Irikumu Tsukisan

The Other Side

It was a week before she would be able to return. Makenzie felt so isolated in her lab that she spend much of the day dreaming about the bit of human contact the game had blessed her with. Of course it wasn't actual human contact, but the illusion of it was enough. She worked hard in the week, perfecting the infant programming of her own NHP. Woodseth was quickly becoming a part of her life that she couldn't live without. He was more than just her programming. It sparked a thought in her head, seeding it that perhaps she was all wrong about this. Her father was all wrong about this. AI is not the same as it was, and with advancements it could be better. Woodseth set her mind at work hard and she was unable to wish for entertainment. It as only when she was entirely exhausted and dragging her feet to the wall that she decided to head back in.

The light of the morning greeted her, eyes flickering open, just as she sat up. A yawn passed her lips. She sat there for a while, looking at the wall sharing the outside. The light was so warm, so comforting. It's as if Makenzie was recharged just being here. Carefully she tried to get up, only to look down at her leg. The injury long forgotten in the real world, seeing it now was rather depressing. The door quietly slides, forcing her into alert, looking at it with a huff, only to see Momo with a tray. "Oh! Sorry. I didn't think you'd be up." She bowed, then set the tray down, taking the old one. "I figured I would just leave some breakfast for you. It's just rice, sausage and some Miso soup."

"Just? Oh Momo-chan, I could marry you." Makenzie watched as the girl blushed brightly, a hand on her cheek as she averted her eyes. "It looks and smells so good. It's been a long time since someone has cooked for me." She picked up the soup, starting with it. The taste was a little bitter and tangy for her, but none the less, Makenzie polished it off with enthusiasm. She then started on the sausage and rice, savoring every bit of it with sporadic hums of approval.

"Wow. She was hungry." The even voice of the ever curious Kosuke rang out behind Momo. Stopping her consumption of the food, she looked up to the white haired man, almost as if she forgot him and swallowed hard. He was taller than she remembered but perhaps it was that she was sitting down. She recalled being eye level with him, although she was a rather tall woman in her own time, let alone around Japanese women. "You ate it all? Who would have guessed looking at you that you put it away like a man. You've even got rice on your cheek..." He was staring, wondering just how someone eating like a pig could be appealing to him but there she was, her state of being something along the lines of cute running through his head. He knelt down, wiping the grain off of her cheek and Momo silently watched, giddy as her big brother did his best to be sweet.

Makenzie looked to him, baffled that he would take the time to bother, but her eyes look into his, ever so softly. There was something about the way he acted under the stern face. It somewhat reminded her of her father. Hilarious that she would seek comfort in something so close to her own dad. A heavy lump slides down her throat as she continued to stare. Words, it seemed, were not enough between the two, it was only until Momo cleared her throat that they both jerked out of the lingering gaze, planting it on her. "She said she wanted to marry me, Ko-kun" He looked back to her, a heavy blush on her face as Momo continued. "Imagine that? Someone actually wanting to marry me."

"And why not?" Makenzie shot back quickly, setting down her chopsticks on top of the rice bowl. "You're sweet, ever so adorable, strong willed and just plain strong. And you're an excellent cook. This tastes phenomenal."

"But... I'm..."

"You're what?" She questioned directly. "Perfect? Or is it foreign that you're worried about? Because I'm the same way." She paused. "I'm unlike what people are used to here. You can't let it get to you. There's no way it should. You're a confident, sweet, beautiful young woman. You have a lot going for you. Don't let the words of pure ignorance get to you." She watched the young woman tear up, staring at her with a thankful look in her eyes. "Without you, I'd be kicked out last night. Remember? So you're amazing in my book and I refuse to let anyone make you feel smaller than you are." Kosuke looked to her, blushing brightly in a thin line bridging just over his nose with his hand on the back of his head. Her eyes flitted over to Kosuke, too embarrassed by the off comment in front of someone older. She only meant that Momo was quite the catch. Makenzie now knew it was possible to be jealous of an eleven year old. She had more skills as a housewife than herself ever would. Makenzie contemplated if she would have even made it back here, or even in a less ancient civilization. Without everything taken care of for her, would she be able to do anything for herself.