2023-07-03: Miracle Therapy
- Cutscene: Miracle Therapy
- Cast: Naoko Suzuki and friends
- Where: The middle of nowhere, Free Japan
- Date: 0097-07-03
- Summary: Thoroughly shaken by Events triggered by Whispered doing Whispered things, Naoko needs a little help to recover. Everything is fine.
A violet Arm Slave, knelt down with open cockpit, clashes within a sea of green. On its vacant seat rests a single box of strawberry PaPPy, still sealed, seemingly forgotten. However, next to the machine lies another box of its kind. A short ways removed, yet another rests in the grass. Not forgotten, then - left behind in a hurry.
Following this short trail soon leads one to the source: a display box full of identical packages, its outer wrapping haphazardly torn open. A small pile formed next to it, candy boxes devoid of contents. Another is soon discarded on top, as a greedy hand snatches another from the larger container.
Naoko Suzuki is knelt down, snapping PaPPy sticks between closed fists before shoveling them into her mouth, barely chewing in between handfuls. The look in her eyes best described as 'possessed', filled with an extreme sort of desperation. Two metal butterfly-like entities, her Friends, hover over each of her shoulders.
>"Hey, hey, Nova,"< Uriel, the one with the boyish voice begins, >"Ain't that enough already? We gotta move, there's work to do."<
The one with the more feminine voice, Ariel, chimes in, >"This isn't good for you, Nova... please, talk to us, we can help."<
The girl shows no signs that she's even heard anything, merely dropping another empty box on the pile and reaching for one more.
>"Ahh... it's no use..."<
>"Ugh, fine then. Let me handle this, Ariel."<
>"Uriel... are you going to...?"<
>"Not much choice when she's like this, is there?"<
With that, the black butterfly floats directly in front of Naoko's face, eliciting no immediate reaction. Until...
>"That's ENOUGH! Stop it, Naoko!"<
Naoko gasps, eyes widening in momentary shock. Then, slowly, her arms lower by her side, dropping what she was holding, as she vacantly stares down at the many boxes of candy still left untouched.
>"Mumu..."< Ariel mutters in concern, but does not interrupt.
Uriel's previously firm tone is promptly replaced by a softer one. >"Hey, Naoko. What is it you think you saw back there? Answer me."<
Though she doesn't respond in any other way, Naoko's lips slowly part, saying only a single word. "...Monsters..."
>"No, Nova,"< Uriel responds, switching back to the other mode of address. >"What you witnessed were miracles."<
That gets a stronger reaction. Eyes widening, Naoko slowly raises her head, giving the black metal butterfly her full attention. "Miracles...?"
Just speaking the word is enough to recenter herself. Calling things miracles makes everything so much easier. There's no need to explain miracles, no need to understand them. Miracles are miracles. Although, no miracle has ever made her feel this way before. "But..." The beginnings of her protest are quickly cut off.
>"I know. They gave you a terrible feeling, didn't they? But you need to remember... miracles themselves aren't good or bad. It all depends on how they're used."<
That's right. Miracles just happen. They don't harm anything merely by being what they are. There's no cause to fear them just because they can't be logically explained. The real question is...
"...How do I know they won't use them for bad things?"
>"Pff. How else? Keep your eyes open, and keep poking your nose into other people's business. You won't find out anything by sticking your head in the sand. You'll just keep imagining the worst case scenario."<
Naoko lets out a deep sigh, casting her eyes skyward. "...I don't know. I'm... scared to find out. What I felt back there..." It was a lot. She couldn't even begin to describe it all. But in the end, the question that most immediately bothers her is the same as always.
"...what am I?"
Uriel doesn't miss a beat. >"Heh! Isn't it obvious? You're exactly what you've been saying all along. You're Nova Stellar, Miracle Worker."<
It's like magic, every time she hears those words. They shouldn't affect her as much as they do. Naoko factually knows that. But she wants to believe in them, live up to them, so badly. When she accepts them with all that she is, she feels so much stronger, like she can take on the world. Why would she resist this miraculous feeling?
Naoko's expression shows that a fire has been lit. There's no more fear in her eyes. No more doubt. Flying disappearing submarines with murderous intent? No big deal. A cold, silent breach in the fabric of reality with something unspeakable on the other side? That's fine. Everything makes sense again, now that she's figured out what's really going on. "...I get it. I get it! Those other people, they're...!"
Uriel smoothly agrees, >"Right, right, Miracle Workers! Which makes it your job to keep an eye on their miracles, set them straight if they're not using them for good. It's just business as usual for someone like you. There's no need to be afraid."<
A confident grin forms on Naoko's lips. "Me? Afraid?" She gets back to her feet, makes a fist, and declares with full conviction, "Nova Stellar isn't afraid of anything!"
Then she looks down, taken aback by the sight before her. "Geh, what a mess! I'd better clean this up before we go... littering is unbecoming of a Miracle Worker!"
As Naoko busies herself gathering fallen PaPPy boxes, Ariel floats over next to Uriel.
>"...We can't keep doing this. It won't work forever. If we don't tell her the truth..."<
>"It's fine, it's fine. They really want to help her, I'm sure they'll figure something out soon enough. Once they've resolved that mess for us, we'll be able to go back to how things used to be, and everything will be okay."<
>"...I hope so, Uriel. I hope so."<