Homophonic: Kazuki Hoshino

[factoring]

Comments

[teenrebellion]

Something about their weird game. I don't know about you, but I'm not feeling that inclined to listen to what they say just because they said it. It sounds like a load of bull.

[factoring]

Something ventured, something gained. I'm interested in seeing what happens when a team is formed, if anything happens at all.

[teenrebellion]

You get somewhere to stay, I guess?

[ shrugs. ]

If you're that curious, shouldn't you be more focused on forming your team?

[factoring]

No reason to rush into it, if we've been given several days.

[teenrebellion]

[ fair enough. ]

You don't seem all that bothered by all this.

[factoring]

I'm used to dealing with strange phenomena.

[teenrebellion]

What kind of phenomena would that be?

[factoring]

Digital entities and anomalies.

[teenrebellion]

So, like, hackers? Phishing and stuff?

[factoring]

Yes, hacking programs. Ensuring people get their accounts back clean.

[teenrebellion]

Isn't that just basic cybersecurity? What's so phenomenal about it?

[factoring]

My dear assistant arrived in the streets of Scramble Crossing in a body made of pure digital matter.

[teenrebellion]

What?

[factoring]

She was just a framework of data without skin. Just shifting blue digital matter.

[teenrebellion]

...Is this some kind of virtual reality thing?

[factoring]

That's what the network is supposed to be. What happened to them was very real.

[teenrebellion]

So... they were deleted...?

[ he's so confused ]

[factoring]

It was more akin to their mental data being forcefully ripped from their body during the log out process.

They're alive and functional, but their real body is in a coma.

[teenrebellion]

...Yeah, I'm not that much of a techie. [ he has no idea what she is saying. ] I, uh. Hope they wake up soon?

[factoring]

[ He's not the first person. 😔 ]

That's what we're hoping for them.

[teenrebellion]

Well, good luck getting back to them. Hopefully this weird game doesn't last too long so you don't miss it when they do wake up.

[ "when" because he's decided just now that he's not accepting the alternative. he doesn't even know those people. ]

[factoring]

That's very kind of you.

[Thanks for believing she'll make it out of here, kiddo.]

[teenrebellion]

[ it's basic human decency but okay ]

Oh. [ he lowers his head in a slight bow. ] I'm Kazuki Hoshino, by the way.

...I'd say it's nice to meet you, but...

[ the circumstances........... ]

[factoring]

Kyoko Kuremi.

[She gives a slight nod back to him.]

It's all very strange, I understand.

[teenrebellion]

Is being told you're dead one of the phenomena you're so used to?

[ she is really taking this too well he thinks ]