May 1st, 2012; Beijing, China; ? ? ?
Forging onward down a new hallway, both girls consistently looked behind and peered ahead, unsure of the silence surrounding their hasty footfall.
"Oh, there's a window. Several."
"To the outside?"
"I think it would be brighter in here if they were."
Moving closer, drawing alongside long rectangular panes of glass, eyebrows furrowed as their footfall drew to a halt, peering down into a large circular atrium. Down in the center, at least twenty men of varying nationalities sat around a large circular table, making slow movements and gestures and talking amongst themselves in translated discourse.
"Who are those people?"
Staring at the scene intently, Suzuha's eyes were then drawn to a series of projected images displayed on the central wall beyond, and heads turned as a projector displayed the letters G-C-F, with several alternate languages discernible beneath it, and a crimson-highlighted map of the earth further below the text. Mouth opening in realization of the countries visibly represented as participants, Suzuha inhaled with alarm.
"Holy shit."
Looking between the meeting below, and the girl soldier beside her, Ruka swallowed from the errant obscenity.
"Suzuha, are these -."
"These are the guys starting the damn federation! I'm sure of it!"
"Are they the people you're trying to stop?"
"Yes! Its probably thanks to all these jerks that we have world war three and the world in the future is totally screwed over!"
Looking to Ruka after her frustrated outburst, her expression softened from the heavy-hearted concern visible on her face.
"...At least now we know they're all cooped up down here. Now we just need to figure out how to ruin their get-together so they don't feel like hosting another one later on."
"How do you plan on disrupting it?"
"Don't know yet, but we're definitely not barging in down there. I'd rather have none of them see us personally."
"What about the guards?"
"They're probably just building security. Not members of national governments." Hopefully.
A breath parted Ruka's lips, and Suzuha turned to the distant doorway at the end of the hall.
"Let's keep on going. Hopefully they don't know about us yet."
Peeking around a corner with vigilance, and then stepping around it in a tandem approach towards a stairwell, a door unexpectedly opened in front of both teens, and they quietly gasped together as idle conversation and light laughter echoed from an unseen room. Watching with morbid fascination as three men stepped out into the hallway in front of them, five pairs of eyes met in a fleeting moment of speechlessness.
"...Gǎo shénme guǐ?"
"Nǐ zài zhèlǐ zuò shénme?!"
Face splitting into a grin from their angrily spoken words, fueled by an injection of adrenaline, Suzuha whirled around, gripping Ruka's arm and storming into motion as her boots dug into the carpet.
"This way!"
Listening to the frantic fear-riddled breath of Ruka beside her as a crowd of footsteps began behind them, Suzuha relinquished the girl's arm, speeding tightly around the corner and watching with interest as the young woman found her stride and ran ahead, running for her life in a spree of energy.
"Hell yeah! Now we're talking!"
Suddenly diverting around a different corner, splitting away from Suzuha, Ruka bounced off the wall of a narrower hallway, regaining balance and footing as she continued past several filing cabinets, heading around another corner and finding herself headed to a well-illuminated room with a conveniently open doorway.
Sure hope this isn't a -
Slowing to a halt inside, and turning several times to scrutinize her surroundings, she discovered herself inside an office, with several desks and a copy machine present, but no other doors readily visible.
It is. This is a dead end, uhh...
Turning towards the doorway from approaching footfall, she hurried out of sight behind the open metal door, heart thrumming from the unfortunate situation unfolding.
Hopefully its just one. Suzuha should be beating up the others, unless that's her approaching.
Pressing up against the wall next to the doorway, her throat tightened as the footfall slowed with apprehension.
She'd say something if it was her. This isn't Suzuha.
Swallowing, her chest tightened in a restriction of breath, and in a moment of disbelief, she watched as one of the earlier guards took hesitant steps inside, moving further inward and peering towards the back of the room at the desks.
Okay. He doesn't see me, maybe its time to just...
Slinking forwards along the door, she rose upright with a shuffle of clothing and sneakers, and as the man turned around from her sounds, she slipped around it, fingers curling around the door handle.
"Hēi! Tíng zài nà'er!"
Spinning around and tugging the door shut with a loud slam of steel, Ruka exhaled, skin tingling with excitement as she stepped into gear, blasting back around the corner.
I don't know what you're saying but... Nope!
Screeching to a halt beside the narrow filing cabinets she had passed earlier, her hands gripped the edges of one of the metal cabinets, only for her attention to flit back towards the prior hallway, hair whirling in a toss as the metal door smashed open again.
Suzuha's causing a ruckus. I suppose I could too...!
Pushing one over, and blinking as it tumbled noisily onto the floor, she then shoved the one next to it downwards in the same manner, watching as it landed haphazardly atop the other, causing two drawers to slide open and dump hundreds of sheets of paper onto the floor below.
That should do it. Right?
Looking up from the mess as the man angrily stormed towards her, she tugged the third and final cabinet over, further blocking the passage as she left the scene behind in a fearful scurry. Hearing several awkward footfalls behind, and then a shout, something tumbled heavily onto the floor, and a flurry of angry indiscernible words left the guard's mouth, causing Ruka to unexpectedly burst into laughter, hands reaching outward and cushioning her swift turn back into the main hallway.
Yes, it sure did! Now to find Suz -
Ears perking from several grunts ahead, she rounded yet another corner of the hallway, just in time to witness Suzuha launch off a bench and slam herself directly into a guard's face, knocking him off his feet and sending both into a heavy tumble into the floor.
Drawing to a halt beside her as she quickly recovered, hopping up onto her feet, a smile was offered, only to disappear as the man in pursuit of Ruka appeared around the corner behind her.
"Suu, uhh..."
"Yep. Hang back. He's mine."
Quickly drawing her baton from her belt, she held both ends of it readily, sticking her tongue out at the visibly frustrated man as his arms rose, fists curling.
"Nǐ shì zěnme jìnlái de? Zhè zuò jiànzhú bùduì gōngzhòng kāifàng!"
Watching the man stare her down after a bout of hostile foreign speech, Suzuha's grin grew among the still moment.
"I don't know what you're saying, but right now you're in the way of my objective, big guy."
"Nǐ shì shéi?!"
Eyebrows rising with glee, she stomped towards the security guard, quickly knocking aside two different strikes with her baton, and then releasing one hand as he shoved her away. Faking a stumble and fall, she sank down onto all fours, but as he approached, her legs coiled closer, only to launch outward in a fierce double-barrel kick into his gut. Watching him stumble from a loss of breath, she hopped upright and rapidly leaned into a run towards him, bracing her shoulder and slamming into the man sideways with her full weight, knocking him backwards onto a small end table that crunched and shattered with broken wood and glass.
"Sorry, what was that?"
Waving at him and receiving no response, she then turned as Ruka hurried over beside her, pointing towards a figure rising back to his feet.
"Uh, that guy isn't done yet."
Touching her hand to her hip, Suzuha's head tilted.
"I see. Just a moment."
Bursting into a run towards the man, and swiftly engaging in a short fistfight, Ruka's mouth opened as the teen got a hold of the man's arm, locking it behind his back and forcefully slamming him face-first into the wall. Jerking him back again, she then released her grip on his arm, and after two casual steps back, her leg rose and her boot contacted his backside, smashing his body into the wall again.
Wow. What a powerhouse. I don't think I've ever seen someone eagerly fight several men in a row like this.
Withdrawing as he slumped down onto the floor in defeat, Suzuha looked over at Ruka, giving her a thumbs up as both girls surveyed another mess of scattered opponents lying limp on the floor.
"Should be good for a little while."
Navigating around two of the bodies, and snapping the baton back onto her belt, her arm rose, hand settling on Ruka's shoulder.
"You doing alright?"
"Oh, I'm fine, thank goodness. Are you?"
"Yeah. I've been in worse shape before."
"If you say so."
Running her hand up into her hair, fingertips brushing through sweat, she smiled with an exhale.
"Try being in a war zone. Its harder to find time to catch your breath with bullets flying."
"I'd rather not be in a war at all... That's why I'm being part of this mission of yours."
"No, I know. War isn't fun, and I've had my fair share of it."
Stepping back into motion down the hallway, heading for the previously seen stairwell, both teens readily took in lungfuls of the building's cool conditioned air.
"Hopefully after today, we won't have to live through another one any time soon."
Peering forward into the distance, one floor lower beyond the stairwell, both teens discovered several signs adorning the wall, displaying Chinese characters and several symbols representing the building's electrical utilities. Drawing to a halt beside one of the doors, Suzuha's arm reached out hesitantly, but to her surprise, the handle twisted readily, and the door came ajar with an audible *CLUNK*.
Peeking inside, a bank of controls and screens were surrounded by several large steel cabinets, drawing them inside with a bloom of wary interest.
"Looks like... A control room."
"Sure does. Power, lights, air conditioning..."
Squinting at several screens and gauges monitoring the auditorium's electrical network, Suzuha's features widened with a windfall realization.
"Oh man."
"What?"
"I've got just the thing for this."
"What do you mean?"
Undoing the buckles on her backpack, the female soldier began smiling wickedly.
"Remember when I said we were going to cause a ruckus?"
"Yes, is it not enough to beat up several people?"
"Not quite. My kind of ruckus involves explosions."
Slipping the straps off of her shoulders, she yanked open a zipper with several pulls, lifting a large block of clay-like material from its depths.
"What is that?"
"M-One-Twelve. Plastic explosive."
Mouth agape, Ruka watched as the teen stepped over, finding an open spot atop the control panel and setting the explosive onto it. With a startling change of attitude, her hand curled into a fist, and she repeatedly pounded the block onto the desk, mashing it down into a wide blob. Popping open the lid to the explosive's accompanying detonator, she withdrew a small metal antenna, pushing a small switch on with her thumb.
"...And the detonator's receiver."
Shoving the device down into the material, her other hand snapped the detonator remote shut again, stowing it into a pocket on her camouflage pants. With a turn, she slipped the empty backpack over her shoulders with ease, and then crossed her arms at Ruka's hesitant gape.
"You alright?"
"I... Are you sure this is a good idea? Couldn't we just figure out how to shut off the power or something?"
Suzuha shrugged, feigning consideration of the idea.
"Well, that might work too, but blowing up the whole setup would make sure they can't just turn it back on."
"Its just, I... I don't want to be a terrorist cause of all this."
Eyebrow rising, Suzuha sat back against the desk behind.
"You want to help save the world, right?"
"Yes, but that requires blowing up a building?"
"Not all of it. Just this room. I assure you once those guys talking up their doomsday club hear an explosion up here, and all the lights go out, they're not going to feel too good about this meeting all of a sudden."
"So you're just trying to stop their meeting?"
"As planned. As long as it gets cut short somehow, we should end up changing the future."
"Alright. Okay. If that's what it takes then so be it."
"Hey, Ruka... You're not going to be a terrorist. If anything we'll be heroes for preventing world war three."
Looking over her shoulder towards the door behind, she sighed, gripping the bottom hem of her school shirt.
"If you say so."
"You'll be saving a lot of lives. It'll be worth it in the long run."
Eyes meeting, several nods were traded, and both girls began towards the still-ajar door. Peering back towards the explosive, with a small light blinking atop the detonator, young hearts raced with seriousness.
No turning back now. Not that I planned to...
Pulling the door shut behind, listening to the latch click shut, Suzuha's gloved hand released from the handle.
"Are you sure doing this will be enough?"
"I hope so."
Standing with bated breath and fidgeting hands, both girls twisted around with uncertainty as the elevator car moved upwards through the shaft again.
"...So I'm not positive on the range of this remote, but it should work from the roof." Hopefully. Really would rather not go back down in there.
Trading silent expressions, they both tensed up as the elevator drew to a halt, and the doors slid open with a single chime of an electric bell. Beyond, the fading light of the afternoon illuminated the walls of the stairwell leading to the roof, and after nods of confirmation, they both moved forward, ascending the stairs past the broken-open door, and stepping out into the open air of the auditorium's rooftop. Seeing FG204 standing nearby, patient as ever, Suzuha's bosom deflated with relief as they walked towards the large imposing machine.
"Well, we made it back up here in good shape, and my time machine is still here."
"Yeah. That's good." Since we're in the middle of China and... Everything else that's just happened.
Slowing to a halt, just short of FG204's shadow cast upon the concrete, Suzuha orbited up into the sky with a wistful gaze onward. Taking in a breath of the cool air swirling around them, she then looked back towards the rooftop access, and her arm reached down into her camouflaged pants, pulling open one of the pockets again. Drawing the detonator out from it, she pried open the clear plastic lid, and then after a moment of consideration, offered it to Ruka.
"Here. You helped me, so you do it."
"Wait, what?"
Watching as the small electronic device was placed into her palm, hesitant breath entered and exited Ruka's lungs.
"Suu, uh, I don't know if I'll be able to do this."
"Why not?"
"It's just, I don't know what's going to happen to me after I blow up a bomb... Am I going to get away with this?"
"Sure we are. That meeting in there is some shady gathering of jerks that cause another world war. What they've done in my time, is far worse than you blowing up a utility room with nobody inside."
Eyes meeting, a sigh seeped from the slender student.
Nobody inside while we were there... "I'm just not sure I can handle doing the deed."
"What, pressing that button? Sure you can."
Looking down at the detonator remote again, Ruka's thumb moved away from the button cautiously, but she watched as Suzuha's hands reached over, gripping her wrists gently. Realizing she was likely unable to resist Suzuha's strength, Ruka then watched as her free hand was moved over the remote.
"Suzuha, wait."
Giggling for a moment, her head tilted as Ruka squirmed uneasily.
"You ready?"
"I... Oh, fine. I guess. You're going to make me do this, aren't you?"
"Yep."
Pushing Ruka's palm down flat onto the button, hearts raced from the *click* and flashing of a small light for a moment.
"See? Not that hard."
Feeling a brief, hefty vibration under their feet, eyes widened with interest and alarm as something metal on FG204 rattled for a moment. Then, a muffled roar led into a sharp symphony of shattering glass nearby, and both girls looked at the other as the distant chime of a fire alarm began shortly afterward.
Awesome. "I think that did the trick."
Stowing the now-useless detonator in her backpack, Suzuha nodded towards FG204, unable to restrain a grin from Ruka's expression as a plume of smoke began rising above the roof.
"I can't believe I just... Blew up a building."
"Life is crazy like that."
Stepping over and gripping her arm, she lightly tugged Ruka towards the time machine.
"Anyway, lets get the heck out of here. We probably just stirred up a bunch of trouble."
Following Suzuha and moving over to the side of FG204, she watched as the teen's hand rose, pressing on a hidden panel on the side and stepping aside as a startling hiss of air emitted from the outer hatch door as it began sliding open. Waiting patiently as the metal stair steps unfurled from within, she waited as Suzuha quickly sauntered up, vanishing from view inside.
Well. I can safely say I've never done anything like this, whatsoever.
Preening her shirt for a moment, Ruka began up the steps, only to pause as her head turned to the Beijing skyline beyond. Admiring the previously unseen view of a foreign city, she then inhaled the wandering scent of fresh and acrid smoke.
And to think I set off a bomb here a minute ago... Sigh.
Continuing up the steps, her school skirt rippled from the breeze as she pulled herself into the dim interior of FG204, head turning as the steps began retracting behind, folding upwards. Then the outer door slid across and locked shut, and her attention returned to Suzuha as she dropped her backpack aside onto the floor.
"Alright. According to the system's travel log, We left Akihabara at four-forty-six. We'll shoot for a few minutes afterward to avoid any kind of paradox."
"Paradox?"
"We could meet ourselves as duplicates, or materialize within the FG204 that's sitting there. I'd rather not experience either."
"Me neither. Will we arrive directly on the time you set it go to to?"
"Down to the seconds if we wanted. What time did you say your boyfriend shows up?"
Blushing unexpectedly, Ruka's shoe tip drug along the floor.
"He usually arrives at the park a little after five o'clock."
"Then you should have plenty of time. Are you okay with four fifty?"
"Yes. That should be fine."
"Alrighty. Ten before five, same coordinates from our earlier departure..."
Fingers poking several keys and buttons on the control panel and keyboard, Suzuha sat back as the machine's mainframe prompted her with a message confirming the return to a previous way point.
"Yep."
Turning in her seat, looking up at Ruka, she smiled.
"You remember earlier when you were flopping around all over the place?"
"Oh, yes. I'll be ready for it this time."
Flouncing down onto the floor and grabbing hold of the pilot's chair, Ruka produced a nod.
"Activating hyper-flight sequence... And away we gooo!"
The machine began whirring with energy, and both teens clutched onto the chair, jerked in all directions by unseen forces through time and space. Marveling the mysterious cluster of sparkling orbs gracing the cockpit in an innocent moment of shared curiosity, a hefty *WHUMP* shook the small room from the machine's legs coming to rest upon another surface below. Standing cautiously upright after what appeared to be the end of the rough ride, Ruka took a single step forward, eyes panning across the screens as the mainframe produced several messages logging the successful transfer through time.
"Did we make it?"
"Let me open the door to be sure."
Both of their heads turned towards the hissing and sliding of steel and air cylinders as the hatch opened, and the afternoon sun peeked in, revealing another open rooftop. Moving towards the stairwell as it unfolded, Ruka clutched the door frame and leaned outside, and a breath of relief left her lungs from familiar sights, sounds and smells of Akihabara, Tokyo.
"Yes."
"Same as you remember?"
"It is."
"Good. I figured we would return no problem since I landed here just fine the first time."
"What time is it?"
"Four fifty one."
"Oh, good."
Stepping back over behind the chair, she lifted her bag from the floor nearby, slipping the strap over her shoulder.
"So if we've come back to this time, that means everything we did in Beijing has already happened, right?"
"Yep."
"So, uh, now that we've done all that..."
"Hmm?"
"How do we know we were successful with all the trouble we caused earlier?"
Blinking, Suzuha's mouth opened in realization.
"Oh, well, I have to check the meter. Hold on."
Turning rapidly and plucking the small rectangular object from the floor, a surge of anticipation spread from her chest as she tilted the meter upwards, reading the glowing numbers in the nixie tubes.
[1.053967]
Sitting back, staring at the device, Suzuha blinked several times to be sure of her sight.
"Oh my god."
"What?"
Remaining still as Ruka swooped over her shoulder, Suzuha took in a great, shaky breath of surprise.
"Its over one percent."
"Is that good?"
Looking up to Ruka, she produced a nod.
"When it shows more than one percent, that means we've pushed the world past the one percent barrier onto a different world line."
"So now we're on a different timeline?"
"Must be. Obviously we won't know what the future is now... But we can hope that we've done enough to change it from the future I was from."
Eyes wide, she slowly set the meter onto her lap. staring at one of the idle screens in thought.
If everything Okabe said and wrote is true, changing the world by reaching one percent divergence... I think I've just overwritten everyone's future. Including my own. How wild... And heartbreaking. This is what I was sent to do, and... I think I just pulled it off.
Eyes sinking, a mixture of accomplishment and uncertainty bloomed within her chest.
Kamiko, you poor soul... Please forgive me, because I'm afraid I just accomplished my mission.
Shaking her head slowly, she then peeked toward Ruka as she stepped away, leaning out of the hatch again with sunlight on her face and curly dark hair. Admiring the passive expression adorning her complexion, another sigh drew heavily from Suzuha's lungs.
Your mom looks just like you... When I first met her, I thought she was you somehow. But at least it was a nice reminder, even if she doesn't have your hazel eyes...
Smiling softly, she turned away as Ruka looked over her shoulder from her giggle.
Maybe one day we'll meet again, across this great big divide of time between us... But I guess we'll both have to wait and see.
Swallowing emotion down and remaining straight faced, her eyes rose distractedly towards the dimly lit control panel of the machine surrounding them.
Maybe, with this mayhem I've been through, you won't be growing up in a war torn world anymore. Or anyone else, for that matter. Guess I'll probably be the only person left from that time... Remembering what Japan used to be like, with Valkyrie hidden somewhere under Tokyo. If everything turns out alright, or at least better from the world I used to be from... I'll just have to get used to it. I'm sure a peaceful Japan will be a walk in the park compared to the mess I used to wander through.
"Suzuha."
Shoulders twitching in a start, she turned to Ruka.
"I know we just arrived here. But if we were able to arrive here at any chosen time of the day, well..."
Eyebrow rising, she waited for the soft-voiced student to continue.
"Do you think we could stop at another place, earlier in the day, and then come back here?"
Tilting her head, she shrugged.
"Sure. Where did you have in mind?"
"Our shrine... Where I live. You'll think its silly but... I'd like to shower and freshen up before meeting my boyfriend."
Suzuha's face split into a grin, giggling lightly.
"I get it. You're sweaty and dirty and you want to look your best for your sweet love."
"If its not too much to ask... I mean, I came along with you on this mission and everything."
"I know. What time were you thinking?"
"Earlier. Maybe one in the afternoon. My father won't be home and I'll be at school. There shouldn't be anybody there besides us."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. You can shower too if you wish."
Tilting her head with a nod of consideration, Suzuha looked over her shoulder at the open hatch of the machine.
"Do you have coordinates?"
"I can find them on my phone."
Blinking, Suzuha's eyebrows furrowed.
"Wait, how does your phone..."
"It has a map. GPS. Haven't you ever used one?"
Blinking, she stepped over as Ruka lifted her smartphone from her bag.
"I... No. I've never used one of those."
"I just have to find the shrine on here."
"Is there a place to land the machine?"
Tapping on the screen several times, and typing in an address with her thumbs, Ruka then nodded.
"Yes. There's an open courtyard next to it."
"Okay. Good. Let's go ahead and go so we can get back here on time."
Jamming her thumb down onto the hatch control, her eyebrow rose as Ruka offered her phone, taking it into her hands and looking over the device with interest.
"Pretty high tech for being so small... This thing must be handy."
"Yeah. It does a lot more than phone calls and maps though."
Reading the pair of coordinates on the small screen, and slowly typing them in with pecks of her index fingers, they both watched as the mainframe located the destination, depicting a dated satellite view of the shrine and the open courtyard next to it.
"Is that the place?"
"Sure is."
Handing the phone back, her index fingers lowered to the keyboard in front of her.
"One o'clock in the afternoon, right?"
"Yes."
"Alrighty. Let's roll."
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012; Yanabayashi Shrine, Akihabara, Tokyo; 1:03p.m.
Several birds took flight from a disturbance of noise and physical space as FG204 re-materialized into existence, settling onto its landing gear in the middle of an empty courtyard. After a moment, a curved steel door slid aside with a hiss of pistons and several metal locks disengaged, allowing a folded metal stairwell to unfold and settle onto the ground below.
Moving much quicker than before, Ruka gathered her school bag from the floor and bounded down the steps, pausing with a sigh from the comforting familiarity of her home. Stepping down just behind her, Suzuha put her hand to hip, absorbing the peaceful nature of the surroundings. Her head passively turned left and right, watching as gentle coastal breezes drifted across countless leaves of bright green foliage surrounding the area. Then, looking towards the shrine itself, elegant, dark stained wood supported the peaked roof of the structure, adorned with a variety of traditional Japanese decorations in every possible place.
"You live here?"
"Yes. I tend to the shrine and the grounds. I'm what you'd call a Miko."
A breath left her lungs, listening to the unfamiliar sound of water babbling from the nearby temizuya basin. Watching a warm smile of pride rise upon Ruka's face, Suzuha slowly nodded, turning back to FG204.
"Sounds simple... And easy."
"I don't get paid for it, if that's what you're implying... Its family tradition."
Stepping over beside the machine's steps, Suzuha's hand rose, fingertips pressing against the circular panel. With a turn, she watched as the stairs curled back into the machine, and the access hatch noisily slid shut.
No, Ruka, it wasn't what I was implying. I didn't get paid to be part of Valkyrie either... Not that it matters now. Money meant nothing then. Having a roof over my head and fighting for freedom was worth far more than any amount the defense force paid me.
Turning back, she approached a patiently waiting Ruka, watching as the teen turned in place, leading Suzuha towards the front steps onto the patio surrounding the structure.
This place is beautiful... And so peaceful. You'd never guess a zone of tranquility would exist in the middle of Tokyo. Or maybe it would. I don't know.
Rising along the steps only a few paces behind Ruka, her hand reached over, fingertips sliding along the smooth stained grain of the patio's railing. Coming to the corner, she looked over as the dark-haired teen fished for a set of keys in her bag.
"Just a moment."
"You're fine. We've got plenty of time, right?"
"Yes, good point... Right now its ten after one."
Resting her elbows onto the adjoining railings, Suzuha's hands settled onto the corner post, one palm overlapping the other, and she stood still, breathing in the fresh spring air, and listening to the low hum of the surrounding city life.
Must be nice, living here in this time. Never having to fight to survive. Probably being able to do anything and go anywhere. Hardly anything to fear, no reasons to hide...
Hearing the click of a lock, her head turned to Ruka as she peeked her head inside, disappearing for a moment. Pushing herself up from her momentary perch, Suzuha wandered closer to the doorway, blinking as Ruka appeared around the door frame again.
"We're good. Come on in."
Shuffling around the corner and stepping inside, she squinted as her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim interior.
"Oh shoot, uhh, stay right there, Suzuha."
Drawing to a halt, she blinked with confusion.
"Right here?"
"Yes, please, hold on. I have to get something before you sit down."
Blinking, standing in place, she watched as Ruka hurried back out of the doorway, footsteps vanishing into the distance.
Head turning, Suzuha then eyed her surroundings, taking in the elaborate decor and curios sitting in a prominent display of Shinto spirituality.
That must be the actual shrine. But here's a set of couches, and over there must be the kitchen. Or something.
Hands slipping into the pockets of her camouflaged pants, a breath left her nose, heart beating.
Their place in Valkyrie had none of this... Or maybe I just didn't notice. An underground bunker is a far cry from such a elegant place like th-
"Sorry, I hope I didn't take too long."
With a turn, she watched the slender teen carefully appear in the open doorway again, this time with a pot of water held carefully with her hands.
"I just needed to get water from the basin."
"To drink?"
"No, for your hands."
Drawing her fingers from her pockets hesitantly, she stood firm as Ruka stepped in front of her, holding the pot steadily between them.
"Go ahead and put them in."
Mouth opening, Suzuha slipped her fingerless gloves off, shoving them into a pocket, and then dipped her fingers in, slowly submerging her hands into the warm water.
"Its tradition for family and friends alike to cleanse their hands... Before taking refuge here in the presence of the shrine."
"I'm sorry Ruka, I didn't know."
"Its fine. I nearly forgot to do it myself."
Smiles blossomed upon both of their faces as Suzuha slowly lifted her hands from the pot, looking over her wet palms as several drops of water coursed down onto her wrists.
"Am I allowed to dry my hands now or do I wait?"
"Go ahead. They've already been cleansed."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure."
Following the dutiful hustle of the dark haired teen turn with a smile, Suzuha alighted upon the narrow counter of a small kitchen nearby, spotting a towel and stepping towards it. Drying her fingers and wrists from the unfamiliar ritual, she then watched as Ruka appeared in the kitchen just beside her, opening a cabinet.
"I'll be a little while, so please help yourself to any of our snacks."
"Thank you... But I'll be fine."
"Please, Suzuha. You're my guest, and you brought me here safely. The least I could do is give you something to eat."
"Maybe later."
Mouth opening, Ruka then exhaled with polite resignation.
"Alright. Go ahead make yourself comfortable then. Be sure to speak up if you need anything."
"I will. Thank you."
Waiting patiently as Ruka stepped into a nearby hallway, a light clicked on and illuminated the passage, shining onto one of the nearby couches. Taking cautious steps towards the furniture, an unseen door shut, and after a long period of hesitance, Suzuha slipped around the arm of one of the couches and sat upon it, sinking into the squishy cloth with an exhale of unexpected comfort.
Oh man this is nice. I could sit on this thing for hours. Kinda like that bed back in...
Thought halting, her lungs deflated from the seemingly obsolete memory.
...Valkyrie.
Closing her eyes, a bout of heartache was interrupted by the familiar grumble of her stomach. Looking over her shoulder at the open cabinet door, her heart beat from the inviting prospect of free food.
Right. There's nothing left to eat in the time machine, and I don't have money or anything in this world. I suppose I should...
Blasting upright, she stormed back over into the kitchen, eyes rising up into the shelves of the cupboard, only for her eagerness to transform into confusion from the unfamiliar variety of boxes and plastic packages stuffed within.
Wow there's... Loads to choose from. But I don't even know what any of this stuff is! Maybe I'll take a bunch out and see what looks the best, and put the others back. I'm sure there's plenty of things in here that'll taste great. Anything tastes better than starvation... Almost.
Hands reaching up, she began pulling several items down onto the counter, and two different boxes tumbled out, knocking over others and dumping their packaged contents. After a momentary grimace, she eyed her surroundings with paranoia, fingers fumbling with the items as she haphazardly put them back into their boxes.
Damn. I don't even know if these are right... Someone's going to notice their food is mixed up eventually. She told me to help myself and I'm throwing their rations into disarray... Maybe I'll just eat some stuff and then - Oh wow this looks really good... Four cheese mix? I thought cheese was only only one flavor!
Gripping the large box of crackers, she shoved the rest of the snacks back into the cabinet, slinking away to the couch and plopping back into its squishy comfort. Prying the flaps of the box open, she hesitantly pulled the bag upward, watching as it came open on its own, sending a waft of cheesy goodness up into Suzuha's face, widening her eager eyes from the sensory pleasure.
Ohhh my god. Why did I resist earlier? This smells amazing!
Hand thrusting down inside, her fingers curled, grabbing a fistful of crackers and pulling them out. Shoving them into her mouth until her palm was emptied, she chewed vigorously, eyes gleaming from the explosion of cheese flavors on her tongue.
Wow. Alrighty! First snack I tried just blew my mind... What else do they have?
Slowly brushing her hair, watching her own movements in the bathroom mirror, Ruka remained silent, contemplating the whirlwind experience she wandered into only a short time earlier.
I don't really know what to think of all this... Suzuha suddenly appearing with a real time machine, recruiting me, and both of us causing some kind of terrorism in China in order to save the world somehow. If it weren't for actually seeing and being in the time machine, and knowing of Okabe's experiments with the phone-wave two years ago... I would just pass everything off as a strange dream or something. Even if it was, it would be very difficult to forget about. I can't just act like this is all some silly flight of imagination when I was INSIDE the time machine. How would I explain winding up on a rooftop in Beijing? Coming back to Akihabara, and then appearing here at the shrine? Nothing else could travel so quickly, and nothing else could bring us backwards in time. It should be impossible, and yet Suzuha's time machine is the second time-travel device I know about... This is such a strange feeling, being conscious of two sources of time travel. The rest of the world would say it is impossible, and honestly, it SHOULD be impossible. But its not!
Lowering the brush in her hand, and then turning the object over in her palm, she squeezed it with her fingers, confirming it was a real object.
This couldn't be a dream. I should be at school at this time. I am at school right now! But its me in the past! I'm sitting in class right now, and I don't even know that a later version of myself is at home, having washed up after a dangerous adventure. I have no idea what I'm in for, and no idea that I'm currently my own double, or that one of Okabe's friends is here with me, and her time machine is parked outside in the courtyard.
Turning her smartphone's screen into view, illuminating the clock on its lock screen indeed depicting the earlier hour, her fingers gingerly lowered the device back to the sink counter.
This is crazy. I'll have to tell Okabe eventually or it will just eat at me. He's done time travel stuff so I'm sure he'll understand some of what I'm experiencing. Maybe. Hopefully he will. Even if he doesn't, I'm sure he'll believe me. I could never make this up, and he must know that.
Setting the brush down, her head turned, chin tucking into her shoulder.
I can't wait to see him. He needs to know that I'm safe and sound. If he knew that I was in danger earlier, he'd be greatly worried. I was afraid that something would happen and I would be out of reach. He'd panic, having no idea where I am and being unable to help. That would be terrible! Suzuha guaranteed my safe return, and even though she delivered on her promise... I can't believe I went along with it like that was some casual expectation! I suppose she was capable, with the time machine and being some kind of hardened soldier in the past. But I still went along with her and might have risked my life doing so. Might have? No, I definitely did.
Shuddering, her cheeks burned with shame.
...And to think, being in such a situation, I then helped Suzuha blow up a bomb. Even if it was to save the world somehow. It just feels wrong. Maybe nobody got hurt, but I don't even know who I could admit that to. Maybe I'll just have to tell nobody and live with it. I'm not even sure I could joke about it, even if my friends think I'm just making a bad joke. Committing a crime is one thing, but detonating a bomb in a foreign nation is something that could get myself in a load of trouble. But then if someone sees us with the time machine, and watches it disappear or reappear somewhere... How would I explain that to anybody? Is that some kind of risk I should ignore? What if we get identified from our time in that building in China? I don't remember seeing security cameras but that's not to say there couldn't be footage of us.
Heart racing from the implication, she gripped the edge of the sink, thinking hard.
Wait, even so... Whatever meeting was going on in that building that Suzuha interrupted... Was some secret forming of some federation that was slated to cause a third world war. That's a gigantic crime against humanity! Those security guards all seemed pretty alarmed that we were even in there too. I'm sure if this meeting of nations was some secret event going on, they would've taken steps to protect themselves... Which is why the building was probably locked down in the first place. I guess Suzuha and I appearing and getting in must have seemed like some breach of security, which would mean somebody knew what was going on in order to interrupt it. Which would then cause the people involved to lose trust in the meeting, even though nobody can admit to the breach caused by two teenage girls.
Closing her eyes, a bubble of resolve slowly calmed her nerves.
I'm sure everyone at that meeting probably freaked out from the explosion... And blowing up a bomb probably attracted whatever police forces were around in the city. If all those men were still inside, they'd have to come out and be questioned about what was going on, and why a bomb went off. Which they couldn't explain because of our unexpected appearance in a time machine. Then people find out about the meeting inside, and the rest of the world discovers what's going on, and everything is ruined for them.
Eyes opening, her vision rose upwards, peeking up at herself with a hint of a smile.
Now I see why Suzuha came back in time, and why we did this. Either way, everything adds up to the federation members having their cover blown. Destroying that utility room didn't just shut off the power to the place... It attracted the attention of the outside world, and probably exposed the clandestine gathering to national authorities. And if everything Suzuha said about the future is true... The ruckus we caused might have just prevented a world war.
Lips pressing together, she inhaled with a shiver of uncertainty, and then picked up her skull pin sitting on the sink, brushing a lock of hair aside from her face.
In that case, maybe I could live with what I've done. I'm alive and well, even after partaking in impossible travel across time and space, and destroying part of a building... Neither of which have even happened yet, since right now its not even two in the afternoon. The meeting starts at three, and we arrived sometime afterward.
Tingling with excitement and uncertainty, the pin in her fingers clicked together, and her fingers drug through her dark curly hair, watching it settle around her cheeks, covering her ears.
I should watch the news when it gets around that time. Sure will be strange seeing sudden news coverage of something I helped cause, without me even being there in a sense. I'll just have to pretend to be surprised... And then when the time is right, I'll tell Okabe about it. I don't even know how he'll react... But with the stuff he's experienced in the past, I'm sure he'll understand. Somehow.
Nudging the door open, padding out of the bathroom and back into the main room of the shrine, her throat buzzed with a hum seeing Suzuha's head of hair peeking over the couch, but planned speech halted upon noticing her eyes were shut.
Oh. Sleeping. I wonder how long she's been like this?
Moving with near-silent footfall, she stepped around the couch, seeing two different snack boxes sitting beside the camouflaged teen, open and empty.
See, Suzuha? I figured you would be hungry eventually.
Lifting both objects up, Suzuha suddenly stirred from the shuffle of cardboard and plastic, her eyes blasting open with several blinks, only to realize Ruka's presence with a settling of her nerves, and a smile to follow.
"Tired?"
"Guess so."
"That couch is dangerously comfy."
Exhaling with a giggle, Suzuha nodded, only for her eyes to lower, seeing the empty boxes in Ruka's hands.
"...Uh, hey, I didn't mean to eat all of those but I couldn't help it. I'm sorry."
"Its fine. Father will be getting groceries tomorrow. Don't worry about it."
Rising to her feet as Ruka quietly entered the kitchen, Suzuha hesitantly shuffled around the arm of the couch as the lid of a garbage can opened and shut.
"You can go ahead and shower if you'd like."
"Oh, I... Alright. Thank you."
"Turn both handles halfway and then pull the little plug on the faucet. Then you can adjust the temperature."
Taking note of her instructions, Suzuha stepped into the adjacent hallway, finding her way to the bathroom. Pausing from her reflection in the mirror mounted above the sink, she then inspected herself, reaching up and twisting one of her braids in her hand. Touching her cheek with her fingers, she blinked from the slick sensation of oil and unseen grime.
Man. Guess its been three days since I've bathed in any way... Even though three days is nothing compared to how things used to be.
Shutting the door, she then took a seat on the toilet and began untying her boots, eyebrows furrowing as the knots were pulled apart one by one.
Better take advantage of getting clean while I can. After today, I have no idea when I'll find another place to shower... Might start feeling like I did in the Yokohama ghetto. Maybe not that bad, actually. That place was destroyed chaos that had almost no running water, and even less soap. I'm sure it'll be easier to survive in this period of time.
Casting her boots aside, her fingers then pried her belt apart, and after a steady tug, it came out of the loops on her pants and was dropped from her hand, the baton meeting the tiled floor with a short clatter.
Should probably change clothes too. Didn't see a single other person in Akihabara wearing camo, so I'm sure I look out of place. I'll figure that one out after finding food and water.
Standing bare in a cascade of clean and warm water, Suzuha remained still and silent, absorbing the sensation as the white noise of falling water drowned out all other sounds.
Yeah. Being in a shower is probably one of the best experiences nobody really thinks about. Thank you, Ruka. This feels amazing.
Remembering her hair was still suspended in twin braids knotted behind her head, her arms reached up, fumbling with the knot and slowing prying it apart. Peeking open as the braids fell down, brushing against her cheeks, she smiled for a moment, before prying the hair ties out one by one, and watching as the twists of hair quickly unfurled, spreading out freely.
There. Won't be in battle anymore... No need to keep you tied up like this.
Slipping the hair ties around her wrist, she ran her fingers back through sopping wet groups of hair, scooping it into her palms and bringing all of it together behind her head. Pausing from the resurgence of a memory, her arms slackened, hands still holding her hair.
Oh, Kamiko. I know you liked when I had a ponytail. I'll do it up like that once I'm done in here.
A fleeting smile spread across her lips.
Last thing I'm going to do is forget about you, my friend. We might meet again, but both of us will have to be patient.
Leaning patiently against the wall in the same narrow hallway, Ruka listened to the hum of their dryer as it steadily whirled Suzuha's clothing around, evaporating water from the prior wash.
I don't know if military clothing will shrink... Is it made of cotton? Probably hasn't been washed in a while. Hopefully she won't mind.
Head turning as the bathroom door slowly opened, she watched as Suzuha's head peeked around, hair hanging damp and loose around her face.
"Hey, uh, Ruka."
"Yes?"
"Did you do something with my clothes?"
"I washed them a short time ago and now they're being dried. Normally I would hang them outside but... I have a feeling you don't have anything else to wear."
"I don't... Thank you. You didn't have to."
"Nonsense. I don't know what it is you'll be doing after today, but at least you'll be off to a fresh start."
Watching the teen smile and slip back behind the door, Ruka then peeked over to a small clock mounted on the hallway wall.
Two twenty-three, good. Still have plenty of time.
Eyelids lowering, a sigh drifted from her nose
Sure feels odd being here right now. I've never skipped school... But I guess this doesn't count since my past self is still in class right now. I'm aware of my earlier self, but that side of me has no idea. Like some strange overlap. Soon my past self will be here, and know what I'm feeling right now, long after I've already left this place.
Her heart beat harder after a momentary shiver.
I can't wait to tell Okabe about all of this. With his experiences of time travel, he'll be able to understand what I'm saying and feeling. He loves strange situations like this, and this whole afternoon will probably boggle his mind.
Sitting back on the same couch, clean and comfortably warm in her recently dried JSDF uniform, Suzuha sipped from a bottle of water, listening to Ruka's gentle voice among their conversation.
Now I see why Ruka was so calm and caring back in Valkyrie. She's been like this her entire life. And that little thing with her hands together... Kamiko did it cause she got it from her mom. Cute.
Smiling for a moment, her hand rose, scratching a momentary itch on the back of her head, and then dragging her fingers along the loose ponytail resting on her shoulder.
I wish you could see what I've seen, Kamiko. You'd love this world. Maybe someday I'll meet your future self and tell you stories about the world I came from. You won't know it, but everything I'll tell you will be a true story from some other place in time.
Vision drifting over to the various curios and objects placed around the shrine near the front windows of the living room, Suzuha's eyebrows furrowed briefly.
In the meantime, I need to figure out my next move. Once I bring Ruka back to that rooftop... That's right. I need to give her the divergence meter, for Okabe to receive. Speaking of that guy...
"Sooo... Your boyfriend. Okabe, right?"
Gathering Ruka's attention, Suzuha slowly smiled.
"Y-Yes. That's him."
"You're going to see him after we're done here?"
"That's the plan. Will we be able to get back to his place before five?"
"Sure will. You wanted to meet him at that same park, right?"
"Yes. I don't know when he'll show up exactly, but he tends to walk up a few minutes after the hour."
"I'll get you there before he does. Don't worry."
Exchanging matching nods, both teens sat silently for a moment.
"So, uhm... When did you two start dating?"
Blinking from the query, Ruka's mouth opened with a recollection of memory.
"A while ago. This August will be two years that we've been together."
"That's a good length of time... Do you think he's a keeper?"
"I hope so. He's pretty goofy but we've always gotten along really well... He cares about me very much, and loves spending time with me. Ever since our first date, he always finds ways to accommodate me in his schedule... Considering all the stuff he works on outside of school, I guess I'm pretty important to him."
"Aww. Sure sound like it. Does he still take you on dates?"
"Yes. Every week, in a way. Every other day or so we meet after classes, go somewhere to eat, and do homework and studies. Then I'll go to his apartment and hang out, and many times our friends will be there too."
"Sounds fun."
"It can be. My best friend Mayuri is there often, and Faris shows up too. Sometimes Okabe's friend Daru is there, but he's been busy with his job at their college, so he isn't around as much."
Hands tightening, Suzuha restrained a tingle of surprise and emotion.
Oh my god. That's right! Dad and Okabe... They're best friends in this time. That must mean him and mom... They're alive and well.
Swallowing, her heart beat hard among quiet, heavy breath, and she closed her eyes for a moment.
Its almost hard to believe... They're both somewhere around this city, almost within reach. They don't even know their daughter is here with them too...
"Are you alright, Suzuha?"
Head rising, the cloud of emotion faded, and several thoughts were shelved in her mind.
"Yeah. Sorry. Was just remembering something. Traveling to another time makes you think about a lot of stuff."
"I'm sure it does. Even these past few hours have done that to me."
"Anyway... Your sweet love Okabe. What does he look like? Is he tall and handsome?"
Watching Ruka turn red and look aside, Suzuha slowly grinned.
Looks like a yes. She's blushing like mad.
"...Yes. He definitely is. Taller than me, and he always has loose, messy hair. He used to wear a lab coat a lot, but since he's been attending college, he's started wearing collared shirts and pants."
"A lab coat?"
"Yeah. He still has it. His apartment is the future gadget lab I mentioned earlier."
"Oh yeah. Forgot, sorry."
"Its alright... Seeing the boyfriend dressed up for school, and then spending time with him... I don't know how many times I've just gazed at him. I mean, I always did when I was younger, but now that we're together and a little older, he's just amazing. He's turning into a handsome man and he's very intelligent... I have so much admiration for him. And I know he knows it. He always seems to know some things without anyone saying anything about it. Like some kind of foresight or intuition. Not like a superpower or anything... Just wisdom. I think it comes with how his brain is wired. He's always thinking about a million things at once. I've told him if we plugged his brain into a speaker, we wouldn't be able to understand what we're hearing cause there'd be so many things going on at once."
Giggling unexpectedly from the thought, Suzuha watched Ruka's expression fill with mirth, keeping a blush on her cheeks.
Now that she's said that... The Okabe back in Valkyrie always seemed to be staring off somewhere. Especially during meals. We'd be at the table, and he always would be sitting there quietly, thinking. With the way he talked, I'm sure he thinks about a lot more things than he says. He'd run out of breath trying to put all his thoughts into words.
Looking at Ruka's hands clasped together, her head tilted slightly.
And Ruka, always by his side... Yeah. Just like she said moments ago. She kept gazing at him, like nothing else in the world mattered or compared to him, even as a grizzly guy in his forties. Back then, and definitely now in this time and place... Okabe means the world to her. Its adorable, and kinda amazing. They were together for twenty six years, through a world war and revolution... Talk about an unbreakable bond!
"I can tell by the way you talk about him... You really do love him, Ruka."
"Oh, certainly, yes. I love him more than he can even imagine."
"I'm sure he knows that too."
"Yes. He must. The way he acts, I know he feels the same."
"I bet he'll be a great father someday."
Mouth halting, and throat locking, Suzuha watched as Ruka's mouth and eyes opened with a blush of genuine surprise.
Oh hell, why did that just leave my head?
Turning her head again, her eyes lowered to her lap, and Suzuha's heart beat, not sure how to interpret Ruka's actions from her unexpected statement.
God I hope I didn't just screw the future up somehow! Having a kid might not even be on the horizon for them... I can't even be positive about them having Kamiko in this future. I don't know anything about this world line... I can only assume. Guess I should just act like that's just some friendly thing I said because of her hospitality. She should understand.
"Sorry... I'm sure you two aren't at that point yet. I just was saying that out of honesty."
"Oh, no, not quite. We've only been dating for about two years, but..."
Hesitating, Ruka's head lowered, but a hint of a smile spread across her lips.
...I think its safe to say that, yes, he probably will be a great father. With the love he endlessly provides, in the event we do raise a family together, any child of ours will be blessed by it as much as I am.
Eyes closing, her heart beat heavily as an emotion-laden blush spread across her face.
What a beautiful feeling... I can't believe I haven't considered it yet! I've been so busy with school, I haven't taken time to think about it. Bearing a child with Okabe? When would that happen? Would we be ready for it? We've only been together for a year and a half. Maybe in a few more years, if we're in it for the long haul and go steady... It'll come up eventually.
A lengthy breath seeped from her lungs, heartbeat echoing inside her chest.
By that point, I'm sure Okabe will have considered it too. We've definitely grown closer these past few months... Enough to start having sex, which I sure didn't expect to be a regular thing.
Fleeting memories of bare bodies mingling and orgasmic releases danced across her mind, and she tingled from the imagery, fingers and toes curling.
Ohhh my. Even Mayushii doesn't know how often we've done it... I suppose with our frequency, conceiving a child isn't too unlikely. We'll just have to be careful until the time is right.
Head rising, her eye's met Suzuha's, and both teens smiled for different reasons.
Yes. There's a lot I'll be thinking about after today. All because of you, and our unexpected adventure, Suzuha.
"...I know. It was just a thought, Ruka. Honestly, with the hospitality you've shown me, I can tell you'll be a wonderful mother too."
Realigning to the conversation, she nodded proudly.
"Thank you. I do hope you are right... And you're more than welcome. My father is the one that raised me into who I am. Caring for others is just something that comes naturally."
"I'll say. You've already gone out of your way helping me, and then just keep on going. I just want to be sure I'm not a burden to you, especially after dragging you into that situation in China."
"Oh, don't worry. You brought me back safe, and went out of your way to bring us here to the shrine. As long as you're able to take me back to the park in time, I think we'll be even with favors."
"Yeah. I totally agree. You helped me, so I'm more than alright with helping you."
Exchanging equivalent nods, Suzuha then watched as Ruka's head turned to a nearby clock on the wall.
...And besides, Ruka, you've already helped me out before. But you don't know it because it was in a different world and a different future. I'd tell you about it, but I'm sure I've already blown your mind enough these past few hours. That story has a couple of spoilers too, so I'm gonna keep it to myself.
Following her vision to the clock on the wall, slowly ticking each second away, Suzuha squinted at the numbers portrayed on the circular timepiece.
Whatever she was thinking about a minute ago sure had her in a spell. Must've been something real important. I mentioned Okabe being an awesome dad, and after that... Oh.
Grinning for a moment, she then watched as Ruka rose to her feet, stepping around the couch. Watching the dark haired teen walk into the bathroom nearby, the thought of the necessary conception curled her mouth into another grin, tempered by the reddening of her cheeks.
Yep. With the blushes she was making, I bet she was daydreaming about having a child with him... Lucky you Ruka, you and your sweet love might have a badass of a daughter someday.