Nextgen Kids: Legend of the Nine Newborn

Operation: AINCRAD, Level 11: Heartbreaking and Heartmaking

I think it's safe to call this chapter this year's Valentine's special! That said, there is one more scene I wanted to add, but this chapter became way too effing long. XD

There was no mistaking her. Those eyes that looked like soft, sweet peaches, and a pink cat backpack to go with her dark-green hoodie. "Chiaki?" Jenny repeated. "Didn't Eddy say that she..."

"Yeah. I'm Chiaki." The girl in question confirmed. "Are you one of my viewers?"

Kazma didn't know how to answer. Of course, he was technically a viewer, but... why was she just acting like nothing was wrong? He had to lift the bang covering his right eye, making sure he wasn't fooling himself. "But... how? Everyone said you died."

"Hmmm..." She put a finger to her chin in thought. "My memory's a little fuzzy... how did I die again?"

"A giant hand came from the sky and ripped your hometown out of the Earth. Somebody commented that a piece of rubble hit your head and... we never saw a new video again."

"A giant hand?" Carmine asked. "That's pretty weird."

"That does seem kind of unusual." Chiaki agreed. "But I guess the universe is full of strange things. Sort of like a game. If I hit my head, maybe I just have amnesia or something."

"What do you mean 'or something'?!" Kazma yelled, letting his bang drop. "If you were still alive, at least one of your friends would've posted about it! But everyone said you were dead!"

"Oh...well, I'm here now. Sorry if you're disappointed."

"B-b-but..."

"Wait, what if she's in the hospital?" Carmine suggested. "What if her head was in critical condition and they're struggling to keep her alive? I wonder if... she was given a NerveGear setup the same as the other comatose people? Maybe they're hoping Aincrad can revive her conscience?"

"I see... that would make sense." Chiaki glanced up thoughtfully. "Snoooore..." She hung her head in slumber, a little snot bubble growing from her nose.

"Hey, you can't get tired in this game!" Kazma popped her bubble and woke her. "Let's assume that is true... do you remember me? I'm King Kazma."

"King... Kazma? Hmm...there is a gamer with that screen-name. I think he's popular..."

"W-Well... more like infamous." He blushed. "But we know each other... kinda! I left a comment on your video, and then you started to watch my videos."

"I don't remember that... What kind of comment was it?"

"Uh...it doesn't actually matter, anymore." He turned around sheepishly, brushing his foot on the—"Yee!" he nearly slipped off the step and grabbed the rail. "I mean... I sort of advised you on something, and then you accepted the advice, then... you became better, so yippee."

"You 'advised' her on something?" Jenny cocked a brow. "Given what we know about you, you sure it wasn't-"

"Shut up! It doesn't matter, anyway." He turned back around. "We only talked a few times, so... it's not like we were really friends."

"I kind of thought you would say, 'It's not like I like you, baka.'" Chiaki said.

"Ghhh!" He grit his teeth. "That joke is overused!"

The operatives shared a laugh. "But even so..." Chiaki stepped down. She was several inches taller than Kazma and looked taller on the step, like a senior student standing over a junior. "It seems like you really care about me." She gently lifted the bang back up to view into his small, dark eyes. "Are you sure we weren't really friends?"