The hum of the program boots up. It was what he had been waiting for. An entire week since she told him and he had noticed things, like the extended periods of time she was gone and he could feel her absence. Things started to pop into place, knowledge revealed to him as if she opened up an entirely new world to him. The only things that never once made sense was her ramblings about how she took his attraction to her. It was still firmly embedded into his heart. The other was what exactly he was. A program, a character, a human. No matter what he was just himself but to ignore the missing time of the others would be foolish. They didn't exist like he existed anymore. It was often lonely, but then she came around. Every night, like clockwork, to share a bit of herself with him, bringing his world back in the process.
She showed him the full strength of herself in spars. He was no slouch when it came to hand to hand, though apparently neither was she, he always just edged her out. He considered her hiding her true self for a while, but that thought simply vanished when she told him fighting against someone better always makes you better. His consciousness was pulled back into his own world, just as she explained at dinner, at the exact moment she left. Everything she said came true, making it hard for him to deny it all but she did tell him today she will offer him undeniable proof in that of her best friend.
Kosuke was heavy this last week. He longed to believe her. She was right on almost all accounts, except for his feelings about her. He was in the training yard, where she left him last time. Often wondering about the passage of time between the two worlds. He looked at her, feeling his heart grow, his mouth dry and his body was a little clammy. "Hi... Again." She spoke and he just nodded. "It feels nice to greet you like I would normally. It used to be so jarring to have to pick up on a conversation I left off on the day before."
He ran a hand through his hair. "I like when you greet me, too." He hesitated for a minute, clearly nervous and even that was picked up in by her. "I... Uh... So how does this work? Will your friend just pop into existence on the grounds somewhere?"
"Kosuke..." She had gotten better at confidently saying his name. He loved the ring of just his name on her lips. "No. He will meet us in Kyoto in a few hours."
"He?" Kosuke looked to her, nervous as he could be. "I thought this was your best friend?"
She nodded. "And he is." She was so obtuse she didn't realize she gave him anything to be jealous of. In truth, Kosuke didn't know he could be more jealous of someone other than Ren right now, but here was a guy that was close to her, so close she considered him her best friend. He got to spend time with her in her world, when she was her full self. "I'm sorry, did I not mention anything about him? I suppose I was just so excited."
When she put it like that, with her excited face, he couldn't bring himself to hold onto those feelings. "No, you didn't mention anything. I suppose I assumed it was a girl."
"I... Would like a girlfriend." She spoke somberly. "But those aren't always the way things pan out. I don't... Really have friends at all, Kosuke. He's unique. You'll understand when you meet him." She felt apprehensive about it all now, wondering if she really was getting this all wrong. She wanted to be wrong.
He saw that face, it broke his heart, Kosuke took a deep breath as they stared at one another. He took her hand, then started to walk. She was trailing behind him for a few moments, her attention on their hands. He looked over his shoulder and she immediately looked up as if he caught her doing something horrible. After that she walked a little faster to catch up to him. He looked forward, still on the property just before they set out onto the road. He took his chance, lacing her fingers with his.
She did her best to continue on with her head straight but her eyes moved down to their hands. Her heart could burst. She's had her hand held like this more than once from the novels she had experienced but something about him holding her hand made it that much more special. He chose to hold her hand like they were a couple. She tested the waters a little and squeezed, sure enough the man squeezed back, comforting her with his touch. "Are you scared... To go back down this road, I mean."
"Well..." She walked a little lighter now. "I would say yes because every time I'm here I'm just at your headquarters. But then you're here." She looked to him, smiling softly. "What do I have to be scared of? It's mid day, you have a rifle on your back and I know how to fight." She laughed lightly. "Besides, if we see Hibiki, well, you already said you wanted to kill him, right? Two birds one stone."
He laughed himself now. "True enough. You just don't strike me as the type of girl who would let two men fight over her."
"Fight over me... Hmm?"
He gulped, hoping he didn't make things awkward. "Well yeah. I'm not going to let him do anything to my friend. Though it might be nice to watch his gawking as you take his sword from him."
"Yeah..." She looked down to her shoes, wondering why she wished him to say something else so desperately bad. Her head shook vaguely, trying to temper her expectations again. "I do dislike it when people try to fight for me. He would make a pretty stupid face, too." The conversation died down then, and they walked for a while before she looked up and nodded. "Hey... Kosuke?" He looked to her.
"Yes?"
She slipped her fingers from his, folding her arms over her chest. "Thanks... For calling me your friend. I assumed that I'd never see you again after I told you."
He felt the cold of his hand, looking to her with a brow raised. He shoved his hands into his pocket. "It's not like what you did hurt me. Sometimes things just are. I've thought about it a long time, the nature of who or what I am. You didn't change that. You just tried to open my eyes to what I am. How could I hate you?"
"Because..." She pulled away, shrinking into herself. "I'm the reason you're aware of this all and now spend a lot of the time alone."
He hummed, unable to feel that way. The time with her made things better, he wanted to tell her about it all but she was so sure of her feelings. It was cowardice pure and simple. "I can handle time alone. You do." He gave her a charming smile and she pulled out of her shell a little. "I suppose you're stronger than me though." He thought aloud as they walked. "Don't worry about what was done. You did it because you cared about me. You saw a life you wouldn't wish on someone you disliked and you did what you could to help. You picked me because we're so alike."
"Not quite." She looked to him. "We do have a lot in common but I just feel that I couldn't bare to have you stuck. Your dreams are more important than the story for me to read. And I told you, Kosuke... You're special."
"How?"
"You just... Are." She pushed her hair behind her ear, looking to him past the blue of her bangs. "But, is that really important? Tell me, have you managed to track him yet?"
"No. He's using the surrounding villages to hide again."
"And after what happened to me... You don't want to go on the offensive again?" She watched him shake his head.
"No, Makenzie. I can't do that again. The last time I did that I met a woman who literally changed my life. If it happens again what if I lose who I am right now?" He looked to her, straight faced but she knew he was teasing. "I will figure something out."
"We." She spoke softly, but in a pointed way. "We will figure something out." He smiled inwardly, his face forward with the even expression locked in place. She was there for him and it felt wonderful.
The trip to Kyoto was nice, walking side by side with him, Makenzie felt safe and comfortable. They spoke of ideas to root out Hibiki, but all either one of them could really think of was holding hands again.
"This bar..." She ushered him to where she asked Woodseth to meet them. "He will be here soon, Kosuke. While we wait, though, let's have a drink?"
"Should we?" He raised a brow, looking over the bar.
"Yes. We definitely should. Come on, you need a break as much as any of us. Where's the guy that asks me to dinner all the time? It's just a drink, I don't bite. Besides, it might take the edge off."
He looked into her eyes and they pleaded with him. Adjusting the rifle on his back he knew she already had him. "Alright... A drink. But just one. We're not exactly low profile."
"Got it. As soon as we meet him we'll go." She walked in, with his hand on her lower back. Her bottom lip was grazed with her teeth, unable to keep the smile from her lips. She watched as his fingers rise on the way to the bar, a man setting two cups and a dram of sake down where they stopped.
She instinctively poured it for him, then her own, his eyes locked on her going unnoticed. The man set down a few coins, then moved to the warmed sake, taking just a sip, then throwing it back. She was a little slower with it. "So... What does he look like?"
"Tall guy, long black hair. His face is a little long. He should be wearing a western style uniform, much like your own."
"Bet he doesn't fill it out as nicely as you do." The teasing comment earned him a tap on the shoulder with the back of her hand. She finished her drink, then pour them both another. "I thought you said one...?"
She looked to him before a voice spoke beside her. "She can never stop at one of anything, I think you've been taken."
Her eyes widened and she turned around. Kosuke noticed how excited she was. He couldn't help but stare, she had a glow about her. "Woodseth! You're really here!" She wrapped her arms around him, marveling at the first time she's been able to express anything physical for him. "And you look so good. I almost can't believe it!"
The man chuckles, offering a charming smile. "Makenzie. You're making a scene, and being rude to him." Woodseth motions to Kosuke with his head. Kosuke had downed his sake, then nodded to the man, unsure that if he were to speak it would be polite. He walked around Makenzie then sized Kosuke up and down. "So this is him?" She nodded. "Well, I've heard too much about him. She was right, you do make a face when you meet new people." Kosuke looked to Makenzie, the woman averting her eyes from his sour, watchful gaze. He looked back to Woodseth. "I meant nothing disrespectful, just that she told me you don't trust new people. I understand it."
"Do you?" He seemed cold, but Woodseth nodded.
"Yes. It's only logical. You don't know me and even if I'm her friend, you have no reason to trust me. But we have more in common than you think."
He was staring coldly into Woodseth's eyes. The man wondered if he already guessed the way he felt about her and this was his declaration of intent. She fawned all over him, keeping him on edge. "Do we...?"
"You do." She spoke in her sweet voice, Kosuke looking to her smile. "Woodseth is also a program." This wasn't what he had expected her to say. The man darted his attention to Woodseth.
"Pardon my rudeness. I'm Woodseth. She spoke the truth. We are made out of the same stuff." She drank some of her sake as the boys spoke.
"So you're also a story Character? Does that mean you're from another story? Are you also on a romantic track with her?" Makenzie almost spits out the Sake as he fired off the last question. She coughed a few times, then wiped her mouth with her cloak.
"I'm from her world. They call us Artificial intelligence." He shook his head. "And no, I am not on a romantic story with her. Makenzie is the one who programed my learning. See, the way we work is that we are basically a machine. Like a cannon. Imagine you could take a cannon and give it orders in advance on when to fire. That is what a computer is. A machine that you can give orders to, and it will carry them out." Makenzie listened to him explain this and she wondered just why she didn't associate it to a machine.
Kosuke blinked a few times, he was going to ask a question but knew the man was going to continue. "We are more advanced than that, Minami. Imagine the cannon that can be told when to fire can assess itself when the best time to fire is. Then the more time in the field it clocks, the more experience it gets and the more accurate it is. You've given that cannon the intelligence of a person then, right?" Woodseth watched him nod. "We are a step further than that. Our learning is not based on simple concepts like that. It is far more complex than this." He paused, glancing back to her.
She was sitting quietly and he felt like she was judging him. He wanted to do a good job. Looking back to Kosuke, he continued. "We are different kinds of programs. The people who made your machine built you a world, a home to be in and limited the way you learn and interact. The person who built me..." He stepped to the side, showing a very shy Makenzie. "Is intelligent, kind and so giving. She worked years to perfect the mechanism in which I use to learn. I'm still not as great as I can be, she says I have years until I am fully developed. But I've already learned so much. Thanks to her. I'm a person. And she went into your machine and altered your learning mechanism too. It's not quite as advanced as mine, but she broke you free from your limitations as best as she could."
Kosuke hummed, looking down to the glass. He had explained quite many a things. His eyes looked up to Woodseth, then back to Makenzie, who felt so insignificant that she couldn't explain it. "She did that for me...?"
"Actually... I believe she did it so you wouldn't be forced to fall in love with her." Makenzie shot him a look, her brows furrowed and her fingers tapping on the bar. "She wanted you to-" Makenzie grabbed onto his mouth, jumping in order to do and and dragging him down into a headlock.
"Woodseth. Dear. What did I ask?" She let go of him, the disheveled man straightened himself up.
"Ah... Yes. Apologizes, Makenzie."
She pushed Woodseth behind her, standing eye to eye with Kosuke. "Yes. I did it for you. For us, really. You shouldn't be forced into anything. You have bigger plans and now you can be a person that out classes him in every way."
He smiled to her, then she nodded slowly. "So... Woodseth... Is he your boyfriend?"
Both of them look to one another and at the same time, exclaim. "What?"
"He's your best friend." Kosuke looked to him. "And rather handsome. You complimented him so much on the way he looked. It would explain why Ren's flirtations never land." He paused. "Unless... you would never love a machine... which makes far more sense." He felt so stupid and small.
"You think Miss Makenzie would allow something like that to stop her feelings?"
"Well... yes. We aren't real to her."
"Stop that." He looked to her, the woman sniffing softly. "Don't say that about yourself. You are real. Both of you." She wiped her face with her sleeve, looking down she just sighed and started off towards the door, swiftly. The girl was fleet footed when she wanted to be.
Woodseth watched as she walked away and then his eyes snapped to Kosuke, who nearly jumped to rush after her, only to be stopped by him. "Whoa, Minami. When Makenzie is upset, it is best to let her have some time to herself. She's only nineteen, her mother says she's still a girl." He cleared his throat. "I don't claim to understand much about the way she works, but I've seen her cry more times than I feel like I can count." Kosuke looked to him, the man's hand still on his jacket. "Even I leave her alone when she's like this and I am her only friend."
"O... Only?" He asked with his eyes searching the crowd for her still there.
"Yes. In our world, people tend to keep their distance from her because of her family. It's intimidating for them, so she grew up like that, with passing childhood friends that never stayed for more than a little while. So she is lacking in social skills. It's why she studied the machines that made me. She had no friends, so she designed one." Woodseth sighed. "I've watched her play stories searching for the companionship she longed for. I would instruct her in those skills, if I knew them myself. She's trying to figure it out, it's why she plays so many of these programs. We're not romantic." Woodseth watched him relax a great deal. He paid careful attention to it, in fact. "She was surprised to see how I looked because this is the first time she's seen me and not a disembodied voice."
"What?"
"Yes. I just started to play these programs to get to know her better. She is my best friend, after all." He sighed a little. "I want her to be happy and she is happiest in here. I begged her to let me come. Explaining what we are to you was the least I could do but it looks like I messed up."
Kosuke shook his head. "No, I messed up, not you. I understand why she's upset."
"Can you tell me...?" Woodseth looked to the door, clearly concerned.
"You said she has no friends back home, right?" He looked to Woodseth who nodded slowly, still with his eyes on the door. "So when I suggested to her that she might feel that we aren't real..."
Woodseth gulped. "She lost the only friend she had."
"Bingo." He fidgeted. After a moment he looked back to Woodseth. "Look, no offense or anything to how well you know her, but I can't just stand here and let her think..." Woodseth looked to him and this time, he was able to break free of the long reach, rushing towards the door. He looked around in the light of the day, searching frantically for her. His heart sank, he could only see the city folk going about their day. "I shoulda punched him. Woulda let me go after her." He grumbled before walking with haste off to the left. He was worried about her, more than he could even express. He looked for twenty minutes, in back alleys of Kyoto for her. He was so frustrated he hit the side of a building. With the sound there was a sharp gasp. He hissed himself and pulled back his hand, holding it.
"Whose there...?" That voice was familiar. That sweet voice but so weak. He rounded the corner in the back alley, seeing a form in a cloak huddled together on the ground. She was looking up at him, red puffy eyes and wet trails on her cheeks. His eyes widened and without hesitation or thought for himself he fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug. "K... Kosuke. Why are you-"
"Shhh." He hushed her, patting his hurt hand over her head and pushing her cheek onto his chest. "Makenzie... I'm an idiot."
"No..." She protested allowing herself to relax a little. "You're not. I... never wanted you to see this. How pathetic I really am. Crying, and down. Alone. Knowing I have to literally make friends. You're only wrong about yourself." She looked up, pushing from his chest with a hand on it, trying to hold back another wave of tears. "Please, just go."
"Not for the world." He insisted with a straight face. "Makenzie... you are not pathetic." She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. "Why will you not listen to me? You once said I was brilliant. You can't have it both ways." His blunt nature was a blessing right now, she sank into him, her face falling into the warmth of his chest. "You are anything but pathetic. I've sparred with you. I've talked to you I would know." He buried his nose into the top of her head.
"You hurt your hand..." She spoke, though it was muffled he still figured it out. He enjoyed the subtle vibration of his chest as she spoke into it.
"And I hurt your feelings- I don't think it's fair enough for my hand to just hurt." Her eyes were closed, she lifted her arms up, clutching onto the sides of his jacket. Her face sank deeper into his chest. "Makenzie... if you want to stop visiting me, I'd understand."
She lifted her head up. "A... Are you serious?" He glanced down to her, then nodded. Makenzie's eyes staring into him, she leaned in a little. "Not for the world, Kosuke." She longed for the courage to just push forward. Her nerves faltered. He lifted up his good hand, wiping off the wet spots with his thumb. "Kosuke? What are you doing?"
"Trying to clean up my mess." He examined her face before looking into her eyes. "You... really do... care about us." She nodded slowly. "I mean more to you than I thought I do."
"Woodseth... He told you... didn't he?" She raised a brow, before he hummed. "He did. So now you know." She chuckled nervously. "I knew you'd find out eventually, but the very day you met him?" She shook her head. "I'm not... with him. I have no feelings for him like that but he is my only friend."
"He's not. You have me." He said forcefully. His head moved down a little, hiding his eyes. "I liked meeting him. He cleared a lot of things up for me. Did you really make the part of him that learns? He seems so smart."
"Don't let him hear you." She laughed genuinely. "He'll get a big head. I already messed up a little designing how he looks. He's been in other programs talking to girls." She giggled a little more. "But yes. It's called coding. I coded his learning algorithm. That is what the mechanism is actually called."
"You're a genius." He smiled happily and she felt herself ease. "I'm friends with a genius."
"I'm not though." She shook her head. "I'm just normal."
"Nonsense." He pressed. "You need to have more confidence. You have such strength when we fight, where is it all now? You have passion and kindness..." He stared at her, wondering what the hell he was doing. She was too good for him and he knew it. His heart wrenched before he stood up with her. "Makenzie... I left Woodseth back at the bar."
"It's okay." Makenzie bit her bottom lip. "I... Want to spend time with just you. He'll be home, I'll see him later. We're in Kyoto... So give me a half an hour and... Kosuke, go to dinner with me?" She thought he seemed unsure, yet whatever misgivings the white haired man had, they melted when he looked into her eyes.
"You're asking me to dinner this time? Of course I want to go." He breathed out the words, unable to fully believe it. "Do you want to go sit somewhere, or walk around?" She took his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together and with a morose smile, tugged him. He went willingly, of course, as he always would. They finally made it out into the streets, she squeezed his hand lightly. She wondered if this was only pity. Makenzie forcefully pushed it from her mind and looked over to him. After she was fully calm, he took her to a ramen shop.
He sat down after scooting her chair in and ordered bowls for both of them. She stared at him, actually loving that he ordered for them both. She felt so, normal. It was a little piece of what might have been for her. He looked to her in the brief moments before the bowls were delivered, setting his rifle down and out of the way, leaning it on the table. Clearing his throat he locked eyes with her. "I know you might not want to hear it right now, especially from me, but you look beautiful today."
Makenzie adjusted in her seat, playfully smiling. "Thank you for humoring me. My eyes are still puffy and all, It felt good to hear, though."
"Oh..." He picked up his chopsticks. "I meant it." She was looking at him, blushing softly now. "That's not changing my mind. If anything it makes you more beautiful. Makenzie you're glowing..."
"Well a guy called me beautiful. Am I supposed to just ignore that because he's my friend?" She shook her head, starting to eat. "It doesn't happen often. At all, really." She looked up when the bell for the front door went off. Her eyes widened seeing a dark haired man walk through with his hand on the hilt at his side. "You've got to be kidding..." She whispered. He looked at her, then followed her eyes peering over his shoulder. He straightened up quickly, staring at her.
"He's going to know." She slipped her hood up, her eyes glancing to Hibiki who was standing at the counter and ordering a bowl. He hadn't looked around the shop yet. "We can slip out the back."
"Are you kidding?" She gawked at him. "We can't let this opportunity pass by us. Please, let my pathetic meltdown actually benefit us." He leaned down in his chair, staring at her with a raised brow. "Oh... Please trust me. I won't let him notice." She stood, crouching down and sliding over to his chair. He looked to her with curiosity and his heart beating fast, which only quickened when she slid on his chair, straddling him. She lifted her cloak, wrapping it around his shoulders and leaning in. The hood obscured his face but she was so close to him that her own heat and heart were raging. Kosuke couldn't take it anymore, his arms rose and wrapped around her waist. She tilted her head and leaned in closer, eyes locked on to his. Hibiki looked around the shop as he sat down, waiting for his own bowl. She glanced to him and sighed. "He's staying to eat. How long do you think you can stay like this?" He wondered just how long he could hold out, being this close to her and not going crazy. The fact that Hibiki was just behind them was a little exciting.
"As long as we need." His voice was even as he spoke. "So it just looks like two people are making out?" She nodded slowly, looking back to him.
"Yeah." She bit her lip, liking this a little too much. "Sorry."
"Oh, please don't apologize." He held her a little closer. "You're really warm. It's nice having you this close." She raised her brow, looking over his face. She wondered if he was teasing her again. "Makenzie..."
"Yes... Kosuke?"
He leaned forward, just slightly, letting his lips barely touch hers. "Why are you so soft?" She was taken by all this, to the point where she forgot Hibiki was even in the shop. She shrugged and he couldn't help himself anymore. He leaned in fully pressing their lips together. It was a sweet pressure they shared and she fell into it. She backed off of him once she realized what was going on.
"Oh... my. I'm sorry, Kosuke." She gave a half gloomy smile. "I will... pull back some." Her eyes remained on him. "We need to keep our eyes on him."
"I know you're right, but I don't know if I can do it." He whispered.
"We have to. If we trail him after he's done we will know, without hurting a soul, where to go after him." She closed her eyes, trying to forget the kiss, writing it off as something that only happened because they were so close and he'd comforted her not too long ago. It was more than likely him feeling sorry for her. "Kosuke... Thank you."
"For what?" He looked deeply into her eyes.
"I... I've never had a real kiss. Even if it happened because of the situation. You weren't forced into it. You didn't do it because of programming. I'll remember this for the rest of my life." She closed her eyes, breathing softly to still keep a feel of where Hibiki was.
Kosuke stared at her for a while longer before he comfortably smiled. He seemed to understand more now, glad his muscles basically moved on their own. "I only did what felt natural. I can't profess to understand fully this programming but I do know how I feel. I like spending time with you. I like when you smile. No, I love when you smile. You're a very impressive woman, Makenzie. I'm glad you will remember that forever. I assumed I would be rightfully slapped."
She laughed once, covering her mouth before someone other than him heard it. She glanced past her hood, to Hibiki who was standing up now. She wondered just how long that kiss was. Her eyes looked back to him and she gave one more meaningful smile. "I wouldn't hurt you. Hibiki is leaving though."
"Damn." He glanced to the side. "We need to wait a little bit before we follow. He's got a really good perception."
She thought her ears were playing tricks on her, when he cursed the need to move from the position. "Does he? He's been looking for us for weeks and we've been sitting a short distance away for about fifteen minutes..." She joked before sliding off of his lap, reluctantly. The man stood up, set coins down on the table of barely eaten ramen. None of him was upset by the wasted food, he'd gotten far more out of it.
"How good are you at being sneaky?"
"I used all my tricks in the last twenty minutes." She was amused at all of this, but in order to be serious like him, at least the appropriate amount, she shook her head. "I think I'm decent at it. We just have to tail him though, right? Just getting a general idea of where their current headquarters is will be enough. I will work on it... eventually."
He stared at her, admiring her drive. "Were you always like this?" She looked to him, confused as they walked to the door. "Scattered with so much motivation. If you want to learn something, you just go off and do it, huh?"
"Well yes." She opened the door. "A lot of the time there is simply too much to do. When I focus on something, boy I really focus. Yet at any point in time during the day I want to do a plethora of things. Too much, my dad thinks. It's a big flaw of mine. Wanting to do everything, I will never be amazing at any one thing."
"I think you're amazing." He spoke, grabbing his gun and catching up to her quickly. "And you're a maker of the machines. Look what you did with Woodseth. And me."
"There are much better examples of learning out there. There are teams of people who make far more sophisticated things than I can even dream of right now." They trail him in the shadows of Kyoto as they whisper.
"Teams of people?" She nodded. "But you've done it all on your own." Her attention turned to him. "I think you're far too hard on yourself, Makenzie." She waved him off, then looked ahead to following Hibiki. None the less on the way to their new target, she had a large smile on her face, amazed that all and all, today was such a good day.