Chapter 10: Duology Harmony
Note: I don't not own Steins;Gate. Only this fanfiction story.
This story follows the events that happened after the following Steins;Gate titles. Steins;Gate, Steins;Gate OVA, and Steins;Gate 0. Also, there are situations from other Steins;Gate titles that inspired multiple events in this story.
Check out my profile for upcoming dates for new chapters on Steins Gate: Epsilon. Also, check out my forums for more information towards this story and others future stories I will write in relations to the timeline of Steins Gate: Epsilon.
Timeline: Unknown
Location: Unknown
Deep inside an unknown lab, several scientists run around for an emergency alert that is occurring. Everyone is communicating with each other in a panic that an organization has found their location and they are trying to break in with their soldiers.
A tall scientist with a yellow cap and a pin badge on it rushes in to communicate about what to do. "Listen up! This is an order from Barrel Titor. The Special Forces will be deployed to guard the front entrance while a few of you must prepare the machine! We are running out of time and unfortunately, the forbidden machine is the only solution we have!"
Behind the scientists is a huge machine that is recognizable from the alpha and beta worldlines. It begins powering up as few recognizable voices speak, but their identity is unknown. "Go, Go! We will fight with the Special Forces to provide reinforcements!" says one female as she runs out with her ally behind her.
The scientist in the yellow cap speaks to one of the female adults. "John Titor! Your mission is to help the man who started it all! Failure is not an option! You also must be ready to avoid your past self from causing a time paradox! Do you understand?!"
The female adult responds. "Yes, Papa!"
The Scientist then lets out a tear. "That's my girl."
Two adult females rush to the machine. One of them however holds a girl, and hands her over to the other adult female. She then steps away as the adult female and the girl enter the machine. However, the little girl is trying to refuse to enter because she wants to see someone before leaving. "No! NO! Let me see mama one more time! Please! Please!"
The adult female trying to keep her from leaving speaks. "No! We must go! Stop resisting!"
The machine closes its door and begins full operation. As the machine begins to fully light up, the male scientist, and 2 adult females watch the machine begin to disappear, with showing the plate on the machine, saying FG204. Then one adult female speaks in her mind. "Stay strong, for as to preventing the extinction of mankind is up to you two. Especially you, the one who has received both the brain and memory ability from both your mother and father. You are the only one who is able to open both their eyes to set the world back to the right worldline. Got it?"
The little girl begins to experience a very glitchy and hazy vision as her mind begins to black out. This causes her to lose consciousness in her seat, as the machine fully disappears into nothing.
September 24th, 2021
It is the peak of the afternoon. The place is as busy as ever and time is still moving forward in Akihabara. We reach a huge building that is a large hospital. Inside, Rintaro Okabe lies in one of the hospital beds without any signs of emotions. Inside his mind, everything is hazing and glitchy just like he was experience back at the Future Gadget Laboratory. Then the haziness stops, and soon, allows Okabe to open his eyes to regain consciousness.
Okabe begins to wonder where he is as he knows the last thing he remembers is he was in the lab with Daru. He begins to move his hands and groans as his head still hurts pretty badly. "W-where am I, he questions himself."
Next to him a familiar face sits there with her head down, but then looks up as she felt Okabe's hand move. She looks up and is shocked to see him awake. "Okabe!"
Okabe turns to see Kurisu, sitting there next to him. "Kurisu?" Okabe groans stills and gets a headache trying to sit up. Kurisu gets up from her chair to help Okabe sit up. "Where am I?" Okabe asks.
"In the hospital. You collapsed in the lab and weren't responsive, so Hashida called an ambulance for you. I-I thought something very bad happened to you."
Okabe notices her tears and grabs her hand. "It's ok. I'm awake now."
Several minutes later, a doctor enters the room to confirm Okabe's current condition as he in charge of Okabe current examination. "It seems everything is stable now. You haven't had anything severe ever since you woke up." says the doctor.
"I see." says Okabe.
However, the doctor then provides different concerning information. "However, I wonder about your medical history Mr. Okabe. You were blacked out over a day which is an issue. Not only that, but while you were blacked out, your brain signals were all over the place. Let me ask you this and I want an honest answer. Do you have any history of brain injury of some sort?"
Okabe hesitates to answer for a moment because Kurisu is here with them, and he didn't want to concern her. However, at this point, it's unavoidable, and sooner or later, she will find out. "I don't know if I have any of those, but it is highly possible that a severe mental condition I have may be affecting it."
Kurisu's eyes widened to hear Okabe's response. The doctor then speaks. "Then, we will need an exam of your physical and mental state to verify what you may have."
"PTSD." The doctor's eyes widen and Kurisu becomes shocked to here Okabe's response. "I may have PTSD based on evaluations with someone who is familiar with the condition."
The doctor speaks. "Then, we will start with an evaluation there. I will begin preparing a psychologist immediately for you and will let you know when everything is ready."
"Thank you." says Okabe as the doctor leaves the room.
There is a moment of silence in the room as Kurisu's shock turns to sadness and worry. She also looks like she is angry. "Kurisu, I wan-"
As Okabe begins speaking, Kurisu interrupts him. "How long have you had this problem?"
He hesitates to respond for a second, but does so instantly. "11 years."
There is a pause. "Is your possible mental condition the cause of all your dreams and nightmares you told me about?"
"Most of it, yes. After the amount of time leaping and changing worldlines I had to go through, my mental condition only grew worse. The pain, the suffering, the sadness I witnessed from every lab member, only motivated me more to fix the world to the Steins gate worldline, regardless of how much I would lose my humanity. Then, after everything ended, memories of everything I had experience only came back to haunt me."
Kurisu begins to shed a bit of tears. She feels nothing but pain for Okabe to hear how much time he has been keeping his mental condition hidden from everyone. What he had to go through to make sure every lab member came to live in peace and that his story is now at this point believable to a very high extent. "I'm sorry Kurisu, that you found out this way. I wish I told you sooner but-"
Okabe's words are interrupted by Kurisu who hugs Okabe and sits next to him on the hospital bed. Okabe feels nothing but sadness for making Kurisu feel this way, and making her find out he has a mental problem. A mental problem that is severe and that can almost be impossible to control.
After hours in the hospital, Okabe's evaluation proves he does indeed have PTSD. However, he had to hide parts about his experience with the time leap machine since the doctors would not believe him for a story like that. Instead, he told about how he witnessed so many deaths of his closest friends and how he was at one point tortured by an organization when he was captured in Europe.
As night falls in Akihabara. Okabe talks with the doctor alone. "Well Mr. Okabe, everything seems to be alright other than your brain. Your brain suffering an unusual condition, and after further evaluation with your nervous system and muscles, your brain is not completely sending functions to your right leg since we already tested you not being able to move it properly. This means you won't be able to walk well for some time. You will be in a wheelchair to help your body heal.
Okabe is curious about something. "That's weird, I thought I would be staying in the hospital for a few more days?"
"That's what the hospital recommends, but your girlfriend signed some papers for your early release."
Okabe is shocked. "Huh?" Kurisu then walks in with his belongings. "That's right. I did. Besides, I am a neuroscientist. Did you forget? I can understand your mental condition and help take care of you."
Okabe smiles. "Y-Yea, I forgot about that."
"So I will let you get changed and you will be on your way with medications you must take to help your pain." The doctor steps out of the room and Kurisu steps out of the curtains to let Okabe have some privacy to change.
Okabe changes and Kurisu stands around waiting for him to be finished. However, while Okabe is changing he decides to ask Kurisu something. "Hey, Kurisutina. Why did you sign the papers so that I can leave the hospital early?"
"T-T-That i-is because…" Kurisu wanted to tell him her reason, but she kept hesitating from embarrassment. "It's because you are needed at the lab! You're the leader and since your leg is the only issue, you can go back to work even in a wheelchair."
Okabe thinks she is not trying to let him have a break. "Wow, so basically my assistant is not letting me have a break even when I suffered from a grave mental issue. You sure are heartless." He says sarcastically.
Kurisu gets angry. "S-Shut up! Your income will fall in one week if you are not back in work and I will not help you pay your rent!"
"Nice to know how much you care for me." says Okabe sarcastically again. He soon finishes changing and opens the curtains as he sits on a wheelchair. Kurisu helps push the wheelchair and walk out of the room.
At the front counter. Okabe is given some medications to help with the pain in his head and to help recover the brain signals to his right leg. One thing mentioned in the notes of the paper however, is something that says, "Okabe refused any medical help with his PTSD unless it was his girlfriend."
Kurisu and Okabe leave the hospital as the night sky begins to appear. Okabe thinks now he will head home to the old lab to finally get some rest. As they travel, Okabe is texting the lab members that he is ok and will be heading home. However, Kurisu is thinking about something that happened during the time Okabe was getting evaluated.
Flashback, 4 hours ago
Kurisu is on a video call with Maho and Mayuri who are at the old lab, talking about Okabe. "Okabe is fine now. He is just getting evaluated for his mental condition. He may have PTSD."
Maho and Mayuri are surprised to hear the news. "Huh? Okabe-san may have PTSD?! But how?!" Maho asks.
"He may have gotten it after the time he claimed in 2010 to have time leaped."
Maho remembers days when while she sleeps, she would hear the old lab make a ruckus and with some screaming from Okabe. However she thought it was only Okabe having his moments of being a mad scientist "So then was all of that noise he would make at night was his mental condition kicking in?" Maho wonders.
"Mayushii is very sad for Okarin. To think he has a mental problem, and yet he kept it hidden from all of us for so many years." says Mayuri with a tone of sadness.
"Indeed. However, if his PTSD is true, then his journey of time leaping might have actually been true as well. Since that is also something no one experienced but Okabe-san, anyone would think he is lying, and especially he also has his mad scientists act which would conflict with his claim."
"Yea." Kurisu replies.
"Hmm." Maho thinks. "You know Kurisu, since Okabe is going through a tough time with his memories, maybe it's time for you to step it."
Kurisu becomes shy. "W-What do you mean?"
"Since Okabe memories of the past are what prevent him from having a peaceful life, the way to solve it is to make some new memories. Don't you think so, Mayuri?"
"Yep! With you getting Okarin's attention more, you will be able to make him remember the sweet memories he has with you. After all, nothing can beat good memories more than the ones with the person you love."
"W-W-Why are you mentioning this?!" says Kurisu.
"What? This is the perfect chance to bond even closer together. If Okabe will be in a wheelchair for a while, it's an even greater chance since he needs someone to help him around while he is disabled."
"Senpai!"
Mayuri smiles. "She is right, Kuris-Chan. You are Okarin's girlfriend after all."
End of Flashback
After Kurisu thinks about the conversation with Maho and Mayuri, and despite how much she is embarrassed for what can happen, she decides to take their advice. After several minutes of traveling, Okabe and Kurisu arrive at the front building of Kurisu's apartment.
Okabe is surprised as he thought they were heading back to the old lab. "Uhh, Kurisutina? Why are we here at your apartment?"
Next thing, Okabe and Kurisu are now inside her room. The place is still the same as it always has been, big, spacious, and quite luxurious. Kurisu tone becomes shy. "W-Well, since you can't take care of yourself well while in a wheelchair, I-I have no choice but to help you and your routine for the next week." Kurisu points to the bag next to her bed. "I even brought an exchange of clothes while you stay here. Y-You should be grateful that you have a girlfriend like me to-"
Kurisu's words are interrupted by Okabe pulling out his phone and speaking to nothing. "It's me! Looks like the agent has taken me to her room to assassinate me! What?! You can't send reinforcements?! Got it. If it's the choice of Steins Gate, El Psy Kongroo." Okabe puts away his phones.
Kurisu just stares at Okabe with an emotionless face. "Really?"
"W-W-Well you brought me here without telling me anything about it! I am surprised you would even allow me to stay here again!"
"I-I wouldn't if it weren't for your current condition, and I am not even letting you be alone in a wheelchair when I can be around you to help take care of you!" Okabe becomes surprised to hear Kurisu say such things. "Y-You should be grateful! Y-You have your girlfriend to help you while in this state!"
Okabe smiles as Kurisu is right and decides to not further argue. "Thank you, Kurisutina. Then, I will trust you to help take care of me."
Kurisu smiles as both her and Okabe settle down. Okabe rolls his wheelchair to where his bag is, and takes his bag to view everything that is inside. There is extra clothes, some toiletries, and his lab coat he would wear just about everyday. After a long day, Kurisu decides to take a shower. "I will be taking a shower. You can turn on the TV and see if anything interesting is on to keep yourself distracted. Also, do not dare to try and peak while I'm in the shower! If you do, you are dead!" Kurisu closes the bathroom door.
Okabe speaks with a sarcastic tone. "Like I can even try to." He decides to turn on the TV to see anything interesting. News about global issues, kids shows, soap operas, and more boring news. Nothing seems to get his attention, so he turns down the volume on the TV and moves on. However as he does, a specific news alert appears as America and Russia are having rising tensions, and that an earthquake happened in Russia as well but nothing else.
He then sorts everything in his bag to get a better idea of what Kurisu brought inside. There is only the stuff he had viewed just earlier so nothing special. However, as the bag looks almost empty, he notices something making the bag look bigger than normal. He goes through another zipper pocket in the bag, and notices a gift box that looks somewhat similar to the one he gave to Kurisu.
He opens the box, and inside is revealed a wrapped item, and a small letter. Okabe opens the letter and it reads the following.
Dear Rintaro Okabe
Thank you for the couple's gift that you gave me. I really love how it looks and it even has a picture of the day we enjoyed our date in 2013. It made me feel like I indeed have a huge importance in your life.
Just know, although this is a couple's gift, it is not truly one unless both of us possess the same thing. So I got you a gift. I hope you like it.
From Your Assistant and Girlfriend
Kurisu Makise
Okabe is shocked by her message. He realizes already what the gift could possibly be, but he couldn't tell. He unwrapped the object, and to his assumption is correct. It was a Kurisu Plushie. He was charmed by how cute it looked and smiled at it. Then, he notices an item inside the coat of the Plushie. Just like his gift to Kurisu, it is a locket necklace. The same lab logo, material and color. He opens the locket, and inside is the same picture he placed inside for Kurisu's locket, which is a photo of their date back in 2013. However, on the other side of the locket, it was a heart shaped just like his locket gift, but this time instead of OR, it read MK, standing for Makise Kurisu.
Okabe is shocked to see this and wants to cherish the item more, however, the shower in the bathroom stops and he hears noise inside. He decides to put away the gift to hide his reaction to the gift from Kurisu. He goes back to the TV and continues to switch channels. Right after, Kurisu comes out of the bathroom.
"Well, I'm done with the shower. You can use it if you want to and I suggest you do. You already smell since you haven't showered in over a day." says Kurisu.
"O-Ok." Says Okabe, as he gets his necessary clothes and items to shower and wheels himself to the bathroom.
Kurisu speaks up suddenly to Okabe about one thing. "A-Also, be careful. I-I don't want to come in there to help you!"
"I will." Okabe closes the bathroom door. Time passes as he takes a while in the shower since he is disabled. He struggles to clean himself while standing on one leg, but surprisingly he doesn't fall. This same situation with showering in Kurisu's apartment brings flashbacks of when he and she were stuck with Future Gadget Number 12: Darling You Idiot. This happened back in 2013 when Okabe was in Akihabara with Kurisu and Daru for summer vacation from Viktor Chondria University. It was hell for both of them, but at the same time, it was the choice of Steins Gate.
However, Okabe was daydreaming about the events so much, he accidentally moved a bit, which then caused him to slip. The huge crash causes Kurisu who was busy in the kitchen to get very startled and rushes over to the front door of the bathroom.
Kurisu hears groaning and knocks and speaks up. "Okabe, are you ok?!" she asks.
"I-I'm…...ok. I just slipped." says Okabe.
Kurisu confirms again. "Are you sure?"
"Y-Yea, I am ok." Okabe gets himself up as he feels the numbness of his leg making him struggle to stand properly. Kurisu sighs and heads back to the kitchen.
After almost another 15 minutes later, Okabe finishes up in the bathroom, opens the door, and wheels himself out. Kruisu then notices Okabe. "Are you alright Okabe? That crash sounded painful."
"I'm alright, just landed on my rear is all that happened."
Kurisu gets a bit upset. "I told you to be careful! You only have one leg working properly so you need to be more cautious on what you do."
Okabe gets upset. "I know! T-There was no choice! Standing on one leg in the showering can get tiring!" He puts away his old clothes in his bag. He decides to go back to watching TV in the meantime as there is so far nothing to do.
Suddenly a faint smell catches Okabe's nose. He looks to the kitchen where Kurisu is at, and he realizes she is cooking. "Hey assistant. Don't tell me your cooking?"
Kurisu responds. "That's right. I am cooking up some chicken karaage."
Okabe is a bit concerned for her cooking skills, but she has improved over the years. "Just don't burn the place. Hououin Kyouma is not ready to die!"
"Hey, now you're pushing it too far. I have gotten better and you will be impressed."
Moments later, Kurisu puts down a plate of chicken karaage and some rice to go along with it. They don't have a whole lot of stuff to eat since this situation was rather sudden and not planned. Okabe becomes amazed by how the chicken karaage already smells. He hesitates at first to try one, but then his stomach growls and he has no choice but to try one. As he gets ready to take a bite of the chicken karaage, Kurisu watches him very close, as her heart beat gets stronger. She clearly hopes that Okabe will like what she cooked or it will ruin her pride of cooking for Okabe.
Okabe takes a slow bite, and in an instant, a huge burst of amazing flavor sprouts in his mouth. This is the first time he has ever taken a karaage this good. His eyes are wide open while amazed. "This is really good. I have never tasted anything like this before."
Kurisu smiles like a little girl. "Really?! I told you."
Okabe pulls out his phone. "It's me! The agent of the organization has forced me to taste an illusion again! What? This was expected?! Got it. If this is the choice of Steins Gate, El Psy Kongroo." Okabe puts his phone down.
Kurisu sighs. "Seriously, you really can't admit your feelings huh?"
"Hey, years ago you were really bad at cooking that the kitchen in the old lab was nearly on fire."
Kurisu becomes embarrassed and upset. "That was years ago! I'm not the same as I was back then. It just took lots of practice."
"You, practicing the casual lifestyle of cooking? You are saying un-assistant like things."
"Says the delusional mad scientist who wore the same clothes almost everyday too!"
Okabe gets upset. "S-S-Shut up assistant!"
"How many times do I have to tell I'm not your assistant!"
"Besides, as a mad scientist, the goal to plunge this world into chaos is far more important than trying to figure out what to wear, Kurisutina!"
"There is no tina either!"
There is pause. They both are getting heated up by their usual argument they would have for no reason most of the time. They tend to end up like this, but that is because of how they feel for each other. Then, Kurisu speaks. "Well, compared to back then, at least now you wear a suit to work everyday so at least you change clothes almost everyday."
"T-That is because thanks to your choice of clothes for me, the suit and my silver armor really awaken me from my slumber!"
"I-I'm glad you at least liked my selection."
Okabe then laughs about another memory. "But, you choosing out that bear suit for Daru was really unexpected."
"That is because he was a pervert and no one would want to see a perverts face."
Okabe sighs as that is what is expected from Kurisu but decides to let it go. He then becomes shy as he decides to say something nice back to her. "W-Well I will say also your cooking is definitely better than the last time you cooked for everyone. Well done, assistant."
Kurisu smiles and says something quietly. "I'm not your assistant idiot."
Okabe and Kurisu finish up eating after the heated argument and they quickly make up for it. Kurisu takes the dishes used and heads to the sink and washes them. Okabe decides to take out his phone and send an email to his friends about what happened.
Soon, Kurisu finishes washing the dishes and prepares to turn everything off for the night. Okabe wheel's himself from the table and just stays next to the bed, while confirming something to Kurisu. "So, I assume I will be sleeping on the floor?"
Surprisingly, Kurisu answers in a shyful way. "N-No! Y-You will be sleeping on the same bed as me. I-I can't have you sleeping on the floor currently in your condition."
Okabe is shocked to hear Kurisu say that. She never would allow Okabe to sleep on the same bed as her, and maybe even in his current condition. "W-Well, ok. If you say so." Okabe gets help from Kurisu to get on the bed. "T-Thank you." says Okabe.
"Y-Your welcome." says Kurisu, as she prepares herself to sleep as well. Both of them lie down as the lights turn off for the night. They face away from each other so they wouldn't feel awkward and embarrassed by looking at each other, especially in the same bed, but not before one final thing.
"Goodnight" says Okabe
"Goodnight." says Kurisu
In the end, they both feel happy to sleep on the same bed together. It's a special moment for them, since the last time they slept on the same bed was when they were stuck with "Future Gadget Number 12: Darling You Idiot." Now, they sleep on the same bed for once again, but this time as boyfriend and girlfriend. They sleep with a smile on there faces, as the day comes to an end.