A Friend's Visit
26 Nov 2024Kasumi Goto
A few days after previous events..."... and like, she walks into the medical room which Aegis put me into after I was knocked out, going 'You're still big'." I scoffed theatrically. "Like, what did you expect? Of course I'm still big. Not as if I would be getting rid of something I have so much fun with."
Jana chuckled, amused, placed on the single-seater couch, in this living space given to me by Aegis. "That's got to be a strange way to meet again after, what, nearly eight months? But then, I guess that is the kind of thing your body invites."
At least she could still fit into that thing properly, unlike me who was so oversized that it only really worked by using gravity to forcefully drop into it, so my position was on the wider sofa, hands beside hips. I shrugged lightly, before replying.
"I think, she just likes to tease. Especially me when it comes to having certain parts so big, they are borderline impractical for most things."
"Yeah.", she agreed. "I mean, the part about the body. I bet most people would not have wanted to try living with anything that large. I'd say it'd be too big even for me, to have on mine, but here you are going around with it like you own the place."
"Well, technically, I do. Or at least they are providing it for me to live in. With a few adjustments, because I was a lot thinner back then."
You got that right., 'Kira' bickered in my head.
I told that part of me to shut up - though, I was kind of glad for it to still be around, rather than sucked away into the hivemind completely - and listened as Jana answered.
"... except the shower cabin?"
Another shrug from me. "Some things are... just barely possible. And maybe it's just fun to work around them. In the stupid way."
"Yeah, right. You just like to be squeezed into places with that big thing."
"And you don't?" No response. "Yeah, I figured. You know what it's like anyway, since you stuffed your own backside full of things. And added a bit more onto it than in your virtual reality ..." I twirled a finger in the air, looking for the right word, but it wouldn't come. "... thingy."
"How was I not supposed to? After seeing you have so much fun being this thick ..."
"I prefer round. Or wide."
She made a throwaway hand gesture. "Yeah, yeah. Same thing. You're all three, anyway. And you knew that I was into this stuff already."
"Yes. But I don't think you were this big in the VR world, thing."
"Actually, I was. Mostly. I might have added a little extra around the top and back. And I told you about those things already after you pulled me out of that Azimuth shithole. Is your memory still acting up?"
"Maybe. You try getting your brain fried twice and somehow still be alive or have any working parts to it left after that."
"Uh, no thanks. I'll pass on that. At least it hasn't fried your ability to make jokes about it."
"... I wouldn't be so thick without it, anyway. So, go thank the Thargoids, I guess."
"You know, speaking of memories ..." Jana paused, as if for effect. "I have been wondering how much you remember from those VR adventures we had. You, me, and that extra big idiot who is too tall for a regular door now."
"Hm ..." I scratched my head, tilting it and giving off that thoughtful sound as I fished around. "... I'm not sure, there is a lot. Maybe more of it might come back if I spend more time in there, but right now, it's mostly that it was fun to mess around in."
"Pff. You have no idea. One time I even made you so big you almost burst out of your pants. Which were already made bigger to fit you, you know, as you're in there. Hell, they looked so tight!"
I could not recall that at all, so I said as much. "I have no idea. Any longer, at least. But that sounds like a thing you'd do... maybe, that other big idiot told me, when we met not long before I was released into the wild again. And began to terrorize the world with this body. Kind of remember something about those times we had together, being mentioned."
"I guess she probably remembers it best out of us three. And 'terrorize' is definitely the right word for what your body causes as reactions in people around you. It's like almost nobody wants to get close to you for fear of getting knocked over."
"Lucky for them, I spent a few months learning my situational awareness with it before I was set loose. So there were... less casualties. It does make a great way of getting through crowds."
"Pf. Now there's a show I would've liked to see."
"Maybe you will. One day."
The glint in Jana's eyes suggested she had an idea. "So... what do you think about using that VR thing again, just screw around in there a bit? Some day."
I lifted both shoulders. "Why not. You made me rediscover that I could set myself to be thin in there and then get very thick from there... we might as well."
"Oh. Great." Something about her seemed relieved. "I wasn't sure if you'd accept."
"Why not? It's a virtual, environment. And supposed to be fun. Messing around with some people would be fun."
"... I know that look. And I can't tell you to, or not to, so I'll just not say anything about it."
"Good."
She knew that there would be a revenge for that incident of nearly making me explode out of clothing outright, even if I did not actually remember it myself. But I would not spoil when. And it appeared there was more on her mind... related to some less ridiculous and stupid kind of fun, matters - both from the look on her face and the way she tapped two ends of fingers together.
"Anyway... let me make sure I got this right. So the Thargoids got into your head, really into it, and searched it for information, which took you out for a whole week. But you don't know why?"
"No." I shook my head to accompany that response. "Not... for sure, anyway. The best idea I can have is that maybe they thought I could give them something on humans, Aegis, or... whatever, that Seo doesn't know. But she probably does more than me."
A grumbling sound escaped my mouth.
"I don't know if I like the idea, that the Thargoids might know more about me than I do myself, at the moment. You know, my brain, is still not... completely fixed. Exposing it to... certain things, tends to help along and give me memories back, but, pff... that is kind of hard to do when I don't even know what those triggers could be."
"Yeah... I'd like to be of help with that, but I'm afraid I never got to know you any closer before you know, the thing happened.", Jana cautiously said. "And then I found myself staring down a Titan to get you pulled out of it."
I pointed at her in a certain way. "And I would have told you, you're an idiot for doing that. Putting yourself at that risk, just for one person."
She gave me a funny look. "Hey! Maybe I just wanted to have a chance at knowing the idiot who also liked big curves and making them grow bigger, better."
"It was still stupid. And I know you would have done it anyway."
"You can bet on that twice." Jana paused in a significant way. "So... you're now, safe, right? No more need to worry about Thargoids poking around your head?"
She said that while twirling in the air with a finger, as if thinking, or looking for the right words. I myself had to take a moment to give a proper answer to that.
"I... think so?" It was a cautious answer, not being entirely sure. "I was told something, about... I don't know. Something to do with the thing in my head now having more resistance to it or something. Harder to control directly."
I shrugged.
"I don't really understand this thing anyway. I'd be rid of it if I could, but... kind of, need it to live, at this point. Anyway, yes, it should be 'safe'." I lifted my arms. "Or maybe being so fat and impractical has made the Thargoids decide I am not worth bothering with?"
"Pff, uhh... right."
Jana tried to look amused but that expression of relief on the face, it was hard to miss. And, if I had to be honest, so was I, because while I had little memories left of that period, the feelings or emotions associated to what I had seemingly gone through toward the end of the last year, weren't exactly positive.
"So ...", she then started up. "I've also been wondering, how are you feeling about being here? I mean, like, you probably weren't too happy about Aegis when this whole stupidity around attacking the Titans kicked off."
My best immediate response was a shrug. "Hard to be mad when it was done for your own safety. I think I prefer not having been unconscious for a week, out there, where those Azimuth idiots are still waiting."
I caught the door sliding open at the back of my mind, but didn't bother looking yet. There was only one person I allowed in like this into a private space, anyway.
"Sure. But I thought, maybe, you'd have gone back out there, already.", Jana continued.
"... and so did I.", Seo chose to add in. Which was my cue to turn my head - and body - to look behind.
"People can change their minds. And I have been lazy the last... week and a half." I turned back around after providing that answer. "That, Jana, is Seo. Who just likes to walk in unannounced whenever she wants. While also being the reason why I haven't gone back into space after a day of observation."
'And I doubt she didn't know this was happening.', I added in my thoughts.
"Uh... hi.", Jana said, seemingly a little hesitant. "I thought you'd be... I don't know. Taller, I guess."
"And I thought you would be bigger, considering who you know.", Seo retorted.
"... she also likes to tease as much as you do. If not worse.", I further complemented my introduction, still directed at my 'curved' friend.
"So, this is the friend you rescued from Azimuth?" Her gaze remained on my - slightly less round - counterpart, in the room. "I can see why you get along."
"And for the record, I like her body but that's too much fat for me.", Jana stated quite firmly.
"Yes, it is the one that I rescued.", I told Seo, ignoring Jana's remark. "But she was not thick the time I met her before that. I guess she just wanted me to stop being the only one having fun with an oversized body."
To which Jana decided to defend herself. "No, I was already planning that before you left for deep space or wherever you went. And you know that it wasn't coming out of nowhere."
"Of course. But you like to mess with me for being thick, so I can do the same back."
An eyeroll was the only answer I got. At least she now knew what it was like to be the recipient, for once.
"Anyway... I need to use the bathroom. Don't break anything while I am gone, you two."
I stood up and wandered off into there, leaving Seo and Jana alone in the living room. They kind of just stayed in place, Seo stood somewhere off to the right of where I sat, and Jana in the couch, feeling observed.
"You know... I'm not any kind of problem. Those idiots at Azimuth can suck a... yeah. But if you just want me to go, I can do that.", she remarked to Seo, rather than just letting the string of tension sit there.
"Oh, no, you're fine. I'm just thinking about what you are to her.", Seo answered. "She told me you are to blame for that body, at least a little. And I can see that shine in her eyes when she speaks of you, sometimes. Seems to me like it might be a bit more than friends."
"Oh." Jana scratched her head. "Uh, yeah. Kinda. I think she knows I'm... 'interested', no thanks to certain parts of her, but told me that it might not be time yet. So I'm just... not trying to push anything. But yeah, you could say I'm at fault because I gave her that device and next thing I know, those funny parts of her body have swollen to triple their size and they're just full of... uhm... yeah. You get the idea. I like it, but it'd be a bit much for me personally. What you see right now, that's kind of the limit... maybe a bit more up at the top, but ..."
Speaking to someone who was probably not into that kind of thing - too much, at least - seemed a little awkward, so she shut up again. And I came out of the bathroom a moment later anyway, leaving the period of awkward silence to a minimum.
"Oh look, you didn't break anything.", I jokingly remarked. "I hope you had a productive chat."
"If by productive you mean we didn't rip each other's hair out, yeah.", Jana replied, shifting around a little uneasy.
"I mostly learned, or I suppose met, the real cause of why you're big.", Seo decided to say. "And am even surer about why you two got stuck together."
A throwaway hand gesture was made as I took back my spot on the sofa. "Yeah, yeah. She just likes to look at my fat backside and poke it. But it would probably have gotten thick even without her input, she just happened to be chosen to give me the thing that cursed me to start swelling up. Only in those parts, mind you. And I certainly wouldn't complain about it now."
It occurred to me Seo was... still just standing there, just off to the right, where I deliberately had to turn my head to look at her.
"You know, you could sit down.", I invited her. "None of us bite. And the plant pots are mostly safe around me now."
"Oh, I'm fine." She leaned into the wall. "I'm just here to observe this."
The grin that snuck on her face said everything. Of course, I couldn't let that go by unremarked.
"You're horrible, you know that."
"Yes. You've told Alba about this matter with Azimuth, have you?"
"Obvious dodge is obvious." I shook my head, though not to indicate a negative response. "She actually called me first. Understandably, not too happy I shot up some of their guards and workers for it. Haven't bothered getting anybody to remove that bounty those automated systems slap you with... I guess, you could call it a 'souvenir'. If a questionable one."
Other than the obvious risk to my safety from foolhardy and desperate - or stupid - bounty hunters looking to claim a paltry sum which barely would cover their ship's operational expenses, I doubted she'd disagree. Then, something came back to me after a brief moment.
"That reminds me, I did find a... less legal one they have out on my head back in that base's computer system."
"You probably should mention that one to Alba, too."
"Well, uh ..." I awkwardly scratched my head. "I was actually going to. But between then and now, kind of... forgot about it. I guess I should do that now. And there is something else I wanted to talk about with her, anyway."
A motion to get up and walk out was - also - interrupted by Seo. "After you're done here. You didn't invite a friend over just to run off on her. And what's that other thing?"
Somehow, I suspected that she was actually more concerned Jana would be the one to run off in my absence, until I returned. So I stopped the movement and remained seated.
"Fine. I guess, it is not that urgent anyway. As for what I am planning to do, I just want to visit one or two places that are important... to me. But might not be the safest in the world. So I'd like to do so before the Thargoids go all nuts because they only have one Titan left."
I could have said more, but was deliberately remaining a bit vague on the details because I was sure that they - her and Jana - would both look at the result once I was done with it. Not to mention that other, likely much less appreciated if I were to mention it, idea... that I was carefully keeping walled off from Seo, in my mind, because I knew she could poke around in there. And that would probably earn me a good telling off from Alba. But I'd only carry that one out if things did go where I expected them to, which was now uncertain, in light of the Thargoids' likely change of approach to their invasion.
"Keeping it a secret, are you? Fine.", Seo chose to remark. "I guess I'll know what it's all about in time."
I merely shrugged, and turned my attention back to Jana. She hadn't come here just to look at my hips and watch me talk to Seo.