04/20/2036; Valkyrie; 7:32p.m.
Laying back on the messy sheets of the bed, Suzuha's vision drifted along parts of the ceiling in a lazy glaze, listening to the electronic notes of a digital piano as Kamiko tapped on various keys on the touchscreen.
"Did the whole story about the phone microwave make sense to you?"
"Somewhat. I'm a bit lost on how a kitchen appliance is supposed to generate a black hole."
"The gelatin banana part was kinda freaky. How would bananas do that?"
"He said it was a reaction to teleporting. Or something. They changed physical properties through time and space."
"Into green goo?"
"You don't know what's out there in space. I bet if you went through an event horizon, you'd end up all rearranged into a mess of stuff."
Head rolling to the side, a breath drifted from her nose.
"I'd swear he made it all up, but then he said he used the memory teleporter to try and save his friend over and over. You don't just joke about trying and failing to prevent someone's death."
"He wasn't joking. They talk about that girl Mayuri on occasion, and he's told me about some of what he went through to save her."
"Yeah?"
"He watched her die repeatedly... Told me how it was numbing, being so desperate and failing so many times. It haunted him until he finally figured out how to save her."
A shiver crept across Suzuha's skin, and she lay still, wide eyed.
"How did he do it?"
"Trying over and over, or saving her?"
"Saving his friend."
"He retraced his steps, undoing some of those messages he sent. I guess after a few of them, enough changed in the world that she lived past that awful night."
Hearing several more music notes emitting from the touchscreen, her vision focused on the nearby door.
"He's a real dedicated guy."
"Yep. The persistence my dad has continues to amaze me. Everything he did in the past, and everything's he worked towards now... Valkyrie would be nothing without his drive."
Realizing the same door was opening, Suzuha sat upright with surprise as Okabe strolled inside, looking towards the piano on the screen and smiling with a nod as his daughter turned to him.
"Father."
"Your admiration is appreciable, but I am not the only individual that forged revolution from the shambles of our nation."
"I know. But you and mother still remain to keep it going."
Slowing to a halt before Suzuha, Okabe presented a thin faded booklet to her with both hands.
"We do so to honor all who we have lost in the fight. This is for you, Miss Amane."
Bringing the object to her lap, her fingers brushed across the golden characters inset into the front cover.
"What is this?"
"The will of your father, Hashida Itaru."
Drawing in a breath, Suzuha opened the cover swiftly, presented with numerous paragraphs of text, and several technical documents folded and tucked among the pages.
"Ohhh wow. Are these..."
"His notes on our time machine's functionality. I suggest you take time to read them as well."
Kamiko stepped over to the foot of the bed, peering at the booklet with interest, and then eyed her father as he turned, smiling confidently.
"Thank you."
"You are more than welcome. Please feel free to keep it."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. I have plenty to remember my old friend by. Now you will have his own words in writing."
Heart beating with unexpected excitement as Okabe stepped out of the doorway again, Suzuha looked to Kamiko with a grin of disbelief.
"I didn't even know he had that in his possession."
"I've never had anything to remember my dad by. Now I know his real name and at least have this."
Looking down at the introduction, her fingers drug gently along the page, and a scent of aged paper greeted her nose as she pulled out several pages of technical notes and a folded schematic.
"Suzu... You don't mind if I look at all this with you, do you?"
Setting the booklet aside, she shrugged after setting the stack of papers on top of it.
"Why would I?"
"Just wanted to be sure."
Pushing back the messy sheets, an open spot was cleared on the foot of the bed, and Kamiko sat beside her, helping unfold the sheets of paper and revealing numerous sketches, scribbles of notes, and a sizable drawing of a large cylindrical object.
"Whoa."
"That's the time machine huh?"
"I think so."
"Double sided solar panels... Look at those dimensions. This thing is huge."
"Wasn't the first one a microwave?"
"Yeah, but this looks a bit more advanced... Prototype number two zero four."
Slowly turning back and forth between two pages of their photo album, passive breath left Okabe's nose, with Ruka tucked against him comfortably in their bed.
"She looks almost exactly the same."
"Very similar in age. I believe she was eighteen at that point."
"In twenty-ten?"
"Yes. She traveled back from her future in twenty-thirty-six, using our time machine."
"But that hasn't happened yet in our time."
"Her future was different from our own, so her instance of time travel has yet to happen on our world line."
Sitting in silence, their eyes slowly took in the detail of each photograph of a smiling and laughing Suzuha in the Future Gadget Lab.
"That's really was her, wasn't it."
"Without question. She's the exact same person, twenty six years apart."
"Considering you're intending for her to go back in time... Will she end up overwriting our past experiences with her?"
Head moving back against the wall behind, Okabe's lips pressed together in contemplation, and Ruka's head turned, chin resting on his shoulder.
"Perhaps. I hadn't considered that."
"Would that be bothersome, being in the past and all?"
"That depends on what is altered later on. If she goes back in time to twenty-ten again, our associations with her may be drastically different. If she arrives later... I'm certain some of us will still remember interactions with her from before."
"Wouldn't that be a bit odd though? Suzuha reappearing with no memory of meeting anyone besides you and I, twenty six years later?"
"Its happened before. In the past she had visited the year two-thousand, but when I communicated with her under her alias as John Titor, she persistently denied ever going to that year."
"You remembered that, but she didn't?"
Okabe slowly nodded.
"In the timeframe she appeared, when I sent the first D-mail and our time machine materialized into the radio building in Akihabara... Her visit to two-thousand was overwritten."
"And now in our current world line, when she goes back in time... Our current future is about to overwritten, right?"
"Only if she breaks through the one percent barrier. I'll be instructing her to go to the year twenty-twelve, so our past experiences with her are likely to remain."
Eyes settling upon another picture of Suzuha, sitting on the bench in front of the Tennouji CRT shop, a lengthy breath drifted from Ruka's nose.
"How many times has she traveled back in time?"
"That I cannot answer."
"Its not as if we can ask either. She hasn't even seen the time machine yet."
"She's got an unusual destiny tied to her... And because of the dynamics of it, later versions of herself aren't even aware of what she's already experienced."
Hands resting on the photo album, Ruka's fingers slowly moved over, curling around the side of his palm.
"Okabe."
Turning to her from her whisper, their eyes met.
"Do you think it'll be worth it... Having Suzuha change the past?"
"I do. Its not as if she hasn't done it before."
"I understand, but having her alter everything that's led up to now... Is that a reasonable sacrifice for the sake of avoiding our current future?"
"I'm sure it would be more than worthwhile."
"If she makes such a significant change, I fear a lot more will be altered besides the state of the world."
His heartbeat spiked from her implication, but the initial worry then went by the wayside.
"My dear Ruka... Memory persists across world lines, but as I discovered with you and I in our youth, love transcends time as well."
Eyes closing, she slowly exhaled, tingling with emotion.
"Yes. You've explained the concept before."
"I understand you worry for our relationship in the wake of altering the past and future. But from what I have experienced in those eventful days in August of twenty-ten... Your love for me was utterly inexorable, even against the mighty forces of the universe. I have no fear that we will remain together regardless of any alterations in life continuity."
"And Kamiko?"
"She's cradled by the love we share as family. If time cannot pull us apart, it shall be just as difficult to pry her away."
Exhaling heavily as Ruka hugged him tighter, he leaned his head against her own.
"I hope you are right."
Closing his eyes, his mind worked with fervent uncertainty.
As do I, my love.
Laying flat on her stomach, Suzuha's legs moved back and forth, eyes poring over the technical blueprint of the machine as Kamiko sat cross-legged beside her, looking between the sheets of notes in her hands, and Suzuha's flowing brunette hair spilling over her shoulders onto the bed.
"...So you input the date, time and coordinates into the mainframe, activate the hyper-flight sequence, and depending on the distance of time being traversed... Travel will take seconds for a short leap, and several minutes for a longer leap."
"Would you consider twenty six years a long leap?"
"He doesn't have a chart written anywhere, so I don't think he bothered to go back five hundred years and find out how long it took."
"Okabe said they tested it several times. I kinda wonder where they went, honestly."
"It seems the machine is capable of real-time teleportation if you tell it to travel to a location within a minute of your own departure."
"So you could hop across the world in ten seconds?"
Kamiko's head tilted, reading another group of notes beside a small sketch.
"Maybe."
"Sounds awesome."
"And risky. Make sure your coordinates are accurate."
"Yeah. Wouldn't want to end up in the ocean or high in the air."
"You could materialize into something too."
"Oh man. That'd be a bit freaky."
"Your best bet would be to land on an open space somewhere. Ideally flat and level and solid."
A breath blew from Suzuha's lips, looking at the legs of the machine's landing gear on the drawing.
"I wish I could practice somehow before actually doing this."
"I don't think anyone's made a flight simulator for a time machine."
Looking at Kamiko from her quip, Suzuha rolled her eyes from the girl's cheeky smile.
"Just saying."
"With my luck I'll wind up upside down, halfway into Mount Fuji."
"The gyroscope will make sure you always materialize upright. So there's that at least."
"I'm not sure orientation would be my first worry in that situation."
Setting the sheets of paper aside again, Kamiko nodded.
"Right. Spawning inside a volcano would be a bit worrisome."
Rolling over onto her back, Suzuha lazily gazed up at the ceiling, breaking into a giggle moments afterward.
Reveling unexpectedly in her friend's sweet laughter, the commander's fingers intersected in her lap as she discreetly admired Suzuha's youthful complexion, vision drifting along the soft features of her face.
Surviving and fighting for two years... And somehow you're practically unscathed.
A tingle of excitement sparked through her skin as the girl's head turned, her light amber eyes filling her vision.
You have better luck than you think, Suzu.
"You know... Its pretty cool that our dads figured all of this out."
Breaking away from the distracting gaze of her friend, Kamiko hesitantly nodded.
"Yeah. Probably took a lot of time and brain power."
"It seems like they had plenty of both."
"I kinda wonder how they got everything they needed to build this machine when the rest of the world was in a conflict crisis."
"Wouldn't be the first mystery our parents have been part of."
"I'll say."
04/20/2036; Valkyrie; 10:46p.m.
Laying in the pitch black darkness of their room, tucked close together in each others warmth, Okabe and Ruka lay in a gentle embrace, her head tucked just beneath his chin.
Feeling her stir, moving her leg and arm slightly, he quietly exhaled, discontinuing his relentless contemplation of the upcoming mission.
"Okabe."
Brushing a lock of her hair aside with his nose, he pressed a kiss into her forehead, bringing a murmur from her throat in response.
"Ruka."
"What do you think of our daughter and Suzuha?"
"Their friendship?"
"...Yes."
"They're getting along."
"I feel she's trying as hard as she can to enjoy her only friend."
Okabe exhaled, realizing her implication.
"My love, Suzuha's mission has been in planning for nearly a decade."
"I know. It saddens me though, seeing them enjoying each others company, only for it to suddenly end."
"I am aware of what I have truncated. Regrettably, the sacrifice for changing everything is Kamiko's companion, as well as our own guest. I too am reluctant to let her go, just as she's finally shown up after all this time."
"I just hope its worth it, having her alter our own future."
"Perhaps if it is impossible to achieve, she can attempt to return to our time."
"And if she doesn't come back to our world line?"
"She can find me or you, wherever we end up existing."
His eyes shut for another moment, listening to the quiet draw and release of her breath between his own.
"She's a truly brave soul."
"Her tenacity is unmatched, yes. That's why I trust her with this task. Nobody else in this world could pull it off."
"You trust her from prior experiences."
"Prior successes. We ended up with the IBN thanks to her, and that was crucial to Shiina's survival and deterring SERN from discovering the Phone-Wave."
"That was a past Suzuha. We have yet to know if she is just as capable in our own world line."
Okabe squeezed her side tighter with his arm.
"That's what we're going to find out soon, my love. Even if she is unsuccessful, Valkyrie will still go on fighting. Our objective does not change unless everything around us does."
Her head shifted in a subtle nod.
"Alright."
Sitting back against the bed frame, sheets draped over her legs, Suzuha slowly read through the will and testament of her father, heart beating with emotional weight as his words flowed through her mind in a haunting narrative.
Its as if he wrote this to me... Giving me the rights to FG204, instructions on usage, and...
Realizing the words changed from typed text to a handwritten letter, her mouth opened from the heartfelt message.
Oh, dad... I miss you and mom. And I love you both so much. You have nothing but praise for me, and all I've done is fight my way through this nightmare we live in. I'll see this mission through. I promise you. Okabe may be the one telling me to do it but I know its what you want.
Slowly closing the booklet and setting it aside, she slid down onto the bed, settling onto the thick pillow below.
I won't let you down. You'll see.
Head turning to Kamiko sitting beside her, she watched as her expression changed from pensive thought, into a gentle smile.
"So now you own the time machine?"
"That's what it says. I have all rights to ownership and usage."
"Dad must have been aware of Itaru wanting that. He didn't put up a fuss at all."
"I think he's been aware of it for ten years or so."
"Right. He's pretty adamant about you using it."
"Even though I never have before."
"He must really trust you, Suzu. Your dad was probably the most loyal friend he ever had."
"He was probably the best father I could ever ask for, and I barely even remember him."
Kamiko's arm moved, and she hesitantly set her hand onto Suzuha's shoulder.
"It's not your fault, you know. We didn't ask for this life we've grown up in."
"I know. I just wish it didn't turn out like this. I would do anything to see him, or at least hear his voice."
"You could try to find him when you go back in time."
"But that would be years before I was even born. He wouldn't recognize me now that I'm eighteen years old."
"I bet it wouldn't matter. You could be friends with him or something."
"But he's my dad. How do I explain that I'm his daughter he hasn't even had yet? That could mess stuff up in so many ways... I don't even want to imagine."
"You'll figure out a way, Suzu. I believe in you."
A breath left her lungs, and she slowly nodded.
"Maybe. I just need to be careful, I guess."
Withdrawing her arm, Kamiko pressed a nearby switch on the wall, and the lights in the room faded down into darkness, countered by the small night lights that illuminated in response. She then sidled down into the bed, tugging the messy sheets over herself as she settling onto her side, facing Suzuha.
"What time is it?"
"A little bit past eleven."
Her body shifted, and her head turned up towards the black ceiling again.
"Damn. I'm not even tired. This whole mission and getting the will and everything else..."
"Sleep will come. You just have to let your mind sort out everything."
"Yeah. This bed is super comfy too... I'm not worried."
Putting her hands together, and setting them atop her stomach, Suzuha shut her eyes, watching prior day's imagery play behind her eyelids.
I'll just watch a few movies until my brain shuts down.
04/21/2036; Valkyrie; 12:17a.m.
Yeah, nope. Brain isn't turning off.
Laying on her side, backside gently pressed against Kamiko's with oddly comfortable warmth, Suzuha stared at one of the small LED lights on the edge of the concrete floor.
I can't believe I'm about to find a time machine and fly back twenty four years... All to change this world I grew up in. Who decided I get to have the fate of the world be at my mercy? Okabe. And dad. And Mom and Ruka apparently. They created Valkyrie to fight against SERN. But now they want me to jump back and stop this mess from even happening in the first place. Do they care that I'm about to erase their efforts? I guess if the alternative is a world of peace... It would probably be alright to anybody.
Listening to the passive breath of her friend just behind, her heart sank.
Kamiko though. I'm about to leave her behind, and I'm the first friend she's ever really had. Even if its for a couple days... I guess I mean a lot to her. People keep at a distance cause of her authority, but I brushed that aside and found she's just like me. Young and goofy and still just a teenage girl on the inside, trying to find her way through this mess we're in.
Feeling her friend's slender body shift slightly, a light blush crept onto Suzuha's cheeks.
Kinda crazy that we're sharing a bed. She seemed hesitant at first but now she doesn't mind... Do I care that she's against me right now? It is her bed, and its not massive. We both fit but... Ehh, you know what, whatever. Its not like she's going to do anything. She's been out for a while now. I've never really slept beside anyone... Especially another girl. But it really doesn't seem weird. I guess there's some kind of mutual trust or something. Or maybe she really doesn't mind. I'm just glad to have a safe place to rest.
Laying still, eyes lightly shut, Kamiko rubbed the edge of her pillow cover between her fingers.
Here I was telling Suzu she'll be asleep soon... And I'm laying awake instead, thinking about everything she's about to go through. Following a destiny of using her father's time machine to completely alter recent history... And leaving everything and everyone behind here to do it.
Her heart sank, sending a ripple of emotion through her body.
Oh Suzu. I wish you didn't have to leave us forever to do this. I know we've barely been friends but you still mean a lot to me. This world leaves few things to cherish besides family and friends, and so far I've only really had family.
Feeling her leg move slightly, brushing the heel of her foot against her calf for a moment, Kamiko released a silent breath from her lungs.
I hope you don't mind being together like this. I don't think I've ever been more comfortable around anyone, honestly. You understand so many things like I do, and you're not leery of me being a leader of Valkyrie... Its a nice change. I don't have to maintain a facade around you. I'm your friend, not just Commander Urushibara.
A smile spread across her face.
You're my friend, Suzuha, and I value your company more than you know... I hope you feel the same way I do.
04/21/2036; Valkyrie; 9:43a.m.
Stirring awake, nestled in the cozy warmth of twisted sheets, Suzuha's eyes slowly blinked open to the dark concrete walls around her.
Right. No sun down here.
Stretching her limbs with a held breath, she rolled onto her back, arm flopping outward onto the pillow beside.
Quiet morning.
Pausing, her head turned to her outstretched arm, realizing she was the only body occupying the bed.
Whoa... Where'd she go?
Rolling further onto her side, she drug herself along the bed, collecting the sheets into a messy coil around her body, and peered at the small digital clock that sat on a small table beside her bed.
Nine in the morning. Maybe she went to that meeting with her parents. What time do they get back from that?
Ehh. If nobody's here, nobody will complain if I just lay in bed.
Rolling back in the opposite direction, she ended up face-first in a pillow, and blew a breath from her mouth against the cloth beneath.
...Except me. I'm going to be bored out of my skull if I just sit here.
Pushing herself upwards with her arms, her brunette hair collected loosely around her face, and she turned around, sitting upright and brushing locks aside with her hand. Watching as the floor lights around the room brightened from her movement, her eyes drifted towards the glinting reflection of the touchscreen's glass nearby.
Yep. Getting up, getting coffee, and turning that thing on. Not gonna waste this morning away...
Dragging her fingertips up the screen, scrolling down along a page, Suzuha took a sip from her mug of reheated coffee, reading and observing text and imagery with caffeine-fueled fascination.
Surface weather conditions say its pouring rain. Kinda like a couple nights ago. But this time I'm down here a few hundred feet underground, encased in concrete, warm and dry.
Slowly nodding, her free hand slipped into the pocket of her sweatpants.
Sure hope that time machine is waterproof... Guess if its still transmitting back to Okabe after ten years of sitting out there, its probably doing fine. I know I wouldn't fare well if I lived a decade outside. Two years in that mess out there was more than enough for me. Seems now I'm about to go back out there, this time into the dockyards of downtown Tokyo. I have no idea who or what is out there... And I can't say I'm itching to find out.
Drinking a gulp, she savored the hint of strong sharp flavor from the grounds, matched with the pleasant sweetness of creamer.
I guess Kamiko was right. This bunker place is nice and safe. I could get used to the peace and quiet down here, after running around in the ruined ruckus on the surface.
Bringing her hand from her pocket, she closed the weather program, opening another menu, and pausing at the variety of programs available.
Man. What can't you do on this thing?
Hearing the entrance open in the distance, several footsteps and light conversation echoed from the hallway, only to hush as individual steps approached, and the bedroom door pushed further open. With a turn, Kamiko appeared behind the door, and their eyes met with curiosity.
"Oh, you're up."
"Yeah."
"Morning."
"Good morning."
Taking another sip of coffee as Kamiko moved past around the bed, Suzuha watched in the corner of her eye as she stowed a notebook into the drawer of her nightstand.
"Keeping busy?"
"Sorta. Didn't know you keep track of the weather around here."
"Always have. We try to avoid surface operations when a typhoon or hurricane is due in. Winter tends to be a pretty inactive time for us."
"Winters are miserable. I almost became a popsicle a few months ago when the zipper on my coat broke."
Kamiko turned, eyeing Suzuha's backside with mild confusion as she resumed browsing through the touchscreen's programs.
Popsicle...? What is that?
"Miss Amane."
Spinning towards the door from Okabe's voice, Suzuha blinked from his sudden appearance in the room, leaning against the steel door frame.
"That's me."
"Kamiko relayed information that you were brought up in the ways of the Japanese Self Defense Force."
Chin rising, she nodded.
"I was. Fought a few spectacularly bad battles, and fled after the invasion of Tokyo."
"I see. Do you retain elements of your training?"
"Every bit. Why do you think I'm still around?"
"Excellent. Then you should excel at a training refresh this afternoon."
Slowly smiling, she brought the mug to her lips, swallowing a cooler gulp of coffee.
"We'll see."
"Marksmanship will also be tested. With your weapon and some of our own."
Looking to Kamiko with a gleam in her eye, her smile increased into a grin.
"Heck yes. I'm totally up for that."
"I expect both of you at the training center by noon hour then."
"Yes father."
"We'll be there, don't worry."
Watching Kyouma confidently nod and turn into the hallway again, Suzuha stepped over and sat onto the side of the bed as Kamiko began brushing her own hair.
"You sound eager, Suzu."
"A little bit. I'm up for some action, and I've been dying to shoot the PM-9 since we cleaned it."
"Then today's your day."
"Totally. Hanging around is nice and all, but I'm ready to kick some ass again."
"You're in luck then. Training attendance tends to be mandatory before assignments, so I'll be there too."
"Awesome. You bringing that rifle of yours?"
"I have to. Its been my primary armament for almost four years now. I know every inch of it and every nuance of how it behaves."
"Do you bring it along on every mission?"
"Every single one."
Eyes met with interest, sharing a familiar sense of firearm ownership.
"Same. Mine's been through every fight with me ever since I found it. Never gave it up for anything else."
Brushing her hand along under her short dark hair, Kamiko tilted her head.
"I'm sure its easy to retain a weapon that uses some of the most common ammunition in the world."
"True. Can't say I've ever completely run out of it."
"That's fortunate, considering its also one of the smaller calibers in use."
"Hey. Nine millimeter isn't too intimidating until you can put a couple dozen rounds downrange in a few seconds. That's what I love about it. With that drum magazine, it spews a lot of lead in a hurry."
"Do you ever keep spare magazines?"
"I had a straight one but the internal spring broke. Only held twenty bullets anyway."
"So what happens when you empty the drum?"
Suzuha chewed her lip from several past memories of combat.
"I try not to. But when that happens, I find cover and start shoving more in."
"Sounds a bit risky."
"A little. But that's part of being in the concrete jungle. Having a lightweight gun lets me stay light on my feet."
04/21/2036; Combat Training Center; Valkyrie; 12:46p.m.
Keeping in constant movement with her arms held upwards defensively and fists clenched, Suzuha maintained a defensive distance from a heavily-padded sparring partner, only to suddenly hop forward and deliver several quick punches, jumping back again with consistent breath and a heart beating strong and steady. Looking towards the Commander nearby, just as involved with a punching bag that jerked violently from her strikes, Suzuha smiled, turning her head and feeling the tickle of a thick ponytail brushing her shoulder.
Didn't even know she did this. Not really surprised though.
Lurching forward and pounding the pads with her fists, and then a whirling kick from the side, the thin mesh of her tank top and athletic shorts rippled from her sudden movements.
Figure if she's out there leading the way, she'd better know how to get out of a bad situation with her fists.
Deftly blocking an incoming blow, and resisting the following shove from the padded figure, she quickly countered with a hefty slam of her fist into the chest padding, and whirled around, delivering a second blow with her opposite arm.
There, take that.
Hopping back again, she inhaled a breath, and looked aside, watching Kamiko's arms rapidly extend and retract, delivering numerous consistent hits against the bag.
Man, she looks awesome. Faster than me for sure. She may be slender but I bet she'd wreck anybody in her way. Quick as lightning.
Discreetly noticing Suzuha watching her for several individual moments, Kamiko's heart beat with pride and effort.
I see you over there, Suzu. Have I surprised you? I didn't tell you I knew hand-to-hand combat. Maybe you assumed I knew something, being Commander. I don't sit and order people around... I'm sure you remember when we first met in Yokohama. Finding cover and gunning down SERN squads. We're all business, here in Valkyrie. And I'm all business when it comes to mission assignments.
Striking the thick cylindrical opponent in front of her with a quartet of alternating punches, a quiet grunt of breath left her lungs as she leaned back, balancing onto one leg, and then launching the heel of her foot into the punching bag, sending it swinging backwards. Stopping its return with her forearm, she peeked towards Suzuha, pausing in admiration of her friend's strong, toned figure, still in constant motion with her hair bobbing around in response to her movements.
You look lovely with that ponytail. But I think you're prettiest when you have your hair down like you did earlier.
Bringing a deep breath into her lungs, Kamiko's heart beat quickly, not quite from physical exertion.
Oh, Suzu. I don't think you even know how lucky you are. You're a teenage ex-soldier forced into survival, and yet you still are young and lovely.
Distractedly striking the punching bag several more times, a blush crept onto her already flushed cheeks, and she wiped her forearm across her brow.
Its a shame you have to leave us behind. You'd really be a valuable asset to Valkyrie... And I would love your company more than anything. Maybe if you do change the world, we could meet again on the other side. Somehow. I don't even know if its possible but I guess I could hope for it anyway. I suppose if time travel is proven to be possible... Who knows. We could wake up one day and in the blink of an eye, our whole world is completely different. At least if that happens, we'll know if your mission was successful. Father said any changes for the better will be enough for him... I'm sure any other version of the future without ten years of global war will be acceptable. The hard part is getting everything to line up to a peaceful future. And that's what you've been tasked with.
Head sinking to the side, a shiver coursed through her arms and legs.
I wish I could accompany you and help... But I could never leave behind mom and dad, even for the sake of the future. We're still alive and together, and we've been very fortunate. No matter how I feel about you, Suzu, this mission is on your shoulders, and you've already accepted responsibility for it. I'll just have to go on with my life and see what changes after your departure.
Running forwards through the dark twists and turns of a large obstacle course, staying focused through the strobing flashes and flickering lights randomly illuminating parts of the course, Suzuha leaped over a low wall, only to drop down and roll under a low-hanging net. Rapidly rising to her feet beyond it, she stormed up several offset steps with regular grunts of breath, pulling herself up onto a small platform on top, and then gripping a steel bar, swinging herself down a slope into a narrow tube just beyond. Blasting out of the slide, she slid across a deceptively flat platform, only to find herself free-falling into a pit full of soft foam cubes. Landing in the strange material, she spread her arms out, and laughter issued from her lungs as she swiped many of the cubes aside, clawing her way through the pit towards a briefly illuminated steel ladder.
Man. This shit's crazy and awesome. The JSDF's obstacle courses were nothing like this. This is a playground for grownups, lit up by a late night lightning storm.
Hustling up the ladder, heart beating hard but still brimming with bodily energy, she took off towards another part of the course, approaching the silhouettes of several large rings suspended on cables, drawing in heavy breath as her calves burned from the relentless running.
No whining, legs. We've been through a lot of chases with zero foam padding, wearing forty pounds of gear and a backpack. You're not allowed to complain at me now.
Hopping up onto another platform, she jumped forwards into open air, taking hold of one of the rings, and her arm muscles tightened, taking up the sudden slack of her body weight. Grinning as she turned her arms around, she did an obligatory pull-up, watching her biceps bulge in response.
Ohoo yeah. Feel the pain, baby.
Swinging herself back and forth several times, she reached out, taking hold of the next ring in line, and then released her other arm, swinging forward and gripping the next one beyond.
Pretty sure I won't be doing stuff like this out in Tokyo. But this is still fun as hell!
Sitting back on a padded steel bench, just outside of the showers and locker room, Suzuha chewed on a third protein bar, looking through a nearby window as Kamiko twisted the lid back onto a large water bottle.
Lets see. Sparring, self defense, opponent disarming, and then that crazy obstacle course.
"Do you do all this before every mission?"
"For the most part. Pretty easy to stay fit doing all that. Helps the mind too."
"Totally reminded me of some of my training a couple years ago. But that obstacle course is something else."
Kamiko smiled.
"Yeah. Not quite military spec, is it?"
"Not at all. The setup the JSDF had was boring compared to this one."
"The constant variety in the course is done on purpose. Every month it gets rearranged too."
"Serious?"
"Yep. Every mission's environment is different. So why should a training course be the exact same?"
Suzuha nodded, swallowing another bite of granola and peanut butter.
Damn. I'd frequent this place all the time if I was still able to live here. I wondered if they had any kind of exercise stuff... Should've guessed that this place has its own training facility.
"So, what's next on the list?"
Eyebrow rising from her question, Kamiko looked to her friend.
"The shooting range. Remember?"
Face illuminating with excitement, she shoved the remainder of the protein snack into her mouth, chewing vigorously before swallowing.
"Heck yes. I'm ready whenever you are."
Rising to her feet with a nod, Kamiko stowed the water bottle inside her small backpack, bringing the strap over her shoulder as Suzuha stood beside her.
"We'll have to see which of us has better accuracy."
Sensing her challenge, Suzuha crossed her arms as they began walking.
"Oh yeah?"
"Depends on the weapon, of course."
"You've had years with a rifle. I've just used a machine pistol."
Kamiko shrugged innocently.
"Then we'll compare with the standard issue weapons. Keep it even."
"Japanese made?"
"Yes."
"Oho, alright then. I used to carry what the JSDF provided, so watch out."
"Good to hear. You won't be a complete pushover."
Smirking from Kamiko's statement, she put her hands into the pockets of her shorts.
Getting a little feisty... Good. Glad to see you're loosening up a little.
04/21/2036; Firearm Target Range; Valkyrie; 3:19p.m.
Listening to the tail end of a safety seminar, and brief demonstrations on firearm usage, both teens stood together, wearing safety glasses, hearing protection, and full ammunition belts. In their hands were unloaded Howa 89 Assault rifles, and in leather holsters, identical SIG P220 pistols sat, ready for action.
Smiling from the slight heft of the holster around her shoulder, and the belt of magazines resting tight around her hip, Suzuha nodded from the instructor's continued speech.
Man. We're just at the range and we're full of ammo. We'll probably be well outfitted for the actual mission if this is how they supply people for target practice.
"...I think we're ready. I know she is."
Blinking, Suzuha looked between Kamiko and the instructor standing nearby.
"Yeah. Yes, definitely."
"Alright. What you've got on you, and what you've reserved for your personal guns, is the maximum we can allocate. Use your bullets wisely!"
"Yes sir."
Nodding towards the entrance nearby, Kamiko began walking, and Suzuha followed, gripping the assault rifle with excitement. Pulling open the door, numerous muffled thumps of gunshots echoed from the narrow hallway before them, growing progressively louder as they ventured further inside. Passing several individuals with rifles and pistols, flashes and concussions pulled at Suzuha's attention until Kamiko drew to a halt next to several empty stalls.
"Alright Suzu. You say you've used both of these before?"
"Every mission with the Defense Force."
"Show me what you've got then."
"Oh, you're on."
Slipping on earmuffs, a vacuum of sound began, narrowing focus towards their weapons in hand as they entered separate compartments, closing the soundproof glass doors behind themselves. Lifting the assault rifle upwards, Suzuha's free hand pried open the buttoned flap of one of the magazine pouches, and her bare fingertips tugged the stamped metal STANAG cartridge out. Pushing it firmly into the receiver, a faint click confirmed it was locked in place, and her mouth curled into a smile as she tugged the action back, loading a bullet into the chamber.
Yep. Just like I remember.
Turning the safety toggle towards burst-fire mode, her arms lifted the weapon upwards, pressing the stock against her shoulder, and she squinted down the sights towards a paper target sitting in the distance.
You're toast.
Squeezing the trigger, the weapon jerked back with three blasts of fire, and a breath drew into her lungs, held tight as two more salvos of bullets were fired, striking the target downrange in several places.
Nine down, twenty one to go...
Hearing a consistent stream of single shots fired from the stall next to her, she observed the flashes of fire with interest.
Semi-auto. I see what's going on here.
Twisting the toggle again to semi-auto mode, she resumed her aim towards the target in the distance, which sported several visible holes.
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
Grinning from the rapid reports and concussions against her shoulder, she quietly laughed, reaffirming her gloved grip on the assault rifle.
Forgot how exciting these things are. Nobody's shooting back but, this thing can still make your heart race.
Setting aside an empty pistol magazine, Kamiko drew another one from a pouch, sliding it up inside and jerking her palm against the bottom of it to lock it in place. Squinting at the open slide of the SIG P220, with the first bullet visible in the open chamber, her thumb pushed the slide latch down, releasing the action forward in a sharp snap.
Bringing her free hand to the grip of the pistol, she lined up the sights, and a calm breath seeped from her lungs as she aimed at the silhouetted head of the distant target.
Focus. Arms steady...
*BANG*
Watching the pistol jerk upwards with brief recoil, a single spent casing bounced off the wall beside her, falling to the floor unheard.
Lower, to the left...
*BANG*
Watching a new hole appear in the target, she readjusted her aim again, squeezing the trigger.
*BANG*
I wonder if Suzuha ever really did proper target practice. Its one thing to know how to use a weapon in battle... But if the JSDF was trying to hurry people into their ranks...
*BANG*
I suppose she's done alright if she's still alive after fleeing. Urban combat tests everything, and when you're on your own, you don't have supplies or other soldiers on your side.
*BANG*
Maybe she gets a little more credit than I considered. Especially watching her sparring earlier...
*BANG*
She's a powerhouse. Boundless energy and tons of durability. Tough and toned.
*BANG*
And awfully pretty too. I don't think anybody's ever told her.
*BANG*
Grimacing from an obvious miss on the target, she pointed the sights towards the center of the silhouette.
*BANG*
Realizing the slide of the pistol was locked open, empty, she exhaled, releasing the spent magazine into her palm.
Last shot, into the heart. Right where it counts.
Holding the hefty drum magazine, full of fifty rounds of nine millimeter bullets, Suzuha's heart beat confidently as she slid the cartridge into the receiver of her trusty PM-9 machine-pistol.
Alright my friend. You're clean and oiled. Time to shine.
Tugging the action back, loading the first round into the chamber, her hands curled around the hand grips, adrenaline coursing through her skin. Lifting it upwards, she inspected both sides of the weapon, pointing it towards a newly hung target that stood slightly closer.
We've been through a lot, you and I, and I have a feeling you might travel with me to the past too. I wonder when you were made anyway? Did they have these in twenty-twelve? Who would I ask in the past about a gun that could be from the future? That'd be a bit crazy. Maybe I should keep it on the down-low. They might not feel too good about a teenage girl walking around with a futuristic gun in that time. Probably would be more trouble than its worth.
Whatever. I'll have it with me if I need it. But if there isn't even a war in twenty-twelve... I'll probably be alright.
Squeezing the trigger, a rapid series of muffled chirps began in conjunction with a stream of spent bullet casings flying from the firearm, bouncing off the adjacent wall and clattering onto the shelf and floor. Blinking, she squinted towards the target, seeing a variety of impacts scattered on the paper silhouette, and she shrugged.
Controlled bursts. Don't spray and pray, right?
Squeezing the trigger again, several short volleys spewed from the gun, action cycling with ease in a visible blur, and her hand held the foregrip of the PM-9 tightly, keeping it level in an attempt to further restrain muzzle climb.
Oh yeah. You're a happy little demon now, huh? You could burn through all fifty rounds without a complaint now. All it took was some love and care. And solvent... Brushes... I wonder if Kamiko will lend me some stuff to keep you clean. I might not be able to get anything twenty six years ago, and I'm sure she could just get another cleaning kit, being Commander and all.
Squeezing the trigger again, another five bullets exited the machine-pistol in a blur, and she breathed in the scents of burnt gunpowder and oil lingering afterwards.
What else am I bringing into the past? That divergent meter thing, and probably some food and tools and stuff. I'll have to see what Okabe intends with all that. He's been planning all this, so I'm sure he's made a list of what's allowed to disappear backwards into time.
Her eyes sank, and the barrel of the PM-9 lowered in response.
...Which obviously won't include his daughter. She'd be a lot of help, but the last thing I want to do is take away Okabe's own family, especially if some kind of accident happens and we end up stuck in a different past and future. As much as I enjoy having a best friend now... This time travel stuff is a path I'll have to take alone.
Focus changing from the split aperture of the rear sight, to the thin blade of the front sight, Kamiko stood poised with her own rifle.
Obviously we'll have to take a vehicle partway there. Going by foot the entire way would be exhausting, and the more time spent in transit, the higher the chance of skirmishes and unnecessary engagements.
*BANG*
That would waste ammunition and risk our lives. Surely father knows that expediting our journey there would improve the chance of success.
*BANG*
He's not one for wasting time and effort. He's wanted this for almost ten years. I can't imagine he wouldn't take every measure necessary to get Suzuha to his... Her time machine.
*BANG*
How many soldiers will be accompanying us? I can't imagine we'll need too many. Four would be plenty. Wouldn't it?
*BANG*
We shouldn't run into too many of SERN's forces. They're busy further south with Shizuoka, and they don't even know the time machine has been sitting on the Tokyo harbor.
*BANG*
Tokyo isn't even heavily patrolled anymore. It was a beachhead two years ago, but everything's moved around with the rebellion escalating across the mainland.
*BANG*
You're right, Suzu. It is a shame you won't be around for the final decisive battle. I'm sure you'd love to partake in eradicating SERN's presence from Japan.
*BANG*
You've been harassing them on your own in a bombed-out district of the capitol. Fending off the spare few patrols until we came along and scooped up everybody that remained.
*BANG*
I'd love to know what those jerks running SERN think about people disappearing from their territory in Japan. Nobody to rule and nothing to capture.
*BANG*
Their own troops vanish, and their weapons, ammunition, body armor, supplies... Those all disappear too. Nothing to reclaim besides lifeless bodies.
*BANG*
Lowering the stock of the rifle after the final tenth round fired, she watched a wisp of smoke drift from the end of the barrel.
And unlike ammunition, you can't exactly mass produce more soldiers. Not in this day and age. There were seven billion people in twenty-fifteen. Twenty years later, by the time SERN invaded Japan, Five billion were gone. Floating away into the heavens because of an idiotic war that nobody won. Now SERN is facing multi-faceted conflicts on the remains of every continent, from the their own subjugated populations that remain. And we're gearing up to blast them right off the shores of an island chain that escaped annihilation.
Prying the empty magazine from the rifle and setting it aside on the shelf in front of herself, she pulled open the action, locking it in place, and inspected the internal surfaces.
Even if you don't succeed in altering this future, Suzu, you'll be my martyr. Once that decisive day comes, I know you'll be there somehow. Rooting for victory and freedom, even if I only hear your voice inside my head. That would be more than enough for me.