presea221: Yes. The idea here is really that Ed is still burdened, we will see in this and next chapters too a bit more from his feelings, the main problem is Ed doesn't tell all that to Zara na dis unwilling to listen to her problems atm which is the main cause of misunderstandings in their relationship (and we will see that soon too), for them the relationship will click a bit later. I also intended the RiexRyo relationship to be more mature at first since they're both older (and the tone of the fic is darker).The cute moments for EdxZara will come later, but the realization will not be at the end of the fic (I'd say more likely Ed will realize it first because of how Zara is oblivious to these type of relationships), but i get it, Ed is totally mean to her XD.
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Chapter IX
Dissonance
The academy is in high spirits, the principal comes back after his long vacation to announce the opening of a great tournament, Genex! The tournament will take place on the island and will embrace both pro duelists and amateurs alike, from all over the world.
This is the perfect chance for him to search for the Ultimate D, he is bound to find the duelist that stole it from his father long ago. He leans his back against a pillar, dissonant from the enthusiasm Judai and friends express.
"I can't believe it! This is terrible!" Shou panics first.
"It will be harsh, but don't you think it will be fun too?" Kenzan laughs.
"What about you, Ed? Don't you think this is so exciting?!"
"For now, I will be keeping an eye on things. That is all. I am not interested in dueling amateurs." Saying that, he leaves the scene, his cool gaze has a flame that burns from inside.
Saiou puts his plans into motion, bringing Orgene, the prince of a whole country that had in hands the keys to a satellite called SORA able to destroy the whole globe, he duels the man and wins, gaining control over his mind and war power. A tool of destruction, just as he wished, right on his palm.
Zara sees a bit of the duel from the boat, but a gloomy aura looms around her, bringing her hands together, she prays to the skies. Her gaze drifts around, but there is no sign of Ed, lately he has been taking longer walks around the island. She can feel the restlessness and grief in his heart, so much it aches.
The sound of footsteps approaching startle her, she immediately turns to the direction of the sound, it's him. A smile opens and brightens her face,
"Ed!"
Her footsteps halt halfway as she sees his unfriendly expression, he looks around and grabs the device he let her use to watch TV.
"I just came to pick this up. I told you before, but I am currently busy, there is something I need to ascertain and I will be out on the island for that." his tone is cold, but polite, his explanation is purely out of his sense of duty.
"Ed… Are you not coming back soon?"
"Maybe staying on the boat for too long is not good for you either, why don't you just take a stroll on the island? Just don't get lost, look at the lighthouse." he points out "It should be a reference enough even for you. I need to go now."
Without a second of delay, he sets off again in his solo journey, her eyes flicker, there was much she wished to tell, about her recent dreams specifically, but he is never around when she is awake and does not speak to her more than necessary on a daily basis.
She can see his back distancing more and more, and the path it leads to… The scene of him becoming sand is the only one that comes to find. Her heart is pained every time she sees it, again and again.
Perhaps he is right, just standing here won't do anything, she must move and do something, seek for the answer. Maybe… If she goes to the island she will find an answer. Closing her eyes she chants a spell, a faint grainy aura spreads in the air like smoke, it guides her to the ancient ruins in the island.
Her bare feet can feel the forest eerie coldness, she passes by a few duels on the way, but her eyes are vacant, they become enlivened when she sees the ruins. With a hand to her chest, she gulps. The last time she was here was when…
"Father… I hope your spirit can guide me..." she kneels "May the gods show me what I must do..."
Closing her eyes in a prayer, she stays there for hours, awaiting for a miracle to happen, to know the next step, a familiar energy emanates from those rocks, but unlike before, the gate is closed. Nothingness.
She has another vision, this time she feels a powerful evil energy coming from a monster, the man controlling the monster has short dark hair and looks older, Ed is the opponent, they duel in a boat, then it all becomes confusing and the boat explodes, the flames consume everything.
She opens her eyes in a second. The silence blows in the air, she stands up afflicted with her failure. If this place is connected to her word, then why is she not being answered? She turns back, walking idly on the island, the sun sets on the horizon in between the trees and the marmalade colored rays of light invade it.
The bushes ruffle and she stands in alert, taking time to scrutinize the surroundings, it is confirmed there is no one. She didn't see any duelists around and it's getting dark. Slightly frightened, she hurries her footsteps, until she bumps into someone and is bounced back, falling to the ground.
In a reaction, she screams, but calms down after seeing the friendly figure of a middle aged woman. Tome-san casts a worried glance.
"Oh my… What is a girl like you doing here in the forest? It's getting dark, it can be dangerous."
Zara's eyes wobble upon the sight of someone else and her vision blurs with tears, she cries, putting the back of her hands in front of her eyes. With a saddened gaze, the older lady pats her back.
"It's ok, I know the way to the academy, why don't you come with me?"
Seeing the friendly smile of that person, her mind can't help but compare it to Ed's callous semblance as he looks at her many times. She accepts the hand stretched to her and follows the woman.
The scene changes, Zara is in the academy store, sitting on a chair on the back of the place, the area for the workers. She holds a mug of hot cocoa in her hands, a blanket around her shoulders and new shoes on her feet.
Her curious eyes scan everything around, it is different from the city and the boat, she can't remember seeing anything like this before, except the glass case with cards, which reminds her bitterly of the museum.
The drink seems to please her taste, but she gives up on it when she remembers her expedition to the ruins was a failure. She still sees the same destiny of death.
"Isn't it much better now?" she breathes some relief into the lungs, seeing the gloomy expression of the girl attenuated a bit. "So, do you want to tell me who you are? I am Tome, the keeper of this store as well as a cook."
"I am Zara a pries… Just Zara..." she lowers her gaze, Ed advised her to not tell people she is a priestess, she should listen to him.
"This is a lovely name!" she smiles cheerfully, trying to rub it off on the girl "Are you a student here? Or are you a duelist from another place that came for the tournament?"
"I am... A fiancée."
"Oh, you mean, you are engaged to someone from here?" she puts a hand to her mouth, surprised and the girl nods. "Did you come to cheer for them in the tournament?"
"No, I..." she lowers her gaze "The truth is…"
The woman has a worried and saddened expression as she tells more about what she has been thinking and feeling, she sighs heavily at the end, but a smile plays on her lips in an attempt to give some good advice.
"I understand. Your fiancé must be stressed with the tournament ongoing, even if you came with good intentions, he must feel pressured and terrible. I am sure he is not avoiding you because he means harm. There is probably too much on his head right now."
"You think so?"
She brings her hands together, feeling understood for the first time, a sensation of hope shining on her eyes when Tome nods confidently.
"In this case, one would think it's best to leave him be, but I am sure being alone is all he doesn't want right now, he might not admit it, but men are weak under pressure, if there is someone to support them by their side, you'll see a new side of him flourishing, he will appreciate if you are there for him."
"Can I… Really do something for him? I tried my best and tried, but no matter what, he feels so distant. He barely talks to me..."
"Hm..." he eyebrows furrow up in pity, such a young girl troubled with love this much
"Am I unnecessary to him? Is that why I get left behind?"
"No, no! Don't use such words… I am sure he just feels too absorbed into his dueling to notice you, but I have a trick for that..." she raises a finger.
"A trick?"
Interest pops in her eyes. She approaches Zara's ear and whispers something, the priestess's face flushes when she hears, and she is surprised, gasping.
"Really? D-do you think it will work?"
"It always works! No matter the age, boys are all the same inside, dear. I am positively sure he will be glad to have you by his side! I know he won't just ignore a cute girl like you."
"Thank you so much!"
Her eyes wobble with tears, the older woman smiles with a feeling of satisfaction for helping the younger generation. Zara darts out of the place. Bowing profusely to thank as she goes away with a refreshed expression.
That night, Ed is surprised when she comes back to the boat at that hour of night, even more that she doesn't have the annoyingly depressed expression she had been showing lately.
"Where was she…? Taking a stroll on the island? Well, it doesn't matter..."
"Ed!"
She comes to the table, sitting across from him jumping on her seat, a drop of sweat rolls down his face, what does she want now? Her eyes seem sparkly, almost so bright he has to cover his eyes a bit with an arm.
"What do you want?"
"Can I… Watch one of your duels?"
The request puzzles him, this is the first time she genuinely showed direct interest in duels, not only that, but in his duels. Raising a brow, he has no inquiries, or better, he doesn't even want to know what she is up to, knowing her, most likely a silly scheme that she believes will work.
"I don't know when I will be dueling, I am not sure I am a fan of having you tag along the whole day."
"T-This is important!" her stuttering tone makes him raise yet another brow.
"I don't know why you want so much to watch my dueling, but fine! If you are that interested, I guess I can show you how a professional duels!" he crosses his arms in a proud posture.
She jumps from her seat in a burst of enthusiasm. What is so amazing about watching his duels? Before he gets to ask more, she dances around and disappears to her own room. He even checked his bed twice to make sure she was not hiding on it or under it too.
His eyes display both concern and perplexity. She is not behaving anything like in the past days, on the other hand, wasn't this how she behaved back when they met too? It is very confusing, but he has his bed back, at least. Shrugging it off, he sleeps.
The next day, he looks worriedly at the enthusiastic girl following behind him on the island, she has a big and silly smile on her lips. Not that he isn't happy her mood improved, just that something about it feels iffy.
She has a long sleeved dress that ends shorter than her arms, showing the thick bracelets she uses, and for once she wears shoes, he had to force her to before they left, though. Just remembering it gives him a bad feeling in the head.
An interesting opponent crosses his path, a pro duelist he never had the chance to duel in the pro league, a promising starter. He smirks upon the challenge the man offers, and starts the duel.
Zara seems enthralled by the holograms and scared, jolting back sometimes with the attacks. Her eyes waver impressed with the complexity of it as both players play a mind game with each other before Ed finally comes victorious.
After winning, when his opponent is on the ground, he harshly threads and grabs the deck of that man, checking it as they agreed before the duel. His teeth clench and his hands tremble in anger, he drops the cards annoyedly.
"Ed? You won…!"
She tags behind, he halts his steps, turning around with a haughty posture, and a grumpy expression.
"Of course! Did you really think I'd lose to someone like him?"
"Hehe." she giggles "I have a reward for you!"
It is too late when he notices her hands pulling his arm, his side bends down and she plants a kiss on his cheek. His eyes open very wide as he feels her soft and warm lips touch his skin, just for a moment. She backs off with a grin as if she'd accomplished something.
"What do you think you're doing?!"He snorts in disbelief as his orbs wave wildly.
"It's a secret." she giggles.
It just creeps him out, why is she clinging to him like this? He wipes the cheek she just kissed with a half displeased expression and scolds her:
"You can watch the duels, but stay away from me when it ends!"
He stomps the ground ahead in an even angrier mood and slightly puzzled by her sudden actions. He finds other opponents, and as the day goes, every time he wins a duel, she comes and does the same, planting a kiss on his cheek as if it's some sort of prize for his victory, ignoring his previous warning.
In which age does she live?! Why does she keep doing it? Every time she does it, he feels his heart lighter for a moment, at the same time, it bothers him profoundly, he can feel his face burning with the blood that flows, it drives him mad.
With the last duel of the day won, it's the last straw, as soon as she lands yet another kiss, he can't stand it anymore, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her away while still keeping his grip to make sure she is at a safe distance.
"I told you to stay away! Why are you doing this?"
"Ed won the duel, So I give him a reward!" She smiles naively.
"You stupid..."he grinds his teeth, his face reddening with the declaration "Is this why you've been insisting in watching the duel this whole time? How can you be like this?!"
He closes one his fists so tightly it quivers with the strength, while his other hand still keeps her at bay. Is there anyone in the world more idiotic than her? And what about a reward, is she even aware of what she is doing? He lands a slap on his own face, he should've known she was up to something.
"We're going back to the yacht! We need to talk."
He just glares at her walking towards the coast and she tags along with a worried and low gaze. They spend the whole way in a tense silence. Once they get on the boat, he crosses his arms, a deep frown in between his brows.
"Can you tell me what is wrong with you? Why did you keep doing that?!"
"Huh… I heard… Every boy is happy to receive support from a girl." she raises her finger trying to male a point "I just wanted to make Ed know I support him."
"Where did you hear that?! Who has been seeding dumb ideas into this skull of yours?!"
He closes his eyes as his brows twitch at the words and he opens them with a strict and dim glare, demanding of an explanation, she brings her hands together, recoiling, scared of him. He doesn't shout, but his tone is more than enough scolding for her.
"I-I talked to a gentle lady, she told me a secret about boys, and she was sure you'd appreciate the gesture! She said you couldn't possibly be angry at your cute fiancée!"
"Secret? The hell it is! You think kissing me helps?! It just annoys me, it's a nuisance!"
"I wanted to help… I just wanted to help… Ed is always carrying such weight in his heart, I know he is suffering..." Her eyes flicker and gleam with tears. "I wanted to help you even if just a little bit..."
His temper aggravates, his sharp eyes have a seething fury inside him, it's been a while since he got this riled up. She thinks she can help like that? He wishes it would be this simple, like a kid that has no idea of life, that he could just be happy and forget it, but his father died, his friend changed, he has no one to count on, he has been alone for a long, long time. His only goal is to get back the stolen card and bring justice to the killer of his father.
She pretends to understand it, but someone as naive, as silly as she would never have any idea of how he really feels, it disturbs him that she thinks she can do something about it.
"You know nothing! You're clueless! Reckless! You don't understand a bit how I feel! How would it even help me right now? You don't get it at all!" his eyes narrow and oscillate with exasperation "I have something more important than my own life! I've been searching for ten years! I am so close!"
"But Ed… I need to help… Otherwise..."
"You want to help? Then stop it! Stop trying! The best help you can give is not standing in my way!"
"I don't want to! If I stop…. Then Ed, this world, everyone will just…! I don't want to be alone, I don't want anyone else to die… All this pain, this destruction…I saw a burning ship, Ed you could die there too… I saw it…!"
"I don't want to hear more… You don't…"
"Ed is the one that doesn't see!"
She bawls, grabbing the inner borders of his suits and jerking it, attracting his attention, he silences in puzzlement for a moment, staring at her.
"Every day Ed duels and duels, but his heart is never better, it is dark and in pain, I can see it, I can still see all that sorrow and agony, and I feel it too…Ed's heart is crying out loud, it's screaming, it feels so heavy… Seeing Ed like this breaks my heart too… It hurts… It hurts so much… I can't… If I don't do something, if I don't do it, Ed will..."
Her orbs melt into tears as she gazes into his eyes, he can see only his reflection, as if he is the only person in the world for her. He feels her hands barely have strength to hold on him, nonetheless, her grip never falters, she wants to make sure he is not going anywhere.
"She is suffering… Because of me…?"
The thought astounds him. He thought it was all fine, that he has been keeping his cool and dealing with everything well. A bit too little insight, perhaps?
"Ed's heart is stagnant, it won't move away from this sorrow… This is not right, Ed! If you keep being like this, you will… Be consumed by this darkness..."She yanks his suit once more, but his body doesn't move a centimeter.
He is infected by those feelings. His heart melts along with her eyes, it shatters inside him feeling the pain she shares.
"Every day, every single day, I keep seeing this future in which all is destroyed, it has never changed! Not once! Everything will perish and Ed, you will too…" she shakes her head violently "I don't want it! This bad future, I don't want it! Everyone just dies in front of me… I can never do anything, they all disappear… I'm always left alone! I'm scared…"
His face is a blur into her eyes, with a pained heart, her hands release the strong grip but her head bends onwards, finding rest on his chest. He gapes at the sight, his brows curling up in sadness and pity.
"I'm tired of being left behind… All alone… Not Ed too… Always me… Why can't I be the one taken instead...?" a tear echoes falling to the ground.
His fists clench unconsciously as she pours her feelings. His hands hover over her shoulders, he hesitates before letting them rest there. She doesn't stop trembling, he can hear her sobbing, his eyes flicker wildly, his mouth opens involuntarily, but he can't find words.
All this time, he should've known, for someone like her who was mistreated her whole life, the only people who showed her any sort of kindness and tenderness must have meant the whole world, a hero. Someone she must have admired, even if she herself is unaware of the depth of those emotions.
Her father who loved her from what he could tell by the stories, the friend of her father who helped her escape and now… Him. The person who stretched the hand to her in this world she knows nothing about.
She must have felt abandoned by all of reason she clings so much to him, is because she is afraid the same will happen and she will be completely alone. He was amused by meeting someone who would feel this strongly about him, however, what she feels is but a sense of attachment.
The way she is now, dependent on him, reliant on those emotions, this is not good for her. It is a deception. He is no hero and he can't save her from this predicament the way it is now.
There is just so much his shoulders can bear as a human being, the best he can do is to soothe her worries, but before he can be a hero to her, he needs to be a hero for himself and for his father and get rid of those shackles from the past. His hands unintentionally firm the grip on her shoulders.
"Enough." The inexpressiveness of his tone shocks her.
"Ed…?"
His face is twisted in sadness as he smoothly pulls her away, looking at her eyes with a conflicted gaze.
"You don't understand the problem? If you're trying to do something and fail so hard, there is no point wasting your energy. Someone like you should just forget about the world's destiny and other people's lives. You can't do anything as you are now. Trusting others, depending on them, you cannot save anyone like this."
He lets go of her arms, his expression is more collected, but there are hints of compassion in it, those feelings burn fueling a fierceness that is born inside him:
"I don't need your help. My destiny heroes will change my destiny for me! I won't die until I've fulfilled my mission..." he clenches his fists with a quiet determination filling his chest.
"I can't just let things happen, I..."
"Zara, you should quit being a priestess, you're not fit for it." a frown forms on his face.
Her lips open in an attempt to call his name, but all she can see inside his eyes is bleakness. She gives up, closing her mouth shut, looking down.
"You're so desperate for attention, but doing this won't spare you from any pain in the future. I can't be here the whole time just for you, everyone has their own matters to take care of. You must grow up first before you take the destiny of the world into your hands. Until then, forget all about those dreams. I don't have time to be fooling around with you either."
She wants to contest, but she is frightened of what he might say. It is true, she has in no moment shown the skill to change destiny, she has been predicting it, but what if it's beyond her powers to do something about it? Trapped in a maze of sorrow, with no way out, now even the person she trusted the most shows no trust in her. Is she that useless?
"We are done here."
Narrowing his eyes in regret, his fists closed tightly, he turns around and walks coldly to his room, leaving her alone. The waves muffle the sound of her sobbing, alone in the night.
In his room, he locks the door, his hand stays on the key for long seconds until he sits on his bed, sighing heavily. What exactly is she trying to accomplish? She keeps telling about those dreams, but nothing happened so far, he is alive and well, yet she seems absolutely horrified with his death and whatever else she sees.
Her visions seem more like a plague than a gift, how many nights did she try to climb onto his bed, like a child in search of comfort. He cannot give her that, not right now, he is also trying to achieve his own comfort and peace by finding his father's killer. Until then, his path will be steep, there is no space for anything else.
He wishes she would just forget about those dreams, to live freestyled as she is, just like a normal girl, to go to school, make friends, learn things about the world, and forget about destiny and everything else, this would be fine and more fitting for a silly person like her. Admittedly, she has her share of problems.
"I'm sorry, but I can't help you now, Zara..." he mutters to himself, closing his eyes.
He is blinded by his objective, so much he couldn't even see his friend falling into darkness and that once, the card he sought for was so near or to notice how fast Zara's heart is crumbling. He has to fix destiny, he must find it out this time, the person who reaped his father's life, without delay.
Meanwhile,
On the deck of the ship, the priestess' heart falls into despair. She is useless to him, this is why he refuses her help. It has to be, right? Because she can't possibly change anything. Then why did she come? What is she here for? If she can't save him, the world or even find an answer herself, then what can she do?
The world around twirls more and more, she loses her sense of balance, falling to her knees. If she can't bear the fate of the world on her shoulders or even hers, at least Ed, she wants to save him. But how? Amidst the confusing and hectic flow of thoughts, she stares emptily into the island.
The white obelisk dorm comes into sight, she can see it: a big, ominous light emanating upwards, to the stars. Whose powers are those? She is enticed by it. Whoever it is, it reminds her of the nightmares.
The source of the destruction, it's there. Maybe if she goes there, she can find out what is causing so much pain for everyone and perhaps, she can take it down, even if her life is taken along. Putting a hand to her chest, with an anguished expression, she utters to herself only.
"I will keep trying, even if Ed hates me… I will not let that destiny befall him or this world… I came here to prevent that..."
With a frightened, but resolute glint in her eyes, she gets off the yacht unnoticed, vanishing in the middle of the forest. Unaware she is headed to the path of destruction she predicted. Can she escape this fate or will she be torn by its hands as she foresaw?
A couple of minutes later, Phoenix comes out of his room, his face wrinkled in worry, he checks the deck but she is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he could have used better words or explained himself and not snap while at it. It is not like he doesn't appreciate her feelings, however, the things he must do are a priority and the last thing he'd want is to unnecessarily involve someone else into the mess he is currently in.
He had forgotten how it was to have someone else beside himself to care for, he forgot all about it, even Saiou left him. He didn't remember any of it until recently when Zara popped into his life, even so… He still can't do it properly. He is unsure of how to react and what to do with this newfound situation he is in.
"She will figure out something, and be fine by dawn, right? That is just how she always is... I don't have time for that now..."
Resigning on his search, he believes it's for the best if they both have time to think things through, him especially, with more and more opponents running away from him, it will be harder to pinpoint the Ultimate D owner.
At the white dorm
Saiou draws three cards from the arcana deck, his eyes squint slightly in puzzlement as he tries to make sense of it. The hierophant upright, the high priestess downright and the last card…
"Saiou-sama!"
A member of the society of light knocks strongly on the door, opening. It is Asuka, her bland, icy eyes stare at him in reverence.
"Someone demands your attention. She came here to meet you. That will be taken care of if you wish."
"She…?"
His brow twitches for a second and his gaze lands on the third card he has drawn: the lovers upside down. His smirk enlarges and he orders in a callous tone.
"It is not necessary. Let her enter, I want to speak to her. Bring her to this room."
"Saiou-sama?" she is confused, but nods respectfully "I will do that immediately!"
After she leaves, he scoffs and laughs on his own, looking at the intriguing card, no matter how much they struggle, in the end, they are playing in the hands of destiny and they cannot avoid it or prevent it.
His guffaw echoes in the entire ambience, the ambition that overflows from inside him contaminates the air. It is time to move the wheel of destiny to the chosen trail.
Meanwhile, Zara's eyes scrutinize the whiteness of the corridors, the fancy lights, the walls, everything out of the purest snow color, yet she feels such an eerie, heavy energy soaring around.
Upon reaching the entrance at the end of the corridor, she gulps. An immense and threatening energy leaks out of the crevices under the door, Asuka opens it and makes space for her.
There is a single man, she can see his broad back, he doesn't spare a glance at her. Hesitantly, her feet guide her in, the door closes behind with a click, a drop of sweat rolls down her worried face.
This is not the best idea she ever had, but she is confused, scared and lost. If coming here may have her meet and end to a destiny of destruction or foddering it, so be it. She will accept it as long as she knows she at least saved someone important to her.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
He casts a side glance over his shoulder, his eyes bear an insanity she has not seen anywhere else. Her affliction worsens. He is the man she saw in some of the dreams, a villain, as Ed would call. Yet, she is here, in front of him, seeking for help.
He turns his gaze away, as if noticing it makes her unease, pretending to care, as his grin enlarges. He could perfectly see her powers emanating strongly when he just looked right now.
With those powers, she could prove herself a useful tool. Though he wasn't expecting this to happen, it is a pity that his friend was such a careless kid to let her slip away under his watch.
"You are… The other one that can see destiny..."
"You are aware. But what brings you here? As someone who can predict destiny, you should know we are enemies because we seek different paths." a low chuckle comes out in the air "To run into the lair of your own enemy willingly..."
"You were in my dreams… The 'you' that are talking to me now."
He flinches at the affirmation, she does seem to be aware of his double personality then, this is more interesting. He peeks at the Lovers card.
"I see. Have you come to stop me? Even if your powers are not enough for that?"
"This world… Everyone in it… They don't deserve any of it!" she clenches her fists trying to sound strong.
"You say that, but I sense doubt in your heart..." he looks at the priestess card, she is startled. "Have you ever predicted your own future?"
With the right words, he gets the reaction he expected, she is even more confused and slightly curious, he exploits it wickedly.
"I understand… Unlike me, it seems your powers can only see other people's futures… Whether this is a limitation you imposed on yourself or just an effect of becoming someone who must use your powers for the sake of others, I do not know, but I can read your future for you, if you wish to know it."
What he says is right, perhaps what she lacks is the power to see her own future and how to help others, to picture herself into the future so she can act accordingly. But she is not even from this world, she hasn't been given any answers, just more and more dreams.
"I am not interested in my future!" she refuses abruptly, surprising him "I don't care in the least what happens to me, all I want..."her eyes flicker in a profound sorrow.
"To save someone else?" he smirks guilefully "A noble wish, indeed. But would you reject the knowledge of a future that also concerns others? What if I tell you your future has recently intertwined with Ed Phoenix's?"
"With Ed… How..." her attempt of a decided composure breaks upon hearing that, he grins at the success.
"If you don't believe it, then why did you come here in search of help?"
The reason why she came here was because of her inability to see how to change his future and believing the source of all the problems was in this place, within this man. She came, but she didn't expect he would disguise himself as a savior.
When she first came into this world, she was convinced she would change Ed's destiny and help him save the world, but as time passed by, she felt less and less faith in her powers and in herself. It rotted her from inside out, little by little.
"Love is a powerful thing, a bond that can both create and destroy. Isn't it beautiful?" he flips the card of the lovers. "It was because of the love for his father that Ed became reliant on destiny, dependent on it."
"Lo-love?"
She raises a brow not understanding the implications of his words, he chuckles at the sight, getting up from his chair and slowly approaching, she steps back in reaction, but stops once he speaks while walking.
"Why else would you come here if not for that? Don't you love Ed and this world so much you are willing to sacrifice everything, including yourself for the sake of them?"
"I love Ed…?" she is left in a ponderative state "I don't know… I don't know what I feel, but I would do anything I can if it at least saves him from his path of destruction. I want to make a word in which Ed can smile and a destiny in which this world is saved."
"Oh… A path of destruction you say?"
His surprise is mild, but genuine, he knew all along that the destiny he led Ed to was one in which he would die by his hands. Still, it is amusing how easily he can get her emotions swayed by just the mention of his name, even more that a girl this lovesick is completely unaware of her own feelings. Like a gift of destiny given to him.
Amidst her perplexion, he comes closer, placing a hand on her shoulder in an assuring tone.
"You would do anything for him, right? And to save this world… Even if it's not what you wished for… Isn't that what love means? To sacrifice oneself for the sake of the other and accept them as they are in all their qualities and flaws?"
"Accepting…?" her eyes waver aplenty, her heart tightens "What do you mean by saying it's not what I wished for?"
"Even if you are not able to meet him anymore or see this world with your own eyes, will you still do it?" she can see a deep emptiness that has no end in his gaze. "Would you throw yourself into the pit of darkness to save everything you love dearly?"
"I..." her eyes oscillate, tearing up. She brings her hands to her chest "Why would you tell me a future like this..."
"Do you not believe me? You have the right to doubt, but once it happens, there is no way back..."
The pressure on his hand increases, she can clearly see his sentence tries to urge her to act, it stirs her desperation more.
"I don't know what to do, I don't know anymore..."
"I can tell you what to do, if you listen to me, he will be fine. He was fine when he listened to me too. Do you know the reason why you keep seeing such an awful future?" his smirk disappears "It's because you interfered with fate… Your presence in this world broke the laws of fate and as a reaction, it was angered, thus it will take everything away from you. Everything you hold dear. You do not want that to happen, do you? You do not wish to harm Ed, or this world in which he lives, right?"
He enjoys internally as her expression is filled with panic by paying heed to his lies, he can see the drops of sweat nervously trickling down. How does he know she is not from this world? Could he really see this much into the future and predicted she would be here? His powers are amazingly frightening.
"Because of me…? No, but I came here to..."
"It is true your intentions were good, but your powers will prove to be a hindrance to Ed's destiny in the future, this is the reason he will die. If you really want to save him and let destiny go to its tracks again, you must not be by his side."
She loses her breath with the revelation, it is so easy to manipulate her, he almost feels bad for it. But in his interior, his thoughts display his true face:
"Yes, Despair more. You little thing, thinking you can contest my powers. Destiny handed you to me, so now I must make it as I see fit. Your powers will be useful, when I absorb them, but before that, you have a mission to accomplish for me... Both Judai and Ed must perish so this world can end. Ed is still a kid inside, the more things that break around him, the more upset he will be. I wonder how he will feel when you break too..."
"Because of me…?"
Tears start falling down her face. He wipes it away with one of his fingers, stunning her. Bringing her close, he embraces her with a counterfeit intent of comforting. His whispers near her ears are those of a devil.
"Do not fret. That you came here before it all happened is a sign you were meant to be here. You have the power to change his destiny and the destiny of this world if you do as I say."
"I have the power to change it…?" she looks into his eyes with a fleeting expectancy.
"Yes. The power to choose whether you will free him from his destiny or shackle him more to it. And so this world will also change depending on that."
"How can I… How can I save him?"
With a grin, putting both hands on her shoulders and walking behind her, he guides her to the chair on his fortune table.
"The secret of this is to have your powers taken. If your powers are taken, you won't see the tragedy anymore, and by not seeing it, you'll be able to look at destiny with new eyes, following its desired course. Fate will not be bothered by your presence here and everything will flow as predicted, a path of light will open, one that will shred this path of destruction you dreamed about."
Her eyes open wide. To get rid of her powers? If she does that, all the dreams and vision will disappear, but she won't be able to use her powers to protect anyone either.
"You do not trust me? I will show it to you..."
His hands suddenly became warmer, as if his powers going through it made his blood hotter, transferring it to her, in a blink, she sees herself in a burning ship, the flames engulf everything, on that big area, she sees a man being consumed by the fire and in front of him, Ed. She stretches her hand to reach out to him, but an explosion occurs, and the vision ends there.
She shakes her head, lowering it and putting both hands on her hair, he grins and bends over to speak right near her ears once more.
"Did you see what the future reserves for him? I saw the card of death. This is what will happen if he continues his relentless search for the card made by his father."
"No, this can't be… This is his dream, how could it..."
"You saw it, didn't you? An irreplaceable loss. Ed felt it too, the loss of his father, he had no one to count on, yet he found a goal in his life, but what do you think happens when someone is blinded by their goal? When they become so obsessed with it that they lose sight of the bigger picture? You know it well, you too were blinded by your wishes. This is why your powers became a threat to his life. By helping him on his goal, you're doing nothing more than throwing him into the wolves to be devoured. His life will vanish just like this world will become dust. To prevent it, you must cut ties with him and free him from the bad influence of your powers."
He can hear her afflicted cry, his smirk with a hint of delight. How many times must she have seen that scene, someone she cares for dying again and again, until her heart breaks apart fully. The sound of destruction is as sweet as ever.
"I will tell you what to do. Rest assured, everything will be alright if you listen to me..."
With a creepy, ambiguous smirk, he strengthens the grip on her shoulders, she lifts her orbs in utter despair, when their eyes meet, he uses his powers for a mind charge, but as soon as he tries, her own aura blocks his path.
He laughs internally as she can't even notice his powers were used right now, her mind is too absorbed looking at his light, a ray of hope for her problems.
"I will help you destroy the darkness in his heart and what threatens this world. The society of light will welcome all of those in need and guide their hearts to the true light."
His malicious words sip into her head, the things she wanted to hear the most from someone: assurance and guidance. It doesn't matter even if she was not brainwashed by his powers, his words were effective enough to keep her there.
On one side of his face, a tear trickles down as his other half watches in pain the suffering he causes to others, unable to take over the control of his own body. Which path will he guide her to and what will that ensue for their destinies?
