Diiachi-Keihin Route 15, Ota Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 05/26/2036; SERN East-Asia Time, 03:27a.m.
Limping past countless abandoned motor vehicles lining the highway, Suzuha stared ahead blankly, body dull with aches, and legs growing numb from the constant walking.
Might have to stop and rest soon... I don't even know how long I've been at this. Hours, probably. Nothing has happened this entire time... I'm starting to feel like I'm the only person left in this place.
Passing under the curved viaduct of the Keikyu rail line soaring overhead, her vision drifted along the endless faded arrays of lines, arrows and chevrons painted on the asphalt. Watching the road sink into darkness ahead, she lifted the muzzle of the PM-9 slightly higher.
Oh. A tunnel... I guess. First one I've even seen on this road.
Slowly blinking in realization, she drew to a halt, looking around and scrutinizing the unfamiliar buildings surrounding her, before unbuckling the straps of her backpack.
Hold on... This can't possibly be...
Retrieving the folder much quicker than before, she flipped through its contents, peering closer at the bottom left of the map.
Still been going along the rail line. That station is to the right of me, and... Oh. Wait a minute, there was something weird about the entrance.
Eyebrows furrowing as the moonlight teasingly faded again, a puff of exasperation parted her lips.
This doesn't look right... And the entrance to a secret underground city wouldn't be in the middle of an avenue anyway.
Looking at the flat roof of the tunnel ahead, and the paved ramps leading up to both sides of it, she took several paces back, stepping around the end of a concrete wall lining the road.
Come to think of it... We turned north onto the Diiachi route somewhere, and didn't go through any tunnels.
Pace quickening alongside the barrier, heading up along the highway on-ramp, her heart began beating harder, ignoring the slow increase of pain creeping back through her leg as she stowed the folder again, swinging the backpack loosely onto her shoulders.
Oh man. This must be that turn! Am I getting close? I've been walking all this way, and I still know where I am on the map... Maybe I am getting close!
Tingling with excitement, she snapped the buckles together again, leaning to the right and crossing the open lane, keeping alongside the storefronts on the sidewalk.
That would be something... Actually finding Valkyrie again. I mean, yeah, I have the map and information Okabe gave to me. But finding the place is the hard part, and I've probably walked ten kilometers already.
Grimacing as her feet produced a sharp, sore ache in response to her thought, she restrained the following groan in her throat.
Yeah. I need to sit somewhere. And there's no benches in sight... Ground it is.
Peering distractedly down another street, her feet drew to a halt, seeing an unusual sight of an entire building laying across the road, having completely consumed several other structures where it had fallen. Staring at the unusual scene of large scale destruction, with several surrounding buildings visibly damaged on their upper stories, Suzuha's mouth slowly opened.
Whoa. Wait a minute... That's a whopper of a building... Laying there like that.
Gasping from the realization, she burst into a run down the street, approaching the structure and slowing to navigate around several piles of twisted metal and debris. Drawing to a halt, heart and leg throbbing, her head turned several times, squinting at the mess. Then, looking to the left, she took three steps back, confirming the presence of a low and narrow alley. Above it, numerous fractured walls sat folded into an accordion, having absorbed the crushing weight of the much larger high-rise collapsing onto it. Hesitantly stepping closer, she sank lower, peering through the debris-strewn passage and spotting something lighter in color beyond. Arms moving outward to bracing herself with balance as she knelt lower, she began hobbling through the various chunks of concrete and rebar strewn between the walls.
Something must be through here... And if there isn't anything, I'll just turn around and find another way. That huge building looks way too familiar to just be something else SERN blew up years ago.
Head ducking down, breath was held and released as she crawled under a metal table suspended between the walls, bent nearly in half. Stumbling over a television screen and a cooking pot, both covered with layers of dust, she grimaced from the unintended clatter.
Ugh. Nobody's even around here, as far as I know... But making too much noise can spell disaster, anywhere.
Finally exiting the narrow alley, she rose upright, only a few paces away from a steel railing, twisted and bent outward. Coming up to it, a long, single lane concrete channel appeared beyond, descending into the earth. Rubbing her eyes, she stared at the pathway, which was suspiciously clear of debris as it tucked under the ruined high-rise laying across it.
Oh my god. Oh my god.
Arms shakily rising to the railing, her gloved hands gripped the bent steel, tingling with surprise and disbelief.
This is it. This must be it. This wrecked building is a huge landmark, and this path just keeps going down into the earth that way...
Shuffling along the ledge, with a section of handrail long-since missing, she peered down into the channel, attempting to judge the depth of the concrete below as it steadily rose up to ground level in the distance.
The railing begins again ahead... And I'd rather not walk all that way. Pretty sure its blocked up there anyway.
Tucking the PM-9 around herself and slipping it between her back and the pack on her shoulders, she shuffled down onto the ledge. Moving her legs out into the open air beyond, she peered downward again, heart racing.
Can't be too far. Only a meter or two. Maybe three. Here goes nothing.
Leaning forward, arms weakly pushing herself away, she quickly began plummeting downward.
Uhh, okay, uh, falling! How far down is th-
Hurtling down onto the concrete below, her legs bent sharply in a feeble attempt to cushion the fall, but she promptly sprawled out onto her side, tumbling down onto the unforgivingly hard surface. Absorbing the landing, her arms and injured leg drug along the concrete as she slid to a halt on the sloped pathway. Mouth opening, at first from the fresh wounds on her forearms, furious surges of excruciating pain rippled up through her limbs, blasting into her head and causing a sharp inhale to suck into her lungs.
Don't scream. Don't... Scream. Ohhh myyy gooddd that hurt.
Vision blurring as tears freely coursed from her eyes, dripping onto the dry concrete beneath, she remained sprawled on her side, shaking with repeated spasms as her body slowly recuperated from the shock of a poor landing.
I'm sorry. That was a bit too much... And you're screaming at me. Everything's screaming. But we're holding together...
Forcing herself upwards, her knee buckled from the first movement of her leg, but after several hobbles, she held her breath tight, shoving herself back upright and slowly limping towards the shadow of the monolithic collapsed building, suspended over the sloped concrete path.
I know. I know. I've asked a lot from you. We're almost there. I promise.
Inspecting her freshly skinned arms, producing hints of blood, a silent laugh of misery issued from her lungs as she looked upward, away from her condition.
I don't even know what else... What more can I do to my poor body by this point?
Focusing on the massive structure overhead, her vision regained clarity as she pored over mangled steel beams, fractured slabs of concrete and rebar, and large groups of shattered glass.
I feel like you. Totally wrecked... Somehow holding myself up still.
Vision lowering towards the mouth of the tunnel beyond, her heart began beating with familiarity from fleeting fuzzy memories, distracting herself from the variety of pain signals assailing her mind.
What did they call this... The gate of Stein? Steiner? Something like that. Stein's Gate. Or just 'the gate'. I think. I don't know. Probably doesn't matter.
Peering upward towards the sky beyond, noticing it had turned to a lighter blue color in a short time span, she exhaled shakily.
Must be morning... I can't believe I just walked all this way. I'm surprised my poor legs haven't just fallen off by now. Especially after that awesome landing I just did.
Looking down, she squinted ahead at the mouth of the tunnel, but then her body grew cold as a lone individual in urban battle dress walked out of the darkness, aiming a rifle at her. Watching the figure approach with increasing concern, her hands slowly rose upwards above her head, staring at the unwavering muzzle of the gun pointed at her face.
"Hey, uhh, at ease."
"You are not permitted to be in this area!"
"What... Why not?"
"How did you get down here?"
Blinking as the male soldier ignored her question, she exhaled with a huff, and her hands curled into a fist, thumbs pointing backwards behind herself.
"From back there, how else?"
"Don't be smart. The only reason you are even down here is because you know something about this location."
"You're damn right I know about this place. I left it on a special assignment a month ago!"
Eyebrows furrowing at the soldier's narrowing expression, a frustrated breath left her lungs.
"Look, I hobbled my ass all the way back here after getting my shit rocked. Don't you understand?"
"There hasn't been a troop movement through here for at least five weeks."
"Like hell! I was the main individual on a secret assignment! I had my own escort! My name's Amane Suzuha, alright? I'm looking for Okabe Rintarou."
Watching the man's face harden, a breath left her lungs as his gun lowered, prompting her to lower her arms in response.
"Yeah. See? Figured that name would ring a bell. You guys prob-"
Spooked from rapid footsteps from behind, she gasped as her arms were suddenly forced together from behind, and her wrists were tightly bound by a thick zip tie.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
"I don't know where you came from young lady, but you're compromising our operational security."
Face darkening with resentment, her nostrils flared with anger as the PM-9 was lifted from her backside and taken away, and the iron grips of two soldier's fingers curled around her stinging forearms.
"Give that back! That's my god damn gun!"
"You're being detained for interrogation. I would suggest you cooperate."
Writhing with pain and overwhelming frustration, she was jerked into motion towards the side of the tunnel. Stumbling along, arms throbbing and leg spasming, her head sank as she reluctantly kept pace with the soldiers, heading towards an unseen door, just beneath the circular turret of a well-disguised cannon mounted on the wall.
Well, as far as I can tell... This must be Valkyrie.
Twisting to the side and moving awkwardly through the doorway into a stark dimly lit hallway, heavy breaths left her nose, mouth firmly clenched shut.
Other than that... I'm in a ton of pain and this shit sucks.
05/26/2036; Valkyrie; 10:46a.m.
Seated at the wooden desk in his quarters, pen in hand, Rintarou Okabe swiftly wrote down several thoughts regarding future strategic operations. Pausing to rest his wrist, twisting the pen in his fingers, he then sat back in the chair, looking at the small digital clock on one of the shelves.
Quarter to eleven already... This morning's been abnormally rushed.
Vision panning across the shelves on his desk, his eyes came across a small electronic transmitter, and after a moment of looking at it, he slowly realized a pair of green and blue LED lights were repeatedly blinking on the face of the object. Staring at the device, waiting for a visual illusion to disappear, his eyebrows slowly rose as a pair of tiny LEDs continued a persistent pattern of blinking. Setting the pen carefully onto the papers, he then rose onto his feet, pushing the chair back with his legs. Reaching to the shelf, he plucked the receiver off, bringing it closer to his vision and confirming it was actively transmitting and receiving signals.
You're active. But you can only be active if you're operating over a closed-loop circuit of communication. Which is impossible considering the only thing you communicate with is...
Mouth opening agape, a breath drew into his lungs in incredible realization.
FG204.
Setting the device aside, heart racing with excitement and disbelief, he looked towards the open bedroom door, and then back at the desk.
My god. Does that mean Itaru's time machine is back in our dimension? The only way that is possible is if Suzuha...
Storming over to the hallway and whirling into the kitchen, he ripped the room's phone off its receiver, quickly dialing several numbers. Waiting for a connection, he grunted impatiently just as a voice greeted him on the line.
"Kyouma speaking. I need regular updates on the status of the Gate for the next two days. I need to be aware of anybody or anything that approaches the premises."
Head rising from the unexpected information that followed, he took a step back.
"They've already taken a lone individual into custody. Did they happen to..."
Brimming with anticipation, his head turned over his shoulder towards the main door of the concrete-lined quarters.
"Female, teenage... My god. Disregard my prior instructions. I need to speak with this individual immediately."
Dropping the phone haphazardly onto the receiver, Okabe brushed past the steel dining table and yanked open the door. Turning into the corridor outside, he began an abnormally hasty procession towards the elevator at the end of the hallway, watching as several individuals stepped aside with various expressions of confusion and surprise from the hurried passage of their leader.
It has to be Suzuha. There's no other person capable of finding her way back to our time, and coming all the way back here to Valkyrie on her own volition.
Jamming the up button with his thumb, a single laugh of amazement left his lungs.
That woman is extraordinarily determined. Regardless of world line. I need to find her a position she can excel at around here... But first I need to know how and why she came back to our time. I'm certain there's valid reasoning. She's not one to give up easily.
05/26/2036; Valkyrie Detainment Cell 6; 11:09a.m.
Sitting on a flat steel bench, leaning to the side against a bare concrete wall in the dim light, Suzuha stared at the corner of the small room in a haze, throbbing with dull aches.
In a jail... Haven't slept... Haven't...
Hearing a nearby door swing open, her head slowly lifted from the cool concrete as rushed footsteps drew to a halt outside of her cell.
"My god... Suzuha."
Slowly blinking, she turned from the familiar voice, and the unshaven face of the middle-aged man standing outside of the cell brought an unexpected rush of energy into her body.
"Oh. Finally. Hey Okabe."
Staring at each other with matching disbelief, he unlatched the cell door and pulled it open. Shuffling inside and taking in her weak condition with immediate alarm, he knelt down in front of her.
"Miss Amane, at last."
"Yep."
"I apologize for the inconvenience of being arrested... Good heavens you're rough. What in the nine hells happened to you?"
Rolling her eyes, Suzuha leaned back against the wall.
"Oh man, where do I even begin... I went to Akihabara, right? Year twenty-twelve. Didn't find any help. Went on to Beijing. Got inside the auditorium place. Tried beating up security, got overwhelmed badly, gunned everybody down after getting the shit beat out of me."
Looking back at Okabe, she watched as his mouth opened, and then closed.
"The divergence meter. What did it show?"
A single choked laugh left her throat.
"It went down. The number. I think I made everything worse."
"Do you still have it?"
"Its in my bag. They took it, along with my gun."
"I'll get both back, don't fret... But please continue. How on earth did you get back here?"
"I got back into dad's time machine. There was a helicopter or something that appeared in Beijing, so I freaked out and left, and somehow ended up back here in Tokyo, still on the same world line."
"Convergence still took place... Interesting. I assume you know you've been gone for a month, miss Amane."
"Yeah, that was probably accidental. I wanted to avoid a paradox like you said. Forgot which month I came from. Oh well."
Looking to him again, he simply nodded, processing her experiences.
"I ended up back in the park. Right where I left from the first time. Waited for the rain to stop, and started walking."
"You walked?"
"Yeah."
"The entirety of the way back? How on earth..."
"Sure did. I still had the map... There were a bunch of landmarks too. Only encountered one enemy the whole time, and took his ammunition anyway."
"Resourceful... And apparently tireless. Continue."
"My leg's been in a bad way since Beijing... All that walking and running and falling haven't made it any better."
Peering down at her her leg in question, and then furrowing his eyebrows at the dried blood on the side of her shirt, his hand rose towards it.
"...That one's from a bullet. The guys in China had pistols."
"Its not still lodged in there, is it?"
"No, went clean through, I guess."
Grimacing, he watched as she turned over her heavily scratched forearms, sporting dried blood smeared onto her skin.
"God damn girl, you're made of iron."
"Guess so."
Kneeling silently, a breath left Okabe's lungs after mulling over several thoughts.
"My dear, Suzuha, I truthfully was half-expecting your return. The success of your mission was questionable at best, though not because of a lack of faith in your ability... Rather just the odds of everything happening successfully being very slim... Unfortunately."
"You guys said I could return if it didn't work out... I hope you don't think I'm ta-"
"We did, and I do not think any less of you, Suzuha. You've shown incredible bravery and tenacity with this assignment. Regardless of the outcome, you have my admiration and utmost respect."
A smile graced her cheeks, prompting one from Okabe in response.
"Does that mean you're allowing me to stay here?"
"Of course. For heaven's sake, you traveled through time, you've been shot... You wandered back through Tokyo alone and injured, and still made it here in one piece."
"Barely."
Her smile faded into a wince, and Okabe nodded twice in acknowledgement.
"You must be in a great amount of pain. I'll be taking you to the infirmary right away."
"Yeahhh that would be nice. Is there any way I don't have to walk?"
Rising up to his feet, he grunted.
"Of course. We have wheelchairs here. Just a moment."
Watching him turn aside and storm out of the cell with interest, she sat still as he disappeared down a hallway, listening to the echo of his footsteps.
"I'm assuming custody of Miss Suzuha Amane. Relinquish her belongings at once... Yes, the gun too. She's a person of extreme value and... Good lord, give me that phone."
Stifling a laugh, her lips pressed together, eking out a hint of mirth.
"Yes. Send a message to the infirmary to expect an incoming patient in need of medical care. You, bring me a wheelchair. The prisoner you speak of is an extremely important individual, and I am personally escorting her. What? Of course you didn't recognize her, her god damn mission was a secret operation I personally organized!"
After several moments of pacing footsteps, a door squealed open, and several sounds of metal and cloth shuffling began. Then, Okabe appeared, pushing a wheelchair into the cell and wearing both the backpack and her PM-9 on his shoulders.
"Hop aboard, Miss Amane."
Leaning forward and rising to her feet, she turned around and collapsed onto the wheelchair, lifting her boots onto the foot pegs, and her head flopped back.
"Oh my god... Thank you so much, Okabe."
"You are quite welcome. If you don't mind, I'll be holding onto your belongings for now."
"That's fine. Just take me wherever."
Heart pounding from Suzuha's reappearance, details from her spoken adventures swirled around in Okabe's mind as he pushed her through several doorways, moving quickly towards an elevator.
Incredible. Miraculous. Even though she was unable to accomplish the mission... Coming back here against all possible odds...
Reaching out and pushing the button on the panel, a quiet chuckle arose from inside.
Regardless of world line... You're one tough bird, Part time girl.