—Gaby Mochizuki
"It's been a while Cael" The other me said calmly as she gave him a smile, but the words that came from Cael's mouth was the exact opposite of what we expected
"What did you lost?" Cael asked, his tone solemn
"…" the other me was silent, completely silent, then she gave a sigh before***—Snap—***We were all teleported almost instantaneously to an unknown forest, right after "I" blinked what was once a forest had turned into a traditional Japanese Onsen Bath
Our clothes were replaced with white towels that covered our private parts with the exception of Klein Moretti, the bath itself was spacious, with stone walls on the edges, steam drifting everywhere It was one of those mixed bath places you'd see in anime scenes.
"Again?" Bronya said as she looked at Kiana dead in the eye, on the other hand everyone else was just soaking quietly, Evelyn included, it was a rarity in this time, where living in earth was already considered a luxury.
"DAMN IT I WAS IN MATCH, KLEIN"
Snap
And there goes the brot as he's back in his match his body completely motionless in the onsen as his mind returned to the now popular game titled When Fiction Bleeds
"Watch." The other me said before snapping her fingers, nothing changed, but the eyes in Cael's were different, recognition, and the other me asked again
"What did it tell you?"
"I—"
"Before, it was mine, but never fully mine to control, I was awakened prematurely after all, because of that Jormugandr Vestige, The difference between mastering something until it becomes a memory and until it becomes intuition"
"You haven't answered my question—What did you lost?" To Cael's question, the other me didn't speak, instead she showed.
Snap
The Mariana Trench, again, but this time it was different, the bath was still there, the stones were also there, and we were just floating on it, like an encased sphere, like a small ecosystem, I couldn't feel the pressure, I didn't feel anything, for me it was like nothing happened.
"You can no longer feel emotions—?" For a moment Cael stared at the water before speaking his final question, the other me gave a smile
"Yes and No."
"Elaborate."
"I can no longer 'feel' new emotions, but the old one's remain, no more new connections, just the past, but even then very vague, Kanade's music helps but it doesn't fix it"
"Is that so."
"Perhaps in a few eons or so they'll return slightly, but at the very least for now, that was the truth and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let curiosity get the better of me."
"…" Cael went silent for a solid minute, I didn't know what to say, it felt like I was eavesdropping in their conversation, I wanted to leave, yet I couldn't,
"Other me, why are you even hiding, come here"—Snap—And I was now right infront of her as she gave me a look I couldn't describe
"It's fine—She's alive still kicking, we're humans, and I quote Herta's words, Curiosity is a dangerous thing y'know, no matter what you are, after all memories remains, and habits don't disappear" Cael Lucian said calmly as the other me only gave him a smile—Snap—
"He's having fun with his wife." The other me said before she held me on my shoulder and gave me a big hug
"…" I was silent, I didn't know what to say, yet her hug felt warm, not artificial warmth but the actual warmth of a human body, I could even hear her breath and a heartbeat
"It's still artificial, just far more realistic and accurate."
"Is that so."
"Yes." Squeeezee She hugged me even tighter, I didn't know what to react so I did the only thing I thought felt right
Squeeeezeee
I held her hand even tighter, and for a moment, it was peace and quiet for the both of us
—Klein Moretti
As a gentleman one must know when to look away, whether that gentleman nature is something natural or something crafted to survive—That is what I must do, the Mariana Trench again, just with a patch of a bath that not everyone noticed
Alena and Aldric were having 'fun' so were Amane and Mahiru, Kanade, Shiro, Gray Reaper and Firefly were just silently enjoying the feeling, Ddraig and Kim were somehow asleep? at the same time I could hear some people talking
"It's been a while since we've met Elena, Lissandra" said the one I once knew as Adam Grisha now calling himself Ray Grisha who was silent the entire time
"It's been a while indeed, Ray, Reynold, Joseph, Francis, how long has it been since highschool?"
"It's been—"
It is not good to eavesdrop between the conversations of old friend after all, on the other hand,
"Klein." Kiana said in a solemn tone, she was wearing the form she used the most, the Herrscher of Flamescion's form.
"So? How long was your slumber truly?" I asked, curiosity welling inside of me, she gave me a smile
"█████████"
"…"
"HeH—You've also done it remember?, to protect 'your' earth, 'your' people, it was uncertain whether it would be 'you' who would wake up or the 'lord of the mysteries' was it not? At the very least I don't have to fight with anyone's celestial will"
"You did it twice, the second far longer than the first,"
"You can't compare people's suffering after all, should you be said if you got a 98 while someone else got 100 in a test? Ah I once said the same thing to Joseph when I went to the island to have a boy's week"
"everybody's 'worst' experience is after all the worst experience they've currently have , while many might disagree the reality is no matter how understanding you are there are things that won't make sense unless you experience it first hand"
"Look at this world, it's amazing, Remnants and Human coexisting long after the boundary broke."
"Everywhere you go, you see people, some familiar some not, Benny, Athena, Thor, Wu Kong, Bastet, once they were considered a fictional story written and posted, and now their actually living."
"Tell me truthfully, are you acting or are you truly being yourself"
"…" Silence again coming from the Pillar of Conclusion, for a while at that, it took 5 minutes before she finally gave me a reply
"I don't know, and honestly why not, let it be that way." I stole her thoughts just to make sure she wasn't lying, it was unobstructed, was it intentional I didn't know, but the words she said were here true thoughts
Splash Splash
The water was splashing as she slowly swung her legs in the water, it was peaceful, indeed
"Thank you—I guess? ya know even when you were still considered 'fiction' in this world, your story, Kim Dok Ja's story and many others truly inspired people like me, when we were still common folks that struggled to live"
"The pleasure is mine"
"You should show your tentacles once in a while, stop hiding it, I'm sure they'll accept it."
"Perhaps."
"This family will never replace your original, I know that, and you do to, whether it be your parents when you were still Zhou Ming Rui, or Benson, Melissa and the tarot club when you became The Fool, but hey they don't have to fill that void after all"
"…" I was silent, my illusory tentacles trembled only slightly at her words, yet she continued to ramble, like she didn't notice a single thing
"Do you remember the question Kanade once asked me? are the people from her world that weren't brought here real?"
"Yes, you answered The intuition of an INFJ at the time"
"Their real, as real as it gets, just—Not in this world, some may consider them fiction some may not, but their real living their lives normally like we are right now, "
"And the reason you say that with such confidence is?"
"A secret~" she said as she placed her finger to her lip looking mischievous and then—
"I swear in my name ██████ as The Pillar of Conclusion"
For a moment, my thoughts froze before a faint chuckle escaped from my mouth,
"I'll show them my true form when the time is right"
"Cya~" She said before space warped and she disappeared from my sights.
"HeH—"
—Gaby Mochizuki
"This feels nice~" Evelyn said as she slowly submerged her head to the bath, bubbles forming in the water, steam covering the place, it would've been such a normal day except the fact that we're in the Mariana Trench somehow…
"Ah that's the spot Gaby, again" Nicole, my sister said as I continued to massage her shoulders, further relaxing her already stiff shoulders
"Where did your husband go though?" curiosity, I was suddenly teleported by the other me, and then here I just enjoying
"Their having some 'manly' conversations see" she said as she pointed somewhere, I could see the silhouette's of some familiar figures, Cael was definitely there, I saw Amane, Gavin, Ray, Joseph, Robert, Francis, Dad??? and somehow Reynold was also there???
"Why is Reyna there tho…"
"I mean by technicality, she was a 'he' after all" said someone…
"That would basically mean sis and the other me would be eligible to listen to their conversations then… I'm gona eavesdrop them—KYA—Hey…"
"Eavesdropping is a bad idea ya know~" The other me suddenly appeared as she gave me another hug as I splashed water everywhere for a bit before calming down.
"Also you and Nicole are more on the 'feminine' side so no, let the boys have their 'fun'" Bronya's tired voice appeared as she suddenly just appeared calm and definitely still tired.
"Hey? Kiana???"
"Stop working you workaholic, just chill, I'll help you later"
"Fine… Though your control over your authorities have changed." Bronya replied, her words made sense but I couldn't understand the meaning behind it
"Hmm?" the other me said feigning curiosity
"If before, it was like you were 'commanding' it but now it's like it's just 'you'"
"Is that so" the other me gave her a knowing smile and then
"Wait what are yo—Ahhhhhh—that felt nice" she proceeded to give Bronya a massage
"You know, if big sister Mei was he—"
Snap
"Where? Bronya? Kiana?" and Acheron? just appeared in front of our eyes just like that
"Do you guys wanna split for a bit?" the other me asked Acheron
"Huh. thank you but no thank you, we actually found a better way, watch" She closed her eyes for a bit and the tone of her voice suddenly changed
"Ah? Kiana, Bronya it's been a while~" Raiden Mei's tone could be heard as her eyes turned soft before giving the other me and Bronya a hug
"Interesting, so you can do that but when it's not her your locked to your authority?" the other me said
"Bingo~" Acheron? said before she dragged both the other me and Bronya somewhere else, in the distance I could hear a little bit of 'Welt' and 'Senti' (Senti is the shortened form for the Herrscher of Sentience from Hi3rd, a nickname given by the Hi3rd community)
"Well it's just us now~" Eve who was quiet when they came finally spoke up again
"Yahoo~ it's your one and only director Hu Tao"
"Hello…" Yoisaki Kanade was also there, so were Firefly and Mahiru
I was confused, why were they all suddenly appearing here again?
"I was bored so I came" she instantly gave an answer
"Amane's with the other guys—Kyaaa?!?! Mo… Hotaru.." Note : Hotaru is Firefly in Japanese
"I'm just following Mahirun~" Firefly said as she gave Mahiru a hug, wait Mahirun? a new nickname?"
"Say say, are you guys curious about diving?" wow what a way start a conversation Eve, bravo.
"I can't exactly swim…" Mahiru said as her caramel eyes looked slightly down
"I'll probably get tired after a few seconds…" Yoisaki Kanade continued Mahiru's words
"It's fineeee—I can teach you how to swim, maybe we can even have a little 'fun'" as soon as the words a little 'fun' came out of her mouth, countless stares could be felt, my enhanced senses picked up a rather hostile stares.
For a moment, I could see through the seam, the other me, Klein, Shiraori, Amane and even Cael giving Eve that look that goes 'I swear to God'
Space warped as Kiana was appeared out of no where, the water didn't move, the steam looked like it went still, I could've sworn I saw countless illusory tentacles appearing
"The second I sense just a little bit of danger—" the other me said calmly
"I won't~" and somehow??? this girl is still completely calm like it was just her everyday life. How? I wish to know how you have such confidence????
"Fine." Snap
"???" Bronya appeared as she was teleported again she had a confused look as she gave Kiana a glance before seemingly having an epiphany and she gave a nod, the other me also gave a nod before Bronya disappeared again back with Acheron?
"If Mahiru's going, I'm going to." Amane gave a rather stern look, Eve only nodded in response
"We'd like to join to~" voices I recognized, as I look towards them, Elena, Lissandra, Ray, Reyna, Francis, Joseph, Robert.
"It would be good streaming material"
"Ah but my legs don't exactly work well?"
"It's fine, Bronya's gonna make some adjustments to ensure you won't have to use your legs unless you want to" the other me said as she gave a smile
"Then have fun~" the other me said before she snapped her fingers
—
[Hhhhh—Kshhhhhh let's go~] Eve still in a cheerful manner said as she was back using that already outdated equipments but you know what, honestly why not.