Chapter 21

"Hah…" Varen laughed as Arnette turned and kept walking. She showed no signs of stopping and he had to run a short distance to catch up.

"You think I'm crazy don't you?" She asked over her shoulder.

"No, not exactly, but we can't. Like you said we don't share stigmata so how would a baptism effect anything?" He asked as they walked.

"The baptism serves as a way to synchronize with one another. Regardless of our lack of shared stigmata we can still function as a pair. We have never synchronized which is what could be throwing us out of sorts when we connect." She explained. Varen desperately tried to think of an argument, but her logic was sound.

"Have you thought about possible side effects? We don't know what could happen. Why are you so adamant about this?" He asked.

"I've thought about it and it's worth the risks. I'm tired of being afraid of everything and hesitating. It doesn't matter what happens, because I'm going to fight. Besides, if anything did go wrong you'll be there, and you've always saved me." She answered and he felt his heart stop for a moment. Who was this girl walking ahead of him so confidently? She was always the one who looked for ways to avoid or limit unnecessary risks. Now, she was pushing ahead fearlessly without regard for herself. Just when did she become this strong? Varen couldn't answer any of these questions running through his head.

"I don't know a lot about this stuff." He admitted as they crossed through the tree line continuing to follow the path.

"Synchronization with each other isn't hard, but I'm sure you know it requires a lot of trust. The Ereinbar Set…you remember right?" She asked and he thought for a moment before nodding.

"Nothing hidden. I remember." He answered quietly.

"If you fight it, then it will fail." She said and stopped causing him to stop as well. "I don't have anything left to hide from you Varen. Nothing that I would want to hide I mean. What about you?"

"We shouldn't do this." He answered and she turned around facing him.

"Then turn around and walk away. I won't stop you. I couldn't even if I wanted to, so run away if you want. This time, I'm not running." She said defiantly. He stared at her for a long time in amazement. She turned and began walking once more and he took a step forward with only a bit of hesitation to follow.

"I'm scared." He said and her hair moved slightly as she nodded.

"Me too." Arnette answered. Ahead of them the tree line broken slightly revealing the hot springs that he had gotten in trouble about last night. The mountain heated the water which then travelled downstream towards the lake and eventually out of the valley. Arnette stopped on the edge looking at the steam as it rose off the water. There was no one there and she shifted her weight on her feet nervously.

"What are we doing here?" Varen asked and Arnette shook her head to focus.

"Get in." She commanded pulling her boots off one by one. She pulled the vest off and set it on top of her boots and looked back as Varen stood with his mouth hanging slightly open.

"Uh…" He mouthed and she narrowed her eyes clenching her fists as well.

"You are Varen Askiligar. The Justicar of West Genetics and the one who attacked Chevalier and lived to tell the tale. You've single handedly destroyed a Nova, and killed the leader of the Novitiates. The only man who can fight like a Pandora and wield a volt weapon. Stop acting like a child and get in the hot spring!" She yelled pointing to the water.

"Yeah." He answered in fear taking his boots off as well. He placed them next to hers and took his shirt off setting it nearby. He rolled the legs of his pants up to his knees and sat on the edge testing the water. Behind him Arnette put their clothes together before sitting beside him.

"Warm?" She asked and he nodded.

"Very, been a long time since I…wha…" He choked quickly looking away. Arnette was sitting beside him in just her underwear. He felt her move and heard the sound of her entering the water.

"What?" She asked casually as he continued to look away.

"Your clothes…" He answered and she shrugged.

"I'm not walking back in wet clothes. This is no different than a bathing suit." She answered which technically was correct. It did nothing to make Varen calmer.

"It's a lot different." He argued.

"Get in." She ordered and after a few minutes he carefully dropped into the water cringing as his body became accustomed to the hot water. Arnette leaned against the rocks nearby with her eyes closed the water rippling around her neck. Varen took a breath and swallowed lowering himself as well until the water was just below his chin.

"Alright, I see why the girls like this place so much." He admitted feeling his tension of body relax from the heat.

"Mhm." Arnette answered quietly. She kicked her feet out letting her body rise and then slowly sink back down into the water letting the heat ease her mind. At last she opened her eyes and pushed off the rocks swimming towards Varen. Instinctively he looked to the side towards the mountain.

"How do we do this?" He asked shakily and he heard her laugh lightly.

"It's different for everybody. Like I said, you have to trust me. Can you?" She asked and he turned his head to face her as she kicked to stay afloat ahead of him. He had never felt like he couldn't trust Arnette. Not once did he doubt that, what he was afraid of was how she might react if this worked. How would he react for that matter? Not even he fully understood what was going on in his own head it had been so jumbled lately.

"I trust you." He said making her smile slightly. She swam forward and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Hold me." She said and Varen carefully put his hands on her waist. She closed her eyes and took one more breath before putting her forehead against his. Her arms moved up around his neck and her heart began to beat faster as their bodies touched.

"Arnette…" Varen said, his own heart feeling like it would jump out of his chest. He felt her hands brush through his hair and her breath on his face as she pulled him tight against her. As if he could not control them his own hands wrapped around her back. He closed his eyes and opened them again already sweating profusely. His vision flashed white for a moment and he began to hyperventilate. Arnette gripped him harder making him look into her eyes inches away.

"Trust me." She said through labored breaths. Another flash of white crossed his mind and he cringed as pain lanced through his body. Arnette arched her back slightly as an equal amount of pain reverberated through her as well. Tears fell down her face from the pain as she pulled his face back towards her.

"It's…too much." He forced barely able to breath. He felt her press against him once more touching her nose to his.

"Trust me." She said again gritting through the pain and tears. Varen closed his eyes fighting against his own mind for a moment, before a new feeling washed over him. It was like a river blocked by a dam. The dam exploded into fragments letting the water through freely crashing along the river with unbridled fury. He was somewhere familiar, although where it was he could not say. The world of pure white he had seen many times before. This time ahead of him he could see a hazy figure kneeling down slowly coming into view. He breathed a sigh of relief approaching the figure.

"Arnette, did it work?" He asked, but stopped walking as he got closer.

"Oh my, Arnette? Not who you were expecting huh?" The female voice said as she stood and turned towards him. Varen closed his eyes and took a deep breath letting it out all at once before opening them once more.

"You aren't real, are you?" He asked and the girl cocked her head slightly.

"I sure feel real." She answered happily pinching her arm.

"You can't be real, just like my sister when I see her. She's not real, she's dead." He answered.

"And you think death is the end then?" She responded and he swallowed hard.

"I…don't know anymore." He answered as she took a few steps towards him.

"Didn't I tell you long ago? Together…forever." Chiffon said stepping up in front of him. He felt his chest beginning to rise faster.

"I saw you die." He said and she laughed waving a hand.

"Oh come on I'm just playing with you. No need to get all serious on me. I am dead Varen." She said making him slightly cringe at the carefree discussion playing out.

"So this is just another vision then? Where I talk to myself until I eventually wake up?" He asked now a bit irritated.

"Vision? Varen Askiligar have you not figured anything out that I told you. I told you that you have the necessary pieces to be able to use your abilities to their fullest unlike normal Limiters. You can communicate with others much like you have been trying to do lately." She said.

"What does that have to do with any of this?" He asked making Chiffon roll her eyes.

"Look, I'm going to be blunt with you ok? You blame yourself for Rin's death. For my death. You refuse to let us go right? You came to West Genetics because you wanted to avenge her death and fought hard to accomplish that goal. You saved Amelia and went against Chevalier to avenge me. Everything you have been doing has been for those already gone. Have you ever lived a day for yourself?" She asked.

"It's not that easy!" He shouted.

"You have been living with guilt for years! Why do you blame yourself? We are dead Varen! You stubbornly cling to our memories and false hopes that by avenging us it will cure your guilt, but nothing will change if you don't let go!" Chiffon yelled back.

"So I should just forget and be done with it? Ignore the things that have happened? Let Amelia die in some lab?" He argued and Chiffon shook her head angrily.

"Of course not! Mourn for us, remember us, and love us, but let us go!" She shouted. Varen's breath became shaky as he fought to hold back his emotions.

"I can't. It's too hard." He said falling to his knees. After a few moments Chiffon knelt down beside him and put a hand on his back.

"You know; this is all my fault right? I selfishly took you for myself. I saw something I wanted and took it." She said and Varen looked at her wiping his eyes that had begun to water.

"What are you talking about?" He asked and she smiled slightly.

"I don't regret it though. I risked destroying our world to be with you. I would do it again without a moment's hesitation. When we became a pair, that night set in motion everything that has led to the future you wish to avoid. I knew it then, but thought I could change it together with you. I was wrong, and so now it falls on you." She answered.

"I still don't understand." Varen said confused.

"That's ok. If you insist on feeling like you owe me something, then I will tell you two things that will make me rest easy. The first, is to live your life for yourself. I'm happy you loved me so much to fight so hard for me even after I was gone, but I want you to live for yourself now.

Secondly, save this world from what I did. The things Arnette has seen will come to pass unless you do something about it." She said and Varen widened his eyes towards her.

"How did you know about that?" He asked and Chiffon blushed slightly.

"It's not easy to do, but I've been trying to help as best as I can." She answered making his mouth drop open.

"It was you. Not your mom, but you who's been helping us." Varen said causing Chiffon to shrug.

"Maybe." She said looking away shyly.

"Then tell me what to do. How to fix it!" He exclaimed. She looked back at him sadly shaking her head.

"If I could then I would, but I don't know. I can only see what will happen, not what needs to be done to change it. That is up to you to find out. The only thing I can tell you for certain is that right now in your state the future will never change." She answered.

"My current state?" He asked making her nod.

"Your self-imposed guilt. Unless you let us go and forgive yourself, this world will burn." She answered with no hint of question in her voice.

"And if I do, what happens to you?"

"Then this world and the souls of those you cling to can finally rest." She answered.

"I would never see you or Rin again?" He asked. Chiffon smiled bitterly.

"Only in your memories where we belong." She answered and he felt another tear fall down his cheek.

"It's not easy." He managed to say and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"No, it's not. Nothing would bring us greater happiness or peace to know you have forgiven yourself, so just work at it ok?" She asked and he nodded slowly.

"Yeah."

"You're not alone Varen. You've never been alone. That girl has been waiting a very long time for you. It broke my heart knowing how much pain she has endured for you." Chiffon said after a long silence.

"Huh?" He asked sniffling slightly.

"She loves you very much. I know because I've seen the anger and tears she has shed fighting herself over it. It's always been her Varen. From the very beginning it was always her. You both have been pulled towards one another. She's been honest with herself now and has become an amazing woman. When will you be honest with yourself?" Chiffon asked. Varen closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"I…I'm sorry Chiffon, but…" He trailed off fighting against his own mind even as he felt her hand on his arm.

"Yes?" She asked. He turned towards her his face pained and touched her hand.

"I love Arnette." He said and Chiffon closed her eyes breathing deeply as he had just done.

"Finally, your first step towards my wish. I'm so very happy." She said leaning her head back closing her eyes.

"Happy?" Varen asked covering his face with his hands in shame.

"Don't get the wrong idea I said I would do it all again if I could and if there had been a way where I could live I would keep you for myself. Since that is no longer an option then I will of course give you to her." She declared proudly.

"What am I, a toy?" He asked making her laugh. He chuckled slightly too.

"Together you and her will change the world. For better or worse I don't know, but like I said, it's always been her. She is the last piece of the puzzle to unlocking your full potential, and hers as well." She said.

"Think so?" Varen asked and she nodded patting his back.

"Pandora look to you as a symbol of hope. The defender of all Pandora right? That's what Attia called you when she gave you the name Justicar. The mighty Justicar who fights for Pandora regardless who stands in his way. They will always stand beside you Varen, no matter what." She explained. He laughed and shook his head.

"Little late for that I think." He said, but she kept staring at him.

"They will always stand beside you. All you need do is but ask." She repeated her face completely serious.

"Alright." He said still not fully understanding.

"Good! You know, you are like the king of Pandora!" She said standing up and putting her hands on her hips. She struck a mock pose of nobility putting an arm out like she was commanding an invisible army.

"Don't be ridiculous." Varen said standing up beside her.

"Oh I'm quite serious. No king can rule alone. Every great king needs one thing to be successful. I think you have finally found that one thing to become the one who will change the fate of our world." She said and he looked over at her.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" He asked as his vision began to fade. For once he didn't fight it as the vision began to end. Chiffon held his hand speaking one last time.

"Hair the color of blood. Wielding the weapon of death himself. Beautiful as a new morning light, and as terrifying as a starless night. A king must have a queen. Finally, you have found her." Everything went black as Chiffon's voice whispered across the wind of the void.

"Your Crimson Queen."