Honkai Impact : The Imaginary Human(Honkai Impact 3rd x OC)

Chapter 2

01:05 : Archiving entering final stage. Data reading interrupted.

01:07 : Archiving completed. Resuming data reading...

...

One thing people often think about when they calm down from moments of panic and look back on them, is how different they acted. As for me, I realized how much I acted on autopilot yesterday. I almost never stopped to think about what happened after I got my plan. Even after that breakdown in the bathroom of the bunker, I just followed that script like a robot. Never pausing to rest or think about how absurd this all was almost makes me look like frankly indifferent sometimes. The soldiers and civilians deaths or their "transformation.", to the creatures that appeared.

But if I had stopped, I probably wouldn't have made it to the bunker. The disaster would have crushed me without even wounding me physically. The subconscious fear of this happening was what kept me running, I think.

One pleasant surprise was to find my phone still in my pocket : with how hectic everything was yesterday, the second I thought about it, I feared it fell off my pocket in the rush. Fortunately, it was there and perfectly functioning. Survivors had discussed on the town's emergency network system chat : for some other reason, almost all other electronic systems broke down soon after the incident began.

I didn't know that talking to people could feel this good. Even if it was only text on a screen, seeing some human activity gave me a very important boost of morale and optimism. I really needed to know, feel that I wasn't the sole survivor. Putting what I felt in words also helped me think.

"You don't know how glad I am to know other people are alive !!!" was my first message sent to the emergency network's chat.

"Same for me, man." answered a new text.

" You made it to the bunker n°2 !?"

"Yeah, it was wild. I figured down here would be safer, and got lucky."

I didn't eat anything until now. My appetite was cut due to the recent events (nothing would have stayed inside my stomach), but I went to grab myself some canned food from the bunker's food storage. My mental health was no longer an issue, the hot food and recent news certainly helping. That, and the information the mayor was about to disclose. In a nearby school yesterday, there was a science fair. I felt bad for the staff of the event that came from far to get caught up in this situation.

'What a bad surprise for them, really. From what I've heard yesterday, it was going pretty well, too.' However, it gave us a chance : while some of the staff died, most survived and managed to get us some precious information. Finally, I could know more.

My phone notified me that messages could no longer be sent. A video then soon appeared on the network's chat. A woman in her forties, the mayor, began her speech.

"Citizens of Shinjuku, please hear me out. Our city is facing a disaster of unprecedented gravity. Already no more than 102 humans remain in this city. Many of you must be grieving, crying for what or who you have lost. However, I dare to make this request of you : please keep doing your best. As a mayor, it is my duty and heartfelt desire to save as much people as possible." The mayor bowed.

I didn't know about the mayor that well, but it was clear she didn't sleep much. The bags under her eyes were obvious. Just like many others, she must have been doing her best to save what still could be saved.

"I am sure you all know that due to the abrupt nature of the disaster, a team of scientists were organizing a science fair yesterday. While some of them perished, the majority survived and worked hard in order to give precious intel. I will give the floor to Mr. Chike, the head of the scientist team." The camera then rotated to the left. The screen now showed a man in a white blouse behind another screen.