Part 67: Comparing Answers (Again)

BGM: Powerless


06/18 (MON), Morning
The fog in my consciousness gradually begins to dissipate. I sense someone nearby.



Now that we're past the first Bad End, choices aren't nearly as important in a broader sense, as it's more about specific choices that determine how the events go from here on out. That being said, this choice doesn't really impact anything. As such, I'll just show all three answers.

-Naomi

Naomi...?

Hoping to see Naomi, were you? Well, I'm not quite sure if that's only because it's this specific morning...

-Mao

Mao...?

Ahaha. You must have been having an odd dream. Perhaps I should be happy for you if you have such a luxury right after an election.

And now, for the final answer...

-Miharu
Miharu...?

I'd like to believe I heard right. I'd be incredibly happy if so, hehe.

Wh-Whoa...

BGM: Miharu


Good morning, Rinka.

Huh...? Why are you here?

The first thing I see upon waking up is Miharu. She's in her school uniform, all ready to go.

That's a simple question. I'm the one who carried you back from the train. The press would've swarmed you if I took you to the hospital, especially once they figured out that you're a student at Amecha. I couldn't let you go through that. I figured the world would do its thing after a day had passed, so it wasn't all that bad.

How did you know I was on the Yamanote line?



My little alliance with Scale and them proved to be useful. I'm still not sure if they're trustworthy or not, but Scale's intel has been spot on, at least.

She slips in an extra comment about how she should have made her way over quicker.

Did you spend all night by my side?

...I did have to go home and fetch my things, but yes. I couldn't leave you alone in your state.

That's a relief to hear. Thanks...

That's my line, you know. While I got to see you were okay in the Court of Fate, part of me was still worried you wouldn't wake up again.



I'm not sure what went on while I was unconscious, but it looks like she did what she could to keep me out of trouble. And here I was worrying about the possibility of my real body being taken to a hospital. Waking up in my own room helps me to settle down a bit. I'm a bit sore all around, but other than that, I seem to be fine. Thus, there's only one thing left for me to worry about.

You must be wondering how things have changed. Yu's actions had a big influence on the world at large, but things right now are different from what took place. I haven't had the time to figure it all out, but I can tell you what I know so far.



But you should get ready for school first. We've still got plenty of time, but the explanation will take a while.

Following her advice, I get ready and make my way downstairs. It should be easier to talk things out down here.

…

BGM: Lion House Cafe


As always, I make some coffee for the both of us. There's still an hour left before we have to leave. Guess I woke up early thanks to all the rest I got.

It's been quite a while since we last got together like this.

Ever since I lost the will to go on... And it was thanks to Mao coming over and the idea of you doing all you could that got me back on track.

I can hardly blame you. Besides, I may have done all I could, but you were the one who accomplished what you set out to in the end.

Naomi's death. That's gotta be what she's about to talk about. Miharu takes a deep breath before she starts.

BGM: He Reveals me the Answer


First and foremost, yesterday's incident... It's become a case of sudden combustion due to unknown circumstances. A lack of proper maintenance on the rail lines and their deterioration over time, I guess. The case at Tokyo Tower has been completely undone, it seems. Who knows what happened to the memories of all those who watched Yu's stream.



It's entirely possible that there will be cases like Naomi, who still dream about the events that were undone. We're best off asking Mao. She's more likely to have watched the stream than not.



Based on all that, we can surmise that while Yu's actions themselves disappeared, the physical changes caused by them remain.

Just like with Keiko...

The letter she gave me is a prime example of that. What she had written disappeared after her elimination. The action of her writing a letter had been undone. I have a bad feeling about this. If the changes to Naomi's body are classified as a physical change, then-

Don't tell me...

Calm down. Let me explain things in order.



Going back a bit further, it turns out the major players in NULL's Japan branch were all arrested after reports of suspicious objects being found in Shibuya. That occurred after Yu's initial attack on the Yamanote line had been undone by Divine Selection.

The organization itself was already reaching a breaking point, and then one of their operations failed and resulted in the disappearance of the perpetrator. That led to an insider leaking information and causing them all to get arrested.

That's been undone, too. Rather, the timing itself has been changed. They were arrested right after Golden Week, which just so happens to coincide with the causality juncture. All of this, due to an insider leaking information out of fear of what a young member of theirs had done.

So the attack itself actually happened...

Yu's cause of death has become reality once more. That means he's already dead at this current point in time.



His attack only resulted in a few injuries, though. The only one to die during it was the boy himself, who I refer to as such because he hadn't been given the name of Yu at that point.

Makes sense, considering I'm alive. If my memory of the incident is right, though... other people died along with me, so something doesn't add up.

The explosion took place in the middle of a packed train. The only way no casualties would emerge from that is through a miracle. Granted, you could probably call Divine Selection and its alterations to fate a type of miracle.

That's likely due to you. Fate had to force its hand to keep you alive, I'd assume.

So if I die, then...

The sea of flames pop into mind once more. Her theory makes sense. All the same, that's not what I'm interested in right now. I'd made it a point to settle things with fate. I want to know the results.



So... what happened to the attack on Amecha?

I hear myself gulp in anticipation. I have a bad feeling about it, but I also don't doubt myself. If I do, then-

The attack on Amecha on the day of the culture festival has been undone. However, the classroom being used as storage for the festival burst out in flames in exchange.

Wait a minute! If something still happened, then...!

My breathing grows ragged all of a sudden. It almost feels like my heart has completely stopped.



Even though that happened, there were no casualties.

H-Huh...? Then...

My pulse returns to normal when I hear that. The sudden fluctuation leaves me a bit lightheaded. If there were no casualties, then Naomi didn't lose her life. Which means she's alive... Naomi's alive...! Miharu seems less than enthused, though. It doesn't take long to figure out why.

The fire itself still happened, so it's entirely possible that she's been left badly burned or suffering from other complications. The news didn't go into detail. And, well... it's a bit pathetic of me, but I'm a touch scared to learn the truth. I didn't have it in me to call either Mao or Naomi, just in case something had happened.



I wasn't even sure how to ask them because I still don't know the results of your efforts.

Oh, is that it? You don't need to worry about that. So long as she's alive, I'll make sure she's happy.

Heh. You really are strong-willed, aren't you?

Not at all. I never would've been able to do any of this without the help of others.

I won't challenge that line of thinking, even if you've helped to confirm the fact that you're the one who deserves to live through all this.

That's not quite the right way to put it.

Miharu reacts by giving me a puzzled look. I decide to explain myself.



It's not about who deserves to live. It's about who has the will to do so.

So... I take it you're determined to live through this now?

Yup. I have no issue embracing that desire now. There's one more thing I've decided on besides that, though. It's the possibility that Sonya told us about. The one I'd forgotten thanks to everything that happened with Naomi. Let me say this loud and clear, Miharu. Both of us are going to-

BGM: Lion House Cafe


Meow.

Oh, c'mon... Read the atmosphere!

Just as I'm about to give Miharu a big determined speech, a listless voice interrupts. It's none other than Lethe, of course. Pretty unusual to see it walking around in the morning. It makes its way over to the table we're sitting at before planting once more.

Why, hello. I believe this is our first meeting.

Huh? Is it really?

I've heard you talk about your cat plenty, so it doesn't feel like the first time.

Ahh... There goes all my energy.



That's enough for now. You should take this chance to settle down after all that you've gone through. But I must say...

Hmm? Something up with Lethe?

Oh, the cat's name is Lethe. Right... It sounds awfully familiar for some reason... Heh. Perhaps I'm just taken by how unusual a name that is. Do you mind if I pet it?

Huh? I thought you weren't good with animals.

Well... I just don't like them. Even so, this cat's probably been supporting you along the way. In that case, it only makes sense that I show it some gratitude.

Miharu extends her hand toward Lethe, nice and slow. You can tell she's not used to dealing with them.

Come on. No need to worry.

Yikes!

BGM: Silence
It's not often that you get to hear Miharu shout in surprise. It has me grinning at first, but I come to regret that pretty quickly.

*thump*



Miharu!

She falls off her chair before she can pet Lethe and crashes onto the floor.

Are you okay? Sorry... I shouldn't have egged you on.

Oh, it's not your fault... I got dizzy when I reached down and I ended up falling on my face.

I help her back up to her chair. Her body's far more slender than I had imagined, but it's also so soft.

What in the world... happened...?

Haha... Maybe your body's just instinctively trying to avoid animals. C'mere, Lethe. Lemme get you some food and water.

BGM: Lion House Cafe
Meow.



The smell of the food seems to do the trick, as Lethe meanders off to the backyard.

Sorry about that. I'm fine. Getting back on topic, the gist of things is that we won't know how Naomi is until we see her.

Right. You got up way earlier than me to check all that out, huh? I'm grateful. I'll be satisfied just knowing she's alive.

Yeah... Seeing you smile like that satisfies me, too. We should probably head to school soon, though.

We both make our way to school once I wash up the mugs we used.



Oh yeah, what happened with school anyway? Hopefully fate didn't make it so that we skipped a whole week.

Oh, I forgot to mention that. It closed for a week after the fire incident, so... not much different from the events we went through.

Good to hear. Let's get going, then.

We take in the clear blue sky while we walk toward Amecha.