What would I do when I saw him? My thought were racing trying to think of what to do and what to say.
"How did Akarii Rhodes's User name get logged in!?" he snapped,"...Was I hacked?"
"AUTHORIZING... USER: Akarii Rhodes LOGGED IN USING VOICE VARIFICATION SYSTEM."
"Voice varification!?" Crow gasped,"That mean...she had to speak."
"We told you we weren't making it up, Crow!" said Annie.
"She's inside! We talked to her!" said Itsuki,"See for yourself!"
Crow didn't think twice. With a voice varification he had no reason to doubt them. He dashed his way inside, where I stood, silent before him. I took in heavy breaths before finally raising my head to meet his eyes, watching his face change as he took in the sight with a shock.
"...Hello, Crow." I said softly.
He hasn't changed much. He still looked almost the same as the day I left 3 years ago...only with a few added markers on hs face...
But it was him just the same.
"Akarii..." he said my name softly as he approached me with cautious steps. It was as if he doubted my presence and he needed to varify it with his touch. His hands were rough on my cheek, but still just as warm as they ever were. I placed my hand over his and rested my cheek against his palm. It smelled like motor oil...he must have been using these hands for a lot of mechanic work on the Duel Runner he was building up before I was gone.
"It really is you..." he said softly.
"It's me." I said back,"I'm sorry to show up unannounced like this..." I gulped,"But I need your help-"
"SHUT UP!" he shouted before pulling me in against him in a back breaking embrace with trembling shoulders.
My eyes went wide upon impact against his chest.
He's crying...!
"Don't you dare apologize!" I sniffed,"And...before you say anything..." he stated,"Tell me everything!"
"...Okay..." I said softly,"But it's a long and rather crazy story..."
"Yeah?" he chuckled as he pulled away,"Well I'm a patient and rather crazy guy." he stated,"And we have all the time in the world."
I sighed.
"All right..." I said softly resting my head against his shoulder as he continued to hold me close to him. I was exhaused. And I didn't realize just how tired I was until relief washed over me in the safety of his embrace once again.
"Then I'll go ahead and start...from the beginning."
To be Continued