01 | First Flame

[courage_of_fire]

[ An image flickers onto the screen. At first it's an aerial view of the grass below, but the camera shifts focus. There's a trunk of a tree in the distance before the camera flips again, whirling past a sea of red, before settling on a horizontal view of the surrounding foliage]

Just what is this thing?

[The images spin and whirl again as Hikaru

Comments

1/?

[child_radical]

It means that it's recor...

2/?

[child_radical]

3/4

[child_radical]

Looks like you don't remember anything...

4/4

[child_radical]

It's your network device and it allows you to communicate with everyone else in The City.

video

[courage_of_fire]

Have we met? How do you know my name?

[courage_of_fire]

[Hikaru's tone brightens]

Thanks! I'd really appreciate it!

I'm Hikaru Shidou.. but you already knew that.. It's nice to meet you Konata!

So this place is called "the City"? It doesn't really have a name?

[eagleofautozam]

Hello again Hikaru. I see you too are playing with this city's unique technology.

[courage_of_fire]

I wouldn't call it playing

[But her tone is bright and happy]

With all your experience with machines this thing must be a breeze for you!

1/2

[eagleofautozam]

[blinks]

[eagleofautozam]

Well… the technology is a bit… different…

1/2 ♥ ♥ ♥ eeeeee~

[soulofocean]

[Still recovering from learning all Hikaru's previous memories of The City are gone. This... is wonderful, in so many ways. To see her best friend rid of all the suffering and the painful experiences and so cute and naive and unharmed by those...]

Hikaru...

2/2

[soulofocean]

Right. Those tricky Network devices can be difficult to handle, huh?

No worries! Fuu and I can give you a crash course to make the most of them! Though... Fuu's much better qualified for tech affairs than I am.

1/2

[courage_of_fire]

UMI!!!!!!

2/2

[courage_of_fire]

[ She giggles as she adjusts the camera towards her face]

No kidding! Is this better?

That would be great! Why do we even have these things? Where do they come from? I just looked down and there it was..

voice;

[guardianjoker]

Hikaru? You're back?

[courage_of_fire]

Back? This is the first time I've been to the City.

[Pauses before adding]

How do so many people already know my name? Do the Deities anounce our arrivals?

voice;

[guardianjoker]

Ah- that's, well you were here before. Sounds like you don't remember that though.

[courage_of_fire]

Are you sure? [Oh my, could it have been, her. Hikaru's voice gets more serious.]

Did I say anything strange? Did I hurt anyone?