Angel Beats: Harmonics girl

Disclaimer: I do not own Angel Beats

Warning: I am still studying so please forgive me if there is too much grammar mistake

Warning: Changed! I finally reset my computer and have a proper Microsoft word to use :)

Chapter 32

The Past and for the Future

"Here is some hot key coffee. I will go get the dryer."

"... ..."

Shirayuki took another worried glance at the person sitting on her bed. Shirayuki had Miyuki to bath and gave her a new set of uniform for her to wear. Her hair was still wet from the shower, the tiny droplet slowly slid down her hair and dropped onto the bed. Her eyes contained nothing like a void, as if a doll that had a frozen face. Shirayuki sighed and went to get the dryer to dry off Miyuki's wet hair.

Miyuki shifted her neck and looked around the room. It was an ordinary room that she also had. She knew that there was some difference between Shirayuki and her room, but she realized that she could not identify what was the difference.

That's right... I barely even stayed in my room. I was with Daigo all the time.

Miyuki took this chance to reflect on her life in afterlife. Or rather, that was the only thing that she could think of at that point of time.

At morning, she would take a glance of the SSS headquarter. If Miu was smiling, that meant that they were going to do another epic operation again. If Miu was doing anything else, that meant that she was free for the rest of the day.

When she was free, she would go and find Daigo. That seemed to be her first priority in everything. She would find him in the music room that the Gears of Music occupied. Then Ayane would tackle her into a hug with Nagasi-san looking from far away with jealousy. Daigo would give her a smile before they all went on training with me as the audience.

After having dinner, she would always follow Daigo around. Now that she thinks about it, she never left Daigo's side unless she was in an operation. Daigo was always with her and when they were alone, Daigo would try to keep on talking to her to let her release her voice more. Sometimes he would try to persuade her to try singing again, telling her that he missed her singing. She would bath herself in the warmth of Daigo beside him until the cruel mother moon told them it's time to sleep. Then she would just return back to her room and hit the sack without taking a glance at her room.

Daigo, everything around her life was Daigo.

It was quite funny, she thought. She had promised to not get close to Daigo anymore but she ended up being closer and closer to him. For the first few months she had ignored Daigo, hoping that Daigo would give up on her. However everyday he would approach her, demanding her to recognise him again.

She remembered how she made her mistake of calling him when the Dark Birthday happened. She was surrounded by Shadows. There were no room for her to escape until Daigo emerged in, sacrificing himself as a bait to let her escape. Anger and shame fueled her as she saw how Daigo slowly being devoured by the shadows, all for his sister that refused to recognise him.

She went on a rampage, killed the shadows surrounding Daigo and saved him. She could still remember that sincere smile he had when she repeatedly called for his name.

Even though she promised to never got close with Daigo again, she ended up being with him every time she had. She ended up breaking the promise that she made. She ended up making the same mistake she did in her previous life. She ended up hoping everything would turn out fine this time.

But she knew that she was being too naive. She should never had gotten closer with Daigo in the first place.

"You are still too stressed to go after Wolf. He would also be against the idea of you infiltrating the Black Hand base just to save him out."

Shirayuki returned just when Miyuki stretched out her hand towards her cleaned knives on the table. As usual, she replied nothing and retracted her hands. Shirayuki took this opportunity to get close to her and dried her hair with the dryer.

"Do you know Miyuki-chan, that you reminded me a lot of my twin sister?"

"... ...?"

As if she was being activated, Robot Miyuki slowly adjusted her neck and turned around. She saw her hair dancing along with the hot wind from the hair dryer and a almost-sad Shirayuki behind her. When she heard that Shirayuki was talking about her twin, she felt as if a switch had been flipped inside her. Shirayuki gave a small, gentle smile and continued.

"I had a twin sister when I was alive. Both of us were from a shinobi tradition family. However the tradition of our family was that only one could inherit the skills passed down after generations. My sister was chosen while I was given the path of a normal life."

Shirayuki headed towards her table and took out a pair of kodachi from her drawer. At first Miyuki thought that they were a pair of new kodachi that Shirayuki had hidden however the rust and the dull edge of the blade told her that those kodachi came from a long time ago. Shirayuki traced her finger along the edge, as if she was remembering something nostalgic and continued.

"There was a secret dojo in our estate that I was forbidden to enter. It was when I was in my high school that my curiosity finally overcame my fear of the punishment and I entered the dojo. Funnily what greeted me was a pair of kodachi like these pointing at my eyes as if ready to gouge them out. The person holding onto the kodachi had a pair of orange eyes and long dark blue hair just like mine. At first I thought I was facing against my own reflection but soon the emptiness in her eyes told me that we were different people. That was my first meeting with my sister."

Shirayuki smiled at the memory of facing death as the first memory she had of her sister. She felt as if she were reviewing her own life, telling the silent and curious Miyuki about her past.

Flashback

"It's me Eri! Open up the door!"

I shouted outside the door that led to the dojo which I was supposed to be banned from going to. It took a few more seconds until the one inside the dojo gave up and opened up the door.

"... ... ..."

I felt a sense of chill vibrating my spine when I saw my sister's head poked out. Although we looked alike, her eyes that were filled with nothing but a void reminded me that we were different.

It also reminded me that it's my responsibility as the elder sister (I must be the elder sister right?) to make my sister human again.

One of the other significant difference between us was by how we were dressed up. I was the miko of the shrine in the estate and thus I was in my miko white-red uniform most of the time. However my sister Eri was always in her black ninja uniform. Once I brought some clothes to dress her up however when I dressed her up in a maid costume, she blushed at what she was wearing and started hiding whenever I came with clothes. I missed her red beaten face when she blushed. It was not every time did I get the chance to see emotions in my sister.

Even though she refused to dress up in anything I gave, I have confident that she would accept what I was going to give her.

"Here, happy birthday Eri!"

"... ...?"

Eri looked at me confused. I handed her the present that was wrapped with red ribbons and settled myself on the wide area of the dojo. Eri stared at the present, then at me before she stared at the present again.

"It's your birthday present Eri! Open it!"

"... ...?"

Eri stared at me with a blank face again. That was so like her, so clueless about everything. But that was one of the cute points about her too! I crawled towards her and helped her to open the present. What was inside the box was a long black scarf. I picked it up from the box and showed it to Eri.

"... ...?"

"Here, I will help you to wear it!"

I took the scarf and carefully wrapped it around her neck. It seemed that the scarf was a bit too big for her as it covered all the way to her mouth. However she did not bother about it and looked down at the scarf around her neck.

"You look very cool with the scarf Eri!"

"... ..."

I praised as I looked from the side, as I thought the scarf suited Eri well. In her dark black shinobi uniform with a dark scarf, she looked like a professional assassin with a dark aura surrounding her. The scarf dancing in the wind was just the perfect picture of an assassin at night.

"Shirayuki! Stop hiding and come out now!"

A hoarse voice of probably a middle age man could be heard from the exterior of the dojo. I tensed up and held on my hands over my hand until the voice gradually faded into a further place. I sighed a breath of relief and stood up, knowing that my time was up and it's time to leave.

"Ah I got found out...I guess I will have to leave for the day."

"... ..."

I stood up from the wooden floor and made my preparation to leave. This was my everyday routine. I would find some time to sneak into the dojo and played with my sister. Although the time was short, I really appreciate the time I could spend with the sister that I never thought that I would have.

"Then bye bye Eri!"

I bid my farewell with a cheerful smile as I escaped out of the door after making sure that the coast was clear. Eri came to see me off as she slowly closed the door. Now then, where should I hide to let father find-

"... ...Thanks... ...Nee-san..."

"...Huh?"

Before I could turn my head back, the door already slammed shut at my face, harder than usual.

Did Eri just...talk...?

I found myself staring at the door for a few minutes. However after that, the thought of hearing Eri thanked me made me prepared for the scolding which I was going to receive later.

Flashback ended.

"...and even though father was scolding me for letting him and the others worried, I never regretted going to see Eri as she finally managed to talk to me."

There was a bright smile as Shirayuki finished talking. She could still remember clearly the muffled voice from the scarf when Eri had thanked her. No matter how much time has passed, she would never forget those words that her sister first spoke to her.

However that smile soon dropped, her face seemingly emotionless as she clutched into the kudochi as if she was holding them for emotional support. She wanted to reach out and touch Eri's hands again but she knew that's impossible. She was alone in this world-

"...ah..."

Shirayuki widened her eyes as she looked at Miyuki. On her right hand that was trying to reach for long gone sister's hand, Miyuki put her hand over it. She said nothing but looked at Shirayuki in the eye as she held her hand with her tighter, telling to continue.

Shirayuki smiled, loops going through the same world again and again had made her forget the most basic fact about the people living in afterlife world.

Everyone had their life ended badly.

Flashback

"Eri!"

I cried out when Eri's tiny figure flew through the air and slammed into the wall of the dojo. I quickly ran towards her desperately and held her up. She pushed me aside and coughed out blood. I knew that her body could not withstand all the injuries any longer.

"I am impressed. As expected of my chosen daughter, even a hundred men could not even kill you. I was correct to chose you as the one to inherit the secrets of the Shiina family."

".. ... ...I ...don't care...about the secrets...of the family..."

Eri stood up, despite all the wounds wrecking her mental condition with constant pain torture. Her legs wobbled after killing more than one hundred shinobi sent to kill her sister, however it refused to go down, not until her sister was safe.

In front of Eri and I stood our father, Shiina Kojiro. He was in a proper traditional uniform and was flanked by two shinobi in black. He barely gave a second glance to the corpses that were around the floor of the dojo. His heavy footsteps towards Eri crushed the remains of the corpses that were blocking his way.

"I am curious Eri. Why would you, a proud shinobi that is the strongest in existence wants to protect your failure sister? She is the one that is blocking your path to the final way of the shinobi."

"Don't screw with me! I never wanted to become a shinobi in the first place!"

Eri roared. Like a professional killing machine she darted past all the corpses on the floor and shot shurikens into Kojiro's direction. Before they could reach Kojiro, the two shinobi sacrificed themselves to receive the attack whereas Kojiro stood still, not having even the slightest rage or pity to the two that sacrificed for him. Eri took out her pair of kodachi and prepared her fighting stance. She knows that her father is serious now.

"Hmm, you are ten years too early to even think of challenging me!"

"!"

It happened in an instant, it was as if father suddenly vanished before he materialized behind Eri's unprotected back. Instead of a pair of kodachi, what emerged out of his hand was a katana that left a streak of red when it slashed towards Eri. I unconsciously moved my feet as I tried to warn her about the sudden attack.

Ting!

The sound of metal echoed in the wide and bloody red dojo. The katana only slashed at Eri's cheek before it was caught by her two kodachi. Blood started to run down Eri's cheek as father looked at her, pleased with her performance.

"Good. Good, Eri. Nobody had the ability to block this attack until it was too late. As I thought you were born to be the strongest shinobi one day!"

"I don't want that!"

Eri overwhelmed father in a burst of rage and pushed his katana away. Like a dark tornado she vanished, only for moments her blade could be seen heading towards father who was effectively block every single one of her attack.

"!"

I shivered down my spine when father suddenly took a glance at me. Although it was for a second, I indeed sensed the large murderous aura coming from him. Both Eri and father were fighting each other equally, both of them were in a level that I could never hope to achieve. I wanted to help Eri but that cold gaze of father froze my legs to the spot.

"So she is the reason that you no longer have the desire to become a shinobi..."

Father's words were like ice as the tension on the air thickened. Eri felt coldness in her head and tried to snap herself out of the frozen fear that father had lock us in. Father changed his stance and charged towards me, but he was stopped when Eri appeared in front of him and crossed blade with him holding him in bay away from me.

"I won't let you get close to Nee-san!"

"Do you really think you can defeat me win this level!?"

"Argh-!"

"Eri!"

I called out when father suddenly kicked Eri in the guts. Blood splattered out of her mouth before she was slammed all the way back to the way. There was a huge 'thud' when she crashed into the wall and fell into the floor. However this time she was not moving anymore.

"Eri!"

The fear for Eri's safety overwhelmed my fear as my feet led me towards her. I jumped through the corpses and dashed for Eri. She was not moving. No, there is no way she could be dead. No...

"Don't worry, it's just a minor concussion. She will probably recover in a few weeks. However as for you, my failure daughter..."

Father stood before me, his menacing gaze looking down at me that a father would not have. His katana lifted up high, determined to kill me. To him, I was probably never her daughter in the first place.

"Don't you...Don't you DARE TO HURT NEE-SAN!"

"What!"

Father twisted his back around and watched in amazement. Despite everything that had happened, she was still standing. Her legs were wobbling, but they soon straightened up and stood in a dashing tance. Cuts and wounds from all over her body were telling her to rest, telling her that she needed to sleep to let them heal.

But she would never stop, she would continue to kill until her sister was safe.

Why...Why protect me to such an extent?

I wanted to ask however tears were already running down my cheek. The throat was choked with my own saliva that I did not know what to say. I wanted to ran towards her and hugged her and put her forever in my embrace, never letting her go again.

"Haaaarr-r!"

"Ku-Arhhaaah!"

It happened in an instant, the sound of metal clashing against each other pierced the calmness of the air before silent returned. It was as though father and Eri had swapped position, it was Eri that was standing over me. A big cut had appeared at her waist. This time her body could not stand it and gave up on her. I quickly got up and hug her.

"You are certainly the strongest shinobi existed...Eri..."

Father muttered before he fell down with the corpses surrounding him. His left leg had been severed and a kodachi could be seen left on his body.

The battle was finally over...?

"I am glad that...you are sa...fe...Nee-san..."

Despite all the pain, Eri still managed to smile. I knew that it was a smile to reassure me. I knew that but...

"Eri you idiot...there was no need to push yourself so much...for a sister like me..."

"Come Eri, kill me. Only after that you would receive the official head position of the Shiina family and finally learnt the-"

"I have no interest in succeeding the family."

Eri coldly replied. Among the pile of corpses, father's smile froze. However it soon broke into a laughter, a wicked, broken laughter of a broke man.

"So that's how you want to play it huh? That's fine then, you can don't succeed the family. However...that woman shall die!"

Beacch!

Crimson filled my eyes. My uniform became more soaked with blood as I tried to hold onto Eri. It happened in an instant, father suddenly rose and threw the kodachi towards me. I was sure that it was aiming for me.

But I did not feel anything, at that instant I knew that those blood were not mine.

"Eri!"

I cried as I held her in my arms. Just before the kodachi was going to reach his target, Eri had shifted himself so that she was the one that would receive the blow. The kodachi plucked deep into her flesh, however her mind that was overwhelmed with pain could not tell the difference of another wound anymore.

"Eri!"

"Thank goodness...you are safe..."

Eri smiled, despite all the pain she still smiled. I did not know how to respond. I could only grasp into the hand that she tried to raise and held it dearly. She softly grasped my hand, her grasp getting weaker and weaker as time mercilessly continued to start moving.

"Eri! Why! Why do you want to protect me to such an extent!?"

I shouted. I was angry, why did she have to push herself so much!? Everything could have ended if she just killed me! She would not have to endure all those wounds! Why!

"Silly question...That's because... ... ... ... ... ..."

"... ... ...Eri...? Eri... ...?"

Her hand no longer grasp onto mine anymore. It fell freely into the floor filled with blood. Her eyes slowly closed themselves. At that moment I knew that those eyes would never open again.

Loud footsteps could be heard, all of them was heading to the dojo. I recognised the clothes of the police that entered the dojo. Someone tapped me on the shoulder, however I was incapable to respond to him anymore. The only thing that was still working was my ear, waiting to hear the silly reason why did Eri fight for me that would never come.

Flashback ended.

"... ... In the end, I never knew what my sister said. I was sentenced to death after the judge was being bribed by the main family. So I am here now."

Shirayuki finished her story with a sad but nevertheless, a smile that not many people would be able to maintain when talking about their past. Her grip on the kodachi loosened and fell lifelessly on the table. Shirayuki closed her eyes, taking a moment to recompose herself before she faced Miyuki, her expression changed to her usual smile.

"So Miyuki, where do you think that I am wrong in meeting my sister? If I had not chosen to venture into the forbidden dojo, I would have never met my sister and thus we would have lived our lives separately. Even though we may be separated, she would have become the shinobi master she desired and I would have led a normal life. In the end, the mistake I make must be that I have met with my sis-"

"That's definitely not tru-ah!"

Miyuki tried to catch back the words she said but it was too late. The words already reached Shirayuki's ears before she could even catch them back. Miyuki expected some fierce surprise or gasp but-

"Why do you think that it's not true Miyuki-chan?"

Shirayuki sincerely smiled as if she knew that she could speak all along. Suddenly Miyuki did not feel nervous anymore. Although it was a different feeling when she was with Daigo, it was close enough. It was enough to let her feel that she could trust her. Miyuki hesitated-

You should try to talk with your friends more. They are your friends after all.

Daigo's words echoed in her mind, that was all the encouragement she needed to take the first step.

"If you feel that Eri-san and I are alike, then please listen to what I have to say. In the place of Eri-san, I can tell you that she definitely did not regret meeting you Shirayuki-san. In fact she was saved because she met you."

That's right, just like how Daigo found me under the rain when I ran away.

Because I could not talk and have a deep scar at my neck, everyone looked at me as though I was a weird one. I tried to endure it but I failed. My heart was weak and I ran, without any definition of hidding place in mind.

Under the cold rain that chilled my spine, Daigo came. No matter what happened, he was always the one that was there for me.

Even though everything ended terribly because of me, even though I was the source of Daigo's regret, even though I had hated myself for ruining Daigo's life.

"Without you, she would not be able to have a short but happy life she never thought that she would have."

Without Daigo, I would not be able to have that short but peaceful moments in the living world when I had gave up all hopes on myself.

"That's why please don't blame yourself for what had happened, I am sure that Eri-san would not have want you to regret for what has had her happy."

"... ...Funny, instead of saving you, I felt like I am the one being saved."

Shirayuki laughed. It was a light laugh. Nevertheless Miyuki joined into the laughter. Even though it was gloomy an hour ago, it is now filled with laughter. That's how it should be in the afterlife world.

"So enough about me, have you make your decision?"

Laughter gradually faded but the atmosphere was still living in the room. Shirayuki calmed herself and asked Miyuki. Without any hesitation any more, she stood up from the bed. Shirayuki understood what she meant and followed her to the door. Miyuki turned around and replied with a cheerful smile, one that she have not give to other people except Daigo for a long time ago.

"Thanks Shirayuki-san. Thanks to you I have finally make my resolves. By the way, you said that I am like your twin sister, but I feel that you feel a lot like Daigo too."

With a smile, the two girls left the room. The kodachi was left on the table. Unknown to Miyuki, there was a letter inside the drawer where Shirayuki had pulled out the kodachi.

Dear Shirayuki nee-san ,

When you receive this letter, I am probably no longer in this world anymore. Some parts of me want me to wait for your arrival, but my heart know that my time in this world is up. I am afraid that you would blame yourself for twisting my destiny like that. Because I am your twin, I know that you would definitely blame yourself for my ending. I never have the chance to tell you how I feel in the living world so if you happen to find this letter, please read it sincerely, please do not feel guilty for reading it, and do not feel sad for being too late to chase after me anymore.

First of all, I want to thank you for treasuring me like a sister. Although our time together is short, I really appreciate the short moments we had together. If you never pushed open those dojo doors, I would have never have the chance to meet you. I would never have the chance know more about the outside world. I would never have the chance to experience the small moment of happiness instead of training day and night to become the shinobi that I never dream for.

Those decision for you to push the door, they are definitely not wrong. I would have want you to tell you personally but it's time for me to move on already. Before I met you, my life was just an empty shell. The reason I was able to continue to fight despite having all those wounds was because you were there for me. I could not afford to lose you, that single thought make we continued to kill and kill. You are the one that give me the purpose, the drive that keep me feel alive. You are the one that make me realize that I am not just a doll of the Shiina family. I can have a life of my own.

It seems that my time is up, I am going to move on soon. Before that, I want to finish off what I am unable to finish before I died. Although this may be unlike me but-

That's because I love you.

Eri Shiina

A/N: Quite a long chapter I would say.

Midori: But its not as good as the other chapters though.

A/N: Well this chapter is more focus on Shirayuki's past after all. This idea was abandoned because of too many stories continuing at the same time but I managed to squeeze this story in.

Midori: Well this chapter is written in a rush after all.

A/N: And that too, btw please give me some more blessing for my exams...having a hard time here =o=ll

Midori: By the time the review came, the test would already be given out you know...

A/N: Better than nothing...NOW ONTO THE CELEBRATION!

A/N: HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

Midori: We certainly come a long way, haven't we?

Miu: Make that a very VERY long way.

Midori: Ah you are back.

Miu: I can't miss out this celebration, can I?

A/N: Well it's not like having you two here will make the story better.

Miu/Midori: THEN WHY EVEN BOTHER MAKING US!?

A/N: Because I felt like it. And Midori need some screen time somewhere afterall.

Miu/Midori: (That doesn't mean I/She have to appear in Author notes!)

A/N: Anyway more importantly, I finally did it!

Miu/Midori: Did what? Dug your own grave?

A/N: Urm no, I finally achieve my goal for writing a 100,000+ words plus story and having 100+ reviews! THANKS A LOT EVERYONE!

Midori: Okay anyway...Congratulation Chen ZiXin! You are the 100th reviewer! Even though you were slower a bit Fenichi you still got the 101th reviewer rank! A nice number too!

Miu: Don't forget about Gixagne! He is the second reviewer of the Angel Beats Harmonics Girl and has supported us one year already! Congrats for being the 99th reviewer and thanks for reviewing for so long!

All: Thanks and please continue to support us! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW~!