Part 133: A new enemy appears
I stand still in the lab as usual. My brain feels like it's been pinched. I endure it while looking at my watch.
1:47 PM. Kurisu's almost done with the Time Leap Machine, and Mayuri's almost done with Rukako's costume. They should both be done in about 10 minutes.
Let's confirm what I should do from here.
Cancel all the D-mails sent so far that changed the past. Of course, that includes D-mails that people besides me sent. The specific D-mails that activated Reading Steiner... I sent several for the experiments. For example, Part 2 of Operation Urd - the LOTO SIX experiment - counts.
The problem is what other people sent. Mayuri, Kurisu and Daru didn't send any mails that affected Divergence. Daru sent the strategy to win the Faris Cup to himself in the past, but Reading Steiner didn't activate. That's what I remember. So, I should consider that three remain.
The problem among these three is the last one, the one Faris sent, since I don't know its contents. I can't send a cancellation D-mail.
Faris's D-mail brought a dramatic change to Akiba. All of the moe shops disappeared. That might be a hint. Since I'm the only one who remembers how things were before and after the past changes, I can't get an answer from Faris herself even if I ask her, but I still have to at least try.
The call tone echoes in my eardrums, but there's no sign the line connected.
"gh...!"
In a hurry, I press the End Call button and open up my mailbox. I'll write Faris a mail.
I send the mail. Afterwards, I keep waiting, staring at the mail screen.
I send three mails and try directly calling four or five times, but 30 minutes pass without a single response. Without hiding my anger, I storm off towards Faris's house.
When I arrive, I'm soaked with sweat. Lately I've done nothing but run, so I know the limits to my physical strength. I need to work on that a little more.
This apartment complex is self-locking, so I have to enter the corresponding room number in the lobby to call. I enter the number for Faris's home and a calm man's voice immediately replies.
Judging by the voice, it's not her dad, but her butler.
"Um, I am Okabe. I would like to see Fari... I mean, Rumiho."
"Then, where is she now?"
"I've come here before, haven't I?"
He's trying to bluntly break the conversation, so I say something in a hurry.
"P-Please wait! I would like to contact Faris right away, but my calls and mails won't connect!"
For an instant, magma seems to spout from my stomach. I almost lose it. You inflexible geezer!
I leave the lobby.
Faris won't respond to my calls or mails, either. Just where could she be?
Going underneath the white heat of the sun, I suddenly get an idea.
"Hello, Okarin?"Hmm? It seems awfully noisy on the other side of the phone, but I don't care about the details.
"Daru, do you happen to know where Faris is now?"
"Faris?""I want to contact her, even for just a second!"
"Right now's impossible, you know?""Just tell me where she is! You should have a complete understanding of places Faris would go, right?!"
"I do know where she is.""Where?! Where is she?!"
"UPX's assembly hall."UPX... I look above my head. I'm standing right in front of UPX.
"The assembly hall, why...?"
"RaiNet AB GranCham?"
"Short for RaiNet Access Battlers Grand Championship, durr. It's the final match of the tournament of RaiNetters all over Japan. Faris is participating. By the way, Faris was this year's winter Grand Championship winner, so she's the defending champion. She's going to be in the final match.""Final... match?"
"And I'm at the assembly hall, currently spectating. Well, Faris isn't dueling now, though."So that was it.
"I'm heading over now. What floor?!"
"Do you have a ticket, Okarin?""No I don't, but I can manage, right?!"
"That's impossible. Security's pretty strict. Seems like there were terrorist threats posted on @channel. Pretty sure you can't get in, Okarin.""Then come out. I'm in front of UPX. I want you to lend me your ticket."
"I refuse. It'll end at 4, so you can wait until then, can't you?""H-Hey! Daru! Daru!"
That inflexible bastard...!
It's unavoidable. Looks like I'll have to wait, like Daru said.
Mostly parents with children, but there are also men and women in their 20's and 30's. Feels like the customer base is scattered. There are cosplayers and people carrying RaiNet paper bags and goods, so they look like the type who would watch the grand championships.
Why won't she pick up...! My irritation reaches its peak. I tell myself to calm down, but I don't listen. Since I've been hit by so many unreasonable fates, I'm about to explode from frustration.
While pacing back and forth, I check out the faces of the returning spectators. I'll try calling Daru again.
If it's come to this, I just have to swallow my pride.
"Excuse me..."
I approach several men gathered near UPX's entrance. With tattered leather jackets and lots of silver accessories, they don't look like the sort of people you usually come in contact with.
"Do you know where RaiNet Champion Faris is?"
They suddenly give me dangerous looks.
"RaiNet Champion Faris? Pff, you guys hear that?"He jerks his chin to his possy surrounding him from behind. Snobby, unpleasant laughter resounds. There was also clanking, but this isn’t the time to mind that.
"If you know, I'd like you to tell me."
When I ask, the man starts grinning.
