When All Was Lost...
Chapter Thirty-Four
34
"You're gonna wanna look for a small shack near the B.A.D Area...You might remember it since you lived there for a while. His hideout hasn't changed since you left. It's right by Daedalus Bridge! So you should be able to recognize it easy!"
Hopefully...
Akarii sighed.
This is what Rally said...But...
She sighed once more as she eyed her surroundings.
So familiar and yet so different now... but some how the same in her memories that she can't recall.
She stopped just short of a shack that matched Rally's description.
Not far from it was an unfinished bridge.
A bridge with a scene burned into her memory...
An old one...
The two of us would sit there together all the time...
She thought to myself as she stared at the empty space, playing a schema in her memory like old video footage.
She could see their backs.
Side by side.
They were close together she and him.
This is where he told me stories of hope...
She blinked.
It's also where we...for the first time...
An old memory played itself.
One that she kept locked away within her...
XXXXX
They faced each other.
Each shared a smile.
"Well...I won't tell if you won't?"
"Seriously? Who would I tell?" she blinked.
"You're right. Whose business is it anyway!?"
He would laugh.
"If they found out...we'd never hear the end of it."
"We won't hear the end of it if we don't either." he would sigh.
"Atleast I won't."
"Why are guys like that?"
"Who knows? Guys are weird."
"Well I suppose if it has to be someone...I want it to be with someone I trust."
"That's a valid and respectable reason." he stated,"Me too..."
"So...?"
"Close our eyes?"
"Right...let's try."
They would stare at each other for a long time. Each of them gulped and closed their eyes as they moved in closer...and closer...and...
XXXXX
"UNRECOGNIZED PRESENCE"
"Ahh!?" she let out a startled cry as an automated voice system spoke out from the shack.
An alarm system?
She blinked.
When did he set that up?
"VOICE VERIFICATION CONFIRMED: AKARII RHODES"
"What!?"
"Welcome Back, Akarii."
Okay...that's weird...how did he set it up to recognize my voice when I haven't been here!?
She blinked back to old memories when he first started building this computer...
XXXXX
"Hey Akarii, Could you help me test the sound here?"
"Sure!" she beamed as she took the mic while he fiddled with the sound systems,"Test Test-"
"Don't you dare say it!"
"Awe come on! It's funny!"
"It's NOT Funny! I swear if you say it, I'll-"
"Testicles~"
"That's it!"
"Ahh!"
XXXXX
...That jerk.
Still...It's a pleasant memory.
Since the security system approved her presence she went ahead and wandered inside.
Though Crow didn't seem to be there.
When she wandered in the shack ...she found no one waiting.
Everything was as she had left it, except for old photos on the desk lying face down.
When she came across them she found that they were faded...
The imaged side was lighter when she flipped it around.
But...
Everything stayed...
Just as I left it.
Yet somehow...It's all changed.
Only slightly in little ways but still...
Everything...stayed...
"Akarii, Your user settings have not been updated for 3 years. Shall I update them now?"
"Uh...no thank you?"
"Confirmed. Saving Settings..."
Wow Crow sure put in a lot of time and care into this system AI...
He was such a dork growing up I actually forgot how incredibly smart he was...
"Akarii...?" A small voice sounded from behind her, startling her.
She whipped around to see who it was, and saw two familiar children...a boy...and a girl.
"...Itsuki?" she blinked and glanced over to the smaller female,"...And Annie...!"
"Akarii..." Itsuki sobbed,"It really is you!"
"Where have you been!?" cried Annie,"We were so worried about you!" she found herself squeezed in two tight embraces around her legs.
They're so much bigger now...
And older.
"Look at you two..." she said softly as she put a gentle hand on each back."...You've gotten so big..."
"Duh! You've been gone for three years!" pouted Itsuki.
"Of course we've gotten bigger!" Annie giggled.
She chuckled and lowered herself to her knees as she hugged them both.
"I've been on...a crazy adventure." she laughed.
"Really!?" said Annie.
"You'll tell us, won't you!?" asked Itsuki.
"Well I-"
"PRESENCE AUTHORIZED."
"Huh?" she blinked as the sound of an oddly familiar Duel Runner Engine sounded in the distance.
"Oh, Crow must be back!" Annie giggled.
"Wait until he sees you, Akarii!" said Itsuki,"He'll be so happy!"
"Wait...Crow is back!?" She gasped in a panic.
The Computer must have locked onto his runner's CPU and that's why it recognized the presence even before fully arriving, because he was in range.
Oh no! I...I don't think I'm ready...!
"Wait here, okay!?" said Itsuki,"Don't go anywhere!"
"Yeah, we'll go get him!" said Annie, and they took off running outside.
I guess Crow is still raising our kids...
She thought to myself.
I'm so happy... but...
"Welcome back, Crow."
"Thank you."
She gasped at the male voice that was just outside the door, and began to internally panic.
"Crow! Crow!" Itsuki and Annie called out to him in unison and she could hear them attack him with hugs.
"Woah, Hey, watch it!" he laughed,"What's up with you two today?"
"Crow, it' Akarii!" said Itsuki.
"She's back!" Annie beamed.
The sound of a loud clatter could be heard against the run down concrete, as though someone had dropped something.
Followed by a long silence.
"Come on you two..." he said softly,"That's not funny. And you shouldn't joke like that either! It's not very nice!"
"But we're not joking..." Annie whimpered.
"We really did see Akarii!" said Itsuki,"She's inside!"
"...Are you serious?"
Another silence.
They must have nodded.
But it seemed Crow, still had a little doubt.
"Computer!" he stated,"How many users are online right now?" he asked.
"VARIFYING" the automated sound began calculating.
"TWO"
Crow's soft gasp could be heard just outside...but she couldn't make a move.
"Usernames." he stated,"Can you varify?"
"VARIFYING," it stated.
"ADMINISTRATOR: Crow Hogan."
"Of course." he said with a soft scoff.
"USER: Akarii Rhodes."
He gasped again.
She still couldn't bring herself to move.
I can't believe I'm being OUTED by a COMPUTER
she thought to herself.
What would she do when she saw him?
Her thoughts were racing trying to think of what to do and what to say.
"How did Akarii Rhodes's User name get logged in!?" he snapped,"...Was I hacked?"
"AUTHORIZING... USER: Akarii Rhodes LOGGED IN USING VOICE VARIFICATION SYSTEM."
"Voice varification!?" Crow gasped,"That means...she had to speak."
"We told you we weren't making it up, Crow!" said Annie.
"She's inside! We talked to her!" said Itsuki,"See for yourself!"
Crow didn't think twice.
With a voice varification he had no reason to doubt them.
He dashed his way inside, where the girl stood, silent before him.
She took in heavy breaths before finally raising her head to meet his eyes, watching his face change as he took in the sight with a shock.
"...Hello, Crow." she said softly.
He hasn't changed much.
He still looked almot the same as the day she left 3 years ago...only with a few added markers on his face...
But it was him just the same.
"Akarii..." he said her name softly as he approached her with cautious steps.
It was as if he doubted her presence and he needed to varify it with his touch.
His hands were rough on her cheek, but still just as warm as they ever were. She placed her hand over his and rested her cheek against his palm.
It smelled like motor oil...he must have been using these hands for a lot of mechanic work on the Duel Runner he was building up before she was gone...
"It really is you..." he said softly.
"It's me." she said back,"I'm sorry to show up unannounced like this..." she gulped,"But I need your help-"
"SHUT UP!" he shouted before pulling her in against him in a back breaking embrace with trembling shoulders.
Her eyes went wide upon impact against his chest.
He's crying...!
"Don't you dare apologise!" he sniffed,"And...before you say anything..." he stated,"Tell me everything!"
"...Okay..." she said softly,"But it's a long and rather crazy story..."
"Yeah?" he chuckled as he pulled away,"Well I'm a patient and rather crazy guy." he stated,"And we have all the time in the world."
"All right..." she sighed softly resting her head against his shoulder as he continued to hold her close to him.
She was exhaused.
And she didn't realize just how tired she was until relief washed over her in the safety of his arms once again.
"Then I'll go ahead and start...from the beginning."
To be Continued
