Sonata to Memento Mori
Chapter 20: Search for the Truth
When Blaze awoke that morning, the greeting he got was… less than pleasant needless to say.
WHAP!
"GAAAGH!" Blaze yelped as pain slammed across his face, shooting up in the bed as he felt blood drip from his nose, looking to the right to see Ange standing there, brushing off her knuckles and looking none too pleased, "Ange?! What the hell?!"
"I could be asking you the same thing!" Ange snapped, "What the heck is up with you, first day here and already getting between someone's legs?!"
"WHY ARE YOU SO MAD ABOUT THAT?!" Blaze snapped, stilling rubbing his nose, Naomi somehow not waking up.
"Because we need to find a way to get out of here dumbass." Ange stated, "Besides, if anyone would take initiative with this I was sure it was gonna be you!"
"Kinda hard to do that when I can barely make sense of my own memories!" Blaze growled, Ange looking surprised, Blaze letting out a sigh, "I don't have any idea what's wrong and what's right. And either I'm just being lied to, or I've apparently been some kind of sleeper agent for the past few years of my life. Grgh… GAGH!"
Ange just flatly smacked Blaze on the top of his head again, the blonde sighing as Blaze held the now throbbing top of his head.
"You're an idiot." Ange grumbled, Blaze looking at her with an annoyed face, "Honestly. You're the guy who's annoyingly right about damn near everything, and you're gonna believe some creeper's crap about you? What happened to all that stuff you told Hilda about wanting to tear down the human world and all that other stuff I had to listen in on huh?"
"You did hear me say I can't make sense of anything right now right?!" Blaze snapped, "That, and you're not very helpful!"
"You're the guy with a machine created to destroy ragna-mails. I heard how you went off about things, how you wanted to end the ancient humans bloody history… so, why are you going to be so dumb as to believe that creep Embryo?" Ange posed, getting right in Blaze's face, "Look Blaze, I may not like you very much, but you're still my friend. So, get off your ass and get your head straight!"
Ange then threw her head forward and headbutt Blaze dead on, Blaze yelping as he barely kept himself from flipping over, Ange leaving at that, Blaze letting out a long sigh.
"What the hell is with her?"
"So… Ange came in this morning… and then beat the crap out of you?" Naomi made sense of the situation as she patched up Blaze's bruised face, a few patches on his nose and forehead.
"Basically." Blaze muttered, looking at his pendant, "But she had a point. I can't just sit around."
"You never were one to do that." Naomi stated, patting Blaze's cheek once she was done, "There ya' go. All patched up."
"Thanks… now the main problem is this." Blaze flopped down onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, "Where the hell do I start looking?"
"Well… there are the others." Naomi suggested, Blaze looking at her in response, "I don't think they have the same problem that we do… maybe they know something."
"I think it's less a maybe and more that they do." Blaze murmured, and if it was possible, his eyes would have already bored two holes through the ceiling from how intense his gaze was getting, "Haagh… now the question is, will they actually tell me anything?"
"Of course they will." Naomi giggled, "We've known you since we were all kids, so why wouldn't any of us wanna help you out?"
"That's the thing… Embryo is tricky. Ange was right though, I can't trust him. But the problem is, the others do." Blaze grumbled, "So basically this is going to come down to who they trust more… Embryo, or me."
"Hehe… you've got that look on your face again. The one you get when you're really focused on something." Naomi mused, Blaze sitting up again, "Course you'll figure it out, for both of us, right?"
"Hehe… geez, even in a situation like this I can always rely on you, can't I?" Blaze mused, Naomi chuckling as she gave a nod, "Hmph… right then. Guess I gotta start somewhere. And if we know anyone who'd talk to me openly, it's Ersha."
"She's usually watching the kids outside around now I think. Hmhm, I'll check on the others if you want?" Naomi asked, both standing, Blaze nodding.
"That'll help. We just have to avoid Embryo and watch our backs. He's tricky, think you can manage?" Blaze asked, Naomi smirking.
"Course I can. He doesn't bother me as it is." Naomi chuckled, "Good luck with Ersha!"
"Right!" Blaze nodded, Naomi trotting off the other way, Blaze heading out to the grounds and scanning around as he followed the path through the gardens, looking around until he found Ersha watching the kids in the yard, "Hey! Ersha!"
"Huh?" Ersha turned around at the call, looking surprised to see Blaze coming near, "Blaze? W-What happened to you?"
"Ange, that's what happened." Blaze have a hand wave to the question, "You got time to talk?"
"About… what?' Ersha asked, Blaze taking the nearby chair.
"About what's going on." Blaze stated, Ersha looking away, "Ersha, if something is going on, you know you can tell me… I don't want to force anything, but it doesn't help if I can't make any sense of things."
"Just, get rest, that's all." Ersha murmured, Blaze's look telling he wasn't buying.
"Other than the possible concussion I got courtesy of Ange, I'm fine. Your memories don't just get screwed up because you happened to slam your head a bit too hard. Amnesia doesn't work like that." Blaze stated, Ersha seeming to freeze at the statement, "Ersha, please. I need to know what's really going on here."
"I said I can't help… I'm sorry." Ersha murmured, her hands tightening in her lap.
"I don't believe that." Blaze murmured, "I've got to figure this out… what's missing here? Something important is here, and so far, everything I've been able to completely remember totally contradicts what I've been told. And I don't like not knowing what's going on."
"No… you don't." Ersha muttered, looking away to hide the torn expression showing through, "But, would that really be for the best?"
"Why would it not? A fake life isn't one too live… besides I don't trust a damn word that comes out of Embryo's mouth. I honestly freaked out when he told me what was apparently the truth… but honestly, I think it was a bunch of bullshit." Blaze muttered, leaning on a hand, looking at the kids as they played around, "Nothing about what he's done or says feels right."
"Huh?" Ersha raised a brow in confusion, "What? We can trust Master Embryo. The things he can do, the things he's done… these girls are only alive because of him."
"What?" Blaze responded, his expression just as confused.
"I know you don't remember… but when Arzenal was destroyed, these girls… they didn't survive, and Embryo brought them back." Ersha stated, Blaze freezing, his body shuddering before pain again shot through his mind, Blaze clutching at his head as he bent over.
"I… remember…" Blaze muttered, flashes of battle, or the air filling with the sound of gunfire and the scent of wrecked machinery and death… of the day their home was destroyed. "When Arzenal was destroyed… I remember all of it. How the humans attacked and tore the place to the ground… and then how right during the battle, I just vanished and ended up somewhere else... GAGH!"
"Blaze?!" Ersha yelped, Blaze shuddering more as he clenched his head even tighter than before, though his pained groaning shortly fell silent, Ersha gasping as Blaze's arms slumped, a notable trickle of blood starting to show from his nose, "BLAZE?!"
"But you are someone who doesn't waver no matter the pain caused to you, it's obvious in the way you stand and the air around you. Am I not wrong? That you will simply stand up and keep going, for the sake of others and yourself?"
Blaze's eyes shot open, and he again found himself in a bed, letting out a breath as he sat up, his head throbbing.
"Ugh… what happened?" Blaze muttered, sitting up, leaning on the wall and letting out a breath as it came back to him, "Right… I passed out because… rgh… geez, why does it hurt when I try to remember?"
"Huh, you're up."
Blaze looked to the door as it clicked, showing surprise to see Chris being the one to enter, the silver haired girl sighing.
"Admittedly I wish you hadn't." Chris muttered.
"Okay… did I do something? You've never been this hostile before." Blaze sat down, Chris sighing bitterly.
"It's nothing, you don't have to worry about a thing." Chris grumbled, sitting down in the chair near the tea table and opening the book in her hands.
"Considering I can hardly remember a thing I'd say that's plenty to worry about." Blaze murmured, tugging on his bangs, "But… this is actually fine. I wanted to ask you something."
"Ask what?"
"Is everything I've heard really the truth?" Blaze asked, Chris glancing at him, "I'm… starting to remember things more. And none of it matches up with what I've been told. By what I've pieced together, we were against Embryo, and there has to be more than just some random reason I don't trust Embryo."
"You never have." Chris grumbled.
"Then tell me why." Blaze demanded, Chris freezing, "Chris, I don't trust a word that comes out of Embryo's mouth… so why do you?"
"Like you'd get it."
"I won't unless you tell me."
"Tch." Chris scoffed, "Why are you so stubborn?! Just leave me alone."
"Chris… again, I can't remember much, but I do remember when we were kids." Blaze stated, Chris blinking, "Yeah… up until I was about fourteen is what I can clearly recall. And back the I was always hanging out with you, Rosalie, Ersha, Naomi, and Salia, even Hilda before… whatever happened there… and you'd always come talk to me if you were having a problem."
"That doesn't matter."
"It does." Blaze responded, Chris just seeming to get tenser, "Chris we're friends… I may have my own problems going on… but if you want to talk then…"
"JUST SHUT UP!" Chris snapped, Blaze dodging when she threw her book, "You wanna know the truth?! You vanished! You just left all of us without a word during that fight at Arzenal. You abandoned us… you abandoned me! Rosalie, Hilda, and you! All three of you just left me… friends?! Don't make me laugh…"
"What?!" Blaze yelped, "Chris I would never just abandon anyone! You know that, everyone knows that!" Blaze felt a pang shoot through his head again, but he let out a growl, yet another part becoming clear through the pain, "I never left anyone behind. I'd go against orders if it meant keeping our friends alive! Why the hell would I abandon anyone?!"
Chris froze at that, Blaze's words showing sincere confusion mixed with annoyed anger, Chris letting out a growl.
"That's… you…" Chris grumbled, gritting her teeth, "I want to be angry at him! But whenever I try to… god dammit! Why him, why the one person in this world who I know would never do that? Embryo said that he vanished, left us behind… but Blaze doesn't leave people behind."
"Chris…" Blaze murmured.
"You always risked your neck for us, even when you didn't have to." Chris muttered, "Even when others stepped on you or pushed you around, you'd always get back up, and you'd even help them if it was needed. Why the hell are you so damn nice to everyone? Even when you started acting cold, you didn't change… but after everything, why is it I can be mad at them and not you?!"
Blaze caught an incoming fist, feeling how Chris' arm shuddered as she looked at the ground.
"Why did you have to come back? Now I don't know who to believe because of you."
"Chris, what…" Blaze didn't get to finish as Chris ran out, "CHRIS!"
Blaze shout out himself, trying to follow but having lost Chris the moment she was out of the door, though his search somehow ended up leading him to the front entrance, Blaze sighing.
"Ugh… great. Did my sense of direction just take a hit or something? Nah, I'm just unfamiliar with this damn place is all." Blaze put a hand on his head as he let out a long breath, his scan of the open yard halting when he saw Salia, the girl bearing a calm but annoyed look as she walked along, Blaze raising a brow and following, keeping his head low, eventually finding that Salia had gone to the outside entrance into the library, Blaze looking curious as he peered into the windows himself as Salia did, seeing Ange, Momoka, and Embryo within, "The heck is going on?"
While even when trying to listen in, the distance Blaze was keeping prevent the sound coming out of the walls to be little more than a dull mumble of words, though it was easy to see Salia had a better idea of it as she seemed more intent on it all, her look shifting from wary, to dismay, and then to saddened distraught.
"Salia?" Blaze speaking up got Salia's attention, the now teary eyed girl gasping, a silent moment before Salia ran forward and grabbed Blaze, burying her face in his chest as she choked back sobs, "Salia, what happened?"
"Ange… why is it always her?" Salia muttered, Blaze lifting a brow, slipping out of Salia's grasp and going to the window to peer in himself, Salia taking a moment before joining him, the two watching as Ange not only drove a concealed knife into Embryo's hand, but made sure to drive it in with her heel as she jumped onto the table, Ange then driving a second knife between Embryo's neck and left shoulder… but of course it proved ineffective as moments later Embryo simply reappeared unscathed a few feet away.
"Idiot… she should've known that wouldn't work." Blaze muttered, raising a brow as, after Embryo caught the knife Ange tried to stab him with, with one touch to the side of her forehead the girl keeled over in pain, writing on the ground in clear agony, Salia's eyes wide while Blaze let out a hiss, turning away, "Tch… what the hell did he just do to her?"
"I don't know…" Salia murmured, her look flat but her eyes wavering with confusion, and when Blaze went to open the doors, Salia grabbed his wrist before he could.
"Are you just gonna let that happen?!" Blaze snapped, Salia's grip on his wrist tight, "Salia, come o-HEY!" Blaze yelped as Salia dragged him off, her look shadowed over as she pulled him through the halls until the reached one of the many rooms (not that Blaze could bother remembering which one was which, "Salia what the hell?! You saw what Embryo was doing, why did you stop me?!"
"You wouldn't have been able to stop him." Salia murmured, "And… I don't know what Embryo would do to you if you did something like that."
"And just let him do… whatever it was to Ange?!" Blaze snapped, Salia's hands balling tightly.
"Why… why is it always about Ange? Why is she always so important? I don't know what to think. This is Arzenal all over again!" Salia muttered, Blaze lifting a brow, then wincing when again flashes shot through his mind… and another feeling of clarity washed over him.
"This isn't about Ange… this is about helping one of my friends." Blaze stated, "Salia, I remember… and I'm sorry."
"Huh?" Salia gasped, Blaze sighing and looking her in the eyes.
"I thought that if I kept you at arm's length, that you'd eventually be able to face your issues on your own, but I was wrong. All you wanted was my help, for at least one person to see what you were saying… but I'll say it again. Salia is Salia. Stop comparing yourself to Ange. None of this is all about her, it never was." Blaze stated, putting his hands on Salia's shoulders, "But I'm sorry I kept pushing you away…"
Blaze was about to continue, though as he did, Salia pushing him down onto the bed and practically pounced onto him, Blaze yelping when she kissed him hard, Blaze struggling for a moment before managing to break the lock and push Salia up, both panting, Blaze's expression surprised.
"Blaze… please…" Salia murmured, Blaze flinching when she undid the front of her coat with a quick move, "I want to…"
"Salia please stop!" Blaze kept Salia from going down again, letting out a breath, "Not like this… I don't want to do this with you in a situation not like this, and not when you're not thinking straight."
"You said…"
"I know what I said, and that is the exact reason I can't do this." Blaze stated, his gaze firmly set, Salia letting out a shaky breath, "But first… you have to decide what to do. Who do you trust more, me, or that bastard who's using every last one you?"
"Master Embryo is the only option I have left!" Salia stated, "I don't have the Villkiss, and I don't have friends to go back to, or a place to belong… I have nowhere to go, not like you or Ange. Neither of you need to transform to be strong!"
"You're wrong about that." Blaze stated, Salia gasping, "You do have a place to go back to. You just have to decide if you do. If you decide you believe me, and that Embryo shouldn't be trusted, then I'll welcome you back home with open arms and do everything I can to help you and make up for what I did wrong. And you are strong… you just haven't realized it. You're one of my best friends and someone I care about more than anything… so don't say you don't have anyone left, or a place to go back to."
"Blaze…" Salia murmured, releasing her grip enough so he could sit up, "How? How are you always so strong at times like this? You never seem to falter, or give up… how?"
"Well… a friend of mine said the truth about me. That no matter what, no matter how much pain I go through or who tries to push me down, as long as I'm fighting to help the people dear to me, I'll never waver or give up. I kinda live up to my name… a blaze that doesn't go out no matter what you try to douse it with." Blaze stated, wrapping his arms around Salia, "I promise… you have a place to go back to… you just have to overcome this… I can't be an escape for you Salia… but I can let you lean on me for help."
"At least… at least stay beside me for now… please…" Salia murmured, Blaze nodding, laying down without releasing Salia, things quiet for a while before Salia's breathing evened out into peaceful snoozing, Blaze waiting a moment longer before sliding out of Salia's arms, drawing a blanket over her, letting out a breath as he brushed back a strand of hair.
"I'll be back for all of you, I promise." Blaze whispered, turning and leaving the room, quietly closing the door behind him, "Now where to go? Next priority should be… Barbatos." Blaze left down the way, then stopping when he reached a corner. "Now just where the hell do I start looking for it?!"
"Look for what?" Naomi seemingly popped out of nowhere, Blaze yelping, "Hmm?"
"Uh…" Blaze took a breath, clearing his throat, "Barbatos… where's my para-mail?"
"Lucky for you, I do know where that is! Come on! I got Ersha with me too!" Naomi chuckled, Blaze raising a brow.
"Ersha's with you?" Blaze asked, Naomi nodding as they continued along.
"I started talking with her after you passed out… and I think she's gonna take our side." Naomi stated, "I started remembering things… we need to get out here, right?"
"Heh… I can always rely on you, can't I?" Blaze mused.
"Hehe. Well thank Ersha for this one. She's covering our tracks so we can even get to Barbatos. Embryo is gonna be starting this operation in a few days… that'll give you time to get everything ready and then get out of here." Naomi stated, "Well… so we can get out of here. But… I'm gonna have to play along until then… and I still don't remember everything yet."
"Hey me neither, but, it's coming back quickly enough… besides… the more it does, the more pissed off I get knowing I'm around Embryo anyway." Blaze stated, "So… where are we going anyway?"
"The Pillar of Dawn." Naomi stated, Blaze blinking.
"What?"
"Geezus, who'd have thought these things went so deep?" Blaze looked around the elevator shaft he, Naomi, and Ersha were on, Naomi nodding.
"We've been in here a few times… this is where Embryo also keeps that massive DRAGON." Naomi stated.
"Aura… yeah. My friends in the DRAGON world kinda want him back." Blaze stated, looking at Ersha, "Ersha… are you really on our side with this?"
"I'm still troubled… but I don't like seeing you and Naomi how you were. But I can't just leave either… I owe Embryo for bringing back the children. I'm sorry, but all I can do for now is keep Embryo off your tracks." Ersha stated, turning to the two with a wistful look. "Though I wonder if it can work…"
"Guy may be able to pull a Schrodinger's Cat, but he's not omnipotent. As far as I know he didn't even know I was alive until recently." Blaze mused, "Besides, Barbatos is pretty unique… I doubt he even knows how it works."
"Truth be told he tried… but some kind of security measure activated and now, anyone who tries to touch the thing gets zapped." Naomi stated, Blaze folding his arms.
"Wonder if Lumiere's behind that." Blaze mused, the elevator coming to a stop, "Where are we?"
"The same place Embryo is keeping the Villkiss." Ersha stated, pressing a button, lights coming on to reveal both the Barbatos and Villkiss, "They're here for when… well, considering how things are, for when you and Ange joined us."
"Yeah. Tough luck on Embryo, but that's not gonna happen in a million years." Blaze stated, looking up at the Barbatos as he approached it, "Hey! Lumiere, wake your ass up, I'm back!"
"You've finally returned. I apologize, but I have been in a low power state now for quite some time." Lumiere responded, Ersha and Naomi both looking surprised as Blaze pulled out his now glowing pendant.
"Well it's time for you to get out of it and unlock Barbatos. I'm gonna need it in a few days." Blaze stated, "Hehe… because when that happens, we're getting' out asses outta here, and back to the Aurora."
"Undertsood. I had to initiate the biometric lock for safety measures though. Because of this, you are now the only person who can pilot the Barbatos, Blaze. Is that setting fine?" Lumiere asked.
"I'm the only person who can use it anyway, not like it matters." Blaze stated, turning to the dumfounded pinkettes, "Uh… yeah, turns out the Barbatos has this fancy little AI in it from way back when. It's actually kinda useful."
"No way… I always knew Barbatos was different… but this." Ersha awed.
"Cool." Naomi whistled.
"Yeah… the white demon created by humanity to fight against God's black angels." Blaze stated, turning to the machine once more, "I've accepted that ideal… if God and his angels are going to be our enemies… then I'm perfectly fine with becoming a demon to fight against them."
"Well then… I guess that makes me a fallen angel along with with it." Naomi chuckled, stepping up next to Blaze, "Ersha, you sure you don't want to come with us?"
"I do… but I have to look after these children here." Ersha stated, hugging both Blaze and Naomi, "Good luck."
"Hey come on, this is us! Besides, I make my own luck anyway." Blaze stated, "And I'm coming back for the rest of you, that's a deal."
"We're the best pilots from Arzenal, we've got this Ersha, don't worry." Naomi chuckled, all three looking back to the Barbatos and Villkiss.
"Yeah… now, the last question is, how do we get Ange out of here too?" Blaze hummed.
"That is gonna be tricky. Embryo has his eye on her now." Naomi muttered.
"True." Ersha nodded, Blaze putting a hand on his hip.
"Well, we've got a few days… either she'll figure it out herself… or we're gonna have to tear down the mansion to do it." Blaze hummed, "Don't worry guys… we'll be back soon."
To be continued…
A/N
Whoohoo! Twenty chapters in, and the plot thickens even more! Oh am I excited for what comes next! Hehehehe!
Next Chapter Preview!
Embryo: You're just a filthy mutt… what right do you have to defy me?!
Blaze: Every right in the goddamn world you son of a bitch!
Ryuga: Well I am not surprised to see the first thing you took care of was to wreck the first sorry sap to get in your way.
Hilda: Well… you didn't need our help.
Naomi: I'm sorry for what I did, I wasn't myself… but I want to make up for that by helping all of you!
Next Chapter: Escape! Fight back!