Year : 771
A little more than 3 years after the Cell Game
- Ah, the Eastern Capital is in sight! 17, drop us off not far away, we'll finish the trip by car.
- If your junk pile is willing to start.
- Don't be so critical of yourself, for a junk pile, you are still very useful!
- ... That's really hilarious," 17 replied, looking falsely annoyed.
- If you could see your face, you too would find my joke funny...
- Mmmm
After saying their goodbyes to Iris and Spike, 17 and Ruri were off again. Now that they had collected enough money, and didn't need to do any more side missions, the serious business could finally begin.
Ruri still wouldn't say a word about the purpose of her famous "expedition", to keep the surprise effect intact. All she had told 17 was that he would not regret going with her, and that she was absolutely certain that he had never been where she was going to take him. He trusted her completely anyway, so he had not insisted.
However, before leaving, Ruri still needed to gather some things, and for that she had to return home to the Eastern Capital. 17 had been there once, but he had only stayed a few days. He didn't really like big cities. They were noisy and, above all, full of humans. Although he had never really settled anywhere, he much preferred the silence and solitude of the great outdoors.
However, he was curious to see where Ruri might live, and this curiosity far outweighed his lack of attraction to the place.
They finished the trip by car, so as not to attract attention. Since Ruri had an apartment near the university where she was studying, she guided 17 into the city and asked him to park in front of it. It was a gigantic white building. More exactly, a set of very large buildings, scattered in the middle of a park itself immense. Ruri was leading the way, with 17 staying a step behind, observing the strange atmosphere of the place. There were a lot of people, but most of the people they saw looked very busy, reading books, or carrying tons of papers and other objects of all kinds.
They walked until they reached the central building. It was the library. A word that vaguely evoked something for 17, but nothing very specific.
- Here are the books that the university owns," Ruri explained, noticing his pensive look.
- Ah.
- As a student, I am allowed to borrow as many books as I want.
- Ah.
- I'm going to need a few particular books throughout the expedition. I know which ones, I'll just need a few minutes to get them.
- Okay.
- ... Talking with you, really, it's a real experience hahaha! Anyway, if you want, you can also borrow books. We're going away for months and sometimes we might get stuck. So you'll need some distractions.
- Books about what?
- Whatever you want. This is a university here, there are books about everything! See you soon!
Ruri then disappeared in a flash, leaving 17 all alone. He hesitated for a few seconds. Having never been in such a place before, he didn't really know what to expect or what to take. But as he wandered the aisles of the library, he gradually realized how little he knew about the human world. Almost no title or category of books evoked anything for him, at least nothing very concrete.
Eventually he came across a textbook that apparently told "the whole history of mankind". Intrigued, he picked it up. Then, after a few more minutes of wandering, he came to a shelf filled with books on cars and mechanics. As he leafed through them, he was pleasantly surprised to feel much more familiar with these ones. He recognized vehicles or tools whose names he had forgotten but which clearly reminded him of somethings. So he took some of them. Finally, he discovered that the library also had a whole bunch of books devoted to martial arts and fighting techniques, of which he also mechanically took some copies.
Ruri joined him quickly, however, with her arms full of bags. After making 17 promise that he would not look at the books she had borrowed, still to keep the "surprise" about the nature of their future trip, she gave them to him to carry.
17 then had to wait for the young woman to finish collecting equipment and talk to some people, before they finally both left the campus.
She lived very close to the university, just a few minutes walk away. Getting there was like an adventure in itself for 17, during which Ruri tried hard to explain everything to him, because every single gesture of a normal human being's daily life was a source of confusion for him. Crossing a hall, opening a mailbox, taking an elevator... he really had no idea how to behave in a building.
- And so there, you press the button of the floor where you want to go. That's what people who can't fly do you see. Otherwise, we'd spend our lives on the stairs," she explained, pressing the button to go to the 6ᵉ floor.
- Fascinating.
- Do you think so?
- Yes. It's... ingenious.
- So really, you didn't know what an elevator was ?
- In fact, now that I'm here... it does... remind me of something. But I didn't know it had a special name.
- It's really strange, your memory. The things you remember, and the things you don't. I'm not talking about your own memories, just those kinds of details...
- Yes.
- Do you have any idea why?
- No, I never asked myself that question actually.
- Haha, yes, I can imagine... Ruri laughed.
- But I like... learning about all this. The human stuff. I like it.
17 could be very ironic sometimes, but Ruri was convinced that he was telling the truth on this point. He listened to her very carefully, asked a lot of questions, and whenever he came across an object he didn't know, he couldn't help but turn it upside down to try to understand its purpose. For all his confidence and strength, he looked as uncomfortable and curious as a baby when he was immersed in the "real world", which she found adorable.
She was still smiling thinking about that when they arrived at her door. She opened it, and motioned for 17 to come in.
- After you!
He had never been in an "apartment" before. Ruri's was quite small, but functional. She immediately began to show him around.
- So this is my main room with my kitchen, my little living room, my TV... anyway. Here you see, I have a small room apart, with my office. So, this is my bedroom. It's small, but it's just for sleeping. And here is my bathroom. Nothing extraordinary, but it's practical. Here, sit down, I'll make us something cool to drink.
- And what is this?" asked 17, pointing to a small door at the back of Ruri's bedroom.
- Uh ... nothing important.
- ... And what is this non important room ?
- This is my dressing room. Where I keep my clothes.
- Why didn't you mention it?
- Because it's not important," replied Ruri, clearly uncomfortable.
- You said that about your nickname too...
And without waiting, 17 went to the small door and entered the dressing room. Nothing he had ever seen in his life had prepared him for what he found. Clothes, shoes, jewelry... hundreds of them. Everywhere. Not a square inch of the room was empty. He was stunned. Even 18 would never have accumulated so much clothing, he was sure.
- But... what ... he stammered.
- Yes, well, I have a small collection of clothes, let's not make a big deal out of it.
- You call it a small collection ?
- Not everyone is like some people, who clearly have NO fashion sense," Ruri replied, looking at 17 from head to toe with a mocking smile. I pay attention to my look when I'm not on an expedition.
- Do you need so many clothes?
- Everyone has a use. For all the occasions of a normal human life.
- Nobody needs that much.
- And this is the guy who only has two t-shirts and a pair of ripped jeans too big for him talking to me?
- That's enough.
- I cannot believe you have a sister," sighed Ruri. I really didn't choose the right twin to accompany me. I'm sure she would understand me. Look at this dress for example, she continued while seizing a hanger, it is my small evening dress. It is an essential in the life of a woman.
- This thing?" replied 17, examining the dress.
- THING ? But it's a designer's dress ! It cost me 3000 zenis.
- HOW MUCH ? For a piece of fabric ?
- Rooooh really ? Wait. Go to the living room. I'll be right there.
- What?
- Go into the living room. You need a fashion lesson right now. Come on.
17 complied, and went to sit on the couch in the living room. He could hear Ruri grumbling in her dressing room, and he was pretty sure he heard the words "idiot" and "you'll see" several times. She was obviously angry, which amused him greatly.
But when Ruri finally came back, he couldn't believe his eyes.
The top of her dress was a deep black, straight cut that revealed her shoulders and neck very slightly. The dress went down to her knees, and although it was therefore longer than the shorts Ruri wore when she slept, it gave 17 the impression of revealing much more. The rest of the garment seemed to be like a second skin, covering every inch of her figure, marking her slim waist and emphasizing the curves of her body, which until now he had only been able to guess.
The young woman made a movement, presenting herself slightly in profile, and 17 noticed that the dress was partly open at the back, leaving perfectly visible her clear skin until the bottom of her back, hiding hardly the start of her lower back.
Seeing so much and yet so little...
The sight of Ruri in this garment disturbed 17 beyond anything he had ever known. He felt his throat suddenly dry up. His heart began to beat with an unusual intensity. He had felt this before, especially when he had kissed her. But this time it was not only much stronger, but he felt ... more. A heat, running through his entire body. A wish. Worse than that, a need. A need to touch her. Then suddenly came back in memory the memory of the softness of her skin, when he had caressed her cheek.
More.
To touch more than her cheek. To know if the rest of her body had the same softness. He also remembered her smell, the sweet scent of her hair.
More. More and more, more and more...
- Well, and now, don't you think my dress is beautiful? Worn, it's still better, isn't it?
The young woman was still so irritated by 17's previous remark that she had noticed absolutely nothing of the emotion that she had just aroused in him. Hearing Ruri's voice only partially helped him to regain control of his mind. However, he finally succeeded, not without difficulty.
- Yes, on you, it is true that it is ... much better.
- Thank you! It's crazy, I can see that you are interested in animals, but clothes are not really your thing. Well, now we have all the material, we will spend the night here. Tomorrow, we leave very early. Wait, I'm preparing something for us...
"I'd probably be more interested if you wore that kind of clothing more often," thought 17, amused. As he watched Ruri working in the kitchen, he tried to analyze what had just happened to him.
Ruri was beautiful, he had seen it from the first moment. But for some time, he had felt that something was changing. Suddenly, without him knowing how or why, he was overwhelmed by feeling becoming more and more strong. He was burning with envy. But envy of what?
"Desire..."
This word came to his mind. Yes. It was desire. That's what it was called. This feeling was not unknown to him, in fact he had felt it before. But when? It was impossible to remember. Yes, it was when he had kissed her. He had then felt his body acting alone, as soon as their lips had touched.
Thinking back to that moment xas as an even greater shock. Brief memories flashed through his mind. Images of Ruri when he had seen her by the river. Her legs. Her thighs. Then others, a few moments later, when she had fallen asleep. Her skin, sublimated by the light of the moon. The birth of her breast, subtly indicated to his glance by a stray lock of hair...
He closed his eyes, mechanically. The images followed one another at a frantic pace, making him almost suffocate. He felt again this sensation of heat invading him, irradiating little by little his whole body. He felt then a sudden tension in his lower abdomen. This brutal sensation made him instantly reopen his eyes.
"Calm down, calm down..."
He didn't know why, but he was sure: Yes, he urgently needed to calm down. Fortunately for 17, Ruri was so focused on preparing something in her kitchen that she didn't pay attention to him at all.
He took a few deep breaths, trying to get the images out of his mind. Slowly, he managed to relax, the strange feeling fading away as the seconds passed.
It was about time, because only a few moments later, Ruri arrived, holding a huge glass in each hand. She sat down right next to 17, placing the two containers on her coffee table.
- You didn't get bored waiting for me? she asked, happy.
When he saw her like that, with her bright smile lighting up her face, 17 couldn't help but laugh inwardly at how naive she seemed. He wasn't sure he understood everything himself, some of the emotions he was feeling were familiar to him, others were not. But now that he was calmer, he was beginning to understand more about the exact nature of these sensations. Somehow it was "coming back" to him. Yes, he knew what it was, and what it meant.
"I want you, little human, and the funny thing is that you don't even realize it..." he thought to himself. "Haha. Finally, this expedition alone with you interests me more and more..."
Amused, amazed, and now excited... Ruri made him feel so much, he loved it. More and more. But it wasn't time yet. Tonight was too soon. He had a feeling that he could "play" a little. And that it would be much better... So he remained as impassive as possible, and answered her, looking detached:
- No, I'm fine. That was quick. What's in these glasses?
- My great specialty. Well, you know I'm a terrible cook...
- Yes, you told me.
- BUT! I prepare the cocktails wonderfully.
- The what?
- They are mixtures of alcohol and other drinks. Since we're finally going to be able to go on an expedition, we have to celebrate. By the way, a question: does the alcohol have an effect on you with ... your modifications?
- Effect?
- Can you get drunk?
- No idea, what does that mean?
A spark of curiosity flashed in Ruri's eyes.
- Science forces us to do an experiment, 17. Go ahead and drink, but...
She couldn't finish her sentence because 17 had already drunk the whole glass.
- But not like that, she exclaimed ! It's filled with rum ...
- So what?
- But rum is a very strong alcohol, if it ever works on you it will finish you, you have to drink slowly, eating a little, in moderation.
- No problem. You can drink your cocktail like a little girl, I'm waiting for you.
- …
- …
- Little girl ?
- Little girl.
- Ah, you want to play it that way, tin can? Well look at what she can do, the little girl!
With great satisfaction, 17 saw Ruri react as he had expected to his provocation, and drank also the glass in one (long) mouthful. She was so sensitive. It took only a few minutes for the huge amount of rum in the glasses to take effect. And to his surprise, 17 was also sensitive to it.
Suddenly, he could not find his way in space, he had the impression that the walls around him were turning at a crazy speed.
- But ...
- It's the alcohol," Ruri cut him off, unable to speak without laughing at the same time. Hahaha. I'm really an idiot. Get ready, it makes me perky, hahahaha.
- This feeling is weird. It's fascinating. Weird, but fascinating.
- My god, 17, only you would really say something like that, hahahaha!
The evening went on in an incredibly festive atmosphere, with 17 and Ruri drinking cocktail after cocktail to test their respective resistance. 17 felt relaxed, soothed, but in a whole new way. He felt euphoric. Joyful even.
How he loved to discover the habits of humans. Alcohol was finally something very entertaining.
But even though he was sensitive to it, his modified organism quickly allowed 17 to dissipate its effects. After two hours he felt perfectly fine again, his mind was clear and lucid. Ruri, on the other hand, had finally collapsed from exhaustion on the couch.
17 gently laid her down and covered her with a blanket he found in her room. Then he sat down next to her and looked at her for a long time.
- Thank you for this evening... and for the rest..., he whispered in her ear.
Ruri didn't answer him of course, but a small smile appeared on her lips. She let out a small sigh of comfort, before finally starting to ... snore.
17 laughed it off.
"You're really amazing..." he thought then, tenderly.
Then he stayed by her side, watching over her sleep until the first rays of the sun lit up the little room. That night, strangely and for the first time, no memory of his past came to haunt him...
When Ruri finally woke up, she was not in great shape. Apparently, too much alcohol could give her severe headaches. 17, on the other hand, felt perfectly fine. It didn't really matter anyway. After taking a shower and some medicine, the young woman was back on her feet.
17 helped her put all the material she had gathered into her capsule box, and they were finally able to leave. They flew part of the way to save time. Their destination, however, was not far away. Ruri pointed to a very large island, located slightly below the Eastern Capital. Once they arrived, as usual, they got back in the car so as not to attract the attention of the curious.
17 drove the pickup to the southern end of the island where there was a small town close to the sea.
- It's so pretty! raved Ruri. The landscape is beautiful.
- Yes.
- Turn right after this crossroads, and go straight on. Wait, I'm going to send a message to my contact on the spot, normally he should have received my email and prepare the ... well, prepare everything.
- I really hope that the surprise is up to all these mysteries.
- Oh yes, my dear.
After a few more minutes of driving, 17 parked where Ruri had indicated. Obviously, it was a harbor. Without a word, Ruri got out of the car and went ahead. She led the way until they reached a small pier, away from the others. A small boat was parked there. About five meters long, it looked nothing like the huge yachts or the tiny fishing boats that surrounded it.
The front of the ship had a small floor from which 17 could make out a cockpit. Strange equipment, a small inflatable boat and ropes were hanging all along its sides. Finally, a very large antenna was erected at the back.
It was only when Ruri stood still in front, smiling, that 17 realized they had arrived at their destination.
- …. A boat?" he asked after a few seconds of hesitation.
- Exactly!" replied Ruri.
- Your expedition ... it is ...
- To sea! You and me, we're going on a hunt for sea monsters! So... do you want to go explore the bottom of the ocean with me ? Do you like my surprise?
17 looked at her. She was excited. He knew how much this expedition meant to her. But she really seemed to be waiting for his reaction. He took a minute to think.
He didn't expect this at all. But ... thinking about it ...
- Oh yes, he finally said, to Ruri's great pleasure.
- Great!
- Right. Rule #6: I drive the boat.
- Hahaha! No problem! Come on, let's go!
Author's note :
This is the end of this first part! I hope you enjoyed it! In any case, the continuation of their adventures is to be followed in part 2 of this long journey :)