[OLD] Book 1: Densetsu.EXEcution

Chapter 7 - Possession

Chapter 7: Possession

Saki sobbed a bit as she looked at a photograph of her mother. A cup of raspberry lemonade was on the table next to her, its blue liquid stained on Saki’s lips. Her sister stood behind her.

“I knew you couldn’t be strong forever,” Alexis said, stroking her blonde hair over her breast. “You lost your father, and then you lost your mother. I’m the only family you’ve left, and we aren’t even blood relatives.”

“Yet every day I wake up with a smiling face,” Saki said, “that is, I did until I let him go.”

“A reason to wake up every morning,” Alexis said. She pulled out her book and began reading it while Saki spoke.

“What?” Saki asked, “I don’t need him, I never did.” As she spoke, Alexis mouthed out Saki’s words as she had before. “He’s worthless to me! He always was!”

“It’s okay now, Saki,” Alexis said, patting her on the head, “He’s in his own world now. You’re rid of him, so let him go.” Saki nodded and placed her headphones over her ears, the plastic butterfly clips on the ears draping beneath her blue hair.

Arashi stood on the roof of Malway Academy, the school that he attended. Another long day had concluded. There were many of these days for Arashi, but the days at school seemed to last longer. This school had been organized thirty years earlier by the general public of Malway, hence its unoriginal name. Arashi was always enthusiastic to go home after the end of each day.

Every day was uneventful, or it had been until recently. Since he met Kiri, Arashi had felt as though the world was against him. He noticed a pattern before that day. Usagi Kousaka, his close friend from childhood, had been absent from classes. He hadn’t heard from him or seen him outside of school, either.

Kiri stood calmly beside her host, her hand on her chest. “I...I really like these clothes, Arashi,” she told him. Arashi didn’t really have anything to do with the outfit, but he thanked her anyway.

“I’ve been considering something,” he told her.

“Y-yes?” Kiri asked nervously.

“Since I told you the story of Viktor DiVincio’s trial eight years ago,” he began, “I was considering that an AI may have been involved in the case, but then I had another thought. In any other case, I would have gone to ask Akida’s father, Yuuki, for more information. But this time, something kept me from bringing it up.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” Kiri asked softly.

“Lately, I’ve been seeing strange patterns in my emotions. Ever since I met you, that is.” He stopped speaking suddenly, noticing a shadow near the elevator that led to the roof. “…Alexis,” he addressed her.

“Who’s your friend?” Alexis asked, pointing at Kiri. Arashi’s eyes widened a bit.

“Wh-what?” he asked with shock, “Y-you mean, you can see her?” I was sure Kiri was only visible to Aodah, Akida and I…What’s going on?

“I guess I didn’t do a very good job of covering the truth, did I?” Alexis asked, brushing her hair out of her eyes. Arashi remembered something Kiri had told him.

“An AI can only be seen by three groups of people,” she had said, “Other AI, Contracted humans, and those chosen by particular AI. Anyone else would be unable to see or hear the AI.”

But if that’s true, Arashi told himself, Alexis shouldn’t be able to see Kiri…and I’m sure Kiri wouldn’t allow someone she doesn’t know to see her, and I didn’t give her my consent to allow Alexis to…That means Alexis is either a Contracted human, or…