Milly's subconscious was a storm of memories, fragments colliding like waves against cliffs. Her form glimmered in the ethereal light, tense and restless, as another surge of recollection pressed against her mind.
Pain shot through her skull like lightning headache, pressure, the feeling of every memory trying to force its way in at once.
"This… I can't… I need… to remember…" she muttered through gritted teeth, the words vibrating with determination.
And then, slowly, the pieces began to align. Scenes of herself and Simni her robot companion, her friend, her confidant
flashed vividly before her. The days in the Forgotten Fortress, the countless hours spent together, the quiet moments of training and teasing, the laughter and small arguments they all came rushing back.
Milly's golden eyes squeezed shut as she absorbed the memories fully, forcing herself not to succumb to the pain. A bead of sweat slid down her temple, but her jaw remained set, her will unyielding.
Finally, clarity settled. She opened her eyes and saw the real world again. The warm sunlight spilling through the window illuminated the room, and beside her, Simni sat quietly, her cornflower-and-blue hair slightly disheveled, blue eyes fixed on her.
Milly blinked, a faint smirk forming despite the lingering headache. "About time you showed up, metalhead," she said, her tone sharp but familiar, the old insult slipping out naturally.
Simni froze, speechless for a moment, before a faint smile appeared. Without warning, she pounced, wrapping Milly in a tight embrace. "You… remembered everything, huh?" she said, her voice soft and tinged with sorrow, almost as if she had been holding her breath for years.
Milly's hands went to her shoulders, steadying Simni, and she let out a small sigh. "Yeah, yeah… I remembered. Now stop clinging to me like a fool."
Simni pressed closer for a moment, then relaxed slightly, her voice quiet. "I'm… glad. I was waiting for this… for you to remember."
Milly let her breathe, a rare smile tugging at her lips. "You're still annoying as ever, Simni."
Simni chuckled softly, the tension in her posture easing. "And you're still stubborn. Some things never change, huh?"
Milly leaned back, finally allowing herself to rest, her mind clearer than it had been in years. "Seems not," she murmured, offering a comforting pat on Simni's shoulder.
For the first time in what felt like forever, both of them simply sat there in silence, letting the shared memories fill the space between them, a quiet reassurance that some bonds were unbreakable even through lost time, chaos, and the shadows of forgotten pasts.