(A New canon is coming, questions will finally be answered as the story continues to move forward.)
Bold = English Conversations
Bold + Italics = Japanese Conversations
Canon 39
Previously on Canon Distortion…
Sora Minakaze and Makoto Nanaya made their way towards Kagutsuchi's cauldron. They were expecting to find something like an epic battle occurring but much to their shock, what they find was a somber scene where Hunter Long had just perished from his previous wounds. In a mixture of both confusion and rage, Sora demanded for Amy to show herself and explain herself to what he was witnessing. Little did he know that the role he was given unwillingly was now going to be fulfilled…
And Now, the continuation of Canon Distortion.
The first thing Sora did when he opened his eyes was simply try to adjust to the sight that he was looking at. His eyes stung from just trying to focus on the image in front of him as the blinding light from before still lingered, forcing him to shake his head to get his head out of the image. "Where… Where the hell..." Sora said as he took a single step, hearing a crisp footstep be made from his own feet as the ground itself felt very light, as if he was stepping on clouds.
As soon as his foot felt the drastic change of the floor he was standing on, his immediately refocused and finally allowed him to see past the blinding light, giving him the much needed vision he needed as Sora's reaction was to hold back a gasp as he saw something he never thought he would see. A gigantic door, it's size almost as tall as a skyscraper. But the door was not the weird part, the weird part was where he was standing at.
"This...This place from my dreams..." Sora muttered as he heard a shocked gasp behind him, alarming him as he turned to see that Makoto Nanaya herself was in this place, the place that he last saw Amy in his dreams as he quickly rushed towards her. "Where...Where the hell are we?" Makoto questioned as she struggled to get a bearing of her surroundings. Sora himself struggled to figure out what he was supposed to say, saying that this was a place from his dreams would only give her weird looks.
"We are at the door that leads to the truth of this world." A voice spoke as Sora noticed Rachel Alucard, holding her umbrella and minding her own business as Sora looked at her confused. "What the… Why… How are you even here?" Sora questioned as Rachel simply chuckled. "I have special permission to be here, my role as an observer of the world allows me to come here. The more important question is why are you here?" Rachel said as Sora simply looked at her confused.
"Why am I here?" Sora said, the shock still clearly on his face as Rachel sighed, she had thought that Sora would know the purpose of his existence but the fact that he didn't raised some alarms for the girl. "Well… I know I asked Amy to explain to me what the hell is going on with all I had just seen… so the fact that I am here… with still no answers to the questions and ending up in the place where I dreamed off is just so weird." Sora said, his sentence already enough to give Makoto confusion herself as she scratched her head.
"I highly doubt that this is a dream… because if it is, I bet that you really do have quite the hyperactive imagination to make all of this feel really fucking real." Makoto said, the shock of what her current surroundings were still not setting in as she looked around and realized that Noel and everyone else was in the room was simply gone. "Wait… Where's Noel… Where's Hunter… Where's everyone else!?" Makoto said, her voice becoming alarmed by her surroundings as Sora struggled to figure out how he was going to calm her down.
"Please… Calm down Makoto Nanaya. We are in a different place from them." Another voice spoke as Sora looked right at the giant door as a woman, Amy standing right at the middle as Amy slowly approached the trio. "We are at the edge of the door that leads to where the Azure rests… You should be frozen like the others we left behind… I guess this is your doing Miss Rachel?" Amy said as Sora couldn't help but be alarmed by the fact that Amy was being chummy with Rachel Alucard, the girl/woman from his dreams knowing someone that he had only met for what was a short lunch.
"Of course, I believe Miss Nanaya deserves to know the truth of how our world works." Rachel said as Amy sighed and bit down on her lips. "You know it's very dangerous to show people how our world functions. The truth is much scarier and people should be glad that they are ignorant to the scary truth." Amy said as Rachel simply shook her head. "You say that… yet Miss Nanaya herself reawakened her own memories of Sora Minakaze, the person.. The Continuum Error you are about to use for your own goals."
The moment both Sora and Makoto heard that, this made them look at Amy as she scratched her head. "It is true… Makoto Nanaya regaining her memories of Sora Minakaze is unfortunate. It makes what we are about to do next much more painful for her. But don't worry, once we do so, we will make sure her memories of him are erased so she doesn't have to live through the pain of losing her loved one."
The moment Sora heard Amy say those words, his blood froze for a second. He couldn't believe the words he was hearing Amy, the person he spoke to his dreams were saying. "What… What the hell are you talking about Amy? What did you do to her!?…Do you mean… the same as Noel...Tsubaki...Hunter…" Sora said as Makoto herself was frozen in fear, hearing what Amy had just said as she shook her head. She refused to believe what she was hearing at that moment.
"You...You're the one responsible for me… forgetting about Sora?" Makoto said, her fists clenched tightly as Amy noticed the woman do so as she looked away from Makoto and focused her gaze right back at Sora. "I...I can understand if you hate me." Amy tried to say that what she did was deemed necessary by the Azure but Sora was not having it. "Hate you? You're doing your job by the looks of it. I don't hate you as a person. I hate what your job is asking to do! Why the hell are you going around erasing everyone's memories of me!? What's this so called Azure's plan for me!?" Sora demanded as he walked towards Amy, anger growing within him.
"Sora...I can explain all of this, but you getting angry over me will make it harder for me to explain to you without you flipping out on me." Amy said, trying to make what was going to happen next less painful as Rachel noticed the guardian's struggle to calm down the individuals in front of her. Sora took a deep breath, understanding himself that being angry himself will make things harder for him to learn the bullshit that Amy was going to feed him next. If he wanted to make sure he got her straight, he needed to listen to Amy and her words carefully.
Sora simply looked down the ground, staring at the near holy like structure he was standing on as he gestured with his hand for Amy to continue with what she was about to say. "First...of all. I guess you can guess the reason why the world's memories of you are erased is due to the interference of the Azure...and by extension us." Amy said, trying to be careful with her words as not to come off as cold but knew her duty as a protector of the Azure has to come first.
"Yeah. I can guess from the guilty tone you are giving me. So why did you do it. Why erase everyone's memories of me?" Sora questioned, trying to control his emotions of anger to not let him snap until he heard the complete truth. "The main reason...we erased everyone's memories of you… was to make it easier when we reset the timeline for the flow of time to return back to normal." Amy answered as he slammed his foot down on the ground, spooking the girl as he glared at her.
"Reset the timeline? What the hell are you even talking about?" Sora demanded as Rachel decided to step in and help Amy. "It means resetting the world back to what it was and allowing the world to play out once more, only without the source of the distortion causing it. Think of it as Phenomena intervention but on a larger scale." Rachel explained as Sora looked at her, wanting to have what she said further explained as she decided an example was the best.
"You are familiar with the butterfly effect? The term where a singular event, a single decision made could result in many different paths created for those that made said decision?" Rachel explained as Sora nodded his head. He was familiar with said concept and could now understand what she meant. "So you are saying that these timelines are simply butterfly effects that are always happening, creating different paths or...possibilities as you would put it for everyone it affects?" Sora summarized as Rachel simply smirked.
"You are much smarter than you make yourself look to be Mr Minakaze." Rachel answered as Sora scoffed at her words. "So in this case, the distortion is the decision that was made by someone that fucked up. Still doesn't change the fact that people's memories of me are disappearing and I am being called some damn Error here." Sora said as Amy paused for a moment before clearing her throat. "It's...It's because… you are the distortion in this case… Sora Minakaze." Amy explained as Sora paused for a moment before looking at her with a face that could have made anyone freeze as his eyes demanded an explanation at that point.
Amy: Well… You see… A timeline can change from various things, from certain events not happening to other events occurring when they shouldn't be…
Sora: Stop beating around the damn bush, I get what you mean by that. What I want to know is why I am the damn distortion here?
Amy:… Your very existence… created events that were not supposed to happen. Do you remember the Black Rebellion?
Sora: Yeah… of course I do, what of it?
Amy: The Black Rebellion… never happened in any other timeline. In every other timeline, the academy was in a time of peace while the rest of the world struggled to deal with the Ikarugan conflict. The Black Lotus you once knew weren't even a strong power at that point and were just a nobody group of mercenaries.
Sora and Makoto couldn't believe what they had just heard. The Black Rebellion wasn't supposed to exist? All of the blood spilled on that day, the people that they lost, all didn't happened in another timeline but for them it did? What kind of craziness were they hearing at this point. "The distortions created by a singular timeline have the ability to create multiple new timelines from that point. We...The Azure decided to use that to her advantage to find a timeline where she can fulfill her goals." Amy explained as this began to concern both Sora and Makoto with her choice of words.
"And what was this goal you were looking for?" Makoto decided to ask, her heart pounding as she didn't like where this was going. "We… were looking for a timeline where Hunter Long did not perish trying to save Noel Vermillion." Amy explained as this made both Sora and Makoto's eyes widened at what she had just revealed. A timeline where Hunter did not die? What did they need him for if they were this desperate.
"While it is true that the Black Rebellion was something that never happened, it happening created several new timelines, timelines we could have used to try and find a future where he lived… however we were unable to, no matter how many timelines we searched." Amy explained as she did not explain the reason why Hunter was needed as both Sora and Makoto opened their mouths, ready to ask that question but Amy knew what they were about to say and raised her hand to stop them.
"You see… It's less of us needing him to be alive but the Successor of the Azure, Noel Vermillion herself." This suddenly caused both Sora and Makoto to stop, freezing as Amy knew she just said something brand new once more. "The Successor of the Azure, the one who can see the Azure and beyond that, the Azure's tool to reshaping this world, the Master Unit Amaterasu. That is what Noel Vermillion is." Amy said as this new wave of information was something hard for them to process but based on the conversation so far, something that played an important role.
"Is...Is it because… Noellie refuses to let Hunter die? Or see him die in the first place?" Makoto questioned as Amy paused before nodding her head. "Noel Vermillion and Hunter Long. The two of them have forged a bond that is like diamond. Despite this, Hunter Long has been destined by the Azure to perish young, early even. Their love is a tragedy, a tragedy that the both of them try desperately to overcome." Amy explained as Sora and Makoto looked at each other, knowing of the love that the two of them shared as they felt the same way.
"So...Unintentionally, Noel Vermillion has been using the Azure Grimoire to try and gain her wish, her wish of seeing her loved one not only restored to life, but also the previous wounds he suffered to be healed as well. A wish that is as futile as it sounds." Amy said as Rachel was slightly surprised by this. "Just like a story my father once told me..." Rachel mumbled as Amy took a deep breath. "Because of her stubbornness, she's ended timeline after timeline, never finishing them and leaving them incomplete and thus doomed to perish. All for the sake of the one she loves." Amy continued as both Sora and Makoto looked at each other even more, saddened to hear this.
"Thus… the Azure, and by extension the guardians decided to grant her wish, not just so that she can be happy, but also so we can finally allow the passage of time to continue on from where she had stopped it." Amy finished, explaining what had happened as both Sora and Makoto knew they needed some time to finish processing everything and thus decided it was best to explain out loud what Amy had just explained to them, more as a summary than anything.
"So...if I am getting this right. Timelines… are basically possibilities that are so drastic that new events happen out of them that never happen before." Makoto said as Amy didn't know where they were going with this nor why was it necessary to summarize things but she decided to oblige. "Yes, Timelines are what you describe them to be. Alternative possibilities so drastic, they change the very history of the world itself. An event such as The Black Rebellion could have occurred in one timeline but in another timeline it doesn't." Amy said as Sora and Makoto nodded their heads at that.
"And Noel Vermillion is this...Successor of the Azure who has been unintentionally resetting the timeline trying to live in one where Hunter doesn't die like the way he did..." Sora said as Amy nodded her head. "And because of this, the timelines.. no the very existence of life has ceased to move because Noel Vermillion simply does not wish to keep on living in a world where her loved one is not beside her. The pain she feels in her heart simply too great for her to bear." Amy continued.
"So… The world wants to move on… but because Noel doesn't want to live without Hunter, she's somehow forcing the world to reset until she gets her wish." Makoto concluded as Amy nodded her head. "That is the reason why we are here currently in the situation we are in. We must keep Hunter Long alive, but no matter which route we choose for him, it all results in his death. However this is the only death that both Hunter Long and Noel Vermillion are finally able to reunite… as tragic as it sounds." Amy said, making both Makoto and Sora look at each other as they knew what was going to be their next question.
"In that case, why focus on trying to erase Sora and just give Noel what she wants. Isn't that just easier, just create a timeline where Hunter does survive and stop trying to erase Sora." Makoto said as Amy was waiting to hear that response. "Of course we have tried to do that. But the result was completely the opposite of what we wanted." Amy said as Makoto scratched her head at that but Sora immediately knew what she was talking about.
"Are you talking about… Hunter killing Noel Vermillion instead to "Save" Her?" Sora said as Makoto's eyes widened hearing that as Amy nodded her head. "I see you saw… what happened when we created that timeline. "Yes. While Hunter Long did live through that timeline. With the death of Noel Vermillion, the successor of the Azure, there was no point in really continuing on with that timeline. A timeline where one man lives at the cost of the successor is something the Azure refuses to accept."
"No… that can't be." Makoto said, collapsing to her knees hearing what Amy had just said, her mind processing the truth that was given to her. "But… But there's other timelines right?! You can eventually find one with time right!?" Makoto said as Sora stopped her, realizing something himself as he decided to spell it out. "You can eventually find one that fits Noel's needs… but you don't have time to do that don't you and you're getting desperate." Sora said as Amy bit her lips.
"While I am completely fine with waiting and hoping for a timeline that Noel and Hunter can find their happiness… The master unit… The Azure cannot afford to keep waiting for so long." Amy explained as Sora bit his lips, wondering where this conversation was going to go next. "Then tell me this… What the hell is an Error and why on Earth did you pick me to be this damn error when I have a life to live." Sora said, deciding being careful needs to be ditched, he needed the truth and truth was Amy was deliberately trying to stall things.
"Look...as much as the explanation you gave us about Noel and Hunter and the world trying to help them out is nice and all. It is still missing the important thing of WHY DOES MY WHOLE LIFE HAVE TO BE ERASED JUST SO HUNTER CAN LIVE WHEN THERE IS CLEARLY OTHER WAYS TO KEEP HIM ALIVE WITHOUT DOING SOMETHING AS DRASTIC AND STUPID AS THIS!" Sora shouted, his anger finally getting to him as he had kept it bottled in and now it was exploding in such an explosive manner that everyone in the room couldn't help but feel shook by the raw emotions he was giving.
"I WANT TO SEE HUNTER ALIVE AS MUCH AS EVERYONE ELSE DOES! I WANT TO SEE NOEL BE HAPPY! THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT! SO WHY IN GOD'S FUCKING NAME AM I BEING TREATED AS IF MY LIFE WAS MEANINGLESS FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO REMAIN ALIVE! THAT IS JUST FUCKING MESSED UP!" Sora shouted, not holding back his words as he glared right at Amy, his eyes doing most of the talking as Amy herself didn't know how to take the sudden explosive emotion bomb she had been dealt.
"SO JUST GIVE ME MY DAMN ANSWER! WHAT THE FUCK IS A CONTINUUM ERROR! AND WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH MY FUCKING EXISTENCE BEING ERASED FROM EVERYONE'S MIND!" Sora yelled as Sora panted, allowing his rage to subside as hot breaths of air could be seen coming out of his mouth. His body trembled with anger, Sora struggling to return back to a more neutral stance as Makoto held his hand, giving him the much needed relief his mind needed as he dropped down to his knees, now feeling the wave of emotions that he had been hit with seething through him as Amy walked closer to him, taking a deep breath as she knelt down to his level and looked at him in the eyes.
"A...continuum error….is something of a last resort. Something the Master Unit uses to try and get something that cannot be achieved through the normal means of intervention, a taboo of sorts." Amy explained as she knew the answer she had given him would require more explanation. "The master unit tries not to interfere with the world. It changes events by altering them with phenomena intervention. However, if there is a fate that we wish to avoid, something that no amount of phenomena intervention is able to do so, A continuum error is then required."
The way Amy described what a continuum error was sent a bad feeling down Sora and Makoto's stomachs as Rachel remained quiet, knowing the truth herself but deciding to let Amy explain it and only pitch in when absolutely needed. "A Continuum Error… is a way for us to rewrite a possibility completely by simply just replacing it with another possibility entirely. It is fundamentally different from how normal phenomena intervention works."
"Normal Phenomena intervention works by altering a series of events. If someone ends up severely injured or near dead, we can alter it so that they suffered minor injuries or were fine even. These are minor at the end of the day because they don't change much of what actually happens, just alters when it actually happens. A continuum error fundamentally changes an event by changing the person who is affected by it. Using the same example, instead of undoing that person's injuries, we instead find a person to take the injured person's place, fundamentally changing the world in the process."
"So a continuum error's basically a replacement for what happens to someone…!?" Sora stopped speaking after that statement, realizing what that meant as Makoto was still a bit unsure of what Amy meant by that. "I don't get it. What's the difference if you switch the people who get hurt. wouldn't that just mean that a different person gets hurt at the end of the day?" Makoto said as Amy nodded her head.
"Indeed, that is what would happen. But think more carefully, take the example I gave you and apply it to other things." Amy said as Makoto did just that and began to think. 'If a person who normally was supposed to be injured gets replaced by someone else entirely… That would mean changing what fundamentally happens to people… so if a person who was meant to die gets swapped with a person...who...lives…!?' Makoto soon realized the same thing that Sora had realized.
"If a person who was meant to die gets replaced by a person who is meant to live. You aren't just trading places, you are trading the very fates of those people. You are saving people by just killing another person off in the process." Sora said, the grim reality of the title given to him setting into his mind as he realized what he was supposed to be used for. "Yes...Sora Minakaze… You...were chosen to be an error to save Hunter Long. Your own life will be used… to save his."
"But...But that's wrong! You can't just use someone else's life just to save another life! That's just playing god!" Makoto argued as Rachel decided to chip in at that moment. "The Azure cannot simply turn people into Continuum Errors. Individuals who serve a greater purpose in the eyes of the Azure are exempt from becoming Errors, even if they are menaces to society." Rachel explained as Sora decided to rephrase the answer Rachel gave them.
"So what does the Azure consider in people when they look for individuals who have a greater purpose?" Sora questioned as Amy decided to let Rachel talk as anything she would say might further anger Sora and Makoto. "The Azure looks into their importance at the timeline, how much their actions influence the world around them and what happens should they disappear from the world. It doesn't do this for those it wishes to keep alive but also those who it considers expendable." Rachel explained as Sora and Makoto decided to remain quiet, their silence being enough to prompt Rachel to go further.
"I am merely making a presumption here but you can help clarify things for us Amy. But I am guessing Sora Minakaze here is an individual deemed by the Azure to be one of those expendables." Rachel said, immediately thrusting Amy back into the spotlight as Sora and Makoto turned their heads to look at Amy, their eyes demanding answers as Amy bit down on her lips. "I...I don't know how the Azure decides who's important and who's not. All I know is… The Azure decided that Sora is expendable." Amy explained, her voice telling them that she truly did not know the reason as to why Sora was selected to become an Error in the first place.
"In that case, Why doesn't the Azure just simply use continuum errors to create the timeline the Azure wishes to make? If it can have that much power, it can create any outcome it wishes for itself. It wouldn't need to use something like phenomena intervention if it can use errors as sacrificial lambs. You can have someone die in place of a person the Azure wants to keep alive or even use someone else to take the path you didn't want your important people to take." Sora said, looking at Amy as he knew the implications such a power would bring.
"I don't speak for the Azure… but the reason I think the Azure doesn't use Continuum Errors as casually as phenomena intervention is because it understands that it shouldn't be trying to control the fates of other people and is trying to limit it's interactions with the world." Amy said as Sora scratched his head. "But that is your interpretation of the Azure. Doesn't the Azure have a voice that it can speak for itself." Sora asked as Amy paused for a second.
"The Azure… it… it doesn't speak normally for itself. That is what us Guardians are for. We interpret the actions of the Azure and try to make sense of the decisions it makes. I still don't know why you were chosen to be the Error Sora. But as it's guardian, I cannot appose it's decision." Amy said as Sora bit his lips, his mind racing with various thoughts as Makoto continued to tightly hold onto Sora's hand as Amy bit down her lips.
"Then tell me what on Earth happens to a person who is chosen to be an error. Besides the obvious." Sora said as Amy felt reluctant to speak, not because she was reluctant to tell Sora what was going to happen but how Sora was going to react. "Once...a person has been chosen to become a Continuum Error, It depends on how severe it is. We can go as far as altering memories to ensure that the continuity in a timeline is maintained… even erasing memories about the error from everyone else."
The more Sora and Makoto learned about the current situation they were thrusted in, the more they both were hating it. A few days ago, they were completely oblivious as to how the world really worked, a few things were off but it seemed normal at the time. Now here they were, learning about a system that constantly changing things, altering things that it had no reason to and finally learning that this almighty being has the power to decide the complete future of people, not even sure what the Azure considers important to it and it's goal to create what seemed to be it's ideal timeline.
"I know...this is much to learn and I know you still have many questions. But… all I can say is. The Azure rarely chooses to use a continuum Error to maintain the integrity of a timeline and treats it as an absolute last resort to gain the goals it wishes, but when it does, we have to take it seriously." Amy summarized as both Sora and Makoto bit their lips as Rachel took a deep breath. "Now you understand the truth. What being a continuum Error really means." Rachel said as Makoto couldn't keep it in her any longer as she looked directly at Amy.
"Then why… WHY SORA OF ALL PEOPLE!?" Makoto demanded as Sora looked at her surprised as Amy remained quiet, feeling the anger residing within Makoto radiate towards her. "He may not be important to you but he's important to me dammit! Yet you messed with my mind, made me forget all about him, made me feel like complete shit for even forgetting about him! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!" Makoto demanded, finally able to get the answers she desperately looked for, the once in a lifetime opportunity that had been given to her and she wasn't going to let it go to waste.
Amy: I...I really wish I can tell you Makoto Nanaya. But the Azure and by extension the Master Unit doesn't tell us all of this.
Makoto: LIAR! YOU DO KNOW! YOU DEFINITELY KNOW THE REASON!
Amy: I understand you feel emotional, the truth of us trying to wipe your memories of your loved one away from you… it must sting a lot.
Makoto: Sting? DON'T GIVE ME THAT UNDERSTANDING CRAP! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID WAS WRONG! PLAYING WITH OTHERS MEMORIES JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN!
Amy: Makoto Nanaya…
Sora could see the pain and anguish that was in Makoto's face. He could also see the anguish that was in Amy's face when she was telling the truth. Walking towards Rachel, he knew he had to ask something. "So tell me, what happens after an error fulfills their role? Would that create a brand new timeline?" Sora questioned, making sure Makoto did not hear him as he didn't want to give Makoto the wrong idea that he was alright with what was happening with him as his fist tensed greatly.
"Judging from what your role is. Your death will result in Hunter Long being brought back to life. As for the people who still remember you… the Azure will try to do everything in their power to ensure their memories of you are wiped out… this includes Miss Nanaya of course." Rachel explained as Sora bit down on his lips, realizing the shitty situation that he had just been placed in. "This is so fucked up, How can stuff like this even be allowed in the first place?" Sora questioned as Rachel shook her head.
"I can understand your confusion… but this is just how the Azure works." Rachel said as Sora looked towards Amy once more before his gaze focused on the gigantic door in front of him. "Is… is there really no way to escape this fate?" Sora questioned as Rachel pondered herself, "The only way I think you can escape this would be a life link, a bond that connects two people and their lives to each other. However how a life link is created is not known even to us observers. I highly doubt you want to rely on such a prayer." Rachel questioned as Sora looked down at his feet at the options presented to him.
He could fulfill the role that was placed into his hands, accept death and save Hunter Long. Sure Hunter gets to live but what would that mean? It would mean that Makoto Nanaya would have to suffer. Even if her memories of him were to be wiped out, Sora had sensed a growing darkness that was coming out of her, something that Makoto herself may not really be aware off, will she really be alright if he made such a selfless decision to sacrifice his life and can wiping her memories of him really ease the pain that will grow in her heart.
"So...Sora Minakaze, I ask you a simple question. What will you choose? Will you choose to accept the fate of someone who is chosen to die to save another's life? Or will you choose an entirely different option?" Rachel questioned as Sora bit down on his lips, the choice weighing heavily on his mind as he looked back at Makoto and Amy. "Sora...Sora's such an important person to me. For me to just forget about him… to just be made to forget that he ever existed even after he helped me through so much… I don't know if my heart can take such a thing." Makoto said, her tears flowing down her eyes as Amy walked down to comfort her.
"I understand this is a lot for you to take in right now… but please tell me you understand what is to happen." Amy asked as Makoto pounded the ground in anger with her singular fist. "OF COURSE I DO! OF COURSE I DO AND YET… YET THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT! NONE OF THIS IS RIGHT!" Makoto shouted as Amy bit down on her lips. "Maybe if I really had not remembered Sora… I would have been fine with all of this. I would have been fine sacrificing Sora to save Hunter… But with the memories I have… the love I have. Asking me if I am alright sacrificing all of that just to save my friend's lover… THAT IS SO FUCKED UP! NOBODY SHOULD EVEN BE MADE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE!" Makoto shouted as tears emerged out of her eyes, dripping down on the ground as the frustration, the suffering she had to endure. What she thought would be the answers to her pain simply turned into agony and misery.
"I understand...Makoto Nanaya. But do not worry. Once the error fulfills his goal, we will make sure the pain you are feeling right now gets erased. You will never have to feel the sadness in you ever again. You can live the life that you were supposed to, away from all of this. You don't have to know the truth anymore, you can simply choose to live happily in ignorance surrounded by your friends. You will find love again, I can assure you this." Amy said, trying to ease the pain of the reality that Makoto was being forced to bear with the promise of the sweet release that the pain being inflicted to her would bring.
In that brief moment, Makoto actually considered it in her mind. "Will...Will I truly… be happy in the new timeline you create?" Makoto asked as her eyes became a bit hollow. She was done suffering in the pain that was being inflicted to her in what she felt was being unjust as she was just done living like this. "Will.. Will I be...able to finally forget all of this?" Makoto questioned, her will to even resist at this point was broken as she just wanted to stop suffering at this point as in her mind, she was simply tired.
But before Amy could tell her more, she immediately sensed danger as a familiar tone chimed. "ENHANCED GEAR!" The Rev Blade yelled as Sora sliced through the air, blasting a much larger volume of seithr right towards Amy as she got blown back from Makoto, flying a few feet as she stumbled on the ground as Sora stood in between her and Makoto. "Please...Sora… Don't...Don't make this harder than it has to be." Makoto begged as she looked at him with the tears that were in her eyes.
Sora did not bother to look back at her as she placed her hands on his back. "I understand… that we should keep on fighting. But it's pointless. If everything is set in stone, then why should we even fight back at such fate? We should accept it and not suffer through any of this crap. It's better to be just ignorant and accept it all." Makoto said, her voice becoming solemn as she had come to accept that this is what destiny, what fate has given her. She wanted to at least, accept that and just forget everything she had learned.
Sora then took a calm deep breath. "So… are you saying our love is meaningless?" Sora questioned as the life in Makoto's eyes flickered as she shook her head desperately. "No… NO OF COURSE NOT! I'M SCARED SORA! I WANT HUNTER TO LIVE! BUT I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU TOO! I CANNOT PICK BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU!" Makoto said as she soon found herself receiving a slap to the face from Sora's hand, hard enough to leave a mark on her face as she touched it in shock.
"Then stop panicking about the stupid shit and focus on what's important!" Sora yelled, finally grabbing Makoto's attention as he grabbed her by her collar and pulled her towards him. "IF YOU GAVE UP YOUR MEMORIES OF ALL OF THIS! OF ME! WHAT ARE YOU TRULY DOING TO YOURSELF!? SURE THE PAIN YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW WILL GO AWAY BUT CAN YOU TRULY SAY IN GOOD CONSCIOUS THAT YOU WILL EVER FEEL HAPPY EVER AGAIN!? DOES ME SACRIFICING MY OWN LIFE TO SAVE HUNTER TRULY MAKE YOU HAPPY DEEP INSIDE YOUR HEART!?" Sora yelled, a ball of emotions himself blowing up as Makoto shook her head furiously.
"BUT! BUT SORA!" Makoto stuttered as before she could even speak another word, Sora immediately kissed her. This was the most inappropriate time to do so as Makoto tried to push Sora back. But Sora knew that she needed this. Her heart was confused, conflicted between what the world wants and what she wants. Even if it meant forcing himself to her, Sora pushed himself to kiss her deeper, the two soon dropping to the ground as Makoto soon found herself not trying to push him off anymore as even more tears emerged out of her eyes as they parted.
"I...I am so tired Sora… these past few days… They just have been so draining to me. I find out.. that the world I am living in just another world in a series of other worlds. I find out my best friend is actually some sort of secret weapon created by fucked up scientists."
"I find out that the love of my life is actually destined to be a sacrificial lamb to help one of my other friends survive through what he had endured and that my memories and love for the man I love were erased from me just so I wouldn't feel like the way I do right now. I have been through so much and I just cannot take it anymore!.."
Makoto continued to weep as Sora could feel the raw emotions that were coming out of her. Days of what was essentially built up stress, revelations and truths had taken it's toll on her. She had to endure so many experiences that nobody was supposed to and her mind was simply tired from it all, tired of trying to make sense of everything as Sora felt Makoto weep into his chest as she hugged him tightly.
"I just don't know what to do anymore… I don't want to feel this sadness anymore. I just want to be happy living with my friends and family. I want to live with you, the love of my life and make a future together. I...I just...I just want some sort of stability in my life right now." Makoto said, her desires so pure as everyone in the room could feel it. Here she was, a normal squirrel beastkin, forced to endure constant revelations about how the world worked and how she was simply a small piece in this gigantic puzzle. She found herself being surrounded by beings higher than her, more special than her, just normal Makoto Nanaya and she couldn't take it anymore.
"I...I am so sorry...for being such...a spineless coward." Makoto said as she looked at him, expecting a look of disappointment, a look of pain as she felt that she had failed Sora. She had failed him at the deepest of cores. She was willingly choosing to ditch him just so she can ease her own pain and suffering. It ate up within her as she expected Sora to say something like he understood and would just ditch her. She wouldn't blame him for doing so and she will finally get the peace from the chaos she had found herself dragged into.
"….You're not spineless Makoto..." Sora said, surprising her as she soon felt a pair of tears drop down onto her face, landing on her cheeks as it was Sora's turn to start crying. "Of course I can understand how you feel… I'm going through the same thing as well." Sora continued as he rubbed his eyes, showing weakness for the first time to Makoto. "I gave it some thought as well… I thought… that if I did sacrifice myself, that Hunter would come back if my life was forfeited, then of course I would do so." Sora said as Makoto was simply shocked by what Sora had said.
"I...for too long, have seen people I care for just die in front of my eyes. People I truly would give for to have come back. Even if they don't remember me, I am willing to sacrifice my life for any of those people." Sora said, not bothering to stop as he felt he needed to get all of his emotions out. "But I then gave it a thought… and I wondered. Would the people I care for really consider me sacrificing my life for theirs truly worth it? Even if they don't remember me and I am nothing but just a stranger to them? I cannot speak for others but I can speak for myself and I can safely say that I wouldn't feel right deep inside."
"Pain and loss are truly horrible things, but it's because we go through them that we are able to grow. Become more than who we are. The people who gave their lives for me… they wouldn't want me to just throw away my own life just because it will save them. There would be no meaning to my sacrifice, it would just be causing pain and suffering to the people I love instead, the ones who are still alive." Sora continued as Sora did not bother to stop crying at this point, showing the anguish deep in his eyes to Makoto.
"That's why… I refuse to accept this fate. I refuse to accept that me dying is the only way Hunter can come back. Even if the alternative way is more painful, I will keep fighting for what I believe will make everyone happy… even if it means tearing myself apart in the process." Sora said as he slowly stood up as Amy at this point had recovered from the shock of the attack Sora had given her. "I am sorry Amy. But if you want to bring back Hunter from the dead using my life, You are going to have to take it from me." Sora said, his eyes stern as he began to rev the rev blade.
"I...I see… I had hoped that this wouldn't have to come to violence." Amy said as Sora decided to end this charade in one hit, revving the Rev Blade as Makoto could feel a wind coming out of the Rev Blade hit her in the face as Sora himself shouldn't be fighting right now. "You should seriously reconsider Sora. You're injured from your previous fight and you are definitely going to lose if you continue." Amy said as Sora revved the Rev Blade once again.
"Nothing you say will change my mind Amy." Sora said as the rev blade roared, "DISTORTION GEAR!" As Amy looked down sadly, biting her lips. "Are...Are you truly certain of that?" Amy asked as Sora closed his eyes for a moment before revving the Rev Blade for his final answer. "ASTRAL GEAR!" "Yes Amy, That I am truly certain of." Sora had decided, if his fate is to die to bring back Hunter, then he was going to fight to live and force the Azure to simply bring back Hunter regardless without using his own life as a catalyst. He was determined to not only stay alive for the one he loves, but bring back the person his friends love in the process.
"I refuse, to let there be any sacrifice that causes nothing but pain and suffering to anybody!" Sora shouted as he dashed towards Amy, clicking the blade as it screamed. "ASTRAL FINISH!" The Rev Blade yelled as Sora pointed the Blade in front of him before arching his back, preparing a strong thrusting motion as Makoto simply watched as right in front of her was Sora, desperately trying to fight for a future that involved no sacrifice and yet here she was, already considering it as the only way to save her friends.
"Sora.." Makoto tried to find the strength to stand but fell down on her ass in the process, her tail softening the blow as Rachel walked towards her. "My… that boy has truly decided to rebel against the Azure, I do not know whether to commend him for his bravery or scold him for his stupidity." Rachel commented as Sora thrust the blade right towards Amy. "Kaze no gōon !" Sora yelled as he had injected some of his own Seithr into this Astral as a massive wave of Seithr came rushing towards Amy, forcing her to form a barrier to block the recklessly thrown Astral heat.
But before the wind could touch Amy, what seemed to be multiple crystals formed right between Amy and the massive gust of seithr wind rushing towards her, crashing right into the crystals and dispersing the winds in the process as Sora was alarmed by the sudden appearance of this in the first place. Then felt another presence coming his way, forcing him to raise the Rev Blade to guard and take a massive hit in the process, causing him to slide greatly as he felt the Rev Blade nearly break from the sheer strength put behind it.
"Sora!" Makoto yelled as she found her strength once more, catching him and getting pushed alongside him as Rachel used her drive to push a gust of wind towards Sora and Makoto, stopping the two from sliding further as the two of them looked at the new person who had just appeared slowly came into view. The first and most iconic thing about the new person was the blue dress that she wore that complimented the massive blade she wielded. What did not match was the fact that the blade was being wielded by a girl much smaller than the blade itself.
The closest example would be David being given Goliath's sword. The blonde hair of the girl followed with a long strand of her hair sticking out of it were the final notable pieces about her along with her tiny red tie as the girl looked towards Amy. "I am guessing that the negotiations have fallen apart Amy?" The girl questioned as Amy looked away, dismissing her barrier. "Yes… Yes they have, Es." Amy said as she had hoped that it wouldn't have come to Es herself making an appearance like this.
"Then Shall I proceed with the elimination of the Error?" Es questioned as Amy looked away, biting her lips as she couldn't help but feel conflicted. Sora saw this as a chance as he looked right at Makoto in the eyes. "Makoto listen to me, you and Rachel need to get the hell out of here." Sora said as this caused Makoto to suddenly get a rise, wanting to reject that proposal but Sora looked at her firmly.
"I know you want to stay here but I can't allow you. If these lunatics are really after my death then they are going to go after me and me alone. If they see you here, they are going to try and use you as a leverage to get me to kill myself." Sora said as Makoto wanted to fight back but knew Sora was right at that. With her current injured state, she would simply be used as a hostage as much as she wanted to argue that wasn't going to happen.
"But...But what if you really die? Then what am I supposed to do then?" Makoto questioned, tightly hugging him as Es continued to remain still as Amy bit her lips. She wanted to tell Es to go after Sora right now and end this but seeing Sora and Makoto converse like this, what may be their final moment, was causing her to hesitate more than she needed to. "I don't have any plans on dying anytime soon Makoto. Not when I know that you are still alive." Sora said as Makoto looked at him surprised.
"When...When I saw you near death's door, I thought that I really would lose you like Alice…Saeko… Reiko.. Marcus, Chikacho, Shen, Monika. People I love and care for… When I saw that you were still alive and fighting… I need I had to continue fighting for your sake. If you die now…Then what's the point of me even living right now?.." Sora questioned as Makoto herself didn't know how to respond to that.
"Even if I am destined to die because of some unfair god. That doesn't mean I will let myself submit and just die like that. I will keep on fighting not only for what I believe is right but for the people I love the most." Sora said his hand firmly gripping on her as he could hear the small cracks on the Rev Blade. He had put everything into that one last strike with said Rev Blade and the limiter that Caroline had placed on the blade was now taking place as when he tried to rev it, it locked up in place to prevent excess Seithr from entering the blade.
'So...It's come to this then.' Sora thought as he knew that without the Rev Blade, he wasn't going to stand that much of a chance as he looked right at Makoto and the arm that Relius had given her. "Makoto, give me the arm that Relius gave you." Sora said as Makoto looked at him confused, unsure with what he was about to do as she did so. She soon felt Sora thrust into her hands the Rev Blade as she looked at him confused.
"Take the Rev Blade back with you and make sure you give it to Caroline. She will be able to make adjustments for it to fit on you." Sora said as Makoto could feel it slipping again, what felt like was going to be the last moments she would ever spend with the man she loved. "Well, at least until I come back and take it from you." Sora said as this stopped Makoto from further panicking as he smiled and pointed to her chest.
"I am trusting you to take good care of the Rev Blade now. Think of the Rev Blade as a piece of me that I am entrusting to you." Sora explained as Makoto shook her head, wanting to refuse this self sacrifice that she thought Sora was going to make. "But! But I want to be here with you! All the way to the end!" Makoto said, finally able to get the words out of her mouth as Sora softly smiled, understanding why she would feel this way.
"I want the same as well… but if you remain here, they can erase your memories of me right on the spot. And while it's true that there are a ton of timelines and thus a ton of versions of you. You're still my Makoto Nanaya. And I don't want to lose you no matter what." Sora explained as Makoto looked down, clutching tightly on the Rev blade as Sora made her look at him in the eyes. "Thus. You need to get away… Get stronger... find a way back here, and get me out of here… while still being yourself. That's not an order Makoto. This is a request from me… not as your boyfriend or even as a lover. But… as a man who doesn't want to love everything in front of me." Sora asked as Makoto soon felt what felt like was going to be the last kiss she would ever received from him ever as the tears she had managed to control came out once more.
"Rachel… Please take her away from here and make sure she's safe from them." Sora said as he looked at the robotic arm Relius gave Makoto with some reluctance and attached it to his stump, feeling the arm unnaturally lock into place as he tried to move it for a bit. "Please Miss Rachel, Don't leave with Miss Nanaya! You will only make things worse!" Amy begged as Sora looked back at her, understanding that he was placing his faith on a little girl so all he could do was simply beg at this point.
"Please...I promise I will do anything for you in the future. I know I will come to regret these words in the future but if there is anything I can say right now that will change your mind and help me...Help her, please...Just say it." Sora said before bowing his head low to the ground, something he would have never done but in a desperate time like this, he had to just try as Rachel pondered for a bit before looking back at Makoto Nanaya and her shocked face before making her decision.
"Come now Miss Nanaya, let us leave this place before we overstay our welcome." Rachel said, firmly gripping her hand on Makoto's armpit and began pulling her as Es and Amy were shocked by this. Before they could react though, Sora immediately stood in their way, a tear escaping down his face as he didn't need to say anymore words for the gratefulness he felt deep within his heart. "Come on you two. Your error's right here! Just try and get what you want! But I promise to make it as difficult as it's going to be." Sora said, tensing up his fists as he focused his attention towards Es and Amy once more.
And this was the final sight Makoto had of Sora, his back facing towards her as he stared down what seemed to be impossible odds placed in front of him, on her hand she clutched the Rev Blade something that Sora was entrusting to her as his was of saying that he was going to come back to her no matter what. As Rachel made manifest a portal out of darkness and walked right into it with Makoto in tow, Makoto simply extended her hands out, desperately trying to reach out for Sora as time slowed down for her.
...As the vision around her eyes soon came to a pitch black, the brief image of Sora turning around to give her a soft smile before vanishing completely being the last thing her eyes burned into their memories…
GREETINGS LOST SHEEP OF FANFICTION!? HOW IS EVERYONE DOING IN THIS FINE DAY! I hope you all are doing fine and that this chapter has managed to answer some of the questions that have been plaguing your mind for some time? I understand that not everything will be answered because it if was really that easy to summarize everything in one simple sentence I would have already done so.
I also understand that the Blazblue universe is a confusing universe to not only write for but also to make sense of. Some of the content that was present in the actual Blazblue canon is actually just as confusing so I try not to introduce too much of the Blazblue canon if I can avoid it. Overall, I understand that the chapter will not explain a lot of things for you, but it should be enough to answer some harder questions. If not, don't hesitate to let me know.
And you know what, that's where I am going to end this footnote for today. I know I usually put in a few bits to hype up the next chapter but I feel that doing so this time would not only be inappropriate but also ruin the mood for the scenes to come. I am just going to leave you all with a simple note of stay safe out there and do your part to fight back against COVID-19 and keep on reading to see what happens next. Other than that, see you all for the next chapter.