2024-02-17: An Impossible Favour

• Cutscene: An Impossible Favour
• Cast: Chloe, Coco Coconoe
• Where: Augmented Shibuya
• IC Date: 27 July 0098
• Summary: Coco asks Chloe to do something. Something she couldn't possibly do... Could she?

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Content Warning: Assisted Suicide

The tour had finished. Chloe and Coco walk back to Coco's apartment. It's a silent trip, not unusual for Chloe, who is not the type for small talk. But Coco, who is usually more chatty, appears to be a little lost in thought.

The two make it back to Coco's apartment and she makes her way into the sunroom. Chloe dutifully follows in behind her. And finally, after a long silence, asks, "Coco?"

Disturbed from her thoughts, Coco turns her head towards Chloe. She then smiles a little sadly, "Today was fun, wasn't it?"

Chloe, noticing the sadness on Coco's face, nonetheless nods in agreement, "Yeah..."

Coco continues with that sad smile, "And the concert went well, didn't it? I was so nervous."

Chloe nods again, wondering where Coco is going with this, "Yeah... The people on the street seemed to like it."

There's another long pause, before Coco asks, "Hey, Chloe... Can I ask you for a favour? It's important and I can only ask it of you." Coco's hands scrunch up a little in anticipation, gripping her dress.

Chloe tilts her head a little, "You only need to command me if you want something. I am your bodyguard. I could not disobey my master's orders."

Coco seems both a little relieved and a little disappointed at that agreement. Still, she quietly says, "I see. Then..." Coco turns her wheelchair and rolls over to the set of drawers in the corner of the room. She reaches out and feels for a draw, opening it and pulling something out. She then turns around to face Chloe again and holds it out, "Take this."

Chloe reaches out, taking the offered object and immediately recognizing it as a handgun. Surprised that Coco has such a thing, Chloe doesn't get the chance to ask about it before Coco speaks.

"Shoot me with that gun."

Chloe's eyes go wide as she looks from the gun to Coco. Thoughts swirl in her head, confusing her to no end. Despite the absurd request, Chloe's tone only changes a little to disbelief, "This is the worst of your jokes. What kind of thought experiment is this for?"

Coco shakes her head a little. Her voice is quite calm as she says, "It's not an experiment. I want to be shot. By your hands. Of your own volition."

Chloe still can't believe it. Surely this is a joke! She tries again, a little more desperately this time, "That's not funny. You always like seeing me flustered, but you won't get that pleasure this time." Stop this, please.

Coco remains quiet for several moments, turning her head to the side in thought. She then asks, "Hey, Chloe, do you know why I can't see? Don't you think in this medically-advanced era, there are options to deal with blindness and paralysis?"

Chloe starts to wonder if this is what's causing Coco to say these things. It's almost a relief. It's just a short bout of depression right? Chloe has seen Coco suffer with her disabilities for months. But Chloe knows Coco is strong, she'll pull through.

Still, Chloe thinks on the question... It's true that, at the very least, cybernetics are a possible solution. Chloe has sometimes wondered why Coco hasn't chosen to try it, though Chloe has never voiced this curiosity out loud. But if Coco is asking this now... Then surely she's considered it?

Chloe wonders, "Are you worried about what people might think?" Chloe knows that Coco doesn't like to flaunt her family's status.

But Coco shakes her head, "Chloe, I will die soon."

Once again, Chloe is startled, "Die...?" No... Why!?

Coco hangs her head a little, "My blindness and paralysis all originate from my collapsing brain." She fiddles a little with the folds of her dress as she explains, "My brain was underdeveloped from before I was born, and now it's slowly degrading further. First went my sight, then the strength from my legs. I wondered what would come next, and it looks like my brain is starting to shut down. My memories and consciousness are dimming. It's taking everything I have just to live." Coco moves her arms to hug herself, "Every day, I lose a little bit of myself."

Chloe stares at Coco in shock, "What... What are you talking about? That can't be..." This can't be happening. This can't be happening! "You're fine! We... We communicate normally, don't we? I see you every day, don't I? Nothing about you ever seemed wrong. Not at the concert. Not during the tour-"

It hits Chloe. And she asks reluctantly like she doesn't want to know the answer, "Don't tell me that was all for the sake of making memories?"

A small, sad smile appears on Coco's face as she is found out, "If I'm going to die, I want it to be with happy memories. And before I forget them all."

Chloe's hand tightens around the grip of the pistol she holds as Coco's words start sinking in, "Stop..."

But Coco doesn't stop, "Every morning, I wake up and whisper my name. I check if anything is missing from my memories. Then, I recall the faces of everyone important to me. Father's face, Mother's face, and your face, Chloe. Only then am I finally reassured I still remember everyone. That I am still me..."

Chloe turns her head away, closing her eyes tightly, "Stop. I don't want to hear this."

Coco still doesn't listen, her voice becoming quieter, as if her strength is fading even now, "But my remaining mories are now dim." She leans back in her wheelchair, letting her head roll back a little, "When I go to sleep every night, I think to myself. 'Will tomorrow's me remember herself? Will she remember the people important to her? Will she remember those she shouldn't forget?'"

Chloe finally can't take any more. Her normally composed mask breaks as she shouts, "Enough!" But her voice quickly drops into a whimper as she begs, "Please, stop..."

Coco lowers her head back in Chloe's direction. Her voice cracks a bit in fear, "I-I'm scared... I'm starting to lose it all. At this rate, I won't even know what I've forgotten. I don't want that. I want to be Coco when I'm with you, Chloe." Coco reaches around to grab the wheels of her chair, pushing herself closer to Chloe, "I want to be the Coco you adore until the very end."

Chloe instinctively takes a step back, "Don't come any closer!" She's afraid. Afraid of what Coco is trying to make her do, "Stay away! I can't do it. There's no way I can!"

But Coco continues to push her chair forwards, until finally she leans forward and reaches out, wrapping an arm around Chloe's waist. She pulls Chloe a little bit closer, Coco then resting her head against Chloe, "My heart is yours. I want you to hold it, forever."

"So please, use this gun."

"Shoot me through the heart with it."