Chapter 38:

"Kh! Fuck…!" greeted by numbing pain as I wake up, the world is a blur and rings in my ears.

It took time for my eyes to regain focus after a couple of blinks. My body's numb that I'm temporarily paralyzed in place. I can't even move my neck to gain a better view of my eyes, which is right now peering between my eyelids. It will take a minute or so before my paralyzation is lifted.

The view that my eyes see through that tiny gap is the floor and the ice wall that spiked out of the ground. It seems I'm on the ground. I move my eyeball around, prying m eyelid open to find a better picture of what's happening.

"...!" at the top corner of my vision I see a familiar twin pigtailed blond woman.

"Hi…! His… ty!" damn it. I sound like someone groaning in his sleep. I can't even form her words right.

"Hmmm? You're still alive?" a certain familiar voice of a businesswoman enters my ears as soon as the ringing stops. In the background, I can hear the beating of two motors as it rotates its blades around giving lift.

Her black footwear enters my vision. I can't look up to see her face because my body is still numb even when I should moving now. Did I take damage from my spine? Damn, I can't tell since I can't even feel my body. It'll take 2 more minutes before I could fully move.

"As expected of her brother. No matter, I'll be taking her" she reaches towards the fairy and grabs her by the collar.

"Hmm. Her Tome must have been damaged by the blast. It'll only delay it a little but that's fine" Kei commented as though her plans are assured.

"...!" my eyeball try to meet hers at the corner of my 'eyes', trying to match hers.

"...!" her eyes meet 'mine', her face goes pale and her knees almost buckle.

"...Kei are you alright?"

"...Yes, Mina. Sorry, I think my episodes are starting up again"

"Do you want a barf bag?"

"Just in case. Let's head to Planeptune now, we have to collect the crystal"

I can start to feel my body recovering. But my limbs haven't gained their strength yet. 8 more seconds before I could move, and they're already starting to leave. Their footsteps echo through the floor as a faint rumbling timed noise. Dammit, stay there! I've got a million questions for you two!

3 more seconds and I could already move my fingers and toes. I breathe in and breathe out, focusing all my oxygen towards my arms and legs, storing its energy. I can hear the helicopter slowly rising.

"...!" the moment my limbs recovered, I instantly jump off from the spot, twist my body, facing them.

The hole in the ceiling above shows me that the heli is about 5 meters from the ceiling. I find a nearby body of a soldier, that raided this place earlier. He is still clutching his rifle. I take the rifle off of his hands, then point it towards the motor of the heli.

*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*

*PANG!* *PANG!* *PANG!* *PANG!* *PANG!* *PANG!*

"Damn!"

Icicles formed intercepting the bullets' line of fire. All of my bullets hit the icicles way before they hit there supposed target.

"FUCK!" I curse at that fact. Curse myself for my own powerlessness.

*THUD!*

I punch a tree trunk, my hand dug itself into the tree trunk.

I made my escape 2 hours I've woken up. I disguised myself as a soldier then hitched a ride as it exits the Basilicom's base. It took every strength I have not to show my 'eyes'. And when I finally got to the gate posing as another guard, I made my escape.

Now liberated, I let it lose.

An old bloodlust boils deep from my core, filling my entire being. Memories of those days fill my head as my 'eyes' stare off into the city that country.

"Sister… eh?" my voice sounds cold.

"If you're really my sister..." I straighten myself. My hand that punched the tree 'heals'.

"Then I'll murder you just like 'him'"

"...Oh?... You've even took the Tome"

"Yes. It's for insurance" Kei answered.

"...Insurance, you say. It's as though you don't trust my methods"

"I don't, to be honest"

"Well, no matter. If nothing else, you've provided me with enough materials for my own goals. As promised, I'll revive those CPUs you care so much about" that person smiled at how her plans are going along smoothly for her.

"If I may ask you, what is your goal?"

"Oh? I never took you the type to be interested in my work"

"No. It's more of knowing my partner's goals and making a compromise"

"Comprise, eh" that person nods at those words as she ponders on the inquiry.

"Very well. I suppose telling you my plans should make a good bonus for your work" hearing that, Kei sharpens her ears, listening intently.

"My plan is..."

"..."

Mina stares at the sleeping Chika. Her face is peaceful unlike it was 2 hours ago; an effect of her harsh rehabilitation. Her rehabilitation is harsh having two prosthetic body parts, which was installed recently. And if anything her reason for determination is clear.

"Zzz… Zzz..."

Sleeping peacefully reminded her of a time not so long ago and yet feels so very far away from her. The simple breathing of sleep from exhaustion reminded her of two very troublesome children. A day where they would play in the snow, pull pranks on her sister and run around the Basilicom without a care in the world. Days where she would scold them. Days where they would eat together. Days where they would have fun together.

"All in the grand plan of saving Gamindustri" she muttered to herself.

Why was it so cruel? Why did it have to happen? Why did they have to be killed for saving the world? Was there really no other option? Was there really any need for killing those twins? All these questions rage in her mind like adversaries. But in the end, all of those questions come to only one answer.

"...Blanc, Rom, Ram… This time I'll…"

Stars that shine bright like glitter in the night sky. It was the same starry milky way galaxy that I always enjoy with her. The same starry sky that I've shown to her. I stand here, surrounded by this wonderful sight as though embracing me; with each twinkling feels like they are conveying a story to me.

In front of me is someone, crouched down with her back facing me. Her long lilac hair covers her entire back almost reaching the ground. Her shoulders are down; crestfallen at something that has befallen her.

"So..." I speak up.

"You've ruined the world, huh..." I state a fact.

"Mhm..." she answers softly.

"Was the responsibility too great? Or was it some sort of guilt?"

"Maybe..."

"I see…" it was neither.

"...Why did things have to go this way?"

"Hm?"

"Did I really not do a good job?"

"..." I walk towards her as she speaks up.

"...All I wanted was to save Gamindustri from falling" I sat behind her facing my back to hers.

"I did everything and anything I could to make Gamindustri okay again" and she rambles on.

"Making Gamindustri better again was my responsibility now. And I can't let anyone down… is what I thought"

"Sometimes I doubted myself if the decisions I made were the right ones"

"But I have to make Gamindustri better again is what I would always say to myself"

"So I worked, and worked, and worked, and worked until my fingers were hurting"

"Sometimes, I get a few setbacks but it's okay. It's all par for the course, I shouldn't let it get to me… is what I thought"

"But..." her voice trails off.

"..."

"..."

Silence befalls us as soon as her voice trailed off absorbed by the cosmos. I watch the twinkling stars as the girl behind me watches her feet.

"...Care to tell me…?"

"...?"

"Where it all went wrong?"

"Mhm..."

"We were..."

A/N: Yeah... for the hiatus. I'm still in the middle of fixing my life.