Andromeda

"Since the creation of the first program people have dreamed of machines that could think and act on their own. When fantasy became reality new ideas were created and new dreams. The idealists envisioned a world where man and machine stood as equals, the second race to walk the Earth. Others saw them as the salvation to a slowly dying race with capacities beyond humans to rescue the species from destruction. There were even those that saw them as the end of the world and humanity to be eventually enslaved by a superior creation. No matter the person or view machines were born with great hopes.

"Once the machines began to live a life much like that of humans people wondered about what they were truly capable of. They were doing jobs man had usually done, but they were advancing. Machines were made to evolve and grow. Many even developed problems similar to that of man such as boredom, complaints, and happiness. These emotions being shown by the machines puzzled man, as machines were becoming far more than the sum of their parts.

"It was not long before psychologists were being trained to diagnosis ill machines that suffered from remarkably similar human mental disorders. Machines were becoming more human than people thought possible. There was talk of whether to consider machines as equal life forms.

"However, the debate over what life truly hold left the possibilities for machine equality at a standstill. Varying beliefs arose most opposing the idea wanting to retain a purely organic human society. Others, usually scientists, believed in machines to be equals. But it quickly came to the question of what was real. Machines were following programs coded into them and simulated human expressions. While humans had existed because the divine had created them. Both views never saw eye-to-eye devolving into religious debates and moral dilemmas.

"Even man was created like machine was created by man, in the end what difference is there between one creation of life and another…"

Flesh is for Gods – Episode 03 – Charm of Beginnings

'What am I doing here? I should just go now…' Satoru was sitting in his chair with his eyes partly glazed over with difficulty focusing. His thoughts were split between the emotions that were building up in him and his rational mind trying to pull him out before he made a fool of himself. '…I can't…' However, he was already in the situation now and could not very well leave, actually the thought was tempting. But he knew how it would look. This lunch was his idea to begin with, if he ran away from it he would embarrass the both of them.

It was her voice that finally snapped him out of his trance. "Uh…Mr. Kuromura…" She had been staring at him with a wrinkled forehead worried what was wrong with him. The visible mark of him being uncomfortable made him worry himself. He was not sure what he was doing or how he was going to get through the day anymore. It had seemed like something so simple and it was developing quickly into something he was not uncertain about.

'Why am I feeling like this? I've never had a problem like this before. What is going on with me?' Satoru pounded his mind trying to pull himself together for her sake at least. It might have been a while since he had been on a date, in the company of a woman, but he knew that he had better manners than this. He straightened his back and tried to wash away the strange expression that was painted across him. Satoru then cleared his vision to look at her. "Please, you can call me Satoru…Miss…"

It had just crossed him that he had never caught her name before. She had just been the Lt. Colonel's assistant until now. He had normally not introduced himself personally with the assistants that he met. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm Asami Ichihana."

"Miss Ichihana-" Satoru said to be polite in finishing his previous sentence, but she cut him off quickly.

"Asami…" she said quickly looking a little uncertain. She pulled herself out of the moment by straightening her blouse and smoothing out her dress. The concern that had been inside Satoru was becoming apparent through Asami as well. There was a small comfort in that fact for Satoru, but he could not relish in it.

"Asami…I-uh…" For him to say her name had forced it to become more intimate than before. They were on a first name basis, the thought made Satoru's throat constrict on him. He pulled his stares away from her realizing that he was nearly stammering without a voice. 'Pull it together…can't just gawk at her…' Satoru turned himself to try to mentally readjust himself in the same manner that Asami had done.

The silence between them began to hang in the air thicker the longer that time passed. Neither of them seemed to have an idea of what to say feeling that they had become stuck on a greeting. Asami wrestled between her fingers not certain where she should start a conversation and uncertain why she was having lunch. Satoru sat trying not to have his legs shake the table apart while he waited for his mind to agree with his emotions. It was neither of them that broke the air, but the waitress who arrived with her smile that cut through the tension. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Oh, green tea," Satoru said grateful to have something to say that he did not have to stutter on. He had been thankful to the waitress for her excellent timing. The tension had built to a point that he thought that he was sweating. They were outside in the summer, but it was not the same feeling.

"Green tea…" Asami said quietly with a returning smile across her face. The waitress left soon afterwards with the order. Asami had recovered her voice as well having found something to start with that would not make her feel embarrassed. "So you are feeling better?" It was an honest question that had her curious for a while. She knew that he was alive still, but that was where it ended.

"Hmm?" Satoru was feeling a little absentminded with the sudden strange question given to him in the mist of the waitress. "Oh, yeah much more now. I was in the hospital for a week." He felt a little stupid for not immediately putting together the pieces. However, he was just happy to have a conversation going that did not end after a couple words.

Asami raised her arms up with relieved concern. "I'm so thankful it wasn't worse."

"I can't thank you enough for what you did," Satoru said having the repeated feeling to continually thank her. It did not feel old to him, as he was honestly glad to be alive still. But he changed the topic to her wondering about something of his own. "You weren't hurt in the explosion?"

"No," she said shaking her head softly, "I was across the street when it happened."

"I don't want to sound ungrateful, but why did you choose me over everyone else?" Satoru tried to cut himself off not knowing where he should have stopped his curiosity. The question was out now though and he could not take it back as much as he wanted. 'I shouldn't have said anything. Why did I say it?'

Asami leaned back in her chair a little surprised by the question. 'What should I say?' She tried to picture the day when it happened, but it was a little foggy in her mind. The moment barely seemed to have a thought with the action; she could only feel emotions at the time. There had been no control, just instinct, but that was complicated to explain in words. "I…its difficult for me to say. I-I just wanted to…" She dropped her head a little feeling the lack of an answer and trying to apologize for it.

"Oh…" Satoru did not know what else he should say to her. It was something that he should not have asked and just should be glad to be alive. The answer was not what he was looking for, but it seemed better that way to him in a strange way.

"I'm sorry," she said apologizing verbal now, "I don't have a better explanation." Asami hung her head down further wishing that she had a better answer for him. She had saved him it seemed only right that she gave him an answer, yet all she could give was half a reply that was more cryptic than helpful.

Satoru wanted to jump up from his chair to lift her head back up. He did not want to cause her to beat herself up for his own stupid question. "No, I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything." It was not much, but he hoped it was enough to try to pull him out of the hole he placed himself in.

Asami looked back up at him feeling a little relieved that he was not disappointed by the answer. Though she still felt that she wanted to give him a better response, even if it was still just as cryptic. "It was a strange feeling…I just felt like I should do something." She pulled herself back after she had leaned forward to emphasis her words. 'Its not much, but its better than nothing.'

"Thank you again," he said being as sincere as possible as well as encourage her not to feel bad about the lack of a useful answer.

"Your tea…" the waitress said without so much as a word to announce her arrival. Though neither of them was sure if she had actually made herself known with them distracted.

"Thanks." Satoru waited for the waitress to leave again before he started to sip his tea. They both took a pause from talking feeling out the air again as they looked across the cups into the other's eyes. 'I need something to talk about…anything…' He became a little frantic for a new topic feeling obligated to start it back up since Asami had the last time. "So you're the Lt. Colonel's assistant now?" It seemed like a safe territory, but he felt awkward all the same asking her.

"Oh, no. Actually I'm just a temp. I work for a temp service and the Lt. Colonel requested someone. I'm only working there until they find someone else permanent or I'm not needed any longer." That was an easy question for her. She was relieved to have something easier to talk about. It felt a little forced to her though, but she tried to make it feel more natural.

"I see," Satoru said pausing for a moment to think. 'So not part of the military.' Her not being a part of the military made it easier for him. Though he had not cared too much about the outcome of the answer it did make him feel better. It was an important question as his co-workers had pointed out. His co-workers being right about him was difficult to swallow.

"And what do you do?" Asami had an idea of what he did since he had visited the office, but it remained unclear to her. 'He must be part of the military, like a scientist or something.'

"I'm a software engineer in artificial intelligence," he said trying to remember what to say so that it came out correctly without being too confusing or misleading. Even being careful though, his line of work made people get the wrong impression of him. He had even been called an evil creator of machines once, as though he was a god or some such thing, which still left him a little dumbfounded.

"That's illegal though isn't it?"

He knew it was coming, there was always an explanation needed with what he did. Most people were just too quick to judge and not listen past his title. She seemed to be more interested than fearful of him. "Well the work that our company does is within the bounds of the law, so I'd hardly call it true artificial intelligence since we have to dumb down the program so much. But it is still programming the processing protocols and commands…oh I'm terribly sorry it must sound so confusing." Satoru began to run his fingers through his hair trying to distract himself a little from the feeling that was growing in him again.

"I don't mind. I didn't know that there were still people doing things like that. It must be dangerous."

"Dangerous? Why do you say that?"

"All of the people that are against it these days." She was correct in her assessment of his position. All the explaining in the world did not help against someone that would not see reason. He had dealt with that type of person frequently and it never got easier for him. They usually came at him with the same lines he had a thousand times before. In normal company could rip them apart without trying, but even when he spoke to them their minds were closed.

Satoru leaned back in his a chair a little trying not to think about all of the troubles that were happening. The images of the explosions were cracking through his mind again. He spoke up quickly trying to beat it before it finished pushing it back. "Well I'm usually careful in talking about what I do. It's misunderstood…"

"I'm sorry," Asami said apologizing again for bringing up a sore subject for him. It was unusual that someone's job would be difficult to talk about while being so public. "I didn't mean to…"

"No, it's alright," Satoru said trying to stop her quickly. He could see that it was upsetting her. He knew that he had to say something quickly before it settled in her. "I don't know…I feel comfortable telling you." The words made him pause afterward to think. 'What am I saying?' He could not believe that he had just said it, even if it was more or less truthful. There was the strange feeling that he could not help but agree with what he said knowing that she was different from the others he talked to about this. She seemed open still about the subject unlike so many people.

"I…uh…" Their lunched continued with the same rocky stops and starts that it began with, but in the end they seemed more comfortable then before. Satoru was even able to make a couple jokes that made Asami laugh. They slowly went their meal not even remembering the time and just letting it go until there seemed to be a natural end. Both of them were smiling with lighter spirits than they had entered the restaurant.

"Thank you for the lunch…Satoru," Asami said his name feeling a little easier to say than before. She still had the warm smile across her face as they started to end lunch.

"Again, thank you for saving me."

"Knowing you're alive is thanks enough."

They both stood up collecting their things up starting to go their separate ways. Satoru spoke up taking the opportunity to continue their talking. "In that case, as my last thanks may I walk back with you?" Asami walked out of the fenced in area of the restaurant standing on the sidewalk looking back at Satoru, who waited for an answer.

"Alright," she said turning away with a smile. Satoru rushed up to follow next to her not missing the chance. The two passed down the street quietly talking to each other. It had become much easier to speak by the end that Satoru was not even nervous around her. He had become at ease with her and she had become comfortable as well.

When they turned the corner shouts from across the street outside a building interrupted them. There was a mob of people gather together protesting the machines and the policies of the government for not doing anything about the bombing. It caught their gaze for a moment until they passed on. Asami was drawn back to what Satoru did for a living realizing that the protesting was hard for him to watch. "It must be difficult for you."

Satoru looked over at the protesting once more knowing what she was talking about. "I try not to think about it too much." It was still rough for him to listen, but it was nothing that he had not heard before. The public would continue to act in an ignorant manner about the machines because they did not know the truth and did not care enough to listen.

"Even after everything that happened? You're still doing what you do." She was not sure if it was determination or just that he was doing what he always had, but there was something admirable about it. He did not give into the pressure of what was going on in the world. In spite of it all, he continued to do what he enjoyed.

"It is hard at times, but I don't believe machines are against us. I want to believe that they would want to live together with us. I'll keep believing that."

"I think you're right…" The answer became apparent to her now. There were so few people in the world that still believed as Satoru. She was surprised that someone could still believe so completely with everything that happened, especially nearly dying from a result of machines. Her words had seemed so simple next to his impassionate belief.

It was not long before they were at the steps of the Benihoshi Building. This was where Satoru had to part ways with her, possibly forever. He did not know what the future had for him, but he hoped that she was going to be in it again. "Well thanks-" His words were immediately cut off by a powerful quaking at the ground followed quickly by an explosion.

The building down the street from them had just blown up with massive flames bursting from the ground floor windows climbing and crawling up the sides of the walls. The initial explosion shattered the cement around the first floor throwing pieces across the block smashing into windows and other buildings. It was only a moment after that the metal supports no longer protected by the cement crumbled under the immense force of the explosion shattering the supports. Only another moment later did the building come falling down on top of itself while leaning against the surrounding buildings. As it collapsed upon itself the speeding walls scrapped and screamed against the neighboring buildings leaving marks like a monster had crawled through.

In the instant of the explosion Satoru had grabbed Asami putting his back towards the building seeing the fire burning up. Pieces were already flying past them as he rushed to protect Asami from spreading debris. He could hear her screaming as the painful noise of the building destroyed windows in its concussion. The sound was like nails dragged against a chalkboard multiplied ten times with the frightening screeching of crows looking for a meal mixed into one. It was deafening, one that Satoru did not remember the last time.

Once it had all settled into a huge pile of flaming rubble Satoru let go of Asami. He turned her looking at her frightened face. "Are you alright?" They had both miraculously survived the destruction without a scratch. There were others in the street that was not so fortunate as them. Some were crushed by falling debris or cut in two by speeding metal. There was blood thrown everywhere across the street as though it was raining it.

"Y-yes, thank you."

"What just happened?" Satoru said looking around having a terrible feeling about what it was. He looked down the street to see the hulking wreckage of the building burning brightly. "It's happened again…" There was little doubt in his mind what it was that occurred. This was no accident. 'Its happening again…I can see it…the fires…' His mind became invaded by his memories and false memories of the last time blending together with what he saw before him. '…the voices…make it stop…' None of it would leave him drilling deeper into his thoughts ripping apart his sanity until he collapsed to the sidewalk.

"Satoru!" Asami shouted kneeling down to catch him scared that she did not know what was happening to him.

It had been peaceful; there was only blackness in the void painted over the ugliness that he had seen. But it was lifting now and the black faded away. Satoru opened his eyes slowly looking around seeing that he was inside a building another. "Satoru? Are you alright?"

He looked up at the voice to see that it was Asami staring down at him. The worried fearful expression that she held melted away in easing relief to see that he was awake. Satoru lifted his head up off Asami's lap looking around confused to why he was inside now. "Uh…what happened?"

"You collapsed outside."

"I did?" Satoru said while trying to remember what happened to him. It was all a haze in his mind like before. All he could recall at the moment was that the building had been destroyed and then it all went blank. 'How embarrassing…in front of her…but she stayed this whole time.' Satoru's face became a little red as he thought about it and the fact that he had been resting on her lap the entire time. But he was pulled back sharply by the images of the building burning. "The building, the explosion!" Satoru jumped up suddenly feeling lightheaded.

Asami quickly got up and pulled him back down to the couch in the lobby of the Benihoshi Building. Satoru eased back down with little resistance. "No, please…"

"Damn! Why…why again?" His fist clinched together against the couch seat knowing that so many had died again. 'This conflict is never going to end…'

"You should probably rest," Asami said trying to keep Satoru sitting. She could see in his eyes that he wanted to do something. The confused struggle was clear in his eyes as it ate through him.

"I'll be fine. I'm sorry for making you worry again."

"No, it's alright," Asami said staring at him with that worried expression again. "You sure you're feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I-I was just a little overwhelmed by my memories. Nothing to worry about," Satoru said giving standing another try. He was not so lightheaded this time, but it still felt a little strange. There was nothing he could do that would be gained by sitting around, but it was not as though he could do anything to prevent this from happening.

Asami followed Satoru as he slowly made his way to through the lobby. She could easily see that he was not doing so well, but he was stubborn. "What if you faint again?" If she could find a reason to get him to rest she was going to try.

"I'll head home and rest," Satoru said looking at her knowing that she would not let him return to work. He did not feel like going back to work, but there was nowhere else for him to go at this point. Though if going home made her feel better he would.

She stood between him and the door still worried what was going to happen him. The look that he had was easy to read and she did not know what he would end up doing if he went alone. If there were nothing else she could do it would be to make sure that he was safe. "You shouldn't go alone."

Satoru stepped back from Asami reading her face well enough to know what she was intending. 'I have to…I can't let her…' He could not let her follow him all the way, even if it did seem like a pleasant thought. Though as he looked at her he could see that it was going to impossible to dissuade her. "But what about…" Even still, he was going to try to make the attempt.

"Please, I'll worry about you knowing that something could happen to you again." She moved closer to him closing the gap that he had set between them previously. Satoru could nearly feel the body heat coming off her.

"A-alright…" he said reluctantly knowing already that it was a futile effort. Satoru could see that she was honestly concerned about him and his well being, even if he was still somewhat of a stranger. He fought with his mind over the conflict when he could not verbally. 'I should just say no. What am I going to do now?'

Satoru reluctantly walked back to his apartment with Asami. They eventually made it through a couple train rides. She had stayed close to him watching on the train even though there were few words spoken between them. He had to be careful of what he did as every strange motion made her increase in worry. It left him stiff as a board by the time that he reached the door and looking strange in a completely different fashion. Satoru was exhausted by the ordeal and simply wanted to rest now.

'What can I say anything to her? She does seem honestly concerned. But still this doesn't feel right. Its not like I planned it though.' The door was staring back at them now with the two waiting outside acting like someone was going to open it from the inside and invite them in for dinner. Satoru released his body trying to relax a little. "Um…here it is."

They stared at each other further with Satoru hesitating and Asami looking confused and worried at the same time. She moved closer to him again making him feel nervous suddenly. "Need me to open it for you?"

He backed away from her waving his arms around trying to correct himself. "Uh-n-no-no. I can get it." Satoru exhaled his breath before opening the door slowly. Once it opened he placed himself in the middle of the entry. 'How long has it been since I had a woman in my place? I can't do this.' He tried to wake himself up and focus on getting Asami to leave. He did not want to be rude, but it was just not something he wanted to deal with now. "I-I…well…"

"Are you feeling ill?" she said looking a little ignorant of the situation blinded by concern for Satoru. She stepped forward again uncertain what was wrong with him. "Maybe I should come in…"

"No!" Satoru said having to catch himself before he shouted out of fright. He paused a moment to breath before continuing. "I-I mean, I'm alright. You don't have to worry. I'm feeling much better now, thanks." He ended with a smile to try to reassure her that he did not need her to stay around anymore. It felt false to him, but he hoped that it was enough.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah…"

"Well alright. I'll be going then," Asami said pulling away from the doorway preparing to leave. "Thank you for lunch."

"Thanks…" It felt like it was hours before she left, but she finally departed his hallway and building. Satoru was able to breath again with all of his blood returning to normal from the tension that had been building. He was going to need a shower just to clean all the sweat off him. 'That was close. I don't think I'm ready for this…'

After he was finished in the shower he walked back to his bedroom to lie down. It was a long day for many reasons, too many for him to deal with now. Sleep seemed like the best thing for him to forget and move along with what happened. "What am I going to do?" As he rested his head against the pillow the faint sounds of the explosion echoed through his mind. 'It happened again…they attacked. This won't end. They keep going.' The images of the building falling apart and the flames that enveloped it rolled back into his thoughts. 'The fire, just like before…all over again…again…' The flames grew larger blowing towards him. It came to swallow him completely until there was nothing, but the burning heat against his skin and the screams of people dying crying out to him. '…no-no get out of my mind…go away! G-go…away…' Satoru grabbed his head in his hands rolling to his side on the bed trying to rip out everything.

In spite of the haunting images Satoru fell asleep quickly, but not peacefully. He was barely free of the memories that constantly surrounded him during the night. Worse yet, for him not evening waking up was an escape for him anymore. Hours passed and morning rose finally shattering the bindings on his eyes that held him in the twilight of his mind. "Morning already? Did I sleep all night? Ugh…that dream, no nightmare. Why can't I shake it?"

Another shower later, he walked out into the kitchen to prepare his breakfast. Not even the shower had broken the sluggish feeling that he had in his body. The night had not been kind to him, but it was more to blame on his mind. "News," he said towards the monitor.

The monitor revealed itself from the wall quickly adjusting to the channel requested. On the screen was a woman with the remains of the building that he had seen yesterday behind her. "…the fires are still burning here at what was once part of the city's skyline. Now all that remains is twisted metal and concrete with smoke rising above the city. It is a constant reminder to everyone that this is real and the threat that the machines represent."

Satoru was barely able to swallow his food listening to what was on the news. He did not hesitate in turning it off to remove the subject from his mind. "Off."

"Thousands are…"

Even with it gone he was not free from his own horrific memories of the event. They would follow him unceasing in their pursuit. "Doesn't end…how many people have to die…" Satoru quickly made it through is breakfast distracted by his thoughts not thinking to take his time. "…there is nothing I can do…"

Now that his breakfast was finished there did not seem like a reason for him to stay around any further. So he walked out of his apartment finishing with the last details before locking the door. While on the train ride into work he could see smoke still rising from where the building had been. 'The smoke…it was like that before wasn't it? But it was gone when I was awake…' He slipped into an absentminded state fighting to keep himself awake and stave off the ill dreams that crept around.

Satoru walked into the company building feeling like death walking at that point. The receptionist had greeted him, but he was hardly conscious at the time to realize it. His feet on autopilot he ended in his room where he gave a weak greeting. "Morning…" It did not seem to matter the low tone that he spoke in as it pulled everyone away from what they were doing without hesitation.

"Hey, boss!" That was how the greeting went from many of them who were quickly surrounding him like a pack of hungry wolves looking at their meal.

"Satoru! Hey buddy!" Kazuhiko said breaking the line to grab Satoru by the neck in a very congratulatory manner. "You're back!"

"Buddy?" Satoru said looking at him suspiciously not sure why he was acting so friendly this early in the morning. Kazuhiko was always a friendly person, but there was a clear deep seeded motive to his actions. He decided to play it a little cautious and inquire (though he felt like he was going to be regretting it soon). "Yeah, I'm back. I wasn't gone. I do still work here…"

"I guess you were so busy having a great time that you didn't realize the time."

"The time? Oh crap!" It was at that moment that it hit him squarely in the head what everyone was looking at him about, or so he thought. "I didn't come back yesterday." Satoru began to look around becoming worried by the expressions that he was seeing across their faces. He was no longer certain that he understood what they were thinking.

"Heh…look at you. Our boss finally got some action," Kazuhiko said patting Satoru heavily on the back. It did not take him much longer than the hearing the sentence to know what Kazuhiko was thinking in his perverted mind of his. Though Satoru could not disagree with the fact that it went through his mind as well. "Good going!"

"Knock it off, Kazuhiko its embarrassing listening to you," Chiyoko said attempting to disarm Kazuhiko from Satoru who was beaming with pride for his boss.

"Hey! Just calling it as I see it."

"Well go see some algorithms instead," Chiyoko said quickly having finally removed him from Satoru's neck. She tried to pushed him through the mob around them, but found that it proved difficult.

Satoru could still hear Kazuhiko's faint voice muffled in the crowd continuing in spite of being dragged out. "But he didn't come back, you want to know the details as well don't you. That's why you're pushing me off. You're trying to get it all for yourself first."

"How dare you!" Chiyoko released Kazuhiko that moment placing her hands at her hips and narrowing her eyes at him. The glare was enough to make Kazuhiko crawl away if it was not for the trap he was in.

"Kazuhiko, leave him alone," Natsuko said stepping up from the crowd to join in the intimidation. Satoru almost seemed secondary at the immediate moment with Kazuhiko drawing all the attention, as usual.

"Now you're ganging up on me. Hey, Tadashi!" Kazuhiko tried again to press through the crowd to free himself from the menacing advances of the women. His hope Tadashi would help him failed brightly as he turned away from Kazuhiko.

"Leave me out of this, this is your problem. I'll catch it one way or another from one of you anyway." Tadashi had not even bothered to look at him while he was talking pretending he was still working at his computer.

"Traitor!"

"Whatever…"

"Let me go!" Kazuhiko said as Chiyoko had finally managed to get him out of the circle around Satoru. The two struggled further for unknown reasons now as Natsuko remembered that Satoru was the one that needed attention.

"How are you, Satoru?" Natsuko said letting him sit down in his chair. She knelt down on the floor looking up at him almost like he was child, but Satoru was too distracted by his thoughts to be offended.

"I'm fine, just a little exhausted."

"Did something happen?" There was the hint in her voice that she was asking about the date rather than an open ended question. It was enough though to fully wake up Satoru from his dazed state that he had been in since he arrived.

"Natsuko?!" he said responding to her in surprise that she would be so bold.

"I didn't mean!" Natsuko said waving her arms trying to cut off the mistaken inference from her words. She quickly tried to cover over her tracks, but it was uncertain which she was originally aiming. "You just look down."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…" Satoru said looking down at his feet feeling the images returning to him again. He could not go a minute without thinking about it and allowing the door open. There was no moment that he could speak about it without being tied to unbearable terrors. "Just a long day yesterday."

"Did your lunch go well?" Natsuko said trying to start small from a familiar point before working to the critical matter.

Kazuhiko burst up against the group hearing the conversation continuing without him. Chiyoko was still pulling at him to give Satoru the room that he needed. "Hey, you're getting all of the gossip!"

"This isn't about you!" Chiyoko said snapping at him and yanking him in a chair to be met in the end by her icy glare that was telling him 'Don't move or I'll kill you.' Kazuhiko did not need another word to know that he was going to have to be quiet.

"Satoru?" Natsuko said continuing not wanting to let it settle for too long on Satoru.

There was a long pause from Satoru while he tried to collect himself again. Every break was another chance for him to become lost. He worried how long it would last or if he would ever find his way out from the labyrinth. When he was ready to speak again he looked up at Natsuko feeling her eyes on him, though not like she was judging him. "Oh, the lunch was fine. Went pretty well, I guess."

"Then what is it?"

"That bombing…" He had been reluctant to answer the question honestly, but he was feeling a little cornered by the pressure. There was another feeling in him though that seemed to want to let it out and not continue to bottle it inside. It did not provide him relief to speak honestly, but it was the gateway now.

Natsuko pulled back as did everyone in the room to hear him speak about it. "You weren't nearby were you?" It was the question on everyone's mind. There was bad luck in being in two bombings and surviving. The worry across everyone's face for his well being was far too clear for him to handle.

Satoru looked down at the floor again not wanting to see their faces while he talked. The truth continued to roll out of his mouth as he questioned why he was doing it so readily for them. "Not that close, but I saw it. I couldn't get the image out of my head."

"How bad is it?"

"Well I-I…" Then he choked, there was more than just the simple answer to the question anymore. It was complicated by other issues that should not be dealt with now. 'I can't tell her that I passed out and Asami went back to my apartment. The things that they'll say. Not to mention it is embarrassing enough fainting. I don't need more gossip spreading out than there already is. But what do I say?' He did not know what he would do if those became rumors in the already building gossip. So he kept it simple while still being truthful. "I…I had nightmares..."

"Nightmares?"

"What's he telling you?"

"Kazuhiko!" Natsuko said yelling at him from the distance.

"You're so insensitive," Chiyoko said pushing him away further while glaring further at him for speaking out of turn, again.

"What'd I say?"

"Nightmares? For how long?" Natsuko said refocusing the conversation back to Satoru again who had easily grown quiet. She could see that it was difficult for him to talk about it, but he needed it to move on.

"Since I was in the hospital, every so often."

"Have you spoken to anyone about it?"

"No." Satoru had not had the time to talk to someone about it since he returned to work. There had been someone that visited in the hospital to help him through the emotional and psychological effects of what happened, but he turned them away. At the time he had not been feeling it severely and did not really think heavily about it. Most of it was still hazy then that he had nothing to recall for images, but that was different now. He had more than he wanted to remember and it flowed freely without recourse.

"Maybe you should."

"I'll be alright," Satoru said wanting to believe what he spoke. It was hard to imagine it passing, but he knew that it would eventually. His concern was how long it was going to take to get over it all. It was affecting his life and work now. "It'll pass at some point."

"But Satoru…" she said reaching out to him to comfort him.

Satoru pulled himself back avoiding her. He had the strange sudden urge not to be near her or anyone. It trickled down his back settling with an ill stomach. "I appreciate the concern, Natsuko, but I'll deal with this." He tried to reassure her with a weak smile, but he did not have enough for it.

"Don't push yourself, ok?"

"I won't." Natsuko stood up from his desk space and began walking away from him. She had a disappointed look on her face like she knew that she was not as helpful as she wanted to be, but knew that she could do nothing more. Satoru did not want to end it with her feeling so horribly. "Natsuko, I…"

"Satoru?"

"Thanks…" He had more that he wanted to say, but he could not manage the words. Leaving it simple had better results, as Natsuko appeared to cheer up a little from the single word.

The group around Satoru had already dissolved by the time that Natsuko was leaving. Everyone was starting to return to normal, but they would not be allowed the time to rest. Kazuhiko suddenly jumped up from his chair grabbing their attention quickly. His face was serious now; he was no longer playing around with what he had to say. "Hey! Everyone, take a look at this right now!"

"What is it?" Satoru said concerned by his sudden change in demeanor.

"What's wrong?" Natsuko said walking over to him seeing that he had been looking at something before he spoke up.

"Something's happening. The prime minister is holding a press conference about the last bombing."

"What?" everyone said in surprise. They quickly leapt from their chairs to see the monitor that Kazuhiko was redirecting the feed to so that they could all see it. It was still quiet with no one on screen, but the murmur of reporters thickened the anticipation of what was the big news to be breaking in the morning.

"Its about time, the government has been sitting on its butt for the last week saying nothing," Tadashi said arriving last at the crowd.

"What you think they will say?"

"Are we going to war again?"

'War…not again…why does this have to happen?' Satoru thought to himself worried what this would mean if it were true. It was feeling like history repeating itself suddenly. Mankind had been down this road before time and time again, would it ever learn from its mistakes. Satoru frowned deeply as the Prime Minister walked onto the screen.

"…Good morning everyone, I have come before you today on the matter of the bombings that have been occurring across the world as well as in our own country. It is on this day that have returned from discussions with the other world leaders. We have reached a conclusion for response to the machines terrorism. As of 12pm today I will sign a bill declaring a state of war."

To be continued…