1.1 - Time

Timeline Alpha

Japan

Tokyo

1999.12.31

23:59:00 Japan Standard Time

The silhouettes of two young women cast shadows in the suburban streets of Tokyo, as they hurried towards a row of run down apartment buildings, while the last minute of the last Friday of the old Millennium faded away.

“I can't believe he stood us up”, said Rei, leading the way, as the streetlight reflected her short hair, which was grey, as she almost stumbled over her carmine colored kimono.

“And I can't believe you convinced me to follow you to get him,” said Shirona, the one following after, while keeping the pace of her cousin, as her long white hair moved in the winter breeze.

“We could have just enjoyed the show and complained to aunty later on. Besides, are you even sure this is the right way?” Shirona asked while trying not to trip and add mud stains to the cherry blossom pattern of her white kimono.

“It should be right there in front of us”, Rei replied rapidly as the clock turned to midnight.

Just as the first fireworks illuminated the darkness of the night, the lights in the building in front of them went dark.

“Now that’s ominous,” Shirona stated.

“Don’t jinx it,” Rei responded as she searched her bag for a flashlight.

The two of them checked the nameplates as they went upstairs looking for the right door. Just as they had reached the destined door, it opened on its own, before they could take any action.

Toward them stumbled a short, slightly annoyed, overweight young man with short, black hair, in drenched casual clothes.

“Kurono? Is that you?” asked Rei right away.

“I told you he took a couple turns for the worse, didn't I?” said Shirona in a sly style.

“What happened? Why are you drenched?” Rei asked, visibly worried.

“Oh that? I might have slipped while drying my hair…” answered Kurono coldly.

“At this time of night... while fully clothed?” asked Rei.

“Did the electricity fry your brain?” asked Shirona.

“This isn't funny, he might have tried to kill himself. We need to get him some help!”

“Ah... not this again,” he said in a condescending tone, “But hey, maybe you're right, how about you two get me some real help, right now?”

Two translucent screens abruptly appeared in their field of view.

On their digital displays, a single sentence was written:

“You have been invited to join the Following of Him, who holds Dominion over Time.”

Below it, two alternatives appeared, “Accept” and “Decline”.

“What the hell?!” Shirona stumbled backwards, almost falling over the first floor's safety railing.

“What did you just do?” Rei shook her head in diverse directions, but the screen stayed in her field of view.

Kurono sighed. “Just press 'Accept'. It'll be easier for you to stomach what I have to tell you, once you know I am not crazy.”

Both looked at Kurono, then back at each other.