Story Reader / Event Story / Summer Anecdotes / Story
Luna - 2 Umi
Cry not if you're before my grave...
The girl's voice trails off softly. These past few nights, [player name] comes here to teach Luna how to sing, and today she finally has it down.
So, what do you think? Does it sound good?
No...
Luna tilts her head, studying the person before her. She senses real joy in [player name] over her mastering the song, but there's a faint trace of unease lurking beneath it all.
She pauses for a moment, then invites the human.
Would you like to go for a walk on the beach?
Are you surprised?
Why?
Hmm... The me you know isn't here.
Luna finishes speaking, then turns and heads downstairs.
The human stays quiet for a moment.
The two of you walk in silence under the night sky, leaving footprints of different depths in the sand, only for the waves to wash them away moments later.
Even though it's already the height of summer, the night air still has a chill, so starting on the second night, you put on a hoodie.
The atmosphere feels awkward; you think you should say something, but Luna's amnesia still troubles you.
It seems reality isn't anything like a soap opera after all.
M.I.N.D. is notoriously difficult to study. Even the Science Council can't claim to fully understand it.
Jumbled thoughts race through your head until you suddenly realize the girl beside you is speaking.
[player name], are you listening?
What are you thinking right now?
Hmm... I see.
I don't think it's a total waste. I do recall a lot over these past few days, but I'm still nowhere near the "Luna" you want.
She is a lot more lively than the Luna you know... You find yourself unaccustomed to it.
They're all fragments—mostly everyday, mundane memories.
Luna frowns slightly, bowing her head in thought as she speaks in a hushed tone.
I'm with my sister... in this huge place, and we're really happy. There are lots of kids my age, and we all study together...
Yes... I remember now...
So I'm a high school girl after all.
Yeah, it's a beautiful world—completely unlike this one.
I mean, it's nothing like the usual memory fragments—there isn't even the Punishing Virus there.
Luna playfully taps your shoulder.
Come on, your world is the weird one, and there's this "Punini" thing...
They call it the Golden Age. People there do whatever they want and learn anything they like. Compared to here, it really feels like... a dream world.
My sister loves cooking. She's amazing at it and always lets me try her latest creations.
I'm into photography and post tons of pictures online. I figure I might become a photographer one day.
We're running an online cooking channel...
All in all, these days are pretty ordinary.
Anyway, I came across a movie script in that castle yesterday.
Now that she mentions it, you indeed recall mechanoids telling you the story about that castle.
It tells of a sea goddess who visited the human world for the very first time—and ended up falling for one.
Oh, and speaking of which, my outfit is actually inspired by the sea goddess's costume.
So this is how she gets this outfit. You've been so caught up in Luna's amnesia that you didn't even think to ask about it until now.
But considering Luna's temperament, would she really go for this style?
Sure does.
A goddess fell for a human—taboo in every sense—and so a curse takes hold.
The sea goddess slumbered in her castle, only awakening on the day this human's life ended.
While that human had two choices.
The first choice was to hold on to his longing for the goddess, waiting until his final moment, when she finally woke.
The second was to embark on a quest to break the curse by awakening the moon, letting its cleansing moonlight wash over the sea. The price, however, was the goddess must forever forget this human.
This story...
Luna doesn't respond immediately. She just smiles and turns the question back on you.
What do you think this story's ending should be?
I see.
So that's how you think about it?
That's quite the ideal response, like a fairy-tale ending—"And the two live happily ever after."
Well...
I'm keeping that a secret for now.
The evening tide laps at her feet, covering her footprints again as though it's erasing the final chapter of this story.
Hey!
Maybe it's the sand that bothers her. Luna undoes her shoe clasps, laughs as she flicks them into the air, then dashes over to pick them up.
Right now, she looks just like a bright, carefree girl.
Standing in the distance, Luna waves, motioning for you to head her way.
Hold my shoes, will you?
Hmm... I guess it's because I'm a high school girl. We get certain privileges.
Luna stands with her back to the sea, moonlight and waves dancing behind her. Though it's night, the view seems blinding—perhaps due to her smile that shines so brightly under the moon's gentle glow.
You take the shoes from Luna's hand.
Alright, tell me how you see her.
When you picture Luna in that agent stance, you hesitate before choosing words like "confident" and "strong."
Taking a moment to ponder, you think "unbreakable" suits her best.
You sit side by side on the beach, her shoes neatly lined up next to you.
So that's the story of our past.
Sorry, I'm still drawing a blank.
...I'm not really sure.
First, I'll look for my sister—though I suspect she might not be the same as I remember.
She lifts her right hand, and a bright red glow forms in her palm before fading away.
At this moment, I'm not just a high school girl. For all I know, I might actually be a magical girl.
Then again, maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and go right back to being my old self. Magic is funny like that.
Her smile is filled with pure innocence and a fearless sense of wonder.
What do you plan to do next? I remember you saying you want to help me recover my memories, right?
As you share your past experiences with Luna, you can't help hoping that once she hears it all, her memories will come back.
The girl hears this, halts for a second, and feels a few memories stir. Then, just as quickly, those memories fade back into silence.
Luna shakes her head, deciding not to overthink, and just keeps her gaze on you.
She understands the weight behind those words and what they truly mean.
So you're giving up, just like that? You... really don't care about the memories we shared?
From the moment Luna first sees you, her heart flutters. She knows how important you are to her—and she knows exactly what that feeling is.
Because of that, she stares intently at you in front of her, carefully listening for what you say next.
It's not that I don't care...
It's just that there's only so much anyone can do. Some things won't change just because you want them to. After all, life isn't some unreal comic.
I'll figure something out later.
If we really can't change anything, maybe... we just have to accept it.
At these words, you pause and smile gently.
After all, there's still the future. I believe in us.
And besides, didn't you say that in a few years you'd remember everything?
The future...
Luna steps closer to you, your cheeks almost touching. At this distance, you can feel each other's breath.
I want to hear what you're really thinking deep down.
She notices how unsteady the breathing of [player name] is.
In reality, she's been lying. She recalls far more than the human can possibly imagine.
She understands now that the real issue isn't here—it's with that Luna.
Of course, she knows exactly how she feels inside.
Naturally, any teenage girl can relate to these shy, youthful emotions.
(<phonetic=I>Luna</phonetic> is such a fool, worrying over something like this.)
(All right, I'll help you one more time. You just have to love boldly.)
In the next moment, a human hand rests gently against her cheek, radiating warmth.
You're so close, locked in each other's gaze. Some feelings can't be contained; even if you cover your mouth, they spill out through your eyes.
She sees the flicker of panic in your eyes.
She recognizes that the person standing before her shares the same emotion.
So speak up—lay bare that selfish longing hidden deep inside.
The very emotion people call "love."
You've heard all the lofty truths and the so-called right things to say, but you're still just human.
A kinder, more lively Luna is lovely, but the thing is... she isn't the Luna she used to be.
She doesn't remember the past you once shared.
These words are what bind your destinies together.
The butterfly sets a storm in motion, sunlight melts away the ice and snow, ripples shimmer across the lake, and the girl's memories come rushing back.
Luna clasps the hand against her cheek.
In that story's ending, the human awakened the moon, and the goddess did indeed lose every trace of her memories of that human.
But as soon as she saw that human again, she fell head over heels in love once more.
No need for further words. It's obvious Luna's memory is back.
Close your eyes and let me show you something "magical."
You gently close your eyes.
Luna takes [player name]'s hand and heads straight for the ocean.
As soon as she steps onto the water, the agent's fingers shift slightly. A wave of crimson spreads beneath the surface, creating a bridge hidden below sea level.
One step, then another—the two walk across the sea.
The agent isn't who she used to be. She effortlessly manipulates the Punishing Virus, molding it into shapes that don't infect the human before her.
Luna occasionally looks back at [player name], who keeps eyes shut, completely trusting her.
At some point, she realizes just how special this human is to her.
Beneath the Inver-Hetero Tower, she once said those words.
I, and the Ascendants under my command, trust only [player name].
Why did she say that back then?
Was it truly just the most advantageous choice?
With each step she takes, another vivid scene flickers through her M.I.N.D.
It's the futures she once envisioned during her deep dive into the Ascension-Network.
Before the colossal wave of machinery that darkens the sky.
When the crimson tide devours the world.
In the end of days, surrounded by desolation and storms.
Amid the ruins of a city entombed in ice and snow.
Inside the garden as it glimmers under the morning sun.
Every time, [player name] is right there by her side.
Ten times, twenty times, hundreds of times...
She can't recall how many simulations she has run.
Yet one thing stays the same: the person standing next to her never changes.
That human stands firmly by her side, always.
She runs endless simulations, weighed down by confusion, hoping for clarity—only to uncover even more confusion.
Why... are you doing this?
What is this <phonetic=love>emotion</phonetic> in her heart?
...
Confident, strong, and composed...
These traits form the <phonetic=labels>armor</phonetic> that the agent wears.
But what lies beneath the <phonetic=labels>armor</phonetic>?
Fate plays a perfect cruel joke on her—neither allowing her the mercy of death, nor granting her the peace of life.
She just keeps struggling, over and over, standing on that thin line between life and death.
Tormented by hatred.
Dragged down by resentment.
Deceived by lies.
Shackled by expectations.
There is no black or white—only the stifling weight of endless gray.
The agent who soars toward the blood-red sky is simply just a child abandoned among the ruins.
That forsaken child can only send out a silent cry—like a cicada's muted call—to the world ravaged beyond repair.
Stumbling onward step by step, Luna now looks back on the <phonetic=Luna>child</phonetic> she used to be with quiet acceptance.
She can now turn to <phonetic=herself>[that child]</phonetic> and say, "You've come quite a long way."
At this moment, she hopes for a future where the people she cares about stay safe.
So she goes, to see that future with her own eyes, and to make it hers.
So she taps into the Ascension-Network's power, running countless simulations again and again.
It's just the figure who's been beside her all along catches her off guard.
She thought she wouldn't hesitate, but when those hands reach out so close, she still pauses for a heartbeat...
She thinks to herself, does she still have the right to love?
Her vulnerability is exposed, and the cost of her power follows immediately. A torrent of data and memories from endless simulations floods her M.I.N.D., threatening to drown her sense of self.
Just before everything spins out of control, she sends a message to the Gray Raven Commandant, pouring all her strength into preserving every bit of her [beauty and kindness].
A girl nurtured by love, pure and flawless...
The life she might have had.
As she closes her eyes, a gentle <phonetic=love>phrase</phonetic> travels back through time and wraps her in a tender embrace.
That memory is already hazy—her mother's soft bedside blessing.
May our little Luna always be loved.
The two pause, standing shoulder to shoulder between the broad ocean and the glowing full moon.
A rush of thoughts floods Luna's mind as she gently lifts her hand.
Countless crimson strands of the Punishing Virus gather above her head, drawn by her <phonetic=love>power</phonetic>, coalescing into the shape of mistletoe.
You can open your eyes now.
Luna looks at the person before her and suddenly remembers the question she asked herself by the window—"Why... am I here?"
(Of course... it's because you're here.)
She slowly extends her hand.
And this time, the human responds—
You gently close your eyes.
Luna takes [player name]'s hand and heads straight for the ocean.
As soon as she steps onto the water, the agent's fingers shift slightly. A wave of crimson spreads beneath the surface, creating a bridge hidden below sea level.
One step, then another—the two walk across the sea.
The agent isn't who she used to be. She effortlessly manipulates the Punishing Virus, molding it into shapes that don't infect the human before her.
Luna occasionally looks back at [player name], who keeps eyes shut, completely trusting her.
At some point, she realizes just how special this human is to her.
Beneath the Inver-Hetero Tower, she once said those words.
I, and the Ascendants under my command, trust only [player name].
Why did she say that back then?
Was it truly just the most advantageous choice?
With each step she takes, another vivid scene flickers through her M.I.N.D.
It's the futures she once envisioned during her deep dive into the Ascension-Network.
Before the colossal wave of machinery that darkens the sky.
When the crimson tide devours the world.
In the end of days, surrounded by desolation and storms.
Amid the ruins of a city entombed in ice and snow.
Inside the garden as it glimmers under the morning sun.
Every time, [player name] is right there by her side.
Ten times, twenty times, hundreds of times...
She can't recall how many simulations she has run.
Yet one thing stays the same: the person standing next to her never changes.
That human stands firmly by her side, always.
She runs endless simulations, weighed down by confusion, hoping for clarity—only to uncover even more confusion.
Why... are you doing this?
What is this <phonetic=love>emotion</phonetic> in her heart?
...
Confident, strong, and composed...
These traits form the <phonetic=labels>armor</phonetic> that the agent wears.
But what lies beneath the <phonetic=labels>armor</phonetic>?
Fate plays a perfect cruel joke on her—neither allowing her the mercy of death, nor granting her the peace of life.
She just keeps struggling, over and over, standing on that thin line between life and death.
Tormented by hatred.
Dragged down by resentment.
Deceived by lies.
Shackled by expectations.
There is no black or white—only the stifling weight of endless gray.
The agent who soars toward the blood-red sky is simply just a child abandoned among the ruins.
That forsaken child can only send out a silent cry—like a cicada's muted call—to the world ravaged beyond repair.
Stumbling onward step by step, Luna now looks back on the <phonetic=Luna>child</phonetic> she used to be with quiet acceptance.
She can now turn to <phonetic=herself>[that child]</phonetic> and say, "You've come quite a long way."
At this moment, she hopes for a future where the people she cares about stay safe.
So she goes, to see that future with her own eyes, and to make it hers.
So she taps into the Ascension-Network's power, running countless simulations again and again.
It's just the figure who's been beside her all along catches her off guard.
She thought she wouldn't hesitate, but when those hands reach out so close, she still pauses for a heartbeat...
She thinks to herself, does she still have the right to love?
Her vulnerability is exposed, and the cost of her power follows immediately. A torrent of data and memories from endless simulations floods her M.I.N.D., threatening to drown her sense of self.
Just before everything spins out of control, she sends a message to the Gray Raven Commandant, pouring all her strength into preserving every bit of her [beauty and kindness].
A girl nurtured by love, pure and flawless...
The life she might have had.
As she closes her eyes, a gentle <phonetic=love>phrase</phonetic> travels back through time and wraps her in a tender embrace.
That memory is already hazy—her mother's soft bedside blessing.
May our little Luna always be loved.
The two pause, standing shoulder to shoulder between the broad ocean and the glowing full moon.
A rush of thoughts floods Luna's mind as she gently lifts her hand.
Countless crimson strands of the Punishing Virus gather above her head, drawn by her <phonetic=love>power</phonetic>, coalescing into the shape of mistletoe.
You can open your eyes now.
Luna looks at the person before her and suddenly remembers the question she asked herself by the window—"Why... am I here?"
(Of course... it's because you're here.)
She slowly extends her hand.
And this time, the human responds—
