Steins;gate: Inevitability of the Mandela Effect

Chapter 4 - Shattered Redemption

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Steins;gate worldline
Okarin sat on the couch, the cool air from the air conditioner didn't help the numbness he felt in his head. "What... happened?" He asked himself repeatedly. "Why? Why is Makise here?" He looks towards Makise who was talking to Daru. She appears to be talking about him, but what was she doing here in the first place? Okarin reached into the pocket of his lab coat, something he hasn't worn ever since... ever since she died and pulled out a plastic upa. He looked at it, wondering when he had ever used an upa machine today. He put the upa down on the table and stared at the lab, it looked too well maintained to be his lab and Daru was still here which can only mean one thing, he changed world lines. But how? He destroyed the phone microwave with his bare hands, how did he change world lines? As he was thinking this, Makise walked up towards Okarin and sat down beside him. "Okarin, how do you feel?" She asked softly. Okarin looked at Makise in the eyes, how he longed to see those blue eyes staring back at his, how he longed to bicker and argue with her again, hold her again, kiss her again, but at the same time didn't. It would be too painful for him, if living means losing, then he rather not have been born at all. Still staring into her eyes, Okarin couldn't hold it back anymore. "I'm sorry." He muttered. "I'm so sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't save you." Tears streaming down his cheeks he continued. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, I'm sorry that I fought with you, I'm sorry for annoying you, I'm sorry for not being with you long enough.... I'm sorry, so so sorry." Makise looked at Okarin's pitiful state too shocked to say anything while Daru stayed silent. " I didn't know what would happen.... I didn't know how to act... I just wanted to save you!" He sobbed even harder. "Okarin, it's fine... I'm still here, I'm still alive." Said Makise, trying to reassure Okarin. "Look, let's get you upstairs, they're all waiting for you, Mayuri, Moeka, Ruka, Feyris, they're all waiting. Come let's go." Standing up, Makise held out her hand hoping that Okarin would take it. But it was no use, Okarin sat there, his hands covering his face, sobbing. He's clearly a broken man, one that has lost all will to live. It hurts, she thought to herself, to know so much about the brain, yet having no idea how to mend a broken one.

Unknown worldline
Okarin stared at the room he found himself in, dusty, run down, abandoned. It looked like no one has lived here for years. But here he is, sitting down on a very dusty couch, a blanket over his body. He touched his face, trying to assess the situation he's in, it seems he hadn't bothered to shave here at all. He knew this would happen, but he wished he could have told Makise before it happened. He stood up and walked around his lab, he walked to the end where the phone microwave sat, taking a closer look, it resembled a pancake more than a microwave. It had bits of dried blood on the top and dust everywhere else. He looked at the clothes he's wearing, a plain old t-shirt and shorts. His lab coat nowhere to be seen. He sat back down on the couch, thinking about what he should do now and at the same time trying not to panic. He could just wait like he did last time, if it happened once, it sure to happen again right? So he waited, and waited. It was only after 2 hours did he realize, he won't be able to go back that easily this time. He actually had to do something. Standing back up, he walked towards the front door only to find a bunch of letters on the floor. He picked the least dustiest of them up and opened it, "Dear Okabe Rintarou, I regret to inform you that your rent is way past its due date by 3 months. Unfortunately, you will have to leave if you don't pay by the end of the week." Muttered Okarin, skimming through the letter. Standing back up, Okarin opened his front door and left his apartment. Walking outside, he discovered that it's night here. Noting that down for later, Okarin went to Mr.Braun's store and started banging on it. "Mr.Braun! I need to speak with you, it's me, Okabe Rintarou, open up!" He shouted, banging on the shutter repeatedly. "Okabe? Is that really you?" Asked a voice on the other side of the shutter. "Yeah, Mr.Braun, I need to speak with you." Confirmed Okarin, putting his hands back down. The shutter doors opened up revealing a tall, muscled man. "Okabe, what are you doing here?" Asked a surprised Mr.Braun. "I need your help." Explained Okarin.