(1P)
Several days had passed since Aldebaran told us about Zodiacal's movements.
What time was it on Earth now?
I couldn't remember. My sense of dates had grown hazy.
Zodiacal flew incredibly slowly-so slowly that, sleeping with Proxy in my arms every day, I'd forgotten there was even a threat approaching.
The pouting pink witch sat up beside me.
"Good morning~ Miluno~"
"Is it morning now?"
"No idea~ It might be nighttime~"
Proxy, who could only take off her helmet in her own bedroom, rubbed her eyes, yawned, then flopped onto me again and nuzzled me like a cat.
"It's a little late to say this after we've slept together for days, but this isn't really right."
She reluctantly sat up.
"I'm not your Ceruno, and you're not my Miluno. We're two lines that were never supposed to cross... My Miluno may never come back, but your Ceruno can still be saved, so we shouldn't be doing this."
Since she'd gone that far...
"Then I'll go back to the research institute to sleep tonight."
"No, don't do that either..."
Now she was saying no again. She really did contradict herself.
She scratched at her fluffy short pink hair, then reached out and traced a line between us.
"I'm a witch, you know. Following my desires is instinctive, and being evil is my nature. So I need you by my side, but we can keep a reasonable distance."
With so little time left, I found it hard to refuse her request.
Besides, as far as I was concerned, she and my Ceruno shared the same origin. It wouldn't be a stretch to call them the same person... even if I couldn't remember what the original Ceruno had been like.
Her presence filled some of the emptiness inside me.
"Let's get up.