Ringo kept her eyes to her meal, her chopsticks poking at her katsu curry. She rolled one piece of the breaded chicken into the curry, tapping it against a carrot and slowly brought the chicken to her lips. She let herself savor the chewy, tender taste, pressing her lips together as her tongue rolled with spices.
Opposite her was Maguro, who appeared to have seen better days. He continued taking ginger sips of water. Ringo assumed his eyes were flicking around to all the members of their impromptu dinner party. He had hardly touched his food.
Next to her was Risukuma. With his large paw, he had trouble holding his chopsticks and opted for a fork. He poured himself a second glass of water from the pitcher, grumbling under his breath as an ice block clinked against his glass' rim. He quickly set it back into his drink and wiped his paw on his lab coat.
That left their strange guest sitting by Maguro. Ringo watched as Arle, or rather another Arle, used a spoon to bring some of the curry to her lips. Arle blew on it, steam wafting around her face, before plopping the delicacy into her mouth. Her eyes closed, and her moan bounced against her spoon.
"I have to say," Arle began, earning the rapt attention of the three students, "I haven't made curry in what feels like eons, but even with this new modern technology, I still got it."
"Y-yeah! Who knew a million-year-old deity could make great food ✮?" Maguro replied, chuckling, and Arle frowned.
"I'm not that old. Calling me that is like equating me to an old crone," she said, and Maguro winced, quickly shoveling rice into his mouth.
Ringo still could not believe who was sitting before her as the wry smile returned to Arle's face. She already had Risukuma and Maguro over for a school project, but when Arle arrived, it seemed like something out of a fantasy novel when Arle sat them down and revealed the truth about herself.
Then again, she supposed her life was already full of oddities. An immortal goddess-esque being currently eating at her dining table almost felt like another strange day in the life of Ringo Ando and her friends. Stopping a dimension traveler from destroying her world with Puyos had been the start of the endless, amusing chaos in her life, but it was nothing compared to the tale Arle had told them. Even defending her universe from the Keeper of Dimensions was a mere slap on the wrist compared to the harrowing horrors of the Creator and Arle's destroyed universe.
When Arle explained everything, Ringo could not help but feel like her heart was sinking into her stomach. She could not imagine losing everything. All of her life had been a breeze full of joy and struggles, all of which seemed to fix themselves at the end of the day. Puyo battles solved everything, and her friends were there for her.
This Arle had nothing and no one to thank her for her efforts. Everything had been stripped from her. Power, companionship, and even the memories others shared of her had been stolen when Satan made his greatest error and his brand new world.
Ringo bit her lip. A question bubbled up in her throat, but Risukuma cleared his throat.
"May I ask you something, Arle?" Risukuma began, and Arle looked at him, spoon in her mouth.
"Of course. Answering your questions is something you all deserve. You all must be confused even if I've explained myself..." Arle glanced at Maguro, sighing. "...quite a few times."
"H-hey, come on, there were so many little details in there like the Arle we know being half of you and all of the people from Arle's world being ageless clones and-ow ✮!" Maguro winced as Ringo's foot connected with his shin.
"Maguro, she already said all that pretty clearly," Ringo said, displeased, but Arle shook her head.
"It's fine. I don't mind explaining myself," she replied, and she directed her attention to Risukuma. "You were saying?"
Risukuma leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. He set his chin on top of his paws, asking, "If this isn't appropriate, let me know, but you said the Dark Prince-" Risukuma shook his head, "Pardon me, but you said Satan only succeeded in taking half of your soul. That way, he made the Arle we know, but does this mean you are only half a soul now as well? Is the Arle we know still only made of half a soul?"
Arle hummed. "Good question. The answer is no. The Arle you know has a full soul."
"She does?" Ringo asked, her eyebrows shooting to her hairline. "But she's made of, well, half of you!"
"She is, but when Satan formed his world, he made Arle full with that part of me." Arle plopped a piece of chicken into her mouth, a large grin spreading into her cheeks as she chewed. Swallowing, she added, "What I mean is that even though we are each other's halves, she was given a full soul."
"Um, what about you ✮?" Maguro asked.
She shrugged. "Well, when you're left with half a soul, you make do with what you have and deem yourself whole in an endless void of the universe you tried to protect. When Satan found him that one day and allowed me entrance into his grand world as a so-called doppelganger, he made my soul full even though to me, it clearly isn't."
Ringo saw beads of sweat roll down Maguro's cheeks and felt her own heart constrict as if her rib cage was squeezing it. She took in a few calming breaths through her nose, inhaling the rich spices of the curry. Setting her hand on her knee, she cleared her throat.
Ringo's eyes narrowed. "Hey, Arle, if I asked the Arle I know about any of this, what would she say?"
Arle smirked. "Well, Satan made sure no one would remember any little thing from the old world. Not Draco or Harpy or Rulue or anyone from that world will think twice about what they've come to know as true." She shook her head. "I'm not even sure if Carbuncle will remember the adventures we shared."
"And if we question Satan? What would he say about everything you've told us?" Ringo asked.
Her grin faded by a few molars, and she shifted her gaze back to her curry. "Well, if you like breathing, I'd suggest you keep what I told you to yourself."
"But, uh, no offense," Maguro began, and terror seized Ringo's throat as Arle leered at him, "but the Dark Prince we know is a pretty cool guy and-"
"You've really been fooled, haven't you?" Arle spat, lifting her nose, and Maguro paled, blood fading from his cheeks. She noticed Ringo furrow her brow, and she huffed, sluggishly raising her shoulders and dropping them. "Satan isn't a nice guy. He can appear like the biggest idiot in the world, but he can become monstrous in a heartbeat. I've almost killed the guy on a few occasions." She cupped her cheek, idly twirling her spoon in her curry and rice. "With what happened to me, I wish I did. Making a stupid circus and brainwashing him, huh? I should've killed him right then and there."
"Can I ask you something else?" Risukuma asked before Ringo could interject, and Ringo felt a twinge of gratitude for him, quelling her own tongue to restrict her forthcoming refutation.
Arle nodded, shoving another spoonful of curry into her mouth. Her eyes rolled, and she giggled like a small girl, bobbing her head from side to side.
"Does Arle and the ones from her world-" Risukuma cut himself off, covering his mouth and trying to form his question. He wanted to sound respectful, but his question seemed almost inappropriate to him.
Arle raised her hand. "I know what you're going to ask. The age ban, right?"
Risukuma relaxed, setting his paws back into his lap. "Yes. Do they know about it?"
"Well, with no one from their world even bothering to figure out what happened to their time line, then, yes, they probably do."
"Th-then what about Amitie's world? Did Satan interfere with Primp Town, too? He's visited that place a lot, too, with the Arle we know!" Ringo blurted, shooting up from her seat. Her hands slapped against the table, and Maguro yipped, snatching his glass before it could topple into Arle's curry.
Arle tilted her head. "I don't know of that place. It's not connected to my world. That place must be part of some unrelated universe."
"O-oh, so, Amitie and Sig and the others from that place must age normally like us ✮!" Maguro chirped, and he quickly downed his water, finishing it off with a sigh. He remained complacent for another moment only for his eyes to bulge behind his bangs, and he nearly dropped his glass.
"Ah, it seems like you get it now," Arle said, taking a sip of her own water. "Those people will never age because of Satan's will. While you three will continue aging, while these Primp Town people will grow older, those who inhabited the old, magical world never will." Arle closed her eyes, immersing herself in the paradise that had been her old world. Her mother flashed in her mind, but she banished the memory as Ringo stepped away, sweat trickling down her cheeks.
Arle followed her lead along with Risukuma and Maguro. The boys steadied Ringo, asking if she needed help. She knew explaining immortality would have been problematic. They were just children compared to her, infants next to a relic. Being told their days were eventually numbered dampened any normal person especially if they were so pitiful with magic being spent on Puyo battles.
She, however, was not normal and knew the consequences of going against the natural order. Arle's fists clenched at her sides before she took her plate of curry, thanking Ringo for the use of her kitchen.
"I'll be taking my leave. I think I've caused you enough harm as it is," she said, turning away and heading for the entrance, "especially when you three have been very good hosts."
"Hold on!" Ringo shouted, hobbling after her. She snatched Arle's arm, feeling the weathered muscle beneath the cloth of her shirt, and her eyes widened. She stepped backwards, sheepishly gripping her own forearm.
"What is it?" Arle asked.
She twirled one of her pigtails with a deft finger, looping it around her scarlet strands. "I'm sorry for reacting that way. It was just...so unscientific to hear all of that."
Arle's mouth fell open an inch. Ringo's response lingered in the air, mingling with the wafting, now cool scent of the curry spices. She peered at Maguro and Risukuma, finding them exchanging a wary glance.
Ringo clasped her hands together by her waist. "My world is different from the one you told us about. In fact, it's incomparable. Yours was magical while mine is, well, modern." She snickered, reminding Arle of how Merrow used to chuckle, a low tone rolling with amusement. Ringo lowered her head, her chin almost connecting with her neck. "I guess I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Hearing that my friends will stay the same while I get older is just...painful, I guess."
"Ringo-" Maguro began, but Risukuma stopped him by grabbing his shoulder. He winced, gnawing on his lower lip, a gesture Arle made sure she noted.
Ringo rocked on her heels and wrapped her arms behind her back. Her eyes focused on the tiled floor of her kitchen. She was still unsure of what to make of everything. She felt as if the world she had known suddenly became a glass ball in Arle's hands, and Arle smashed it against the floor, scattering it to pieces.
Ringo wasn't a foolish girl. One day, she knew her time would come. It would be the same for Maguro, Risukuma, Amitie, and so many others, but Arle was ageless. She was a timeless being along with some of the precious friends Ringo had come to trust and love like her own family.
She wondered if she would become a dot on their memories. A happy occurrence to think about whenever they were bored hundreds of years in the future could have become her stain in their world.
"She's a rather selfish version of me, isn't she?" Arle sneered, and Ringo flinched, her head jerking up. She snickered, weighing her plate in one hand. "Making friends just to forget about them in years to come. How sad."
"I don't want to think she would be like that," Ringo said, choosing precise words to cut through Arle's assertion. "I believe the Arle I know also views me as a friend and-"
Arle pointed at Ringo's chest, fire dancing in her pupils, and the right corner of her lips spread into her cheek. "The other me is frivolous. An immortal girl with only a fraction of my power living day to day while you'll grow older and eventually, you'll die. One day, she'll forget all about you just like how she ignored the bonds she once shared with my dearest friends. Then-!"
Hands pushed her backwards. For the first time in hundreds of years, Arle allowed some mere child to put his hands on her and shove her. Curry flew into the air, but she tossed her plate upwards, catching each drop of curry, chicken, and rice. As unbelievable as it sounded, no bits or drops of food splattered onto the floor.
Maguro panted, hands raised out and muscles tense. He shifted his weight onto his front leg. As Ringo shouted at his name, he blurted, "What's the matter with you? Don't say those things to Ringo! What kind of person are you ✮?"
"I'm saying a simple truth," Arle said, and she pivoted. With her back to them, she looked over her shoulder and added, "Thank you for allowing me to make you a meal. It felt like I was really doing something with my friends again."
Her cape swished as she left. Her straightened back, not one hint of a curve or hunch, remained resolute. As if using telekinesis, Arle levitated the plate of curry into the air and opened the front door. She nodded at them, collected the plate, and she left, closing the door behind her.
They were left in tepid silence. Eyes glanced around, darting back and forth as if daring someone to fill the void with anything. Risukuma thrummed as if deep in thought before uttering a harrumph.
"You shouldn't have pushed her, Maguro," he scolded, and Maguro threw his arms out.
"You heard what she was saying to Ringo! All that stuff about dying and immortality and being forgotten ✮!" Maguro snapped, anger hissing out with each word.
Ringo crossed her arms. "We know that, Maguro. It wasn't right of her to do that, but she's so different from us. She's someone who faced the Creator of her universe and lost everything to space-time and-"
"-and then Ecolo had to go bring her here ✮," Maguro grumbled, glaring at nothing.
The mention of the trickster caused the hairs on Ringo's neck to stand at attention. She wondered why Ecolo had not made themself known, and she peered over her shoulder as if expecting them to be watching. Ringo scowled at spots she believed Ecolo to be hiding such as the nearest closet and the adjacent staircase to the darkened shadows coating the windows.
"We should go after her," Ringo said, and Maguro scoffed.
"Sorry, Ringo, but I'll sit this one out ✮." He took his kendama out of his pocket, bouncing the ball on the left cup.
"Come on, Maguro! She doesn't know anything about this world! We can't just leave her to her own devices." Ringo gulped. "I mean, what if she, you know, since she's so powerful..."
"She could cause some dangerous trouble," Risukuma finished, bobbing his head. "She mentioned she had tried to replace the Arle we know in the past. What if she tries to do it again? What if she goes after the Dark Prince?"
"If she gets to Satan-no, if she manages to really...kill him, then what would happen to the world of our Arle?" Ringo shouted, shock etching onto her features as she shot her arms up into the air. "We have to go stop her! Right now! Before anything really bad happens!"
Ringo and Risukuma took off running, leaving Maguro to play with his kendama. Commenting that he would hold down the fort as the door slammed shut, he sighed.
He would never react so violently to anyone, but Arle was different. She had purposefully tormented Ringo just to see her sweat. Even though Ringo said she understood where Arle was coming from, Arle still took twisted pleasure in seeing her writhe with the realization of impermanence.
He wondered if Yu and Rei ever had that problem because they were ghosts as he sulked, lowering his kendama. They were beings who could exist forever with the constant desire to make living people into tangible ghouls. If he died, he pondered if he could become like them.
A swift shake of his head banished all of his thoughts. Maguro was far too young to even think about something as mortifying as mortality. He scratched his fingers through his hair, hunching forward and trying to make sense of what had happened in the span of dinnertime.
Ecolo must have had some ulterior motive. They never would have brought Arle here if it wasn't for amusement. They always sought joy through mischief and chaos, so why not bring a living, breathing goddess right to the Ando Family Fresh Produce shop just to kick off some budding pandemonium? They already possessed the Arle he knew, so why not go the extra mile and bring in her other almighty half?
Or...other self? Half self? Full self ✮? Maguro thought, itching his chin as he tried to make sense of it all. Man, this is too confusing. Why's any of this-?
A knock at the door startled his thoughts following a flash of lightning streaking across the window. Thunder rolled in the distance, and Maguro's legs trembled as he stood up. He inched for the door, wincing as harsh knuckles rapped against the door once more. He gripped the doorknob, noticing rain beginning to cascade down the nearest window. Swallowing his fear, Maguro ripped the door open.
He was presented with an empty plate with cutlery on it. Bits of rice and mushy carrots remained stuck to the plate's surface. Maguro pursed his lips.
Arle stood there and held the plate out, saying, "I realized I had to return and give this plate back to Ringo. After all, I'm not a thief."
"O-oh! Great! Thank you ✮!" Maguro blurted, and he stepped aside. "Um, why not come back in? Ringo and Ris went out looking for you ✮."
"They think I'm trouble, don't they? Think I'm going to go after Satan?"
"N-no! Not a chance ✮!"
Arle rolled her eyes. "You're a bad liar. You're kind of like Seriri in that regard."
Nervous chuckles rolled off his tongue. He allowed Arle entrance, quickly shutting the door and fishing for his cellphone. Slapping his palms, he groaned when he remembered he left it at home.
Arle stepped into the living room. She gazed at the plush couch along with the sheer white rug. Photographs of Ringo's family lined the walls, and she smelled a faint scent of pine coming off the new coffee table situated in the center of the room. Directing her attention to the television, she felt curiosity itching at her backside when she saw the buttons residing on the front of the sleek, black box.
"So, uh, you up for some shows ✮?" Maguro asked, sheepishly stepping in front of her. He hit the power button and then reclined back into the couch.
Pictures flashed on the screen as Maguro changed the channel. Arle watched, transfixed as various sights burned into her retinas. Glossy beaches on travel shows to animated features stretched through her vision. With every blink came new sounds and imagery from Maguro's incessant channel surfing. When curry suddenly flashed on the screen, she ordered Maguro to stop.
"You-you really like curry ✮," he said, setting the remote on his thighs.
Arle sat down next to him, lips pursed and eyes wide as a woman explained how to make various kinds of curry. "Technology in this world is incredible. To think there are people so dedicated to making curry that they would make something like this."
"Yeah! There's loads of shows to watch ✮." He felt a sense of comfort wash over him as Arle grinned, fascinated with the chef's lecture of the right amount of spiciness. Leaning forward, he offered her the remote. "Hey, Arle, sorry I shoved you. Wanna watch whatever you want to make up for it ✮?"
Arle hesitated. She reached for the remote only to grip her knee. When Maguro asked if she was okay, she sighed. She pinched her brow, shaking her head.
"I went too far. Playing with that girl's feelings was also wrong of me," she said, and Maguro frowned.
"Well, yeah. You can't just go up to people and say they're gonna die ✮," Maguro deadpanned, and Arle chuckled, glancing away.
"That, well, that sounds about right." Arle looked at the ceiling, and Maguro noticed her eyes were unfocused.
Thinking it was safe to touch her, Maguro patted her elbow. "Um, Arle? You okay ✮?"
"What I said to your friend," she said, closing her eyes, "has also hit a little too close to home with me."
Maguro pondered her words only for the realization to strike him down like the next lightning bolt illuminating the rainy world. He rubbed his neck and crossed his ankles. Searching for words, Maguro decided it was best for her to continue if she wanted to press forward.
"When I tried to replace that girl, no one remembered me. Not Rulue or Schezo. Not Witch or Panotty or Suketoudara. Nobody," Arle said, and Maguro found her posture to be sleepy, leaning towards him with half-lidded eyes and tight lips. "Try as I might, even if I succeeded, what would be there for me? Just husks of people I once knew? How pathetic."
Maguro cupped his hands. "The Dark Prince really did erase their memories, huh ✮?"
"No. I already explained this part, but here it is again since your ears must be full of wax. They died, and then, Satan recreated them all without memories of my world," Arle deadpanned. She resisted the urge to set his stupid hair on fire.
Maguro chuckled and shrugged. "Well, when I'm being told a long history lesson like that, I kinda tuned out at times. Gets me in trouble at school all the time ✮."
She should have expected his answer, but even still, it made her shoulders sag. Arle rubbed her eyes, leaning back into the couch. Maguro was almost as irritatingly forgetful and jovial as Sasori Man.
"Sorry, sorry, I'll pay attention in the future when it comes to these lessons, ma'am ✮," Maguro joked, and Arle snorted.
"I'll forgive you. After all, I'm a reasonable goddess."
Maguro beamed, slapping his hands together as if he were worshiping her. "Should I start praying to you? Maybe I should begin offering up animal sacrifices or would Puyo suffice, your godliness ✮?"
Laughter hit her closed lips and emerged as an oddly pitched warble. Arle covered her mouth, straightening as Maguro beamed, clearly impressed with his own comedic genius.
"I appreciate the sentiment, but that won't be needed," she said, waving her hand, "when it's the Goddess of Time who takes on the souls of Puyo in exchange for power."
"But, hey, real talk ✮!" Maguro leaped to his feet, blocking the television. "If you wanna hang out with some new people and make new memories, then you should stick with us! We're a lot of fun. We have some pretty cool adventures some times, too. In fact, we recently saved another world from this girl named Rafisol ✮."
"Oh? Someone like you went on an adventure?" Arle crossed her arms. "Tell me, what exactly was your role in all that?"
"I was on the front lines ✮!" Maguro thrust his hand out like he was some sort of superhero. "I'll give you the rundown, and it's all gonna be true! Scout's honor ✮!"
Arle listened to Maguro tell a tale of his utmost bravery in battling the evils of Rafisol. How he made himself out to be the hero, swooping in to save Ringo during a harrowing Puyo battle against strange creatures made her lips quirk into a grin. He acted suave and dashing, making Satan and Ecolo writhe with jealousy, a part that made her truly smile.
Perhaps, she thought, she could find some semblance of peace. Just for a little while, she could call Suzuran City not a home but a base of operations. A place she could carve out for her planning against Satan while also having time to relax with new, yet inexperienced acquaintances.
As Ringo and Risukuma hurried through the door, trekking raindrops on the carpet, Arle grinned and waved with Maguro. She was going to at least enjoy herself on her little detour before setting out to accomplish a goal known only to the innermost sanctity of her shattered heart.
Yet, at the same time, Ecolo stood at the threshold of Puyo Hell, and all they could do was grin. The fun was about to start its rising action.