Like the two of us

Part.1 – Hop(e) on the world

…
Argh…
It hurts.

My head…
…

I was walking with him and…
I forgot.
…

I had difficulty walking.

…

Where I am?

Ah yes, the tall house.

Where’s Hiko,

…

Is that a room?

He must have taken me there.
I’m so heavy… I’m feeling useless.
*sigh*

This feeling will never leave me.
I would have the consequence of my actions on the conscience until…
…

I wasn’t strong enough.

I couldn’t prove anything.

I deluded myself and now…

People pay the price for my mistakes.

I’m still the little girl, running after a butterfly in the garden.
“I’m sorry, Hiko…”

I want to mourn my weakness.

Want to mourn the world I live in.

Why… Continue?

…

“Please protect him.”

So, is that my duty?
My redemption?
… No.

I will not wash away my incompetence.
The past is sealed, I will not change it.

… I cannot change it.
I don’t have the power to bring the dead back to life.
All I can do… Is move on.

Go where others couldn’t go.
Therein lies my reason for being.
I will not only find out the origin of this disaster.
I’m sure that my power can serve other people.
… Like those who don’t, for example.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

“…”

“Yes, excuse me for…”

“… For earlier.”

“… Don’t worry.”

“I put your flowers in the living room, along with your bag. Hope I did well.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. They just need a place with enough light.”

“That’s not what’s missing here. You want to visit?”

He looks so playful.

“… Yes thanks.”

“Ah, and I put your clothes on the chair. You were sweating, so…”

“…”

“I swear! I didn’t see anything.”

“…”

What’s wrong with him?

“Oh, okay, thank you.”

“Give me two seconds, I’ll get dressed.”

*Clack*

…
Why did he leave, so suddenly?
…

“Hey, are you alright?”

“Yes. No problem.”

“Why did you run away so suddenly?”

“Something wrong with me?”

“Eh? No, no, I have no problem with you.”

“But, out of respect, I’ll let you change in the bedroom. Nothing more.”

…
Letting others change in a room, being glued to the other end of the door, is therefore showing respect.
I didn’t know these kinds of rules.
I’ve never had to apply this in my home.

“Alright, excuse me.”

…

“By the way, did you manage to find something to eat?”

I’m almost out of food, and I’m starting to wonder if he would be willing to eating them.

“Yes, it’s packed with food in here.”

“Okay, that’s a really good news”

…

*Crack*

“I’m done.”

He was really clumped behind.

“Thanks for waiting for me.”

“… Please don’t thank me.”

…

“Here is the bathroom.”

“The bedroom, you already know.”

“The kitchen, the living room, a swimming pool and the terrace.”

…

It’s quite small, compared to my home.
But it’s still big overall.
In our house, mom used to leave things all over the place.
It could be notes and papers that I had trouble understanding what was written.
And her writing, obviously…

Mum’s writing has always been an ordeal for me to describe.
I remember her having fun, pressing my cheeks every time I frowned, trying to figure out what was written there.
It could also be…
… Flowers pots.

Mom liked to put flowers pots all over the house, in rather random places.
I thing I had a fight with her once, because one of them was in the wrong place.

She lacking basic things for her survival.

But with a terrace, I will be able to…
…

The sun sets.
…

“Say…”

“Yes?”

“Why the sun is going down?”

“No, let me rephrase that.”

“Is that the sun?”

“…No, let me rephrase that.”

“Tell me there’s a light hidden somewhere, like in mom’s labs, which simulated the effect of the sun…”

“…”

“WHY WOULD THERE BE SOMETHING LIKE THIS THERE.”

“I…”

“… It’s the sun.”

…

“How long has it been since… How long have I been asleep?”

“Oh that.”

“We must approach eight o’clock so I’ll say six or seven.”

ALL OF THAT.
…

…

Aaaaaaaaaaaah.

“Excuse me… for that too.”

I’m pathetic.

“… Don’t apologize, you gave everything. On the contrary.”

“I thank you.”

“But I…”

“I…”

…

It doesn’t come out.

I could not.
I’m so sorry…

You believed in me.

*sob*
His arms are placed around me.

They give me hope.

And yet…

Yet…

This pain that tears at my heart.

She weights me so heavily.

“I will redeem myself.”

“I promised him.”

“You are going to come with me until everything back to his natural order.”

“Eh?”

“The days will be complicated, but it will be fine. We will survive.”

“We have to prepare for tomorrow. The road is likely to be long.”

“Do you have a map of the place?”

The card his brother gave me. We must go to this address.

“… Don’t worry. I have everything planned.”

“Go take care of your own business and go back to bed.”

…

That look.

I don’t like that look.

I never saw it.
…

“What are you doing?”

“…”

“…”

“Your look.”

“…!”

“I don’t know it.”

“… Eh?”

“I’m trying to copy it, to see how it makes me feel.”

“But… I don’t feel anything.”

“… Why?”

“I want to know.”

“…”

“Go take a shower, and I’ll explain everything to you.”

“…”

“…”

“… Understood.”

…

Ah…
This will give me some strength for the future.

My body was seriously running out of water.

… Maybe I’m a plant too.
…

No.
That’s impossible.

I remember that time when I was playing, and I bumped against the living room table.

My nose was bleeding, my red blood splashed on the ground with every droplet.
Plants don’t have red blood.

I’m not a plant.

… Maybe I would have like to be one.
…

I would have liked to be…

I wish I was someone, or something.

Something that can defend the world and its people.

I don’t have a real desire for justice, after all.
I just want to protect others.
I don’t like to see people in pain.

I’m selfish.
…

Water flows.

My ears are filed with each of these notes.

*Blip Blop Bloop*
This torrent.

It scrolls.
It drifts.

I want to share it.
I want to lend my strength.

But for that…
I already have to protect him!

…
From now on, all our activities will be shared!
That way, I could watch over him continuously.
… I could also slip a spore or a flower on him, just in case.
Some plants have a self-defense system, in dangerous situations.

… Ok, I’ll go tell him.

“Hey, Hiko!”

Ah, he turned everything off.
We have to avoid lighting, It could attract… all kinds of things.

Human or not.
I forgot to tell him… He reads my mind.

I’m not against helping other survivor, but at night, my abilities are weakened.

“Hiko!”

So, if a meeting has to take place, I would prefer it to be in the middle of the day.

If someone in the same state as Lean was in front of me, right now.
…

I will protect Hiko.
At the risk of…

…

A vision.
Hiko.

No…

Terrace.
React!

Toggle. 

Run!

“HIKO!!!!!”

He’s smiling.

Grab the flower.

High. 

Jump.

What i…

Catch him.

What…

“GREW IMMEDIATELY AND SAVE HIM”

Ah…

The plant managed to take root on the wall.

What incredible strength…

… I’m falling.

I’m falling.

I’m falling.

…

I…

…

“GREW, FASTLY”

Everything is fine.

I’ve recovered.
I will do it.

I will…

…

No…
That’s not eno…-?
...

Enough…

…
…
*Cough Cough*

…

It hurts…
She didn’t have time to grew…
…
Plants are weak...
Without sunlight…

…

Is this the end?

Hiko is alive.

Did I really give it my all?

No.

Am I going to-

You have no right.

I don’t have the right?

No.

But I will…

No.

I…

…

“Let me help you with that, sweetie.”

“If you want to swing, call me and I’ll push you, okay?”

…
These moments.

“Oh no! You can’t eat this, it’s for tonight.”

“But instead, you can step on my shoulders, deal?”

Mom…

“These plants have feelings. I know you can feel them.”

“As long as you have one near you, you will feel their presence.”

“And if I’m not here, you’ll thing of me. Ha-ha!”

What should I do?
…

I no longer feel my limbs.

I can’t see anything in the dark.

… No, I can’t see anything anymore.

My heart…
…
…

…

“Stand up!”

…?!

“Look in which state you are.”

“Ah. No. You mustn’t cry.”

“You’re strong! Don’t forget that.”

“You’re able to lift mountains.”

“Because you are…”

“You are my Lyre.”

…
I want to live.

I want to live!
I WANT TO LIVE!

“I WANT TO…! -“

I want…
…

At this moment, everything seemed lost to me.
I was no longer aware of what I was doing.
My body was no longer moving, my heart stopped.
I no longer thought.

But my body reacts.

And…

*Cough Cough*

My body, hitherto nailed to a growing plant.

He started to be reborn.

…

I feel sick…

*Bleurgh*

…

Ah…

It’s definitely the worst day of my life.

Plant & Poison - 1st Part

The last rays of the sun have left this side of the Earth.
The shadows reign, and here I’m alone.

Yes, I’m still alive but…

They have settled in the meantime.

Some ‘Hypno-Plants’.

There are so many…

My heart hurt so much…

…

That’s a terrible pun, I grant.
But I can’t stand the sight of so many manipulated people.
I’ll…

… No, I can’t.
It will end like the last time.

I feel like I hear their pain.
No, I don’t want...

I can’t take so much pain…

Leave me!

I should… I should…
…

What should I’ve do?

Hiko probably tried to kill himself because of me.
My body is screaming, my left arm… is paralyzed.
There is not so much light…
I don’t think I can see with my left eye either.
… Heavy.

Adrenaline.

Yes.

The effect wears off…

…

Not like this…

Don’t let go, please.
My legs…
I do not see her.

My light…
I’m scared…

I beg you.
Could someone get me out of here…

…

“LYRE!”
…

Why…

WHY!

… Why?

… I’d better be left for dead.

I don’t attract anything good in him.
I’m just going to cause him trouble…

…

But.

Once again.

Why…

“WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING, DAMNED?!”

If I do nothing, he will die of others.
Why did you scream…
I could have disappeared from your life…

I could…
…

I read a book about our fate.

“RUN, GET AWAY FROM HERE HIKO”

According to him, our life is already mapped out.

But I also read another book, which show the opposite.

“YOU MUST JOIN YOUR BROTHER’S LABORATORY!”

That they choices belong to us and that they define our life.
What should’ve done today?

Was it me who decided to meet Hiko?

…

“COME HERE, THE CORRUPTED!”

Maybe things are really decided in advance.

Anyway, I know that my road ends here.
Was it the last thought a botanist should’ve asked herself?

…

“BRING-…!”

… No more voice.

Sorry mom. I swear, I did my best.

In the end, you were right.

The outside world is really scary.

As my final thoughts finish roaming my body, I close my eyes one last time and await my final judgement.

…Oh, I can’t hear anymore.

I can only feel the vibration of the footsteps coming towards me.

I would have preferred to die other serving as a plant meal, but hey.

Perhaps this is the meaning of my life.
Do your best Hiko, you can save them all, I’m sure.

You will be the hero I couldn’t be.

Plant & Poison – 2nd Part

…

Other vibrations.

… Looks like drops of water.

I feel them through my body.

This ending feels sweeter than I expected.

I guess a lot of my nervous system is broken.

So, I can’t really feel the pain anymore.

…

The drops have stopped.

I’m dead?

…

Hopefully, I could be reincarnated, like in those Isekai manga.

But I shouldn’t really care about that.

It’s time to sleep.

I’m tired…

I…

I’m in pain.

…

I’m cold.

Why do I still have to feel all these nasty things, even dead?

Ah.

Pain.

It hurts.

What is that?

I feel like something is gripping the back of my heart.

“…fine.”

…?

Fine?

No, that’s not fine.
I want to die.

… No, this is not the good sentence.

I don’t want to suffer anymore.

Please, stop.

Whoever you are.
…

“You are hurt?”

Yes, I am.

There’s something, it hurts…

It’s burning…
But I’m cold!

“Stop…”

“Don’t talk.”

“You’re going to tired yourself out for nothing.”

This voice…
I remember.

Hiko?

“Yes, it’s me, don’t worry.”

… Hiko died with me.

This is the worst possible situation.

“… No, I’m not dead. Not today at least.”

…

“I’m sorry for all of this… It’s all my fault.”

“I push you through these horrible things.”

“It’s my turn to pay the price. I will compensate you for everything you have suffered.”

“From today, I give you my life.”

“I will obey you and sacrifice myself to protect you.”

…

What he's saying…

I can’t take anymore…

Some light…

Some water…

Some heat…

…

Plant & Poison - 3rd Part

My body is a grave.

I have a hard time judging where is my head, and where is my foot. Any which.
Or even my arms.
Things are complicated here…
…

I’m currently…
In a bubble?

I don’t really know what it is.

But I manage to feel what is around me.

Something is covering me.

I feel the light.

There is…

… Water?
I think.

To my mouth?

… That must be it.

I don’t know how many hours have passed since that day.

I seem alive.

Although I sometimes dispute this version of being alive.
I must be in some kind of coma.

Is my body repairing himself?

I’m so hungry…

I miss my flowers.

… I see something moving.
It’s unclear.

Something is blocking my view.

Get out of there!
…

“You are still sleeping today.”

“…”

“Your body seems to be doing better, but you still don’t wake up…”

“It’s my fault…”

“I haven’t found appropriate answer to my actions…”

“Maybe I’ve really should have died on that day…”

…!

*Slap*

Right arm.

“…eler azain”

Right eye.

“ Lon’t eler lay lat… azain”

Crying.

…

Never say that again.

…

My body kicked in.

But I’m still missing the left part.

My reflexes allowed me to slap him and grab him by the collar.

I’ve troubled breathing…

Ah…
Ah…

“ Lon’t eler lay lit azain…”

“…”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you, Lyre.”

…
Glad you finally understood something.

Curse you Lean, look at the burden you hooked me to.

I lie back down and lay my head towards him.

My eye, still open.

The other one does not respond.

So, he had green eyes from the start.

… What a pale complexion.

Dirt of…
…

Look at me. In the eyes.
I refused to be given food...

When you don’t eat yourself!
…

Sorry veg, but today you’ll end up in his mouth.

“Slallol.”

… Damn diction!

Eat! Now!

…

At least, he seemed to have understood what I said.

He might not be that dumb, after all.

I wish he’d tried suicide less often through.

“Yes, sorry again.”

“I know that my actions will not catch up with what I have done but…”

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

SHUT UP!

I don’t want a depressed pet around me.

“… So, you see me as a pet then. Sorry for being so insignificant.”

…

Why don’t you use my first name?

Wasn’t having to face death together a big enough ordeal?

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean…”

…

Time out.

Something’s bothering me since I was diving.

Something that bothers me in the highest degree.

“What?”

…

…

…

This.

Yes.

That’s it.

“LOP LERTZIN MAL THROUGH!”                       STOP LOOKING INTO MY THOUGHTS!

…
Damn it

“Ah, that… It started to fire after I woke up from the flower you threw me on.”

“I don’t know why, but I’ve been hearing things in my head since then.”

“I could hear someone’s suffering. During the day and night.”

“I thought I was going crazy, but eventually those thoughts came to a certain consistency and died down.”

“But I ended up thinking it was definitely yours… Lyre.”

…

“I heard things about the temperature, a bubble story and also…”

“…”

“No, I shouldn’t talk about this.”

…
Why do I have a strong sense of rejection?
I’m extremely disturbed.
He reads my thoughts…

…

Oh no.
How many days have passed since?

“We start the third day. We were attacked the first day, the second was quiet and this third seems to be too.”

Attacked…

…
Yes, there's that too.

It’s impossible.

The whiny little Hiko could never have saved me from all these predators.

He can’t even hold a stone. Yes, I saw you drop the rock my mother gave me.

“Ah… Sorry about that.”

“Actually… I’m not sure what happened myself.”

“I ran over you and tried to hit them as best I could.”

“I was ready to… Yes, I wanted to protect you at all costs.”

“But I didn’t expect that.”

“It’s like this time, when you have...”

“When you helped my brother.”

“These plants became detached and the bodies collapsed.”

“It scared me a little after thinking about it, but I guess I also developed a super power, ha-ha.”

…

What happened next?

“After? I…I carried you here.”

“Besides… You were much lighter than I thought.”

…
Pain

Power.

I think I did something irresponsible.

Mom, that’s why…

Is that why you didn’t want me to go outside?

…

Give me your hand.

“Like this?”

*Clap*

…

It’s this pain.

Ah…
You’re draining my energy…

I…

“Eh? What? Ah! I’m very sorry!”

… Don’t… Don’t shout anymore, please.

I don’t want to remember that moment.

Why did you do this?

You were going to die.

If you hadn’t done anything, I might have had a chance to get out of it without you risking anything.

No matter what happened, I could have made it.

… I think.

… Argh!

It should be me reading your thoughts, not you.

You wouldn’t have had to scream all the time.

…

Eh?

Why does my body seems absolutely not inclined to this idea?

I have a feeling he wants it pushed back…

…

Go eat something and let me rest for now.

I will get up… Tonight.

I think.

“… Okay, it’s you who sees.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

“You’ll just have to… Think hard about it.”

…

…

*Clack*

…

I’m feeling invaded.

Okay, how does the rest of my body work.

Left arm!

…

…

…

I feel a slight sensitivity when I touch it.

But reactivity: Zero

Everything else looks pretty much the same on the left side.

For the right side, it looks like I managed to get pretty much everything back.

… Heart?

…

Functional.

But a huge hole under my…

…

Why does it bother me to think about it?
…

I’m fed up.

I go back to sleep.