Often as children, people will wish to be immortal, to experience life forever. Only with age do we see that dream as foolish.
The night graced the Lastation Basilicom with an eerie darkness. The lights of the city never let even a corner become fully dark.
A woman labored at a desk, fulfilling request forms and reading through paperwork all the same as she had for decades. She closed a report's hard backed cover and sighed. 20:00 was "quitting time" for the experienced worker. As she stood, one could make out her elegant figure: she was a Goddess, one of the four immortal women that ruled over the world of Gameindustri. Over the years, she had been the uncontested leader of them in sheer power, that combined with a slender, toned figure and an air of superiority could've made her leader of the world. Noire was her name, which she matched in the colors of her uniform. Despite so many opportunities, she never surpassed her perceived "station", probably because the friends she made were-
Noire strode over to a shelf in her room. The solitary, massive window shone with hazy lights and the moon, casting long shadows in her quarters.
Her friends were wonderful. She couldn't ever tell them that out of pride, yet Noire was sure that they knew how much she appreciated them. The pictures of Compa, IF, MAGES… so many others- she had a few pictures that stood next to their younger versions: all of the ladies with families. Compa's daughter looked just like her to the point of almost being a clone of the kind, innocent nurse. Noire had never bothered to get acquainted with the grandkids of any of the original group. Noire traces a finger over CC2, arm going slack.
Things were different now.
Noire might be the uncontested victor on the battlefield, but echoes still ring in her mind. She cringes at the crackle of fireworks outside her window. Noire didn't like crowds anymore, formerly basking the light of her popularity. She remembers parading through conventions, galas and events like she was the star of the show, even if she arrived unexpectedly at the insistence of Neptune, Vert or Blanc.
Uni, Noire's beloved younger sister had nearly an entire shelf dedicated to pictures and memories. Noire's heart burned with the urge to just go and talk with her co-Goddess, or "Candidate" as they the younger sister of a Goddess is called. A rap on the door rouses Noire from her trance.
Uni's kind red eyes poke through a crack in the door.
"Big Sis…"
Both of them duck as a firework goes off with a savage boom.
Noire rushes to Uni, hugging the small girl and patting her head.
"I know you're scared."
Uni's lower lip loses it's stiffness.
"Y-You're scared too Big sis."
Noire can hardly maintain her facade.
"Every year we warn people to not go out unprepared, but it doesn't matter."
Noire stiffly continues, holding her sister tight.
"Spring fireworks. Monster hunting is back tomorrow. We already sent 'good luck' to everyone we know."
Spring. The most dreaded season of all. Even Noire finds herself praying for a long winter these days. Maybe there would be a storm tomorrow, maybe for just one more day that season would be delayed. She hoped that it would pour down thunder and rain like some heavenly power was mad at everyone in Gameindustri.
"How many of them are going to make it back?" Uni says as she chokes back tears.
"What's worse, waiting for word or knowing what will happen?"
Not a sniffle comes from the older sister, but she can feel the tears running down her cheeks. She pats the long, sleek dark hair of her younger sister, hoping the gesture would cheer up either of them in vain.