Chapter 85:
Link of Desire
December 5th. Some minutes before noon.
(Yuuko's Office.)
[Yuuko]
Aiming my full focus upon him, to the point where Yashiro can no longer remain staring, a hand serves as soft landing for my chin while I stare. And yet, he forwards the silent treatment again as he drinks his coffee.
"You refuse to tell me of the letter?" He nods, a leg crossing over the other, an arm loosely extends over the sofa. "Do you realize what this antagonism tells me about you, Shirogane?"
A brow corks, he then smiles back. "Do you realize what kind of mess you're getting into, Vice Commander? Knowing intel you shouldn't have access to can easily backfire."
"Thanks for the reminder, but I deem this an emergency. Speak, now."
"No, I don't think I will," he then sobers up, resting the cup on a thigh as he returns my gaze, fully, "unless you're ready to give me an answer."
"The contents of the letter may play a vital role in our plans, Shirogane."
"Your plans, you mean. We have not yet agreed to remain working together after I tune Sumika, and I'd like you to cease these attempts at pressuring me, Vice Commander."
"…Is that so," spinning, kicking away at the floor until I can feel the back of my head regretting the impulse, I interlock my fingers and shoot gazes at him when he enters my vision. "Did you also have something with this Amato while you served in the Guard?"
"…She almost killed me, you know."
"What?"
Slowly sipping his coffee, he remains quiet. Bereft of answers, I can only stare yet find no cracks. Perhaps, because any further cracks would have it all collapse. Yashiro's ears lower, a few fingers barely grasping at his sleeve. And then, she fires a glare at me. If she were a real bunny, she'd be hissing.
"…Alright, enough of this. Are you in any danger, Shirogane?"
"Nope," he says, leaving the mug on the small table, shrugging, "not while I remain here. And I ain't leaving the base if we can't reach an agreement, so telling you of something that will matter little if your decision is set is a waste of time. Try as she might, Captain Amato cannot do anything to get in the way of the tuning, so it's not worth your notice."
"…And what of afterwards? If we need to stabilize you and regain your citizenship-"
"Should I take that as an answer, then?" He delivers another eclipsing stare, tone quiet yet harsh.
Little more han once again focus fully on him, pressing a knuckle onto a cheek to denote my displeasure. "I'm merely seeing if you're thinking this through, remember that the IRG doesn't have a good view of me. If I commit to your ideas, I cannot have you in any danger going forward. So, what was in the letter?"
"I don't deal in hypotheticals, Vice Commander. This has nothing to do with Alt IV, so can we get to the tuning already? I won't let any memories affect Sumika, if that's what you're concerned about," he affirms, arms folding and giving a firm nod, never breaking eye contact, breathing stable as his features also remain.
"…Shirogane, surely you cannot let a meager detail get out of control again, can you?" I ask, leaning forward. "Even if we pacify Sagiri, there is a possibility your identity could be used to strike back at me, that a few loyalists would try and free the Shogun's stepbrother from my grasp. After all, you're, legally speaking, closer to Her Highness than even Mitsurugi."
"Except I'm no longer that," he slowly shakes his head, joining both hands, slouching a bit.
"…Hmm. So why are you refusing, then? What are you keeping from me, Shirogane?"
Like a sudden wave gaining altitude, the counter effect of the surfacing of whatever lies below, beyond sight. The smallest frown, now present nonetheless. "You should know already, Vice Commander. Curiosity is what killed the cat."
"Are you threatening me, Shirogane?"
"Are you threatening me, XO Kouzuki?"
"You two, stop it!"
CHOP!
He pouts a bit, groaning back at Yashiro, whose bunny ears continue to flap as she shoots little glares at both of us. "You're supposed to be on my side, young Gadawan."
"A young what?" I cork a brow, failing to recall hearing of said word before.
Yashiro's gaze gains intensity, as does the hand which still grips at his sleeve. "I am your friend, but please stop antagonizing the Professor."
"Not my fault she can't take a no for an answer. I do give her time to sort out her thoughts, but she immediately pressures me for every last bit of intel, even on things she knows she cannot learn at the time," he shrugs, shaking his head in a dramatic and exaggerated gesture.
Coiling a fist, hammering at the desk, I glare. "Shirogane, stop messing around! You already know what risks would I face if someone with your ties to the nobility ever becomes a target. Do I have to force the answers out of you, perhaps?"
His lips purse, slowly he leans towards Yashiro. "See, Kasumi? Told you she was Zith."
"Takeru-san, don't start, please. We're all on the same side," she scolds, pulling at his arm.
"What's a Zith?"
"I guess that means now there's... three of us?" He says, losing force as he raises a brow, ignoring my query.
"Sigh... Do you have to try and make the joke?" She asks, flapping her ears.
"No, wait, we're the Zith Triumvirate now," he affirms, regaining the usual cheer, raising a small fist while nodding to himself.
"I'm saying, what is a Zith?!"
"We are nothing of the sort," Yashiro protests, pouting.
"I mean, to be fair, from the perspective of the Empire, I'm sure we're probably the bad guys of the story, though. But don't worry Dersh Bnnuy, Mom and Dad got this covered," he states, pushing his chest out, eating another flurry of chops to the shoulder while starting to chuckle.
"…Dersh what? Okay, Shirogane, can you start explaining what are you on about?" Here I am, revising all the old docs I can to see if there's anything conclusive to use as a lead to confirm my suspicions. And there he is, joking around like a clown.
Blocking the chopping, he nods back at me. Endowing a small smirk. "Fuhuhu, well, if you insist. Allow me to present to you the first ruler of the United Federation of Mankind, our overlord and savior, Dersh Bnnuy!" He announces with a dramatic bow, patting Yashiro's head.
"Takeru-san, stop it with the puns," and she immediately protests again. "I'm nothing like that old mean man who ruled the Zith."
"Hey, for now," he raises a finger, another smirk. And receives another chop.
"Sigh... Is this all just a joke, Shirogane? Because I might be considering bringing some syringes if you don't stop now."
"See, Kasumi? That's the Dark Flow at work," he points at me, nodding at her groans. Before going back to business, lazily smiling my way. "But anyways, I was just talking of Galaxy Wars to lighten the mood a bit."
"And what is this 'Galaxy Wars'?" I ask as I spin, rubbing my forehead.
"...Wait, we don't have Galaxy Wars in this timeline?" He asks, features widening in honest surprise.
"No, I don't think so? Unless you count the BETA war, that is."
"...This world sucks."
"So, you were saying about these wars..."
"Oh, they're a series of movies. And comics, and games, and other junk. It features lots of starships and battles, the iconic lasersabres, and it was really popular back home."
"Laser... sabres?"
"Swords made out of lasers, that is."
"What!? You could make... Was that all fiction?"
"Of course they were, duh," he rolls his eyes, shrugging. "Though, not all of it was magic science. Learning about the Doom Moon was actually what made me like jets and stuff when I was little. Though, it kinda sucks knowing it could never be real," he nods slowly, putting both arms behind his head as he relaxes onto the sofa.
"And what is this Doom Moon?"
"A planet-sized XG, kind of. With a laser beam and all. As I said, seeing that is what made me wanna be an engineer, even though my grades were awful."
Inhaling slowly, feeling my own waves going tidal, a frown I forward. "...Shirogane, why have you not mentioned any of this until now?"
"I mean..." he looks away, ruffling his hair, "the tech shown in Galaxy Wars comes from a futuristic future. I doubt even you could make heads or tails about such advanced things, and we have other stuff to deal with. More important stuff, like tuning the 00 Unit to get a head start compared to last loop."
Halting the spin with a heel, aiming squarely at his eyes, tensing my lips for a second, I rest both arms onto the desk, causing a pencil to fly away to the floor. "Excuse me? I am more than capable of sizing up and working on any 'futuristic' tech from your world. Do remember we have far more advanced spacecraft here, going by the notes you brought from your world."
"Huh, really? Then, what about the Rapier?" He asks, resting onto the sofa while playing with his hair, while smirking.
"...What?"
"Yeah. You told me the meeting for the negotiations went alright, but you didn't say a thing about it, you only spoke about the XGs. What's up? Chickening out again?" He raises a brow, defiant challenge, not altering the teeth-revealing smirk as I glare.
"What are- What do you mean by 'again'?" Staring, I tap and press a paper, pulling at my own strings.
He chuckles while idling time on his long strands. "Well... Last loop you didn't have the time to work on it, so you gave up on fine tuning the Rapier. I think it was some sort of special TSF made to work with the XG?" He asks, hand on his chin, returning my gaze, not faltering.
"Yes, it... Yes, it was. Why haven't you mentioned it thus far?"
"Because I know nothing about it, of course," he smiles, shrugging, not altering his posture at all, still looking into my eyes. "Never saw it do anything but collect dust. We did have a small talk like this, when you showed me Model D for the first time. Something about the ion thrusters not being like you thought, kind of a pain to deal with."
"Wait, you- Since when do you know of ion technology?!" I slam the desk, hands quivering against my restrain.
And he dares, he dares to chuckle again. To still smile my way, resting onto a hand, posture relaxed onto the sofa as if floating on a pool. "Since back home. It was actually one of the stuff I looked as a way to forward my thesis back in college."
"Huh, really now?"
"Yeah, for real. Not gonna lie, I wanted to make one of those giant ships from the movies, maybe fly to Mars and explore the stars. Turns out Ion thrusters are not actually very strong, though. Good at efficiency, but back home they had their limitations and weren't very fast. Mostly used for satellites that remain on orbit, I think."
"I see…" No lag in his words, no shade in his eyes, only raising a brow as I remain silent and staring. So he's telling the truth, huh. Something I couldn't do in another world, something which could protect the XG... "Do you believe we should push to get one in our hands?"
"Depends. If you think you've got the time, sure, go for it. Not that I care, if you're dead set on going through the coup."
"Sigh… What is it now? Something in the letter riled you up, Captain?"
"It's 'cadet', Vice Commander."
"It's 'Sensei', Shirogane."
"I'd prefer it to be 'Yuuko', though."
"Oh, giving up on the 'honey' already?"
"…Not like you remember anything about the poem, anyways. Sigh…" And like a balloon poked by a needle, he deflates for a second. Taking a short breath, folding his arms, he straightens up, back to the neutral facade. "But, back to the point, no, I ain't telling you about the letter. Has nothing to do with Alt IV or our pact, of that you can be sure."
"So you won't speak?"
"Until you give me your final answer and commit to it, I think it's better for both of us to, you know, keep our cards close to our chest. Better for you to not entangle yourself with me more than you need, if you only need me for the tuning."
"…So you are not answering, huh," I narrow my eyes, bumping a hand on my chin while spinning.
"Neither are you," he rolls his eyes, some hair on a finger.
"Please, stop fighting…" Yashiro pleads, trying to stare, lips quiver as she looks down. "We're all allies, right?"
"Until XO Kouzuki answers my suggestion, it can't be helped, Kasumi," he says, petting her head.
"Mmgh... Is this pouty act fueled by the result of the questioning on Mitsurugi?" I stand, going to make myself more coffee.
He sighs, relenting a nod. "Kind of, yeah. And no, it did not work out."
"Hmm. As expected. Don't worry, I already told Marimo to stay on her guard. Mitsurugi won't be an issue to you."
"If only that solved the problems."
"You cannot control other's feelings, Shirogane. If she won't see as you do, there is only so much you can try to do," I remind as my cup fills up, he simply shrugs.
"I know… And I won't falter, don't worry."
"Any ideas to try and make peace with her?" I ask, inhaling into the fresh scent, bringing the cup to my lips.
"Yeah, there is one card left to play," he affirms, despite the desolate tint to his eyes, the visibility I gain on his knuckles.
"I see. In any case, there are other matters we need to talk about, so let's deal with the 00 Unit first," I say, pacing towards the door.
They follow behind, Shirogane scratching his head as he comes closer. "Anything I should know before we start the tuning?"
"Nothing we did could get a reaction out of the 00 Unit that was not pure rage or docile obedience, and it did not answer why it left the cylinder room to seek you. From a computational standpoint, it's working as expected. But if I only needed a quantum computer…"
"Same as before, huh," he comments, sighing.
"Well, I hope your tuning session yields results, however small."
We exit the office, turning towards the cylinder room. If my theory of two-way communication stands true then, perhaps we don't even need to send the 00 Unit to Sadogashima to gain intel on the Hives. Shirogane did report that the Reactors are another BETA strain, so once I confirm no leaking happens, once its capabilities are stabilized, perhaps we could have the 00 Unit scan our Reactor, gain the mapping of the Sadogashima hive, maybe more.
Then, our last resort would be far safer than otherwise. The 00 Unit can fully focus on the particle cannon without resorting to scanning the Sadogashima hive, without putting further burdens onto the system.
We enter the room, the two of them slowly go up to the pod, watching over it as I approach the monitors and start the gradual cease of Sleep Mode.
…If it does react as I believe, then I will require Shirogane to stay until then. That equals preparing a motive for the pigeons to graduate against the piling pressure that pushes against the notion. Perhaps he could help me, but that would mean accepting his terms.
…Not that I had any plans to allow him to leave. Shirogane is staying, I'm certain. He's only hesitant due to what's at stake for his world, for the ripples that may follow. Once the 00 Unit is properly tuned, things will go back to normal. I'll ensure no ripples can screw up his home world, nor our efforts here. It's in my best interests after all… to repay his aid, to have him stay by me.
Looking back at Shirogane, stepping towards him, I cough. "So, are you ready to begin?"
Silently nodding, he holds my gaze.
Some moments later…
"So, which one do you think will stop spinning first?" He asks, looking at the three spinning tops he somehow found available in the library.
The 00 Unit's lips twitch, gazing at the three wooden triangles. "Uhh... Left one."
Sigh... Still talking in a monotone, huh. Only some brief changes to the patterns recorded earlier.
"Alright, let's see how this goes," he softly says, brushing the hair and the ribbon, before the three twirl and give impulse to the toys.
As they spun around on the ground, I took a glance at Shirogane. He nods back, so I return my attention to the monitors. The fluctuating graphs, the spikes, the smallest, erratic reactions on its face… So this is working, somehow. Luckily, it seems to like spinning tops for some reason.
There is only a minimal disquiet to the patterns in the screen, a composed appearance instead of seeking bloody murder far more savage than Shirogane's piloting.
The toys slowly start to lose speed, and in the end the left one was the last to remain spinning.
"Wow, you guessed right again, Sumika. Here, some more candies," he cheers, placing more of the things in its hand.
However, the 00 Unit limits itself to simply holding on tightly. The still waters of its expression betray no emotion, blank as a sheet of pure, immaculate snow.
And yet, the stability is more than enough. Its patterns denote emotion, buried deep within, lost in a trench. But it is there, there is acknowledgment towards Shirogane's actions and queries. His gaze hesitates towards me, he allows a sigh as I smile and nod back. Gesturing for him and Yashiro to stand, his motions stop and a grip sends him back to the floor.
"Don't leave," the 00 Unit pleads, grasping at his arm, maintaining the neutral facade.
"Sumika, we played a lot today, right? I have to go back to my own training," he whispers with a smile, petting its head.
"No," the gripping increases in strength, his lips purse for a moment.
"Come on, now. I'll come back tomorrow and we'll play again. I'm not going anywhere."
"No!" It then constricts upon him, with far more impulse, enough to cause a wince out of Shirogane.
"Sumika, calm down," he pleads amidst a groan, embracing it with his free arm, patting the back of its head. "Nothing's wrong, no one here will harm you."
Yashiro hesitantly steps closer, as if walking against the wind. "Takeru-san, shouldn't we turn her off?"
"No, she has to get better," he looks my way, unblinking. I slowly nod, watching the erratic numbers, the exertion closer to red.
"But she might hurt you, and I don't think this is good for her, either. Professor, should we really let this go on?"
"We do need the data of a stress test," I simply say, not meeting her gaze. And frankly, there is little comfort we can offer for the horrors Kagami endured. Time is all we can give the 00 Unit.
Shirogane did report that the 00 Unit was also reacting in this manner during his last experience. We have little choice but to stand and watch it endure the flashbacks until it can control the searing revengeance it inherited from Kagami. To that end, the readings are necessary. After all, if there is a need to assault Kashgar before its Reactor grows to the next Phase, the 00 Unit has to reach a proper level of aptitude. Fast at that. And while Shirogane's idea of playing games is trouncing my earlier trainings, if the progress is insufficient…
…Do I have to send him back to his world? What will Shirogane do… if I force him to ruin another Kagami? He's going to cross me if it comes to that.
"It's alright, Sumika-san," Yashiro says softly, lowering to the ground. "We're safe here, there is nothing to-"
SMACK!
THUD!
"Go away!" The 00 Unit shouts, eyelids constricting, trying to melt into Shirogane's hold as it stares at Yashiro, who lays frozen on the floor, holding a reddening cheek, eyes and lips extended in paralysis.
"Sumika, calm down! Kasumi isn't your enemy, she's-"
"No! Go away!" Another manic scream, another frantic expression, yet this time-
The readings are different, this isn't a berserk overload. The toxins released by the synth skin, the wavelengths emulated… Fear. Another emotion.
It took him only a single session to bring out another emotion in it already?!
"Ugh! Please calm down, Sumika. Nothing's wrong, we're all on your side here," he wails, groaning. Looking back at him, his glare holds my gaze, unblinking. Gesturing for me to turn the 00 Unit off.
Inhaling softly for a moment, gazing at the shrinking shape that starts to loudly wail, to beg for Shirogane to not leave, to not be hurt, I relent a nod. Inputting the commands takes a second, the 00 Units begins to quiver, its speech turning jumbled, down to a mumble in mere moments. A sleeping Whitesnow it turns into, limp on Shirogane's hold.
Without sharing words, we connect it back into the pod. Once I made sure the ESP protocol is in working order, I start up the ODL purification. Looking back, Shirogane is rubbing Yashiro's swollen cheek as she apologizes for some reason.
"Shirogane, Yashiro, to the office," I order, leading the way.
I take one last look at the pod, seeing the undisturbed sleeping face, as if resting beneath an ice cage for eons at a time. Both of them sigh and leave the 00 Unit's side, so I exit the room with them tracing my steps back to the office.
Shirogane and Yashiro both sit side by side as before in the usual sofa, she in complete petrification, he still gently rubbing the reddening cheek. I quickly prep up and hand him the red and white mug with coffee to him and the full black one with cocoa to Yashiro. Both of them drink in silence, so I take the opportunity to sit down myself and start looking at the recordings. After some minutes with only my key clicks resonating in the office, Shirogane clears his throat.
"So how did it go?"
"What do you think of that last outburst?" I ask, looking into his eyes.
"She was either seeing another traumatic memory or she was really afraid of me leaving," he affirms, then looks back at Yashiro. "Do we have anything for her cheek?"
"Don't worry, we can tend to that later," I wave away, he groans a bit. "How is the progress compared to the prior one you tuned?"
"A bit better, I guess," he shrugs, taking another sip. "The outbursts were way stronger last loop, probably because she saw me die in front of her. But the overloads still happened, it took me a while to actually hold a conversation with her."
"…I see. So there is not yet conclusive proof of progress on the stabilization of her psyche."
"Yeah, that is true. I'm not going to-"
"I wasn't going to suggest anything. Drop your guard," I cut him off, slowly spinning in the chair. He sighs, resting his full weight onto the sofa again. "Shirogane, did I ever tell you what you were doing right last loop?"
He raises a brow, eyes squint. "Regarding the 00 Unit? No, you only told me she never showed emotions when I wasn't around, that I just needed to be close to trigger a change. Her attitude did shift drastically, she started behaving like a kid just a few days after you put me in charge of tuning her."
"Hmm... You told me Yashiro shared memories with her too, right?"
"Yeah, that Sumika once said she remembered sharing breakfast with my squad, but the one who did that was Kasumi. Do you think Kasumi can't link the memories of her little self I saw for some reason?" He asks, Yashiro's ears flop down, stalling the rise of the cup to her lips.
"No, that's not it. The easing of memories from another Kagami might have aided with the assimilation."
Inhaling sharply, his eyes shut down as harsh as hail. "...Yes, that's what happened. I am not doing that again." He then swallows all the remaining coffee in one go, throwing himself harshly onto the sofa.
"No matter what? I'm sure you know it, we need the 00 Unit in working condition as soon as possible. Even if another Kagami suffers again, that world will get fixed in the end. For our shared goals, stabilizing the 00 Unit is-"
"One more word and I break off our pact."
A frown rises on its own, we glare at the other. He meets my eyes without any hesitation, arms resting comfortably on the sofa, lips tightly sealed. Yashiro once more steals glances at us, slowly finishing her drink.
A small moment of silence extends in the office.
And yet, not even a slight crack surfaces in the mask. Not even a mere joke to lighten the mood, not the lightest relaxation of the blazing glare.
So I shake my head, spinning again. "Sigh... Fine, I won't ask you to go back there. Do you have a plan to make this go better then?"
"Yeah, actually. We just gotta do the reverse of what we were doing before," he affirms, smiling again.
"The... reverse?"
"Remember what we were doing with the recovery sessions? Can't Kasumi work as a bridge between my memories of this world's Sumika and the 00 Unit?" He asks, patting Yashiro's shoulder, making her gaze slowly return to reality.
"So instead of holding back the memories, you want to bring them out and link them to its current psyche? Hmm… I suppose, there is some merit to the approach." However, an adverse reaction could occur if, for example, Kagami's mother appears and the reminiscence turns into a catalyst. Even the faintest detail could devolve into an overheat, and Yashiro's psyche could suffer due to the recoil. "...Let me test it first. I can't have either of you getting injured, after all. Do you want to try this later tonight?" I ask, gazing squarely at him.
"I guess? Not like I've got much to do, other than oversee the tuning," he says, returning a nod. "So, how did the session go in the end? Did we get anything out of it?"
I shrug, sighing, resting my head onto the cushioning as the spin slows down. "It went fine, I guess. Your idea of playing games did affect her more strongly than my testings, I'll give you that. I got some new readings and data to compile for later."
"Um, Professor," Yashiro asks, peeking. "how much of an improvement did we obtain?"
"Well…" I ruffle my hair, taking a moment to readjust my position on the chair, the numbers and possible wording to employ. "What the 00 Unit is struggling with right now is the processing of Kagami's memories. Every time it tries to do so, the instruction the 00 Unit demands are too much for the constrains of the system and that causes an overheat. This time it was again drawing too many resources, but it handled the stress better than the test we did at early morning. After all, we could make the shift to Safe Mode without any sudden shutdowns required."
Shirogane coughs, leaning forward. "Basically, what she sees in the memories is so strong that she can't distinguish it from reality. That sends her whole system on a loop of anger or fear. Then, she can't keep up with both what she feels for the memory because she relieves it as if it were an intense flashback, alongside how her body has to react in a proper way to he memory. Was that somehow right?"
Smiling his way, I nod and breathe a sigh. "Exactly, that is it. You get a hundred, Shirogane."
"A hundred what?"
"I dunno, I'll decide later. Anyways, that is the main issue. The 00 Unit tries to assimilate the memories as something of its own, that forces it to emulate the pain and trauma. Its current status clashes with the perceived status as the flashback occurs, the programs' priorities get mixed up, it starts using more energy than it should as it thrashes about while the security programs try to execute the right order to work in. The system falls into chaos as the instructions don't align, so the 00 Unit shuts off as the errors overload the system."
I conclude, spin for a moment, before facing them both once more, endowing a mask, a glare.
"However, if the current approach doesn't work out in a few days..." the spinning stops, my fingers entwine as I lean onto the desk, focusing onto his eyes. "I want you to think thoroughly what you should do to ensure the 00 Unit is properly tuned before the Sadogashima Operation. On that hinges our pact, Shirogane."
"…I'm well aware, Vice Commander."
I narrow my brows, crossing one leg over the other, meeting the silent hail as I tighten my gut.
"I surely hope so," I say with a shrug, again going back into the seat's cushion. "Well, now that's out of the way, how have you been feeling? Did the talk with Mitsurugi give you any memories?"
He looks down, idling a hand on his ear. "Yeah, parts of stuff I rather not see. She used words from… a dead end, so I think she's suffering from a negative leak. Anything coming up in the radiation scans?" He asks, looking up, lips cascading down, eyes ever so slightly squinted as if surrounded in smoke.
"Let me check. The training happened at around- Oh…"
"I'll take that as a yes?" He asks, barely audible. I nod, he heaves a sigh.
"Don't get too beat up about this. There is only so much you can do against a fanatic."
A minute frown, he then shakes his head. "Meiya could be different, you know? She may not be… like the one I remember fondly, but that doesn't mean we gotta be enemies."
"I take it this means you do not wish to antagonize the IRG?" I ask, resting both arms onto the desk again.
He gives me a side glance. "That doesn't help in the slightest and you know it."
"And in the off-chance your fears about the leaked parallels becomes truth? What do you propose we do then, assuming my answer is affirmative?"
For a moment, he again stares at me.
Arms slowly fold, silence extends.
And then, he again gives a small smirk.
"I'll fly like a cannon ball."
"…What?"
"Exactly what it means. If it comes to blows, there's nothing to fear. They won't take me down."
"And you're so confident in that because…"
"Because," he frowns, inhaling sharply as he looks down, hellfire dripping from the glare, "I already pulled the trigger once. I can sure as hell do it again."
"Takeru-san, you're no coward," Yashiro states, rubbing his arm.
"Thanks, little bun," he smiles faintly, patting her head again, causing the bunny ears to flap a bit. "Still," he shakes his head, returning my gaze, "if you do want to keep me around, I can guarantee you victory in the field if you help me with the setup. So long as you don't send me against fighter jets or an XG and I'm in a working machine, I can probably beat anyone in a fight."
"Anyone?"
"Yeah, anyone. I didn't survive the Babylon Disaster for nothing," he reminds, a glitched twitch on one of his eyes.
"I see… You still won't mention anything about the letter?"
"Will you give me your answer now?" He stares at me, and nowhere else.
"…There are some matters I'd like to check before," I say, spinning away.
"Of course… Of course…"
"Takeru-san, please," Yashiro again pats his arm, trying to smile back at him, "the Professor is merely being cautious. You're no burden or anything."
He sighs, leaning back onto the sofa, both hands behind his head, seeming to be sinking further away from reach. And so, he says nothing, closing his eyes.
"This isn't a game," she protests, for some reason, flapping her ears. "There is more at stake than cold numbers."
…What is she answering to? And why is she so upset?
"Sigh… Thanks, Kasumi. But it is what it is."
"I don't agree."
"Excuse me, you two," they look at me, seemingly unaware of the motive of my inquisitive stare, "what exactly are you talking about?"
"Huh?" Shirogane raises a brow, scratching his head. "I said, it's completely understandable for you to prioritize other stuff, after all… I am aware I don't have a good RoI for Alt IV, that on this board I'm more of a pain than anything else," he shrugs, chuckling dryly at the ground.
"That is not true," she protests again, ears flapping a few times.
"Is that so… But you didn't say that, at all." He again raises a brow, she tilts her head. "Yashiro, can you still hear Shirogane's thoughts?"
"Eh? Ah, yes… Sorry."
"Wait, you didn't lock her away?" Sudden blazes back to life, he glares strongly enough to scatter ashes about. "Now that I think about it, she did hear an echo of my thoughts as she came to the sim room. Vice Commander, kindly block Kasumi from scanning my mind. Now."
"I already did, though," I retaliate, the frown and the Fimbulvetr back at him.
"…What? Then, why is she still hearing my thoughts?"
"Yashiro, can you?" She huddles upon herself, relenting a nod. It only brings the stillness of the great winter into me. "But I… But I'm sure I blocked Shirogane from your-" I quickly bring my laptop to life, smacking away at the keys, bringing up the control logs. And yes, the safety measures are in full effect. "There are no errors coming up, there should be no way in which she can scan your mind…"
"But she did hear my thoughts just now," he points out, still glaring.
"Shirogane, think of something."
"Of what?"
"Anything at all. Yashiro, you try and see if anything comes to your senses."
He holds my gaze for a moment, a grave expression hewn onto his face, but a pull from Yashiro relaxes his features. A sigh after, Shirogane holds his chin and purses his lips, looking upwards. A moment of silence passes, until both bunny ears perk up as if hearing thunder. Yashiro proceeds to release suppression fire upon his shoulder, Shirogane laughing for some reason without even trying to appease the chops.
"…So I assume she did manage to scan your mind?"
"Ahaha… Y-Yeah, she did," he says, coughing as he wipes a small tear from his eye.
"You're horrible, Takeru-san," she pouts, bunny ears flapping. "Why do you have to imagine that again?"
"Hey, you need to eat them to start growing, my young Gadawan."
"Shirogane, what did you show her? Nothing… inappropriate, I assume?" I threaten, narrowing my eyes.
He merely smirks back. "I thought of Kasumi frolicking about in a field of carrots, devouring them all in large chomps."
…
"Pfft! Ahahaha!"
"P-Professor! Do not laugh, please."
"N-No, I mean… Cough… Just thinking of you actually doing that- Ahem… Anyways," straightening my lab coat, I look back at the still chuckling Shirogane and the still chopping Yashiro, "this is quite odd. The bunny ears are working as they should, this shouldn't be-"
Wait, a link that cannot be broken… Being able to see and hear his thoughts in real time…
"Yashiro, do you feel any pushback from his mind?"
She groans for a moment, looks at him, then shakes her head. "No, I can clearly hear him, even if only a whisper. Sorry, I am not trying to-"
"It's okay, little bun," he comforts, petting her head. "So, can you do something about this?" He asks, leaving his hand atop her hair.
"Shirogane, how are you feeling as of now? Any pain, any disquiet, discomfort?"
"No, not really? The tingly feeling's still there, just, like… There, and that's all," he says, furrowing his brows. Not lifting the hand which on the hair rests, Yashiro not seeming to mind as she leans closer.
Why are they engaging in a psychic link all of a sudden? Why with so little recoil? Is this a side effect of the mind dive? What could-
…
Oh… Interesting, very interesting.
"I don't like that smile," Shirogane says, giving me a side glance.
"Shush, you. Anyways, Yashiro, can you end the psychic link?"
"Eh? But I'm not… Well…" she looks down, gripping her dress, putting some space between herself and Shirogane. "Mmgh… I… can't," her shoulders slump, she throws herself back upon his arm. "I can't zone his mind out. Sorry…"
He pats her head, softly parting her bangs. "Hey, it's fine. Don't pressure yourself. So Vice Commander-"
"Sensei."
"Vice Commander," he insists, looking back at me, monotonous as the silent ruins, the beeps of machinery, "is there anything we can do?"
"Hmm… You can't push her out yourself?"
"I would if I could, it's just, you know, the feel is there. Not bothering or anything," he says, scratching the back of his head, compacting his shoulders a bit.
So he isn't suffering any recoil either? Could this be… a synchrony? If so then, there's much work to do. I cannot allow Yashiro to end up as she was when returning from the mind dive, and I rather not have Shirogane believe I'm pushing Yashiro against her will. But if my hunch is true and this isn't some temporary link… I should go and rewatch the readings from the Mindseeker, see what I can glean.
"Well, for now you remain on your guard, Shirogane. Don't think of anything that might harm Yashiro," he nods, immediately. "Also, Yashiro, try and not remain attached to him all the time."
She twitches, bunny ears flap. "I am not."
"Oh, really?" I smirk, she straightens herself.
It is odd, Yashiro hasn't been particularly receptive of most people. Not even I've managed to have her display such closeness. While the mind dive did leave a great toll on her shoulders, if there is no recoil as of now and he welcomes her aid then, this is nothing but more news. All I need to do is ensure you both remain in good health, so that this link does not become a burden instead. I suppose, another motive to have Shirogane remain by me. Not that I ever doubted he would aid Yashiro, but now I simply cannot… let such an enticing asset out of my grasp.
"I repeat, I do not like that smile," Shirogane says, arms folding, another side glance cast.
"Shush. You remain on your guard and take good care of Yashiro, you hear me? Now then, time is of essence so I have one report for you, Shirogane."
"Hm? What's up?"
"Tomorrow, a retinue from Daikuuji Corp will pay a visit to the base. You'll accompany me to present your weapons to them, with some luck they'll be interested in them."
"Wait… Daiku… Daikuuji Corp?! Are you for real?!"
"…So you know of them already, huh. And you didn't tell me a thing about that, why exactly?"
"Oh, come on. I know them from my world, they were, like, the second largest business group in Japan," he says, nodding a few times, small sparks coming out of his eyes. "Are they still the same big shots here?"
"Well, more or less. They're the largest commoner-led business in the Empire. All the others have had ties to the nobility, but Daikuuji Corp has stood on its own since the, ahem, restructuring the IRG did a few decades ago."
"The mess with the New Zaibatsu stuff and the like?" He asks, raising a brow, a scowl.
"Yes, precisely. Sadly for them, they were left out of the TSF deal for the Shiranui due to being, well, referred to as 'lukewarm' fellows. While they still have a good standing, they're losing ground by the minute as things are now."
"So you'll use that to your advantage and get an easy agreement," he nods a few times, relaxing a bit.
"Something like that, yes."
Of course, that is not the entire truth. Daikuuji Corp is one of my initial supporters, I wouldn't be standing here if they hadn't backed my proposition to the IRI when I was just a teenager. Now I have much to offer back to them, but the most important thing… the treasure he left in my care…
No, do not focus on that. There is much to be done, and grieving accomplishes nothing.
"So, you be on your way to the office and get as much done as you can before your afternoon training. Once you're done, go back to Hangar 90 and keep at it until Yashiro goes to pick you up."
"Understood."
"Yashiro, you go back to the 00 Unit and start compiling the data produced before. And try and not scan Shirogane's mind."
"Yes," she nods, standing up. Looking back, she waves at him as she goes to the door, saying her goodbyes.
His hand remains in the air for a second before it slumps back into the sofa, Shirogane then sighs.
"Shirogane, I won't press on the letter, but do not let the result of the questioning to Mitsurugi-"
"I'm not," he shoots out, hitting his knees softly. "I know, no time to waste. Don't worry, I'm fine. But…" his lips then pluck as he starts gazing around. A tight, narrowed gaze meets mine as he grumbles for a second.
"…Is something the matter, Shirogane?"
"Yeah, that I see no tray or anything around."
"Wh- No. We are not doing this again."
"Sigh… Look, our pact aside, you really need to rest well," he says, lips shrink, his gaze lingers on me, in silence, calm and sober as a lake. "I bet you didn't sleep at all yesterday, too. There's still quite some time before my training begins. I can tackle the office again, if you need the rest."
"…Hmm. I assume, you're not planning on forcing me to my room, will you?"
"If you don't want me around…" he slowly stands, dejectedly shrugging, chuckling to himself, "I'll just take my leave here."
…
"I want a report on Sadogashima."
"What?"
"A report on Sadogashima, on the outcome of Iceberg to compare to our current situation. You can deliver that, Shirogane?"
"Hmm… I guess I can do that, yes," he nods, smiling.
"What of a report on the discussion you had with Mitsurugi?"
"I already told you the most important things about it," he affirms, holding my gaze.
"Surely it's in your best interests to halt the ripples? I need to know her reactions to analyze the readings of G-Radiation."
"Is that your answer, then?"
"Sigh… You should be aware of how the board looks, Shirogane," I let out a small sting, gazing at him.
Yet, his gaze crumbles. "Did the Chief tell you anything odd?"
"…Perhaps. But if you don't make an appeal, I don't know if I can properly see your side. You promise aid, but refuse to elaborate and give conclusive evidence on what and how you plan to halt the issues which will come, coup or not. So," I smirk, leaning on a hand, "will you give me details to base my answer on, Shirogane?"
His complexion dulls, slowly he inhales, as slowly as the twitch in his right eye. "I already told you my position yesterday. But if you want proof…" he again smirks, letting me see his teeth, "we can easily bind the moves of the IRG, even if it doesn't come to blows."
"How, exactly, do you propose we do that? They don't particularly hold us in good esteem, you see." And I highly doubt they'd let the opportunity pass them by.
"But the ones who want to light up a spark don't have the freedom they wish," he affirms, a gradual cloud shrouding his complexion. "After all, they made many mistakes… many compromises during the invasion."
"What are we talking about?"
"I'm saying that, if you'd like, I can give you a hint towards what really happened in Mogami Base and why the Swordbreakers were as feared as they were," he says, low, stepping closer and resting onto the desk. "You really didn't think Yuuhi let us roam around freely for no reason, did you?"
"…What of handing me intel that would place me in a compromising position?"
"Oh, that's not what we're talking about here," he remains smiling, undaunted. "But if there are parallels incoming even beyond the coup, if distress will fall on us to deter Alt IV from attaining victory, I think this won't be the first and only attempt to destabilize the Empire."
"Hmm… You do know we cannot take a political position. Are you suggesting me to blackmail certain key figures, then?"
"Yeah, I mean, we don't have to cross strikes if we can help it," he notes, despite the sigh that follows. "There are some that probably won't listen… but we can try and, uh, negotiate with the rest. Even if you've no intention to actually committing to the threats, having dirt on the HC or the Regents has to be worth something for you, right XO Kouzuki?"
"Sensei," I counter, tapping the desk. "And might I ask what athwarted you from achieving these goals while you were in the IRG?"
He rolls his eyes. "Her Highness. She won't do anything that might impair the peace of today, not in a million years. And my own hastiness back then."
"Hmm. Then, if she refused, why should I agree, Black Fire?"
A minute frown, whirlwinds on his pants the clawing spawns. "Because, one, we can't let the Empire lash out in defiance. Any more prideful bullshit and the rest of the world might truly be done with Japan. I guess that's why you were keeping the peace until I arrived."
Holding his gaze, I twirl a hair. "Perhaps."
"And two," he relaxes onto the sofa, blazing at the ceiling, "I'm no longer fire."
"Shirogane, you should know how the guards will-"
"That's not what I'm talking about. As of now, I am the dragon," he chuckles, rubbing one of his wrists.
"The dragon, huh. The one from the mind dive," I stare, until he deigns a nod. "And why is that benefitial to me?"
"Because this dragon don't need any Heavens," he declares, gazing straight at me, banners to war. "Do you plan to seek Heaven's aid?"
"Never."
"So, I guess our endgame is still in alignment? Because if it is," he smiles, confidence like the ever-rising sun, "let me remind you I'd like you to remain strong after Kashgar. So I can't have you burning everything to make Ouka a success."
"Huh… So if I support your little mischievous act, I assume you swear to remain here?" I ask, he nods immediately, not releasing my gaze. "Yet, the issues with," I spin, nibbling at my lips, "those extremist are something that we might prevent. What else can you present as proof now?" I stare, smirking.
Yet, while tightly folding his arms, he groans and looks up. "Well, I can lend a hand in dealing with IRG or the nobles. There's also the odd reports you've told me in other lives, which I already told you about before."
"And you won't force a fight against the ones you dislike?"
He frowns, tone searing. "I retaliated like an accursed fiend because they made a miss, to deny me the balm that is peace. I assumed we agreed on that regard?" He stares, I look away and nod.
"I see… Shirogane, if I can be honest with you, there is something I've been wanting to ask," he nods as he tries to cool down, gesturing me to continue. "We will both agree in that, so long as Her Highness remains unhurt, the coup won't yield us a negative result," he again nods, complexion undisturbed. "So, if bringing stability to the board that is the Empire is our goal, why not ally ourselves with the IRG? I can see your… strong emotions towards Ikaruga due to the man's addiction to heroics at the cost of verticalism coming to the Guard, but certainly, we benefit more with a united Empire, don't we?"
"Yeah, we do. Assuming Yuuhi isn't taken out of the board."
"…Excuse me?"
"I told you before, didn't I?" He frowns, bending over the desk, our gazes meeting at the same height. "I died in the original coup. Care to guess against what the rebels rose?"
"The Diet, I assume?"
"Correct. But there was an American intervention in those worlds, remember?" He smirks, one eye starting to twitch non-stop. "There was no way the rebels could have gotten away with their coup, right? There'd be no reason for the US to support something like that in that future, right?"
"…You didn't pull the trigger back then."
He chuckles, both arms falling to the desk as he shakes his head. "No… I couldn't. And that cost me my life."
Standing up, I pat his shoulder, stronger with each repetition. "It won't come to that in this world, even if she refused your words."
"…Even if that's the case," he raises back, the waves towering, his sight almost going odd-eyed, "would you care to guess why I joined the IRG in another world, if I vehemently opposed them in the other roads available?"
"…So that is the spark that comes from within, huh." It makes sense… too much, to be honest. Her Purpleness pacifism is in stark contrast with Ikaruga's glorification of the Imperial traditions, of the addiction he has over the spotlight. However, "You wouldn't be letting your… feelings for Her Highness cloud your judgment?"
He again stares, then chuckles. "No, because I know what will happen. Maybe not who, but I do know what. And there's no peace to be found in tyranny. Stability and power? Yeah, if what you're after is that, like what I showed you of our meeting in Sendai," he grimaces, far too strongly, "then supporting them is your best bet," he spits, pungent acid coating his every word, drenching the scowl.
"…So her life is in danger. Is that why you're against regaining your citizenship for now, to not give her further burdens?"
"Sigh… More or less. I'd like to believe we could make a truce but-"
"It is quite fair to affirm you and him are in collision course, yes."
"Well, there goes that option," he shrugs, closing an eye, restoring his usual calmness to his features. "So, this is where I stand. I really can't tell you anything else, not before you commit to an answer," he nods, holding my gaze.
"…And if I do accept, you'll stay in this world? Fighting under the UN?"
"Yeah."
"And there won't be any more secrets between us?" I ask, edging closer, poking his collarbone with a single finger.
"I dunno, will there be?"He asks, staring, not moving away.
"I… wouldn't mind being honest, if you give me your full acquiescence and continue to produce results with the 00 Unit. I do expect you to follow my orders, as well," I state, holding his stare, his chin with the tip of my finger.
"And I expect you," he places his own finger on my neck, narrowing his eyes, "to hear my warnings, instead of doing things behind my back. If we are to be equals, then I also expect your full compliance."
"You will have it, so long as you pledge yours to me."
"You do like being always on top, don't you honey," he rolls his eyes, slowly.
"Oh, it's just what comes with the position," I smirk, leaning a bit closer, treading a fingertip slowly up and down his neck. "What is it? If you'd like, I can bottom for you if you triumph in Sadogashima."
Pursed lips, choked words, eyes that flee. "Don't try and trip with me with that, Vice Commander. I know younger guys ain't fitting to your palate."
I chuckle, lightly nibbling at my lip. "Well, pour me enough drinks and anything could happen, you know? I'm almost tempted to ask you to 'take care' of me if I do overdo it with the alcohol," even if only to see if it'll let me inherit any memories, and maybe grant him some stable ground to regain his usual cheer.
Yet, his eyes widen. Breathing stuck as I was in my research, lips slightly parting to let out intellegible syllabes.
"Wh… Oh, no, we are not having this conversation," he quickly pulls away, rushing like a deer seeing a predator. Flushing red, blazing red, his hands idle themselves as they straighten his uniform, features contorting a bit. How… How adorable, to grow so embarrassed.
"What is it?" I approach from behind, slowly binding his arms with mine, he freezes for a moment yet doesn't refuse the hold. "Is the mighty Viking coming undone under some simple teasing? Fuhuhu…" Leaning closer, whispering to his ear, "My, how cute of you, Takeru."
"Don't tempt me."
"Huh?"
A hand reaches mine, fingers slowly sliding in between, gently squeezing. His back relaxes, resting against me, onto me. Looking back, our eyes meet, heads almost bumping, strands mixing. There is no longer a blush, only an ashen, downcast gaze left in him.
"Don't tempt me, Yuuko. I'm only human."
Gradually, he undoes the little lock, shakes his head and heaves a sigh. Turning around, a small frown, another tidal wave.
"And if you're just playing here… Believe me, you'll regret it."
"Sorry… Still, I do want you to stay here. Despite the issues that might come."
"…Is that your answer?"
"Sigh…" ruffling my hair, I sit on my desk. Meeting the frontal gaze, the ice which now covers him whole, I simply return the pleasantry. "If I want you to regain your citizenship, will you comply?" He nods. "If I want you to aid me in building a sustainable relation with Her Highness?" Again, an immediate nod. "If I… desire you to tell me about that poem?"
"That's off limits."
"Isn't it something important enough to allow me to see memories of other timelines?"
"If you can't recall it on your own, there's no point. Same reason for why you didn't straight up tell me I was this world's Shirogane after the CCSE, right?" He asks, smiling.
I can only groan and look away. "Heh, is that so?"
"If it's the results you want, I can tell you once we progress enough with Alt IV," Takeru affirms, standing straightly, in attention.
"…Good enough, I suppose. Still," I walk up to him, never lifting my gaze from his, again poking his neck with a finger, "get used to the idea of staying in this world, dragon."
"Keep your word and I will, Vice Commander."
"For the last time, it's Sensei. Or, if you want it so badly, you may call be by name," I tease with a smirk.
He steps back, shaking his head, looking down, collapsing down. "Anyways, get your thoughts in order and give me a clear answer, soon if you can. Without teasing involved," he adds, pursing his lips while messing with his hair. "So, you wanna rest or should I leave?"
"Hmm… You will write those reports I asked of you?" He nods, I smile. "Then, I suppose I could use the rest." Groaning as I stretch my arms upwards, I hear something crack. My lips part, a yawn roars out. "I… really do need some shuteye right now. Don't do anything stupid while I'm asleep, got it?"
"Yeah, yeah," he gives me a sideglance, arms folding. "You want lunch later?"
I rub an eye, swallowing another wild yawn. "Hm? Oh, yes, call for it. Wake me up before you leave for the training."
"Roger. Sweet dreams, Yuuko," he smirks, waving back.
"Yeah, whatever. I leave the office to you then, Takeru."
"…Huh?"
"Hm?" I look back, he's gaping for some reason, blinking slowing to a halt, remaining quiet. "What?"
"How did you just… call me?"
"What is it? That's your name, isn't it?"
"I mean, yeah, but-"
"Anyways, I did overdo it today, so I accept your graceful offer," I turn around, rolling both shoulders up and down. "Don't exert yourself like last time, understood?" He nods, slowly, features tight for some reason. "Well, I am expecting a decent set of reports from you, Takeru. Do not disappoint me."
"…I won't," he salutes, gaining a small, yet honest, smile.
"Good. See you later, then," waving him off, I yawn without restrain. Again stretching my arms and arching my back, I slump back to my room.
…For now, I won't overload myself. I'll just note down what I think is important from what Takeru told me, and then I'll sleep. After all, he seems to be telling the truth. If harm can come to Her Highness… that completely changes the scenery.
But still, if he no longer wants to endow the mantle of the Black Fire, what is this 'dragon' to him? Now that I think about it, Shirogane hadn't mentioned anything regarding the cult yet. A memory gained from his experiences in this world? Or, perhaps, there are still secrets to unearth?
Well, for now, let's not focus on that lest I won't be able to fall asleep. At least we got good results in the tuning. Another thing to thank him for, I suppose.