Part 168: Physical endurance is pitted against mental endurance

"Nothing... has... changed?"

"Eh? What? What do you mean?"

Why isn't anything changing?

Why is it the same as before Moeka sent her D-mail?

Moeka should've used a D-mail to stop herself from changing models. In that case, Moeka shouldn't have this latest phone, the GG01. Since the model didn't change, it's true that she changed it back then.

"No way... did that woman..."



The D-mail Moeka sent wasn't about stopping her model change?!

Then that explains everything. Why none of the D-mails I sent changed the world line. How the D-mail Moeka sent is related to the IBN 5100.

"She dared mock me...!"



It's clearly different from the hands pounding on the door earlier. Some hard, heavy thing seems to be pounding on the door. I rush away from the door. The door shakes, and then begins to bend. It was that great of an impact.

"That's just wrong..."

At least she didn't take out a gun. But still, I want to run away. I don't want to get involved with this woman. What sort of expression is Moeka making beyond that door? Just thinking about it gives me chills.

I don't like it, but I can't run away in these circumstances. I need to face Moeka and wring the information out of her. The contents of the D-mail she sent. Moeka should remember it, since Faris and Rukako did. Moeka should surely remember, too.

I don't want to go... My teeth grind at my misery. They tremble with a chatter. I thought I had won when I snatched her phone! In one move, I got knocked into a disadvantage.



"...Cristina."

"There was a loud sound. Are you okay?!"

"It looks like Moeka's D-mail wasn't about changing models."

"What do you mean?!"

"Most likely, she changed the contents right before sending it. That's why the world line wouldn't change no matter what I did."

"What about the arrival history? It might still be in there."

"Arrival history..."



The contents of Moeka's D-mail are unknown, but one thing was clear before she sent it. I saw her phone shining purple.

"How careless of me. I'll check!"

If Moeka didnt change phone models, then that actually makes this easier... but it was too naive of me to think I could find it so quickly.

Moeka didn't use her phone half-heartedly.



They're mostly all from FB. Occasionally, my mails are there, too. Even if I look at just the titles one by one, I don't have enough time... and these violent sounds are getting me in a hurry.

"...Cristina, I seem to be in a little trouble. If I mess up, I'm leaving the rest to you."

"Go away and boil your head! Sometimes it's also important to run--"

I hang up.



She glares at me, but when she sees the magnitude of the shock to the door, the lady stares in wonder and quickly returns to her room.

I'm no longer holding the door back, so she could open it, but Moeka doesn't even seem to realize that. She's just so fixated on getting her phone back, she'd destroy her own door. I don't have the time to leisurely check her mail history...

I return the phone to my pocket and stand beside the warped door. I carefully grip the doorknob. I time it between sounds, and forcefully open it.



It crashes into the passageway fence, making a fierce noise.

"Okabeeeee...."

I get goose bumps from that abnormal screech that seemed to arise from the bottom of the earth. Standing near the entrance is Moeka. She had thrown the table at the door. I flinch. My knees tremble. But I still prepare myself.

I enter the room, closing the door behind me. I can't fully close it, probably because it's warped. I give up locking it.



Moeka glares at me while her body shakes. First, I need to restrain this woman again. This woman, who can mercilessly destroy her own door if it's to retrieve her phone. This woman, who can mercilessly murder when ordered to. It's too dangerous to let her be.

I can win if it's a matter of strength, so I can restrain her. I can't waste time. If my mind's made up, let's not waste another second...!

I force away fear from my heart and kick off the ground. An overbearing charge with no thought of stopping.

Our bodies collide. Moeka tries to twist away, but I grab her clothes and pull her back. I use momentum and forcibly push her down.

"Augh...!"



Her resistance is weakening. It shouldn't be a big deal for a Rounder to keep defensive, though... now I'll press her down in a mount position!

"Give it baaaack...!"

Moeka flails around both arms and legs. Too naive. How stubborn.

She strikes my jaw, but Moeka's arm is slender, so it doesn't hurt too bad. It's okay, my brain isn't swaying, but it's troublesome for her to struggle. I need to restrict her hands.

First her left. I grab her wrist, pinning it to the floor. A fist flies to my eyes. Taking the impact, the vision in my left eye is stained white. She looks daunted for an instant. Her hand wanders off, grasping at air. Or so I thought, but this time she pulls my hair. I feel several strands fall out.

I grab Moeka's face. I flatten it with the palm of my hand.

"Haah, khaah, haah..."



I grab the hand grabbing my hair. I thrust my nails into that wrist with all my might.

Ah... agg... ggeh...!"

But she still won't let go of my hair. Furthermore, she keeps persistently kicking my back. She tries to free her left hand. I can't stand much more of this pain.

"Why you...!"

Instinctively, I put all my strength into headbutting Moeka's forehead. The unpleasant sound of bone clashing against bone reverberates deep within my ears. My own body shivers.

Seeing an opening when Moeka's entire body relaxes, I finally succeed at pinning down both her hands.



The clear tear marks around the corner of her eyes give off an even more demented impression. Her forehead is swollen read from the impact.

"Haah, khah, haah..."

"Uh... khuh... huuh... gh... uh..."

"It hurts, doesn't it..."

She spits. A lukewarm feeling spreads onto my face. Irritating. I want to wipe it off, but my hands are full. Tears stream from Moeka's glaring eyes beneath me, maybe because of that headbutt.

"You're haha, really making, hooh, eye contact today..."



She's looking at my pocket. She has a good eye if she's able to notice the purple color faintly peeking from it.

(Rintarou must be in one weirdass position if that's the direction his pocket is in.)

To provoke her, I show her a self-deriding smile.

"I have no intention of returning your phone to you. I won't give you that right..."

"Give it back...!"

"Come and take it by force."



The result: Our forces balance out, and Moeka can't move her arms. It's the same even when she tries twisting her body.

I firmly grasp Moeka's hips in between my thighs. She occasionally knees my back, but I can bear the pain. It's not enough to make me give up this position.

"Just how long can we stay like this... Who's going to tire out first?"

Moeka, without a doubt. I'm not that strong, since I don't do sports or anything, but Moeka's on bottom. I'm on top. This position is clearly more exhausting for the one on bottom.

"Why... did you take it...! Give it back... give iiit!"

"Scream..."



"You might be dependent on your phone, FB might have abandoned you. Hell if I know."

Moeka violently shakes her head in denial. Those movements are just a waste of effort. Without moving, I just keep looking down at Moeka.

"It's not directly your fault in this world line, and every time you've done Mayuri in has already been undone. But that's not what I get from my perspective...! I remember everything that's been undone! That's why my hatred for you won't go away! The fact that you killed Mayuri is engraved in my heart...! So, I won't let you run away today. You and I will be face to face..."

Until now, I've always run away from facing Moeka. But I can't do that in this world line. The contents of the changed D-mail. To check what they are.

"Don't you seem eager to talk?"

Moeka still struggles violently.



"Why... won't you?! I'll kill you...! I'll murder... you...! Let go... now...! I want to... gouge your eyes out... and... trample them...!"

"So you can talk even without your phone, eh?"

"Damn you... you piece... of shit...! I'll rip out your heart and vivisect you with a kitchen knife...!"

"Vivisection is the 18th mad scientist skill."



This hysteric woman's out of control... Maybe I should headbutt her again.

I hear a knock on the door. Moeka and I look to the door in surprise.





"Do I need to call the police? If not, then could you at least simmer down? These apartment walls echo, you know."

Guh, I didn't think about that. There'll be trouble if she calls the police.

"He's killing me!"

Moeka suddenly screams.

"Noo! Stop iit! Don't kill meee!"

You bitch...!



But I can't use either hand. Well, in that case...

"Call the pol--nnuh?!"



(This scene just keeps finding ways to get creepier!)

"Mmm... gh... nn..."

While kissing, we glare at each other at point blank. We silently share a loveless kiss.



From outside the door, I finally hear the footsteps of the neighbor returning to her room. What a relief...

"Pwah--"





Red drops drip from my mouth, and fall to Moeka's neck.

She bit me... When I feel around my lip with my tongue, the taste of blood spreads out from the laceration. Moeka glares at me with teary eyes, breathing wildly.

"...Don't pretend to be... such an innocent woman. I mean... you're older than I am."

"Haah... haah... kh..."

She pulls her mouth shut in regret.



()

Moeka turns her chin away, looking up at the bright full moon outside the window through the opened curtains.



It already feels like it's been dozens of hours, but it's still night outside, so probably not more than one or two hours have passed.

I haven't heard Moeka's abusive voice ever since I kissed her. Now she's giving me a blank expression without resisting, looking away as if to escape my eyes. What's she looking at? I try to follow her line of sight, but the only thing there is a half-drunk glass of mineral water. She's probably not really looking at anything. Did she give up resisting? I shouldn't be careless, though.

I don't know if it's from strain, but my entire body's going numb, and my entire body's been sweating for a while now. This room has no air conditioning whatsoever, and the fatigue is starting to torment me. At first, I thought I had an overwhelming advantage in this position, but after keeping this stance for a long time, I noticed.



I've been constantly bracing myself, having to pay attention to Moeka's every move. I had to push her to the floor strongly enough that she couldn't escape my restraint. On the other hand, Moeka can choose to resist whenever she wants. She can even rest and relax if she wants. She only needs to exert her strength when she wants to escape. I've had to watch out for that, so I've exhausted myself all this time.

Will this last all night? I'm getting anxious. If she gets away, then she's obviously going to counter attack, and she should be hiding a gun somewhere.

I thought about calling Kurisu for help, but I can't use either hand, and I don't even know what time it is. Guh. I meant to corner her, but it's like she cornered me.



That's what I persuade myself. Moeka has the weak point of cellphone dependence. If she's separated from her phone for an extended period of time, then Kiryuu Moeka will be mentally driven into a corner, and submit.

Will I use up my strength first? Will Moeka use up her strength first? It's that sort of contest.

"Oka... Okabe..."

Moeka, who had until now just been muttering in a small voice, suddenly calls out my name.