Tuesday, May 1st, 2012; Yanabayashi Shrine, Akihabara, Tokyo; 3:15p.m.
Rising up from her lean against the wooden railing of the deck surrounding the shrine, Suzuha spread her digits in a stretch of her forearms as Ruka audibly twisted and withdrew a key from the deadbolt lock on the main entry.
"All good?"
"Think so. Shouldn't be anything out of place."
"Cool."
"Father will be home in an hour or so depending on traffic. He knows I've never skipped class, so even if something seemed unusual, there's no way he would suspect it was me."
"Even with the food and the shower?"
"I turned on the fan earlier and dried the towels... And as I said, he'll be buying groceries tomorrow. Shouldn't be anything to worry about."
"Alright. I'll take your word for it."
Offering Suzuha a nod, she walked up beside her, and both of them glanced toward FG204 sitting silently in the courtyard, its solar panels actively absorbing the afternoon sunlight.
"You think anybody's seen that machine by now?"
"Maybe. Not like anybody will know what it is or what it does."
"We don't have too many passerby down in the courtyard, unless they're coming directly to the shrine. The trees shroud this area from the rest of the city too."
"Right. My point is, even if somebody has seen it, they won't know what to make of it. Once we fly back to Akihabara, there won't even be a trace of it being here."
"That's good."
"It'll just vanish into thin air and appear somewhere else. Its pretty unlikely that the same person could see both ends of our travel."
Ruka then shrugged from her statement.
"You never know, Suzuha. I found out today that anything is possible."
"Oh yeah?"
"I mean, I took a train home from school, and ended up saving the world with you. Sure didn't expect any part of what we've done in the past couple of hours."
"Me neither. I've been flying blind on a hopeful gamble, and it miraculously worked out. If you think you're surprised by what you've been through... You should step into my shoes."
"Oh, I'm quite alright... Though I do understand what you mean."
Eyes meeting, both teens traded fleeting smiles.
"No worries. Let's be on our way. I still have to drop you off at your boyfriend's place."
Walking towards FG204, descending from the deck with Ruka following just behind, both girls casually approached the time machine, and Ruka halted a short distance away, waiting as Suzuha's hand rose, palm pressing against a well-disguised circular panel on the curved surface. After a moment, several locks disengaged, and pistons hissed as a hatch slid aside, and metal stairs unfolded beside them both, settling onto the concrete below.
Waiting patiently as Suzuha moved over and slowly ascended the steps, the soldier looked to her peaceful compatriot near, and a mutual thought bloomed in their minds as their vision aligned once more.
I'm never going to forget this experience.
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 4:54p.m.
"Well, we have maybe ten minutes to get to your park."
"Its less than two blocks away. We should be fine."
Jogging to the rooftop access nearby, this time with a swift-stepping Ruka in the lead, Suzuha listened to the movement of steel components and machinery behind as the access hatch of FG204 closed. Picturing the prior rooftop in China as the steel door opened in front of her, the teen descended into the stairwell a few paces behind, fingers prying into the pockets of her camouflaged pants.
Been through lots of doors today. Seems every adventure starts, and ends, through a door.
Turning twice, following the shadow cast on the ground just ahead, she emerged onto the sidewalk, and Ruka gave a quick nod to the left.
"This way."
Blinking from her eager demeanor, Suzuha leaned forward into a jog alongside the curly-haired teen as they crossed the street.
"You walk fast. And run fast too."
Chin rising with a smile, Ruka exhaled.
"Only when I need to."
"Well you ran faster than me earlier, and that was awesome."
"Fight or flight. You told me to run."
"Sure did. Worked out just fine for both of us."
Continuing down the segmented sidewalk in a quick pace, silence lingered between both girls, realizing their time together was drawing to a close.
"Suzuha."
"Yeah?"
"If you didn't find me a couple of hours ago... What would you have done?"
Blinking from the prospect, her eyebrows furrowed in contemplation.
"I don't really know, honestly. I think I'd still try to find someone to help me, and if that didn't work... I'd probably just go at the mission alone."
"You would? I mean, earlier you were pretty adamant about needing assistance."
"Yeah. Part of my instructions recommended finding a friend... But I made it pretty far on my own. I'm sure I'd be able to figure it out... Can't imagine it would be too out of bounds with a time machine at my disposal... Plus I've spent a few years on my own back where I came from. I mean, if a girl can survive in the Yokohama ghetto..."
"Um, ghetto?"
"Point is, Ruka, finding you today probably made my mission a lot easier to accomplish. Might've been a lot tougher on my own."
"I see... I'm glad I could help you. With saving the world and everything."
"And I thank you, Ruka. You've been very helpful."
Smiling to veil her uncertainty, she looked ahead, seeing the open expanse of the aforementioned park spread out beside the sidewalk with several trees growing in size.
If you say so, Suzuha... But no matter. You've been just as helpful in return... Allowing utilization of your time machine. I suppose my requests weren't nearly as hefty as yours, but you did promise to get me back here safely... And you fulfilled that, so I can trust what you say. The last objective now, however... Is what I've been anticipating for many hours now.
Picturing Okabe leaning against one particularly special park bench in the distance, head-to-toe in collared dress clothing, her heart raced with excitement.
Seeing the boyfriend after this long, crazy day.
Standing in the broad-leafed shade of a deciduous tree, Ruka checked the time with her phone, brimming with anticipation.
Five-oh-one... Okabe isn't here yet... And Suzuha is. Does she intend to meet him?
Looking aside at the brunette girl, dressed in camouflage that seemed to match the leaves of the surrounding foliage, Ruka hummed, which then prompted the soldier to turn and offer her hand.
"Well, I think this is where we part ways."
"Wha... Are you sure? I mean, wouldn't you like to meet Okabe again?"
Blinking from her confusing statement, she bashfully rubbed the back of her head beside her ponytail.
"Its okay... I mean, he's arriving here for you. I'll let you guys do your thing... But I'm sure we'll meet again sometime later on."
Seeing a hint of disappointment settle onto Ruka's face, only for the girl's eyes to rise, she nodded with acceptance as she shook her hand in return.
"Alright. If you're around here, don't be afraid to say hello."
"We'll see what happens. Thanks again for your help, miss Urushibara."
"Of course. Hopefully we've actually saved the world."
"Yeah. Hopefully."
Hands slipping apart, Suzuha turned, only to pause her footfall.
"Right, before I forget..."
Slipping off her backpack with ease, she tugged open one of the zippers, and withdrew the glowing divergence meter, peering at the numbers displayed in the glowing nixie tubes.
[1.105839]
Good. Still over one percent. I think we might have saved the world... Or something.
Eyes meeting, she stepped closer, offering the device to Ruka, who's arms rose and accepted it into her palms.
"Part of my instructions told me to make sure Okabe ends up with this. So, here."
Looking over the rectangular object, Ruka's head tilted, inspecting its complex construction.
"Don't you need this? I thought this is what you needed to be ab-."
"Yes, it is. I used it so we could tell if we achieved world line divergence, and we did. That part is done, so now I'm just doing what I've been instructed to do."
"I... Alright. I'll make sure to give it to him."
"Good. Okabe will be better off with it anyway." ...And besides, something tells me he'll understand why it suddenly reappears. It seems like you're remembering things from twenty-thirty-six somehow, so I'm sure Okabe will too.
Heads rising, their eyes met, and both teens exhaled with finality.
"Guess I'll see you whenever I see you."
"We might meet again." Might not. Who knows.
Hand rising in a wave, Suzuha offered a warm smile, and then turned, tromping across the concrete and grass into the distance, leaving Ruka behind to observe the mysterious teen soldier's fade into the distance, heart beating from the stream of memories and emotions cycling through her head in a mental review.
Well... Goodbye for now, Suzuha. We were barely acquaintances two years ago, but, I suppose we're friends now. Even if it was for an afternoon. Hopefully your time travel adventures don't get you into too much trouble. Okabe would have plenty to say about that.
Looking aside to the bench a few feet away, she allowed the afternoon's errant companion to exit her sight.
Its a shame she didn't stick around to see him. They'd have a lot to catch up on... And I'm sure Kyouma would love to see another lab member and friend again.
Stepping aside and shrugging her school bag off her shoulder, the strap slid down to her elbow, allowing her to gently lower it onto the bench. Sinking down in a turn, her body settled onto the wooden planks, and she leaned back, vision rising to the fading colors of the early evening sky. Peeking back over to the direction Suzuha had gone, the girl had all but vanished, and Ruka's hands slowly drew together on the ends of the divergence meter resting upon her lap.
She's already gone, somewhere. And left me with this... Diverging meter thing.
Vision lowering to the electronic gadget sitting on the folds of her school skirt, her finger touched one of the glass tubes mounted on it.
Nixie tubes, mounted on a breadboard... I wonder what's inside the housing? Okabe might not know what this thing is but I'm sure he'd be very curious to see how it works on the inside.
Smiling from a resurgence of excitement, she tilted the meter upward.
I should make it a surprise gift. When he's least expecting it... In the middle of supper maybe. He won't be expecting it at all.
Blushing with elation, she opened her bag and delicately slipped the meter within, lifting the bag for a moment and making sure it found a safe resting place within.
There. You're a secret surprise now.
Pulling the bag closer to herself and folding the top over, her hands came together, fingers intersecting, and her eyes shut with a happy hum.
Boyfriend should be here momentarily. A few minutes after five... I can't wait!
Weaving around sparse passerby travelling the sidewalk adorning the street, hands in pockets and thumbs resting on the belt looped through his dark pants, Okabe observed passing details of his precinct surroundings amid his determined progression, walking towards the open expanse of an urban park a short distance ahead.
Thank goodness the day is mostly over... Ongoing reprisal of the same material we've covered for the past two weeks is a strange form of repetitive torture. We've already learned the main substance of computational recursion! We need to stray into the stranger theories and designs! The ongoing branches of alternative curiosities! It seems I may have to politely advise the professor by email to move beyond another round of bland recap and kick things into gear.
Stringing together the message contents of a mildly threatening albeit well-intended email to his class professor, a chuckle arose from his throat, eyebrows quirking with deviousness at the thought.
He'll understand. Even with his repertoire of refutation of my propositions in the past... He may come around in the end. Mostly due to my unrelenting persistence.
Turning from the ground noise of a passing car, his vision panned across the expanse of concrete and grass ahead, spotting the lone slide sitting in the middle. Then with a rise of his heartbeat, dark curly hair appeared above a very familiarly positioned bench, and he brimmed with excitement.
In the end, the doldrums of class hours, and the ongoing chaos from the Organization's infiltration of our schools, are all worthwhile. As long as I end the day seeing her bright eyes, curly hair, and the endless blushes that bloom among her smile.
Giddy with anticipation as he maintained his stride, her head turned from his approaching footfall, and with a peek over her shoulder, a grin spread along Ruka's face, and she quickly turned away, prompting a light laugh from Okabe as he walked up beside the bench. Looking down at the young woman seated on the bench, adorned in her school uniform, her face rose upward, eyes meeting his, and expected blushes spread across both of their faces.
"Rukako."
"Okabe!"
Launching upward from the bench, the teenage girl quickly surrounded him with her arms, to which he returned, capturing her in a mighty embrace and prompting both of them to nuzzle the others' neck.
"I've been thinking about you a lot today."
Taking in his familiar scent, she drug the tip of her nose higher.
"I was going to say the same thing."
Eyes closing, they twisted back and forth with ease, reveling in the peace and comfort of love's embrace.
"How was your day?"
"Pretty wild, actually."
Okabe blinked with curiosity.
"Really? Mine was dreadfully boring... Enough so that I've been plotting how to alter the topic of class through discrete coercion against my professor."
Drawing back from the embrace, Ruka rested her head against his collar, fondly imaging the mayhem he was concocting as he set his chin atop her head of hair.
"I'll tell you about my day in a little while. Kinda requires some explaining."
Perking with continued interest, Okabe nodded.
"Alright. Would supper be an appropriate time?"
Remembering the electronic device sitting captive in her bag, Ruka hummed.
"Yes. It would."
"Then its settled, my love. Would you prefer May Queen's, or the noodle shop, or elsewhere?"
"May Queens is fine. Faris will enjoy hosting us again."
"I'm sure she will. Shall we be on our way?"
Head rising from under his chin, she peeked up through her locks of hair at him, smile growing wider as his face lowered to her level.
There it is...
Eyes closing in a murmur, lips pushed together in an awaited kiss, only to peel away and collide again several times, bodies tilting and moving in delicate adjustment as they drew closer together, coalescing in a delightful surge of romantic passion. Breath calmly filtered from noses touching, perfectly comfortable in the moment, and after a short while, lips drew apart, wet and satisfied, spreading into matching grins adorning their expressions of mutual admiration as eyes reopened to the other's color.
"I love you."
Watching her eyes seemingly sparkle as the words left her mouth, Okabe's body tingled, chest laden with excitement and emotion.
She always seems to glow with some kind of magic when she says those words... And every time I see her, she's always prim and proper in some mysterious, beautiful manner. Perhaps she is divine. I'm not sure how else you can explain her magnificent adorableness with any practical description... Much less her ability to always look her best, regardless of the day or hour. I don't always like to describe phenomenon with terms of fantasy... But I'm not sure what else would suffice when it comes to my girlfriend. That being said...
"I love you, Rukako."
Seeing her cheeks redden from his tender reaffirmation of feelings, he tightened his embrace around her proudly, his train of thought slowly wandering.
I could say that phrase an infinite number of times... And she will never tire of hearing it. Same with kissing, I suppose. She'll never tire of our kisses, and I'm sure I won't either.
Cheeks lifting with a grin of satisfaction, he waited patiently as Ruka pushed her fingers between his, knuckles brushing past each other, and palms pressing together with the curling of their fingers.
"...Now are you ready?"
"Yes. Let's go."
Releasing one hand, both of them turned in place and walked side by side towards the street, slowly turning onto the sidewalk together.
After everything that's happened today... Being here with you again makes it all worthwhile.
Stealthily peeking around one of the park's planted trees, watching the couple walk away into the distance, Suzuha tingled with a variety of bubbly emotions and feelings.
Wow. Okabe IS tall and handsome! At least back in this time... I wasn't really sure how to picture a younger version of him. The Okabe I met was a tired middle aged dad with a scruffy goatee and greying hair. He definitely looks better in his twenties... Ruka must be proud to have him by her side. She talked a whole lot about him back at her place, and it turns out her glowing depiction of him wasn't too far off.
Seeing their heads turn to each other, faces brimming with mirth and arms slowly swaying, held together between them, a blush crept up along her neck as a medley of romantic imagery replayed through her mind.
They sure enjoyed each other's lips too. Watching them kiss was kinda... Gosh, I don't even know. I mean, I've been kissed, twice, by a girl. But mine were quick and confusing and mind-blowing and...
Eyes closing, her heart beat and a shiver tingled across her skin.
...They happened so fast and I didn't really know exactly how to feel. But seeing Ruka and Okabe, so obviously in love... They both know they have time to just be together, so everything they did was so gentle and easy. They know exactly how they feel about each other, and they weren't in any kind of rush to show it. Things just happened as they did... Kissing and hugging and cuddling. God. Their eyes and smiles afterward... It sure looked like an amazing experience.
Reopening to the same couple, further away on the sidewalk, a pained breath exited her lungs
...It probably was. I guess I'm a little envious. But I hate that I even feel that way! Ruka is a gentle, beautiful flower, and she loves Okabe more than anybody can imagine. She still feels that way after twenty six years together, through war and hardship. Nothing can even compare to that much dedication. I shouldn't be jealous. I should be proud. Inspired, maybe. But as it turns out, I haven't been able to enjoy years of spare time with anyone. Hence why I'm here in the past, having left behind an unexpected best friend, after apparently stealing her heart.
Eyes sinking from the couple fading into the distance, she turned aside, leaning back against the trunk of the tree.
Oh, Kamiko. It seems like I end up thinking about you almost every day. I wish we weren't forced apart like this, stretched far away across time. You opened up your hard shell and gave me your trust, and your delicate little heart... And I think I left you a part of mine. I've been confused about my own feelings ever since you first kissed me in the armory... Maybe I've just never felt attached to somebody, and you're the first person I've opened up to in a long while. Maybe I felt like you wouldn't be killed so easily after everything I witnessed beside you... Being in the military forces and surviving in the ghetto doesn't allow you to keep friendships when people are gunned down so easily. But as soon as I met you, you seemed so powerful. Not just as acting commander, but in spirit. A nineteen year old woman going out and kicking ass with a semi-auto rifle, leading soldiers and tanks to victory. Totally badass. Then when you got home, to the safety of a bunker complex, you were cute and young and full of energy, whenever you didn't have to wear the mask of military command. The funny part is, both sides of you are awesome. I didn't expect the badass to also be an adorable friend. You're not two-faced or anything... You're just trying to survive, like me. And being friends, even for a week, brought out the younger sides of both of us. Feelings and emotions we've kept hidden away, protecting them from the awful world we grew up into.
Heartbeat quickening, her mouth slowly opened in realization.
I think she kissed me because she was grateful... That we could both be ourselves and show emotions, as friends. And I kissed her back, showing her I was grateful for everything she's done to help. But now that I think about it... I've only realized that here and now. Back then, I was running on emotions and adrenaline. I cared greatly about my only friend, and I knew she would be heartbroken once I left her behind. Kissing her back showed her I care about her. Cause her kissing me meant she really did care about me. And I...
Bringing her legs close, she hid her face with her arms, forehead resting against her knees as a fierce blush burned across her cheeks.
...I can't believe being kissed by Kamiko is making me feel like this. Its like a weakness only I know about, and I took away the only path back to her. Completing this mission, doing all this time travel stuff... Everything I did today has overwritten my past, including the girl that I'm pretty sure was falling for me... Or something. I only knew her for a week or so... I don't even know anymore.
Throat locking, the blush faded as the heft of helplessness cascaded across her mind from the thought.
I can't even confirm anything, 'cause I've gone ahead and done what dad and everyone else wanted me to do. They told me to come back if things didn't work out. But things did work out as planned. I changed the future, so I guess I can't go back, even if I wanted to.
Staring at the dark pixelated patterns in her camouflaged pants, her mind was suddenly overwhelmed by an ever-expanding storm of sadness.
I'm sorry, Kamiko. I did my job, and now I can't come back.
Eyelids slamming shut as conflicted tears surged, a shaky breath scorched her insides, leaving in a muffled whimper.
Please forgive me.
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012; May Queen NyanNyan's, Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:47p.m.
Sitting across from each other around a circular freestanding table, with various sheets of homework and studies spread out on the tablecloth, Okabe and Ruka quietly worked, speaking occasional whispers and thoughts among the scribbles of writing, hands and pens creating numerous answers to the variety of questions listed. Among the shiny white plates covered in crumbs of various consumed snacks, two half-empty glasses of Dr. P stood, and an invisible cloud of information churned in a storm of mental determination above the table, seemingly noticed by Faris as she quietly strode beside the table, gloved hands plucking the plates from the surface.
"Its fascinating... The magnitude of mind-force you two create when you're in here. I'm surprised you haven't created a black hole together."
Mouth slowly opening from the described phenomenon, Okabe's eyebrows quirked, finally jerking his attention aside to see the pink-haired and cat-eared young woman stack their plates on her arm.
"What's that supposed to imply? Telepathy is not capable of forcing matter into an inward gravitational collapse."
Giving him a hint of a smirk from his response, Faris tilted her head towards Ruka.
"How about you, Lady Urushibara? Do you believe in the forces of the mind?"
Slowly setting down the pen in her fingers, her eyes met Rumiho's after a glance at Okabe's crossing arms.
"Well I'm... Not sure telepathy is possible right now. But you never know. A lot of things in this world used to be considered impossible." Like time travel, for instance.
"I see. Perhaps you two don't see your own energy clouds... Interesting. Would either of you like anything else?"
"I think I'm alright for now."
"Kyouma?"
"I'm satisfied as well, thank you."
Offering a momentary curtsy, coiled ponytails bobbing beside her head, Faris then turned on her heel, maid dress twirling around her legs in a showy manner.
"Well I'm here to serve you regardless. Please call if you need anything else, you delightful lovebirds!"
Blushing from an intended thank you that didn't quite escape her throat, Ruka instead turned back to Okabe, awaiting his inevitable return to her vision, mouth curling into a familiar smile.
She enjoys teasing Okabe... And making me turn red in the face. But it never upsets either of us. I think Rumiho really likes seeing us together, here in her café. We're both good friends of hers, so seeing us happy makes her happy. Kinda like what Mayushii says. People feed off happiness, and being with Okabe, doing anything together, is probably the best kind of happiness I think I've ever felt. Seeing us like this must do a lot for our friends... And if I make my friends happy, I'm going to do anything I can to keep it going.
Gazing at her boyfriend, completely forgetting about the homework on the table, her hands drew together, fingers held tight as a excited heartbeat coursed through her being.
I'm sure Okabe's probably thinking the same things I am. He tries very hard to make sure everybody is happy and safe. Friendships are important parts of his life... And above that, the love we share is probably the greatest thing he's ever valued. He means the world to me, and I know I mean the world to him. Knowing that, is probably the most amazing feeling I'll ever have.
Sitting on a tall wooden stool, leggings crossed beneath her black and white maid skirt, Faris remained in a lean against the bar counter, head propped upon her arm. Calmly observing several occupants of her establishment, one of her coiled ponytails brushed against her shoulder as she peeked towards Okabe, and then Ruka seated across from him.
You two are fascinating. I don't think either of you two realize it either. Kyouma, the resident science-obsessed master of mayhem, and Ruka, a shy, delicate flower. Almost two years ago something clicked between you two. Mysterious, yes, but not too surprising. Little lady Urushibara has had her miko-maiden heart set on Kyouma for as long as I've known her, and he's always had a soft spot for her in return. Why they skirted around their feelings for so long though... That's something I still don't understand. Maybe Okabe just had to warm up to the idea of a girlfriend, and Ruka waited for the right moment.
Seeing the mirth laden faces of the couple, quietly conversing and writing, Faris' heart beat with secret enjoyment, tempered by a passive shadow of envy.
Urushibara... It seems you are both patient and lucky. Finally convincing Okabe to date anyone is a respectable achievement. Your unlimited patience and quiet wall flower charm became Okabe's weakness, and I don't think anyone expected that. The quiet, shy girl thawed his reluctance for romance... And then they're suddenly inseparable. Pretty soon here they'll be reaching two years together. August thirtieth. Ruka's birthday. Sure was bold for Kyouma to ask her out on her birthday... But fortune favors the bold, and he made Urushibara's dreams come true, doing so. That must have been magical for her, having her feelings for him requited on such a special day...
A blush arose across her cheeks, and her eyes closed, imagining the same experience for herself.
I guess its nice though, seeing that he isn't completely impervious to womanly charms... Even though he's incessantly deflected my wayward hints in the past. I guess I'm not a wall flower in any manner, but I can't help that. Being quiet would break me after everything I've been through these past few years...
A tired, hurting sigh exited her nose, and her eyes reopened, neck discreetly burning.
Okabe... You're my knight in shining armor. Same with Shiina. And certainly with Makise, far away in America. Somehow you've got all of us looking to you... And somehow, the flighty, slender maiden Urushibara stole your heart.
Arm descending to the shelf below the counter, her fingers curled around one of several television remotes, and she looked towards one of the nearby screens.
Its funny. You think you know all about someone, and then something unexpected happens, and it turns out you've barely scratched the surface on another part of their personality.
Arm rising, she browsed through several channels on the television network, settling on the local news, which was already broadcasting a breaking news report.
Huh. Terrorist bombing in Beijing... That sounds terrible, and interesting.
Watching with interest as several customer's heads turned to the screens briefly, she turned up the volume slightly.
Mind control... Best done through television, apparently. People can barely resist it!
Hearing a reporter describe an ongoing investigation of terrorism at a Chinese concert hall, Ruka's pen drew to a halt. Heartbeat quickly escalating, her body became paralyzed with fear as she stared at her homework.
Oh no. That's... That's the end result of our adventure earlier today. What time is it? All of that happened hours ago.
Hand slipping into her school bag hanging on her chair, her fingers drug across the parts and glass tubes of the divergence meter, and she swallowed, brimming with uncertainty as her heart throbbed.
I must look really guilty. Okabe would see it right away, is he...
Peeking towards him, seeing his head turned over his shoulder, watching one of the nearby televisions with interest, a silent breath parted her lips as she peeked down at the screen of the phone in her palm.
Okay. Phone says its six fourteen in the evening. We were in Beijing between three and four in the afternoon. Maybe China wanted to delay the news until they had the situation under control... Two hours later.
Vision rising sheepishly to the same television Okabe was glued to, her fingers picked up her pen, only to set it aside again, helplessly magnetized to the scene of destroyed glass windows and various men being led away in handcuffs by the city police. Several short statements by disheveled security guards described the beginning of a secretive meeting keeping the building on lockdown, two young terrorist assassins swiftly defeating them, as well as several accounts of the unexplained explosion obliterating the structure's utility control room.
Hands held together, clammy and shaking, she looked between the screen and Okabe's head of hair, discovering he had casually resumed his studies.
Oh. He doesn't seem too alarmed... I guess young terrorist assassins could mean anybody. I'm sure he isn't assuming anything. He'd already be questioning me if he figured it out.
Watching him patiently, his pen swiftly dragging along the paperwork on the tables, she inhaled greatly, attempting to strengthen her nerves.
Now that he's just seen this news report, maybe I should distract him with the diverging meter. But if he knows Suzuha... Would he make any connection from it? I don't know. She implied he might already know about the meter. Does he? What if he doesn't?
Hands separating, both arms drifted towards her school bag, heart thumping in her chest.
Haven't felt like this in a while. Paranoid and freaked out. Not because of my boyfriend, but just how he'll react... To the things I've done, that he's probably about to find out. I guess there's one way for both of us to find out, uhh... "Okabe."
Heading rising from the paper, his attention rose to Ruka, pen twisting in his fingers as she rummaged through her school bag for a moment.
"I was told to give this to you."
Eyebrow quirking from her worried expression and hushed voice, he watched as she delicately lifted a rectangular electronic object onto the table. Then, noticing the glowing nixie tubes mounted in a row upon it, he inhaled sharply, gaping with sudden recognition.
"My god, the meter!"
Arms lurching forward, her hands retracted just as quickly as he gripped the divergence meter in his fingers. Looking back and forth between it and Ruka's startled expression, his mouth remained open.
"Where did you find this?"
"You've seen it before?"
"I had it in my possession in the past! Where on earth did you find this thing?"
"I, well, it was given to me, to give it to you."
Swallowing, and looking around with mild paranoia, he slid it closer to himself, voice lowering as he studied the object.
"Ruka... Who gave you this?"
Eyes rising upward from the mysterious device, she released a shaky, held breath.
"Suzuha d-did."
Straightening upright, Okabe stared at Ruka.
"...Suzuha? Amane Suzuha ?"
"Yes, her. She found me out of nowhere this afternoon... Said she needed my help to save the world."
A single choked laugh of disbelief forced itself from his throat.
"She asked you to help save the world?"
"Yes. I know it sounds crazy. She showed up dressed in a camouflaged uniform, and told me she was sent back from her future in twenty-thirty-something to stop some meeting from happening."
"How did she get here?"
"Her time machine. Some big round thing on legs with solar panels. I was inside it several times."
Sitting still, floored by the unfolding story, Okabe's mind raced with a comparison of prior memory and information.
She came back in FG204. I can't believe it! Future Suzuha is still alive and well, and still destined to save the world...? "So she, uhm, came back here to Akihabara, and found you. How along ago was this?"
"Four forty five. I think. She asked for my help, and I agreed as long as she was able to bring me back safely. Then we went up to the roof of your apartment, got in the time machine, and went to... Beijing."
Slowly turning back to the news broadcast on the television, displaying a helicopter's view of the smoking auditorium, surrounded by police and emergency vehicles, he then peeked back towards Ruka, who promptly shrunk back, turning red with shame.
"Did you two... Go there and cause that explosion?"
"I... Sort of. Suzuha beat up a bunch of people, and I guess had some kind of bomb with her. So we blew up an electrical room and probably shut off the whole building."
Blinking with astonishment, he peeked at the television again, and then back to his girlfriend.
"Did Suzuha... Happen to mention why she needed to do this?"
"Yes. Some sort of federation was being formed there. I guess it was destined to drag everybody into world war three, which turned into the future she came back from."
Heart sinking into his gut, Okabe closed his eyes for a moment.
A federation... Almost spelled the end of the modern world? My god! I don't even want to imagine what the world was like in Suzuha's time. Perhaps it was similar to the previous future she arrived from two years ago. It seems she keeps coming back to fix things, over and over... And this time, she recruited my girlfriend.
"I'm assuming... She was intending to reach one percent divergence. Right?"
"Yes. I guess we reached it after all the trouble we caused. She said as long as we disrupt the meeting somehow, any change from her past was enough to complete her mission."
"She didn't happen to say who sent her to our time, did she?"
"No. She didn't. I'm sorry."
"It's alright. I'm sure it doesn't matter by this point... What's done is done."
"Yeah. I feel bad about blowing up a bomb... But knowing I probably prevented a total nightmare of a future makes me feel a little bit better." Almost.
"Were there any casualties? Are you alright?"
"Not that I know of. All I did was run a lot and lure security guards to Suzuha. She did all the fighting. Nothing happened to me."
A sigh of relief left Okabe's lungs.
"That's good. It's already worrying that you were caught up in some chaotic situation in a foreign nation... Last thing I would ever want is for you to be injured somewhere where I can't help you."
"I know. I was scared too, especially with the time travel stuff. I didn't have any idea what I was getting into."
"And yet you went along with it anyway."
Her shoulders rose in a timid shrug, heart heavy with responsibility.
"I might have saved the world. Who knows."
"Indeed. I suppose you could have."
Sitting silently, both of them looked down at the divergence meter sitting on the table. Then, a confident chuckle arose from Okabe's lungs, and Ruka's face broke into an unexpected blushing grin.
"My dear Rukako. Your adventures in the last hour give me great confidence in your bravery."
"Thank you, Kyouma."
"No doubt with your efforts and steadfast determination, we may have found ourselves on a new path into the future, free of widespread devastation."
"Maybe. I just hope what we did was enough."
"I'm certain it was, my love. Suzuha was wise in recruiting the Secret Warrior to her cause."
Extending his hands outward, they were promptly grasped by Ruka's, palms meeting and fingers curling together.
"Did miss Amane happen to say if she was staying in our time?"
"I don't know. She didn't mention her plans after the mission. We came back to Akihabara, and then went to my home, and then back to the park. She left, and you arrived."
A lengthy sigh left his lungs. Missed her by minutes, and I didn't even know.
"Rukako, what time was it that you met her?"
"Quarter to five."
"That was less than an hour ago. You squeezed this entire adventure into fifteen minutes?"
"We were in a time machine, Kyouma. We went to Beijing sometime after three, went to the shrine around one... I guess we had just enough time to get back here before you arrived a little after five o'clock."
Sitting back in his seat, Okabe's face curled into a smile.
"Amazing."
"You would have loved it. Especially the machine itself. I've never seen anything like it."
Picturing Suzuha standing by FG204 two years earlier, he slowly nodded.
"I'm sure it was quite the experience."
"Yeah. The travel itself is a bit rough, being jerked around all over the place. But it only lasts for a little bit, and then it lands and you're suddenly at a different time and place."
Hands squeezing, their eyes met again, smiles blooming.
"After all of this crazy stuff though, now I'm just glad to be back here with you."
"Had enough adventure for one day, huh?"
"Yeah. I got off the train from school and ended up saving the world. I'm ready to relax after we're done with our studies."
"Agreed. Though I'm sure you'll end up telling me more about this mission."
"I'll probably be thinking about it for a while."
"Time travel is not something one readily forgets about."
"I'm sure you know all about that, after all that stuff with gadget numero eight."
His head tilted aside with recollection.
"Yes, truth be told, I think about those days with fair regularity."
"Honestly, I went along with Suzuha because I knew time travel was possible... With the experiments you used to do."
Gathering his attention, his chin rose with interest.
"Is that so?"
"Its thanks to your experiments with the phone-wave that I believed Suzuha when she told me she traveled through time. Then she brought me to her machine, and after flying around in it, there was no way I could deny any of it when I experienced time travel personally."
"Are you trying to imply that my hazardous experiments led you to save the world?"
"Maybe."
Eyebrows furrowing, and then quirking with interest, he nodded.
"I'm flattered, my love, but you're forgetting a crucial part of the equation."
Watching him patiently, his hand then freed itself from her grasp, index finger pointing at her.
"It was your selfless bravery and determination that led you to this world-saving adventure. All I did today was sit in classes all day, bored out of my skull."
A blush of mirth spread across her cheeks.
"Oh Kyouma. Don't discredit yourself."
"I'm not. I'm the guru, and perhaps I was your inspiration. You were the grunt that carried out the mission with resounding success."
Heart throbbing with admiration, a sigh happily drifted from her nose.
"I suppose."
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 7:26p.m.
Staring out at the lights of the Tokyo skyline, Suzuha took in a breath of the cool evening air as it swirled within the time machine, brushing across her damp cheeks.
I don't know how... But now that I've come to terms with what I've done today... I cried my eyes out. I don't know how long either. I guess I've been holding things in, cause once I got going, I couldn't stop. Walked all the way back up here, crying. Sat outside, crying. Sat in here, and I guess I stopped crying. I've just been sitting here, staring outside as the sun goes down.
Slowly blinking, a sigh drifted from between her parted lips.
Seeing Ruka and Okabe, the same people that willingly took me in and gave me refuge in Valkyrie... Seeing them so happily in love, and knowing their child is the only reason I've even ended up here, making their wish for a better future a reality... Its so overwhelming. I guess I've given them a better future, but nobody can even be sure yet. My parents are probably still alive, but I haven't even seen them yet. I'll be born in a few years, Kamiko should be too... So many things will happen in the years that come. And if I've done what was necessary... World war three, and SERN's rise to continental domination, shouldn't even happen. But if those disasters don't happen... What will happen instead?
Eyes flitting aside to the date and time displayed on the screens, she slowly shook her head.
I'll drive myself crazy if I worry about every little incident that happens. As long as the problems I grew up with don't take place, things should be a lot better for a lot of people. I guess. The Urushibara family won't have to lead a national resistance force from a secret underground city. Our parents won't have to build a time machine to change the future, and Okabe won't have to give me a secret mission right after I find a friend and a safe place to hide.
Her eyebrows slowly furrowed.
Okabe. Such an important and mysterious guy. And it turns out he's some twenty-something college student back in the day. He has no idea of what he's capable of. I'm sure he'd love to know. Anybody would. It would've have been hard to resist telling him, too. Telling him that he's the guy in the future that assigned me this crazy mission. A mission that I recruited his girlfriend Ruka into. She'd probably want to know about that future too. And now that I think about it, with some of the confusing things she's said, I'd ask them about this past I'm in. I have no idea what's going on in this time of the world. I'd ask so many questions about their present, and they'd ask about their future... Jeez. We'd all have loads of questions. I have questions right now that I never even got to ask Ruka about. She kept acting like I had already met Okabe somehow. The Okabe and Ruka I met in Valkyrie knew about me as a child because of my parents, but that was a different past. That couldn't have been the same past that I'm in now, right?
'Wouldn't you like to meet Okabe again?'
...What does she mean, again? Its not like she's aware of him giving me this mission in the first place... Unless she is somehow. But that's what, twenty-four years from now in a different future. There's no way she could know. Unless she's talking about something else that I'm not aware of.
A huff of confused breath left her lungs.
When else could I have met Okabe? I wasn't part of Valkyrie until I met his daughter. Considering how important he was then, there's now way a random rebel like me could have met him in Yokohama. He never came out to the surface or the front lines. So what was Ruka talking about? When could have I met Okabe earlier? Its not like I could have existed in a different part of time.
...Right? I'm me. I exist here and now, in the year twenty-twelve. How the hell could I have existed at any other point in the past?
Standing from the pilot seat, she gripped the sides of the access hatch, leaning outside and peering out into the heavens. Gazing beyond the orange and yellow skies painted by the distant setting sun, her eyes searched for an answer.
Maybe that's just something I'll never understand. Another weird thing in this world that doesn't make any sense. I've experienced strange things on both ends of this time travel journey. And I'm sure if I keep using this time machine my dad built, I'll just keep finding more. I'll have more questions, and if I'm lucky, I'll find some answers too. I'll just have to be careful. Last thing I want to do is ruin this better future that everyone fought so hard for.
Eyes closing, her head sank in a single nod.
After all, it cost me my original future, and left me with nothing but memories. Of survival, a valiant struggle for liberation, and the gift of friendship. Countless lives may have been saved, a global war may have been prevented, and yet... All I can think about is one girl.
Sighing heavily as her eyes reopened to a darker sky, she swallowed.
Kamiko, my dear, distant friend... I hope this all was worth it.
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:14p.m.
Nestled together on the faded green fabric of a well-aged couch in his chaotic little apartment, Okabe's fingers slowly brushed through Ruka's curly dark hair, her head tucked up against his collarbone. In her lap, her white and red Upa plushie sat captive beneath her slender arm, and her chest rose and fell with breath, feeling his free arm resting across her stomach.
"She didn't say much about her future... Did she?"
"No. She kept it pretty vague... But it sounded bad. Enough to will me into helping her."
"Which is admittedly brave on your part."
Smiling with a tingle of mirth, she adjusted herself slightly.
"It happens now and then, Kyouma."
"Oh, trust me, I know."
"Anyway, it makes me wonder who sent her back to this time... And who built that time machine."
Heartbeat quickening, Okabe inhaled a discrete breath from several memories of FG204 from the past.
You'd be surprised, Rukako... I'm fairly certain Hashida did.
"...Cause, obviously getting her back to our time, to head over to China... Whatever was going on there with that meeting probably played a big part in causing the war and stuff she grew up into. So once whoever figured out they might be able to stop it, I'm sure Suzuha and her time machine became pretty important."
Hand pausing on her head of hair for a moment, his pinkie finger brushed across the skull pin on her hair.
"How exactly did the mission in Beijing progress... If I may be so curious?"
Squeezing the soft ear of the Upa between her fingertips, Ruka's irides drifted up toward the ceiling.
"Well, we ended up on the roof of this big building. An auditorium or something. I followed Suzuha over to the door for the roof, and she broke it open, and we headed inside to an elevator."
"And you got inside said elevator."
"Yes. Headed down to a floor, I don't remember which or what number. We were a couple floors up from the actual auditorium part though. Minutes after stepping inside, we went down a couple hallways, and encountered security guards."
Noticing complete silence from her boyfriend, her chest began throbbing faster.
"Right away they came after us. Probably were a bit startled by both of us appearing out of nowhere. Suzuha told me to run, and I did. She ended up beating the crap out of the first two guys, and I led two more back to her, and watched her wreck those guys as well."
"Wait, did she use a weapon or something?"
"She had a police baton I guess, but other than that, she had gloves and boots, and some decent muscle."
"Hand to hand combat. Impressive."
"Those were the first four. We encountered three more later on. I tripped one up with some filing cabinets, but Suzuha did all the heavy hitting."
"Sounds like it."
"It was amazing. I feel sorry for the security guys, cause she destroyed them. She said it was from training in the JSDF and something else... But she wiped out a bunch of grown men. Punches, kicks... It was like watching an action movie."
Smiling from her athletic descriptions of an old friend, Okabe closed his eyes for a moment.
Time traveling, ass-kicking ninja... I expect nothing different from the likes of Suzuha.
"She said something about surviving in the Yokohama ghetto too. And she had a gun in the time machine. If she was in the JSDF, she must have been a soldier. Or maybe she still was until she arrived here."
"Only soldiers can have firearms... With some exceptions. Perhaps she was indeed a soldier."
"She was wearing camouflage too, so I'm pretty sure she was."
"In any case... At what point did the bomb detonation happen?"
Sighing heavily, Ruka lay still with hesitance.
"Later on. We saw the actual meeting happening through a couple windows. A bunch of people were sitting in this big circle, and stuff was being projected on the wall nearby. After Suzuha beat up the later three guys, we found some kind of utility control room. That's when she revealed she was carrying some kind of plastic explosive, and she set it up, turned on the detonator thing, and we hurried back up to the roof."
"So there was nobody inside that room?"
"As far as I know. Nobody on the way up either. We took a different route to the elevator, and got up to the roof. I think Suzuha wiped out the whole security team."
"Did she explain her need to destroy that room?"
"Her mission was to disrupt the meeting. So we appeared out of nowhere, took out security, and then blew up the room and probably shut off the building's power."
"I imagine the committee in the auditorium was pretty startled by your actions."
"That's what I figured out later on. I'm sure their secret meeting fell apart when some unexplained stuff happened, and then a bomb went off."
"I believe the subdued individuals on the news referred to you two as terrorist assassins."
"Which is goofy, cause we both are just teenage girls."
"And neither of you actually assassinated anybody."
"We might have saved the future, so I don't even want to consider myself a terrorist either."
"Perhaps you did. The committee members you saw were likely some of the people seen in handcuffs... One can only wonder what parts of the world they came from." Or if they're part of SERN, or the committee of three-hundred... Good lord, Rukako. You and Suzuha may have sabotaged the actions of world-class villains.
"I don't know. And we might not find out."
"The important part is that you stopped them, and you both returned safe from harm."
"Yeah. You're telling me, Kyouma. That's the closest I've ever been to some real dangerous stuff... All on top of time traveling a couple times."
Exhaling as his arm squeezed around her a little tighter, a murmur drifted from her throat.
"That part alone astounds me. You went inside a time machine from the future, actually traveled back and forth, and made it back successfully. Its a shame you didn't get any pictures or video."
"I thought about messaging you... But I didn't know what would happen with our phones. I would see things I don't remember sending, and you would have gotten stuff out of the blue that makes no sense... The idea scares me, honestly. It was already odd to be home in the early afternoon, knowing I was technically at school still."
"Indeed."
"It felt safer to keep things between Suzuha and I. At least until we got back to the normal part of time we left from. We sure cut it close too."
"What do you mean?"
"Getting back when we did. Apparently we had to show up later than we left... So we wouldn't appear as doubles or materialize into ourselves."
"Paradoxical happenings."
"Pretty much."
Mulling over the described phenomenon with fascination, his arm lifted from her side in an attempt to rub his chin, but he found himself restraining his breath, chest held tight, as Ruka began shifting herself upon him. Setting the Upa aside and turning in place, lifting herself up on her hands and knees, she crawled closer and tucked herself down against his chest. Sliding up and meeting him face to face in an unexpectedly alluring moment of physical intimacy, she perched herself onto his lap, arms resting on his shoulders and the fabric of the couch just beyond.
"Okabe."
Watching a lock of hair drift down across her cheekbone, faces a mere breath apart, he sat still, trying to resist a blush burning up along his cheeks.
"Ruka."
"I'm glad I can talk to you about all this... You know. With all we've been through this past year or so... Things make a lot more sense with you helping figure them out."
Watching an ever-familiar smile lift his eyebrows, her mouth opened, eyes flitting back up to his.
"Of course, my love. That's what's this relationship mayhem is all about."
"It is."
"Together we solve mysteries, answer questions and make discoveries. And when we're not doing all that..."
Blinking as he suddenly found her lips pressing against his, his eyelids drooped shut, and their bodies shifted into motion, realigning to a prone embrace of comfort and security. Drawing apart after several seconds of peaceful breathing, her nose squished against his.
"...That's when we engage in fun and mayhem."
"For science."
A chuckle left his throat, and her mouth curled into a smile of delight beneath their gaze.
"Precisely."