Parallel Vol. 6

Chapter 24: Taiga's Confession

Suzuki inwardly cursed but chose to ignore the annoying voice. Instead, he looked at Yukino. "If there's nothing else, I'll be returning to my room. I need some sleep."

Yukino glanced at her tablet. Satisfied with the displayed information, she nodded, "You may go. Just remember to report early if you feel any abnormalities. This is not the time for macho sensibilities. Understood?"

"Do not worry, Yukino-san. If it can be avoided, I will never put this body in harm's way." Leaving her with those words, Suzuki left the office and made his way out of the office.

***

A few minutes later, Suzuki gently nodded his head to music blaring in his headphones while seated on a bench in the park. Gazing at the moonless sky, he spoke to the voice in his head.

"Why do you want me in the game? You and I both know that the game will provide an assist AI to control the daeben body if I don't return."

'Yeah, but that's an AI assist. It's not you. Efficiency-wise, do I need to explain the difference?'

"I knew I would regret calling you out to help."

'Heh, but you did anyway. Blame your irrational desire to win no matter the cost."

Suzuki snorted. "We do not share many things, but I'm certain you also have that insane desire to win."

'Perhaps. But that's precisely why we both know you don't have a choice. We need to work together to win. I can't defeat Razznik alone, and you can't fight off the aliens yourself.'

"Aliens..." Suzuki shook his head, testing the unfamiliar familiar word on his tongue. "Don't you find it weird how everyone accepted aliens so easily?"

'Shock, maybe? Or maybe we've fought so many weird things in VR, everyone's desensitized a little to foreign species. A part of us might still be treating this like a difficult raid. The reality won't set in until someone points the business end of a space rifle at our faces."

"Perhaps. But what if it's not a coincidence? Feels like a plot."

'Doesn't change anything. Genaco, in a roundabout way, trained up a bunch of child soldiers well-versed in facing terrible odds. Many will panic when the real thing happens, but enough will retain their training to affect the battlefield. The invasion is definite. Hate to say it, but we owe James for pushing humanity to train, even if disguised as a game.'

Suzuki frowned. "Sending one of their own to prepare a species for examination. What are these aliens thinking? Is there even worth in an examination where the subject has been affected by external stimuli?"

'Heh. That's assuming we're taking everything James said at face value. His existence is proof enough that aliens are real, which implies the invasion stands a high chance of being true. But, there's no proof to the claim that they're doing it as an examination, let alone for our species.'

"True. In the end, what we have to do hasn't changed. We can't risk Su's world." Suzuki's sharpened with strengthened resolve. "I'll help you unite Destia, and you'll help me complete as many missions as it takes to reach ace pilot."

'Ace pilot? Don't you think that's asking a bit much? I got the impression it's the kind of thing that takes years of mastery to reach.'

"Don't care. Taiga and Saeko are close to breaking through. If they can do it, so can we."

"Ha! There's that flavorful Su-chan's arrogance."

Suzuki turned around to see Taiga and the rest of the gang walking toward him. "What're you doing? Shouldn't you be asleep?"