Sisters of Past Spring

"Ow! My head hurts! What happened?"

Misa found herself in a pitch-black room.

"Where am I? I have never seen a room like this before in the office building. Is this where Hina made the consciousness transporter?"

After being perplexed for a while, Misa started exploring the place.

"When did our office get a darkroom? What is this bright light coming from outside? Where is Hina? Why did she leave me alone in this room?"

Examining the room, she went towards the door and tried to unlock it.

Creeaaakkkk.

"It opened? Why did she leave the door open?"

Misa went outside the room and started searching for an exit.

"Anyways, I can escape now. But I have to be cautious. This place. It is nothing like the office building. Where is the exit to outside? And, what are these rooms?"

As she entered another room, she found something stranger.

"A movie theater outside a darkroom? Why would she bring me here?"

Misa went inside the theater.

"This movie, I feel like I have seen this before."

Memories of her past began to fill her with nostalgia. Unexpectedly, she got immersed in a movie being played.

"So, Hina, what do you think of this place? Do you like it?"

"Yes, Misa. It is peaceful and serene. The cherry blossoms look really pretty."

"Let us stay here for a while and observe the people around. It will help your system learn about humans and how they live."

"I like this park, Misa. I will be happy to stay here with you."

"Well, that is a start! After that, we will go and see some flowers. Some of them only bloom in Spring. Do you know what is so special about Spring?"

"Spring is one of the seasons here on Earth. It is when the trees get new leaves and flowers bloom. It is quite a soothing season."

"Great! Your system is working fine, Hina! And you need to spend time like humans. Even though your body is artificial, it works like a human. So tell me, what is your favorite part about the Spring season?"

"My favorite? I like the flowers and the weather. And spending time watching humans. That is my favorite."

"Hey! Please help me! I am stuck here!"

Misa and Hina shifted their gaze and found a little girl stuck on a tree.

"I am coming, Rizu! Who told you to climb up there?"

Another girl, of older age, started climbing up the tree to help the little girl.

"Stop scaring me like that, Rizu! I am not always going to be there to help you. Be careful."

Slowly, both girls climbed down the tree.

"Thanks, Akane! I know I can always count on my big sister to help me!"

"Akane?! Calling your big sister by her name? Well, now I will punish you!"

“Hey, now stop getting angry!”

"Haha! I am only joking! Look at you all worked up. I will never hit you, Rizu. But listen. Next time, I will leave you stuck on the tree until you learn to climb it down yourself."

"Yes, I promise I will learn how to climb down the tree as soon as I can! You wait and see, I will learn it in no time!"

"That is like a good little sister. Now, come on. We will get some fresh cherries! They are in season. You love them, right?"

"Cherries! Yay! I love them! Let us go, Akane!"

Misa went towards Hina and proceeded to say something.

"They are so adorable, right, Hina?"

As she said those words, Hina broke out of her observative trance.

"Yes, they are a sweet sister pair."

"You were observing them very carefully all this time. What did you learn from your observation, Hina?"

"I wish I had a sister too. It would be nice to have someone you can call for help in need."

"A sister? Well, I can help you whenever you want. Just tell me when you need my help."

"Really?"

Hina smiled, and her eyes sparkled upon hearing those words.

"Why not? You are like a little sister to me."

"Thank you, Misa. You are very kind."

"Oh, come on. Sisters should not say thank you to each other for such reasons."

"Sorry, I apologize."

"Now, now. Stop being sorry. Families love each other unconditionally. We are sisters, and we must help each other."

"I have so much to learn from humans. Misa, you will teach me, right?"

"Of course. That is my job. Now let us go to that botany garden nearby to see some flowers. You love flowers, right?"

"I find them really comforting."

Misa and Hina started moving towards the back of the park, where the botany garden was.

"Hina, look! What a nice flock of birds on that tree! On your right, look!"

Hina turned her head to see why Misa was so delighted.

"They are beautiful indeed. According to my database, these birds are Narcissus flycatchers. The males have a bright orange body at the front, and the females are greyish-brown in color. They usually come around this season."

Hina started moving nearer to the birds.

"Hey! Hina! Stop going near them! They will get scared and run away!"

"I just want to look at them more closely, Misa."

"You will scare them. Come back, Hina."

"Stop worrying, Misa. They will not fly away."

Buzz. Flap. Whoosh.

As Hina got close, all birds flew away one by one.

"See, Hina? You scared them. Now come back."

"Haha, I should have listened to you."

"Look! One of their feathers fell on your head!"

Hina checked her hair and found a feather on her head.

"Haha, you look so cute, Hina!"

"I am taking it out if you laugh at me like that."

She grabbed her hair and took out the feather.

"Now, let us go inside and see some flowers, Misa."

"No, but really, you looked so cute. I am not making fun of you."

"I know, Misa. I am not angry. I did not want feathers on my hair, so I took it out."

"Well, here we are now. Look at that purple flower. Are those pansies? They are so pretty!"

"Yes, those are the pansies. They come in multiple colors like purple, pink, black, yellow, blue, white, lavender, among other colors. They are really pretty indeed. I wish I could plant them in my room."

"Do you like them? No problem! We will get some for your room in the office."

"Thanks, Misa! I love these flowers!"

"Stop thanking me. I told you before, remember?"

"Oh yes, my bad. Sisters should not do that."

"Right! Now, go ahead and tell me the rest of the flowers that you want. How about those, Hina?"

Her gaze fell upon the daffodils Misa was pointing to.

"I like daffodils too! They look like trumpets and are bright yellow in color. They always lighten up my mood."

"Nice! So, we will get these too. What else?"

"How about the tulips over there, Misa? I like warm colors, and most of the tulips are pink, red, white, or yellow in color. They will brighten up any area!"

"Wow, you selected your favorite colors already? You are learning so fast! Sure, I will have those delivered to your room, Hina. Anything else you want?"

"For now, no. I am fine with these. I do not want to bring the whole park to my place, haha! And -"

Hina tried to finish her sentence, but a butterfly caught her attention.

"Oh my goodness, Misa!"

A butterfly came and sat on Misa.

"That butterfly on your nose! You look so amusing! I am taking your picture!"

"This is such a pretty butterfly on my nose."

Misa said, observing the butterfly carefully.

"Stay quiet for a while, Misa. You will scare the butterfly."

Click. Click.

"Now, I am sending this picture to everyone at the office."

"Hina, stop. Do not send that picture, please!"

"I did it already. Hahaha! You look so funny now!"

"Well, maybe this butterfly really likes my nose, ha ha ha!"

As Misa laughed for a second, the butterfly flew away.

"Oh no. My bad. I got excited. I love butterflies."

"Everyone loves them. Not your fault, Misa. That was a Peacock butterfly. They have eye-like spots on their wings to deceive their predators."

"Wow, I did not know that, Hina! Cool butterflies!"

"Now, let us head back home, shall we? It is time for my daily assessment."

Suddenly, the movie stopped.

"Flowers?"

"Butterflies?"

"Assessment?"

Misa subsequently got out of her daze.

"What I saw was not a movie."

And finally realized where she was.

"That was a memory."