Chapter Text
The two of them walked down the corridor that had just opened up. The walls were flat and featureless, and their footsteps echoed off of the metallic flooring.
Benten shot her a suspicious glance. “Sooo… Asuka? Eko? Er, Aseko? What’s going on?”
She blinked. “Aseko? Heh, I guess I can work with that. What specifically? You mean, like, what’s going on with me and, er, me?”
Benten unstrapped her biwa and started fingering something absentmindedly. “Sure, though it’d be pretty cool if you knew what was going on in general.”
“Sure, we can- that’s a long story.”
Her tone, which started out as pleasant, changed dismissive halfway through. The colors of the petals of her flower were slowly shifting- blotches of blue appearing on some places, while spots of red faded into other spots. It was constantly shifting, almost like a lava lamp. Her tie was the same, spots rising and falling along its length.
“Aseko?”
A shadow passed over her eyes. “Looks like the two of us aren’t that… ‘in sync,’ huh? -No, doesn’t seem like it.”
Benten, ignoring the disjointed manner in which Aseko was speaking, pointed forward down the hall. There was no end in sight. “I’m pretty sure we’ve got some time until we reach… wherever we’re going. Seriously, spit it out.”
Aseko awkwardly rubbed her hands together. Then, she lifted them up and stared at the back of them. On each hand was the star tattoo. After a stunned second, she folded her arms together.
“This is kinda weird,” Aseko sighed. “I actually came here from another timeline, but me and him didn’t share quite as much as this. Like, body-wise. This time, it looks like parts of us were kinda… stitched together.” The pattern on the flower flipped as if it had been turned over. “That star back at the reactor, that must have been about you, wasn’t it?”
“Okay, back up,” Benten said, side-eying her. “Why’re you talking like that? It’s totally weirding me out.”
It is weird. Back in that place with the other me, the way we communicated was more like a conversation in my head. It was? Yeah. Now, it’s like our thoughts are just…
The flower shifted again, pigment running from one side to the other. Aseko frowned. “Hmm, I’m not sure, actually. Something weird is going on. It doesn’t feel like the two of us are that… separate…”
Aseko winced, doubling forward. A string of images flashed in her mind, but they were incoherent- as if they were overlapping, one trying to take precedence over the other.
Nyarlathotep’s body... Ahab’s reflection Ded’s body Melusine’swings Duo’sfrownryota’scandyshiro’stearsshuichi’slaughchristine’smystery- A hotel room, a pool, lab nursery theaterbelfryweddinghallarcadeprison-
The number 0.
A door-
“STOP-!” Aseko yelled and, clutching her head, stumbled to the side, hit the wall, and fell to the floor. She quickly sat herself up, grabbing her shoulders.
“E-Eko!?” Benten cried, stooping down to help her up. She stopped, seeing the expression on her face.
She looked manic, driven mad. Her eyes were wide, darting around the hall as if there were some unknown threat she knew was coming. The bottoms of her eyes were starting to pool with tears. All the while, she was muttering-
“Not again. Not again. Please don’t make me- ”
“Eko!” Benten called then grabbed her shoulders. “Aseko! Asuka- Argh, whatever your name is! Get! Ahold of yourself!” She then drew back her hand and, with a resounding-
Slap-!
-Benten hit her upside the head.
She waved her stinging red palm in the air. “Jeeze, that hurt!”
“W-What?” Aseko muttered, slowly raising her hand to her cheek.
“Get a grip! So what if we lost the others, huh? You heard Christine- for whatever the hell reason, she thinks we’re going to see each other again. Maybe we actually will! Maybe there’s some way to bring them all back- eh?”
Aseko’s face was blank now, but a couple of tears were running down her cheeks. She just sat on the floor, staring at Benten. Then, she opened her mouth. Her lip trembled, but she spoke as if she were broken.
“T-That’s… what I fear more than- more than anything else. You don’t know how hard it can be to- to know everyone is back, to be the only one who knows w-what really happened. Neither does… neither does she. It’s so lonely…”
She stood up rigidly like someone else was piloting her. She spoke to herself. “Even when we’re in the same body like this, I don’t know what you went through, Asuka. I can tell you’re keeping that closed off. For now, let’s keep going. You haven’t lost hope yet, have you?” She paused, the colors on the petals changing once again. And yet, she didn’t say anything else.
Benten looked at her, opened her mouth, then closed it again. She then continued on through the hallway, taking glances every now and then toward Aseko. Several minutes passed.
Long hallway, huh? Yeah. I wonder why it goes so far. Maybe we’re on an incline?
Finally, a door came into view. Aseko and Benten exchanged a glance, then rushed forward. It slid open as they approached, and the two stepped through.
The room ahead was far more spacious than the hallway but still wasn’t particularly big. Waiting for them were just four of the people Eko had first met- Ryota was sitting down, nervously sucking on his lollipop. He stood up, seeing Aseko walk in. Duo was surveying her and Benten, his eyes stopping momentarily on the flower in Aseko’s hair, then flicking down to her tie. Jambavan was messing with a keypad attached to the wall, though he looked preoccupied with some thought.
Captain Ahab, however, was just staring at Aseko with his eye wide. It was like he was frozen in time, his ears and tail unmoving. He slowly reached his trembling hand toward her, as if not daring her to be real.
“A-Asuka? It ain’t really ye, is it? Lass?”
The other four turned to him, confused.
Ryota took his candy out of his mouth. “Huh? Are you ok, Captain? That’s Eko- huh? Eko?”
Aseko took a step back, her eyes wide with shock. “W-Wait, how…?” She took another step back and grabbed her arms. “In that other line, I was only there because you remembered… wasn’t I? So… why do you remember now?” She stopped talking, the colors in her flower shifting. “Benten, what exactly did you do?”
Benten put her hand to her chin, thinking. “Well, I used my rule to divert the flow of memories. I’ve never done anything like that before, but I’d say I did a pretty rockin’ job-”
Aseko patted her shoulder, interrupting her self-praise. “Do you know how you did it?”
Benten looked from her to Ahab. “Uh, well it’s kinda complicated. I guess I did what you asked, but all I can really do is affect the flow of something. I can’t, like, make something move that wouldn’t do anything, y’know? Like… I can’t use my rule to make the captain do a funny jig.”
Ahab said nothing, still looking at Aseko in disbelief.
Benten rolled her eyes then looked back to Aseko. “Hmph! Tough crowd. Anyway, I guess that it would be possible that, when I diverted the flow of the Morphogenetic Field, some information came along? You know, in the form of memories! I dunno why only some memories would come along, though.”
“Captain,” Aseko said, turning back to Ahab, “Er, it’s nice to see you again. And so soon, too!”
Ahab turned his head, looking at her curiously. “A-Are ye feelin’ ok? Last time I saw ye was…” The captain rubbed his wrist, and Aseko understood instantly.
“The only memories you got back- they’re from the first Nonary game, aren’t they? You don’t remember what happened with Ryusei…”
“W-Wait, so that first Nonary game thing definitely, actually happened?” Ryota gasped.
“Seems that way,” Duo said. He glanced around at everyone. “None of you happened to see Ded, did you?”
W-Wait, they don’t…? Does that mean Zero only showed that to us? I… don’t know.
“An odd reaction there, Eko. Or… whoever it is that you are now. Perhaps you know what happened to him.” Duo sighed then added, “In order for me to leave the escape room, he had to open up some type of lock on his side. I only had nine seconds with the door open, so I had to leave him behind. I assumed there would be another way out, but it doesn’t seem that he has made it.”
Benten deflated, sitting down with her back to the wall. She said nothing.
Aseko gulped. “We… Zero showed us what happened. Well, not me technically.” Her flower shifted slightly, the red overtaking some of the blue. “Just me and Benten.” The flower shifted back to having predominantly blue. “I’m a bit more complicated. Up until I really formed in Eko’s body, it was more like... watching a movie.”
Jambavan nervously watched the flower shift color like a floral kaleidoscope. “B-Before you go on, can you explain what’s going on with, er, you?”
Aseko shrugged. “Well, I guess we can. Obviously, Eko is in here,” she raised her left hand, showing the star tattoo, “and so is Asuka.” She then raised her right hand, revealing an identical star. “Apparently Benten kinda poured me into me. Er, into Eko. Sorry. We’re merged kinda weirdly, so our thoughts keep getting jumbled. I wish we were a bit more… distinct. Might make it easier.”
Ryota held his lollipop aloft. “Nice to meet you, Asuka!”
“It’s nice to meet you again too, Ryota!”
“Eh?” Ryota squinted at Aseko as if trying to remember who she was beyond Eko’s exterior. “I… I’m sorry, I don’t remember any Asuka.”
Aseko looked over to the side, clutching her shoulder. “...I know. That’s just… how it is. So far, the only people that have remembered me are Captain Ahab there, Eko, and a boy from another timeline. That’s all ‘cause of something I did a long time ago. Don’t worry about it.”
Jambavan went back to tapping fruitlessly on whatever pad was in front of him. Over his shoulder, he said, “So, er- I’m sorry, what should we call you?”
“Call her Aseko! Great name isn’t it?” called Benten, trying her best to muster up her usual bravado.
“Er, alright then. Aseko, do you know what happened to Ded?”
Aseko leaned back against a wall, avoiding meeting each of the gazes. With a heavy heart, she began to speak.
“Ded is… gone.”
Ryota’s lollipop slipped out of his hand, shattering into tiny pieces as it hit the ground. He didn’t even appear to notice.
Aseko continued her explanation, telling each of them what they had seen in that room- how Ded had been split into two, how he had faded away into snow, and even the part where the ring showed up in her hand.
Duo’s face paled, but he remained stoic. “Zero killed Ded like that…? How bizarre.”
“W-What do you mean?” asked Jambavan. He had forgotten all about the pad.
“Well, think about it. If Zero wanted to kill Ded, why split his soul rather than…” He trailed off, his eyes having landed on the bracelet on Aseko’s wrist. His eyebrows raised like he had realized the answer.
Ahab took notice of it. “What’s yer idea, landlubber?”
“Eko. Or, Aseko rather- your bracelet. Ded had a similar one. In his final moments, did you see anything odd about the bracelet itself?”
She looked down at her bracelet with the number 2 on it.
Is it just me, or is it a bit brighter now? Yeah, it definitely is.
She lowered her wrist, thinking. “No, I don’t remember- I do, actually. There was something pink on the face of it. I want to say it was a skull, but the camera wasn’t close enough to make anything out. Sorry.”
Duo closed his eyes. “I see. Then his bracelet must have had something to do with splitting his soul… which leads me to one conclusion. Asuka-”
Aseko frowned. “Don’t you mean Aseko?”
Duo shook his head. “No. This is specifically toward Asuka. I believe that Zero wants you here.”
Aseko took a step back, bright blue blossoming out from the middle of the flower in her hair. “W-What?”
Duo pointed at her bracelet. “Your two bracelets are what make me think that, as well as your situation. I’m going to dumb it down so you all can follow along. Ded’s two forms were distinct and separate in the sense that they were unique. They resided in the same body, but there wasn’t so much overlap that they got confused. Asuka and Eko, meanwhile, appear to be melded into the same body. I believe that her flower and tie represent their souls, constantly flowing and mixing around the other. They’re not one and the same per se, but they are unstable- and far from distinct. If I had to guess, Asuka’s soul isn’t firmly tied here, is it?”
Aseko clenched her fists, then relaxed. “No. She- I feel like I could be pulled away at any minute.” She paused then added, “Whatever the case may be, she doesn’t want to get in too deep.”
Duo nodded. “I expected as much. For two souls to coexist in the same body, they have to be bound together. You may reside in the same body, but one will eventually force the other out. I believe you can come to a conclusion about why she refuses to get in too deep, based on that.”
“S-So what does that have to do with Ded?” Ryota asked, picking up the shattered remains of his candy, wrapping it in the wrapper, and putting it into his pocket. His hands were clearly trembling. “I-I-I mean… why kill… him?”
“Let me guess,” Ahab grunted, forcing his eyes away from Aseko and looking at Duo. “It’s because Ded is the goal, ain’t it.”
Duo nodded.
“Hold up!” shouted Benten, her hands on her hips. “What’re the two of you talking about? Jambles! Explain!”
Jambavan froze up. “W-What? Why me?” He relented under the eyes of everyone. “I-I guess it might be something like a reversible reaction? T-That’s when there’s a reaction that can go both ways, you see. I guess what Duo is trying to say is that Zero split Ded in order to turn Eko and, er, Asuka was it?”
Aseko nodded.
“Ah, alright then. But, er, yeah- to turn you two into something similar. Maybe when he got split, there was some reaction that produced some sort of… energy? I can’t say I know that much about souls and stuff… maybe Mr. Lieb would understand.”
Ryota stood up, balling his fists like he were about to punch someone. “So Ded died for… what!? I don’t get it!” Tears were pooling up in the corners of his eyes. “If Ded died to- to harvest some kinda soul energy, why are Eko and Asuka so messed up!? Nothing’s happened!”
Aseko took a step forward. “Ryota, please calm down.”
“Who even are you!? Are you Asuka, are you Eko? Are you both, or maybe you’re not even either of them!”
“I am Eko. I’m Asuka. I… I don’t know. Everything feels so cramped and cluttered- Maybe… if Zero planned for me to be here, then I should leave-” Her eyes bugged out and she leaned forward, clutching her head. “No. Asuka, you’re not going anywhere. I won’t let you.” She staggered again. Under her fingers, her flower was rapidly swirling, blue and red sliding past one another. “Shut up! You don’t know what Zero is capable of! Let me go! No. Yes! I won’t. Why won’t you just listen to me-!?”
“Asuka.”
Huh?
Aseko looked up to see Ahab standing right in front of her. “C-Captain, you know what Zero did, please! Tell her she’s wrong!”
“Ye ain’t goin’ anywhere, lass. Ye know as well as me that the world needed ye. I don’t know what happened ta ye after we… parted ways… but ye’re here now. That means there’s another chance fer ye. Eko gave ye that chance. Don’t brush her off like that, brat.”
“He’s right, you know.”
Aseko bolted upright, staring around the room. She recognized the voice instantaneously- a deep, distorted voice that filled her stomach with dread.
“You’ve all talked about this long enough. I’m surprised, you figured things out sooner than usual. You have my sincerest congratulations.”
Aseko took a step back, still looking for the source. Part of her expected to see a certain someone standing there.
But… but she couldn’t be here, not if what she said is true…
The voice continued. “At last, you have arrived. It sure is… something… to finally see you, Asuka. Let’s get this over and done with.”
“Finally see?” So… it’s not Akane. Then, who?
“You have nearly arrived at the final puzzle. The gauntlet ahead of you will lead you down a path that I am sure you would rather avoid. However, this is the way that you must go. This is the way, in multiple senses, that you have already gone-”
“Listen up, Zero!” Aseko shouted, looking around the room.
He has to be watching us, right? Where’s the camera?
“Whatever! It doesn’t matter how you’re watching us. If you know who I am, then you know what I did. This time, I’ll stop you!”
Zero chuckled ominously. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll do everything within your power to stop me. The question is… will she?”
Huh?
“As I said, the final puzzle awaits you. Asuka, Eko. Prepare yourselves.”
There was a click, and the voice cut off. Aseko’s eyes shook as she stepped over to the pad Jambavan had been messing with. On it was two stars. The other five gathered around her, each of them looking more nervous than the next.
The bear put his fingers together apprehensively. “I, uh, I thought that was a puzzle at first- well, I guess it is. Looks like only you can open it, Ek- er, Aseko.”
You wouldn’t… betray me if it were something like “that…” There’s no way.
“That?”
Aseko shook her head and, without another moment’s delay, put both her hands on the pad. The screen lit up in a bright blue, and the wall next to them slid open. There was a single hallway, leading up to a circular room with three doors- Red, blue, and green.
“H-Hey, Eko- er, sorry. Aseko?” Ryota asked, walking beside her as they continued down the hall. “I just noticed, but… what happened to your ring?”
Aseko looked at the spot where the ring had once been. Before she could answer, however, Benten played a chord on her Biwa and grinned.
“Hah! You can thank me for that! Turns out I can change the flow of the poison in those rings! Eko put her hand on some metal plate thing and it just activated for some reason. Maybe it was a magnet, electronics are weird about those. Anyway! After she got hit by it, Asuka here took her over or something and told me to use my rule. And it worked! None of you have to worry about anything so long as I’m here!”
“I-I did what?” Aseko said, looking at Benten in surprise.
“You don’t remember- Captain, this is serious. Why’re you chuckling like that?”
Ahab quieted himself, looking at Aseko affectionately. “Heh. Me guess be that she’s just the same as she ever was. Aye, it be the same as when we found Nyarl-” He looked down and away from the others. “…when ye almost sent us ta the other side, lass. Ye’ve got a heart o’ gold. Ye just wanted ta save them.”
“So, Nyarlathotep really did…” Aseko murmured.
They stepped forward into the room, each of them huddling around the screen in the middle. There was a play button in the very middle. Aseko took one look at each of them, her eyes lingering on the captain, then pressed it. Immediately the door behind them shut tight.
A cool, familiar female voice started playing, and each of them fell silent.
“Hello again, Captain. Welcome back, Asuka. I wish I could meet you both in person once again.”
“A-Akane… Kurashiki…” Aseko whispered.
“Zero…” Ahab breathed.
“Once you get past your initial surprise, please understand that I am truly sorry for you, Asuka. I planted that hat to remind you of everything, under the assumption that your own rule would turn against you… or for you. Whatever the case may be, I knew full well that other protagonist souls would be created. That’s where the stem of all these timelines really begins. So please, answer these questions and come along. I will try to explain everything. By the end of this final puzzle, you will truly understand what we intend to do.”
The screen lit up with a question.
Which of these requires the others to conduct electricity well?
Red: Baking Soda
Blue: Water
Green: Salt
Ryota looked from Aseko to Duo. “You two remember this, right?”
“Yep,” Duo sighed. “It’s not a difficult question, by any means. That is, of course, under the assumption that you remember, Eko.”
“It-It’s the same as… with Shuichi and Shiro…” Aseko breathed out.
Both of them perked up.
Duo raised his eyebrows. “Ah, right. If you… exist… the way that you do, then my brother must have been involved somehow. I wonder why he doesn’t remember.”
“Yeah, that is weird,” Ryota agreed. “Shiro would never keep something like this secret. I wonder if they got hit with some memory thing like Eko did? E-Eko?”
Aseko was standing there, her hands clenched around her arms. Her legs were trembling, and her eyes were darting back and forth. Sweat beaded her brow, yet she made now move to wipe it away.
“That’s enough. Mind yerself, brats.” Ahab stepped over, putting his hands on Aseko’s shoulders. “Ye’re alright, lass. Ye’re fine. They’re fine… I’m fine.”
Aseko snapped out of it, looking up into Ahab’s eye. She pulled herself away, sighing.
“T-Thanks, Captain.”
“Hold it!” shouted Benten, pointing at the group of them. She continued, despite Ahab’s glare. “What’s all that about!? Eko, can’t you tell us even if Asuka won’t?”
“I-I don’t know, she’s keeping that locked away from me. It feels like she can read me like an open book if she wants, what with us being mixed, but-” She sighed, folding her arms. “I’m sorry, Eko, but I think it’s just easier for me to look into you than the other way around. You’re so… empty.”
Jambavan gasped. “I-I knew it!”
Aseko looked at him, confused. “Knew what?”
“Remember what I said about Zero wanting you to be as blank as possible?”
Duo nodded. “Ah… I see now. It’d be far easier to lead a soul into an empty shell than otherwise.”
Ryota frowned. “Why not, you know, actually use an empty shell then?”
Duo said nothing, putting his hands in his pocket as he thought. “Perhaps the connection from Asuka to one of these protagonist souls is important to draw her in? Although, Eko’s soul is already extremely powerful to begin with, even without most of her memories…”
Aseko turned back to the screen and selected the blue button- water. She pointed ahead, down the corridor.
“Let’s get going. I need to know more.”
The other five exchanged a nervous glance, then followed her- the door closing behind them as the last one stepped through. As soon as the door shut, the lights in the hall glowed green, and a black door ahead of them opened up to an identical room as the last- same panel, same doors.
Aseko nodded at the others, then pressed the play button. The “Zero” of the first game greeted them once again.
“I believe we should begin at the very beginning- that is to say, my original timeline. Asuka, you and Ahab know what happened. The world I called home, all of my friends and family… gone. Destroyed by the sheer prospect of defeat. I watched as our world, which had been on the brink of victory, was seized back and brought to ruin. You know that this happened. Your consciousness of what I’m even talking about should be enough for you to believe me, I think.”
Aseko glared down at the pad, but within her was a deep twinge of pity.
Don’t feel bad for her. I didn’t. What? I think… that came from you.
“I came up with a plan that would turn your existence into a fixed point- at least among any timeline in which the app exists or where that desolate future lies in wait. At least… one version of me did. I confess that I don’t remember everything. However… I do know you, Asuka. I know you too, Eko, though I only met you once. My memories don’t lie.”
What? But I’ve never…
“Regardless, I knew that this plan would work. In order for me to have gotten these memories, it has to have worked. Although, that didn’t make it any less painful… for me, and especially not for you. When we kidnapped the nine of you, I knew from the get-go that your life would never be the same.”
Her voice cut off, and Aseko realized that her nails were digging into her palms.
Ahab grunted, putting his hand into his coat pocket. “So she knew Eko, then? Do ye think she’s here somewhere, lass?”
Aseko shook her head. “I-I don’t see how. After you- after I closed out of the app, she vanished. She told me that her body wouldn’t be able to remain.”
“Oh? Her body?” Duo asked, glancing at Aseko. “That’s awfully specific. Tell me- what if she wound up the same as you, Asuka?”
“W-What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure how, but you must have been within the field somehow- your thoughts and memories, existing without a host. Your soul, essentially. Would it not be possible that, when Benten diverted the flow of the field, that this girl you speak of wound up coming here as well? That is to say, alongside your sense of self and Captain Ahab's memories."
Aseko turned back to the panel in the middle.
Why don’t you just face it? You don’t- you wouldn’t understand. Maybe you’re right, but you could still give me a chance, couldn’t you? No. I won’t- I won’t burden you with that.
What number door did you go through?
Red:1
Blue:4
Green:5
“What? I don’t remember going through any doors… do you?” Ryota said with a frown.
“Actually,” Jambavan started, turning a light pink. “I do. Do you remember, Eko?”
“7, 5, 3, and 6. Those are all the doors I went through. Then, you and I went through that door with the 5.”
Benten counted on her fingers. “Hold on, that’s the same number of rooms we went through, isn’t it? And if Jambavan remembers it, then you went through the 5 door at the same time in the order… wack.”
Ahab leaned back against the wall, looking hopelessly tired. “Somethin’ tells me this ain’t just fate.”
Aseko tapped the green button, and the corresponding door opened up. They walked through, causing the same thing to happen as before.
“Hmph, second verse, same as the first I guess,” muttered Benten, hitting the play button herself.
Akane’s voice returned. “You know what went down that night. You and the captain both. Do you remember that wedding room? I believe that, when we met in the timeline where we succeeded, I told you that it was the most important room. By pushing you two together, I nurtured a powerful bond- one of love and hope. Captain Ahab has very little connection to the morphogenetic field on his own- that much is true. However, he has a very powerful connection in his bond with you, Asuka. It is because of this that he should remember everything that transpired that night. You, me, and Captain Ahab. We’re the only ones that truly know what happened. Who really know… what choices were made, and by whom.”
Benten, Duo, Ryota, and Jambavan all stared at Aseko and Ahab, hardly daring to say a word. The air around those two was oppressive, feeling as if the tension would smother anyone who dares to approach. Then, Aseko chuckled slightly.
The choices that were made, huh?
The key to this puzzle was…?
Red: The digital root
Blue: The Titanic
Green: The past
“So, the digital root was involved there too, then?” Aseko asked, her eyes hidden with shadow.
“Aye. That’s also when we realized what was happenin’ to our memories.”
Ryota took a step back, waving his hands in front of him. “Hold on, wait a minute. Back up. Alternate timelines, sure I can buy that. But you… and you… are married??”
“Hey, wait! You’re right! What the hell, old man! Why didn’t you tell me!?” Benten yelled, glaring at Ahab.
“That be none o’ yer business, brat. That be beside the case, anyhow. It ain’t like I remembered what happened until earlier.”
Jambavan interrupted them. “Er, what did this girl mean by him remembering what happened that night? It’s weird to say, but it doesn’t sound like she got rid of your memories… and what are these choices she mentioned?”
Ahab hit the red button, causing the door to open. As he walked through, they heard him call back.
“What happened ta Eko and what happened ta me an’ her… they be two separate things.”
Aseko followed him, and the rest came after her. This room was different from the others. Instead of one door, there were two- one a deep red, the other a bright blue.
“I’m sure that, by now, you’ve noticed the parallels between this game and yours, Asuka. While this was in part to draw you back here, it was also to have you form a connection between yourself and Eko- the girl whose soul is mixed with your own at this very moment. This time, we didn’t have nearly as many tries to make things right. As I am not a part of the picture here, the variance had to come from somewhere else. Thankfully, the Zero that you know, the Zero that wiped away the majority of Eko’s memories, he has a particularly handy rule. Put simply, he can reset the timeline as many times as he needs to.”
Aseko leaned forward on the panel, gripping it hard.
He can just… reset it all he wants? Does that mean… those three dying was a… a part of his…
“Once the final puzzle has been completed, he will use this power one last time. This will reset the timeline back to the point where you first formed, Eko. The only thing that will be different is Asuka. Should everything go according to plan, she will live on. However, for that to happen, your souls have to share something specific- these memories you are forming now need to be as… in unison as they can be. There will be just one way to do this.”
The voice shut off and the screen lit up with the question, just beneath Aseko’s head. She jumped back like she was burnt by what she had just seen.
Are you ready?
Red: Yes
Blue: No
She squatted down, clutching at her head.
No no no no nononono please not again-! Asuka, what’s wrong? You-
Aseko’s eyes opened wide to the point of hurting. Tears pooled down onto the floor where she was now bent in a kneel.
Melusine. Nyarlathotep. Ose. Gone, turned to exceptions.
The others, each of the others, eliminated by their rule. Burnt from within, shred by a toy, digitized, ripped apart, impaled-
“This- This is-” Aseko stammered, watching the tears pool on the floor. She felt Ahab’s warm hand on her back and shuddered. She didn’t move, instead just shaking.
“I think… ye have an idea what’s comin’ up, don’t ye.”
She didn’t move.
“If what she says is true, ye need ta relive what happened durin’ that night.”
She didn’t move.
Ahab sighed. “I finally remember ye, Asuka, but it’s like this…”
Aseko forced herself to her feet. “I… I finally know what Asuka’s been holding back. Or… I don’t remember everything, but I do know bits and pieces. I don’t know how they’re still alive, but- Don’t! Just shut up, Eko!”
“Still… alive?” asked Ryota.
Ahab stood back up and leaned himself against the wall. “Aye. The original nonary game had nine people. There was Asuka, Ose, Alice, Shuichi, Melusine, Shiro, Tadatomo, Nyarlathotep, and meself. From what Zero told us, we had to make exceptions with each other ta make Asuka a constant or somethin’. Apparently, it worked. Thing is, we had to close the app all wrong.”
Duo’s eyebrows raised. “And yet, no exceptions were loosed… ah. That’s because everyone involved in it died, isn’t it? Interesting. I guess they must have been duplicates.”
Ryota balked. “Eh!? Isn’t that weird?”
“Is it?” Duo said, glancing at him. “I already told you, anything is possible when it comes to the app. If you can make unlimited pudding, why should duplicates be impossible?”
Ryota smiled weakly. “Ah, I guess that’s fair.”
“And no one even knew…” Jambava said sadly.
“I won’t do it.”
They looked at Aseko, who was now standing in front of the tablet. She was breathing heavily, staring down at it in a desperate manner.
She brushed some tears forming in her eyes away, then held her right hand out as if she were about to grab something.
“I won’t let that happen again!”
A light flashed from the star tattoo on her right hand as she tried to summon her sacred artifact- boundless tail.
Ahab reached out to try and stop her, but before he could even make it, she was down on the floor, clutching her hand. Red and blue sparks of lightning arced down her arms.
“W-What’s wrong with- with me?” she said through gritted teeth. “Why can’t I summon boundless tail!?” The flower in her hair pulsed, the red-tipped flowers pushing the bright blue pigment down to the middle. She stood up, and her tone changed to be sympathetic. “I’m sorry. I think… since this body is still really just my own- you’re more a visitor at the moment- that you can’t use your rule without me. You can’t use… my rule.”
Eko…? You- you can’t… you don’t understand…
Aseko ignored herself and stepped up to the tablet. Before she pressed anything, she turned to Ahab.
“Captain, you’d do anything to save Asuka, wouldn’t you?”
He glanced at her flower, then looked straight ahead at her. “…Aye.”
Aseko smiled, then turned back around.
Don’t do it. Please, please don’t do it. You don’t know what you’re- Asuka, please stop. I know exactly what’s going to happen. But… I also know that Zero isn’t lying. When things get reset, the only difference will be that you’ll finally have a place to belong. I won’t abandon you, Asuka. I won’t abandon you like you’ve abandoned yourself.
Her finger trembled over the screen.
W-Why…?
A teardrop splashed down onto the screen.
I can’t pretend to know how you feel, but I know how it feels to be alone. I… I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. And that hurt you carry inside- I don’t want to leave you like this. Eko, please- No, you listen! I know that what’s coming up will be painful, but none of it will matter in the end. Not once everything resets- not when Ded, Nyarlathotep, and Christine are alive again.
She breathed out shakily, then touched her finger to the red answer.
I don’t have a choice, Asuka.
The red door opened wide, and Aseko stepped forward. She looked back at each of them, then smiled. “Don’t worry. We’re… we’re almost at the end. Then, everything will be fine.”
Each of the others glanced at each other, then followed after her.
Unlike the rooms before it, this room had four metal doors, each with a red number 1 through 4 spray-painted on it. A cold feeling was spreading through Aseko now- equal parts familiar and new. Trying her best to ignore the Asuka parts of her, she hit the play button. Akane Kurashiki’s voice returned, but there was a sense of finality added to it now.
“If you’ve reached here, that means you either know exactly what you’re getting into, Eko… or you know nothing. The very last trial Asuka had to endure was to watch all those who had been with her since the beginning perish, one by one. I understand this will be difficult, but now… you must do the same. Not just that- these must be willing deaths, lives freely given for your continued existence. If that wasn’t enough, you must deliberate amongst yourselves, and figure out exactly who died first. Good luck, and… I’m sorry.”
How does one react when confronted with the prospect of their death? What would someone choose, if given the chance of spending your life for the sake of another? Perhaps with fear, as shown with Jambavan and Ryota, the latter of who had no candy with which to comfort himself. Perhaps they would pretend to act indifferent- maybe even acceptance, just like how Duo had resigned himself, stuffing his hands into his pockets as if he were bored. Even still, there might be those like Benten, who choose to mask their fear with bravery and bravado.
Even if it’s the right thing to do, that doesn’t make it easy.
Duo glanced over at Ahab, who had sat down on the floor smoking on his pipe. “Captain, do you believe there’s any chance that what this girl is saying is wrong?”
Ahab shook his head.
“T-Then… we all…” Jambavan stammered, “if we don’t, then… we’re stuck.”
“W-What do you mean ‘stuck?’” Ryota asked, his eyes wide with shock.
“It’s simple,” said Duo, his tone as cool and understanding as ever. “If Zero holds a rule that lets him have infinite tries, there’s truly nothing we can do. If we step out of line, he can just go back and do everything over until… he wins. Even if we were to somehow stop him before he resets everything, what would that even accomplish? Nyarlathotep- dead. Christine- dead. Ded Moroz- dead. At least with this… there’s the possibility we can bring them back.”
“T-Then, I say we try!”
Aseko raised her head, staring at Benten. Despite the confident pose she was making, she was still trembling slightly.
Benten glared at Ryota and Jambavan. “He’s right! People can do all sorts of things with roles and rules- why would resetting time be any weirder than what any of us can do!? We can bring them back- Christine, Nyarlathotep, and Ded! I don’t even care if I don’t remember them- when we get back and everyone is alive, I’m going to kick their asses! Christine and Nyarl for toying with us, and Ded because I’m still pretty sure I could cream him if I tried.”
Ryota’s face twitched in a smile, but it was Jambavan who spoke up.
“A-And, in this new world… Asuka would be around too, wouldn’t she? We could… we could really get to know her. Again, I guess… heh.”
Ahab stood up and looked down at the tablet Aseko was still standing by. No matter how long she looked at it, it never changed.
You who was the first to die:
Press your hand here.
“S-So, Asuka,” Benten said, turning to face her. “Who died first? The s-sooner we can get this over with-”
“No!” Aseko shouted, balling her hands up. “Why would I ever want to watch my friends die again!? I won’t let you!”
She tried to slam her hand down on the pad, but she stopped halfway through- her hand straining as if someone were forcing her from coming too close to it.
“Eko! Stop it! Let me go!”
Grabbed the other side of the tablet, using it to try and force her hand down. No matter what she did, she couldn’t reach the screen.
“Asuka, you heard what she said. We can fix all of this. You don’t have to be alone- Shut up! I’d rather be alone than relive that!”
Clonk-!
Aseko went sprawling, landing on the floor a foot away from Ahab. On her way down, she saw Benten standing there, holding her biwa like a weapon.
Benten… why?
Duo put his hand to his head as if he had just realized something.
“That’s why you remember, Captain. That’s why they wanted you to form such a close bond.”
“What?” Ryota asked, looking nervously at Aseko’s slumped form, who was now being held by Ahab.
“They would have known that Asuka would never want to relive that again- Eko is fighting her to keep her from doing anything too drastic. That’s why they set everything up for the captain to remember everything as well. He must know who died… and in what order.”
Ahab drew in a prolonged breath, then breathed out. “…Aye, I do. I saw it all while holdin’ onto Asuka… stopping her from tryin’ ta save ‘em all. It… wasn’t pretty. Thing is, each of us died fer the same reason. Each of us… willingly gave up our lives. Just like she said,” he added, looking up at the ceiling. Each of them understood him to be talking about the disembodied voice.
“Asuka…” Ryota sighed, looking down at her.
“So,” Duo said, folding his arms, “In order to mimic those events, we need to follow suit. We have to end our own lives.”
Ahab looked down then nodded. “...Aye, I think so. At that point, there were just the six o’ us left. Me an’ Asuka, ‘course, but there were four others.” He brought up his hand, which had been resting on Aseko’s shoulder. “Shiro, Shuichi, Alice, and… that dog one.”
“Tadatomo,” Aseko said, then clamped her mouth shut.
Get out of my memories! No. Please, work with me! It’s not too late! Maybe not- but even if it’s not too late for me, this is the path we’re going to go down.
“P-Please stop…” Aseko breathed out, struggling to push herself to her feet.
“The first ta die,” continued Ahab, “was Alice.”
Jambavan’s arms fell to his sides, his eyes wide. “S-She went… first…?”
Ahab nodded but didn’t say anything else. Each of them looked at Jambavan, whose eyes were brimming with tears. Wordlessly, he stepped up to the tablet.
“W-What are you doing! Get away!” Aseko shouted, trying to summon her artifact again. Sparks of red and blue lightning shot up her arm, causing her to stumble over again. “Hrgh-! Stop it, Asuka!”
Jambavan’s ears twitched as he put his hands on the side of the tablet, staring down at the screen. “E-Each of us correspond to someone else, don’t we? Me to Alice, Ryota to Shiro, and Duo to Shuichi-”
“And what about me?” Benten asked, clearly trying her best to keep her cool. “Captain, you said that the only other one left was Tadatomo? Who in the hell is that?”
“I-I don’t know why you’d represent him, but there are no other options, right?” Ryota asked.
Ahab lowered his head. “Benten.”
“Er, yes? Captain?”
“Ye… ye went with people in the same way that he did. Ye went with me in the first one, Duo in the second… ye woulda went with Nyarlathotep in the third, and ye went through the last room with Eko. It be the same as he did, but instead of Duo, it was Shuichi.”
“Jeez, they really did mirror everything, huh? Damn,” muttered Benten.
Each of them just stood there- Ahab beside Aseko, Jambavan at the panel, and the other three standing close by. No one dared to say anything- knowing that soon, their numbers would begin to dwindle. The tension in the room was nothing short of palpable.
Asuka, it’ll be ok. How are you supposed to know that?
She looked down at her tie- the colors were slipping past each other, constantly changing into a different pattern.
I know you believe Zero, Asuka. I can tell you don’t want to, but I’m sure that you do in spite of yourself. Things will work out in the end. Just… hold on, ok?
“Eko?”
Eh?
She looked at Jambavan, who was looking straight back apprehensively.
“Thank you f-for everything. I-It’s weird to say this now, after everything…” As he started to cry, Aseko’s eyes widened. What he was saying, the way he was saying it- it had the same sense of finality Asuka had heard that one fateful night.
Eko, stop him! A-Asuka… please, just stop… this is hard enough as it is…
Despite the tears wetting his fur, he smiled. “It was kinda fun, solving puzzles with you. In this next world, when all of us are alive again, we should meet up again! T-That would… be nice, you know?”
He brushed away his tears, then put his hand on the panel.
Beep.
Shnk-!
The very world seemed to slow down as the bear’s legs crumpled from beneath him. His ring fell off, descending to the earth gracefully, falling into place beside Jambavan’s body. He twitched once, twice- then relaxed. His last, tear-filled smile was still spread across his face.
Aseko didn’t fall- as much as Asuka wanted to, Eko refused to let her. She shouted out- something she couldn’t hear over the pounding of her blood in her ears. She knelt down beside him, grabbing onto his fuzzy arm. He didn’t move.
Jambavan… Jambavan…!
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his lifeless body. Something deep within her shifted almost imperceptibly- almost like a key sliding into a lock. She breathed out and forced herself to her feet.
“Let’s k-keep going. The sooner we get through this… the sooner everything will be fixed.” After saying this, Aseko looked down at the tablet.
Pending…
…
Death confirmed.
Access granted.
The third door opened up, leading forward into a hallway just like the last one. With heavy hearts, each of them filed through the door. Aseko stopped and took one last look back.
“We’ll all see each other again. I promise.”
//
“So then, they’ve accepted their fate? They’ll forfeit their lives for Asuka’s sake?”
“Seems that way. Just like you thought they would.”
“I see.”
“Hey, what’s the matter? Everything will finally be over soon enough.”
“...You’re right. Once this timeline is reset again, everything will have been… set right. But why would you agree to this plan? There’s no way you’re happy about this.”
“…I guess this is just the price I have to pay to see my little sister one last time.”
//
You who was the second to die:
Press your hand here.
“Right,” Duo stated, looking at everyone’s glum expressions. “Let’s hurry this up. Who died next, Captain?”
Ahab said nothing, instead turning his back to them.
How will he… how could he be expected to do that?
Aseko took in a deep breath and put her hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her, his eye wide- pleading for something, anything to change. Spurned by his desolate look, Aseko found herself speaking without even meaning to.
“The one who died second… was Tadatomo. He was… burnt. From the inside out.”
Ahab’s eye shook and he turned back around to see Benten, her arms raised in shock.
“H-Haha, you… you can’t be serious, right? So soon?” She lowered her hands, clenching her fists. “…Damn it.”
“B-Benten, ye don’t-” Ahab started, his hand reaching out toward her.
She walked over to him, poking him in the chest. He hardly budged, his hand slowly falling. “What do you think you’re saying!? Jambavan just died- if there was another way, it’s too… it’s too late now. I’m sorry, Captain-”
Ahab stepped forward, embracing her in a big hug. Benten did nothing at first, surprised by this sudden show of affection, then she wrapped her arms around him, putting her head on his chest. Her body started to shake- despite her face being hidden by Ahab’s form, Aseko could hear the muffled sounds of sobbing. She clung to the old man as if trying to cling to life itself, as if he could somehow find another way. She broke off, wiping her tears away, then looked up at Ahab’s desolate face with a smile.
“Heh. ‘You decide the place you would die,’ right?” She looked over to Aseko, her eyes bloodshot. “Eko, Asuka? Give Zero hell for me, alright?”
Stop it, Eko! Can’t you see how this is hurting him!? Can't you… why won't you…
Aseko nodded, gripping her shoulder. “I will.”
Benten flashed one of her signature grins, then slammed her hand down on the panel.
Beep.
Shnk-!
“Ow, shi- agh…” Benten fell back, her ring slipping off her finger. Ahab rushed over and caught her, gently lowering her to the ground. Despite the poison coursing through her veins, she managed a small laugh. She reached her hand up in a salute, her eyes shaking as she focused on the old man above her.
“Thanks f-for letting me be a… a part of your crew, Captain Ahab. I-It was… fun…”
“The honor be… all mine… sailor,” Ahab replied, wiping a tear off of Benten’s face. She then took a shuddering gasp and, in one heart-wrenching moment, relaxed in Ahab’s arms.
He gently laid her down on the floor, as if she were made out of the most fragile glass in the world. He didn’t look at any of them, turning so they could only see his scarred eye, like he wanted to be alone. To mourn Benten- someone who was like a daughter to him- by himself. His body shook in grief, his ears and tail limp… then, between Ryota’s sobs, they began to hear Ahab’s voice. It was quiet and low, choked and even cracking at points, but still his gentle words filled the room, nearly bringing Aseko to her knees.
He was singing a lullaby.
Aseko shut her eyes, tears falling from her face to the floor. She felt like her very heart were caught in her throat. With a shuddering gasp, she turned to the monitor.
Pending…
…
Death confirmed.
Access granted.
The leftmost door opened up, revealing another hallway.
Duo stepped away from Ahab, giving him what little privacy he could. Ryota, meanwhile, made his way next to Aseko. The captain’s lullaby had ended now, but he still stayed by her side.
“Eko… I… I don’t know if I can do this…” he mumbled, sniffling. Aseko understood. Even in the short time he had known them, watching them die like this was too much. Too much for anyone.
Aseko winced, willing her words to stay bottled up. The bright blue pattern on her flower was spiking up, while the red kept pushing it back down.
“R-Ryota,” Aseko said, straining under the force of her effort. “I… I trust you. If I really had to forget everything… I’m glad the first person I met was you.” She pulled out the purple lollipop Ryota had given her back when they first met.
He looked at it, surprised. “W-What? You still have it? B-But it’s just candy…”
Aseko shook her head, and the blue color started to stabilize. “I know it’s a little silly, but this is the very first act of kindness I can remember. This one little candy.”
Ryota’s eyes drifted from the candy back to Aseko’s face. “Eko…”
“Please, Ryota,” she said, putting the candy back into her pocket. “I know I don’t have any right to tell you to sacrifice yourself for her, but please… she doesn’t have any hope of her own. The only reason she’s here is that she thought we were in danger.”
Ryota smiled weakly. “She’s n-not wrong.”
Aseko looked down at the bracelet on her wrist. “Once we were all fine, she was planning on just leaving. Well, that’s what she thought when she found out what was really happening anyway.”
“What did she think before?”
“I think… she thought this might have been a way to change the past. By changing this outcome, she could undo what happened to her. I can feel her loneliness and despair, Ryota. None of her friends remember her- and the one that does…”
Four bloody harpoons, driven through the ground.
“But… how do you know all of this? Didn’t you say she’s keeping you closed off?”
Aseko nodded. “I did, but every step we make toward what happened to her is connecting her more and more to me. I can’t tell if we’re becoming more distinct… or if we’re becoming one whole.”
There was a pause, and a shadow passed over Ryota’s once-jolly eyes. “You know, I think I know why Ded’s ring showed up in your hands. You needed it, didn’t you?”
Aseko thought for a second. “Ah… yeah. I nearly forgot it was actually a key we needed.”
Ryota looked down the hall. “I don’t know how familiar you are with Ded, but… his power was all about miracles. I think that you got that ring because that’s the… the last miracle he could ever do. But then… if a miracle like that were to help Zero, they have to be in the right… right? How could that be the case when that just… when that…”
Aseko said nothing, tears pooling at her eyes, thinking about her friends- Jambavan, Nyarlathotep, Christine, Ded, and Benten, yes. But also Tadatomo, Melusine, Shuichi, Shiro, Ose, and Alice.
Duo stepped over, Captain Ahab following behind him at a sluggish, robotic pace. “You two done? Time waits for no man.” He then passed them by and stepped down the hallway. Ryota nodded at Aseko, then the three of them followed suit.
//
“You sure have a flair for the dramatic.”
“Oh, do I now? I’m not the one who was rambling about your tale of two Santa Clauses. And getting Nyarlathotep and Christine on board? I honestly can’t think of anyone else who would be more dramatic. Although, I'm sure Nyarlathotep must have had some recollection over the past. He could have helped Eko realize what she needed to. And Christine is tricky enough to set up all these rooms isn't she... still, very dramatic individuals, those two.”
“Hey, what the hell! That was your idea, you know.”
“It was?”
“...”
“Hm. Maybe it was really your idea, and I just gave it to you?”
“I swear. Veritable genius, but you’re practically insane.”
//
The two who died side-by-side:
Press your hands here
Duo and Ryota stood in front of the tablet, each looking at the other.
“I guess this means… this is it, doesn’t it? If Ahab was holding Asuka back, then…”
Duo nodded. “Yes. Shiro and my obnoxious brother must have died together. How curious. I didn’t think they saw eye-to-eye.”
Aseko chuckled darkly. “Oh, they didn’t. Not at first, anyway. I guess as the game went on, they got closer- realized they didn’t have any real reason to hate each other. His last words to him were that… he wasn’t strong enough to throw his life away.”
Duo looked at her. “It was nice to talk to you, Eko. And as for Asuka- you are very interesting. You’ll have to make sure to talk to me when we meet in that next world.”
Ryota breathed out. “What Jambavan said, I think I kinda agree with him. Maybe all these puzzles were just to mimic what happened to you, Asuka, but… It was still a little fun. Although, I could do without the… you know. It- It was nice to meet all these new people!”
Ryota smiled, ignoring the tears running down his round cheeks, and held out his shaky hand to Duo. The latter looked at it, raised his eyebrows, then took it in his own. Both of them seemed to relax, just a bit. Ahab put her arm around Aseko’s shoulder and pulled her close. Tears spilled wordlessly out of her eyes, dripping down her face and falling onto her tie- the colors of which were changing much slower than before.
Together, Ryota and Duo pressed their hands to the tablet.
Beep.
Shnk-!
The two collapsed to the floor, landing side by side. Neither of them moved any longer- their eyes were closed, and their chests neglected to rise with breath. Candy wrappers spilled out from both Ryota and Duo’s pockets.
They must have… become close. W-Who’d have thought, huh?
“Lass,” Ahab muttered, holding her tighter, “I can hardly believe I’m askin’ ye this, but are ye... are ye feelin’ ok? Last time, ye were a sobbin’ mess, but now ye’re… just sad.”
Aseko gently pulled herself away from Ahab, pulling the purple candy out of her pocket.
“I’d like to say something like… you can never really get used to seeing your friends, your loved ones die in front of your very eyes. That each time, it’s surprising and just as tragic. But… what if it’s not? What if you were to become used to it- numb to their pain, numb to everything? That someone you knew, that someone you love could pass away right in front of you… and you wouldn’t even bat an eye?”
She leaned down, put the lollipop into Ryota’s hand, and closed it around the candy. All Captain Ahab could see of her reaction were the tears falling onto Ryota’s body. Her voice trembled.
“Am I a monster? To become used to something like this- does that mean there’s nothing I can do? Do I just… just have to accept it?”
Ahab squatted down next to her, rubbing her back. “…That’s somethin’ I’ve asked meself a lot, lass. It’s scary ta become used ta this. Ye might feel broken or lost or… somethin’, but… that’s when ye depend on others. If ye just try an’ bear it yerself, ye’ll just become obsessed.”
Aseko looked up at Ahab. “O-Obsessed?”
“Aye. Obsessed with tryin’ ta change the past, obsessed with yer memories… obsessed with tryin’ to get revenge… focusin’ on that instead of tryin’ to live.” He stood up and helped Aseko to her feet. “We know they- we’ll all meet again. Let’s keep on goin’, lass.”
“…Right.”
But then...
...I'll be the only one who remembers...
//
“I’m surprised she’s taking this so well.”
“Are you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Haha, it’s no coincidence that Eko is going to be the host of Asuka. Where Asuka is more brash and expressive, Eko is more reserved and stable. Together, they complement each other quite well. Eko is much better at seeing the big picture, and her resolve must be supporting Asuka’s devastation. Especially at the moment, while they’re practically one whole. Once all this is over… well, I hope…”
//
This is…
The room the two of them had just walked into was vastly different from the others. In a sense, it appeared to be a partially demolished hotel lobby. The hard, smooth floor was chipped and shattered at places, large chunks of rubble having fallen from the ceiling. A fountain that once bore three near-obscene statues had been broken into pieces. A staircase along the wall was broken- the second floor entirely inaccessible. Attached to the main lobby, on the opposite side of the destroyed fountain, was a downtrodden sitting area. Velvet seats were toppled over, crushed and torn at places. The legs of the once-fancy wooden table had been broken off, leaving the tabletop resting on the carpeted flooring.
Aseko felt her very blood chill, though the room itself was not particularly cold. She gripped her shoulders and walked further into the room, her eyes darting around like she were a wounded animal.
“Figures we’d wind up here,” sighed Ahab, kicking aside a small pile of rubble. “This be where it all ended…”
“Or… where this all began,” Aseko muttered. She walked into the sitting room, where Asuka had first seen Ahab during that nonary game. Her eyes scoured the room, landing on something familiar- something that filled her with dread.
Built into the wall was a sliding door.
A sliding door bearing a red number 0.
Aseko took a few steps back. “I-It’s… the zero door…? W-What is it doing here…?”
Ahab took one look at the zero door, then looked back to Aseko. “Relax, brat. That can’t hurt ye anymore.” Aseko breathed out and leaned against one of the walls, closing her eyes.
Calm down. It’s… we’re almost there. Just a little more.
Ahab put his hand in his coat pocket and looked around the room. He walked up to a spot on the wall- the same spot on the wall where the number 6 door had appeared, the very first door Captain Ahab had gone through.
“Ah, so this must be what… what Ben-" He stopped himself. "...What she was talking about,” Ahab muttered.
Aseko looked over, confused, but his broad frame was blocking whatever it was he was looking at.
“Ye remember me last words ta ye, don’t ye, lass? I wanted ye ta forget about me. Move on with yer life. I guess… that wasn’t an option. I… I don’t know what ta say to ye. Ever since I saw ye again, I’ve been thinkin’ about… how ta tell ye me feelin’s.”
He turned around and looked her in the eye. He was smiling- that same damned smile he had when he said goodbye. A smile filled with love.
Behind him was the metal slab that had activated Eko’s ring.
In a moment of sheer panic, Aseko started running toward Ahab. The world ran in slow motion as Ahab turned back to the plate, his expression turning mournful. She was almost there, just a little more and she could save-
Beep.
Shnk-!
Aseko stopped, her trembling hand a foot away from the captain.
“C-Captain… Ahab… no… NO-!”
His body fell, Aseko catching him easily.
Ahab chuckled, his eye drifting to Aseko’s face. “Heh… ye’ve always been stronger than ye look, brat.”
She couldn’t stop the tears from pouring out as she clutched Ahab’s hand. His magenta ring laid on the floor beside him, needles extended, dark with blood.
“I finally… know what ta say,” Ahab said, and he reached into his coat pocket. He pulled something out and put it in her hand. Finally, Eko knew what Ded had given him back in the belfry.
Sitting in her hand was a wedding cake topper, both Asuka and Ahab standing at the top. Ahab chuckled, raised his hand, and wiped the tears off of Aseko’s cheek.
“Don’t ye make that face. I know- ye know we’ll meet again.” He sighed and finished, a regretful look in his eye, “I’m… sorry this ol’ fool fell in love with ye… I'm sorry, me... cute sailor...”
His hand fell, coming to rest on the floor beside him. Carefully, Aseko let him gently down. She drew herself in, clutching her legs.
Why? Why does it have to end like this? Even when everything gets reset… none of our relationships, none of these bonds will remain… I… I understand now.
She stood up, and immediately stumbled over.
W-What’s happening?
Beep.
She looked down at the source of the noise- her bracelet. There were now two arrows on the screen, one on either side of the 2. They pointed to some external buttons on the watch. Somehow, she got the feeling that this was it, that this was all she had to do. Simply wishing for all of this to be over already, wanting all this pain to end, she pressed in both buttons.
She instantly fell to the floor, feeling her whole body shake. It wasn’t like her muscles were shaking- it felt as if her very soul were being shaken, being forced in and out of her body, pushed and pulled, stretched and compressed.
W-What… is going… on!?
A-Asuka!?
Her eyes opened wide, staring directly at the backs of her hands. The star tattoos on the back of each felt burning hot, yet cold as ice. They were simultaneously dark as night, yet bright as the morning sun. It was as if both were the same, yet polar opposites.
Then, it all stopped.
“What just happened?” Aseko asked, then stood back up.
Careful.
Aseko jumped back- it was like the voice came from inside, but not in the same way that she was now used to. Rather than voices, thoughts, and memories overlapping as if she were being forced to think them, it was an entirely separate, distinct voice.
“Eko, is that you?”
I’m reasonably sure I am me, yes.
“Haha, very funny. What’s going on…?”
She looked down. Her tie- which had been a mix of red and blue until now- was a deep purple.
Weird. Are we like Ded now?
“I-I don’t know. Try taking over?”
She concentrated for a bit, then-
“Huh. I guess it worked.”
Woah. Actually, this is almost like what happened with Ryusei.
Aseko looked down at her bracelet. “Almost?”
Well, at that point neither of us were really… comfortable, you know? This actually doesn’t feel, y’know, bad.
“Glad to know. Also, looks like we can get through that door. That’s how Akane said the zero door works, right?”
Her bracelet now had a bright blue number 0 on it.
Yeah- wait, you remember that?
She walked over to the zero door. “Yeah, I think if I dug around, I could probably find out anything I want to know from you, as could you. But I won’t.”
Why not? Afraid you might find something... juicy?
Aseko shook her head. “Not really, I think if I need to know anything, I could just ask you. You know, like a friend would. But, Asuka… you don’t need to hide your pain with a joke. Everything will be over soon, I promise.”
Silence, then-
Heh... thanks, Eko.
Aseko smiled, a faint blush touching her cheeks. “You know, I feel really powerful all of a sudden.”
Really? I mean, I felt a bit stronger than usual, but I’ve always been pretty strong, you know?
“I could see that. Though, I don’t just mean physically. It’s weird.”
Mind if I take over?
Sure thing.
“Woah, you’ve already got this under control!”
Heh, I try.
Aseko glanced back at Ahab, breathed in a deep breath, and pumped her fist. “Right! Let’s go fix everything! I-I’ll see you later, Captain. I promise." She put the wedding cake topper in his hand and closed his fingers around it. "...Wait for me, alright?”
With that, she ran full force at the zero door, which slid open as she drew near. She sped through a short, dark hallway, and found herself within a dark room lined with computers, monitors… and two people.
The first of these was a white-haired boy wearing a white tank-top and an odd amount of long, black cloths wrapped around his shoulders and in his hair. Fixed to his wrist was a bracelet with a bright green light running through the middle. The other girl, however, was someone who was all too familiar. A girl with long, dark brown hair adorned with white flower ornaments.
But that’s… Akane Kurashiki?
Asuka’s eyes went wide with shock and fury. “You were dead! You told me your body wouldn’t be able to exist anymore!”
Akane shrugged, but it was the boy who answered.
“You deaf? She didn’t say she’d die, dumbass. It’s nearly the same thing as you, isn’t it? You left your body and got stuck there. Well, so did she.”
…That clone.
Aseko turned to the side. “What?”
Back in the first room I went through- with Ryota and Duo- we made a human body. Duo said it wouldn’t do anything without a soul, but… looks like they used that as a vessel.
“Then why does it look like her!? Does she just have some sort of… wig or something?”
Well, there was a wig back at the casino, actually- but that’s probably beside the point. Duo also said that, if a soul was placed within that featureless vessel, then they would likely also take on a different appearance-
The boy glared at Aseko. “What the hell? Have you lost it?”
Akane waved him down. “Hold on, Aoi. I think… Eko? Are you still in there?”
Grr… the nerve! She lied to me!
Aseko sighed. “She didn’t lie to you, Asuka. Although,” she fixed her glare onto Akane, “that was cheap.”
“So you retained both consciousnesses… perfect. Perfect! This is just what we needed!”
The white-haired boy, Aoi, rubbed his temples. “You sure about this, Akane? What if something goes wrong-”
“Oh, don’t give me that. The sheer fact that I know what I know, that Asuka is even here, is proof that it works!” She turned to Aseko and bowed. “I’m very sorry for everything that I put you through. I believe… I owe you a bit of explanation. Please, sit down.”
Aseko reluctantly took a seat, confused by the way she was acting.
I bet this is just a trick. Stupid Akane-
Oh, shush, we might as well get some answers.
Akane put her finger to her chin. “Oh, how interesting! That purple flower in your hair appears to change ever so slightly every now and then- to a more red or blue tone. Maybe that shows who’s in control?”
“Speak up, Akane.”
“Pushy pushy. Alright, here’s the general gist. You know what we did already, and you should remember why we had to do it.”
“Yeah, how could I forget. It was to make sure my weird 23-or-more-souls thing exists in all timelines, right?”
Akane laughed. “Well, that’s close enough, I suppose. Technically, it only applies to worlds in which the app exists or in which that situation would occur. There are other lines in which none of that is really a thing, so those weren’t affected. Although for the most part, we don’t deal with those… though, I suppose you could now.”
Aseko blinked. “What?”
Akane folded her arms. “Well, you must have already figured that our plan was complete, right? We did what we set out to do. However, there was one problem- we needed the initial plan. You see, I didn’t come up with this all on my own. I got the information about the plan from the Morphogenetic Field.”
Of course she did.
Akane closed her eyes, sighing as if she had forgotten to mention something. “Oh, right. I suppose that’s more important later. Anyhow, everything we did here was to bring you back here, Asuka, and tie you to the protagonist soul of this timeline. That is to say, Eko. In doing this, we’d be doing two things.”
She dramatically flourished one finger out- Aoi put his face in his hands.
“One! By bringing you back into this timeline from the morphogenetic field, you come with extraordinary power. You, yourself, are the ‘pillar of the Morphogenetic Field!’”
Aseko blinked, confused. “Er, what does that mean?”
Akane smiled. “Well, you know what a pillar is, yes?”
“Uh, big and powerful, right? I don’t know.”
Akane thought to herself. “…Yeah, that’s close enough, I think. Bottom line is, you are very powerful. You hold the ability to physically transfer between timelines- regardless of what time and what distance they may be.”
That’s… it sounds hardly believable, but it feels…
“Yeah, that sounds about right.”
“Anyway- Two! By bringing Eko into the equation, you have physical stability. Despite your status as a pillar of that world, it is only because of her that you’re able to exist primarily outside of it. Plus, the sacred artifact you left behind only serves to further amplify your power.”
“So, all of this was to make us into… well, this? Why? You have to have some reason for that.”
Akane’s face turned serious. “Well, there is the fact that, should any unstoppable threat occur that I don’t know about, you are more than equipped to stop it- in any timeline. The real reason is… the final puzzle.”
Aoi picked his head up. “Would you believe she’s actually been practicing this spiel?”
The flower on Aseko’s head turned slightly redder. “So then… what is this final puzzle? You… no, that had to be you, wasn’t it?” She looked at Aoi. “If I’m right about Akane using the body we made, and if Benten’s rule was used to drag her here as well, then you must be Zero.”
He threw his hands up. “Guilty as charged. You know, I don’t actually enjoy killing. Everything I’ve done has been under her orders.”
Akane shot him an annoyed glance, then looked back to the other two. “Well then. This final puzzle is the final step in all of this… but also the first.”
“Excuse me?”
It wouldn’t be her if it weren’t overly complicated.
“I need you to send me back to my original timeline.”
Aseko sat up straight in her chair. “Wait, hold on. That timeline doesn’t exist anymore, does it? By making Asuka’s sacrifice a convergent event, that should mean that there’s… nothing left, right?”
“That’s a good point, Eko, but that’s not exactly true. The timeline is defunct, yes. For all intents and purposes, it doesn’t exist. In fact, I believe that even you would be unable to travel to a future that doesn’t exist.” She raised her finger. “However, there is one thing to consider- I remember what happened. My motivations to start everything were because of that future. That means that future still exists in some form. Perhaps not physically, but instead…”
“You mean… as information. The concept of that future still exists within the Morphogenetic Field.”
Akane clapped her hands together, and even Aoi’s eyebrows raised.
“That’s exactly it. All you have to do is send me to where that information lies. That will give myself in that timeline the information that I need to set things right.”
Aseko’s flower turned a slightly bluer hue. “So then, what if I don’t.”
Akane frowned. “Well… I don’t believe that matters. Both you and I know that you will. If you hadn’t, well, you wouldn’t be sitting in front of me. To put it bluntly, if you don't, then you would create a time paradox.”
“Even if I do, what’ll happen to you? You know I’ve never done anything like this.”
Akane clasped her arms and looked away from all of them. “Well… there are rules that allow people to retain their forms after being sent through the morphogenetic field, but… despite your power, I don’t believe you have that ability. Well, at least not when it comes to someone besides yourself. I think it’s more likely that… my current body will be turned into something like gelatin.”
Aseko stood up. “Y-You mean, like jello?”
“Hmmm, yes. I think so. When I first got these plans, a lot of green gelatin showed up beside me. I remember thinking it was odd… but now, I think that’s just what happens when you try and force something physical through a field meant only for information.”
Aseko looked from Aoi to Akane, realizing exactly what they were asking.
“Akane, you… you want me to… kill you?”
Akane nodded. “Please, Asuka. Eko. Once you do that, Aoi here can reset the timeline to the very beginning.”
Aoi stood up and pointed at the bracelet on his wrist. “As you know by now, this’ll let me reset time up to a certain point. Specifically, that moment of convergence. I have some limited control over what remains and what doesn’t. For instance- the first time that I reset, I decided that you wouldn’t remember certain things, Eko. I essentially left your memories behind. Sorry, but they’re gone.”
Aseko shook her head. “I’m fine with that. I can always just make new ones.”
Eko…
He continued, “I’ll be able to reset it while keeping your existence intact. Essentially, the ‘Eko’ timeline will be replaced with… whatever you decide to call yourself. Think of this as… your personal timeline.”
Aseko looked from one to the other, then nodded her head. “Fine. I’ll do my best.”
Akane’s face grew into a weary, yet relieved smile. “Thank you, Eko. Thank you, Asuka.”
Aseko closed her eyes, readied herself into a battle-ready stance, and focused, both Asuka and Eko willing their sacred artifacts into being. There was a flash of light, and she opened her eyes to see two swords- two near-identical copies of Boundless Tail, one in each hand. The only difference between the two was the magatamas on the ends of the strings attached to the end of each. The one attached to the right sword- Asuka’s sword- was white. The left one- Eko’s- was black.
She turned around, putting her back to the two Zeros.
“You can call me… Aseko.”
She lashed out forward, swinging both swords in an X, focusing on the concept of the Morphogenetic Field. It was almost instinctual, what with how naturally it came. The two of them, joining powers as one, found the exact spot which Akane had mentioned. She breathed out and stepped back. It was like there was a cross-shaped tear the fabric of reality itself- a bright white light shone from the gap in space. A gate to a place beyond this timeline.
Akane turned to Aoi. “I’m sorry, Aoi. This is goodbye… for good.”
He stepped forward, embracing her in a hug. “Goodbye, Akane. I’ll never forget you, sister.”
They broke off, and Akane smiled sadly. “In this world of gods… maybe one day, we’ll meet again. In the next life.”
She stepped up to the gap and sighed, “I really do mean it when I say sorry, Asuka. Eko… Aseko. I’m sure we’ll also meet again. When we do, I hope… we can be friends.”
Aseko nodded and stepped back. “One last thing, Akane. I think you’ll need to know about this. There’ll be a timeline that I get dangerously close to taking over the ‘me’ from that world. His name is Ryusei. If you want to make anything up to me, make sure that he- and anyone else like him- are safe. Ok?”
Akane smiled. “Sure thing. Take care, alright?”
Without another moment’s delay, Akane stepped into the gate Aseko had made… and vanished. Moments later, the gate shut in on itself, disappearing as well.
Aoi sighed and brought his hand to the bracelet on his wrist. “I guess that’s it, then. Nice meeting you, Aseko. I doubt we’ll see each other again. Well, not unless you come seeking me out for some reason. Try to leave me out of it though, got it?”
Asuka nodded, and Aoi smirked. He tapped his bracelet, and the world shifted.
//
This must be where each protagonist soul starts their journey.
Aseko picked herself up off the ground, rubbing the back of her head. She looked around- she was back in the park. Turning around, she could see the rise of smoke from the ward that had been devastated by the exceptions that were summoned in the original Nonary game.
“So this is just after I first saw them all die, huh?” Aseko said, folding her arms. “And this… this is our timeline. What are we going to do, I wonder?”
I’ve got a suggestion if you’ll hear it.
“Yeah? Shoot.”
How about… we act like none of this ever happened. Just in this timeline.
She put her hands on her hips, looking underneath the bench. Ahab’s hat was gone. “A timeline untouched by those tragedies, huh? Sounds nice. We could have a normal life. Heh.”
What’s so funny?
She looked up at the starry sky. “It’s just… there was nothing normal about us, to begin with, and now we’re even less so.”
Hah, you have a point.
Aseko smiled, reaching her left hand up as if to touch the twinkling stars. In this darkness, it wasn’t easy to make out the star on the back of her hand, but she didn’t care. The proof of it alone was enough to make her realize that she wasn’t truly alone.
“You’re right, Eko. Let’s build ourselves a new future. Together… we can find that blue bird."