...an onward we go
It's odd
Atalanta thought to herself the things you notice when you know everything around you is more or less fake. Or more importantly the things you're willing to overlook. Things you pass off as deja vu or just your imagination. The flicker of a tree or the cat you thought you saw twice. You blink and then everything looks the way it should. For what was reality; really? What made this any less real? After all, she had been technically dead for centuries. Her whole existence nowadays coming down to a magical rivalry between three families and its subsequent consequences. A family linage that Rin was apart of. Was it really just a coincidence? But who was she to argue that after everything- all she had lived through, all the things she had done, the things done to her- that this wasn't what she deserved?
"No, Rin not that one. More like this." she said absently as she picked up a more ripe nectarine from the merchant stall. "See, it's more firm. That's ready to eat." Atalanta placed the nectarine into the basket that had suddenly appeared in Rin's hands. She had started to comment about it but gave up entirely as they walked through the merchant stalls. The spicy scents and vibrant colors invaded her senses. It was a familiar and safe place but she could see the rough edges of things fading and other things appearing. In a way it was astonishing the sheer magnitude of it all. The way everything shaped around them. Just an ordinary but pleasant outing. A trip to the marketplace with her "daughter". A gift from the gods is apparently how Rin came to be with her in this hoax. And Atalanta laughed when she heard. Whether it was from desperation, disbelief, grief or even joy she couldn't tell you.
If only it was true.
"..Rin, how is it possible that you're…" Atalanta considered the right words without offending the magus. "...channeling all this?"
Her subconscious was trying to pull her into this lie fueled by the magic of one little girl. While Rin was certainly skilled and powerful for her age she didn't have the capability. Rin didn't have the magical energy to pull off something like this. Not of this magnitude. Rin for her part did seem to be tiring but definitely not at the rate as the world kept reshaping around them. Rin, for her part seemed only mildly surprised at the question. Shuffling her feet back and forth as her grip tightened on the basket that held several pieces of fruit and food.
"...I kept failing. Again and again. I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I was researching but..." Rin confessed with a glum expression. "..I just wasn't strong enough to cast the spell. Not the way I wanted too." Rin fidgeted with the basket, looking down and then finally back at Atalanta's as she reluctantly continued "..Not my own, at least. I needed a catalyst. A strong one..." she trailed off slowly.
"This was about your sister, Sakura wasn't it?" Atalanta said quietly as she moved to another stall. Rin kept her head downward as she nodded and trotted along after her.
Atalanta for her part thought she was doing an excellent job at being a very calm and mature adult even though she really wanted to berate Rin till the end of time. Even if this wasn't what Rin had intended. Rin had not reached out for help. With something that was so clearly over her head. Not to mention practicing unpredictable spells with little to no supervision. Because Gil in her opinion did not count as supervision. He was so caught up in the girl to notice anything until it was too late and even then that particular version of Gilgamesh was not a caster. At the very least she would need to have a serious talk with Semiramis about Rin's studies. Because it was clear that Rin needed more: more boundaries, more rules, more anything and if need be a Grand Caster to enforce it. Atalanta would make sure of that when this all ended. Rin had been so foolish and utterly selfish with all was. She couldn't even imagine the damage if Rin had succeeded in her own wish. How devastating it would have been. Because this was unbelievably hard for Atalanta. Each breath in this farce was a sharp pain to her heart. How each step was a stark contrast of how her actual life had been. But most of all how with each moment it was just a reminder that they could never have this. After a long moment, Atalanta managed to collect herself again.
"Rin, how long..?" Atalanta asked half unsure of what answer she wanted as she peered at the midday sun. Rin looked up at her following her line of sight.
"..Sundown." she said with a finality.
Atalanta nodded as she took the basket from Rin and wrapped her hand around Rin's smaller one. She paused for a moment looking around them taking it all in. Inhaling slowly at the sights and sounds; she wouldn't see this place again. Then purposely, she started to guide them away from the marketplace. Rin gave her a questioningly look as they walked. People became more scarce and tree clustered more around them. Cheerful flowers and lavish greenery lined their path. Atalanta was silent on their walk, not commenting on the frequency as things faded and popped up around them. Soon enough, all sounds of a bustling city was gone and it was replaced with the friendly chattering of forest animals and sunlight paths.
"Just big enough for two." Atalanta announced softly, as they stood in front of a brick path leading up to a small cottage. It was as she said. A small cottage with bright blue shutters surrounded by a small fence. It was everything fairy tales told of.
"Would you give me a minute?" Atalanta said absently, clearly focused on the image that stood before them. A large and faded colorful flower wreath hung on the door.
Rin's eyes softened as Atalanta let go her her hand and walked towards the cottage. Her back straight and her eyes forward as if she was forcing herself not to look back at Rin. And honestly, she probably was. Despite that Rin had never intended this to happen. That Rin would never ever want to hurt Atalanta in any way. Especially this way. Atalanta was strong, beautiful, kind but most of all she had a wonderful and big heart. It was something that connected them. It was the way Atalanta cared for her. Loved her. If anything, Atalanta would have been the last person she would have wanted to hurt. It's why she had chosen Atalanta's feather as one of her catalysts. Her personal connection to her would boost her spell. Apparently too much, it seemed. But in all her research she wouldn't have predicted this. Rin wondered if this would change everything when it all faded. And if it did, would be all her fault. Because she hadn't been strong enough.
Again.
Sighing softly, her feet guided her a small distance away to the oddly brightly colored flowers. She considered them for a moment before she started picking the biggest and prettiest ones she could find. Settling herself on the green grass she started making a new flower wreath for the door. It was funny. Rin never made them in reality but she was fast becoming an expert in dreams and fake realities. How very ironic. Rin tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before going back to work. Rin could feel the magic in everything. It was practically vibrating. At first it had been exhilarating. A rush. But as the day wore on and sundown approached, she could feel a tug. Whispers in the shadows. She could feel it. Under her skin and in her blood. Getting stronger as time wore on. The cracks that were forming in this happy place.
And then, lost in her thoughts, her wreath finished- Rin found herself walking hesitantly up to the cottage. Slowly, she replaced the faded wreath with the one she had made. Taking a deep breath, Rin pushed the door open and her way inside. Inside it was warm and filled with the smell of fresh bread. Sunlight streamed in from the windows and Atalanta stood by a wooden table laying out a meal.
" This looks delicious." Rin said quietly as she offered a flower to Atalanta before sitting down at the table.
Atalanta smiled slowly before nodding and sitting down. An unspoken agreement between the two- in this moment, in this wish, in this hoax, in this dream- they decided to believe. Just for a little bit. So they laughed, they ate, sang songs but all things must come to an end. Shadows started to become darker and the sunlight started to fade. The whispers in the dark were now talking to her. Loudly. Telling her all sorts of things. Despite this, Rin's eyes started to droop down slowly as the fringes of her vision started to darken. Swaying unsteadily, she sat down heavily leaning against Atalanta who had moved to sit next to her. She was warm. The cottage started to double in her blurry eyes. Suddenly, Rin felt very tired. The pull into oblivion was spiraling fast towards her. Sweat started to bead on her forehead. Atalanta's catalyst had reached its peak and this world, this dream; this wish was coming to an end. But Rin needed to say something before it all faded. With great difficulty, she made her mouth work to force the words out as the objects started to disperse into nothing.
"...I would have been happy." Rin whispered. "We would have been happy." Her voice cracking as she said it.
Atalanta smiled sadly as she pushed Rin's bangs from her face and wrapped her arm around Rin whispering back.
"Yes, we really would have been."
..awwww. No pitchfork pls! If these type of chapters aren't your cup of tea, just bear with it for a little bit. I honestly am unsure how I doing with long chapters- they take a lot- I might not be good at them. Testing out how fuller chapters work for me.
And not knocking Kid Gil in skills in any way. Just there's a Rin shaped blind spot! But in his defense, he probably didn't even think she'd be able to cast anything like this.
Sorry we didn't stay in Atalanta land too long. So course a lot of unresolved things and the sort. If Atalanta had been a better state of mind, she'd probably ask a bunch more questions. But whatcha gonna do? Hopefully it works itself out ;P
Places to go. Things to do.
