Tale of Discovery

Chapter 18: Unknown ; Stars

"It's about time that I told you about this", resounds the familiar voice in my head.

I was in class, focusing on the lesson like all the other students when it happened. I'm a little concerned about what she has to say, but it shouldn't be something bad right?

"I've been preparing my soul for a transport.", she continues.

"In other words, I will be coming over to the Platform you're in. But, in order to do that, I need to synchronize with your body. I need the data about the Platform you're in, for the Mete to be able to grant me a body."

So, I'm expected to do something to get this synchronization she speaks of done, right? I wonder what it would be

"To have it done, I need you to directly send it over using your consciousness. It usually takes 2-7 days of collecting the data, before you go unconscious, and send me the data."

As expected. What I'm curious about is why she's coming over. This might sound insensitive to ask, but I need to,

"What's the reason you're coming over for?"

She takes several moments before she responds,

"An Unknown has appeared in the Platform you're in. Most of the time an Unknown appears, the Transported tend to have a hard time."

This only makes me even more confused

"What's an Unknown, and are the Transported someone like me?" I ask her.

"An Unknown is someone or something that shouldn't exist in a Platform. It's basically like the Rift but on a much smaller scale. Regarding the Transported being like you, that would be a yes and a no. If we're speaking in the broad sense, someone going to other Platforms then that's a yes, but not the way you do it."

"The way others are Transported over to Platforms can be detected with enough power and equipment. However, you go over directly from the Mete, which can't be detected no matter how strong and scientifically progressed the individuals in a Platform are."

I take a moment to think of all of what she just said. So, in other words, she's essentially coming over to help me. That raises the question, how strong is Juno? I directly asked her about it, to which she replied,

"Strong enough to be helpful."

She wouldn't specify how strong she is no matter how much I asked her, so I gave up. I then asked her about when I should start the data collection she mentioned earlier. She said that I can do it immediately, which I did. I mean, the sooner I have a helper, the better, right?

"I need to warn you that you will be losing your consciousness no matter what you do and the process can't be stopped.", she said in a heavy tone.

Oh no. That doesn't sound good. Not at all. In fact, all I have is a bad feeling about this. I imagine being in the middle of a battle, and what she just said happening Yeah, that doesn't sound good at all.

------

Today was surprisingly uneventful. Once school is over, I directly head over to Ayumi's school building. I use my senses and feel her presence along with three others.

Suddenly, I feel a dark presence. Having never experienced something like this before, I immediately dash inside. I come to an abrupt stop in front of Ayumi and her friends, startling them.

I first take a look at Ayumi, once I'm sure that there isn't anything wrong with her, I look over to where I felt the dark presence. I see a girl about Ayumi's age. There isn't anything remarkable about her. She just stood there and looked back at me.

I focus my senses only to find out that I can no longer feel the dark presence.

"What are you doing, Brother Yu?", Ayumi asks me as she pulls on my shirt.

I immediately look her way and put everything else behind me as I smile and pat her head. I focus my senses once more while still patting Ayumi's head. Nothing. Was it my vigilance acting out?

Slightly shaking my head, I tell Ayumi,

"Let's go home together."

Ayumi agrees without any second thought and bids farewell to her friends before seizing my arm. I'm not even surprised by her antics anymore. No matter when and where we are, Ayumi manages to make me smile from the bottom of my heart.

"Brother Yu, you know today"

She begins to tell me about her day at school and talking about her friends. As she's talking, I realize that she basically doesn't have a negative view of anything at all. It's like she can't think negatively at all.

That might be a roundabout way of calling her naive, but it only adds to her cuteness. Another thing I noticed, is that the recent events have taken their toll on her mentality, as I see her eyes looking around from time to time, anxiety visible on her face.

I reach my hand out and lightly place it on her face, attracting her attention towards myself. Then, I use my other arm to embrace her. She hugs me back immediately while saying,

"Brother Yu, you are happier now. You always seemed to be sad, but now you don't."

Wow. How depressing your existence must have been for even Ayumi to take notice of it, 'Yu Otosaka'. It doesn't matter. Now that I've taken over you, everything that you failed to achieve, I will achieve. I will take good care of Ayumi as a proper brother should.

------

"Brother Yu, wake up!", the cheerful voice of a certain angel calls out to me in my sleep. I open my eyes and the first thing I see is Ayumi in a soft tunic yellow shirt and a black skirt. She's wearing a white apron on top and has her long hair tied, making it look way shorter than it is. I suddenly grab her arm and pull her to myself. Ayumi yelps at my sudden act. Not giving her an opportunity to say anything, I begin to lightly tickle her, which makes her burst into a fit of laughter.

"Stop, Brother Yu sto..p tick...ling meee.." she says while laughing, I stop tickling her, and just hug her for a while. After several moments of deliberation, I ask Ayumi,

"Ayumi, you like gazing at stars, right?"

In response to my question Ayumi lets out a loud "Um!".

"How about we go visit an observatory once we have the time to?" I inquire. She immediately responds,

"Yes! Brother Yu, let's go together! Ayu has studied stars and will show you how much Ayu knows!"

Surprised about her declaration, I blink my eyes several times before I laugh a little myself and say to her,

"Sure. Let's see how much my little Ayu has learned about stars."

I lightly peck her on the cheek, making her giggle slightly before she suddenly says,

"Ah! Ayu has prepared dinner. We need to go before it gets cold!"

She then gets up and waits for me to do as well before dragging me over to the kitchen.

"Today, I have made the special steak!"

Oh no.