July-SY102
Returning to the hotel after robot exhibition event, Dad told me and Mom to go back to Leyford City. He said it’s emergency situation and he is likely going to be busy and won’t have time to meet us for a while.
Dad already booked a flight for us. We will be going tomorrow morning.
“Please take care, Dear.”
“Yes, you too. Also take care of Sena.”
After saying goodbye, Dad went off to work again.
I look up news sites to see how the government explained mysterious monsters and robot appearance at the exhibition. But instead, I found much more surprising things.
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[Appearance of Another Japan]
(14.30 July-13-SY102)
Today afternoon at around 14, there was sudden appearance of an island chain identical to that of Ryukyu Island Chain of Japan just few hundred kilometers to the west of South African Coast. According to an anonymous source privy with the investigation, it’s said that this ‘Another Japan’ almost exactly mimic current Japan at first glance.
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[Kaijuu Appeared on Shore of Tokyo]
(16.07 July-13-SY102)
Today afternoon at 14.11 was appearance of several giant monsters, or usually referred as Kaijuu, at a robot exhibition event in Tokyo New Olympic Park. Fortunately with the heroic act of several employees of West Pacific Security, the Kaijuus did not cause much destruction over the area.
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[Whole Continent of Africa is Shrouded with Black Fog and Inaccessible from Outside]
(17.40 July-13-SY102)
As of this time since 14.01, almost if not whole of African Continent is rendered inaccessible even to electromagnetic probing. Optically, it appears as if it were shrouded by black fog. However any drones sent inside suddenly appeared out of range with its controller and permanently lost inside. Few groups of people attempted to explore inside, but no one has yet to come back.
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[Visitors from Parallel World: Sudden Appearances of Animals, Humans, Mountains, to Whole Cities Around the World]
(18.09 July-13-SY102)
Today afternoon at 14. Sudden appearance of animals, people, mountains, to whole cities in various parts of America and Eurasia. Witness’ statements are consistent in that their vision were enveloped in bright flash right before seeing the sudden appearance of these ‘visitors’. The human ‘visitors’ apparently speak in the same language as with each locals. According to the ‘visitors’ version of the story, rather than them who suddenly appeared, it is the local from our ‘side’ that suddenly appeared. Their story mirror our locals who witnessed these sudden appearances of the ‘visitors’.
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[Space-Time Quake, Parallel Worlds Merging, and Appearance of Kaijuu. Is it the End of the World?]
(19.11 July-13-SY102)
Experts consensus that anomalies at various points of space-time is the main cause of today many coinciding anomalous phenomena. It was apparently a great space-time quake resulting from spacetimes of different parallel worlds colliding against each other (including our own). The collision of these parallel worlds also caused the merging of these parallel worlds, and the appearance of animals, humans, kaijuu, mountains, to whole cities around the world. It’s also likely the cause of Africa being inaccessible from outside for the time being.
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What was that…? Space-time quake? Another Japan?? Parallel worlds merging??
I took my time to digest every headlines I just read.
“What… does it mean..?”
Does it mean there will be more mecha worlds fusing with this one?
To be honest, at first, I’m a little bit excited at the prospect. But thinking further, it’s actually something really bad. More fused worlds, more potential threats destroying the world.
Calm down me. First, I need to summarize what happened and proceed down from there.
First, a space-time quake resulting from different worlds merging. It might be incorrect and self-centered but considering the appearance of mecha robots from [Full Mechanical Athlete], [Super Heavy Bodyguard - The Big Protector], and [Setter Robo] in the supposedly [Solar Angel] world so far, might be a good indicator that the merging worlds are all mecha-centric worlds, or at least worlds where mecha stories, from previous Earth, was set.
Then I should try to find out what these mecha worlds are, and try to identify potential threats.
After that..?
Can I stop them even if I know what will happen…?
Won’t the protagonist from each original work put a stop to the disaster?
Maybe I should let them do all the work, but…
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As I was considering on what should I do, someone tapped my shoulder.
“Sena.”
“M-mom…?”
“Are you alright?”
“Eh?”
“You were thinking so hard. I mean, you often think hard by yourself, but this time it seems especially harder than usual.”
“Does it look that way…?”
“Hmm~” Mom gently caresses my hair. “It even shows on your face right now.”
“Ah, um… I’m just a bit anxious.”
“I see… was it scary?”
“U-un. A bit.”
“I see, so you are scared after all. After all you are still a child. It’s fine to rely on Dad or Mom at times like these you know. There there.”
Mom probably think I got traumatized with the monsters appearance. That probably would be the normal thing to do. But I don’t know why, instead of scared, I felt a little bit excited.
But, when I think further that those might be the precursors to a more disastrous things in the future, considerable threat to my important people, then I started to get anxious.
“By the way, Reo just called in, you know.”
“Really?”
*Nod* “Hmm. She sounds really worried after I told her what happened. Shouldn’t you call her back?”
“I should?”
“Don’t you want to tell her that you are fine now? You don’t want to worry her do you?”
“... Un.”
“Then here.”
Mom hands over her ID to me. I then put it over my ear.
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“Is this Sena?”
“Un”
“Sigh… it’s really Sena. I was really worried.”
“You were?
“Of course. When I heard SWena was there when giant monsters appeared, I think my heart stopped a bit. I see.. so Sena is all fine… right?”
“Un. I’m fine.”
“I see… it’s great there was nothing bad happened. I’m really really relieved.”
“Were you worried…?”
“Un”
“I see..”
“Un”
“I see..”
“...Face...”
“Face…?”
“I want to see Sena’s face. Can I see it now..?”
“Eh…? Okay?”
I change the calling mode from voice-only to video call.
On the screen I see Reo’s face.
“Ehehe… So it’s really Sena.”
“You didn’t believe it was me?”
*shake shake* “Uhn~ I just wanted to make sure that’s all. Making sure Sena is fine.”
“I see… un *nod* I’m alright. There is nothing to worry about, Reo.”
*blush* “Un”
After that we chat a bit, mostly on each other’s holiday.
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“Ah, Mama is calling me. Sorry, but can we talk again tomorrow?”
“Un.”
“Then good night, Sena.”
“Un. Good night too, Reo.”
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As I thought, I at least want to do something.
Beside even if each protagonists from original works could stop destruction happening in their own world, now that different worlds are merged together. The premise would be entirely different.
For example, what if two villains with similar or even same goal appeared?
Can protagonists from the original works work together to stop them?
Not to mention, the space-time quake itself. What if there are villains outside from original works that caused it? Who will stop them?
Of course someone will eventually try to stop them. But is it fine to choose to be just a bystander?
For example if I know someone is going to die, when their death should be preventable if you know the cause or what happened.
Am I just going to watch them die needlessly?
Of course you might argue acting would cause a butterfly effect and might turn various protagonists stop short from preventing world destruction by villains.
But if a protagonist suddenly fear a villain just because of a flap of butterfly wings, he is not worthy being the protagonist at all.
Protagonist is someone who changes the world, not one who is changed by the world.
Also, I’m already existing here now in this world. The future will still be uncertain even if I don’t do anything. So rather than just being someone who is washed away in waves of uncertain future, I will grasp my own future.
After all I’m given a second chance, at least I don’t want a regret in this one.
At least in this one, I want to be a protagonist too.
Reo’s POV
The call just ended. I was so panicked when I heard Sena was in monster appearance scene. Thankfully nothing bad happened. If something happened…
Un. Let’s not think anything like that. Nothing bad happened. That’s it. Period.
Fufufu, and Sena was so cool today too. It’s not like usual where he’s a bit aloof and mysterious, but this time he was so determined in something. Unn… what was his feeling again…? Wanting to protect something…?
How do I know?
Un.. it’s actually my ability. Somehow I can read what other people are feeling a little bit. When it was entrance examination, I was identified as telepath esper. I was also identified as possessing a rare ability among telepath espers, empathy sharing. Especially when the other side was ‘making connection’ to me, like when calling my name, I can somewhat read what they are feeling.
Sena somehow is not really fond of calling other people by name. It’s always you, him or her. I don’t know why though, but because of that at first I have a really hard time understanding him. Though in the end I finally had him calling my name. However, even after that, there is still like something hidden.
Un, it’s the first time I see another kid whom I can’t read. He is even more mysterious and harder to read than most adults I met.
Sena is so fascinating~
“How was it? Though judging from your grinning, everything seems to be alright, Reo.”
“M-mama??”
“What are you getting flustered for? Funny child.”
Mama approaching me from behind. Huh, since when was she there?
Mama somehow always able to sneak behind me. I’m usually very alert of my surrounding and can even know if there is a single ant near me. So, I can always find anyone sneaking behind. But somehow Mama alone is someone who can easily hide her presence from me.
“I-it’s nothing! Also please stop eavesdropping on someone else, Mama. That’s bad habit!”
“Eh~? Why not? I’m just observing my daughter’s growth. It’s nothing bad at all. It’s to make sure my daughter is growing properly.”
“I’m growing properly!”
“Ahaha. I can see that, Reo. Reo is growing properly. Especially mentally.” *Grin*
“M-mama??”
Mama is also someone who is really hard to read. I mean a lot of adults are hard to read, but Mama is particularly so.
“...”
“W-what?”
“Nooothing~ I’m just happy that my daughter seems to be growing properly. Though I do feel like she is growing a bit too fast.”
“H-hump! I’m going to bath now.”
“There you go running away~” *Chuckle*
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Sena’s POV
About a week after returning from Japan. I’m in living room together with Reo who came to ask me about her homework. Mom is resting in her room, while Milly is going out for an errand.
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“Sena, this. Explain this.”
“Mnn? Ah, water cycle?”
“Un”
“Hmm, where should I start from? For starter, can you tell me what you do know, Reo?”
*Raises hand* “None!”
“Okay, let’s start with the words. What is water?”
“Something to drink when I feel thirsty, and feel really refreshing. I need it when bath too. And then--”
“Okay okay, that’s enough. Do you know what cycle means?”
“Unn? Something that adults ride on top with two wheels?”
“Huh? No, not that cycle.”
“...?”
“I guess you really know almost nothing then. Hmm, let’s start with water cycle right away then.”
“Un!” *Stare* “...”
“Ahem. So, Reo, when you take a bath where do you think the water come from and where will they go after you finish taking a bath?”
“Unn… from faucet? Then they went into the hole on the floor.”
“Okay, let’s focus on the water that went into the hole on the floor first. Where do you think it goes after that?”
“Um… they disappear?”
“Where to?”
“Another dimension!”
*Phat* “Ouchie”
I hit her with paper that was folded into a fan. Yes, that legendary boke and tsukkomi act(1). I had wanted to try it at least once in my life. I didn’t have any chance to try that in my previous life, but now finally.
“What was that…? Muuuu, Sena so mean..” Reo is clutching her head, even though it should not hurt at all, since I tested it on myself before.
“Please answer seriously.”
“But I answered seriously!” *Pout*
“No, there is no way it went into another dimension. Isn’t that obvious?”
“Eh? But don’t people came from another dimension too?”
“Huh?”
“I heard it on news that people came from another dimension. So water can too right?”
“No, that is. Well.. that’s possible..”
“See~?”
“No, but normally it doesn’t work that way. Things don’t just randomly appear and diswappear from and to another dimension. If it’s like that…”
If it’s something like that it will be really horrible.
Things will get broken, people will get separated with loved ones, unstable physics can even destroy the world.
Yes, there is no way something like that will…
Why?
Will it really happen?
No way...right?
We won’t get separated right?
People won’t suddenly disappear...right…?
Why I can’t convince myself?
Something absurd like that…
“Sena, what’s wrong?”
“Eh…?”
“Sena suddenly went quiet.”
“Eh, I did that?”
“Un”
“Sorry, sorry. Where were we again? Ah, water cycle was it?”
“Is something wrong?”
“N-no. It’s nothing.”
“Lies”
“It’s not.”
“Sena is lying.”
*Sigh* “It’s nothing important really.”
“But, Sena is thinking really hard about it. And… really anxious.”
“...”
“Sena don’t want to tell…?”
*Sigh* “It’s just… I don’t want people to suddenly disappear in front of me. That’s all.”
“I don’t want anyone to disappear. Dad, Mom, Ms. Greta, Vivi, Mari, everyone in class, and.. Reo too… if anyone were to suddenly disappear I…”
“We are going to stay together.”
“Nn?”
“I’m not going to disappear. And we will always together.”
“Is that so?”
“Un. It’s a promise. We will always stay together, Sena.”
“I see… Un. Everything is going to be alright.”
“Right~?”
Yes, everything is going to be alright.
Everything is going to be alright, and I can keep seeing this smile.
I will make sure of it.
