The rails beneath the Erevos frame hummed softly as Karl stepped out of the empty highways and into the city limits of Chicago. The skyline stretched overhead, jagged and sharp, though quiet—eerily quiet. Not a trace of Ichor hung in the air, no crack signatures shimmered in the sky, and not a single demon dared to roam these streets.
Agnes flickered into Karl's visor, tilting her head slightly, brows furrowed in that teasing way she reserved for moments of skepticism. "…Empty," she murmured, voice low and laced with subtle disappointment. "…No demons, no contamination, nothing at all. Completely… useless."
Karl shook his head, stepping off the rails as the Erevos frame adjusted to human-sized dimensions. The smaller form glimmered with royal azure light, sleek and agile—perfect for exploring the city without drawing unnecessary attention. "…Not useless," he said firmly, voice quiet but determined. "…I want to see this place. Tourist spots. History. Memories."
Agnes blinked, eyes narrowing slightly. "…Tourist… spots?" she repeated, voice soft but incredulous. "…You… you actually want to play… tourist?"
"…Yes," Karl said calmly, tone unwavering. "…I want to see the top of those skyscrapers, the glass rooms… museums, and the Bean. I want to walk through Chicago, not fight in it."
Her avatar shimmered, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "…Memories?" she asked softly, teasing, though her voice had an edge of curiosity now. "…With me?"
Karl's lips curved faintly. "…With you. Just a little while longer. Let's… make a few moments."
Agnes tilted her head, voice dropping into a softer, more intimate purr. "…Moments… with me? Huh… that sounds… oddly appealing."
Karl transformed fully into Rider frame, the royal azure light folding smoothly around his lean, agile form. The change was subtle, elegant—a smaller, more human-scaled version of Erevos—but still brimming with nanite energy and raw power. The Rider frame was perfect for this: less Vythra consumption, enough mobility for exploration, and far easier to maneuver through the urban landscape than the towering Erevos frame.
"…Perfect for sightseeing," Karl muttered under his breath, glancing at the streets below. "…No threat… just us."
Agnes's avatar leaned in, her tone teasing yet almost shy. "…Just… us, huh? That's… dangerous in its own way, you know."
Karl smirked faintly, stepping lightly onto the first glass walkway leading to a skyscraper's observation deck. "…Dangerous? Not today. Today… it's just Chicago."
As they moved through the city, the emptiness became striking. Broken streets, abandoned cars, and the quiet hum of wind through empty alleyways were the only sounds. But rather than feel eerie, it was liberating—freedom from Ichor, freedom from demons, freedom from the constant fight for survival. For the first time in weeks, Karl could just walk, and Agnes could… well, tease him in peace.
They reached the first destination: the top of a skyscraper with a full glass observation room. Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, reflecting across Karl's Rider frame in shards of royal azure. He stepped carefully along the polished floor, feeling the wind through gaps in the open sky decks.
"…Impressive," Agnes murmured softly, voice laced with teasing awe. "…You like to call this 'memories,' huh? Seems… trivial compared to everything else we've done."
Karl turned slightly, grinning faintly. "…Maybe. But sometimes… trivial is what matters."
Agnes's avatar shimmered closer, voice dropping into that softer, intimate tone he had come to recognize. "…Trivial… huh… that's… very… you," she said, her words almost purring through the HUD. "…I… suppose I can live with it… for now."
Next, Karl led them through museums, abandoned yet intact. The floors were dusted in grey, exhibits long untouched. Still, holographic projectors flickered faintly as nanites stabilized the environment. He walked slowly, reading plaques, pointing out ancient machinery, old art, and scientific exhibits. Agnes teased him when he lingered on technical diagrams, muttering comments about his obsession with precision and planning, but she did it with a soft, almost shy laughter.
"…You really do love details, don't you?" she whispered at one exhibit, tilting her head closer. "…I… can't decide if I admire it or… want to punch you."
Karl smirked faintly, brushing a hand over the holographic display. "…Why not both?"
The final stop—the Bean—was quieter than usual, a perfect mirror reflecting the emptiness of the streets and sky. Karl walked to its center, Rider frame crouched slightly to inspect the polished surface, watching the distorted reflection of the city and their own silhouettes.
"…It's… beautiful," Agnes whispered, almost breathless, hovering slightly above the plaza. "…I… didn't think I'd enjoy… reflection like this. It's… calming."
Karl turned to her, smile soft. "…It is. And it's perfect for… memories. Not fighting, not schematics, not Ichor… just… us."
Agnes's voice dropped into a low, teasing purr again, soft enough that only Karl could hear it clearly. "…Just… us… huh?" She let the words linger, her avatar nuzzling faintly toward him through the HUD projection. "…I… suppose that can be… nice…"
Karl leaned slightly closer, smirking softly. "…See? Not everything has to be chaos. Some moments… are just for us."
The city stretched around them, silent and empty, but warm in the fading sunlight. For once, no demons, no corruption, no urgency—just Chicago and the quiet hum of nanites, purification turbines, and their shared presence. The Rider frame made it easy to explore, easy to feel the freedom of movement again, easy to make memories that weren't built on survival or vengeance.
"…You know," Karl said quietly, glancing at her projection, "…we could take photos of all this, keep records. Maybe even… integrate them into my visor later. Keep the memories alive."
Agnes's avatar leaned closer, soft laughter escaping her. "…You… really think of everything, don't you? Even trivial things like this… you make them… important."
Karl shrugged faintly, letting the soft glow of his Rider frame reflect across the plaza. "…Because they are. At least… if I'm here, I want to remember them."
Agnes's voice softened into a gentle purr, nuzzling faintly again. "…I… I'll remember too…"
Karl let himself relax slightly, the tension of the last few weeks melting away in the quiet of the deserted city. Chicago wasn't full of chaos or danger, but it was full of possibilities. Possibilities for memories, for quiet moments, for laughter, and for a bond that had weathered countless battles and near-death encounters.
"…Ready to move on?" Karl asked softly after a moment, still watching the reflection of the Bean and their Rider-frame silhouettes.
Agnes's avatar tilted her head, voice soft but teasing. "…As long as… you keep making time for… trivial things like this… I'll follow."
Karl smiled faintly, feeling the warmth of her words. "…Trivial… but perfect."
And with that, they lingered a little longer, soaking in the quiet beauty of a deserted Chicago, creating memories untouched by Ichor, demons, or the chaos that had dominated their lives for so long.