Chapter 5 The first partner (Part 1)

[Beep]

[Hp 120/120]

Listening to the sound of the system I woke up, it was a quiet night without any incident. I checked the area of my foot and it seemed to have formed a scab indicating that my recovery was going smoothly, I only need to wait for it to come off and leave a few marks. I put on the lizard leather shoes and get up, then I begin to stretch to get loosen up and then I could see that my body was completely restored, I put on the leather armor next and left the cave.

Now that I think about it, it wasn't very helpful, or at least I didn't notice. Is there really a difference between using it or not?

[If you hadn't used it, the goblin hit would probably break your collarbone and you would pass out from the impact and pain. Then you would surely wake up with a pain in your shoulder ... and in other place, when having a monster all over you. Remember you were a level 1 at the time and the goblin probably exceeded level 5]

Aurora's voice rang in my head as I was talking to myself. Thinking about it, I was about to lose consciousness that time and as Aurora says, if it weren't for the armor and that learned skill [courage] and the auto activation of my [Soul Of The Emperor] because of the fury, my ass would probably be in trouble right now.

"Please, let's not talk about that Aurora, I don't even want to think that it would have happened to me if I had passed out."

When I left the cave I notice that it was still dawn, and only the sounds of the forest could be heard. Probably the nocturnal animals return from hunting to their dens with the unfortunate prey they killed. I'm glad not be part of them, I have to quickly increase my chances of survival and I think one way to do that is to get support from someone else.

Last night I decided who I would summon, it had to be someone smart and careful since I often overlook things. Then having the person clear in my mind, while taking the scroll from the inventory, I ask Aurora.

"How do I summon someone Aurora?"

[Just think of the world from which the person you want to summon comes from and then retain in your brain a clear image of the individual while holding the scroll]

Something simple, with the recommendations that Aurora gave me for the convocation, I performed just as she said. I create an image of her in my head, I know she is not strong, but I think that at this level it doesn't matters that much. As long as her mentality is strong we can grow stronger together.

With a clear image in my head, I scream to reinforce it and transmit it to the scroll to avoid any kind of mistakes.

"Stein Gate -Kurisu Makise!"

Suddenly time seems to stagnate and before I knew it was in a very similar blank space, same as when Cross summoned me. Hey, isn't it supposed that Kurisu is the one to transport over? How do I end up returning to this place, where is she?

[First you have to make her accept Alexander, thought I told you. This place serves as an intermediate site for the two to meet, if the negotiation is successful and she agrees to accompany you then the two will be transported back to Gaia , but if it fails then each one will return to the worlds they were before the summon.]

Correct, you said that before. But it was still unexpected, so I'll have to talk to her, but where is she?

I looked for another person in the place with my eyes and as turned around, I saw her sitting there hugging her knees with her head between them. A gray aura emanated all around her, I almost believed that even without the [Spiritual Vision] ability I could have noticed it. 

Hoi ... Isn't she like.. Completely depressed? It wasn't explained that she can refuse to be summoned if it not what she wants? It seems as if someone just kidnapped her and are about to sell her.

[The system should have explained everything she should know, her emotional situation is caused by the situation she was in before was summoned]

Eh ... what situation was she in? I assumed it would be called from a time before the plot of the anime.

[She is Kurisu from the timeline where she dies, and as you can see she was brought just before she died]

Well ... although I thought to summon a character who died in the original plot of the story, I didn't think they would take it from that precise moment. I thought that when I summoned someone I would have to convince her that if she continued in her world she will die shortly after ... although it is a bit cruel to her, but this saves me many troubles trying to make her believe that she would die in the near future. For now I should talk to her.

"Hello"

"..."

...She doesn't respond, let's try once again, anyway nothing will be resolved if she keep quiet immersed in her own thoughts.

"Hi, Kurisu I am-"

"I heard you from the first time, don't you see that I want to be alone!? "

" Emmm … well, I don't think we can do that. Didn't you hear the information about why you're here now?."

Although she seems annoyed, for now I got her attention. Listening to my words, she seemed to think of something and after a few seconds raising her head and examining the surroundings she shift her gaze and focus on me.

"Who are you and where am I?"

"I think that information must have been provided before being transported here."

It is a bit tedious to explain and honestly I don't even know where we are, the explanation of the system must be more complete than if I explained, is better if she remembers. When I finished telling her that, she frowned and with her index finger and thumb pressing in her chin, she looked like was searching at her memory. Looking her closely in flesh and blood I must say that she is really beautiful, professional models would hardly have her appearance. 

And if you think that it is for that reason that I summon her, with total confidence and with a hand in my heart I can tell you that your assumptions are not far from the truth. Sorry, but as a man, what would be better than the one who accompanies you is a beautiful girl? Would you have chosen a man to wander around through a forest just the two of you? So I can't be judged on that, can I?

"When he attacked me a voice told me that it would move me to a place where a person would appear and I would have to choose whether to be his companion and follow him to another world, then it continue talking about that strange world that was similar to those where the stories of fantasy take place"

"That's right, and that mentioned person is me. And if yo -"

Before I could finish what I wanted to say, she interrupted me by stating her own thoughts, I honestly can't blame her for that, since when I was in her situation I thought the same.

"This must be a dream ..."

"Hahaha ... although it is difficult to accept what is happening, it is real, or else, can you think of another reason as to why are you here?"

"... Dead? Did he kill me?"

As Kurisu spoke, she turned pale, and her aura, having begun to stabilize in a blue color when she was talking to me, returned to the gray color of when I first saw her.

"That would have happened if the events on that side of your world keep whit the same development"

"How would you know? ... maybe in the end he wouldn't, or maybe he just wanted to scare me!"

Listening to Kurisu who reproached me by raising her voice, I remembered how the plot developed in the anime, the scene where his pathetic father killed her. Truly an injustice to someone like her.

"Why do you look at me like that? What do you know? ... you know nothing!"

I should have had a sad look on my face because that's just how I felt about her. And that seemed to alter her since her voice rose with each word. Thinking that she didn't deserve to be lied to, I answered her with the truth that I knew.

"In fact I know very well, Kurisu, wanting to take your research away, you die because of your father" 

"How do you…"

Surprised without being able to complete her words, she took a few steps back. Stopped and looked at me with a disbelief all over the face.

"If you ask me how I know, it is because I saw it. In that warehouse, you die when you are stabbed by your father, who later takes your investigation and escapes to another country."

"No, it's not true ... you lie!"

Denying it with both her head and mouth, I notice that her voice was broken by the sadness and sorrow she felt. As much as she wanted to lie to herself, she was too smart to continue fooling herself.

"Unfortunately it is the truth"

"Why…"

Reached by reality, tears flowed from her eyes, it really hurt me to seeing her like that. You could say that I exaggerated, that I had just met her and it's too much for me to worry about her, and you probably are right in that. But when I saw her in the anime, she conquered me whit her personality and character. Her being someone kind and selfless and even something naive caused me empathy.

Before I even realized it, I had approached her and raised my hand to wipe the tears that ran down on her cheek.

"Don't cry Kurisu. frankly it's sad and unfair, but that may not be the end for you."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Alexander Ilios Apeiro and if you agree, we will become partners from now on. We will have to depend on each other to survive in the world that the voice told you" 

"And if I don't want to accompany you, what will happen to me?"

"Unfortunately you will return to where you were and the story I told you will inevitably develop"

"Then that practically doesn't leave me with an option doesn't it? Or doesn't it sound like a threat?"

"Don't look at me like that, that's out of my power"

I said smiling wryly, removing my hand from her cheek since she now looked at me as if was mistreating her. But on second thought, it really seems like I'm threatening her...

[You should have assumed it Alexander, from the beginning you would be taking advantage of the fact that she died in her world]

"..."

I kept quiet without answering anything, I wanted to defend myself and say that I didn't do it with that intention, but couldn't. As Aurora said, from the beginning I aimed for people who died in their original worlds so that their most logical option was to choose to accompany me. My only consolation that kept me from feeling worse is that although somewhat forced I would avoid her from dying.

"Well, that someone offers you another option when you're going to die is a good thing, it's not something to complain about. I should feel lucky for that."

... hahaha you just did that, that comment almost comes out of my mouth, but I managed to contain it. She seems to have calmed down and started to think things more rationally, I don't want her to be angry again for a silly observation. 

But she really has a strong mentality to recover from an attempt on her life and also that the perpetrator was her father. It may also be the case that she is only putting a strong front or trying not to think about it, but in any case, the fact that she doesn't crumble to pieces says a lot about her.

"So what will you do?"

"First I want you to answer some questions before I make a decision"

"It seems fair to me. Ask, if I have the answer I will tell you with pleasure"

"How did you know about me?"

"In the previous world of which I came from , you can say that your story became known, you could read it or see it in an animation"

"Like a biography of my life?"

"Not precisely, in fact, I think your death is almost at the beginning of the story as far as I remember"

"How does my story start with me dying? !! "

Kurisu shouted approaching her face to mine, it really seemed to bother her being killed at the beginning of the story. It's not that I don't understand her, but can't do anything, this is how the plot of the anime is.

"Well, that's because the story is not exclusively about you, you are one of the main characters but the plot revolves around the guy in the robe who had an argument with your father at his conference room."

"Guy in the robe ..."

"The one that seemed to have a screw loose " 

"Ah, I remember it"

"By of chance you end up doing an investigation with him and several people of his group"

"Wait, didn't you say I'm died in that warehouse. How can I do research with that guy if I'm supposed to be dead?"

"You can say it wouldn't be exactly you, it would be-"

"An imposter"

"Hahaha"

My laughter inevitably escaped because of what she said, what can I say, she has imagination or had seen too many dramas. But certainly, it is as they say "reality is more strange than fiction". Then annoyed by my laugh she yells at me.

"Don't laugh when it comes to other people's lives!!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I don't see how someone can confuse such a beautiful person with another."

" Hmmp "

After releasing a flushed snort, she turns her face while playing with her hair, it seems she will let pass that I laughed before. And with her restored humor I continue the story.

"It was not an impostor, it was you but from another timeline"

"Hey…"

Her movements stopped, then she looked at me again with fury in her eyes and aura turned bright red. Come on, her mood had just improved and besides this time I haven't done anything.

" Are you making fun of me ?" 

"It shouldn't be so hard to believe, being here with me talking about going to another world, right? But yes, that story in my world would be classified as a fiction one."

She kept looking at me intensely for a few seconds until the anger in her eyes became doubt and contemplation. And as if trying to end everything she ask me.

"And how does everything end?"

"The man in the robe, mistakenly changes the line of time sending a message to the past with a machine they create. Then he continues experimenting with it, sending messages to change things, but he's the only one who can perceive it. Then things get complicated, his childhood friend dies and wanting to change that fact, he uses the time machine.

But to his disappointment he cannot change the event no matter what he tries and with several failures as precedents he concludes that it is impossible to prevent his friend from dying. But when he was about to give up, you help him, with the information he gives you, you conclude that if he wants to change it he has to undo all the other changes to return to the first timeline .

In the course when the two of you try to return to the original timeline, you two fall in love - "

"Stop, stop, stop. Impossible that is impossible"

Kurisu interrupt me with a face of disgust and even nauseous. I on the other hand just smiled wryly and continue.

"Calm down Kurisu, as I have already told you, that is not exactly you. But well, let's skip that part because I don't like it either. In the end, he manages to return to the original timeline where he was at the beginning, saving his friend, but as a result you're dead in that timeline. Then he receives a message from himself from the future where it explains that he can save you, going to a third timeline where both you and his friend are alive. And that's exactly what he does. The end. "

"Haven't you shortened it too much? !!"

"I didn't want to deepen too much your relationship, but if you want I can do it" 

I replied to her when she asked me in an unsatisfied way, although I didn't want to go deeper into the subject because speaking the truth I was a little envious of Okabe at this moment. When I saw the series, I could only see the characters as what they were, character. But having Kurisu in front of me in person I couldn't help but have a little jealousy.

But if she wanted to know, I couldn't deny it because she had every right to know. So I wait for her decision, to tell her.

"Leave it alone"

To my surprise she didn't want to know, maybe because the surprise was noticeable on my face, with a sad expression she continues speaking.

To be continue...