Adam thought to himself, "Hey, I never asked this, but… where do we even go to reach the upper level of the city?"
Yoku looked at him. "Hmm… I think it's straight toward the middle of the city. There should be a large gate there. But if that AM—whatever it was—did what we think it did… then maybe it's open right now."
Adam walked toward some old shelves, glancing at the side of the computers. There were also a few tables and resting spots, but most of it was just broken-down ruins. Cracks everywhere, and dust. Nothing but dust.
Then he spotted something.
A camera. And an audio recorder.
Yoku ran over, his eyes shining. "Whoa! You found something!" His hands twitched, his legs shook a bit—erratic and eager.
Adam watched all those weird little movements. He really wants this thing... "It's a camera. And an audio recorder."
"Haii, finders keepers, I guess!" Yoku grinned.
"Well, you did save me," Adam said, smiling faintly. "We can use it together."
Yoku's eyes widened. He was overwhelmed with gratitude. That simple gesture made him... happy.
Suddenly, the woman stirred. Adam flinched in surprise. She murmured something unintelligible as he helped her lie back down gently.
"Oh, you're awake… you were almost dead there."
Her eyes were blank. Hollow. She looked exhausted, just sitting there in silence. She was extremely skinny, short, her short hair slightly longer on the sides. Her military uniform hung loosely on her body—too big for her. And yet, Adam couldn't help but think she was beautiful.
"Is everyone in this world just... this handsome and gorgeous?" He turned a bit red.
Yoku stepped in, waving a hand in front of her face. "Hey. Say something."
They sat in silence for a few moments.
Yoku offered her a bottle of water, at Adam's insistence. Eventually, she whispered, "My work… it's done. I'm tired. I just want to rest."
Adam asked gently, "What work?"
"I'm a maintenance agent for this building. The only one left. I was supposed to get backup from the facility… but that was years ago. I've been surviving here and maintaining this city by myself ever since."
She stared at the large wall of dead computers. Her gaze was hopeless. "I guess it's all dead now."
Adam looked down, sympathizing. A memory welled up—his own past. How he used to try to be "the best." But that wasn't the truth. He was lazy. On Earth, he'd been jealous of people more successful than him—those who had money, talent, complete families. He used to fake his smile around them. Did I ever try to change anything? Barely. And now... I realize how small those problems really were.
Yoku broke the silence. "So… what are you gonna do now?"
The girl stayed quiet.
"Are you just gonna stay here and die?"
She gripped his shirt tightly, trembling. "No. I don't want to. It's been too painful…"
Yoku's face darkened. "Yeah. I probably sound selfish right now… Forgive me. I didn't even try to save you back then. It was Adam who did that. But now…"
He paused, his gut twisted with regret.
"I know it's painful. Because I feel it too. I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to fight to survive in this world. But now that I think about it… the fact that I can feel regret… it means I once had something better. That I came from something better. If I didn't… I wouldn't feel this pain at all."
The girl started to cry. Quiet sobs at first.
Then she whispered, "I'm Isshi… So what do you two plan to do to survive?"
Yoku's expression froze. Then he said bluntly, "I have absolutely no idea."
Both of them stared at him, stunned. After all that heartfelt speech, he didn't even have a plan.
Adam spoke up. "We're trying to reach the next level of the city."
Isshi gave a tired chuckle. "Heh… even if we go up to the next strata, we have no idea what's out there. No plan."
Adam thought to himself—how someone like him, an awkward otaku who was never good at socializing, suddenly found himself in a situation like this.
"…How about we make a promise," he said softly. "That we'll do our best to survive. No regrets."
He awkwardly raised his fist for a bump—just like in an anime. It was embarrassing, but he wanted to do it anyway.
Yoku laughed, while Isshi didn't say anything. But… she didn't refuse, either.
"You're really weird, haha," Yoku said.
Then, they all bumped fists.
Adam Electi:
"I promise… I'll always do what I believe in. I'll never regret anything. And I'll always try to survive."
Yoku Mortes:
"I promise… that before I die, I'll build the biggest city this world has ever seen." his hands shakes a bit bumping with them
Isshi:
"I… I promise I'll find my purpose."
Even if she couldn't believe she was doing this… with two strangers she barely even knew.
"Purpose huh?" yoku look at ishhi..
Suddenly the surrounding shakes
The toques, and the screws, metal gears were falling from the sky… one fallled on adam
"AHH, the duck?"
Ishhi suddenly stand up wobbly "Hey, I know where to go" she grabs adams hand and they follor suit, going and turning many doors, as the back slowly collapse.
"whats happening" as yoku said it… his backpack tored to the side from the debris "what! Oh cmon… I had this for a decade"
They go up the stairs, which by now shaking it was incridibly long and rusted the handle were twisted and some had none, then at the last second suddenly the stairs crumbled, yoku grabbed both isshi and adam and his backpack across the floor, as he clings on it…
Both huffing and puffing from how that was so fricking tiring, Adam manage to grab yoku hand and pull him off… "I hate this world…ugh"
But he had something etch on his mind, he was finally strong enough to pull someone, that wasn't possible at his past self which made him happy…
Then he finally saw the other side, the sky tower… many metal ropes or steel railing above them, and he can see there journey, from the first time adam set foot on this world the city, the broken chasm that he almost died from, the connecting towers side by side where yoku and adam journeyed, to the side of dead military gears vehicles, trucks, and massive machines…
Which is very far away, that made him feel small…
The wind brushing against, and the cut through sky of the ceiling the sun can be seen…
"Hahh" ishhi made a sigh "I don't know what to do, this was actually a way to get to the Doctor, but its broken now… I guess were trapped here"
Which yoku smiled cheekily "Wait I know somethings…" he grabs many tools and gears from his backpack, and replaced and attached broken dead ones from the vehicle which transport them without stabilising it.
Still adam cant be always be astonish by it… if he were on that world he would be the greatest enginner ever…
"There its done" as he opened the transportation gate and we entered
Ishhi smiled for the first time "You actually did it…sigh I wouldn't have died if I had your abilities"
"Or my tools" then ishhi started the machine as we move further and further away from the building
"Goodbye truck…"
-_- adam realises "Oh yeah… your truck yoku"…"Sorry for leaving it"
"It was from my grandfather but its fine…" he grabs the handle "Its now impossible to get to it"