This is the sequel to my previous piece, 'The Beginning'. Hope you guys enjoy reading my new work :)
Oh, and reviews from readers will makes me happy and motivates me to write more!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OCs and the plots. Even so, please do not copy paste my fiction and claims it as your own.
Enjoy!
"W-wait!"
"What? Its winter season, having a snowfall is normal during winter; there is no need for you to freak out."
"C-could you stay here with me for a little longer?"
"No."
"Please... I'm... I'm scared of the snow..."
Just only for a little longer. He had silently told himself.
"Only for a little longer, no more than that, got it?"
"More than enough!"
"Man, you are a handful."
He had complained, but he was actually kind of happy at the fact that he was being relied as a human, even though he knew it would be short lived.
"Why are you so scared of snowing anyway?"
"Because... Bad things always seem to look for me every first snowfall during winter... So... I'm scared...''
"Do I look like a bad thing to you?"
"N-no! You are not a bad thing! You are a good person!"
Even though he hides it well, he knew better, the fact that he had never been this happy all those years.
, "What about you?"
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Since you said you are traveling with your brothers, I assume that you are not from the Outer Ghetto."
He knew that she was hiding something, but didn't press the girl to tell the truth, since he has his own secret that he do not dare to share with the girl, because it will surely scare her away, and it will definitely break his heart.
"Have you ever heard of the myth of 'The Red Thread of Fate'?"
"What about that?"
"Hmm… he told me that there was a deity who was in charge of 'the red thread', tying knots around the little fingers of those that are to meet each other regardless of time, place, or circumstances and help each other in a certain way. This magical thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break. It was tied in our souls for all eternity, which also means, even the both who are destined to meet had died, they will still able to meet each other in their next life, and it goes on and on. Isn't that amazing?"
He had heard many folklore that are made up by human themselves, he had never believe in a single one of them, because fairies and deities only exist in fairy tales, while the deadly Aragamis exist in reality.
But for that moment, no one could fathom how much he had wished 'The Red Thread of Fate' exist.
"And my brother told me that means that those who are tied with red thread can be friends in their every life!"
"…huh?"
Even though the girl happened to hear an altered version of the folklore, it doesn't really matter because the function of 'the red thread' was still there.
"See! We are connected! This way, no matter how far apart we are from each other after this, we could still able to find our way back to each other in the future!"
He was surprised, eyeing the man-made 'red thread' that tied their little fingers together. How he hoped that he could meet the girl again in the future.
"You're so warm."
"No. You made me realize even a half-aragami like me could feel warm inside."
The words that the girl murmurs in her slumber had struck him hard, in a good way. Many years he had been called a cold blooded child of death, never once a person considered him a human at all. Hence, he wanted to be a 'normal' human for this short moment for this girl.
"I'll bet on everything I have even my humanity and sanity to you, you damn curse! Keep your claws off this one!"
Even the both of them had only met for not more than an hour or two, this girl meant so much to him to the point that he refuses to give in to his own 'curse' that would cause misfortune upon those who gets too close to him like he usually did. He wants this girl to live.
"My name is Soma Schicksal by the way, not that you are awake to hear this…"
It pains him to know that the girl will not know who he really is, she may forget about him once she wakes up from her sleep. Wanting the memory of their encounter would last in the girl's heart, he left his jacket with her.
"Thank you, Gods Eater."
She knew. Even though it was just a small part, she somehow figured out who he was. He was hiding, but she knew he was there watching over her to keep her safe.
"I'll keep your jacket with me and return it to you until the day we meet again in the future, when it is when I had overcome the fear, let's enjoy the winter together. So as in return, please keep this save for me."
She left her white ribbon on the snow matted ground, hoping that he would keep it after she left.
"it's a promise."
Even without saying it face to face, they both knew each other's answer by heart.
"It's a promise."
He had never wept this much in his thirteen years life.
It was a silent promise.
If their meet again one day, just as the folklore of 'The Red Thread', he swore he will never let the girl being separate from him ever again.
If both of them could live until the day their path come cross again.
Slamming the door shut with a loud bang, Soma sighed heavily as the cold water sprinkled from the shower head soaking him from head to toes, washing off some steam from his head. He could hardly believe only eight months has passed after this many chaotic incidents had happened, which felt like years. Yet the encounter with that little girl who was afraid of the snow felt like it was just yesterday.
It has been quite a while since the girl last crossed his mind, especially during the time when Shio was still around, he had completely forgotten about the existence of the girl, his heart ache with guilt at the fact that he had actually subconsciously tend to replace the girl with Shio. And now that he thought of it, he realizes how wrong he was and how different the way he had felt for the two girls. Shio was like a little sibling to him that shares something in common with him, while that little girl… No one could replace that little girl who easily break through the barrier and stroll her way right into his heart five years ago. He could still remembered every single detail about what happened that day, the very day he had thought that it will last time he could be a normal human boy. Yet things changes for the better for the past few months, he still miss that little girl dearly nonetheless.
Does that girl still remember him, or alive even, he wondered. He couldn't help but flinched at the thought that the girl might had already long dead. Leaning his head heavily at the cold tiles, "We promised..." he whispered, stared blankly at the floor, watched as the water rush down into the drain pipe.
It was around then, the annoying loud whining and complaining about Shun cut through his thoughts, "I mean seriously, I would have already take down that fallen Chi-You myself if not for that 1st Unit's leader pushed me away and took all the glory for herself!" he ranted hastily, "Who did she think she is?!"
Soma growled at the empty accusation outside one of the single shower room he was using. This definitely had worsened his mood than he already had. He switches off the shower head to stop the water, hand reaching for his towel and clothes.
"From my perspective, you would have been zapped to death by now if not for the leader rushed towards you to safe your butt," Karel mocked, obviously not accepting Shun's lies as usual, although being an ambitious young man he is, Karel would still stick to the facts and truths, "You never change."
Not happy at the fact that his teammate not taking his side, he groaned with frustration, "You know what?! That missy should just f- Yikes!" both Shun and Karel jumped at the sudden loud slam of the door, shortly followed by footsteps inching closer and closer to the duo. Shun break into cold sweat as he could feel the familiar aura of promising death emitted by someone he knew capable of doing so. Karel gave a few nervous chuckles and patted firmly on Shun's trembling shoulder, adding despair during his gravest moment "I mourn for your idiocy," he then flee into one of the shower room after grabbing his towel before Shun could even exclaim for him to stay.
That traitor!
Shun swallowed nervously as he felt the presence of the strong Gods Eater towering over him from behind, he forced himself to turn around, and he immediately regretted doing so, he should've just flee into one of the shower room just like Karel did without even bother to look back. Standing behind him was INDEED Soma who has already in his usual attire except for his hoodie since the young man's hair was still dripping wet from shower. The look on Soma's face was way beyond pissed, no doubt that he had overheard Shun's complains of his Unit's leader, or maybe Soma was already in his foulest mood and Shun's loud mouth just have to make it worst. Even though his dislike towards Soma was well known through the Den, he was still darn scared of him.
"H-hey, S-S-Soma!" Shun made a forced smile and stuttered, cowering under Soma's intense angry glare, "D-didn't know you're here- I-I mean, what are you doing here anyway?" he mentally slapped himself at his choice of words. Oh how he wanted to just dig a hole and hide himself away from the Death in mortal flesh.
"In case you have forgotten, this is the Den's public bathroom, I come here to shower whenever the hell I want," Soma growled thorough his words, "What? You expect me to stay stink 'till the Aragami could locate me with one sniff during the mission?"
The people from the 1st Unit would have burst in to laughter without a care by now at Soma's last statement; appreciating the little sense of humor he had in him since it was way better compared his complete self-isolate in the pass. But Shun was not among those who care enough to take notice of Soma's slight changes for the past few months.
"S-sure! Of course! You come to the public bathroom to shower, what am I thinking! Of course we all need to shower-" Shun shut his mouth instantly as Soma narrowed his eyes in annoyance and causing him to whimpered cowardly, "I-I-I'm so sorry Soma! I wouldn't bad mouth about your leader again! I admit that she saved me and I should be grateful instead of making a false story out of it! I swear to the deadliest Hannibal on earth that I won't do that again!"
"Don't you apologize to me," Soma snarled, making Shun's fear shot up sky high within half second, "It is my leader you should apologize to. Go train yourself harder so that the leader of mine wouldn't need to constantly wear out herself coming to your rescue."
"Y-y-yes Sir! I'llgoapologizetoherrightaway!" he finished his sentences with one breathes. Soma watched the young man barged out of the public bathroom with full speed as if he was chased down by ten Dyaus Pita. He clicked his tongue and start to dry his hair using his towel, "What a drag, why did the leader even bother risking herself to save some ungrateful swine like him anyway?" he muttered under his breath soon followed by a shrug. What did he expect, his both former and current leader seems to have a tendency of committing self-sacrifices, it won't be surprising to know if one day he heard a news about his leader braves into the desert full of Aragamis just to save a little dog. He snorted himself at the thought.
"Mornin' Soma!" the said young man glanced side way at his teammate as the teenage walk in with his usual cheerily mood. Soma only grunted in return.
"Geez, what a way to express your foul mood in the morning to your fellow teammate!" Kota exclaimed but smile still plastered on his face while Soma gave a small smirk. Ever since Shio's depart, Soma has decided he should at least open up a little to his other teammates instead of just towards his leader, who he held a silent respect to since the girl was bold enough to brave the death. When he had accidently blurted out his thought during a small conversations with her, that bundle of energy practically jump with joy and dragged him in to the group instead of just respecting his decision to sit out of everything alone like he usually did. Though the first attempt was disastrous (how disastrous? I'll just leave it up to your own imagination), he unexpectedly able to settle down and adapted the change of routine in few days. It was rather nice, he thought, not that he would voice it out loud to them. Even so, his teammates, or he would now dare to call, friends, seems to have read his mind, it was a nice change indeed. The most noticeable change was the two young men who constantly hating each other's guts has already gone into good terms and had patched things up.
"I do hope it was just my imagination, but your mood really does seems lot worse than usual," Kota said bluntly, splashed the cold water on his face and shivered at the coldness, he was wide awake now, "I heard loud bangs coming from here earlier, something happened?" he ask, wiping excess water out of his face.
"Nothing, it's just that someone from our unit being bad mouthed at," Soma merely replied, slung the towel over his shoulder after his hair was half dry, just a mere thought of a certain loud mouth really irritates the hell out of him.
"What? Really? Who- Oh..." Kota stopped as he had just remembered something, "Now that I think of it, I just saw Shun ran to the Veteran's floor with full speed, I had wondered why now I see..." he hummed in realization, "Sucks to be that big talker, he should be thank our leader instead of being such a snob."
" Hn." Soma voiced in agreement and leaned at the basin beside the one Kota was currently using.
"Speaking of our leader," Kota's smile fade, replaced by a worried expression, "Don't you think that Aurora was being a bit off lately?" Soma frowned at Kota's words. How could he not notice? It was obvious that something was up and their leader refuses to speak a word about it. Ever since the start of this year's autumn, Aurora would suddenly off to missions alone without them, she just gave them her usual smile when they questioned her, refused to leak a single detail about her mission. If not, she would always gave a few replies which does not have anything to do with what they had asked, such as "Ah, that fierce kongou was abnormally large compared to the previous one we fought together" or " I think I should polish up my snipping skills starting now, that Sariel just can't stay still!" or even worst "Damn that Ouroboro and its tentacles!". While she was in the dining hall with them, she would suddenly space out to her own world, staring down her meal blankly instead of start eating until her heart content like she normally would.
There will be a time that their leader will be complete clueless and innocent about something that even a three years old would know, she was not a klutz like Kanon who constantly misfires her own teammates in ridiculously close rage, so they could trust their back to her even in the most deadly circumstances. Yet these days, she had actually scared the wits out of Kota and Alisa the day before yesterday when she suddenly ran herself into a random pole while they are walking their way back from mission. Both of them gasp in surprise, thought that her eye sight was affected by Sariel's poison, immediately asked whether is she alright, only to receive a reply that she was just day dreaming, which she usually don't during mission and it seems to happens awfully lot since two months ago. Eventually, they gave up on the attempt of getting answer out of their leader, hence starting to make a few guesses on their own at their leader's recent odd behavior.
"Since we are not from the same unit, therefore I couldn't tell much different about her changes in behavior," said Karel who had already done with his shower, walking pass the two without looking back, "But she does seem acting a bit odd during yesterday's mission with me and Shun,"
Soma raised an eyebrow at that, "How so?"
"I don't know," he replied honestly, "She was not focused when we are fighting the fallen Chi-You, she seemed anxious and frustrated, frequently tear her gaze away from the Aragami to scan every corner of our surrounding, as if..." he opened the door and stopped at the near end of his sentence, trying to think of a better way to describe the anxiety he sensed from the 1st Unit's leader, "as if she was preparing for something much more dangerous."
Soma and Kota frowned as Karel left.
"Preparing for something much more dangerous?" Kota scratched his cheek, "But there isn't any strong type of Aragami being detected lately, and the Aragami has been decreasing drastically ever since the first few days of autumn... Huh?"
Ever since autumn?
And then, something clicked in their mind. Both of them exchanged glances, obviously came up with a same conclusion," So Aurora had been assign to an investigating mission to find out the reasons behind the Aragami's drastic decreases?" And that's it? "I couldn't believe it! I thought the search team was the one who do the investigating job! Why didn't she just tell us and let us help? Won't the search will be much easier if we work in a team instead of just one person?" Kota exclaimed hastily, not liking the way their leader shouldered everything on herself, "Did she even look at herself in the mirror lately? She looked exhausted!"
Soma couldn't agree more, but there was still something off about the mission. Usually, that old Doc Sakaki would give them hints even when he was forbidden to leak a word about the secret mission for the sake that they could immediately react for backup if something happens, same goes to Aurora. This time was different, they didn't mention a word, not even a hint, they acted as usual while silently implement something behind their facade.
"Tch, it better be just a normal investigate," Soma clicked his tongue, pushing himself away from the basin that he leaned at and exited the public bathroom with Kota followed behind. Kota folded his hands behind his head, slightly pursed his lips in a childish manner, "I'm sensing a deja vu here, and I don't like the feeling of it."
"Seconded."
They took the elevator, having a silent moment until the elevator has made it stops at the rookie's floor, Kota walked out of the elevator and wave to the young man who was still remaining in the elevator with both had shove into his pockets, "Well then, we will meet up with the others at the entrance floor's lounge, as usual, see ya!"
Soma only gave a brief wave in return before the elevator's door closed up and proceed to the veteran's floor. He faced down and stared at the tip of his shoes. Something is not right. He could sense it, his leader's anxiety. It was getting stronger as day passes. Why haven't she spoke a word to him? Aren't they a closer friend compare to the others? His eyebrows furrowed at the thought of it, " She practically made me blurt out my thought every time we talked, guess I'll just have to do the same."
The bell chimed as the elevator had reached the veteran's floor; he walked out and was taken aback at the sight of a person who he has not met for days. His leader was just standing up straight after reach down for her drink from the vending machine, with her black little wolf pup staying close beside her as usual. The little wolf was Aurora's pet- Or friend as she always correct them by stressing the word- may look cute, but you wouldn't say the same once you witness the harmless little bundle could transform into a large fierce wolf same size as a Dyaus Pita. The leader never once mentioned where she have found this weird species no matter how many times they asked, therefore they only know that the little wolf was already with her when she joined Fenrir. The little wolf was drop dead loyal to his mistress and followed her practically everywhere (surprisingly, he will just automatically wait outside of the public bathroom obediently and patiently even without his mistress's order), and would just bite on anyone who has a slightest intention to insult or harm her to matter how many time the girl told him not to, hence the main victim will always be Shun... But what actually bothers Soma the most was the lack of interest showed by old man Sakaki towards this weird being. Normally, the old doctor would leap in joy to experiment on such rare creature. Therefore, another uncertainty of the doctor has added into Soma's list.
"Hey."
The girl jolted in surprise and turned while the pup snapped his head towards the young man, "Oh, hi!" Soma frowned at her lack of energy, his gaze never leave her as the girl sat on the long bench looking rather tired, taking a sip of her drink from the opened can she was holding, "Leonard, come here," she patted on her thigh, gesturing the pup to hop on. Leonard don't need to be told twice and landed on her thighs with one leap and lay down comfortably on his mistress's lap, he gave out a small whine in bliss as his mistress gently stroke his soft black fur.
"So, how have you been," she smiled softly, dull black eyes gaze upon the sapphire ones.
"Better than you, physically." He shrugged and chooses a drink for himself from the vending machine.
"True." Aurora hummed, softly scratching the back of Leonard's fluffy ears. Picking up the canned drink after it dropped with a 'thud' from the vending machine, he sat beside his leader and opened the can by using a hand, taking a few sip of the artificial flavored liquid. He side glanced at his leader, waiting for her to start a conversation like she always would, but nothing came. He frowned as the young girl seems to have no intention to talk at all.
"Kota and Alisa was really worried, as well as the others." He started, set his drink beside him on the bench, crossing his arms over his chest, "What happened to all those endless energies of yours?" he said. But Aurora knows that he was asking something else from her.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I can't tell you a word about it for now," she said apologically, "I'm not ready to tell just yet, not now, same goes to Sakaki."
"So you two were up to something," Soma's eyes narrowed, not happy at the fact that the two are really doing something behind his back.
"It was nothing bad, I could assure you that, it was just a procedure to keep everyone away from the worse," she replied, although not completely, but honest at least, "This investigation… or you could say mission can be only done by me, Leonard and Sakaki, the three of us. It was something that you have never witness before, and dangerous as well."
His frown deepened, gritting his teeth, "Even this pup of yours could help, then why can't I be any help at all? Are we this vulnerable to these mysterious being that you are investigating at?"
She gave him a bitter smile, "I'm not trying to insult or doubt your ability and strength, Soma. You are indeed strong as a Gods Eater, there was no doubt of it, but this matter is really out of your hand." She leaves no space for argument in this, "This time. Only this once I have to face the outcome without you guy, I promise, no more secrets after this, I'll tell you everything you want to know, but not now,"
She sighed as the young man did not looked convinced, "I never once break a promise, please trust me."
His heart sank at the tone of her voice; it was not every day that you would hear the girl sound so distant and sad. She was always happy and carefree like she never has anything in the past to hold her back down in misery.
No matter how resentful he was right now, he still has to respect his leader's decision, he slumps his back against the wall, anger evident on his face, "How high is the risk?"
"I don't know."
"When will the mission ends?"
"I really don't know, Soma." She was tired, really really exhausted, and the season wasn't helping either, "I just hoped, everything can be settled before the first snow falls."
First, snow falls? Soma's eyes widen at her last sentence. Why did it sound familiar?
"Why are you so scared of snowing anyway?"
"Because... Bad things always seem to look for me every first snowfall during winter... So... I'm scared...''
He immediately shook the thoughts away. The leader can't be that girl five years ago; they look completely different except they both have long brown hair, which was a common hair color.
"Soma…"
"What?"
"Could… we stop the conversation here? I really don't want to talk about it right now. But as promised, I will tell you once it was over." She was no longer looking at him, her hand continuously stroking the little wolf's black fur.
Soma gave his leader one last look, and stood up abruptly, stomped towards his own room, leaving her sitting alone with the pup on her lap.
Leonard raised his head, whimpered at the sad look that was on his mistress's face, stood up and crawled onto her shoulder, nuzzled his small fur head on her cheek trying to cheer her up.
Aurora gave a small smile and caress her friend's soft ears, "I…really like it here, in the Den with everyone," she leaned back on the wall and stared up at the white ceiling, "In order able to continue staying with everyone here, I must have to brave my past."
