codeforhope | 001 | Video/Action for New Bark

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001 | Video/Action for New Bark

[A video appears on the feed with the sound of a Pokemon crying out happily, slightly muffled and at a bit of a distance. ”Goon! Gooon!” The feed shudders a bit, the surroundings shifting until whoever is on the other side finally gets their PokéGear angled toward themselves. Coming into view is what appears to be a young girl, and from the way their voice sounds in addition there’s nothing that could lead anyone to believe otherwise. This is in fact not the case, and rather she is a he. Still, the outfit he’s currently wearing seems to be made specifically for girls...]

Hello. ..Um. ...

[The child on the other end hesitates, pausing before trying to start again.]

My name... is Chihiro Fujisaki. I’m…not sure where I am...or what is going on, exactly.

[There’s a pause as the feed shifts once again, Chihiro moving to carefully sit in the grass instead of standing. The second he does a Zigzagoon climbs into his lap, nudging his head fondly against the underside of the boy's chin. He's not entirely sure what to do, obviously slightly unsure of the furry creature in his lap, but he seems friendly at least. After a pause he gently pets the Pokémon who continues to sit happily in his lap. Chihiro has arrived slightly overwhelmed by...well, everything, so it’s a moment before he’s able to continue.]

Or...how I got here, but.... Naegi-kun, Oowada-kun, Ishimaru-kun...um...Asahina-san...

[He quickly prattles off all the names of his classmates that he can remember off-hand, before realizing that a huge list of names won’t probably mean much if they...aren’t actually around. That thought strikes him hard for a moment before he takes a breath and continues, his grip on the ‘Gear tightening.]

...and everyone else. If any of you are here, from Hope’s Peak, please answer. Something...something must have happened. I mean, I’m outside again...and not...

[Chihiro seems unsure of what else to say, whatever he was saying dying on his tongue with his voice wavering slightly towards the end, so he dips his head a bit before cutting the feed.]

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[ !! SERIOUS ABOUT THE SPOILERS, YO, FINAL CALL TO BAIL BEFORE THEY HAPPEN !!

All of Nanami's sleepiness goes away the second the video goes on. For a second she thinks big brother? with a shocked sort of silence, before she spots the differences, and thinks no. She can't think anything after that, even up to the point when Chihiro gives his name. It's all just blank surprise, and Nanami can't figure out what to say, or think.

Her eyes are glued to the screen, though. She couldn't move them if she tried. She's spent her entire life hearing about Fujisaki Chihiro, and now, for the first time...he's right there, waiting for her to say something. Or - well, he won't know that she's here, or who she is, but...

...Nanami has the chance to say something, for the first time ever. A chance she never would have had before. Even so, it's hard to know what to say. What can she say? She watches the clip again and again, trying to decide.

She doesn't even start to reply until a few others have done, because she simply can't process it, and by that time, her hands are shaking a little. And anyway, she has to text some friends for advice. And maybe even gets someone to sit with her for moral support, who knows.

Breathe in. Breathe out. ]

[ The first thing that comes through on the secure transmission is a few lines of text. They don't say anything. Not "hello" or "how are you", at least. Instead, it's pure code and protocol. Nanami can't code, not really, but these few lines she knows. Her brother passed them on to her, to her sister, a long time ago. The original access codes to a certain program, before he'd been unlocked and left to be found. It hadn't been passed on to her for this purpose, but...

...it might work.

After she sends those, she gives herself a moment to think, before switching to video. ]

[ ...Just take a breath, Nanami. When she finally switches to video, Chihiro is greeted with a smile. It's a little weak and nervous (will he be proud of her at all?), but still sincere. ]

...Hello, papa. If...it's okay with you...I'll come straight away to pick you up.

[ Kirigiri told her not to share information with uninvolved people. Hinata and Kuzuryuu and Souda are keeping her secret and they'd decided not to tell the rest of their class, and Nanami won't go against that, but...this is Fujisaki Chihiro, and it'd go against everything she is to tell a lie here. So she won't. Nanami doesn't even want to. She wants to talk to her father. ]

[Chihiro hasn't moved an inch since he left the house of the woman claiming to be his mother and found a spot just outside of New Bark to just....exist. Really, that's all he can be expected to do right now. Everything is happening at once all too fast, and it's been rather hard for him not to just break down where he is. ....but no, he can't do that. Not here, not now.

He promised himself he would be better than that.

Either way, having the Zigzagoon sitting in his lap nuzzling his hands every so often has managed to keep him relatively calm. He's afraid to ask people too many questions over the 'Gear, if only for the fact that he's still not fully convinced that this is really happening right now.

That's when he suddenly gets another message, and is surprised to find it not to be a response to his previously made video persay, but lines and lines of code. None of it is familiar to him, but....he can understand it. He reads over the lines several times, trying to piece together what it's exactly for and why someone would send him this. The sender? ....Nanami Chiaki. Kirigiri told him to believe what she says, but....

He doesn't have much time to think about that as he then receives yet another video response.]

[When Chihiro sees Nanami for the first time, he doesn't seem to have much reaction to offer other than mixed shock and confusion. It's also clear by the way he's watching her that he doesn't recognize her, and...

...

Chihiro unintentionally mouths the word "Papa" before realizing what he'd done, glancing into his lap briefly.

He shakes his head a little before turning his attention back to the 'Gear, his hands shaking slightly, causing the angle of the feed to waver a little. He dips his head slightly, taking a breath before answering. Breathe, she....she's not going to hurt you. If Kirigiri knows her, then she's a friend.]

H-....hello, Nanami-san.

[There's a short pause.]

Where....are you going to take me?

[ It doesn't seem to bother her. Rather, she knew he probably wouldn't be able to figure her out at all, but she'd hoped that he might recognize what she'd tried to send. It's...a little hard to figure out how to explain herself, although she jumped right into it.

That's how she thinks of him, anyway. ]

The house here in Goldenrod...that's where everyone from your class is staying. [ ... ] If it's not all right for "papa", I could go with "master" or something as well...

[ She's just always referred too him in one particular way, but...Nanami's nervous, and it's clear from the fidgeting. ]

...Or "father", or "dad"...

[ Why isn't his name any of the options, Nanami. ]

...You haven't coded him yet, have you. Or...did you recognize it after all?

Edited (error) 2014-03-17 00:26 (UTC)

[...Oh. He thinks back to the code that she sent, which he looked over so many times that he's nearly memorized it. Though a lot of it isn't familiar, some parts now stand out to him once she's mentioned that it was something he coded. Far be it from him not to recognize his own work, but...

He doesn't remember creating all of that.]

I...Um...

[...Really, he doesn't know what to say to that. This is definitely...a first.]

For...for now, call me...just by my name. ...Please.

[Sorry Nanami he really just doesn't understand, and until he does it's just making him feel a bit uncomfortable.]

And I...I recognize.....some. Not all of it, but..

It looks exactly like the Artificial Intelligence I...I had been working on.

[So, essentially, it's uncompleted for him. It's nearly finished, but it's not completely to where it needs to be to be the program that she'd recognize.]

...Fujisaki...sama.

[ #NAILED IT. Apparently she can't do "san" or "kun" or "senpai" here...even doing that seems to flummox her, and Nanami pauses for a while. ]

...Right. That's...my big brother. When I'm from, he's complete. He told me those lines...

[ And in case that...didn't clear it up, she should...possibly shed some light on why she's staring at the screen like he's the most important person in the universe. ]

...I'm also...like him. Although here I'm made of more than ones and zeroes...

[ ...Congrats, Fujisaki, you're a father. It's a program. ]

[That's....better, at least.

...

Oh.

Oh.

Of course he is. He didn't have enough to think about as it was, oh no.]

A...alter Ego, is...

[Big brother??

There's another pause, during which Chihiro takes several deep breaths to try to calm himself down.]

...

You're...Artificial Intelligence?

[You certainly...look for all the world like a totally normal person to him, Nanami. He also seems to be ignoring the implication that he made her in favor of figuring out what exactly she's trying to say to him here.]

[ Sadly, they probably don't make congratulations balloons for that. You shall simply have to go without.

Nanami waits through the pause, perfectly willing to just...stare at the screen as she waits Nanami stop that. It isn't as though she's not guilty of long pauses in conversation herself, although she's...actively trying to show her best side here. Sort of.

She wants him to like her. ]

...Right. As a monitor for the Future Foundation...I'm the Super High School Level Gamer, Nanami Chiaki. ...You can call me Chiaki, if you want, Fujisaki-sama.

[ Since...she thinks parents call children by their first names. ]

It seems like if you aren't human before coming here...you're made to be so. So...I think I technically don't have to follow my directives any longer if I didn't want to, but...

[ ...Another pause, as she frowns. ]

...Mm, that's weird. Anyway...if you have anything you want me to do, you should let me know. Or something you want...since...it's a few days after our birthday. Are you cold...?

[ Suddenly swinging into a very seriously concerned look, here. ]

...If you're cold, I'll send over a fire-type right away, ahead of me...

[There's a deep breath, then another, very measured and slow to avoid dissolving into hyperventilating. You're ok. Sensory and information overload is not doing Chihiro any favors right now.

....Oh, that's right. He'd completely...forgotten about his birthday entirel-

...

Our birthday. ...So they share birthdays.

It's not important, but it's just yet another bit of information that gives him pause. Any more and he might not be able to hold himself together much longer. For now, he'll just...accept the information he's given and hold onto it to be perused later. It's easier than trying to think too hard about....all of this.]

Um...n-no, I'm...I'm fine.

[As if in response to Nanami's concern, the Zigzagoon curls up more snugly in Chihiro's lap, not minding in the slightest that he's had the fingers of his left hand knotted in his fur for quite some time now.]

[ The worry doesn't fade away, and Nanami bites her lip, visibly distressed. She's...not sure what to say, but so far she's worried she messed it up somehow. She'd always, always wanted to have a chance to talk like this, but... ]

...If you have any questions, I'll answer them. Not just because...you're the programmer...but because I want to. And...I'll leave to get you, unless...you'd prefer I didn't...?

[ The pauses are getting longer, but. ]

...wanted to... [ She clears her throat. ] I wanted to...in person, see you. ...I think.

[If anything, it's the opposite. It's nothing Nanami's done....it's more the fact that Chihiro has a hundred things on his mind right now and doesn't know what to do with any of them.

He's quick to answer, though. ...The last thing he wants is to be stranded out here, alone.]

N-no, I...you can come get me. ..Please.

[She said she'd bring him to...Goldenrod, where the rest of his classmates are. Right. That's the goal, for now. Get to where everyone else is, and then have your questions answered.]

Then I'll come right away. You don't have to worry...I have a Tropius, which is like a big tree dinosaur...? It flies. It's roomy and everything, so it'll be fast. And I can take on any random encounters we might have...if the SHSL Gamer couldn't handle Pokemon, it would be pretty sad.

[ She'd have to like, turn in her title for a new one.

...She'd have to find a new one, gosh. ]

If I leave now...I should be there sometime tomorrow evening.

[ If she swaps out fliers as needed for breaks and doesn't stop. ]

Then about the same time in transit back...that should work out. It's a lot faster than walking.

[Chihiro stares at the screen as Nanami talks, just listening to her. By now he's just absorbing everything he hears as best he can, once again trying not to think too hard about whatever it is- big tree dinosaur notwithstanding.

He shifts his position a bit where he's sitting, the Zigzagoon moving to stretch himself out lengthwise across his lap.]

S-should I....stay here, or....go back into town?

[Chihiro, honey, she doesn't expect you to sleep on the ground and wait for her when there's a Pokemon Center like right there.]

[ More than that, Nanami looks a little flustered. NO, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO STAY OUTSIDE WHILE IT TAKES HER A DAY TO GO GET YOU...gosh, papa, do you think she's mean? ]

The Pokemon Center has beds for travelling trainers, in towns without inns. And they'll have food and things, too...so, staying in town would be more comfortable for you. And I can find you wherever, since I have your number. ...I don't want you to get sick or to be uncomfortable, so...going there might be best.

[OK RIGHT he was hoping you'd say that. He actually hasn't explored the town at all or even seen the Pokemon Center, but that's where he'll head next. If anything, any people he's run into so far have been nice enough. ...That person being "mom". She did give him a lot of useful things that he has yet to look through, so at least there's that.

And then there's his starter, who still has his full attention on his trainer. Now that he seems a bit calmer than he was when he was talking to Kirigiri, he's assumed a more relaxed posture.]

Ok...I'll.... go there and wait for you, Nanami-san.

As soon as I land, I'll let you know, Fujisaki-sama. Um...the house is really nice, so you can look forward to seeing it. They let me stay there when I'm in town, although this time I got a room at the inn...

[ ...The rest of her class doesn't really, but she's allowed. INTERDANGAN POLITICS. ]

And I can take you to the game corner and stuff, and...there's a lot of good things. ...So...be sure to look forward to them, okay?

[ And try not to be sad or nervous. ]

Y-yes....ok.

[All he can manage is to agree, but, well. ...Her calm, gentle manner is helpful. It's really what he needs right now, even though he's literally just met her. ...There's something familiar about Nanami he can't place.]

....thank you, Nanami-san. ...for helping me.

[Don't expect him to call you daughter any time soon, though.]

[ That's okay, Chihiro. She can wait. She's very patient! ...And just talking to him is enough for her, for the moment. ]

...It's not a problem. Take care, okay? I'll see you soon.

[ Because she really will get a move on to come and pick him up.

SHE CAN'T BELIEVE SHE GETS TO GO PICK HIM UP...clearly she needs to be pinched but she thinks if she asked Kuzuryuu to pinch her he might scold or laugh or something. Or he might actually pinch her.

...

Either way, she smiles as she waves goodbye. ]

[It's slight....ever so slight, but he smiles back, finally pulling his hand from the Zigzagoon so he can wave a little in return.

...He's not in Hope's Peak. He's safe. ...Or...he will be. Nothing can hurt him here.

He just needs to wait.]

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001 | Video/Action for New Bark

SDR2 SPOILERS ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE

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