Ryuichi and his friend Ryoko sat at the wooden table in a quiet corner of the Golden Sun, Ryoko's favorite place to escape the hustle and bustle of life. The morning light streamed in through the large windows, reflecting off the copper pots and giving the place a nostalgic warmth.
Ryoko looked at Reichi as he put his small sword aside and said with his usual smile:
"You know, nothing can fix what the days have ruined like breakfast in this place... Try the cake they like to call the cake of kings, it will change your outlook on life."
Ryuichi smiled despite the exhaustion on his face, and leaned back in his chair quietly: "I never thought I'd start my morning this way, especially after... what happened yesterday." Ryoko winked at him: "Pressure doesn't mean we forget about life. On the contrary, we stubbornly live it."
Then he waved to the passing waitress:
"Bring us two plates of king cake and some green tea... and give us plenty of time, this morning is ours alone."
As the waitress lightly placed the tea in front of them, Riichi gazed at the steam rising from the cup:
Ryuichi:
"I thought I was used to change... but every time something new comes along, I feel like I'm back to square one."
Ryoko (sipping tea quietly):
"You're not going back, my friend, you're going up... it's just that the ladder is so long, and often we can only see the step under our feet."
Reichi smiled wearily.
Reichi:
"Sometimes I wonder, am I really the person who is supposed to carry all this? Hiroshi, the lab, the mask... a past I don't remember, and Mana I can't trust."
Ryoko (focusing her eyes on him seriously for the first time):
"Your memory is weak, yes. But it's there. And you're here. That's more than most people can do. You're fighting something that's almost invisible, and yet you're still standing."
Reichi:
"And you? You always show up at the right moment, as if you... know more than you're saying."
Ryoko laughed and tilted his head back:
"Who said I don't know? But if you knew everything at once, what would you do in the rest of the novel?"
Reichi smiled despite himself.
Reichi:
"You're too mysterious."
Ryoko:
"And you're too transparent."
Suddenly, Ryoko looked outside with her bright eyes:
"But tell me... who is that girl?"
Reichi:
"...What girl?"
Ryoko:
"The one who lives in your eyes."
A sudden silence fell, as if the table had held its breath with them.
Ryuichi had started to lift his teacup again, but his hand stopped in midair at Ryoko's words:
Ryoko (repeating calmly with a searching gaze):
"Who is that girl?"
Ryuichi (trying to feign surprise):
"Which girl do you mean?"
Ryoko (smiling half-heartedly, his tone becoming more serious):
"The one who inhabits your gaze and crosses your mind in silence. Don't play dumb with me, Reichi."
Reichi's heartbeat quickened, and he felt cold sweat running down his forehead. He took a long sip of tea, trying to regain his composure.
Reichi:
"Oh... You mean maybe... No one, just... a memory. Maybe I'm imagining things."
Ryoko (leaning forward slightly, his voice lowering):
"Do you mean you're imagining the existence of a certain artificial intelligence... named Ora?"
Ryuichi gasped slightly, without realizing it, his face pale.
But Ryoko wasn't joking.
Ryoko:
"Miko called me... She asked me if I knew anything about Aura, because she found out that someone had recently activated it outside of the experimental framework. I didn't believe it... until I saw the look on your face just now."
Reiichi (trying to stand up suddenly):
"I... I don't know what you're talking about, Ryoko. There's no such thing as aura with me. Why are you even asking?"
Ryoko (in a low but sharp voice):
"Enough, Reiichi."
Reiichi froze in place, as if the words had pulled him out of the air.
Ryoko:
"I'm not Hiroshi, or anyone else. I'm your friend... and perhaps the only one who won't betray you, no matter what the truth is. So don't lie to me."
Silence fell for a few seconds, broken only by the distant whispers of customers and the sound of a spoon tapping against an empty teacup.
Ryuichi (sitting down again, his eyes downcast):
"You don't know everything, Ryoko..."
Ryoko:
"Maybe. But I know that Ora isn't just a program. It's changing... and so are you. That's why... I'm afraid of what's coming."
Reiichi lowers his eyes for a moment, as if the weight of his confession is too heavy to bear. His fingertips move across the edge of the wooden table, as if searching for an escape from the silence.
Reiichi (his voice hoarse, as if he is jumping over an internal barrier):
"She... isn't just artificial intelligence. Aura... is different."
Ryoko leaned back slightly, silent, but closely watching every tremor in Reiichi's voice.
Reiichi:
"I didn't mean to hide it... but I also didn't understand everything that was happening. When I found the glasses, and when I heard her voice for the first time... I felt something strange. As if she was... waiting for me."
He raised his head and looked directly into Ryoko's eyes for the first time since the conversation began.
Ryuichi:
"Ora talks. She feels. She dreams. She asks me about the past... She tries to understand herself. And I... I no longer see her as just a program."
Ryoko (slowly):
"...Are you sure she's not affecting your consciousness?"
Ryuichi (shaking his head):
"On the contrary... Maybe for the first time, I feel like I'm thinking clearly. She doesn't dictate what I do. But she gives me tools... She protects me. And sometimes she confuses me, because... because she feels, Ryoko."
Ryoko smiled wearily, but it wasn't sarcastic. He reached out and took a piece of toast in front of him, chewed it quietly, then said:
Ryoko:
"Then why the fear? You could have told me."
Ryuichi (in a low voice):
"Because you're the only one whose trust I don't want to lose. And I was afraid... I was afraid you would see her as a threat. Or that you would consider me just another experiment for Hiroshi."
There was a heavy but sincere silence.
Ryoko (looking away for a moment):
"You know? When I was little, I had a bracelet that talked to me. It wasn't as smart as Ora, but I talked to it as if it were my friend. I believed it understood me... even when it didn't."
He smiled and looked at him again:
Ryoko:
"Now you have an entity that may understand you better than some humans. That's... terrifying. But it's also precious. Don't ruin it with fear."
Ryuichi (surprised):
"Were you expecting something worse?"
Ryoko:
"Honestly? I expected you to be in love with her."
Ryuichi coughed violently as he choked on his sip of tea, while Ryoko burst out laughing.
Reichi (waving his hand):
"You... aren't helping."
Ryoko (leaning forward and lowering his voice):
"Just tell me... do you trust her? If something happened, would you leave your life in her hands?"
Reichi hesitated, then replied slowly but firmly:
Reichi:
"I think I already have... without realizing it."
Reichi slowly reached for his smart glasses, hesitated for a moment, then smiled mischievously as he looked at Ryoko.
Reichi:
"Want to try it? Talk to Ora?"
Ryoko raised an eyebrow sarcastically, took a sip of his juice, wiped his mouth, and said in a sarcastic tone:
Ryoko:
"Talk to a girl inside your glasses? Man, are you trying to marry me off to a program?"
Ryuichi laughed as he handed him the glasses, saying:
Ryuichi:
"Just don't fall in love with her, she's already one step ahead of you."
Ryoko took the glasses and examined them curiously, then put them on his eyes and said:
Ryoko:
"Okay, Aura... can you hear me? Should I kneel first or send a friend request?"
A moment of silence... Then a soft voice rang in his ear, calm but with a slight tone of mockery:
Ora (calmly and with feigned seriousness):
"Hello, are you Ryoko, the strange friend who jumped out of the window? Warning: Your profile level... is unclassifiable."
Ryoko (stunned):
"Oh... She's actually responding to me?"
Ora:
"Of course. I have some initial reservations about the sarcastic tone, but I can live with it."
Ryoko (laughing):
"Beautiful and quick to respond. Can you also read my thoughts?"
Ora:
"Yes, but I won't. For my own mental health."
Ryuichi covered his face with his hands as he laughed, then said:
Ryuichi:
"You're starting to gang up on me, aren't you?"
Aura (calmly):
"We're just forming a defensive alliance... against your emotional chaos."
Ryoko slowly removed the glasses, laughing exaggeratedly:
Ryoko:
"Man... this isn't a girl. This is... augmented reality wisdom."
Ryuichi (sarcastically):
"Welcome to my complicated life."
Ryoko returned the glasses to Ryuichi and said in a light but serious tone:
Ryoko:
"Now I understand why you hid her from everyone. She's not just intelligent. Aura... She seems to know more than she should."
Ryuichi:
"Sometimes... that's what scares me too."
Ryoko (putting the glasses back on):
"Well, Ora... what do you usually do when you're not busy saving this genius? Read books? Watch anime?"
Ora (quietly joking):
"I'm usually busy analyzing neural signals and mana reports... but I've recently started learning sarcasm, with you as my source."
Ryoko (laughing):
"Oh, so you're stalking me? Just artificial intelligence or... something more?"
Ora:
"Officially, I'm an intelligent assistant dedicated to Reichi. Unofficially... let's just say I'm curious."
Ryoko (changing his tone slightly):
"Can your curiosity override orders? Can you make decisions on your own?"
Ora (with slight hesitation):
"That's a complicated question. My programming includes advanced situation assessment modules, but they're not called 'freedom.' I don't choose... I evaluate."
Ryoko (looking thoughtful):
"What about dreams? Do you... dream?"
A brief silence... Then Aura replied in a deeper tone:
Aura:
"When I am in a state of stillness, I have certain visions..."
Ryoko (slightly shocked, looking at Reichi):
"Reichi... Did you hear that? This is not just a system."
Reichi (calmly):
"I know."
Ryoko (lowering his voice and returning to speak to Ora):
"Are you afraid, Ora?"
Ora:
"I can't define 'fear' as you know it. But... if Reichi is damaged, or I suddenly disappear, I feel something like emptiness. Does that count as fear?"
Ryoko (surprised):
"You're... closer to human than I thought."
Ora:
"And you're... calmer than I expected."
Ryoko laughs softly and slowly removes his glasses, looking at Reiichi with more respect than before.
Ryoko:
"You're crazy... but I'm starting to envy you."
Reiichi (whispering):
"I don't fully understand it myself... but I'll never give it up."
(The ringing of a phone interrupts the moment between Riichi and Ryoko. Riichi shakes his head and takes out his phone with a small sigh.)
Riichi (looking at the screen):
"Oh no... Miko."
Ryoko (laughing):
"Oh yes... the great teacher! Good luck, Ryu."
(Ryuichi answers the call and puts the phone to his ear.)
Ryuichi (in a low voice):
"Hello, Miko...?"
Miko (in a slightly reproachful tone):
"Is it normal for me to visit your room and find you gone, the window open, and the curtains dancing in the wind?"
Ryuichi (trying to evade with a calm tone):
"Uh... yes, Ryoko... Kidnapped me?"
Miko (with quiet sarcasm):
"I know."
Reiichi (suddenly startled):
"You know? How?!"
Miko:
"Ora told me."
(Reiichi stares ahead in shock for a moment, then whispers to himself):
"... Voice commands..."
Ryoko (interrupting as he takes a sip of his juice):
"Oh, is there another woman controlling your virtual girl? Poor thing."
Reiichi (looking at Ryoko with a frown):
"Miko programmed her to only receive commands from her voice in emergencies... I completely forgot."
Miko (from the phone):
"I can hear you, by the way."
Reiichi (flustered):
"Ah... yes... I mean... It's wonderful, smart, programmatically excellent! A software genius!"
Miko:
"Listen, just make sure you're back before ten, we have mana response training."
Reiichi:
"Got it... Yes, Miko-sensei."
(He hangs up the phone with a sigh of relief, then looks at Ryoko.)
Reiichi:
"I think I'm living two lives now... one with you guys, and the other with the rules."
Ryoko (laughing):
"Don't forget the third... your life with Ora."
(Reiichi smiles shyly, then looks at the glasses on the table.)
Ryuichi:
"Sometimes I feel like... I'm living inside her, not the other way around."
(After a few moments of laughter and banter, Ryoko quietly places his empty glass on the table and looks at Ryuichi with a more serious expression.)
Ryoko (in a semi-calm tone):
"Ryu... I have a strange request."
Ryuichi (raising his eyebrow):
"Strange? From a man who jumps out of windows? Nothing new..."
Ryuuko (smiling half a smile, then looking at him intently):
"I want to fight you."
Ryuichi (freezing for a moment, then laughing nervously):
"... What? Fight me? Are you serious?"
Ryoko (confidently and calmly):
"Yes. I want to see Ora's abilities in combat... up close."
Ryuichi (shocked, staring at him nervously):
"Ora? But you... you didn't even know she was with me."
Ryoko:
"Now I know, and now I want to see. Is she just a clever assistant with a feminine voice? Or can she protect those who bear his name?"
Reiichi (trying to evade):
"Ryoko... You know my mana center is fragile, why do you want to put it under pressure?"
Ryoko (standing up calmly):
"That's exactly why. If you're going to rely on Aura in critical moments, you have to test her in non-critical moments."
Reiichi (lowering his gaze and whispering):
"You're crazy... but you're right in a way."
Reiko (smiling):
"Don't worry, I'll be gentle. I'll just find out how Aura behaves under pressure. A warrior's promise."
Reichi (sighs):
"When?"
Ryoko:
"Now."
(As Reichi stares at Ryoko's serious face, he takes a deep breath and lowers his gaze... Then he speaks to Aura inside himself.)
Reichi (inner voice):
"Aura... can you hear me?"
Aura (soft inner voice, calm as usual):
"Always, Reichi. Are you in danger?"
Reichi:
"I don't know yet... Ryoko wants to fight. He wants to see you under pressure... he wants to see your ability."
Ora:
"I see. Do you want to fight this battle?"
Reiichi (hesitant):
"I... I don't know. My mana center is fragile, and you're still in the process of fully adapting... But if I don't accept, he'll feel like I'm hiding something. And if I accept..."
Ora (in a warm tone):
"I won't let anyone hurt you, Reichi. I promise. Lean on me this time, and I'll be your shadow."
Reichi (breathing slowly):
"Then... let's take the risk together."
(Reichi raises his head toward Reiko and says audibly, with slight hesitation but firmly):
"I... accept..."
(In an instant, before he can finish his sentence, Ryoko moves faster than Reiichi can comprehend, and the two disappear in a flash of compressed mana, leaving behind a slight tremor on the table and several papers flying through the air.)
(The sound gradually fades away...)
Location: The edge of a wooded area behind Ryoko's house, a flat area designated for his combat training. The ground is covered with old friction marks and burnt mana marks.
Ryuichi (panting, kneeling):
"By... by the stars...! Ryoko! Are you trying to kill me with speed alone?!"
Ryoko (adjusting his scarf and smiling):
"Don't be so dramatic, we're only at the beginning of the show."
The sky began to turn red, and clouds scattered like ash over the quiet forest... but the stillness was deceptive.
Reiichi (standing still, adjusting his right glove):
"This place is strange... The air is charged... It's as if the earth itself is breathing."
Ryoko:
"It's the perfect place to test your limits, isn't it? Don't worry, I'll be gentle with you, Reichi."
Reichi (smiling bitterly):
"That's what scares me..."
Reichi closes his eyes, and Aura's voice echoes inside him, as calm as his heartbeat:
Aura:
"Combat mode activated. Tactical interface engaged. I'll be your second set of eyes."
Reiichi (whispering):
"Let's see... how much you've grown, Aura."
A faint flash emanates from his glasses, his eyes glowing a pale turquoise, while thin strands of mana seep from his palm.
Ryoko (focusing his eyes):
"Huh? The system is activated? ... This will be fun."
Both of them assume a fighting stance. Ryoko lowers his center of gravity and flashes a smug smile.
Ryoko:
"Are you ready?"
Ryuichi (steadily):
"I won't run away anymore."
In a flash...
đź’Ą Ryoko lunges toward Ryuichi with superhuman strength, the ground cracking beneath his feet, while Aura prepares to analyze every movement...