#yasako x isako

[alpaca-clouds]

Fluffcember Day 17: The Afterlife of Cyber Pets

The next Fluffcember story!

Fandom: Dennou Coil

Genre: Fluff

Shipping: Yasako/Isako

Length: 798 days

[Ao3 Link]

The dog was so proud, when he returned to his two moms, a big stick in his yap. The mutt was wagging his tail profusely, when he stood in front of the two women.

Isako could not help but chuckle at this. “Have you found a big stick, Densuke?” She bowed down to grab the stick, making the dog growl playfully as he play-defended the stick in question.

Densuke was not a big dog. He really was a mutt, that originated somewhere from the streets is Southern Japan. But he was a good dog, a kind dog. Good with kids as well. Finally, he gave up the stick waiting for it to be thrown. He yapped, jumped around and waited.

“You want the stick?” Isako teased the dog, wagging the stick over his head.

His barking became louder as he could not stifle his enthusiasm.

“Well, then go get it!” She threw it – and the Gods knew, Isako had one hell of a throwing arm. The stick flew and flew and flew and… landed in a big pile of snow.

Densuke did not even wait that long, before running after it. He ran and jumped and… vanished into the snow as well, making Yasako chuckle.

“He is still playing like a puppy,” she muttered. After all the dog was already 7 years old.

“He is.” Isako grabbed her wife's hand, holding it close. Her fingers were really icy. It was one of those things, that seemingly never went away. She had cold fingers and cold feet. Always. Yasako tended to be thankful when Densuke had begged successfully to sleep in bed with them. When he curled up at Isako's feet, they warmed up considerably.

It was the thing that real animals could give, she supposed. Body heat. Life. A heartbeat. Cyber pets were amazing and all, but they were not… alive.

With a sigh she remembered the original Densuke. The cyber dog from her childhood. Such a loyal companion, who in the end had given his life to save her sister. But… saying he had never been alive seemed wrong. Of course he had. A mere program would not have been able to act the way he had. And it was not just because he was the creation of her grandparents, right? He had been alive – in a way. And be it just, because he had died. How could something not alive die?

The flesh and blood Densuke escaped the snow cover, stick between his teeth. Proud as could be he returned to his two moms, depositing said stick in front of Yasako now.

She could not help but smile. “So, do you want me to throw it, too?” She crouched down, leading to the dog – his brown fur covered in snow – to bow down the front of his body, wagging his entire behind now. “Is that a yes?”

The dog barked two times and got even more excited as she picked up the stick.

Compared to her wife she was not as good at throwing, managing not even half the distance. Densuke did not mind, though, running after it and throw the snow of the park.

“You are thinking about something,” her wife said, leading Yasako to shake her head.

“It's just… I remembered Densuke the First."”

“Oh.” Of course Isako remembered him as well, didn't she? While he had never been a companion to her, she did well remember all that had taken place back during that last year of primary school.

“I am just wondering,” Yasako muttered, while Densuke was already on his way back to them. “Do you think cyberpets have an afterlife?”

Isako took a deep breath and Yasako well understood. Neither of them was particularly religious, but while Yasako did at least believe in some things and rituals, Isako did not. Still, she breathed out in a sigh, her breath forming a cloud in the chilly winter air. “Maybe…”

Again Yasako was crouching down, waiting for Densuke. It was really funny how proud a little dog could be about his stick and the task of retrieving it. “I know it's silly… But I kinda want to believe, you know?” She took the stick again, throwing it. While Densuke was running of again, she could feel a slight smile on her lips. “I want to believe in a little angel Densuke looking out for us.”

“And angel?” Isako asked, some doubt in her voice.

“Well, I find the idea of heaven and angels more comforting than the thought of an underworld,” Yasako said. She could not even help a chuckle herself.

At this Isako shook her head, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “It is a bit silly,” she then agreed. “But maybe…” Her gaze darted up to the cloudy sky. “Who knows…”