AN: God… I just re-read the whole question arc and answer arc within three months… and I love it to death… also those who read Dice-killing chapter RE-READ It after you finish the VN Q&KAI because it makes so much more sense…
I wonder why the Last EP of Umineko keeps getting bash… I hope it isn't as bad as it sound.
Within this month or the next it should be finish the last English patch of umineko… I just wish the Extra VN of Higurashi would be completely patched.
EDIT: After nearly half a year I finish my lovely drabble.
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The sounds that bangs my head;
It so painful that it ends up blessing me.
The sounds that bangs into my thoughts;
We ended up dancing a dance that no-one could ever understand, now I'm even lost.
The sound that turns day to night;
Did we ever really know that the clock broke, while pretending everything is the same?
We danced no longer and the sound ends:
It's a pity we won't have this much fun until we're dead.
Frederica Bernkastel
.
.
The mood was set, it was obvious what was there wasn't something easily forgettable. But for the time being they would ignore it, even if it wasn't definitive. To be a group is wonderful, to be together forever is wonderful in spite of this it wasn't realistic. The time they had together was becoming more and more limited, although it was alright. To be satisfied and to be understood was nice… But goodbyes and parting were becoming more likely as the year was to end.
Hanyuu enjoyed her weekend with Satoko and Shion, so she wasn't at the shrine like Rika was. The light of the noon shined upon her in the spring of 60th of the Shouwa. Everything was changing but Rika could appreciate such harsh reality of change than a never-ever-changing chain event of nine (or hundred) years of her life. But she was still a bit sadden by the fact that a new leader of the Game Club wouldn't be either Keiichi, Rena or Shion… as they were practicing for their entrance exams for their own type of university. Mion had left the year before going to a university within Shishibone province. Keiichi and Shion were going to go to Tokyo University or at least trying to. Rena was thinking of going to the collage Mion was at… but nothing was certain.
So gathering her endless, doubting thoughts; she wonder if she would be happier with a group of her own age. Tomita and Okamura had join around the near end of winter and they were about the same level as any new entry of the Game Club (as example: Keiichi and Mion). But they were slowly and surely becoming worthy of the challenge with every passing day.
Mion the original Leader had left the title to Keiichi; who only ended up rejecting it until he could no longer do so. Mion had visited in her holidays but there wasn't much she could do without be full of formal family meetings and assignments of her school. Even for the moment, it was more than enough to be satisfied. Shion wasn't in collage, yet, mostly for her own laziness, which was more than surprising if one compares Shion to Mion. But Rika, Hanyuu and Mion chuckled all knowingly of the true reason… if she wanted she could already rule all of politics of Japan, if not worldwide. She failed purposely only to have more time than possible…
Rika sighed as she looked at the bright-white sun… the blue cloudless skies…
She too recently had felt and unknown feeling in her chest. With every passing day it just kept swelling up and soon enough felt like it would burst by the very same pressure it applied to her body. She first thought it was sorrow… and it kind of was… but it felt like something indescribable that words alone couldn't explain. She always felt that way towards Akasaka Mamoru… but he only came for the Wanagashi Festival and they kept contact on phone. She did know it was impossible for him to love her: like she did for him. Maybe it was a crush than anything else as the feelings never lingered as long as her present feelings were doing.
Happiness is unlimited and never fulfilling as the accumulated desires only grew with the amount of happiness one felt. Sadness is inevitable and more likely, just like all the other negative emotions… but negative and positive shouldn't be given such vague subtitles. Those feelings were human… to deny those feelings is like denying oneself to be human.
Even a 'perfect' hero would be a flawed human being…. A hero who 'almost' surpass most humans could even lack simple humanity when he took off a mask. To be 'perfect' is impossible… to find 'total peace' was impossible but it was like touching the moon.
The shrine was filled with fully bloomed cherry blossoms, pink and darkish purple… The scenery in itself was beautiful as the cicadas sung in the afternoon, like a requiem of the days to come. Rika sighed as she looked further to the sky, just wondering where her emotions were lingering to and why her chest felt so much under pressure. She would live only this life, she would cherish her memories of her deceased family and be grateful she was given a chance to be 'Rika Furude' till the very end.
'Frederica Bernkastel'… how was she doing in the world of the gods? Would she keep Hanyuu company after 'Rika Furude's' death? Rika hoped so… But Rika, herself, had lived countless years and kakaras but her memories were one fifth of her countless years living, so she wasn't completely broken down by post-trauma and that was all thanks to the existences of Frederica Bernkastel and her mother (or second mother) Hanyuu. To live, to exist is to bet all your coins every time… be to trust and be trusted wasn't an easy thing…
The Village's bond had deepen thanks to their hardship and 'determination' to keep their home. But if they had settled… such a bond wouldn't exist. The village wasn't submerged thanks to Irei Intuitional Clinic and the Wanatashi Curse.
Even tragedies will bring forth miracles that were never acknowledged. Even small actions bring forth miracles… Miracles come forth whether one wants it or not… a human in his eighty to hundred year life will make zero to plenty of miracles and not even know it. Miracles are such a hard thing to understand, how do they come about? Are they made by the power of a whole village? Are they made by a single coincident? In a whole week… that's all the time Rika Furude and Hanyuu had to defeat in undefeatable fate, a miracles was that everybody join together and fought… and the fact none of her friends went insane, or Teppei came back… All the pieces were found and Hanyuu, Frederica Bernkastel and her younger friend put those pieces together.
She took everything for granted after the great battle against Takano Miyo, Mountain Hounds and 'Tokyo'…She was really just a 'princess'… how pitiful…
But she wasn't a god, huh? She wasn't exactly a witch either… when she was shouldered with such a heavy burden she could understand Hanyuu's feelings and her friends so much more.
What was happiness? Is it something that you obtain for yourself? What was happiness? Is it something you obtain to make the people you love happy? The things about happiness is… I don't know what I should of done with that happiness.
But Rena was right… she was only human, how can she decide between the two worlds?
She too wanted to be more happier than this, Hanyuu was so much more optimistic saying they could be even happier without any compromise. But humans have a limited amount of time in such a large world and even a larger universe.
"So what are you doing all alone, Rika-chan?" A familiar voice sounded out.
She didn't even need to move her head, she did anyway, as she saw Keiichi smiling like he always did. The pain in her heart was relaxing as it began to fluttered. She wind suddenly blew as her hair moved to the west.
"Keii-chi… What are you doing here? Don't you have to study? Study, study, study-… Mii."
"I got bored. I mean… It's our last year together… and I want to be with you some more. Geez… after University I'm so coming back here! Ehehe-…" He started off before sitting down. His tone was laughing but it was hinting something reminiscing. At the same time she knew he didn't want to talk about it, he'd been this way for a while and it was a first to see Keiichi this way. They were all planning to do a celebration around March and April they would leave to their school if they passed the exams. But she was certain all of them would pass, each and every one of them.
Change was inevitable…
To change was difficult…
To live is to change, so it was a necessity.
The girl who lived in an unchanging world should be able to appreciate every change that occurs. Whether of fortune and tragedy… she should bless them both. Like rain was blessing from god.
Neither of them spoke, neither of them wanted to bring up the taboo subject because they didn't want to think about it. But still, both of them alone together… what would of occurred if something went wrong? Rika didn't want to think of such things… because together they fought a 'predestinated fate'.
"Keii-chi I will wait, I will always wait. Like Satoko for her Nii-Nii… when you come back, you surely will become a great man. I have no doubt about that." She spoke, her head was blank while her chest tighten… it was like she going to lose him even though she knew better.
Keiichi laugh nervously "Geez… your saying I'm 'Transferring'? May that be true but I'm so coming for the holidays so you guys just wait to confront your worse punishment game ever!"
Full with gusto Keiichi brought down his pumped fist as he smiled with her confidently. She couldn't help but give him a pout, mewing 'mii-' at the boy pretending to be a cat. It was her favorite trick to make boys fall before her, it made grown men nervous and made arrogant men stupider thinking they could take on the Game Club. Keiichi falling for her charm began to pet her head repeating her phrases with indulging look not paying any mind to anything else.
Soon enough he stopped, his expression changing to his normal self as he smile to her like he understood what she didn't understand herself.
"It's going to be a long year after this… Seeing Mion being a University girl really made me realize it's going to be fun as it going to give me great homesickness. Party till the dead of night and studying until the end of University how scary. But we'll make it somehow and we'll be even greater people! Haha! We'll surely rule japan!"
If he was sure of it then it would be fate. The Game Club was the most powerful force in the world, even gods would have to bow to them, though they would all live their lives someway and somehow.
"The Cherry Blossoms are truly remarkable these days… sooner or later even they will fall."
"Then they'll come back. Like always."
"… Keii-chan."
"What?"
"Have you've fallen in love yet?" She asked with her sweet smile as she didn't bother to look at him.
"EEehh? What's bringing this up?" He turned to her with his disbelief. It wasn't as he thought or misunderstood her words as confession: he was shock of the question itself.
"No-No… No way!"
Her smile, while closed, widen as her eyes moved to his own "Mii-… So kei-chan won't show his seal? Rena surely loves it, Mion still checks it… Nipah-."
His face became red as a tomato, he was completely speechless before yelling out "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? If… If… I did that. The Yakuza would hunt me down and god knows what would happen if our relationship went bad. I'm not like that."
Turning her head from sight, she chuckled while her face turn of pure evil "The punishment games tell otherwise you dirty perv."
Oh how she love pulling leg, for these may one of the few times she could, maybe he realized it too as he responded "Geez. There's only shame to men who cannot express their pervyness, but I would never do that to a girl and especially my friends. So.. why aren't you with Satoko?"
She lost her tint of evil and joy saying coldly but bluntly "I didn't feel like going out."
She wanted this moment to become an eternity… even if eternity was a pain in the ass. Before he thoughts could go farther, a warmth was placed on her head, shocking her as the palm of Keiichi's hand rubbed her head. This action increased the swelling emotions that would no creased, tears welled up in her and before she knew it… they ran down her cheeks.
"… I don't know what you went through… I won't pretend to understand, okay? But remember, you always have me when things go wrong, don't forget that."
"I know. I know far too well." Her voice became deep as her heart "Keii-chan… can you promise me even when you leave… that we'll always laugh, talk like we always have? I couldn't stand the day that you won't return, so don't die in a common death like a moron: like I almost did. The world won't repeat for me or anyone anymore."
"Sure. I can keep a promise like that. But does that mean you prefer I get murdered?" He ended joking, which made her laugh slightly as she couldn't help herself.
"No way, Moron. Keii-chan… You better make it to TU and make Shion cry buckets of a river."
"Yeah… sure."
What could be said? They'll have time to take back the momentarily lost laughter and tears…. One day even un-worded emotion will be given thoughts and probably… they'll become adults. She was an adult and a child, she wasn't a witch nor a god but a human being like the rest of the group. Hinamizawa would always be there, they would always return and eventually they'll live their lives and die: become parents and grandparents eventually to be reborn as some other person.
Keiichi got up, turning a 180 degree to her, lending out his hand "Rika… we'll have to go. Mi-chan and Re-chan are waiting at the foothill, we can make it if we run."
Maybe one day… she'll understand the emotion hidden within her chest as she took his hand. One day… he'll understand how the girl's heart works… but surely, one day… they will understand everything about one another.
