2024-06-15: Dawning Flower

• Log: 2024-06-15: Dawning Flower
• Cast: Chloe, Coco Coconoe, AARC Noa
• Where: Crowded Skies
• Date: U.C. 0099 06 15
• Summary: Chloe has another strange dream of past memories only to be awoken by her annoying co-pilot.

---

~ BGM: https://youtu.be/8O27l3XpAoM ~

In my dream, I was a flower.

My petals, swaying in the wind, my leaves shaking.

I bask in the sunlight, the sun high in the sky. The warmth feels so good.

The flower growing next to me looks comfortable as well.

There is nothing up in the sky. No bugs, no birds, no humans. Nothing.

When I look closer, I see that the sun is fake.

So sad. The other flower shakes its stem. How sad. I shake my stem in a nod.

We at least have us. We both extend our roots to each other as hard as we can.

So no matter how strong the wind may blow, it can never tear us apart.

---

"Chloe, look! Another one's bloomed."

I watch as Coco rolls her wheelchair over to one of the flower pots, where one of the buds has opened. Coco reaches a hand out to gently touch it, saying to it happily, "I was worried since you were a slower bloomer, but you turned out great. Good job!"

I remain silent as Coco gently touches at the flower's petals, "It's time like these I kind of wish I could see. I'm sure you're a beautiful colour." Coco's head turns in my direction, tilting a little as she asks, "Hey Chloe, what does this flower look like to your eyes? Please, tell me."

I look at the flower. Judging by Coco's words, she appears to be enquiring about its colour. So I reply with a calm tone, "It's red."

When I look back at Coco though, her expression is a little odd. She asks with obvious expectation, "What else?"

Was that not enough information? I'm not sure what she expects. Glancing at the flower again, I take my time considering it further, before responding, "It's a Dahlia."

Coco's expression grows stronger. Is it disappointment? No, there is some amusement in her voice as she says, "Well, I'd sure be shocked if it wasn't, given I planted it. What else?"

What more is there to say about it? My reply is even greater before I start stating everything I know about it, "Dahlia, dicotyledonous plant of the Asteraceae family. Angiosperm from Area 3 of the Brit-"

"I wasn't asking for the dictionary definition." Coco cuts me off, before explaining further with curiosity in her voice, "I want to know your impression of it."

I have no information about what impression a Dahlia gives. I don't understand what she's asking, "Impression? Meaning?"

"The first thing that comes to your head, without thinking it over. Like, beautiful, or pretty. Has that never happened to you Chloe? Words coming out before you could think?"

My answer is quick, "No ma'am." It's not what I've been trained for. Obey orders. Speak only when spoken to. Be efficient and precise, only providing pertinent information.

"I do wonder about that. I think you're just strongly repressing yourself, Chloe." Coco seems to have a knowing tone to her voice.

Yet how can she know? It's not the first time I've wondered if she can read my thoughts. It makes me wonder, so I ask, "Why do you think that?"

Coco raises a hand to hold her chin in thought, saying, "Because, I've been talking to you for weeks now. I know how your heart works. Chloe. I feel from you a heart that's rich from emotion. In your voice, your words, your expression... So I'm sure you must have been so moved that you've spoken without thinking before."

That doesn't seem possible. That doesn't sound like me. And yet, so far she has never been wrong... I try to think. Think of a moment. It's not hard to review my life, most of it spent at the academy where surely such a thing would never have happened. Which only leaves...

"... The song."

Coco hmms in curiosity, tilting her head once more, "The what?"

"When I first came here. That song you were singing. It was very beautiful." When I entered this sunroom for the first time and saw Coco, heard her singing that song. I couldn't help myself.

Coco however looks confused as she says, "But Chloe... You never said anything."

Now it's my turn to be confused. I distinctly remember saying that... Could I be misremembering? My memories are clear though. I say, "Regardless, it was very beautiful."

Coco sighs quietly with amused bewilderment, "To be honest... Times like these, you really are a handful and a half."

I blink, not sure what she means by that. Is it because I spend too much watching over her? It is my job as her bodyguard. I say regretfully, "I apologize if I upset you."

Coco shakes her head calmly, a soft smile on her face. "No, you need not. In fact, I'm in a very good right now. And since I'm in such a good mood, I'll sing for you." She claps her hands together at her chest and starts to sing.

The melody fills the sunroom, a familiar one.

Yet... The words aren't right.

The tune shifts, taking paths that it shouldn't.

This is not the song I remember. This is...

---

Chloe opens her eyes, staring up at the darkened ceiling illuminated solely by the lights of the holographic screens in standby mode. She sits up from her position lying on the floor of her Makhia's cockpit, glancing around still in a daze of half sleep. Yet the song from her quickly fading dream still persists.

Chloe looks over towards the source of the sound, seeing the floating image of Noa with her eyes closed as she sings that song... One that sounds so much like the song that Coco sang, yet not.

Chloe frowns, demanding, "Stop singing."

Noa does stop, though less out of obedience and more out of surprise, "Oh! You're awake!" She opens her eyes to look at Chloe, "Your heart rate was higher than normal while sleeping. I thought maybe a quiet song would soothe you."

Chloe's response is flat and blunt, "It didn't. And I told you not to sing that song."

Noa hmphs, crossing her arms, "You can't tell me what not to sing! I sing whatever my heart feels like singing." Chloe groans in annoyance, putting her head in her hands. Noa glances at her, wondering, "So what were you dreaming about?"

"What's it to you?"

Noa puts her hands on her hips, "I'm your co-pilot! It's my job to take care of your mental health."

Chloe waves her off, "I don't need your help."

"Oooooh, why are you so annoying!?" Noa frowns at Chloe, giving her a stare.

"That's my line." Chloe sighs, once again wondering why she was the one stuck with this imposter. But, expecting Noa not to give up and continue annoying her unless she says something, Chloe finally relents, "I was dreaming about flowers..."

Noa's expression changes as Chloe opens up, even a little bit. At first it's surprise, but then confusion. Quite the display for an AI that's only existed for a few months. Noa asks, "Flowers? Why?"

Chloe shrugs, "How should I know?" She proceeds to get to her feet, stretching for a few moments. Judging by how she's feeling, she must have slept for a few hours. Almost the entire flight... "How long until we get to Tokyo-3?" Another trip to the NERV headquarters for more meetings and tests of her new Makhia. Not surprising given it's still a new prototype.

Noa stares suspiciously at the obvious change of subject, but decides not to press Chloe this time, saying more professionally, "We'll be reaching the coast of Japan shortly. After that it's only a few minutes before we enter Tokyo-3's airspace..." Noa trails off though. Her eyes then go a little wide, "We're being redirected!?"

Chloe stares at Noa, "Why?"

Noa's own eyes are unfocused as she works within the Makhia's systems, reporting, "A distress signal has been received from one of the NERV aligned groups, Novumundus. They're under attack. We're to provide assistance."

Chloe clenches her fist in excitement. A chance to test out her new unit against something other than a Meteora. In something more meaningful than pointless laboratory tests, "Good. Let's do this."

~ BGM: https://youtu.be/xWGb5RmSXLY ~

Noa's image flickers as she vanishes and reappears in front of Chloe. Noa reaches out to her, "Just like always. Bring this titan fire with your own hands." A holographic screen with a hand print appears in front of Chloe. She reaches out, placing her hand against it.

Noa reports, "User authentication completed. R2YF: Chloe. Ship 11. Alto Makhia. Startup."

The triangular screens along the large cockpit's forward wall all light up, activating to reveal a HUD and wisps of white backed by blue. Clouds, with the vast ocean behind. An island begins to come into view.

Chloe says, "Beginning Makhia connection. Activating Mikani Link. The holographic images of the Makhia's arms and legs appear in front of Chloe, she steps forward, placing her own limbs inside them. They snap to hers, beginning to follow them.

Noa reports, "Effective connection confirmed. Initiating neural connection." Chloe winces just a little as she feels the sudden flood of information rushing into her mind through the link to the implant in her head. It's so much. And even then, it's only a fraction of what's necessary to run the incredible machine. Without Noa to handle the rest, Chloe doubts that even she could handle its operation for long.

Noa says, "Neural connection confirmed." Her form flickers again, now showing her bowing her head and clasping her hands to her chest, "Artemis, goddess of the bow, grant my archer your mighty blessing. Noa, the electric doll AARC, offers you her song."

Chloe feels the frame of her unit shudder as the docking bolts, holding her machine to the giant transport carrying it, detach. The screen shows the clouds below suddenly beginning to rush up towards her as she starts to plummet out of the sky.