sweetdevil | 69th ♫

BUBBLE
Eve

I'm still afraid so don't let go of me, forever
Reaching my hand out together with you, forever
Waiting for the moment, towards what's calling us
Go forth, with the gravity that pulls us together

[ As complex as they are, human hearts as so much easier to understand as data. Messy, tangled up feelings smoothed out into binary 1s and 0s and laid out for her to peruse through as easily as a human would page through a book. She's gotten good at it too, even if she doesn't feel all those feelings the same way a human would – in fact, the distance makes it even easier for her to pin them down and comb through them. At least in her opinion.

That's why it's so confusing to be drifting her way through the waves of data and processes that make up the Metaverse-Es and to come across something she doesn't understand. It's a process wrapped in another process, a heart beating with another heart at its core – or... no. It's a smaller, weaker heart with the skin of a brighter, more vibrant one wrapped around it like a disguise, projecting bigger, more colorful feelings. Neither is fake – both are as real as the other and yet they don't quite click together, like a mask loosely held onto someone's face by friction alone.

Lambda's fascinated. She's seen oddities like this before but never quite on this scale. And with her fascination comes the curious impulse to go and see for herself just who the owner of this heart might be.

So she goes peeling back layers of data and encryption, picking her way through hyperlinks and codes to try and find the girl behind this two-faced little heart. Who knows? Maybe she'll be someone Lambda can pass the time with. If she's lucky. ]

[As Lambda sifts through code, traveling from link to link, from server to server, from heart to heart, she finally emerges into the light...

Into sunlight?

It's bizarre. It shouldn't be possible, should it? But Lambda has emerged into what is unmistakably reality- A small street of Shibuya, not too far from the scramble crossing, in fact. And it's far too perfect to just be a simulation- The noise of the crowds, of ten thousand conversations. The air against your skin, the light summer breeze. The smell of a nearby restaurant.

Staring up at Lambda in surprise and awe is a girl- Small, with messy black hair, pale and thin, wearing a school uniform. And Lambda can sense easily- This is the same heart, the two hearts that are still one. Yet it's only one- The other heart is wrapped around the girl Lambda can see, yet seemingly invisible to her.

So much of the world, in fact, is wrapped in invisible hearts. The heart of the world itself seems to be changing, merging, with something else- and this second heart, the heart of the whole world... Someone like Lambda can sense it, but why can she not see it?

But the girl looking up at Lambda will distract from those questions pretty quickly.

From her point of view, after all, she was walking to school. Nervous and afraid, but still managing to go, even on her own. And then... Somehow, this girl appeared. Who is she? Where did she come from?]

... Did you just come out of my phone?

[nailed it.]

[ Lambda doesn't bother to respond right away. The girl should be her first priority as a human, of course, but how can she shift gears and give her full attention in a situation like this? The reek and din and motion of this half-and-half world is like nothing she'd ever known before and she's aware even as the information floods her senses that she shouldn't be aware of any of it. Something is strange here – she can't bring herself to call it wrong but it certainly isn't what she expected.

At last, she turns to the girl she'd followed here but she still doesn't explain herself just yet. She flits around her like a little fairy, plucking at her clothes, strands of her hair, examining her like she's some fascinating specimen that Lambda's stumbled across in the wilds. And when she does at last speak, her voice is lively, even a little sing-song. ]

Oh, this shouldn't be possible at all! [ She even giggles. ] Just what exactly are you?

Um... A human?

[The confusion seems palpable, and she flinches back a bit from the contact... But she's trying to be brave here. Trying to not run away. Don't be afraid....]

My name is Saitou... Who are you?

[ And at that, Lambda leans in close to inspect the girl's face. A little... too close, maybe. Her hair billows like a cloud all around them, seemingly as untethered as Lambda herself, as she pushes in close. ]

Saitou... Saitou, Saitou...

[ She rolls the name on her tongue like a piece of candy for a moment – then grins. ]

A a a h. That's not true, is it? Maybe it is somewhere else... but that's not the name that called me here. ❤️

... Called you?

[She takes a step back. She's scared. Nervous. Who is this person... She's pretty, but- Many deadly things are.

Who is she? Where did she come from?

Mana steps back again, and- her back hits a wall.]

... My name is Saitou Mana. I- It- If you're... asking for someone's name, then- Then you should introduce yourself first...

[She's terrified, but trying to put on a brave front...]

[ Oh, how cute. Even though she's so scared, she's doing her best to be brave, like a timid little rabbit puffing up its fur so it looks bigger and more imposing. It doesn't work to intimidate Lambda, of course, but the fear is enough to make her back up just a little.

The last thing she'd want is to make this girl cry, after all. ]

Oh, I guess you're right. The last thing I want is to make a bad first impression. ❤️

[ She smiles.

Somehow, despite everything... it's a very pretty smile. ]

You can just call me Lambda. It's better to start off on a friendly note, isn't it?

I... Yes.

[The thoughts going through Mana's head are varied.

Did this woman come out of her phone? Is this an AO thing? Is this more to do with the merging of the worlds?

She's pretty. Mana can't help but notice this. She's pretty, and she can't help but want to know more.... but some part of her, some part a bit more wise than the rest, points out: Snakes are pretty too, and then they bite.]

It's... nice to meet you, Lambda-san. Can I ask where you came from...?

Out of your phone, by the sounds of things!

[ She gives a very pretty, melodic sort of laugh and straightens up a bit, getting even further out of poor Mana's bubble. Or, well, getting her face up out of Mana's, at least. Her hair floats eerily around them both, like it's trying to keep Mana trapped even as Lambda puts on a show of letting her go. ]

As for where I really came from... I don't know that I could make you understand even if I explained it. [ But she grins. ] Hm, how smart of a girl would you say you are, Mana? ❤️

69th ♫ | nice lol

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