A/N: Here's Chapter One of "Artificial Friendships!" Please read, review, and enjoy!
Artificial Friendships!
Chapter One: Junko Meets Kiki! Chiaki Meets Komaru?!
"Who…who are you…?" Kiki cocked her head in confusion at the floating head on her screen. She…she looks strangely familiar…but I can't put my finger on it…
Junko frowned, whining "Aww, you've never heard of me? That's so lame!"
Kiki sweatdropped. "I'm sorry, but…I don't' think I've ever seen you before."
"Wow, that's…surprising. Alright then, allow me to introduce myself, I'm…" Junko trailed off. Wait…if I tell her my real name and she blabs, my plan could get stopped before it can start. I gotta think of an alias… "I'm…Konju."
"…Konju…?" Kiki cocked her head in confusion. "I've definitely never heard of you."
"It's fine, it's fine, don't worry about it. Just know I'm here to be your new best friend!"
"My new…best friend…? But…you're some kind of A.I., right?"
Junko pouted. "Hey, are you saying you can't be friends with A.I.s?"
"Well…I guess it's not impossible…" Kiki admitted. "But I only just met you. How can we be best friends when we've barely met?"
"…Fine, fair point…" Junko grinned. "Then let's get to know each other! How much time do you have?"
"Well…my mom said I have to come out for dinner in 30 minutes, but that was a few minutes ago, so I'd say…20 minutes?"
"Perfect, plenty of time to get to know each other. Now…what's your name?"
"Oh, my name? It's…Kiki."
"Ah, Kiki, not a bad name." Junko mused. "So, Kiki, you like to play video games? I think I saw you playing a game when I popped in here."
"Oh yeah…" Kiki frowned, reminded of how the A.I.'s entrance had closed her game. "By the way, I don't know if you meant to do this, but it's not really polite to barge in on people's games. I'm gonna have to start over."
Junko frowned. "Yeah, that must suck. Sorry about that…" Junko grinned. "But hey, I'm WAY more fun than any video game on that PC of yours!"
This A.I. is…really self-centered… Kiki deadpanned. I can't even tell if its apology is sincere or not… "Anyway…how'd you get into my computer anyway?"
"…Beats me." Junko pursed her lips and opted for a half-truth. "I was just floating in cyberspace until I saw an opening. I was curious, so I followed it and ended up here."
"…That's it?"
"That's it."
…Somehow I think there's more to the story than that… Kiki narrowed her eyes suspiciously, causing Junko to put.
"Come on, it's the truth!"
"I…I'm sorry, it just seems…a little too coincidental if you ask me…"
"I see…" Mushrooms seemed to grow on Junko's head as her eyes lowered in depression. "I don't blame you for not trusting me. After all…who'd trust some random avatar that popped up on their screen."
"H-hey, come on, I didn't mean to make you upset." Kiki assured Junko as her eyes softened. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be mean."
The mushrooms suddenly disappeared as Junko grinned. "That's great! So you trust me, right!"
…That was fast…can an A.I. even have mood swings? Kiki wondered, sweatdropping at Junko's personality changes.
"Kiki, dinner!"
"Oh, coming, Mom!" Kiki called as she turned back to the computer. "Sorry, but I have to go to dinner."
"Ah, right, I get ya." Junko muttered. "Hey, can you do me one small favor?"
Kiki's eyebrow furrowed in curiosity. "A…favor?"
"Don't worry, it's nothing big. Can you just keep my existence to yourself?"
Kiki frowned. "But…I never keep secrets from my parents."
Man, talk about a goody two-shoes. She's definitely a Naegi! Junko sweatdropped. "Just think about it. If they heard you say you started talking to some A.I. that randomly appeared on your computer, they'd get worked up over nothing." Seeing Kiki's skepticism, Junko sighed "I'm not asking you to lie, just keep your mouth shut for now, okay?"
"…Okay, I'll keep quiet for now…" Kiki stood up. "Sorry, but I really have to go. I'll see you later, Konju."
"Bye!" Junko replied in a sing-song voice before Kiki turned off the monitor.
"Okay…time to head to dinner…" Kiki sighed as she finally walked out of her room and down the hall.
Chiaki groaned as her eyes fluttered open. She rubbed her head as she gradually got to her feet. Once she shook the daze form her head, she glanced around the dark, black void surrounding her.
"Huh…where…where am I? and how did I get here…?"
At that moment, lightning struck through her brain, causing her eyes to widen as she recalled her brief struggle. "Oh, that's right…that A.I. tossed me in here…but where is here…and how do I get out…?" At that moment, a bright, yellow light appeared in front of her. "What the…what is that…? Could it be…a way out of here?" Chiaki's eyes narrowed in determination. "No sense just standing here, it's my only chance to get out of here and stop Junko…I think."
Her mission clear, Chiaki's eyes narrowed in determination as she ran into the light, turning into data and disappearing from the empty void.
"Komaru?" A brown-haired woman turned her head from the chair she sat on and saw a brown-haired man walking up to her.
His brow furrowed worriedly as he wrapped his arms around her abdomen and caressed her swelled belly. "What are you doing?"
Komaru rolled her eyes and smiled as she told him "Hajime, I'm fine. Just browsing the web for a bit."
Hajime nodded. "If you say so…as long as you're not straining yourself. You know the doctor said not to do any strenuous activity while you're pregnant."
Komaru sighed as she rested her hands on top of Hajime's. "Hajime, I'm fine. I'm just sitting in the chair. And I'm not so pregnant that I can't walk around a little."
Hajime's eyes drooped in guilt as he sighed. "I know, and I'm sorry for being such a worrywart. I just…I wanna be sure I'm taking care of you. Especially since…"
Komaru frowned worriedly. "Hajime…what happened to Chiaki isn't going to happen to me. There's no psychopath trying to create an armageddon, and you've matured from your insecurities. I promise, I'm gonna stick around for a long time. I want to raise this baby with you, so I promise I'll follow the doctor's advice to the letter, okay?"
Hajime finally cracked a smile as he nodded, caressing her belly. "Okay, Komaru." Hajime kissed her cheek before he released her. "I'm gonna go make some food, you want anything?"
Komaru smiled, agreeing "Sure, some tempura sounds pretty pleasing right now."
"Alright, I'm on it." Hajime walked out of the room, leaving Komaru to shake her head in amusement.
"Hajime can be such a worrywart sometimes…but I love him anyway…" Letting out a sigh, she turned back to the computer. "Alright, now let's…huh? Where's my Safari window go?" Komaru's browser app suddenly closed, causing a new app with a black background to enter in full screen mode. Komaru cocked her head in confusion as she pondered "That's weird, what's this…?"
"I-is anyone there?"
"Huh?!" Komaru's eyes widened in shock as a feminine face with mauve-colored hair appeared on the screen.
The avatar merely yawned before she mumbled "Is anyone there?"
"Ano…yeah…who are you…? What are you doing on my computer?"
Chiaki hummed in contemplation. "My memory's a little fuzzy…I think. I remember falling into some bright light. Then when I woke up, I found myself in some dark void. Not long after that, I saw another bright light appear. I went through it, and I ended up here."
"I…I see…" Komaru sat there, stunned by the tale she was just told.
"As for my name…It's Chiaki…I think."
Chiaki, Chiaki…why does that name sound familiar…? Komaru wondered. "Okay…Chiaki…do you remember anything else?"
"Well…I know that I love to play games…and that I want to help my friends."
"I see…and who are your friends?" Komaru asked.
"…I can't remember…I think."
Komaru facepalmed in frustration, muttering "That doesn't help much…"
Chiaki smiled apologetically, sweatdropping. "Sorry…oh, but I do remember the name of someone who I think could help."
Komaru's eyes widened as she demanded "Who? Who is it?!"
"Well…I don't remember their whole name…but they go by the first name Izuru."
"Izuru?" Komaru cocked her head in confusion as she pondered That name sounds familiar too…but why…? Why does that name sound so familiar…?
"So…what's your name?"
"O-oh, sorry. It's Komaru."
"Komaru…" Chiaki smiled. "That's a nice name. It''s nice to meet you, Komaru."
"L-likewise…" She doesn't seem malicious…maybe she really is just confused. Komaru smiled and nodded before her lips tugged into a contemplative frown. "I wish I could help you, really. But I don't know any Izuru…" Komaru's eyes widened as she exclaimed "Oh, but maybe Hajime does!"
"Ha-ji-me?" Chiaki cocked her head in confusion.
"Oh, sorry. Hajime's my husband." Komaru explained before she stood up, cradling her baby bump with one hand. "I'll go get him, just stay put."
Not like I can go anywhere…I think… Chiaki smiled as she watched Komaru walk out of the room. I'm excited to meet you…Hajime…