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The flashing red lights blinded Kohane as the spaceship was engulfed in flames. Her hands clenched the ship's controls tightly, the interior glowing bright red from all the warnings on screen.
WARNING: TEMPERATURES HAVE EXCEEDED 700°C.
Her grip never wavered even as the ship violently shook while entering Earth's atmosphere. The metal screamed as the outside scenery turned orange and yellow, with engines engulfed in flames, producing a high-pitched whining sound.
Error signals flashed rapidly as the ship plunged into an intense rattling sensation. "Activate impact defense mode—!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice cracking just so that the AI could hear her through the screeching metal.
ACTIVATING IMPACT DEFENSE MODE.
WARNING: TEMPERATURES HAVE EXCEEDED 1000°C.
WARNING: TEMPERATURES HAVE EXCEEDED 1200°C.
ACTIVATING SYSTEM COOLING PROTOCOL.
SYSTEM COOLING PROTOCOL FAILED. PLEASE REFUEL THE TANK.
"This soon?—" Her eyes widened in horror as the message appeared before her. "No, no, no, no, no... No—!"
WARNING: ENGINES HAVE FAILED. PREPARE FOR IMPACT.
PREPARE FOR IMPACT.
P̸RE̸P̶ARE̷ ̴F̵OR̵ I̸M̵PA̷C̶T.
P̸R̵E̸P̶A̵R̷E̷ ̴F̵O̵R̵ ̵I̸M̵P̸A̷C̶T̷
P̸ᴿₑP̶A̵R̷E̷ ̴ᶠᴼᵣ ̵I̸M̵ₚᴬC̶T̷
█P̸ᴿₑP̶█AAA̵R̷E̷ ̴ᶠᴼ██ᵣ ̵I̸M̵mmmPₚᴬC̶█T̷tttttttt
U2FsdGVkX1/Q1ldSkHUNNDVxxl7RtI/u+ZmUxt97XWPqyqj3XLX4nLIxMNcPjcLZ
aes-256-cbc, hint: main character
The faint smell of smoke awakens Kohane, her eyes flickering slightly before rapidly opening. She sits upright, pauses briefly, and then darts all over the place. She exhales with relief as she sees her supply bag. "It's still intact..."
Her memory is blurred. She isn't able to recall anything else from before she had lost control of the ship.
She takes a moment to gaze around the interior of the spaceship, trying to find the exit button to open the door. Quickly spotting it through her dizziness, she presses it without much strength. To her fortune, the metal door opens with a loud thud.
The humid air begins to seep into the ship. She grabs her supply bag, making her way out of the tight space inside. Once she steps out, the hot breeze immediately brushes against her skin. Kohane coughs, dropping her bag before searching for a first aid kit.
She had noticed the tiny scratches on her hands, the broken metal shards of the control panel must have caused it. She simply put some minimal ointment on them to prevent infection. Her hands were still of use to her, so she can't risk them becoming impractical.
She reaches for a bottle of water inside her bag, taking a sip to stay hydrated from the heat. But something still doesn't feel right. Her head keeps aching, and she can't shake off this fogginess whenever she tries thinking.
That was when, out of instinct, her hand flies up to touch her head. It feels damp. She looks at her hand, her eyes met with the sight of— Blood...
It doesn't faze her. She crouches down again to rummage through her supplies, getting to treating her injuries right away.
Once she was done, and there was now a bandage wrapped around her head, her gaze focused on observing the surrounding area. An abandoned city, broken and old. There's moss growing on the concrete walls of each building, and several vines hanging from the rooftops. "—!?" Her vision suddenly blurs, the world around her turning into a swirl of colors.
She barely manages to catch herself before plunging to the floor, desperately gripping the walls of the spaceship. The melted metal radiated a faint, unsettling warmth. Her injury's far worse than she anticipated, but with a shallow breath, she forces herself to push through it, bracing against the pain that threatens to overwhelm her.
The moment the aching in her head became more bearable, she lifts her eyes and straightens her posture. Her gaze goes back to scanning her surroundings, aimlessly looking back and forth between random objects.
Her mind is fuzzy, unable to recall what she was truly looking for. The impact from the crash had messed with her memory, but the one thing she could remember was that she was searching for something.
Something precious to her, something she held dear.
It was ██ █████████.
"No use. I can't remember what it is..." A small frown appears on her face, her heart feeling heavy. She wonders why she had left just to come here. Only ruined, abandoned buildings stand, with nobody else in sight.
I'm already here... Moving forward is the only choice I have left. Her brows furrow, lips pressing into a thin line. She grabs her supply bag and starts moving while making sure not to act too suddenly, wandering through the ruins of a now-worn-out city.
The shadows of the tall buildings loom over her as she explores the area, shading her from the heat. She did her best not to walk too fast and stay close to the walls for support. All of the windows were shattered, and not even a single door is intact. What caused this might be...
It might be...
...
Kohane can't name it. She doesn't know what she's referring to, though it's on the back of her mind.
She forgets about it, insisting that finding refuge for the night is more important. She peers into the buildings, each one looking roughly beaten up and filled with rodents. Maybe it isn't a good time to be picky on where she sleeps, but she doesn't want to risk getting sick or bitten.
Without meaning to, she turns her head a bit faster than recommended, and a burst of dizziness follows, messing up her balance. She freezes in her tracks, reaching out her arm towards the wall beside her. The weight of her supply bag only worsen the light-headed sensation.
Her breath trembles, before she forces herself to calm down once again.
A few agonizing seconds pass by, and the whirling feeling slowly starts to fade. She breathes a quiet sigh of relief, blinking to adjust her vision. Then, at the corner of her eye, she was able to take a glimpse of the building beside her and its interior through the window.
"...!" She gasps silently, rubbing her eyes to check if she wasn't hallucinating. The girl is in delight to see that it is indeed real—a clean space not infested with insects or pests. Just like the other structures, there's no door or intact windows, but it's much cleaner than the others.
Kohane shambles into the building, making sure she stays close to the wall as she does so. The inside flourished with plants, yet she's still able to tell that it was once inhabited by someone. There are photo frames on the walls she can no longer identify what was in the picture, a closet full of personal items, and a TV shattered on the ground. She hesitates to step inside, believing it would be disrespectful to the past residents if she just barges in without permission.
However, survival outweighed her sympathy. She can't even walk properly, hence looking elsewhere for shelter is out of the question. Mumbling out an excuse me, she sets her things down inside the building, laying out a thin futon on the grassy side of the floor from her supply bag.
The sky slowly fades into a deep golden glow, painting the interior in its warm hues. It reminds her of the scenery outside the ship's windows when she had lost control, the flames burned into her memory. She winces, reliving the catastrophe in her head.
Her hands tremble when she reaches for her bag, then stops midway. She stares at her arm intensely, flexing her fingers and breathing unsteadily. Shutting her eyes, she focuses on taking deep breaths to calm herself down.
The flashing red color remained vividly in her memories, along with the sheer speed of the ship losing control that made her stomach drop.
She grabs her bag and pulls it close to her chest, clinging to the sides tightly and afraid of letting go. As she hugs the supply bag, she plops down onto the mattress below her. She's now aware of how eerily quiet it is. Nobody is there to comfort her, simply surrounded by empty, silent structures.
Kohane curls up into a ball as she closes her eyes, her lips firmly pressing together, clutching her bag closely. The evening settles in, the air growing noticeably colder. She tucks herself into the blanket of the futon, seeking warmth by hugging the only thing available to her. Her bag feels uncomfortable with all the stock of canned food and solid items inside. However, it was better than nothing.
Soon, the fatigue from traveling worlds caught up to her, forcing her into a deep sleep.
"H̸e̶y̵,̶ ̵K̵o̴h̷a̷n̴e̶!̶" The person placed their hand on her shoulder, their voice filled with excitement.
"Huh?" She turned her head to where the voice was coming from, staring at the person who called out to her. "Oh, ██-chan!"
The person smiled widely, moving their hands to hold hers. It felt... warm. "L̸e̸t̸'̷s̸ ̵g̸o̶ ̴t̴o̸ ̸t̷h̵a̶t̶ ̸c̴a̷f̷é̴ ̶t̶h̷i̴s̴ ̸w̸e̷e̶k̸e̷n̷d̸!̶ ̵Y̵o̴u̶ ̴w̶o̷n̶'̷t̸ ̵b̶e̵ ̷b̵u̶s̸y̷ ̴t̶h̶e̴n̶,̵ ̵r̸i̵g̸h̴t̸?̴"
Kohane nodded in response, a similar expression to theirs on her face, "Mhm! I'd like to try out the limited edition peach buns they have."
"G̵r̶e̶a̸t̴!̵ ̶I̴'̵l̵l̷ ̵s̵e̴e̵ ̸y̶o̶u̵ ̶t̷h̷e̷n̶,̶ ̸y̷e̴a̴h̶?̶"
"Yep!"
Kohane wakes up to the burning rays of the sun hitting her face, the bright light signaling a new day. She sits up straight, groggily rubbing her eyes.
That person in my dreams... who was that?
She wonders, trying to recall what they looked like. Their face was so clear, but now she can't even picture it at all. Not even their name that she called out so confidently.
Maybe they could be related to what she was looking for and the reason she came to Earth. Their interaction felt like a fragment of a bigger memory, perhaps she knew this person well.
Yet, why is their face still so blurry?
On cue, her stomach rumbled faintly. Oh. That's right, I forgot to eat yesterday…
She drops her gaze to the bag that was still in her arms, reaching for the zipper. Fumbling through it, she manages to find a sandwhich wrapped in aluminum foil. She opens it and takes a bite—it's cold.
After finishing the so-so meal, the next thing on her list is to tend to her injuries. She cleans her wounds and scratches with a sprinkle of water before replacing the bandages on her head, then reapplying the band aids on her hands.
"…" She counts the resources in her bag quietly, wondering how long it'll last. Some sunflower seeds, beef jerky, crackers, and the sandwich she already ate…
As if her injuries weren't already taking a toll on her, the fear of running out of food slowly became a problem. A heavy, cold feeling grows in her stomach at the thought. It makes her feel nauseas.
She lets out a sigh, standing up and sluggishly returns her futon inside her bag. A pang of unease hits her when she realizes she doesn't even know where she's going, her heart filled with regret. Was it really worth it coming here? Was the reason just that important?
Doubt clouds over her mind, a feeling that her decisions were all wrong pooling in her gut. She stares at the supply bag in her grasp, questioning if there is still a chance she could make it out of this alive.
The only choice she is left with is to stand up and keep moving, and so she does, leaving behind an empty space that lacked any sort of warmth.
Though her coordination still isn't at its best, she makes sure not to trip over herself as she treks deeper into the ruined city.
The weight of her supply bag on her shoulders only make things much more difficult, her mind bursting with dizziness from time to time. She stops nearby a fountain and sets her bag on the ground, taking a seat at the rim for a rest.
She digs through her bag to grab a drink, but as she searches for a water bottle inside, she feels a metal ring getting lodged around her finger. Setting the bottle aside for a moment, she takes her hand out of her bag and holds it up to get a closer look.
This is… a keychain? It has a red colored, plastic tag attached with words written on it. She spins it around to see what the text said, and the moment she reads it, a tiny bell rings inside her head.
"'Shibuya Ward'…?"
That's—
"W̶h̵y̷ ̶d̶o̴n̶'̷t̷ ̷w̴e̶ ̶g̵e̵t̴ ̵m̵a̴t̸c̸h̷i̸n̷g̴ ̷k̵e̴y̷c̷h̷a̴i̷n̴s̶,̴ ̴K̸o̴h̴a̷n̵e̸?̵!̶"
A bubbly girl exclaiming eagerly echoes in Kohane's mind, her voice familiar. Was she… the person in her dream? It had to be her! Her voice just felt so… comforting.
Kohane must've been fairly close to her, but no matter what, she isn't able to recall any sort of memory with the girl.
It's as if she hit a dead end. The answer was so close, yet so far.
She clutches the keychain in her hand, thinking hard about what she should do next. With a heavy breath, she decides to keep moving, her faith the only thing carrying her through this mess.
"10:09AM…"
Kohane stares at the clock-watch in her hands as she travels deeper into the overgrown city. Even after several hours have passed, the overrun settlement still has no end to it. She's stranded in a maze of cracked concrete walls.
Everywhere she looks, it's all the same. A green and grey color palette surrounding her in every direction.
That was until she spotted a color that contrasted the area. She squints her eyes to see an opening between two buildings leading to somewhere else. Her steps increase in pace, before she slowly starts to chase after that dissimilar hue.
She runs towards the light, a spark of hope lighting within her. Maybe! Just maybe…! She holds her breath as the blinding light gets closer and closer—
A barren wasteland stands before her, orange and empty. The rocky pavement of the city faded into sand. It's a stark difference to the area she was in before, with no signs of life or even greenery. Her hopes deflate at this exact moment, her posture slumping as she lowers her gaze.
She looks back at the jungle-choked city, her mind reeling, before her gaze lands on the path ahead. There isn't any time to be hesitating. Her experience as a Monster Hunter already showed her the consequences of that.
Just then, she froze. Monster Hunter…?
The puzzle pieces click in place as the fog in her mind disappears bit by bit.
Kohane Azusawa, a member of the Monster Hunter Unit of the Earth's Planetary Defense. That's her. Everything felt just a little bit lighter at that moment, a sense of warmth coming back to her.
"Maybe this desert isn't really that bad after all," she speaks quietly to herself, finding the littlest amount of comfort in this lonely place. She lifts her feet, bracing herself for the journey ahead.
Ever since those wretched creatures appeared and terrorized the Earth, things started going south for humanity. Forced to retreat into cramped wards, the resolve of an eccentric—and desperate—scientist came up with the excellent idea of plasma weaponry.
They were specifically made to take down the Monsters, unknown but powerful organisms that came from space.
However, humans were weak. Are weak. Upon almost facing complete annihilation, people began to sought for warriors who would risk their lives for the sake of a couple hundred thousand's.
Therefore, the concept of a "Monster Hunter" was born.
People who everyone could rely on, wearing badges of honor that symbolized their strength and bravery.
Kohane pants heavily, wiping the sweat off her forehead. Dead trees surround her everywhere, and even the sticks are all dried up. Everything looks so depressing and empty, the only thing there were rocks, sand, and even more rocks. Once a thriving land abundant with people, now thrashed by creatures with origins unknown.
And Kohane was one of the many people who were tasked to destroy these Monsters.
Her gaze darts left and right, observing the area around her as she carries herself through the dusty wastelands. Scanning the place was like a persistent habit of hers or some sort. Her legs have started to feel heavy after a while, sweat dripping down her face as she was directly exposed to the burning sun.
She huffs, her footsteps becoming more sluggish by the minute. Her pace slows down, constantly having to wipe the sweat off of her forehead.
Through the heat haze, she manages to spot a large rock in the near distance. She scurries over to the shade, dropping her bag and immediately leaning against the boulder. "Phew…" Her knees give up on her and she slides down the rocky surface, eventually plopping down on the orange sand.
Her arm extends out to skim the insides of her bag, looking for the water bottle. Once she feels it around her grasp, she brings it close to her, about to take a sip.
Her hand then stops in place. She blinks, looking down at the snippet of water left inside. Oh. It's already halfway empty. She didn't realize that she had already drank so much.
Instantly, her eyes go wide. Her breath hitches, mouth going dry. She tears through her bag, checking to see if she had another bottle with her.
A sigh of relief comes out of her once her gaze laid on a seperate bottle, still unopened. Of course she wasn't stupid enough to not bring an extra one. Her relief is only temporary, however, as she soon realizes that she had only packed two water bottles.
She glances behind at the tiny amount of water in the opposite bottle, setting aside the unopened one and grabbing the other. She hesitates to consume any more.
"What should I do…?" she whispers, staring down at the water bottle in her hands. Her breath shakes, brows furrowing together.
The silence around her is deafening. It feels like her ears are ringing, with nobody to help her make a decision. She's rooted in place, shallowly breathing as a tight knot in her stomach quickly rises.
She closes her eyes, taking a small sip from the bottle before being done. She has to make it last as long as possible, no matter what. This is enough. A single, tiny sip of water is all she needs to continue.
This is alright. She can get through all of this with only this much.
It's going to be worth it. Surely she will stumble upon a human settlement soon.
One that isn't abandoned, with people living there.
There surely would be somebody out there that could help her. She just has to keep moving. She just has to keep believing.
Somebody—anybody out there… Surely, she'd run into a person along the way.
But what if she doesn't? What if this was all for naught? What if she simply set herself up for a suicide mission? What if she will never be able to reach anywhere farther than here?
What if this was all some bullshit plan? What if she doesn't make it out alive?
What if…?
A tear drops down from her eye, and then another, her shoulders shaking lightly as she tries to stifle a sob. She trembles in place, her nose runny. Sniffing, her hands fly up to her face to wipe the tears away.
I need to stop. I need to ground myself. I can't just…
"Ҟꝋħⱥꞥē?"
She lifts her head up, only to see no one there. What—? Her teary eyes look all over the place, spotting nothing but dead grounds that surround her.
"That just now…" She finds herself muttering quietly to nobody but her. It dawned upon her that she must have been hearing things, as that voice sounded so similar to that girl.
…
No, she shouldn't focus on things like that. Finding out who that girl was comes later. Because right now, survival came first. The blazing sun produced a wild heat, making everything around her a wobbly mess.
She glances at the clock-watch chained to her bag, "It's already past noon…" Hastily packing up and arranging her things, she forces herself up.
Again, she lifts her feet, continuing her journey to a place unknown to her.
Kohane's stomach groans loudly as she lays down on her mattress. She's getting tired of staring at the same night sky, watching as the clouds slowly pass by her. Her head turns to the side, eyes glued to her bag.
She stares at it for a moment longer than needed, before looking away. Grabbing the blanket and tucking herself in, she closes her eyes and forces herself to sleep.
The cold refuses her request to drift into slumber, the growling of her stomach becoming a nuisance to her ears. Sighing, she sits upright. She puts her bag on her lap, digging through it.
She lays down all the food that she can find, spreading them out evenly on the sand.
There were the sunflower seeds—packed in an airtight, little pouch. She brought only two of them.
The crackers—placed in one, small plastic wrapper. She brought only 4 of them.
The beef jerky—same as the crackers, but a container rather than a wrapper. She brought only one.
And the sandwich—only the aluminum foil that wrapped it remained.
She takes the beef jerky, opening the lid before taking a piece, closing it right after and putting her supplies back in her bag. She nibbles slowly at the piece, trying to make it last as long as possible.
But before she knew it, it's already gone.
She plops down onto the thin futon, shutting her eyes.
It's cold.
So cold.
The only thing that gives her warmth is her blanket.
She shudders, her breath shaking.
She shuts her eyes even tighter, pulling the blanket over her completely as she curls up into a ball.
"I can't give up just yet…"
She whispers to herself, clutching the covers one last time.
"Īꞩꞥ'ⱦħīꞩ ⱦħⱥⱦ ꞩⱥꞥđⱳīȼħ ꝋꞥłɏ ɏꝋᵾɍ ꞩȼħꝋꝋł ꞩēłłꞩ?" The girl pointed at the snack Kohane held.
She took a bite before replying, her tone delighted, "Mhm! It's super tasty, especially if you eat it warm!"
She continued munching on her snack, a smile on her face as she did so. The girl tilted her head, staring at the sandwich in her hands, "Ħēɏ, ȼⱥꞥ Ī ⱦɍɏ ⱥ ƀīⱦē?"
Kohane glanced at her before nodding, "Sure!" She adjusted the sandwich so that a non bitten part was showing, before passing the sandwich over to the girl.
The girl took a small bite, savoring the taste of it. Then, her face abruptly turned pale. "Đ— đꝋēꞩ ⱦħīꞩ ħⱥꝟē ⱦꝋᵯⱥⱦꝋēꞩ...?"
"Yep. Our school makes sure we get all the necessary nutrients in one meal," she stated.
She swallowed before making a face of pure disgust, "Ɏꝋᵾ ꞩħꝋᵾłđ'ꝟē ⱦꝋłđ ᵯē ӻɍꝋᵯ ⱦħē ꞩⱦⱥɍⱦ!"
Kohane was puzzled, her face frozen in place for a split second before she burst out giggling, a tear coming out of her eye. "Do you not like tomatoes?"
"Ⱳ— ⱳⱥīⱦ, ⱥɍē ɏꝋᵾ łⱥᵾꞡħīꞥꞡ ⱥⱦ ᵯē?"
She smiled, "Sorry, ██-chan… it was just a bit funny."
A grimacing grin paired with wide, excited eyes formed on the girl's face, "Ҟꝋħⱥꞥē…" She cupped Kohane's cheeks with her hand, making her gasp in response. The girl's jaw was tense as she gently squished her cheeks.
"Ɏꝋᵾ'ɍē ɉᵾꞩⱦ. Ꞩꝋ. Ȼᵾⱦē!!!"
It has already been three weeks since Kohane crash landed on Earth. Throughout the days, her supplies went down one by one, her bag feeling lighter and lighter with each passing day.
Three weeks, and still no signs of life anywhere.
She pants, leaning against a boulder, protecting her from the intimidating rays of the sun. Every day is the same, repeating things over and over again.
Walk, rest, eat, and sleep.
At this point, will she ever find something…?
It doesn't matter if nobody was there anymore, all she wants is to find an end to this solitary desert. The scenery never changes, trees that look like twigs and orange sand is all that she can see.
The sun sets, and the agonizing heat slowly fades into a painful low temperature. She hugs herself tightly, staring at the sky as it changes its color.
She draws a breath, her ears ringing from the sheer silence.
"I've gotta set up for the night—"
A loud thud that shook the ground erupts out of nowhere, sending shockwaves towards every single direction. "What the—?!" She peers from behind the boulder to see one of those godforsaken creatures—
A Monster.
Her breath hitches in her throat, and she hastily hides behind the boulder. The fact she wasn't able to notice it from afar is jarring to her.
Her breathing grows shallow, face turning pale. She can feel her heart beating so fast in her ears. Another thunderous thud strikes the ground, and it seems to be getting closer to her.
The ground trembles with each step it took, and those steps grow heavier and heavier. There's no doubt about it, the Monster is coming towards her.
I need to get away—!
In that very moment, the boulder shatters right behind her. She's thrown to the ground, the impact sending her bag flying along with her.
She coughs, sitting upright and opening her eyes. They widen on the spot. Her body immediately freezes, the tall creature looking down at her.
The bandage on her head falls loose, the injury only worsening from the impact of being thrown. Blood seeps through the wound, dripping down her face as the Monster looks ready to kill her.
Get yourself together, Kohane!
She sprints to her bag, grabbing it before forcing her legs to pick up the pace as it runs after her. Her fingers dart frantically through the pockets of her bag, moving food and her futon aside as the zipper caught on the fabric.
Where is it—? Where is it??!
Her hand finally feels the metal weight hidden underneath all the food and water bottles. It's been such a long time since she's used this, so she can only rely on muscle memory to handle it.
She pulls out a specialized gun and points it towards the Monster, gripping it tightly as she stays in place, locking her aim on the target.
She pulls the trigger, hitting the Monster on the arm. It roars, the soundwaves causing her to cover her ears.
She winces, opening one eye, not letting her guard down. The roar fades down, and she picks herself up, getting ready to shoot another shot. However, just as she was about to pull the trigger, a sharp, stabbing sensation around her right eye hits her. Her head feels like it was coiled up by something, as if something is squeezing it.
Her breathing grows erratic and her hands grow unsteady, the warm blood from her scalp traveling down to her chin. Her left arm keeps throbbing with pain from falling down earlier, her vision blurry and unfocused.
Her legs fall short. Running Isn't an option anymore.
The Monster growls. She grunts, her breathing uneven. Tightening her grip on her handgun, she stares down the creature, preparing to dodge any incoming strikes.
It lunges right after her, reaching out its arm and ready to capture. She barely manages to evade in time, stepping to the side while trying not to lose her balance. Thank goodness it was a slow one. Her headache keeps exacerbating as she slowly loses more and more blood by the minute.
The Monster's hand collides with the ground, the impact mimicking an earthquake. Sand particles launch all over the place. "…!"
She holds an arm up to her face, covering herself from the mini sandstorm and the flying rocks. A few pebbles hit her as she stands her ground, making sure to keep herself steady, hissing at the pain.
Squinting her eyes, she raises her right arm and tightens her grip on the handgun. Waiting for the right moment. Her breath remains heavy, mind growing foggy and panicked.
As soon as the flying sand dies down, a determined look formed on her face. She shoots the Monster, the plasma bullet barely landing on its leg.
Her eyes furrow. It's clear her body is starting to lag behind her. She grits her teeth, "I almost missed…"
She can feel the tremors in her limbs. Her arms ache, and her legs feel heavy. Her head is in a similar state as the rest of her body. Hell, maybe even worse.
The creature screams as it's hit once more, the plasma bullet disintegrating its body bit by bit over time. Its arm and leg have a visible dent on it now.
Before she's able to recover, the Monster immediately goes after her again. She can't react in time, the Monster sending her flying as it strikes her directly.
She lets out a pained grunt as she crashes on the sand, coughing up blood in the process. The smell of metal overrides her senses, the world spinning around her.
Everything hurts. She can't get up.
Blood rises from her throat again. She tries using her arm to support herself up, unable to stand alone.
In an instant, she's launched again by the Monster. More blood. Ragged gasps is all that she can manage as the taste of copper invades her mouth
Her eyes threaten to shut, a cold feeling spreading through her veins.
I can't—
The Monster runs towards her, footsteps heavy and aggressive.
"Ack—!"
It flings her across the sand, leaving trails of red in her path.
She struggles to breath, blood filling up in her lungs.
No—!
Her chest tightens, a lightheaded feeling consuming her. Her head starts to seep out even more blood. It felt warm.
Yet, that warmth did the opposite of comforting her.
I have to get up…
She can barely even move her fingers, let alone her whole body.
I—
The loud thud from the creature's footsteps raises in volume, the shaking getting closer and closer.
Where's my gun? I have to—
Her breath comes out in shallow pants, blood blooming out of her throat.
Where—?
The gnawing feeling invades her whole body, completely paralyzing her on the ground.
Where is it—!?
The blood from her head soaks through her hair, engraving itself on the sand below her. Her vision darkens, not being able to perceive anything around her anymore.
"Is this your first time trying out this café, Kohane?"
What…? Everything falls silent. The shaking of the ground, the large footsteps of the Monster—she couldn't feel any of it.
That voice… it's…
"That billboard really drew you in, huh? Do you like the food here?"
She gasps, the sound raspy.
"Oh, you've gotta try that restaurant down the street as well! They've got some sick ass coffee you might like!"
Before she knew it, tears start welling up in the corners of her eyes. The girl's face slowly shifting into a clear image.
"I'm pretty sure they had some incredible food too. They have a more retro theme to their interior, so I thought it was cool!"
A girl with dark hair, as dreamy as the galaxy she stared upon every day in that spaceship.
Golden eyes, as bright as the sun, showing off its radiance.
A big, warm smile.
Her name was—
"We should totally go next time!"
"An-chan…"
She calls out her name like a desperate plea, her voice shaking as tears start running down her cheek and merging with the red color of her blood.
"An-chan… I— I'm so sorry—"
She chokes on her own blood trying to get the words out. In the distance, through her blurry lenses, she can see the Monster running towards her.
"An-chan… I'm sorry—" she hiccups and sniffles, "I'm really sorry…! I promised—"
The Monster gets closer and closer, its silhouette growing larger and larger.
"I promised I'd go with you—"
I…
I'm so sorry.
U2FsdGVkX1+kCcuWwK7+nwsmjo7Tx+GyjkSDXiRdmR073MncCyRlfjRH6UH7+s5F
aes-256-cbc, hint: ██
Kohane sat down on campus grounds, eating a sandwich silently by herself, her bag set down beside her. Her eyes were glued to the radiant blue of the sky, eager to watch the flocks of birds as they passed by. The melted cheese of her snack paired well with the savory ketchup stacked on top of it. What balanced out the meal was the fresh lettuce, alongside the warmth from every bite.
She only had a few months left before she graduated, spending time just relaxing and enjoying the scenery was the least she could do.
"This is delicious…" a gasp of delight was elicited from her mouth as she wolfed down the rest of the sandwich. What was left of her food was the aluminum foil it had been wrapped around with.
Despite being full, she wanted to have another bite of the delicious meal she had just tasted. For a sandwich, it was pretty well made, to the point that she craved it even after not feeling hungry anymore. She reached for her pocket, taking out her wallet to see if she could afford another one.
Then, she sighed, "I shouldn't…" Her head turned towards a nearby vending machine, the sandwich she craved just right behind the glass. If only she didn't have to worry about being on a budget… Maybe that way she could purchase a hundred—no, a thousand sandwiches!
Well, even if she could, she wouldn't be able to finish all of them before they get cold. "What a silly idea…" her lips curved up into a small smile as she chuckled quietly at her own thoughts.
A thousand sandwiches, huh…?
The school bell rang the moment she threw the aluminun foil away, "Oh, it's already time." She muttered to herself, already starting to head back inside the building.
She strolled through the hallways, eventually arriving at her respective class just in time. A few of her classmates had already took their seat before her. Lively chatter filled the room with no professor around, the curtains fluttering along with the gentle breeze coming from the open window.
Kohane took the weight off her feet, placing her bag under her desk. "Ah, Kohane!" One of her classmates reached out to her. She shifted her gaze to them. "Do you have a spare pen? I just lost mine…" they clasped their hands together, "Please! I've already asked the others but they don't have one!"
Her mouth parted slightly at their sudden request, brows shooting up momentarily. However, she nodded just a second later, "Mhm, I have one."
"Really!?" She rummaged through her belongings as their face turned into one of pure happiness and relief. "Thanks! I promise I'll return it after school ends!"
They hurried back to their seat, their professor entering the room promptly and announcing themselves to the class. Kohane's attention turned to the front, standing up at the same time as everyone else.
"Wait, Teacher's already here…?! Shit, shit, shit, shit—!" Her classmate managed to stand up in time as well. In unison, they greeted their professor back.
And with that, afternoon lectures had started.
"Alright, that's all for today. Make sure to do your homework, everybody." The whole class erupted with tired groans and mini crash outs in the side as their professor left the room.
"Finally, it's over!!!"
"We still have our homework to do, dude."
"Can you guys stop reminding me about that."
"The homework's gonna haunt you either way."
Around her, there were already students who had their hands caged around their heads, dropped down with their forehead touching the table. Others were simply looking out the window, completely exhausted and spacing out.
But, of course. Kohane, as always, closed her notebook, arranging all her things after finishing with her notes. The assignment's due on Friday… I think I can get it done by then.
"Oh, right. I still have to stop by the convenience store first." She stood up, bag over her shoulder, walking out of the classroom with the same energy she had when she entered it.
"Seriously… how does Kohane do it…?" Her classmate whispered, their voice sounding like someone was aggressively dragging a shovel across a gravel driveway.
Kohane made her way to the gate of the campus, exiting the premises and staring up into the sky.
The skies shone a gradient of strong blues and a soft gold, with fluffy clouds filling the spaces.
The city was bustling with people and the persistent ads on the electronic billboards. Kohane stopped to look up at one of them, the mention of a limited time peach bun catching her eye.
Her eyes sparkled as they were glued to the sight of the special snack, "That looks delicious…" She whispered to herself, completely captivated by the fluffy treat.
"Limited edition!?" A voice right behind her exclaimed in pure surprise, "And only for a month!?"
Kohane turned her head slightly to the side. A girl just about the same age as her stood at her back, head rotated completely to face the billboard above. "I don't have anyone to go with though…"
The girl's body slumped forward, losing all the sparkle and energy in her demeanor. Kohane tilted her head at the girl's sudden misery. Perhaps she was staring for too long, as the girl had turned her gaze to her.
Kohane let out a quiet, small yelp when the girl had spotted her, her blonde pigtails bouncing along. The girl hummed, "Do you need anything from me…?"
"Oh, uhm—" she stuttered, trying to avoid an awkward pause with nothing but uhms and uhs.
"Wait," the girl's eyes lit up, "are you also interested in going to that café by any chance!?"
"Eh—?" Was it that obvious? Kohane didn't know how to respond, and before she could even manage to think about one, the girl scooted a bit closer to Kohane.
A wide, contagious smile appeared on her face—as bright as the stars themselves. "My name's An! Nice to meet ya!"
Her shoulders tensed up. "I'm Kohane," a pause, "nice to meet you too…" Her voice came out quivering subtly, doing her best not to appear anxious.
"Kohane…" An tested the name on her tongue. "Kohane."
She's already said her name several times. Kohane started to get a bit more scared.
"Kohane!" She exclaimed, shouting the words as if making a new discovery. Kohane squealed softly in response. "It suits you so much! You're definitely a Kohane! You look so much just like your name!"
Her smile was too dangerous and bright, and she found herself flustered at the odd compliment about her.
"Wait, Kohane. You're a space cadet, right?" An examined her from tip to toe, mostly fascinated by the shiny, silver badge with a recognizable symbol on her uniform.
Kohane was brought back to reality as the question hit her out of the blue. Her eyes glanced over to her badge, an official metal plate from the academy with a planet engraved onto it. "Huh? Oh, yes." She nodded, her mind trying to form coherent sentences.
"Woah…! That's so cool!" She shouted, her eyes sparkling even more at her confirmation. "What's it like???"
She felt a little bit jittery at An's clear enthusiasm, although she did feel somewhat happy that someone was willing to get to know her. "Well… we just have normal classes like other schools, but we're more focused on practical combat rather than usual subjects."
She paused to think of other things they did at her Academy, humming quietly to herself. "Oh! And we also do some specialized training at times!"
An looked like a child going to the theme park for the first time at that moment. "Wowowoowowowowowowo—" That was until she realized she had been acting a little too excited.
She paused, straightening her hair, clearing her throat and trying to act "professional" and nonchalant. "Uh… So, wanna go to that café with me? I— if you're okay with that, of course!"
The way she attempted to cover up her childlike wonder was amusing to Kohane, and a quiet giggle escaped her. A light smile took over her expression, "Hehe…"
She immediately turned into a factory-sealed statue as soon as the chuckle came out of Kohane. "H— Huh…?"
Kohane stopped and glanced towards An, soon realizing she might have looked like she was making fun of her. "Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that! I just thought it was kind of funny how you suddenly did a 180…"
"Oh—" She tried reassuring Kohane, "It's not like that at all! I wasn't offended! Not at all!" She hadn't even realized she said "at all" twice.
"Uhhm…"
"Uh…"
Silence filled the air. They were completely frozen in time, even as the city behind them kept moving. The traffic light switched, billboards buzzed with songs for advertisements, and yet, the only thing they could distinguish in the sea of people were each other.
A lighthearted laugh escaped An despite the awkward situation. Kohane followed, her lips curling up into a smile infected by hers. They both beamed with softness, grinning from ear to ear.
An scratched the back of her head, a faint pink spreading throughout her cheeks. "Let's go to that café together some time, yeah?"
Kohane giggled at her flustered expression, nodding softly. "Yeah!"
Kohane slipped off her shoes and closed the door behind her, making sure it was locked before stumbling inside her dorm. "Oh, Azusawa-san. You're back." her roommate, locked onto the TV and console in hand, greeted her.
"Mhm. I am." She replied, going to her side of the room and setting down her things on the table. She got her assignments out, pen and paper ready to go as she read the first questions carefully.
Kohane stared down at her pen, the star pattern on the design subtly reminding her of a certain girl. She couldn't help but let out a soft giggle, her face lighting up.
I can get this done in a few minutes or so!
"We had homework?" the TV abruptly came to a stop, the shuffling of paper catching the attention of her roommate, "Wait, we're not in the same class…" The game resumed, unbothered by the stacks of paper on the other side of the room.
By the time the next stage of the game came up, Kohane was already done with her work. She arranged her things before plopping down on bed. The comfy mattress soothed her, and she was about to fall asleep when suddenly she had remembered.
She sat up, grabbing her phone from the table and opening the messaging app. She let herself fall down onto the pillows again, landing on her side as she navigated through her contacts. She instantly recognized a new message she received.
An-chan's probably busy… I'll have to wait a while for her to respo—
Oh. She already replied!
She laid in bed, holding up her phone to her face, her fingers ready to type something out once she had responded.
The minutes quickly passed by, text message after text message until the clock on the wall read 8:00 PM.
And with that, she turned off her phone and tucked herself into bed, her smile still in place as she did so.
Hehe… I wonder if I'll able to see her tomorrow!
The cars all stopped at the same time as the light turned red, pedestrians walking through the street—and one of them was Kohane. She beamed with excitement, the sun shining down upon her.
That day was the day she went to the café with An, so she couldn't be more happier. A few days have passed from their first encounter, and within those few days, they were able to get to know each other better.
They talked about their favorite things, their hobbies, and what happened in their daily lives. In the distance, she could see An, holding out her phone. She was probably waiting for Kohane to reply.
Without a second thought, she ran to her hurriedly, stopping right when she was close enough to her.
"An-chan!" she exclaimed, face lit up.
"Kohane! I didn't see you at all!" She put her phone in her pocket, turning to face Kohane and matching her energy.
"By the way, wanna stop by that vendor over there? They sell some trinkets and stuff!" An gestured to a little stall on the side of the street.
Her interest was piqued, and she quickly nodded with a smile on her face.
The array of several charms and keychains were presented to them, their eyes constantly looking back and forth between the different little trinkets. A pair of keychains caught the attention of An, and she slowly picked them up.
A thought crossed her mind, and she held the pair up and showed it off to her. "Let's get matching keychains, Kohane!"
Her head turned to her, the sight of the keychains intriguing Kohane. "Sure. What if we get these ones?" She reached out to hold a blue and red keychain, the tag spelling out the words Shibuya Ward.
"Ooh! Then, I'll get the blue one!" She took the blue keychain, and Kohane took the red one. It matched them perfectly.
The two of them left the stall after paying, Kohane following closely beside An, hitting her up with small talk about her day. They exchanged laughs together, sharing things about their classmates and what dumb stuff they were always up to. They eventually reached the café, making their way inside and finding a table before ordering.
Minutes later, their food arrived. Kohane's eyes were set on the peach buns, the colored dough looked just like the picture on the menu. She hesitantly took a bite, immediately being hit with a fluffy sensation attacking her mouth.
"Damn, this is amazing! It's enough to make a grown woman cry…!" She said the last sentence with an exaggerated tone, wiping a tear off her eye extravagantly.
Kohane let out a fond giggle at her tone. "You're always so dramatic, An-chan," her words were filled with amusement as she took a sip of her banana smoothie.
"Ah! By the way, is this your first time trying this café, Kohane?" An took another bite of her peach bun. "That billboard really drew you in, huh? Do you like the food here?"
She nodded cheerfully, "I've never been here before, but it seems like a nice place to stop by at and grab a bite."
"Same! My peers told me they were all going out with their other friends and I didn't want to go alone at all…"
Kohane paused. "Huh? Why's that?"
"Well…" she looked out the window, crossing her arms before looking back at her, "it's just better to go out with other people! That's all!"
Then, an idea popped up into her head. "Oh, you've gotta try that restaurant down the street as well! They've got some sick ass coffee you might like!"
"A restaurant?" She placed the empty smoothie glass down on the table, her plate almost half empty now.
"Yep! I'm pretty sure they had some incredible food too. They have a more retro theme to their interior, so I thought that was cool!" She bit down on her peach bun, savoring the fluffy taste.
Her eyes lit up as she muched on her food. "That sounds nice! I wanna see what it looks like on the inside as well."
"Right???" She enthused, finishing up her peach bun and drink. With a wide grin on her face, she directly faced Kohane, "We should totally go next time!"
"Of course!" She replied with the same amount of enthusiasm. "Let's go together, okay?"
"Definitely!"
U2FsdGVkX18XGcxWXJ5gKBkZ5UAGbZGrfFMcHW1DAjTUqGR68fH55yLlSeVSilYX
aes-256-cbc, hint: graduation
Time passed, with each day spent with each other. Their laughter blended together, sharing smiles and secrets, completely encased in their little own bubble.
Kohane looked forward to seeing An each day. It was like the world around them turned vibrant every time she was with her. She would find herself daydreaming about what they would do later that day, her eyes softening at just the thought of her.
Weeks flew by, and by then, it had already been almost two months since they first met. That day, just like any other day, she was elated to see An.
She strolled through the hallways, a soft smile on her face. Where should we go today? Knowing An-chan, she probably hasn't picked out a place yet—
A piece of paper plastered to the wall caught her attention.
It was a poster.
"Huh…?"
A Graduation Ceremony will be held at the end of the month for the Senior Students. Freshmen, Juniors, or friends are all welcome! Come join and bid our Seniors a farewell this February 28th!
Everything stopped in place. Her eyes widened, stomach dropping as her breath hitched.
After 6 years of continuous hard work, our senior students will finally be able to graduate and become official soldiers of space. There's only 2 weeks left to enjoy your time with them at campus, so feel free to spend the remaining days bothering them unless you want to do that after you've joined them!
She could hear the cheerful tone radiating off of the printed, flashy text. It was almost condescending in a way, the bold exclamation marks feeling like they were personally attacking her.
We encourage you to join the graduation ceremony and send off our dearest seniors with your friends! Cheers to the future heroes who will protect our homeland and Earth!
A lump formed in her throat.
Only two weeks left.
Two weeks.
Two weeks—
"Kohane? What's wrong?" An's voice snapped her right out of her daze.
"Eh? Oh, it's nothing…" Kohane forced a tiny smile, the act barely a curved line.
"… Kohane…"
"Hm…?"
A silence filled their surroundings.
Then, she sighed. "Nevermind… are you free on the 27th? There's a festival happening, wanna come? If that's okay with you, of course…"
"The 27th…" she repeated, her voice coming out quiet. That's before—
"Hey…" An placed a hand on Kohane's shoulder, speaking softly to her. "Is… everything alright? You've been acting pretty weird these days…"
She shook her head, "I told you. I'm okay," sliding her hand off of her shoulder gently.
"That's what you always say."
"…"
Neither of them spoke up, the air heavy.
Kohane turned away slightly, her body facing outwards from her. She picked on the skin beside her nails subconsciously, avoding her gaze.
An paused for a second, glancing at Kohane's hands on the bench. The leaves of the trees rustled around them in the wind, a deafening silence between the two.
She lifted a hand, before retracting it slowly and clenching it in place. "I'm really sorry if I'm bothering you or anything like that. It's just that…" her brows furrowed, "you seem so… out of it. Like something's wrong."
Kohane froze. She choked on her own words, unable to come up with an excuse.
An turned her head to gaze directly at her, mouth parted slightly. "Look… I'm just really worried about you, okay? I wanna know if something happened." A gentle smile formed on her face. One that radiated this kind of warmth that only An held.
Her breath hitched, eyes widening for a split second, before her face turned blank, trying to hide her inner turmoil. "I'm fine." She returned her smile, though it looked a lot more forced than hers.
"I'm free on the 27th, so I wouldn't mind going with you to that festival." She spoke more quietly, each breath of hers hesitant and tense.
"You don't have to force yourself if you don't want to—"
"I'm alright, An-chan," the smile never reached her eyes, "I promise." Her voice trembled slightly. "I just haven't gotten that much sleep because of homework, that's all."
"…" An stayed silent, gripping the sleeve of her jacket.
"There's nothing else to it." She stated.
"Trust me. Everything's alright."
Everything's alright.
That's what she wanted to believe. Even knowing her own words were just lies, she wanted it to come true.
Days flew by, their conversations on text grew shorter and shorter with each one. Kohane would always respond the same way, giving "ok"s and dry replies that forcibly ended their messages early.
It was as if time purposely sped up. Before her mind could even catch up, the day of the festival dawned upon her.
"Woah…! I didn't know there would be so many stalls to choose from!" An perked up in excitement at the sight of all the fresh, steaming food.
"Mhm. There's a lot..." Kohane replied dryly, her mind wandering off to somewhere else.
"…" Her lips were pressed into a straight line, staring at the ground before gazing back at her. "Do you wanna try anything, Kohane?"
Kohane snapped back to reality, her head turning back to An. She fell silent, face blank. "I'm not sure…" Her fists clenched at her sides, biting the inside of her cheek in thought.
Her expression turned into mild worry, before it softened as she looked at her. "Why don't we take a look around then? Something here will definitely catch your attention!"
She blinked, still in a daze as dozen thoughts swirled inside her brain. "Y— yeah! We should do that." She nodded quickly, her eyes not looking directly back at An.
She shifted her gaze again, her stare stiffening as she looked around her. Her hand kept clenching and unclenching, jaw tightening.
Her eyes glanced at all the different stalls, wondering if any would be able to cheer her up.
"Let's check that one out first!" She points to a Takoyaki stall, the steam from the grills spreading throughout the streets. The smell alone was enough to make anyone hungry on the spot.
"Takoyaki—?" Before she could properly say anything else, An grabbed ahold of her hand, dragging her right to the stall without any question.
The staff greeted them as soon as they came up to the stall, with An drooling just at the sight of the food being made. Kohane couldn't blame her, it looked very appealing after all. "Let's try this out, An-chan. It looks delicious."
"Hell yeah!" They paid for the food, the crispy, golden-brown paste and glossy, sweet glaze being highlighted by the lantern lights hanging above. They then took a bite together at the same time, the crunch making way for the soft inside that melted completely in their mouths.
"This is—"
"—the best thing—"
"—I've ever tasted!"
They both exclaimed in unison. At that moment, Kohane's lips curved up into a genuine smile. An paused to look at her, before doing the same.
She wondered how long this moment would last before it'd all fade into a memory. Her smile instantly dropped, a sinking feeling forming in the pit of her stomach.
"Kohane?" An saw her expression, her brows raising in confusion and worry. "What's wrong?"
"N— no. Everything is fine." Her entire face said otherwise. Her shoulders were tense, eyes losing the soft glow she once had.
"If you say so…" An muttered, keeping a close eye on Kohane.
The two explored the rest of the festival together quietly. The streets were bustling, and the lights all stood out against the dark sky filled with stars. Sometimes, An would throw a comment here and there, only for Kohane to respond without as much enthusiasm as her.
Her eyes were always drawn to the side, avoiding eye contact with her at all costs. She always fidgeted with her fingers and the hem of her shirt, the sparkle in her eyes completely worn out.
Soon, they reached an empty, grassy spot on the side of the hill. There was nobody else around, and they could see the whole city, as well as the starry sky, right there in front of them.
They sat down, the silence consuming them both.
"Man… this would be such a nice place to set off some fireworks, right? Too bad we don't do that anymore…" An broke the emptiness, trying to lighten up the mood and spark up a conversation.
"It's really unfortunate." she mumbled, her tone flat.
Once again, nobody said anything.
The air felt thick and uncomfortable—which was strange because their past exchanges never felt anything like this.
An took a deep a breath.
"If you have anything to say, you can say it to me."
A slow, reassuring smile spread across her face.
"I'm here to listen."
Kohane's heart skipped a beat, a lump forming in her throat at her words.
Her hands clenched into fists yet again, her brows furrowing as she dropped her gaze.
"You don't have to say it now if it's—"
Kohane stood up, her hands firmly on her sides.
An's face turned into one of confusion. "Kohane…?" She reached out to her, only to hesitate again.
"I can't stay with you, An-chan."
An froze.
"H— huh...?"
"I can't be friends with you anymore."
"W— wait!" An stood up as well, grabbing her sleeve with bewilderment in her eyes. "What are you saying…? What do you mean you can't—? I— What?" Her voice came out breathless and urgent, her grip on her shirt tight.
"I can't…"
"Why—?"
Kohane shook her head, her body tensing up.
"Answer me properly, Kohane!" She pleaded, voice cracking under the weight of panic. "You—"
Kohane shook her grip off, facing away from her. "Please don't make this harder than it already is…"
"But— What…?" She let go off her, her arms dropping to her sides. Stammering completely, her voice hesitated. It was reduced to a breathless whisper, swallowing hard to fight back the trembling.
She never said anything back, lifting her foot and walking away from her in complete silence.
"Koha—" She stretched out her arm, as if trying to reach her, only for her to be so out of grasp. Her fingers fluttered, Kohane's figure getting further and further away. "Wait… I—"
"I—"
An stopped in place, before slowly backing her arm away. She stared at the empty space Kohane stood at, with nothing of her that remained.
"At least tell me what's going on…"
A booming applause and cheering surrounded Kohane, a smile on everyone's faces as the Graduation Ceremony officially started. The blinding stadium lights, along with the radiant colors of the decorations, all stood confidently and high.
"Hooray!" everyone cheered, marching along to the trumpets of celebration. In every direction she looked, people applauded and grinned from ear to ear.
Someone was standing at the podium, merrily announcing the names of the seniors and calling them up to receive their certificates.
The music was close to making her ears burst as she drowned in the sea of laughter and celebration.
Eventually, she was called up. She managed to hear her name being announced even through the blaring instruments and cheering, finding the strength to walk up to the stadium.
Kohane took careful, slow steps to the stage, the announcer's words being slurred in her mind. She took her certificate and simply nodded to whatever they were saying, a thunderous applause that ruptured her eardrums following.
In the midst of the crowd, An wasn't there.
So many people came, and yet she wasn't there. But then again, it was all her fault from the beginning.
After that incident, she never talked to her again. She spent the night engulfed in her pillows, not once taking a peek at the notifications that buzzed from her phone.
Soon, the ceremony came to an end.
She left the building exhausted, her certificates hanging loosely from her hand, stepping down the stairs quietly and slowly.
She had to get herself together. Tomorrow was the day they'd leave for space, she had to pack her things before then.
At the start of the new month, she won't ever be able to see An again.
"Hey, Kohane!" Her classmate shouted as they approached her. She looked up at them, her eyes empty. "There's a girl with dark hair at the gate of the campus. She said she was looking for you and stuff."
"Dark hair…?"
An stood at the gate of their campus, waiting patiently for Kohane. She glanced at the watch on her wrist, letting out a sigh.
"An-chan…" A familiar voice muttered behind her, and An immediately whipped her head around to see who it was.
Her eyes lit up with hope as soon as she saw those short blonde pigtails that fluttered in the wind, "Kohane…!" She felt relieved upon seeing her, a tone of pure joy mixed in as she called her name.
"You didn't text me last night at all, and— and…" An's face fell apart when she saw those tired eyes that desperately avoided hers on Kohane's features. Her gut tightened, the smile on her face wavering.
"What happened?" She gulped, before trying to ground herself and ease the tension, "D— don't tell me you didn't sleep at all…! Has the homework really gotten that extreme?? I mean, I wouldn't be surprised—"
"You should move on already." She stated firmly, finally looking at An through the openings of the gate's design.
Her heart sank, eyes widening, mouth ajar. Then, she sniffled, dropping her head. With a quiet and shaky voice, she whispered, "Don't say things like that, please…"
Her lower lip quivered as she bit down on it, shutting her eyes tight in an attempt to suppress her tears. "Kohane—" her voice cracked, "can't we just talk this out…? I— I still don't know what's going on… Why won't you explain it to me…?"
Kohane looked away, unable to face her directly. She took a shallow breath, "I'm sorry," taking a step back.
"Don't wait for me anymore, An-chan."
With quick, urgent steps, she left the scene without saying another word.
An's world completely collapsed right then and there. She leaned against the gate, trying to search for Kohane through the openings. She wasn't there.
Her grip on the metal intensified, struggling to fight back the tears as she desperately hoped for her to come back.
She never did.
MARCH 1ST XXXX
Kohane made sure she had all her belongings before zipping up her bag. With a blank face, she heads off outside where all the other seniors were waiting.
The spaceship in front of her stood tall, its shadow looming over her. It was just big enough to fit three classes in one go.
She travelled up the stairs and into the ship, her eyes scanning the place. She then spotted her classmates waving at her, as well as an open seat next to them, and sat down.
The engines started to run, the ship vibrating slightly as it powered up.
"Kohane-chan? You look a little gloomier than usual. Did something happen?" One of her close friends, sitting next to her, asked.
She tried to lighten up her expression before answering them, "I'm alright. It's just the lack of sleep. I was really excited, after all."
"Really?" They questioned, feeling a bit skeptical of Kohane's reply. "What about that girl you were friends with? She seemed really nice, did you talk to her?"
She subtly flinched at the vague mention of An, her hands clenching into fists. She glanced at the window, looking outside as the ship prepared to launch off. "It's complicated…"
Her friend lightly scrutinized her, before their face morphed into one of worry. That was when she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Kohane looked around to see them smiling brightly. "Even if today isn't a good day, tomorrow will be a better day. Kohane-chan, no matter what you're dealing with, just remember that I believe in you!"
They shone greatly in her eyes, their words hitting her right in the chest. She nodded, "Thank you… I really appreciate it." A warm feeling spread throughout her, similar to that of—
Kohane's face softened, her heart being squeezed in her chest. Was that really the right decision? Did she really do what was best for her?
Her head leaned against the glass of the window, blankly staring at the scenery as it changes. They pass the clouds, now entering higher up.
Kohane woke up, the first thing she saw was the gray ceiling. They arrived at the space station just last night, and the jetlag was definitely not letting her off the hook. However, despite the exhaustion, she sat up and climed down the bunk bed, heading to the bathroom to take a shower.
Her roommates, which consisted of three people she didn't know closely, were still sound asleep. It looked like Kohane wasn't the only one suffering from the flight.
After she was done showering was when the three people finally woke up, although still groggily rubbing their eyes and rolling around in bed. She flicks the light switch on, all three of them simultaneously wincing at the light.
"Wake up, everyone. We all have to arrive at the orientation in time." It was clear none of them were comfortable with leaving their bed, one even mumbling 'five more minutes' which was likely a habit of theirs.
She sighed, fixing up her hair and getting herself ready as the three others were still in bed. She set up her signature pigtails and changed into her new uniform before leaving the room, searching for the orientation area.
She spotted her friend, the same person who comforted her just yesterday. The moment she saw them, she walked over to where they were at. "Uhm…"
They immediately sensed her and turned around, giving her a welcoming smile. "Oh, Kohane-chan! Are you feeling better today?"
"Ah…" She thought for a second, before saying, "Yep, a bit."
"Do you wanna go to the orientation area together?" Kohane asked, her voice coming out quiet and somewhat hesitant.
"Sure! I don't mind." They replied with a beam, their tone bubbly and excited.
A breath of relief escaped Kohane at their approval, and the two soon walked together to the orientation area.
"It's really cool how they managed to create gravity in here, isn't it? It sounds almost impossible!" They spread their arms out wide, trying to gesture towards the whole station.
"Yeah, it really is incredible." She followed their gesture, looking around at the metal that surrounded them. Her eyes landed on the window, the void staring right back at them with nothing but tiny specks of stars.
Her attention was drawn to the space just right through the window, eyes glued to the little glowing dots outside. Despite being so far away, the stars still shone ever so brightly. Just like—
Kohane's breath hitched. She shook her head, realizing that she was slightly lagging behind her friend.
They hummed as she stumbled to catch up to them. "Sorry, I got a little distracted…" She said as she caught her breath.
They smiled, "It's okay! But we should hurry to the area. They might've started by now!"
They managed to arrive just in time for the orientation, as the mic was being set up and the seats started to fill one by one as more students entered the area. The two found a spot to sit at before it started.
The clock striked 8:00, and the orientation began.
It had been a while since Kohane's debut with the other students. She stared at the same ceiling everytime she woke up, ate the same food for breakfast, did the same routine every morning, and followed the same training regimen for days.
Pressing buttons and controlling ships was practically engraved into her by then, and that was all that mattered to her.
But when she gazed outside that window, upon seeing the same starry void—something inside her would always change. An unknown, painful feeling would arise, leading to her looking away almost every time. Yet, deep inside, she knew what was wrong.
Kohane stared at the vending machine, waiting for the sandwich she bought to finally make its way to the opening. She had to do a lot of waiting, but the machine eventually did push the sandwich down.
She reached for the snack, before opening it up and sitting on the bench beside the machine. She took a bite, the taste reminding her of the time she spent on campus. When she spent her lunch break looking at the sky that she was in now.
She finished her snack and threw the foil away, dusting off her hands and continuing with her daily routine.
"Oof—!" She felt someone bump into her from behind, and upon looking back, she saw that it was her close friend. "I— I'm so sorry, Kohane-chan! I accidentally tripped, I didn't mean to!"
Kohane chuckled a bit, though it sounded a little dry. "Be careful. If you trip, the Monster's gonna get you."
"Wah—!? You're right…! I need to stop being a klutz!" They whined, eliciting a soft smile out of her.
"It's alright. I'm sure you'll adjust from the brutal training." She reassured them with a gentle smile that barely curved up.
They huffed with determination, one arm raised above their head, "Aaaalriiight! Even if the odds are against me, I'll just have to give it my all!" Her friend exclaimed, firing themselves up.
Her eyes softened at their resolve, a hint of envy growing within her at how they were able to move forward relentlessly. She glanced at the window behind them, seeing the same starry sky again.
"…" She tensed up.
"Huh?" They blinked a couple times, then following her line of sight. They looked out the window where she was gazing at, staying silent before glancing back at Kohane.
For a couple of seconds, they didn't say anything, and let her stare at the scenery in peace.
Then, they spoke, "You really loved that girl, didn't you?"
Kohane froze, shaking off the reverie. She immediately turned to them, eyes slightly widened. "… But I pushed her away."
A silence appeared between them.
"Kohane-chan," they spoke softly and reassuringly, a beam that reached their eyes forming on their face, "I think you should go back!"
She was stunned. Taken aback by their words.
"'Go back'…?" She repeated, a wave of uncertainty washing over her. "But we aren't allowed to do that. None of us can go back, and I—"
"Well, I believe you should do it either way!" Their words held an encouraging tone, their face beaming brightly, "For the girl that you love!"
For the girl that I love…?
Her gaze locked, a tiny flowere of hope blooming inside of her. "Minori-chan…"
At that moment, a fire ignited within her.
A sudden, grounding stillness anchored her even in the sea of her doubt. Her chest slowly started to burn, a warmth spreading from her core.
"I— I will! I'll do it!"
"I'll go back to her!"
The noise of the world faded, revealing only one objective in mind.
"I'm rooting for you!" Minori cheered her on, giving the biggest grin she could manage.
Kohane nodded with a fierce, unwavering look, "I won't let your hopes end up in vain!"
SEPTEMBER 19TH XXXX
"Food, water, sleeping bag…" Kohane mumbled, making sure she had everything she needed. "Maybe I need a bit more food." She looked around, searching for any more snacks she could fit in her bag.
She was about to stand up when she heard footsteps coming her way. She quickly hid behind the corner, staying silent.
"Seriously. What's the point in patrollin' around like this? It's not like nobody'll notice when a Monster breaks in or somethin'." One of the guards muttered sleepily to his partner.
"It's better to be safe than sorry. We were given this task because our seniors trust us, so we should do our best to reach their expectations. You should know that." The other guard stated, almost scolding the other.
"I know, I know… Geez. You're too serious." He shook his head.
Once the two passed by, Kohane went back to work. She put on her spacesuit helmet and checked her oxygen tank. She tiptoed across the corridors, making her way to the outside where they kept all of the ships. She moved quickly, examining all of the different spaceships in hopes she could find a usable one.
To her dismay, all of the ships were locked. "I need to find a key to this somewhere—"
"…!" She suddenly heard two people talking in the distance. Out of instinct, she padded hurriedly behind a small spaceship, holding her breath.
She could faintly hear the conversation of the same two guards, something about having to check the ships for any malfunctions and taking precautionary measures.
The footsteps of the guards slowly faded, and she let out a breath of relief now that they were further away. She went back to looking for an accessible spaceship.
Then, she realized that a ship she hadn't checked yet was just right in front of her. She walked up to it, closely examining the engines before making her way to the window that revealed the inside.
It was small, but it seemed like it could fit her and her supplies perfectly fine. She looked at the door to spot a handle, something that only older models had. Out of curiosity, she pulled on it, and the door opened.
Unlike the other ships, which were the newer ones, this one was unlocked. She paused. There's no way a working spaceship would be open for anyone to use, right?
She double checked the engines, the controls, everything. Nothing seemed to be wrong with it. It felt too good to be true.
Kohane hopped on inside, turning the system on in an attempt to conclude wether or not it was actually usable. It powered up just fine, surprisingly.
Thank you for using SEKAI2026. I am your assistant, here to help and provide you with anything.
The AI voice greeted her, the quality of the speaker and its fluency were abysmal. No doubt it was from 2026… Still, the ship was in perfect condition, and she was able to access it without a problem. What choice does she have, really?
"How much fuel is there left?" She asked.
I can't find any related answers to "How much fuel left is there?" Try asking me to:
• Turn on/off engine.
• Turn off system.
• Check temperature.
• Activate system cooling protocol
• Activate impact defense mode.
The AI's reply completely baffled her. She never knew the old models would be this shitty. A long sigh came out of her.
She leaned against the chair. For a brief while, she closed her eyes and thought of An. Her warm smile, her captivating, golden eyes—she missed her.
She sat up straight, preparing herself and steadied her breathing. "Turn on the engine."
Command received.
The engines blasted on, whirring loudly enough to hear from far away. She felt a rush of panic as she heard the two guards outside yelling something. They might have already noticed.
She put her hands on the controls, ready to take off. While the engines were still powering up, the two guards were already making their way to her. She tapped her foot on the floor impatiently, continuously looking back and forth between the window and the control panel.
They were getting closer and closer. She might not—
The light flashed, signaling it was ready. Without hesitating, she immediately pressed the launch button. The ship started to levitate, the dusty engines working itself to the core.
"Please wait for me, An-chan..."
"I'll be there soon!"
U2FsdGVkX1+HCRSRTEgKzZwjacTmiqlUs6W3JtWsDMQGQV4azGmtDLCP3jdzMdms
aes-256-cbc, hint: dots in the sky
Kohane's eyes flutter, before snapping open. She bolts right up, frantically looking around.
A clean, white room surrounds her. Beside the bed is a desk with flowers. On the other side, a window, with the glass open, letting the wind carry the curtains along.
For a solid minute, she was still in a daze. She then holds up her arm, noticing all the bandages around it, and the IV line planted in her wrist. She looks around with more clarity this time, observing the area with clearer vision.
She notices the medical devices around her. The TV was displaying news about a recent Monster appearance 500km west of the ward.
It finally clicks. She scans the area, looking for her bag or even any of her belongings. She starts moving around in bed to take a closer look at things despite the pain lingering in her body.
Then, the door to the room cracks open. "Ah!" The nurse exclaims, pausing to collect herself.
Kohane stops in place.
Another nurse passes by, "Woah, what's gotten into you?"
"She's awake!" The other nurse looks confused, before he peeks into the room.
"Ah!" He also exclaims. "Wait, aren't you supposed to tend to her!? What are you doing!? Don't just stand there!" The two nurses slightly panic together, their shock dying down quickly once they start to treat her.
"You shouldn't have been moving around like that. You do know you're in critical condition, right?" The female nurse scolds her softly, tending to her wounds and checking her vitals.
"Which ward am I in?" Kohane manages to blurt out. The two nurses blink at her, slightly taken aback by her direct and sudden question.
"You're in Shibuya." She answers.
Kohane perks up. "Which area?"
"Huh?" The nurse is taken by surprise.
"We're next to the Space Academy, if that's what you're asking." The male nurse speaks up this time, eyeing her. "You're a Monster Hunter, aren't you?"
She doesn't fold, instead, she demands from the both of them, "Discharge me. Right now."
"Aren't you supposed to be at those Space Stations right now? Why were you in the wastelands when we found you?" He presses more questions against her.
"Hey! Don't pressure her like that! I'm sure she had a good reason to come back here. Maybe she was sent to defeat that Monster." The male nurse simply scoffs. She gives him a disapproving look, silently telling him to be nice.
The nurse turns back to Kohane, her expression gentle. "Unfortunately, we can't discharge you yet. We'll have to wait a few more months or so until we can give you the green light."
"I can walk." She defends herself, face tense. "You're right, I'm a Monster Hunter. I'm used to fatal injuries. Now, let me go. There's something I need to do."
"We can't do that." He states.
She nods to his words. "That guy's right, we can't just let you—"
"At least let me see her!" Kohane shouts desperately, her gaze unwavering.
Her raise in volume surprises the two nurses. "'Her'?" They look at each other, hesitating.
"You can accompany me to wherever I'm going! I just— I just need to see her. One last time." Her voice drops into a quiet plea, shaking. "Please…?"
"This is ridiculous." The male nurse says.
"Come on. Don't you feel sorry for the girl?" The female nurse argues back, having much more sympathy than the guy. "Give her a chance. It's only this time."
He grumbles, a scowl still on his face.
Kohane eventually leads them to a University. It's where An goes. She wasn't able to visit this place that often, but just seeing it makes her heart ache.
"A school…?" The female nurse questions, now starting to be a little suspicious. "Why here?"
"Because she's here," she whispers.
The two nurses look at each other confused.
The three go inside of the campus, navigating through the corridors and stairs. With each step she took, her pace quickens, her heart starting to beat faster and faster.
They slowly approach the third floor of the building. The stairs feel obnoxiously longer, her heart racing with nervous anticipation.
Her speed picks up, slowly starting to sprint up the steps. "H— hey! You're going too fast!" The male nurse shouts.
It was no use, her mind was focused on one thing and one thing only. She starts running to the end of the hallway, extending out her arm, wanting to reach that room immediately. Butterflies invade her stomach as the door gets closer and closer.
She stops at the door, hands shaking, scared but… unable to hold back the wide grin on her face. She prepares herself to face her, already buzzing with joy at the thought of being able to meet her again.
That girl that she loves.
It's been too long. Far too long.
Every day, when she looked up at the void in that station, everytime she looked through the window, she'd always think of her.
Deep down, she never forgot about her. In every little thing she did, her presence was always with her.
She was lonely. But now…
Taking a deep breath and practically bouncing on her heels, she opens the door and barges into the classroom.
"An-chan!"
She darts around, unable to find her.
"Huh…?"
She rubs her eyes furiously before taking another look.
She wasn't there.
"An-chan…?"
A sweat drips down her face.
The stares of the students pierce directly though her skin.
A wave of dread washes over her entire body. Suddenly, she feels dizzy and nauseous. She grabs her chest, backing away from the room, muttering out a little "excuse me" quietly as she closes the door
The two nurses finally caught up to her, panting heavily. "Don't run off like that again, you—!" They freeze. "Hey, isn't she…?"
The female nurse is quick to get into action. She moves Kohane to a quiet area in the hallway, making sure she takes deep breaths and calms her down.
She slides down against the wall, dropping to the floor, eyes completely wide. She does her best to breathe steadily, trying to ground herself to reality.
"What happened this ti—"
"Shh!" She instantly shut him up, rubbing Kohane's shoulder gently as she sat next to her on the floor. They let her process everything in silence, despite not even knowing her situation.
"… Let's go back…"
Her own words hit her painfully like a truck. She doesn't wanna give up. She doesn't want it to end like this. After all that she went through… And yet, she has no choice.
An wasn't there.
The two nurses nod at her request, the female nurse helping her up. "You should comfort her too," she said to the other. The male nurse sighs before patting her back gently, saying nothing.
Was it all for naught? Did she do all this for nothing? Her heart aches, a sinking feeling pooling in her gut.
They reach the stairs, the two nurses guiding her down the steps as her vision blurs from the incoming tears. She ends up suppressing them, a quiet sniffle coming out of her.
She wraps her arms around herself, her face looking like it'll break at any second.
"Kohane…?"
Her eyes widen, her gaze lifting instantly at that familiar voice.
Standing right before her—a girl with long, dark hair, at the end of her strands are a mesmerizing blue gradiant. Golden eyes that shine like the stars, and the star clips in her hair that mimicked the galaxy.
It was An.
Kohane gasps, her face full of shock.
Everything freezes. She blinks rapidly, her hand hesitantly reaching out before gently caressing her face.
It's not a lie.
In an instant, a tear forms at the corner of her eye.
"An—" she hiccuped, "An-chan…?"
With quivering lips, her voice trembles, eyes starting to water up even more.
She blinks again, unable to stop the stream of tears that came running down her face.
She gasps for air before throwing herself onto An, immediately wrapping her arms around her in a tight embrace.
An's breath hitches, feeling Kohane's weight against her. She can feel the trembling in her body, and it makes her chest swell with emotions.
Kohane sniffles. her quiet hiccups raising in volume, before slowly turning into a full-blown cry. Her shoulders shake violently, her grip becoming desperate.
She tries to stop herself, clenching her jaw tightly. It doesn't work.
Seeing her shoulders tremble make An inhale sharply, her throat constricting as an unexpected sting burns behind her eyes.
She embraces Kohane, gently patting her on the back, her touch full of affection.
It feels… warm.
The soothing gesture and An's presence make her jagged, ragged sobs smooth out, melting into quiet sniffles as she leans into her embrace.
Her shoulders relax as her tears soak her sleeves up. She breathes deeply, her chest feeling fuzzy.
"Hey…" An started, her voice cracking up as she suppresses her own sobs with pathetic sniffles, "where've you been?" She asks, her tone soft and quiet, making sure to let Kohane know she doesn't have to answer right away.
"It's been so long." She sniffles, looking away.
Her words hit Kohane hard, the way her voice trembled as she tried to keep the tears away making her heart ache.
She hugs her even tighter, and An reciprocates it. She takes a deep breath, "I didn't want to make you sad."
An can't help but let a few tears loose at her answer, a bittersweet smile curling up at the corners of her lips. "It's okay now," she whispers.
"Although, you still have to go with me to that restaurant, you know?" She joked. Her comment elicited a small, surprised laugh from Kohane. Of course An remembers her promise. She can still recall the excitement she had on her face when she agreed.
Kohane nods, a fond beam forming through her tears. "Of course…! Let's go later today, okay?" She giggles.
"Yeah!" An grins, her heart melting at being able to see her sincere smile once again. "Don't run away this time!"
The two girls laugh together, sharing smiles just like they used to. The two nurses in the background tear up at their little reunion, relieved to see Kohane being happy after her face had earlier fell into ruins.
She's finally back. Not in another life, but this life.
Her chest burns with joy and relief. The happiness she never thought would ever return made her way back to her.
An Shiraishi. The girl she loves. She'll never abandon her again.
"I really missed you, Kohane."
"Hehe… Me too."