A-9: Intertwined fate II: Bonds Broken
Prerequisite: Unlock A-8 + Hikari (Level 30) + Tairitsu (Level 30)
Requirements: Play Lost Desire (With EX score, FTR Difficulty only) with any Arcaea Conflict-Sided Awakened character (level 30) + PM all songs in Adverse Prelude (PST Difficulty only)
Alternate Requirement:PM Heavendoor (BYD difficulty only) with Tairitsu (Level 30) + Complete A-8's Alternate Requirement


Tenniel, from the shadows, was stalking Sophia. Obviously, he was happy for her.

From the day she met Alexandar
From the day she met Hikari
And the day she even won the contest with Hikari

This is something that he never accomplished on his own. Tenniel, ever since his younger sister's death, has been very protective of Sophia. However, he was glad that Sophia found her own life, while even trying to get over her sadness. Back then, her only life was with their siblings, both of which died. She never had friends only because they were jealous of Sophia, only befriending her for their own gains. She has surpassed him in every way possible. Whenever they see her with Alexandar and Hikari, he was reminded of how content of the trio was back then. Alexandar being Cedric, Hikari being Alice and Sophia obviously herself. He could even mistake this with such a similarity.

While good times do happen. Bad times will happen too. These bad times shall reveal their true nature of a person.

"When are you going to stop following me brother?" Sophia faced Tenniel. Ever since she found out that he has been following her, she was not pleased. Rather, she is annoyed.

"I am not..."
"Don't even try lying to me. I saw you at the audience's seat. You watched my performance."
"I admit, I was there, and I am proud of you. But that's only once!"
"You have been following me. All this time. Yesterday, I was with Hikari and Alexandar. You were literally following us while hiding in your car."
"That would be too obvious. I was at the garden, appreciating-"
"That was your car. And obviously it was you"
"It could be another car that looks like mine"
"I'm not that dumb to fall for that brother. Now tell me, why are you following me so much?"
"I would rather not"
"Just tell me your damn reason already!"
"Just leave it alone!"
"I have a life of my own. You aren't even my parent either!"
"You are just a girl who hasn't grown up yet!"

... Sophia was shocked. Her own brother, Cedri- no, Tenniel, being so blunt and accusing her for her being not matured?

"You think I didn't notice? You tried to be so strong. But I know you. You stress yourself to correct everything you see. You were being too selfish, you rely too much on Alexandar, you invaded Hikari's privacy by reading her own diary, her very personal book! In short, you want everything to be in your way… You are a control freak who wants your friends to behave as a 'perfect' person with a 'perfect' life while you are also trying to become 'perfect' as well."

"I am helping them get better with their lives. Yes, I may have been reliant with Alexandar, but he is good example of a perfect person! And Hikari is a shut-off who will only truely talk to those close to her."

"Protecting your friends is indeed a good thing Sophia but influencing them to be what you want is manipulation! Even if it's what you call as 'perfect' lives, it is still manipulation! Others may not want to live in that way."

Sophia doesn't want to believe it. There must be something is perfect.

"Nothing is perfect. Perfection is only an ideal. I warned this to you-"
She slapped him. After a moment's silence, she responded:
"I have just realized that you are right…"
"Ever since that day...where Alice is gone... Cedric is dead. Tenniel is a mere imitation of Cedric..."
"I thought that both were the same and the same, they are you."
"However, they are different. Cedric is my brother, Tenniel is not my brother"
"Get out, you are NOT my brother."

Sophia... she removed Tenniel away from her life... She thought that by removing Tenniel, she can work on 'perfecting' her life. She thought she can rebuild her own Garden of Eden, after what was destroyed from her before.

Sophia vented her anger by violently playing her guitar, she cannot believe that anyone… ANYONE oppose her. Nothing can oppose perfection!

Loud music playing… betrayed by the 'imposter' who wore under the skin of her brother, she couldn't believe it. However, since he gets in her way to perfection, she supposed that she got rid a thorn from her side.

She won't be alone, Alice, Cedric and Tenniel may have disappeared from her life, but she still has Alexandar and Hikari. With them, the three can achieve perfection. However, her destruction doesn't end here.

Sophia, Alexandar and Hikari were walking around in a strange place. A place that they never seen or encountered before. Apparently, Alexandar knows this place far more than both girls combined. But something was wrong here… Alexandar was injured and there was nothing that they could do to help him. Alexandar fell onto a floor.
"Brother! / Alexandar!" Hikari and Sophia ran towards him.
"I'm fine… not for long… I have used too much of my energy. Continue on your own on my behalf… please!" Alexandar weakly replied. He then spoke words that Sophia did not understand.
"You are perfect to me! Please, do not leave me! I beg you!" Sophia begged as she cried.
Alexandar then fell and vanished into thin air.

Sophia woke up. Sophia kept repeating those words in her head as she kept saying it. It was only a one-eighth of the day passed since a new day begun. Darkness still lurks around her room. Once she managed to recompose herself, she told herself this as she returns to slumber: "It was only a nightmare". But the story doesn't end here.

Sophia and Hikari continues their journey forward. There lies at the end of their journey. A mysterious and reflective object that they were looking for. It could not only grant wishes perfectly but to also control this place to whoever takes hold of it. However, one must die to have the other to control it.
"I refuse! I rather find another way to live! This is not the only answer we have!" Hikari objectively denied this
"No, this is our ONLY answer. We must accept this answer to cure this damned place." Sophia retaliated.
"Sophia, I can't believe you! This isn't what Alexandar would want of us to do! We must- "
"Then you either die here or kill me. There is no other way! This is our perfect plan from the beginning."
"You are betraying his trust!"
"I don't care! I will do whatever it takes to end this farce of a world!"
The battle between the girls began. In the end, Sophia laid on the ground defeated.
"I cannot believe it, my bond with Alexandar… can't lose to the likes of you…!"
Hikari, expressionless, walks to her as she seemed possessed. She held a sharp shard as she stabbed-

Sophia woke up again. This is torture, a sick dream that it has placed upon her. But instead of convincing herself that, it seemed more plausible to her. Her institution was perfect. It can't be wrong even if she wills it. But she held to her hope, hope that she was wrong.

It doesn't help with the fact that Alexandar started to become more distant towards her. Alexandar has becoming more stressed with his personal life. His decision to go temporarily halt his music career made her upset as she was looking forward to hearing more of his music. She asked Hikari what had happened to him, but she refused to reveal this to her.

Sophia was irritated but she ran back home.

Hikari regretted hiding what happened to Alexandar from Sophia. Hikari cursed herself for being too rude to her only friend. Telling her to "mind her own business" was not right. She must apologise to her for that one day

This was all her fault for making Alexandar stressed. Those monsters are hunting for Alexandar when they found out that she seemed too content. When they threatened to surrender Hikari to them, Alexandar refused. Constant threats kept going on for both. Hikari offered to surrender herself to ensure those people Alexandar alone but he refused. He knew what they would do to her. He seen too much suffering on Hikari and he will not let that happen ever again.

Sophia was walking around by herself in a park, another lonely day for her. She encounters a group of strange people who seemed to recognize her. These people somehow know her as they approached her. She was suspicious of them for whatever harm that would pull against her.

"You… are the girl who was with the boy right?"
"That's definitely her, I saw her!"
"But she is a Liddell! We can't mess with her or he will get the police against us"
"That's alright, he won't do anything to us if we don't harm her. I got a plan."

She did not expect them to be approached in a friendly manner. They knew everything about her relationship with Alexandar and Hikari. Instead of badmouthing Hikari which would have earned Sophia's disapproval and dismissal, they told her a lie.

"Hikari wants Alexandar to herself. She knew that you liked him, but she couldn't accept it. And given that they are step siblings, it is not that difficult to steal him away from you."

Sophia kept denying those claims to the strangers. But as she continues to deny it, these claims become more logical and plausible to her. Why is Hikari shutting Sophia away from Alexandar lately? Is she threatening her relationship with Alexandar with her own? Her fears are beginning to surface as her nightmares are becoming real. She must stop this now.

"I want to see Alexandar now" Sophia impatiently said when she saw Hikari.

Hikari, thinking that Alexandar would be delighted to see her, let her in. Alexandar was in a very bad mood but if seeing Sophia would improve his mood, then she will let it be. She also wanted to apologise to Sophia for her rudeness.

Alexandar, was not only agree but was afraid to see Hikari be separate from his life. After a few years of being with Hikari, he saw Hikari as someone precious to him. When Sophia met Alexandar, he was shocked, never expecting to see her again. He asked her to stay away from his matters and to leave him alone for a while. Until he settles this matter, he must not implicate anyone else.

Sophia, now being angry, starts to ask him questions.

"Is this about Hikari?"
"No."
"Then why are you like this?"
"Don't even try to poke your nose into this!"
"I want to know!"
"This doesn't concern you! Get out!"

Sophia, now shocked, leaves. These people were right! Alexandar is lying! This has something to do with Hikari. Hikari must have done something to him. What kind of lies or rumour she may have said to him? Hikari has ruined her perfect relationship with Alexandar. She would have confessed to him or the other way round had she not come by. Hikari is willingly to destroy her friendship with Sophia to be with Alexandar.

Betrayed by her best friend, she wants to remove her. She will do anything it takes to be with him. She made multiple plans to separate from him. All has failed. As she failed, she continues to devolve her opinion of Hikari while still trying to be friendly to Alexandar. Until, she has made a perfect plan. A perfect plan that will work.

In the evening, she met with Hikari at the roadside just outside of a park. Sophia and Hikari wanted to duke everything out right now.

"Sophia, you really are going too far. What happened to you? You… are like a changed person."
"Oh shut it, this has been always you. You are stealing him away from me. You break me apart from Alexandar. But this will change."
"Break you apart from Alexandar? You sound like a clingy person right now."
"Clingy? More like you are being clingy one!"
"Look, I don't have any love interest in Alexandar, we are just siblings"
"Correction: You both are foster siblings. This can evolve to a relationship if it hasn't already been"
"Look, it's obvious to me that you like Alexandar. And I am not stealing away from him"
"Then what about that day? That day when Alexandar pushed me away?"
Hikari was being silent.
"Nothing to say isn't it? I knew it, you are- "
"No, listen to me Sophia, it's not too late for us to return to who we once were. You can continue liking him. I am very sure he will love you one day. You will have my approval for this. You just need to stop with this behaviour. I swear it! "
"No, you lie! YOU LIE! YOU RUINED MY PERFECT RELATIONSHIP WITH ALEXANDAR! It's not too late for me to fix things. BUT I NEED YOU TO GET OUT OF THE WAY FOREVER!"

Sophia pushed Hikari onto the roadside. Hikari quickly gets back up but as she tries to be away from the road, it was too late for her. She fell back onto the road after being hit by a car.

Should she be happy? She injured her. She managed to hurt her. But at what cost? Her morals start to hit her. She hurt her friend. But is she still her friend? She found a book which she quickly identified it as Hikari's diary. She picked it up as she reads it again, starting from where she stopped last time. But what she read shocked her.

Sophia:

Before I met her, Alexandar kept telling me how great she is. To his words, she is a beautiful girl and is like me. He wished that I would meet her one day.

I wasn't interested to hear about people besides himself. The only person I trust is Alexandar. He has done so much for me. But that changed when I met her.

We were the opposite. I was jealous of her even. She had a good life until her younger sister was taken away from her. I felt sorry for her. I never told her my life as Pandora. No one needed to know about that. I found that a funny coincidence, Alexandar changed both of our lives. To her, she found her new happiness with him.

As we continued to talk to each other, I feel that Sophia is also like Alexandar. Maybe, just maybe, this world isn't that bad. While Alexandar has taught me that the world isn't bad, Sophia has proven that to me. She has proven that life isn't just filled with bad people but with people who are good.

Sophia liked to listen and play music, just like me. We both got motivated to become musicians by him. But we are incapable ourselves. When we played the music together, we are truly the best. While I come up with crazy ideas, Sophia is capable to not only fix my musical flaws but to synchronize with our music. Without her, I couldn't achieve it on my own. During the Music Talent show, we surpassed Shirabe, who was expected to win the competition. We get the victory to ourselves. This proves that if we are together, we can surpass even Alexandar.

Everything went well for both of us. I found out that Sophia liked Alexandar. It's so obvious to me whenever someone mentions him to her. She always says good things to him even if they aren't necessarily true. I even poked fun about that to her. If they do get into a relationship which was very likely, I will approve it! I wish we can stay like this forever.

However, my problems came up. The master's minions came to disturb me. They want me back home. That home is hell, I don't want to go back. My home is here, with Alexandar and Sophia. They are my light. But this has affected her…

Alexandar has gotten cold because of me…
Because of me he didn't smile…
His relationship with Sophia was going worse…
And It's all my fault...

I wanted to go away, so that Alexandar can return to being happy with Sophia. But he refused. He didn't want me to leave home.

And this is exactly how Sophia got worse…
Because of me, Sophia got worse.

I want to clear this misunderstand with her. After Alexandar have gotten rid of these troublemakers, I have asked Sophia to meet with me alone.

Tonight, I hope that Sophia will be able to see that I am not pushing Alexandar away.

Sophia dropped the book as she kneeled and cried. How could she be blind? Hikari never had any intention to take Alexandar away from her. She called the Alexandar and the ambulance to save Hikari.

However, it was all too late for her. Hikari is gone. Sophia killed Hikari…

Alexandar was crying for Hikari. His head was at her deathbed. Why did fate decide to take her life at such a young age? No, it wasn't fate's fault. There was no way it was fate. No… the answer was clear. It was Sophia who killed her.

"It's all your fault, you killed her!" Alexandar roared.
"I'm sorry Alex- "Sophia tried to apologise.
Alexandar slapped her.
"I didn't expect you to be like this… I thought we will be together… I hoped to be that way… But you killed Hikari. YOU KILLED HER! Leave me alone, we are done here. GET OUT, I do not want to see you, EVER AGAIN!"

Sophia ran away. As far away from Alexandar. So, it was all her fault isn't it? Guilt hit her hard when Alexandar pushed her away. She ruined it. Now looking at it, she laughed. Laughed at how she foolishly destroyed her life.

She pushed Tenniel away from her life by forcing him to part ways with her.
She pushed Hikari away from her life by pushing Hikari off to the roadside
She pushed Alexandar away from her life by killing Hikari, his only family member even if it was a stepsibling.

Life isn't worth living anymore. She destroyed her perfect live that she has claimed it. The only thing she can do is to push herself away from her life. She grabbed a knife to finish the job for her.

In her dying words, she remembered what her once brother, Cedric, told her...

"This is my story of a foolish historian who sought to know of all histories in this world. First just a mere scholar, he was quickly regarded as a genius and knowledgeable to his discoveries. He desired to know more, so he went to keep searching. And each time he returned from his work; he comes impressive results. Motivated with praise, he decided to keep researching more and more until he searched outside of his field."

Sophia then noticed something was very wrong with his work. Its porcelain material has it cracks all around the work.

"But it is broken… How does it show anything to what you say?"
"Trust me, it is not broken. He became obsessed with knowing all histories to a point of endless work. His hunger for history grew too far until he wanted perfection. Perfection to him means everything. But what happened to him in the end? He died due to his workholic nature, or at least what reports say. This broken work means his failure of his life-long goal for he sought for an impossible goal and never cherished life ever again when he started his impossible dream."

The girl regretted her mindset.
Had she listened to what her brother told her back then, none of this would have happened.
Had she have not discarded her brother away, he would have supported her.
Had she had not betrayed her partner, maybe they would become best friends.
Had she had not betrayed her love life's trust, maybe he would have accepted and reciprocated to her feelings.
Had she not betrayed what she had left, perhaps maybe she would have achieved this perfect life she ever so desired, without having to foolishly pursue it.

The catalyst of everything that transpired. She must now pay for her sins.
Sophia, a foolish girl who sought over perfection, now paid her price for not only appreciating what she has but destroying what she has.
At her last breath, she cries for a second chance. A second chance to correct every mistake she has made.

Her wish was heard by me.
For Tairitsu will have a chance to rebuild what Sophia Liddell have brought destruction upon.

But I couldn't grant her wish
For Tairitsu couldn't reunite with her "younger sister".
For Tairitsu couldn't see her brother ever again.
For Tairitsu couldn't meet her love ever again.
For Tairitsu shall suffer yet again
I am incapable of granting everything to her
Only capable to invite them to this world

However, there is one thing I can give her, is to give hope.
For it is possible to meet her again
I saw it… a future where they are together

This wish was destroyed before, but not here
For it was all but another memory

Tairitsu, a girl who has suffered within the arcaea, who now then remembers what she was back then. Will she make the same mistake again?
Hikari, a girl who fell into the state of numbness, who now remembers what she was back then. Will she trust Tairitsu?
In the state of clashing ideals of this world, will they reconcile?

Act 2: Memories from the Past Completed!

Reward: Hikari & Sophia (Conflict sided when not awakened, Light sided when awakened, SUPPORT type) [Skill: Easy + Mirror + LOST judgements hidden (seen as FAR)] [Awaken: Easy: LOST judgements hidden (seen as FAR) You will not lose/gain RR for any LOST notes. You will always get an EASY clear even if you get FR/PM if reach 70% RR. No grade is given.]


A/N: This… was WAY LONGER than I expected… I thought I could make a 50/50 comparison between A-8 and A-9 but its 80/20 to 90/10 with A-9 longer. The culprit of this length was after Sophia part ways with Cedric/Tenniel. Yes, Alice and Cedric are Sophia's siblings that was mentioned in A-6. I don't want to extend to break this chapter again. I want to just end this act and move on…

I honestly hope that you guys enjoyed reading this act. In next act, we will return to the plot. Now that the girls remembered who they were, how will things change?

Trivia for this act:
1. The initial draft of the fallout between the girls had Sophia finding out Hikari's past like in A-8 but the difference is that Sophia instead acts negatively towards Hikari. I find that a bad idea because that would mean that their friendship isn't strong.
2. Hikari and Tairitsu's original names are an unintended reference to Persona 5 strikers/scramble of Sophia and her persona "Pandora". I had their names for completely different reasons:
- "Pandora" for Hikari refers to Pandora's box or rather what is inside the box. Hikari would become the very thing had Alexandar not appeared.
- "Sophia" for Tairitsu was not a reference to anything. I wanted to give her a name that sounded innocent like her life before Alice died.
Speaking of names, Alexandar's initial name was Bryan but his name wouldn't sound 'Perfect' to Sophia.
3. The idea of A-6 and A-7 was to scream irony to Hikari and Tairitsu. When comparing themselves to their past lives, they essentially switched positions. In canon, Hikari saw the 'good' while Tairitsu saw the 'bad'. In this fic, Hikari had a very terrible life while Sophia had a 'perfect' life.
If Sophia and Hikari had a signature song of their own, Sophia's track would be Light while Hikari would be Conflict.
4. Between A-6 and A-7, A-7 finished it's draft first because I had a more solid idea for A-7 when I thought of a past life story idea. A-6 was difficult because I don't know what to describe her definition of "Perfection".
5. In the previous act, the following chapters foreshadowed to this act's chapters:
A-2: A-7(Hikari's past life before meeting Alexandar).
A-3: A-7(Hikari's past life before meeting Alexandar), A-9(Hikari's death), A-6(Alice's death). Honestly, in A-3, I have written in a way that it would made sense to foreshadow A-6. But it must blend in with A-7's foreshadowing. So if anyone is confused, in A-3, Tairitsu saw a mix of A-6 and A-9 after seeing A-7 but the scene was A-6 in A-9's context.
A-4: A-8(Music Talent Show)

On an unrelated note, Esoteric Order just came out, while Divided Heart is in about a week's time. If anyone had a Nintendo Switch, go get Arcaea! I am looking forward to see more visual arts in game. I saw the Estonic order "anomaly" and it looks pretty neat. It's like Luna's "anomaly" (i think?) where it's repeatable. I'm not sure if I want to get Esoteric Order though. "And in that light, I find deliverance" - Aegleseeker Silentroom vs Frums

Last thing I want to mention is that Arcaea side characters who have shown up in fic (Alice/Tenniel/Shirabe) may not appear again in this's fic as it's going to focus heavily on Hikari and Tairitsu. Alexandar and that guy will be the OCs in this fic. There will be one more character in this fic who will act as the main antagonist of this fic but I am not sure if I intend for that person to be another OC or an Arcaea character we know of.


Preview: After remembering who they were, they girls were shocked, never expecting that they would meet again. 'He' wants to fix everything. 'He' wants to give the girls a better future and to start, he stops this fight. In another time... Tairitsu... no… YOU failed the chart before the story ended.