Story Reader / Affection / Nanami: Startrail / Story
Nanami: Startrail VI
Wow, Nanami is drifting so far, so very far away...
Somewhere in the infinite cosmos, the girl looks back at the long path she has traveled, watching as even its traces fade into nothingness. She fails to notice the weary smile that dances across her face.
This sure feels a little awkward... without Commandant around me.
BOOM?
Oh, you mean this? This is the most beautiful flower I've come across on my journey.
In the girl's delicate arms lies a vibrantly beautiful flower.
When I see Commandant again, I'll hand it over proudly and say...
Look! I've got you a little something. This is the most adorable flower I came across in space.
She forces a cheerful tone to herself, imagining the moment of reunion with her Commandant, but a bitter smile tugs at her lips.
But it's so dark here... and Commandant is so, so far away.
I'm fine being here alone, though...
Just as she's about to close her eyes, a tiny speck of light streaks across her vision.
Ooh ooh, is that a comet?
...And it's gone... What a shame, I haven't seen a comet in such a long, long time.
She slowly draws her knees up and drifts into hibernation once more... This, perhaps, is one of the few ways she has to fend off loneliness during her long journey through space.
Trudging alone through the void of space, you call out Nanami's name as you go.
While the starry sky may seem dazzling and brilliant from Earth, space itself is a lonely place. Those vibrant star charts... perhaps they're nothing but astronomers' lies...
Only when truly among the stars does one realize just how far apart celestial bodies are from one another. Most of the time, not even a single ray of light can be caught.
Having been adrift for who knows how long, your body has grown numb from the endless solitude, yet your journey so far is but a tiny fraction of the path she has traveled.
Knowing how much Nanami loves being around people, you find it difficult to imagine how excruciating it must be for her having to travel all alone for so long.
What's that speck of light over there?
You decide to shout at the glimmering planet despite all the disappointments you have already experienced.
Weary, you decide to head toward the shimmering planet despite all the disappointments you have already experienced.
Nanami... I've never heard of that planet. There are only three planets in our solar system, and I know them all, but none of them goes by Nanami.
Oh, you mean a girl about this tall, with gray hair in a ponytail? And she always smiles?
We'd definitely become great friends... if I ever met her! Sorry, I'm at my aphelion right now, and it's too cold here. I need to get moving!
You've been asking around the entire way, but no one in this solar system has seen Nanami, making you wonder if you've somehow gone astray somewhere...
Power, Power, I think I'm seeing another comet!
BOOM, BOOM...
What?! My eyes are totally okay! I can see stars that are light-years away!
The distant light keeps stopping and starting, bumping around in confusion every now and then like a lost traveler. Nanami can't help but giggle at what she's seeing.
Come to hang out with us already. It's boring as hell out here!
The twin maglev engines on Nanami's back burst into brilliant flames as she races toward what she believes to be a "comet."
You have no idea how long you've been drifting through space... You have seen novas burst into life, stars collapse into darkness, nebulae condense into stars, and stars fade back into nebulae...
To put it in earthly terms, you've come as far as any human can possibly imagine, and yet you still haven't traced the full length of Nanami's journey...
While searching for Nanami, you suddenly find yourself trapped within a triple-star system. Three blazing suns circle you, instantly trapping you in a cosmic oven.
What a tiny comet...
We only know the names of stars! I'm the eldest among my siblings, and together with my two younger sisters, we're known collectively as Polaris!
So you know our other name! Beautiful, isn't it? A star just your size gave us that name. She told us all the stars where she's from call us by that name!
It was a tiny star, just as small as you! She told us that all the stars where she's from call us the North Star.
The suns puff out their chests with pride, their rays growing even warmer as they shine.
And that tiny star they spoke of, the one about your size... It's got to be Nanami.
The stars cast their light toward the edge of the galaxy, where a long, golden comet tail stretches into the distance—Nanami might be waiting at the end of that luminous trail.
The frozen clock begins to tick once more, and your heart pounds with renewed vigor—
Oh, I almost forgot—your comet tails are the most beautiful we've ever seen among all the stars!
Farewell, dear comet! Watch out for black holes, and may the stellar winds guide your way!
As you once again venture into deep space, the North Star's light converges upon you. Your pace grows ever faster like it did when you were about to take off from Earth...
Wow, wow—that comet is moving so fast, and—it's so bright!
Having been chasing after the comet, Nanami freezes in place, with the growing sparkle of light reflecting in her golden eyes.
Oh... it's gone...
Like fireworks, it blazes brilliantly for one moment, only to vanish without a trace in the next.
But such is the fate of most comets she's witnessed—perhaps they've flown to other places, or perhaps they've fallen onto some distant planet...
What, it's all dark here again...
Nanami stares blankly at the now-silent space and sticks out her tongue in disappointment.
Just as she's about to turn and leave, she suddenly stops in her tracks.
...Is that Commandant I'm hearing?
Am I hearing things...?
After traveling countless light-years, you find yourself in an entirely different environment, surrounded by the dazzling brilliance of an accretion disk.
At the center of the accretion disk lies a bottomless black hole, destined to devour all light.
The immense gravitational force tugs relentlessly at your body—just a fraction closer and you would plunge into the darkness from which not even light can escape—
Commandant!!!
If this isn't just your imagination, Nanami might have become something that moves faster than light itself.
But hallucination or not, her cry has already activated the starship trigger on your belt, causing it to flash rapidly.
MAX Q
As you pull the MAX Q trigger on the belt, a deep electronic bass resonates within your helmet, and then—
MAX Q
Like a legendary Cosmic Rider, you pull the MAX Q trigger with flair. With it, a deep electronic bass instantly resonates within your helmet, and then—
An enormous thrust surges through your back as the speed readings on your visor skyrocket, pushing you right back into the comet's flight path—
Her eyes shine brilliantly once more.
That beam of light struggles and dances as it grows larger and brighter in her eyes.
It was the most brilliant comet she has ever seen in this vast void.
...Commandant?
Throughout the endless flow of time, she has witnessed countless comets, each silently streaking past her eyes, only to quietly vanish from her sight...
But that one comet, having traced a rainbow-like path across the horizon, is coming straight for her.
Light gradually fills the space around Nanami, dispelling the darkness that has surrounded her all this time.
Is this a dream?
That comet comes racing through space for her, and her alone.
Having crossed the boundless solitude of space and traversed the pitch-black abyss you're bringing her the most brilliant of lights...
！！！！！
Commandant—you've finally found Nanami!!!
How did you get here, Commandant? Did you actually fly out of the solar system just like me?
I thought I'd hidden away in the deepest parts of space with the legendary "Ultimate Answer"! How did you manage to find me, Commandant?
The girl floats over excitedly and circles around you a few times before touching your snow-white armor in amazement. The armor bears countless scars from years of cosmic voyage...
She finally comes to a gentle stop before you and gently pokes at your space helmet with her finger.
Oh, I get it now! You turned yourself into the coolest Cosmic Rider ever with this belt, then traveled such a super duper long way to get here...
She murmurs while gazing in the direction from which you came, where the path you left behind reaches well into the distance.
Here in this distant darkness, she has been searching alone for an "answer" that seems forever out of reach...
It's cold indeed...
But with you as my anchor point, Commandant, I'm never going to go off course or be lost!
The girl hesitates for a moment before breaking into a cheerful smile again.
Yes, you're as much a miracle to this world as you are to me!
It's because of all the memories I share with you, Commandant, that I believe I can definitely find the legendary Ultimate Answer of the universe!
Just like countless times before, the girl proudly puffs up her chest and raises her tiny fist to strike an "I-am-about-to-save-the-world" pose.
It seems that whenever she's with you, she'll always strike that same pose—smiling brightly, with her chest puffed out and fist raised high—as if your carefree treasure hunt together would just go on forever.
Eh? Why the tight squeeze all of a sudden? It's not like Nanami's going anywhere!
Anyway, no matter where you are, Commandant, Nanami will come rushing to find you!
And then one day, she really did become Superman, soaring into space to save the world, just like her hero would.
...Farewell, Commandant... farewell.
Commandant?
Catching you spacing out, Nanami gently taps your helmet again.
The words echo heavily inside your helmet as they roll off your lips, and only then do you realize just how hoarse your voice has grown from the long journey.
...
Nanami hears your wish loud and clear, Commandant!
Commandant... Nanami really misses those moments when it was just the two of us together.
But a world like that would be too lonely. The world shouldn't be that way... and neither should Earth...
The girl holds your hand as she drifts through space, while the stars around the two of you light up one by one like they would in a fairy tale.
Each planet is like a spherical bubble of memories, reflecting the moments she's shared with people.
Slowly, the lonely cosmos comes to life with light and noises.
Commandant, I might have to be away from Earth for now, but this won't last forever.
Fate isn't set in stone, and that's exactly why it's worth looking forward to.
Just like all we've encountered on our journey—moments of sadness, joy, fear, and surprise...
The future will surely be just like that—filled with endless possibilities to look forward to.
Please believe in me, Commandant, and look forward to our future!
The girl cups a tiny starlight in her hands and offers her treasured flowers to you. Up until you crossed each other's paths just now, she had spent countless days and nights in this vast solitude...
Look! I've got you a little something. This is the most adorable flower I came across in space.
I just kept waiting and waiting... not knowing when I'd eventually be able to give this to you, Commandant...
That's when it hit me... that you'd have to travel a long, long way... to cover a longer distance than I have, just to be with me!
If you ever have to do this again, though, I'd love to be there by your side...
Because I have a lot of things to give you, Commandant, so many stories to share, and countless treasures that I want to discover with you...
And there is something important that I have to tell you.
She takes a deep breath, her beautiful golden eyes reflecting her own silver-white figure.
In this moment, she is neither a sage nor a superhuman... just an ordinary girl; and you are neither a hero nor a champion, but simply her knight.
She floats over gently, wraps her arms softly around your neck as she rests her head against your space helmet, and closes her eyes with a smile.
...
Commandant... [player name]...
Nanami loves you soooooo very much!
The surrounding stars twinkle and trace beautiful paths across the sky, as if singing a melodious song just for the two of you.
A voyage with you, setting sail for distant horizons together
Because you are here
No more wandering in despair, no more easily giving up
I'll share this dream with you and the world
No matter how faint the starlight's spark, no matter how fierce the storms may rage
Throughout our journey, our clasped hands burn with such warmth
Only through your presence and love can these dreams be loaded
Countless moments of beauty and brilliance, endless patterns of splendor and light
These are the colors that bloom for us alone
This is Nanami...
From me, to you... this is the starlight of countless millennia.
Opening your eyes, you return once again to The Bifrost.
Having grown accustomed to space travel, you feel weighed down as Earth's gravity holds you in place.
Below, countless lights twinkle where humanity persists in Aerospace City...
Above, twinkling stars adorn the dome of night, reminding you of Nanami's smile.
—
She left what she cherished to the one she loved most.
Phew... I thought I wouldn't be able to write it all down.
The girl solemnly marks the final period on the last page of the thick book.
Congratulations on finding the most precious treasure. Consider it my gift to you.
In return, I shall treasure your stories as my own.
...
As if struck by a thought, she lifts her pen once more.
There has never been an endless winter on this planet...
When the ice and snow finally melt away, I hope she remains by your side.
Well then... The next chapters will be yours to write.
