Fragments of Melodies

At first, Elara goes silent, staring at Akira flabbergasted.

His father didn’t care for him? How could that even be possible, that a father wouldn’t care for his own child? My own father thought I was the apple of his eye, both of my parents did, really. What kind of person must Akira’s father have been?

Elara stands there in blank incomprehension for a minute, remember all of her own pleasant memories with her family.

And why would Akira’s mother want to forget he and his father existed? My own mother thought we were precious to her before she was murdered. I am sure that she is saddened that she could not raise me past my childhood. Why would Akira’s mother want to forget all about him? What kind of person is she?

Elara suddenly realizes she is probably being rude by not answering for so long, so she nods.

But then the topic of murder came up, and then Elara just became ten thousand times more tragic in his eyes. Holy shit. Her father was going to be broken at the news. That wasn't okay. Not okay at all. So this time, it was Akira's time to grow silent. Think before you speak.

"... Hrm ..." Akira mused silently. What could you possibly say? "Maybe... just bring up happy stuff! Something like, 'I died to save the lives of many' and 'I'm happy I can at least talk to ya one more time' or maybe... uh... 'Please try your best to not let my death sadden you, but instead push ya forward in life'... 'I made so many friends here, ya would be proud'... "

The electronic sap chuckled and rubbed his arm.

Elara nods, smiling.

"Yes, Akira-sama, I do indeed have some good memories of the snow station," Elara replies. "I have made friends here. You, Spirited and Determined Makoto Inaba-sama, Anezaki-sama…I thought Mai-sama was my friend, but you know how that went.”

Here Elara furrows her brow briefly in distaste.

"Well, another good memory, if you’ll permit a jest from me, is that we caught a criminal so she couldn’t continue to harm others,” Elara observes. “I do not know what that person was thinking. I even told her I appreciated her classical music.”

Then Elara’s face twists into an expression that would seem like righteous anger, if Elara were a more emotional person, that is. As it is, her expression seems more like disappointment.

"I did appreciate learning about everyone else’s talents, that is a good memory. It will be a good discussion topic with my father, for I am sure my father will be picking me up after we arrive at our destination…"

Then Elara’s expression saddens as, in the middle of talking, she suddenly remembers that she’s dead, and thus will probably never get to speak to her father again.

So she changes the subject.

"I couldn't agree with ya more... I honestly don't understand why I was brought there, bein' that I'm not exactly an 'old' talent. But, it kinda hurts to think she felt so much distaste for me, yanno...?" he sadly chuckled. "We played the piano together. We're both musicians. Weird how some people's minds work, I guess."

Then, the musician's heart fell into his stomach. He felt so much sympathy for Elara in that second. She couldn't go home, and the first thing she thought of was her father. Did she briefly forget? Akira remained silent despite her question, but broke said silence within a few short seconds.

"... I dunno, to be honest with ya." Akira admitted, looking down at his hands. "My dad never really cared enough to bother with me, and my mom moved to the other side of Japan to try and forget he and I even existed. I honestly wonder if he even noticed I went missin'... So hopefully one of them suddenly cares enough to see me when I get back, ahaha! Maybe I'll have a fan or two there for me..."

Realizing how negative he was being, Akira shook his head and looked back at Elara.

"The other end of the transmission center was cold and dark, and my surroundings were like I were in an underground cavern somewhere," Elara replies. "I also did not immediately wake up with memories of how I had come to be there, so I could not remember who my murderer was until I woke up as a hologram here, and could only vaguely remember the method by which I had been murdered."

Unfortunately, Elara sometimes does not always notice what is in front of her when she is concentrating hard on a topic, and thus unfortunately she fails to pick up on the hint that Akira could not hear her humming her song.

"Ah, okay! Ya don't have to talk about ya murder or nothin', just in case the topic kinda veered over in that direction. I don't think I'd wanna know who it was either, cause I don't wanna think of them as a murderer now that this whole terrible thing is sorta over...! I'm kinda disappointed I didn't get to pray for ya at the shrine we built... I wonder if its gonna stay there forever in the snow!"

At her question, the musician couldn't help but crack a tiny smile. Another person who was willing to listen... if there was one positive thing he got out of this entire experience, it was that people were willing to listen to him. A nice change.

"Something mysterious, as though telling of possible secrets to uncover in outer space if one looks," Elara replies thoughtfully, stroking her chin. "But, space can also be cold and lonely to others, so perhaps with a slight melancholy touch? But, also with some brightness to the music, like eager children, constantly exploring their world, constantly exploring the universe that they are a part of, for we are stardust, as is the universe."

Elara keeps thinking.

"Hmm, what else…" then Elara shrugs. "Something that suggests to your listeners that there is always meaning we can give the universe. I apologize for being vague in my descriptions, but my parents did not frequently have electronic music around the house, so I cannot advise your SHSL talent in the detail that a wonderful person like you deserves. I apologize, Akira-sama."

Then Elara bows again, this time in apology…and then suddenly thinks of something.

"W-Woah, no need to be apologizin', Ela-chan! It's all good. I liked those descriptions. I could definitely come up with somethin' that'll fit ya with that sort of tune. If as a hologram ya somehow have a way to access the internet or somethin', ya can expect to hear it in a few months." he beamed.

As she tried to hum the song however, Akira's smile slowly drooped. It briefly became a sad memory of a smile that once was. Before this ordeal, that hum would have been perfectly audible. Now there was only faint noise.

Akira’s happiness is contagious, and soon Elara smiles back.

Yes, she remembers Akira, and she turns to Akira and bows to him, bowing low enough for her head to touch the floor…or rather, it would be touching the floor if her head were tangible and not a hologram.

"It is good to see you are alive, Akira-sama," Elara says. "I am pleased you were not murdered. Unfortunately, I am deceased, and thus cannot be as pleased as you are that I will never have to go through hell again, for I will not be able to achieve good things as a hologram either. But, you, at least, can still achieve your dreams, even if I can no longer achieve mine. Thus, please tell me, what do you plan to do now that you are free from the mutual killing game? In what direction do you plan to take your electronic music, and what do you plan to do with said music?"

Here, Elara smiles.

"Eheheh... Sorry Ela-chan." he chuckled. "These holograms are pretty damn realistic. I kinda let myself get carried away."

The musician took a deep breath, sighing and looking at Elara as she spoke. The future, huh...?

Akira barely had time to react to the entire trial. Everything was moving too fast. He didn’t even have the energy to defend himself when Sachiko made the snide remark. He was just disappointed in the reasoning. The people who became his friends had died. A few of them at least remained standing around him, but the body count outweighed this. The only thing he could react to was the mention of cameras watching the entire time, to which he nervously side-glanced Atohi.

Then it was all a blurr, those last few minutes. The yelling, the rush to get onto the skii lift. Everything. The stress of the situation caused his ears to ring and his eyes to water. He should be happy! He was going home! But… going home to what, exactly?

Certainly there wasn’t a normal life outside this ice center. Especially if the world could watch something as grotesque as this. Was his mom alright? Would everything be okay? The questions weighed on his mind as he stared out the helicopter and into the snow…

Then came Istioploia. The room was warm and inviting, and seeing everyone happily talking again… well, it definitely lightened his spirits. He had to cherish this moment, for who knows how long hope would last again after this time.

So he ran up to the first person he saw, and beamed a huge smile. Stranger or not, he was going to toss his happiness everywhere.

"Aki-kun!"

She is definitely okay with getting picked up and swung around, and it shows in the peal of laughter she gives, legs swinging in the air. When he finally does put her down, it is only long enough before she beams up at him, rubbing at her face with one hand.

"Aki-kun… I’m so happy I found you! I’m happy I’m here!"

Eventually he set her down and beamed his usual dorky smile at her.

"I'm so happy you're here too...!" he replied, noticing the hint of sadness and slowly feeling his smile mellow out.

He looked at her, held the hand free of Monomi, and just took in the moment. She looked so real... how could they be holograms...

Choko finds herself staring blanking at the Perasmata Monomi, scratching her head slightly. Still dressed in that all too familiar blue dress that she’s worn through absolutely everything - she doesn’t seem to think much of the little rabbit girls giggles and everything else. So instead she stares at the ‘system master’.

"I do—" Monobear interruption.

Heeeey, that bot looks familiar. Choko stares at him as he forcefully disconnects Monomi, choko shaking her head. However, at the suggestion they go somewhere else - yup, Choko’s all for that. Please get her out of this weird ass Perasmata place. Please. Even if it’s with all the dead kids all over again, which she suspects it won’t, she’s all for it.

Some time later…

There’s a loud thunk from one of the larger bottom kitchen cabinets on the pretty ship they’re all in. Another thump, a curse, and then Choko falls out of the cabinet, landing face first onto the floor.

"Really? I mean, uploaded data and all, but did you upload ‘worst possible places to spawn into’, like this was some sort of MMORPG?" She asks of the tile floor.

Finally she makes her way to her feet, before marching, somewhat unsteadily, into the nearest hallway. Spotting Monomi, Choko doesn’t think twice before she picks up the rabbit girl. Sorry, Monomi, you’re getting Choko-napped. Plus Choko seems to need hugs.

So he hurried out of the main room and began to search. He was on a mission. The ringing in his ears had dulled down, but he was almost certain that ending traumatic event did him in. Everything was so faint to him, but he knew he had to hear her voice one last time...

And thankfully it was in a quiet hallway.

"A-Ah! Sorry 'bout that. I'll be more careful, I'm still a little disori--"

And there she was.

"... ... ..." Akira computing... loading... loading... recovery complete. "C-CHO-CHAN!"

With all the strength he had, Akira lifted the girl into the air. Despite feeling her phasing through him juuust the slightest, it was still Choko. Same height, same weight, same everything. It wouldn't be a surprise if he didn't let go at this point of the data.

1. OPEN 2. OPEN 3. OPEN SESAME