TIMESKIP…

 

YEAR

 

-2200-

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Let us commence the operation, is she ready?”

 

A masked man in a lab coat nodded, “yes sir, we’ve taken her out of the cryotube two days ago, her vitals have been stable so far.”

 

The head doctor nodded back, “good, bring her into the op room with care.”

 

“Of course, sir.”

 

As his assistant left, the man got himself ready, bringing out certain machines that’d help in their operation.

 

He then rolled in a metallic box, opening the spherical glass lid at the top.

 

Three others came in then, carefully pushing an electromagnetically floating hospital bed, an unconscious woman laying there, silent, but alive.

 

She had fair skin, her hair was up to her waist, the very tips being a hue blue, three fourths of the rest a whitish-blonde, the rest up to her roots a dark brown.

 

She’s been in a coma since 2020, one hundred and eighty years.

 

To be exact, she’s only been “alive” until 2022, that was when they put her in cryosleep.

 

Now finally… They had the tools to save her.

 

“Kim Minjeong, comatosed at seventeen, biologically twenty, chronologically one hundred and ninety seven years old. Female, Korean, her father used to be head of this hospital back in 2030. His final wish to us was to save her, however long it took.”

 

The doctor nodded as one of the men read from a tablet, “is her room ready?”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“And the girl?”

 

“Yes sir, we’ve woken her up as well today.”

 

“Good, we need Minjeong to wake up as comfortably as possible, let the events slowly come to her to not overwork her brain. Let us start.”

 

He brought something that looked similar to an old dentist light, flicking the button on to reveal a purple-ish blue glow.

 

Someone from the other side grabbed the handles, slowly moving it above the girl’s body, showing her skeleton from underneath her clothes and skin with the light that bounced off of her.

 

“Stop, there.”

 

There was an unusual shadow surrounding her ribcage, branching out from her mid-spine to latch onto each rib, thankfully none was touching her lungs or heart.

 

“We need to turn her around to her back.”

 

They carefully rolled her onto her stomach, positioning the light onto her back to see where the entity was.

 

The Black Mamba…

 

A technological, serpentine virus able to transfer itself to any source of technology or source of power before pouncing onto its next host.

 

The head doctor thought to himself, wondering how people persevered through a time like that, where that generation’s teenagers were silently being taken from them.

 

He wondered how the girl felt… If she knew she saved them all.

 

He brushed his index finger along the back of her shirt, the hospital fabric opening up to reveal her back.

 

One of the men brought another machine closer, adjusting the long beam to point at the epicenter of the virus.

 

The head doctor looked at everyone in the room, nodding to them as he saw them all with the correct gear.

 

“Beginning extraction in three… two… one…”

 

A thin red laser shot into the girl’s back, the hue enveloping the parasite whole.

 

The man working the machine slowly changed the strength, and the shadow began to limply pull away from her bones, a dark aura forming as it passed through the girl’s back.

 

The head doctor rolled the metallic box from earlier closer to the bed, and the man moved the beam alongside the Black Mamba into the chamber, the doctor sealing the lid tightly.

 

“The operation was a success.”

 

The doctor sealed the girl’s shirt once more, rolling her back to face the ceiling.

 

“Bring her to the nurses, tell them to take her to her room afterwards.”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

The three men left with the floating bed, leaving the doctor to himself.

 

He tapped a few keys on the metallic box, his eyes widening in surprise.

 

“It’s already… dead…”

 

The team of scientists and doctors decided that if they ever take out the parasite, they’d exterminate it immediately, they didn’t want to risk something like what happened in 2020 to happen again.

 

The Black Mamba must have died during the girl’s cryosleep due to the extreme temperatures…

 

But would she still have been in a coma?

 

He sighed, pressing the red button in the middle.

 

He’d get rid of it either way, just in case the snake woke up once more…

 

TIMESKIP 1 WEEK…

 

…

…

…

 

Pitch darkness, that’s all she saw.

 

But then she opened her eyes, revealing cream colored walls and a popcorn ceiling of the same color.

 

The girl flitted her eyes around, seeing her desk, her band posters on one wall, photos of her friends above her, her dog plushie next to her…

 

She slowly sat up, rubbing her head.

 

“What happened…”

 

As she hung her head down low, her blonde hair fell down to her shoulders, a hint of blue brushed against the tips of her locks. She wore a white shirt, athletic shorts, and a pair of loose socks.

 

The girl ruffled her hair back as she glanced around, pulling her blanket away as she straightened herself up.

 

Something happened, but she couldn’t remember what.

 

For some reason, her mind was fuzzy, buzzing with a headache.

 

Then she remembered.

 

She fainted.

 

She remembered blacking out when she was trying to come back to her friends and mom to continue watching the show with them.

 

They must’ve brought her to her bed…

 

“Eomma?”

 

…

 

She was about to call out again when her door opened a crack. She tensed as she stared at the door, the person behind it quickly closed the door shut as they came in, seeming to try to hide what was outside.

 

The girl who wore a black hoodie with a pair of loose jeans lifted her head, smiling at the puppy-like girl, “hello, Minjeong.”

 

Winter relaxed, giving the raven-haired woman a grin as she scooted to the edge of her bed, “Karina-unnie…”

 

What an amazing sight to see right after she woke up.

 

But as Karina came closer, Winter began to frown.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

Winter squinted at the girl who was now a foot away from her, she looked like Karina alright but… 

 

“Who are you.”

 

The girl tilted her head, her hands still clasped at her midsection, her posture ramrod straight, a small smile still at her lips.

 

“What do you mean? Minjeong, it’s me, Karina.”

 

“You’re not Karina.”

 

The way the woman talked and walked over to her was different from the girl she knew, she never did that with her hands, her posture was only that stiff when she was talking to a teacher, and her expression seemed so… forced.

 

Winter narrowed her eyes, “who are you? What did you do to Jimin?”

 

The woman took another step forward, “Minjeong, it really is me.”

 

The puppy raised her voice, “I know how Karina acts, you’re not her!”

 

The raven-haired woman flinched, her light facade faltering.

 

“I-I…”

 

Winter tensed as she took another step towards her, “Minjeong, please-”

 

“W-who are you… Where am I.”

 

The woman reaching out with her hand was enough to fire on the girl’s adrenaline. Winter stood up, stumbling into a run since her legs didn’t want to work right away in holding her weight.

 

“Minjeong!”

 

Winter clutched the doorknob, pulling it open and running out into the hallway. She abruptly stopped, almost colliding with a flying object speeding past her. She clutched her heart and the doorframe from the sudden surprise, her eyes widening in fear as she analyzed her surroundings.

 

This wasn’t her home...

 

 Her bedroom was a fake.

 

The walls, ceiling, floor… All of it was a sterile white, weird blue holograms popping up next to sliding doors whenever someone went inside, but when Winter came, everyone stopped to stare at her as if she was a strange animal.

 

The people seemed human, although their clothing and hairstyles were like nothing Winter has seen before… In real life that is.

 

She’s never been into games, but she remembered watching her older brother playing one before.

 

It was as if she was in the game right now.

 

She jumped in surprise as a white box slid next to her.

 

“Please, calm down. Your heart rate is up ten beats per minute more than the healthy average.”

 

“W-what the …”

 

“Would you like any assistance?”

 

The flat surface of the box, no, the robot, opened up to show a touch screen with multiple buttons.

 

Winter tensed as she felt a hand on her shoulder, side-eying to see that it was Karina’s doppelganger. 

 

“It’s okay, I will take care of her.”

 

“Her heart rate has increased another five beats since you made physical contact with her.”

 

The woman glanced at Winter, whispering softly, “I won’t hurt you,” before giving her a small smile.

 

Even though Winter knew this wasn’t the Karina she knew, her voice was eerily similar, which made the girl relax.

 

“Heart rate is down, now at ninety-five beats per minute.”

 

“Now please, the doctor said I should be the one to talk to her. You may leave now, thank you.”

 

“Yes, Karina.”

 

‘Huh? … So it was Karina?’

 

The robot slid away, people dodging its path as it passed by them.

 

“I’ll… try to tell you everything I can inside?”

 

Winter glanced up at the woman, trying to seem calm so the woman wouldn’t worry, and so the creepy robot wouldn’t come back.

 

Her heart and mind were screaming.

 

Where was she?

 

Who was this woman who looked and sounded like a carbon copy of her friend?

 

And why did everything look like something from a sci-fi movie or video game?

 

As the woman closed the door behind them, Winter staggered back to her bed, slumping down into a sitting position as she stared with widened eyes at the carpet.

 

What day was it?

 

“Oh my God…”

 

The girl held her head, ‘what year was it?’

 

“Minjeong…”

 

She barely heard the soft voice call out her name, her brain turning its gears a little too quickly for her liking as she covered her face with her hands.

 

Winter muttered the same phrase over and over again as she folded herself more tighter, more closer to herself. She couldn’t calm herself down, her breathing quickened alongside her heart. She felt close up, her eyes burning, threatening to shed tears. She felt a little dizzy, but that was beyond any of her other fears right now.

 

“Minjeong.”

 

The woman lifted Winter’s head, cupping her face with both her hands.

 

She caressed the girl’s cheek, a little unevenly, “calm down… You’ll be okay.”

 

Winter stared at her in desperation, “w-what h-happened…”

 

The woman gestured with her head, “can I sit next to you?”

 

The puppy hesitantly nodded, and the raven-haired woman sat down, moving her arm so she was able to rub Winter’s back.

 

They took a few minutes in silence, the girl rubbing her eyes to clear away the tears.

 

…

 

“What would you like to know first?”

 

“... Something that won’t blow my brain up.”

 

The woman grimaced, “um… Then I’d rather not say anything.”

 

Her reaction subtly amused Winter, “oh uh- I wasn’t being literal.”

 

The woman blinked, “oh?”

 

‘Was she a robot?’

 

“Uh… It’s currently November seventeenth…”

 

Winter nodded, seemed normal enough.

 

“2200…”

 

“WHAT!”

 

The woman startled from the sudden yell, quickly composing herself before trying to calm the girl down, “please, stay calm.”

 

Winter took a deep breath, exhaling just the same way, “... I was unconscious for what… … … one hundred and eighty years? Wait- How am I still alive?”

 

The woman nodded, “pretty much. You have been in a coma from 2020 to 2022, but then the doctors of that time put you in a cryo-sleeping chamber.”

 

“So… I’ve been frozen for over a century?”

 

“Yes, you have. The ‘now’ doctors took you out last week, but it seems you didn’t wake up until today.”

 

Winter suddenly remembered why she would have been in a coma in the first place, and she urgently glanced at the woman, “the Black Mamba, is it-”

 

The woman smiled reassuringly, “the virus that was inside you is now gone, completely.”

 

“R-really?”

 

She nodded and Winter sighed in relief, “oh thank Jihyo.”

 

“Jihyo?”

 

“Oh uh- someone from my time.”

 

The woman tilted her head, but before they could continue, the door opened after a series of knocks.

 

Winter stiffened as an unfamiliar man came in, but the woman squeezed her shoulder.

 

“He is your doctor, don’t worry.”

 

The said man smiled, “good to see that you’re awake, Minjeong.”

 

“Uh… thank you?”

 

He chuckled sadly, “it seems that our… plan, did work that well.”

 

“What plan?”

 

He sighed, “we tried to bring you to the current situation as slowly as possible, replicating your room back to the twenty-first-century style that your original bedroom was in, using the clothing style you had in your time....”

 

He then glanced at the woman, “even a close friend of yours.”

 

‘He… replicated Karina?’

 

Winter glanced at the woman as she looked away sheepishly, “sorry, I tried to act as normal as possible.”

 

The man chuckled again, “no need to apologize.”

 

“She told me that the Black Mamba is gone, is that true?”

 

He nodded, “yes, it seems that the parasite has perished in the extreme conditions your body was put in when your doctors in the past put you in cryosleep.”

 

“So it’s gone for good?”

 

Another nod, “yes, we destroyed it so it wouldn’t cause harm again.”

 

Winter sighed, “that’s good…”

 

The man glanced from Winter to the woman, then back, “it may be easier to hear everything else from Karina. If you need anything, Karina knows where my office is.”

 

“Thank… you…”

 

He smiled at Winter, nodding before walking out the door…

 

…

…

 

“So you really are Karina?”

 

The woman glanced back at Winter, “yes, I am… I don’t understand why you don’t think I am.”

 

“Well… You’re just- you two look and sound the same but… Karina doesn’t act like you do. No offense.”

 

The woman tilted her head, “what?”

 

“Like- she used to act so relaxed and chill, sorry but when you first talked I kind of got the creeps.”

 

She chuckled, “well it appears so, you ran out the room.”

 

Winter couldn’t help but smile from her laugh. She began to relax herself, knowing this woman, Karina, wouldn’t give her any harm.

 

“You talk really formally too, she only did that when we talked to teachers or parents.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“If it’s not too much to ask… are you really… Like- um- uh- … Are you really the same person I knew?”

 

Karina sighed, “to be honest… I’m actually a humanoid, I’m ninety-five percent human, though.”

 

‘A humanoid…’

 

“What’s the… five percent?”

 

“My brain is similar to a computer, and some of my bones are synthesized mechanically.”

 

“And your heart?”

 

Winter tried to hide the desperation creeping into her voice, but Karina caught on, and she gave her a warm smile.

 

“Completely organic. Or well- real- … Yes, I have a beating, blood-pumping, human heart.”

 

“That’s good…”

 

Karina chuckled, “and I have your friend’s memories retained in my brain, if you are wondering how I knew you.”

 

Even though Winter was a bit saddened that Karina didn’t have the heart she loved in the past… She was glad her heart was real nonetheless, and she felt happy that the woman knew her, that even if this wasn’t the Karina she knew in high school, she was still, technically, her.

 

Karina then looked away, “sorry for scaring you first thing… The staff here… ‘booted me up’ when they took the Black Mamba out of you. So I only had a week to prepare… And I couldn’t go outside at that time so… I only talked to the doctors… Nurses… Scientists… You know, them. You can say I still don’t know how to act fully human.”

 

But when she glanced back at Winter, she smiled, “but I promise to try and act like the girl you knew before, act more human… If you’ll help me.”

 

Winter grinned, “I’d love to help you.”

 

Karina felt a flutter in her heart that must have been love, or something close to it, from the girl’s wide smile.

 

“What’d I call you before?”

 

“Uhhh Minjeong, Minjeong-ah, Winter, Gyeoulie, puppy… Some other things…”

 

Karina slowly nodded, “what’d you call me?”

 

“Karina, unnie, Jimin, Karomi, Rina, jagiya.”

 

The woman flustered, “wait what? Doesn’t jagiya mean…”

 

“Babe? Yes, yes it does.”

 

“But, I don’t recall Karina- or well, me, dating you.”

 

Winter shrugged, “I still called you that, and we were practically on the verge of dating.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“But…”

 

Karina glanced at Winter, “yes?”

 

“What happened to you? After I… fell into a coma.”

 

“...”

 

“You said you had her memories, I’m guessing you have hers even with her as a grown up?”

 

“Yes… I have everything, her childhood, adolescent years, her… adulthood…”

 

Karina looked away, “it was very dark, after you left. I don’t want to say them, if that is fine with you.”

 

Winter felt a pang in her heart from the girl’s mournful tone, “oh… Yeah of course, you don’t have to say.”

 

The girl then smiled at Winter, “but, do you remember Ttang Kong?”

 

The puppy gasped, wondering what happened to the other puppy, “yes of course! Or well… Everything from 2020 seems like yesterday to me.”

 

Karina chuckled, “your… our friend, Giselle, took care of him after she graduated high school.”

 

“Really?!”

 

She nodded, “yes, really. He lived a good life, Giselle and NingNing did as well.”

 

Winter smiled, “that’s good… What about… my family? Do you know?”

 

“Your mom helped me cope a lot. Well, she helped all of us, really. Your older brother found a good job, your father actually became head of this hospital back in 2030.”

 

“Wow…”

 

A heavy object seemed to have lifted off of Winter’s shoulders when she heard that all of her loved ones lived fairly alright, and she let out a smile.

 

“I’m glad…”

 

“But there is one thing I will say about Kari- me, about me…”

 

Winter stared attentifully at the girl as she sighed, “she… always regretted not knowing what to do sooner.”

 

“What?”

 

“Most of her memories had her wondering what could’ve happened if things were different… She really wished she had asked you out.”

 

Winter’s heart fluttered from what she said, “o-oh…”

 

The puppy then smiled, hugging the girl’s arm, “well…”

 

Karina startled from the sudden close-contact, feeling her heart rate increase.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You can fulfill her wish, if you want to.”

 

“How?”

 

“You can be my girlfriend.”

 

Karina’s computer of a mind froze, and what was once a fast-processing piece of technology, began to buffer.

 

“Wait what?”

 

Winter raised an eyebrow as Karina just stared at her with an open mouth.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Uhhhhh…”

 

Winter then decided to tease the raven-haired girl, “I think I can kind of see smoke coming out of your head, are you malfunctioning?”

 

“Wait what!”

 

Karina held her head and Winter laughed, cackled, even.

 

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding! Oh my God you’re really funny, Karina.”

 

She sat back up, patting Karina’s head, “there’s no smoke or anything, don’t worry. I was just teasing.”

 

The girl flustered up in embarrassment, really thinking that she was overworking her hard drive.

 

Winter then smiled softly, “you really are human…”

 

She hugged the girl’s waist, “but yeah, you can be my girlfriend if you want to.”

 

“Really?”

 

Winter hummed in response, turning to glance at Karina, only to have their faces inches away from each other.

 

All of her teasing and confidence dropped when she realized how close she was, and both of the girls’ eyes flickered down to each other’s lips for a moment.

 

“Can I?”

 

“W-what?”

 

“Can I feel them again?”

 

“O-of c-course…”

 

Winter slowly leaned in, smiling as she felt the lips she missed. As they pulled away, both of them were pink in the cheeks, both of their hearts fluttering.

 

“U-um,” Karina looked away, “would you like me to show you around Kwangya?”

 

Winter pulled away from the girl, “Kwangya?”

 

“Oh- it’s the city we’re in.”

 

“Ah… Wait- we’re still in Korea right?”

 

Karina chuckled, “yes, we are.”

 

“Okay, yeah sure, I’m down.”

 

Winter then grinned, “and while we’re at it, I’ll help my jagiya become more human.”

 

Karina smiled, “that’d be nice…”

 

But then she realized what Winter called her, “wait… You just-”

 

 The puppy innocently smiled, “yes?”

 

“N-nevermind… Let’s go.”

 

Winter giggled as Karina grabbed her hand, pulling her up to her feet and leading her out the door.

 

“Would you like to change your appearance to match this time?”

 

“Do I really have to?”

 

Karina shook her head, “no you don’t.”

 

“Then nah, I want to keep my style like this.”

 

The taller girl chuckled, “alright, you actually look good like that though.”

 

Winter softly blushed, “thanks Karomi.”

 

The two walked out of the building, and Winter’s eyes practically popped out in wonder.

 

If she thought the hospital was futuristic…

 

“Woah…”

 

Karina smiled, “welcome to Kwangya. Come on, I’ll show you around.”

 

“Wait- but you said you’ve never been outside before.”

 

The girl shrugged, “I still know every place,” she tapped her temple, “I’m a map as well.”

 

Winter shuddered, “oh jeez, don’t get us lost please.”

 

Karina ruffled Winter’s hair, “trust in your girlfriend, will you?”

 

Winter laughed, “fine, fine, I trust you.”

 

As they began to walk around, a downcast thought slowly covered the front of Winter’s mind.

 

Karina glanced at Winter, seeing her suddenly dejected expression.

 

“What’s wrong, Minjeong-ah?”

 

“It’s just… It just dawned on me… Everyone I know is technically… dead.”

 

Karina frowned, wanting to help the girl, “ah…”

 

An idea suddenly popped into her head and she smiled, “hey, I remembered that your brother had a couple children… Grandchildren even.”

 

Winter realized what Karina was saying and her smile came back, “I might be able to find my uh…. um… what would I be?”

 

“You’d be… this generation’s children’s great-great-great-great-grandma… No, that many greats but with ‘grandaunt’ instead.”

 

The puppy grinned, “will you help me find them? After you show me around?”

 

Karina chuckled, “of course I will, I’ll help you find them.”

 

Winter practically jumped with delight as the taller girl smiled at her happiness, silently promising to herself that she’d do anything to keep that smile on Winter’s face.

 

They began to walk again, the sun slowly setting behind them…

 

‘Maybe everything will finally be okay…’

 

THE END.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Ohhhhh boy, that was a helluva long chapter… I hope you guys enjoyed it though! This section concludes my first ever fanfic, Black Mamba! Please comment or vote (or both) if you enjoyed! I love hearing suggestions to better my writing :3 Criticism is accepted too! Hit me hard and I’ll push out better stories, promise.

As I said before, I’m currently working on an IZ*ONE quirks/xmen/BNHA fanfiction (I promise it won’t be as sad as this one)(I'll start posting later today for those of you who will read it), and I also have a Red Velvet “Psycho” one next on my list. Besides that, thank you for reading!!! Stay safe bubs -Minah 💛