Hinamizawa Hell
"The Truth of Fate" Arc: 3
Ch. 9: Denial
/
"Hello…Rika-chan…"
The eternal Witch of Miracles, the culmination of every life and form Rika has ever taken in existence, now effortlessly floated in front of her. The woman named Bernkastel stared deeply into Rika's being, almost as if taking in her appearance for the first time in a long while. Noticing features such as Rika's growth from being a little girl into a young lady made her smile, oddly enough, however; Bernkastel's empty purple eyes gave no indication of it. Coming to a soft landing on Rika's floor, she stood looking over her surroundings and then back to her comrade; her black tail swishing each other way as it pleased.
For Rika, this was an impossible moment for her to experience. Never had Bernkastel, her inner being, ever confronted her in person for any such matter. Likewise, Bernkastel always took on an appearance similar to hers, though she maintained the same dull eyes whereas Rika's were more caring and lively. Now, however, Bernkastel was much different in appearance and fashion. Wearing her hair longer and deeper in color, her unusual black gothic clothing and even the cat tail separated Bernkastel from Rika much more now. It was almost as if she were now a completely different person.
Trying to regain her composure, Rika stood up with darkness about her; a demeanor she took at times when she herself needed to be on guard. She did not fear Bernkastel, but to keep appearances up it was better she acted wise rather than childish. Walking up to her friend, Rika sighed and looked at her once more; her wisdom in complete control now.
"The Witch of Miracles, Lady Bernkastel. It is good to see you after so long. I thought that when I defeated Takano and the game of Fate, that I may never see you again. I'm glad that is otherwise…" Rika smiled oddly enough at Bernkastel, who did the same in response. Slowly walking up to Rika, Bernkastel quickly embraced her in a caring hug. It was on impulse, something Bernkastel could not control. Her respect, trust and love for Rika were all too great; unlike the demeanor she showed to another counterpart in Battler's game of Fate.
"My, the last time I appeared to you was when you were younger. If you continue to live on, you may even get that pair of breasts you always wanted." Bernkastel, for once, threw out a joke to Rika, making her blush. Rika grinned and nodded, allowing Bernkastel and her to move elsewhere in the house for privacy while time remained paused in the real world.
Once they sat down in a small, cozy room on soft chairs, Bernkastel summoned forth some tea for them to share whilst they got down to the heart of the matter. Oddly enough, they were more comfortable with each other than having acted upon wishes of blatantly getting down to questions and answers. Their bond with one another was more elegant and respectful than that. After they had their fill of tea, Rika sat back and looked up to her friend as she set aside her cup.
"Forgive me for being blunt, but due to the circumstances I am currently involved in, I am all too sure that you already know of the impending Evil which is about to pervade my peaceful life once more in Hinamizawa. Have you come to provide council or otherwise?" Rika smiled at her friend, hoping it was the former. She still harbored questions that plagued her days; causing her worries to grow about this new threat that was so close yet so far from her.
Bernkastel held her cup in her hands, looking down into the dark liquid as steam rose from inside the vessel. All Bernkastel could do now was tell the truth to Rika, and at least make it easier on her. However, she herself wanted to know how far Reimei's influence had protruded into her mind.
"You already know of Reimei Ryuu and his connection to the man named Komoto Hagara, am I correct?"
"Yes. He warned me of this final game and told me to "look to the places which defined ourselves" in order to beat Evil. I still have not solved that riddle of his. Not even Komoto-senpai could figure it out."
"I am sorry to say, Rika-chan, but I do not at this time have any alliances made with him. While events unfolded in the Meta-world to us, he did nothing but toy with my mind and worries for you. That is why I inadvertently cut ties with him…if only the word "cutting" being the most literal of parts…" Bernkastel gave a small grin to her, causing Rika to suddenly grasp how serious her friend was about that last statement.
"You…fought him…and I take it you won."
"Yes. Reimei Ryuu is more talk than bark I'm afraid. He was too easy to dispose of. That is in the past, though. He will not cause any more problems for you. For now, I have come to answer your specific question of whether or not I am here to help you…"
"Bernkastel…did you kill him?" Rika looked concerned for him, wondering whether or not Bernkastel was that cruel to someone who may have been trying to help her this entire time.
"No…but I'm sure I got my message across to him…" Bernkastel closed her eyes in thought, recounting how easily her bladed weapon of choice pieced his side.
"Then…at least that is good. I'd rather you have not done a thing to him." Rika sighed in relief.
"And why is that? That man was pervading your life like this Evil which still remains masked to us. Why not take him off the chessboard and see this final game through with me? With him gone, the likelihood of the enemy appearing is all too guaranteed now…"
"You don't understand, my friend. If Reimei Ryuu is Komoto Hagara's counterpart, you should have immediately trusted him. Komoto Hagara has proven time and again to overcome any obstacle, and he has even aided Keiichi and the others in defeating Mion's inner Oni. If they are alike in any way, then they would not try to foolishly undermine us or our goals. They are allies and should remain so…"
Rika's counterargument caused Bernkastel to remain quite for some time. She believed that what she did may have inadvertently saved them, maybe even reduced the amount of stress in this final game, however; Rika proved otherwise to her. Bernkastel became the odd one out in her actions, it seems.
"I may…have been hasty then to put Reimei-san out of this game. No matter, though, like I said before: that is in the past. I put more faith in Komoto Hagara than I ever did Reimei Ryuu. For now, consider your friend a better ally of the two."
"Komoto-senpai will fight with me to the end. He already promised this to me, as did the others when the time comes. Now, my friend, answer my question: have you come to help me?"
"Yes. In fact, I've come here to do much more than that. Rika-chan, it is time for you to rise to your full potential and grasp that which rightfully belongs to you."
"Wait…you don't mean…" Rika's eyes went wide as she looked on at Bernkastel's smiling expression; the one which said she would guarantee any victory or wish of her choosing.
"Rika Furude…" Bernkastel rose up from her seat and stood in front of her friend, extending a hand to her as if to grant Rika some gift. "…the time has come for you to join the Mariage of Sorceresses, our realm of magic and being to that which we determine Fate and no one else. I will grant you a power unlike any other, and in turn allow you to become the Witch of Miracles at last in this realm. You will have the power to easily fight off the Evil in Hinamizawa and thus ensure the happiness of your friends and loved ones in this village. You will become this realm's witch, and make with it what you will. You will become the writer of this story at last, and no more will anyone else ever toy with your life…"
To Rika, this was the offer of a lifetime. It was as if her greatest wish was about to be granted; her wanting of living happily without a care in the world as to needs and wants. She would have the power to do anything she could set her mind to, without costs or consequences. In essence, Rika could become something of a god in this world.
Upon thinking this further, Rika stared at Bernkastel's outstretched hand; seeing this as a binding contract to become a powerful witch. As much as she wanted to take that hand, as much as she yearned to grasp a power which rightfully belonged to her, as much as she wanted to guarantee her happiness at last; in the depths of Rika's heart and soul something somewhere told her not to. Looking from the hand to her friend now, Rika started to question everything that could happen once she were to take that hand and accept the offer.
"If…if I do take your offer, and fulfill my destiny now as the Witch of Miracles in this realm: what are the costs to do so? Nothing comes freely in life, so why should this be any different?" Rika studied Bernkastel, watching as her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Her response was just what Rika's inner wisdom surmised.
"In order to become the Witch of Miracles, you would need to give up your humanity. By doing so you will freely embrace magic and its entire logical means completely; thus, melding with that destiny. You may live out this lifetime, once you beat Evil of course, but though you perpetuate an illusion to your friends of physically growing older, you will never lose your youth. You will be eternal after accepting this, and you will never die except if you were to fully submit to boredom…"
"Boredom?" Rika asked, almost confused as to why she referred to the word.
"Living forever has its prices, Rika-chan. You can live a life tens of thousands of times, and you will eventually find boredom. You can experience a scenario in a game over and over again without flaw, and eventually you will grow tired of the purpose. You can become a god and rule over countless generations of people; watching as they are born, live and eventually die; yet, you will grow bored. That's why we witches move through realms, time and space to evade boredom, for once you accept boredom in its entirety you will find no more reason to go on in life, and thus will fade from existence itself. So accept your destiny Rika-chan, and let's end this meaningless struggle between our goals and this Evil that exists in Hinamizawa once and for all."
This conclusion that Bernkastel reached offset Rika almost instantaneously. She now understood a part of Bernkastel, of why she seemed so lifeless at points and so tired of situations. Rika even understood why her friend was so dark, so unclear and even so lost in life itself. Accepting Bernkastel's offer essentially meant becoming her, and yet, Rika would at the same time have an instant victory over her unseen enemy. That was more than enough reason to accept the offer for such a scarce price, right?"
"…No…"
Bernkastel's hand suddenly drifted away, her eyes wide with wonder at the young woman. Never had such a single word stunned or even hurt her to the core; as if she were a loving puppy being left unwanted by a human companion. Bernkastel began to look hard at Rika, watching as even Rika herself had no emotion in her face; her wisdom predominant more than ever.
"You deny what I am freely giving you? Why, Rika-chan? This is a simple choice. If you are worried about something, then you will have the power to…"
"Do you not see it, Bernkastel? If you have overlooked a certain part of me after so many lifetimes, then I will be surprised to say you would not know me very well at all."
"…"
Thinking this over as Bernkastel lightly fell back into her chair, she studied her friend for a few more moments, dwelling on what Rika had said. The answer came all too quickly for her; her deductions leading to only one conclusion.
"You…wish to die?"
"I wish to live a normal life as a human. I wish to have what I couldn't have in the other worlds. I wish for a human death in old age, comfortable in my bed and surrounded by a family I can call my own. I wish to have normality; a simple death where I can then cross the River of Life and Death and thus return to the Promised Land. To accept your offer, though you continuously state that it will be my destiny to do so anyway, will doom any hope of that. More so, your offer poses a greater risk than anything Evil could ever hope to do. If I become a witch and if boredom does ever catch up to me, then I will fade into nothing and cease to exist, for I would have attempted to become a god and failed; my punishment being to go into an eternal limbo. How could I ever want something like that!"
Rika looked scornfully at Bernkastel, sick to her stomach of even trying to comprehend such a fate. Rika then casted her eyes away from her friend as if she found something more interesting outside through the window; leaving Bernkastel hurting with her thoughts. Like being bitch-slapped mentally, Bernkastel immediately rose from her seat and turned her back towards Rika.
"I told you already that it is your destiny to become a witch. That is a fate neither you nor I could ever change. What difference would it make to accept it now and end this foolish obstacle that stands in your path?"
"Were I to accept your offer now, it would only mean that I cheated in this final game. Cheating is nothing more than admitting defeat despite the outcome. I learned in my past lives that beating Fate requires something more than just shear power; it requires faith and the ability to strive on no matter what. 'Live with all your life, and fight with all your might!' That is what I was told. I will live by that, and with the help of my friends I will discover the threat in Hinamizawa and beat this last game. I will become the Witch of Miracles when I am ready, and I will rewrite the Fate of boredom you so fear yourself…whether you are with me or against me, Bernkastel…"
Biting her lip, Bernkastel murmured to herself darkly, seeming like a lost little animal in an expansive forest, not knowing what to do. Looking back to Rika with some scorn and even a tear in her eye, she spoke one last time to let Rika know just how serious this game was.
"If you die, Rika-chan, then I will cease to exist. Without you as a part to my consciousness, I will be nothing more than a broken player. I will not be able to live. You are not the only one placing everything they have on this final game. Remember that…and remember this: Whether you like it or not, you will become the Witch of Miracles and you will accept the role you were always meant for, despite your fears. So Rika-chan, before I leave you must hear me: solve this final mystery and defeat Evil by your own hands and that of your friends. If you cannot defeat Evil, I WILL step in and I WILL force this destiny upon you…that is all I will say."
And without another word, Bernkastel disappeared without saying goodbye to Rika. With time still remaining paused, Rika sighed and lingered a little longer; eventually returning to her place at the dinner table whilst Satoko remained frozen in time. With another sigh, Rika forced a smile for her friend, looking at the food before her that looked delicious as always. With a snap of her fingers, like a ripple in a pond reversing itself, time unfroze and Rika began eating like nothing was wrong. Satoko, never knowing what happened or perceiving any change in Rika's demeanor, though, could note Rika's atmosphere being somewhat sadder than before.
/
It was Wednesday when Rika had woken up the following day after her ordeal the night before; barely able to sleep soundly when she realized just how much Bernkastel's offer impacted her. As tempting as it was, Rika's wisdom foretold otherwise on the matter; to stay the course and see this final game through without an easy exit. If Hanyuu's beliefs were true, then defeating Evil would come naturally, as if everything should be the way it should be. Taking everything into consideration, Rika believed her best course of action was doing what Bernkastel asked of her.
*Reimei's riddle…to 'look to the places which defined who we are'. If he means places that made us stronger, made us overcome our obstacles, then what would those places be? Would it be places like the school where we all became friends? Or would it be darker places like my family's shrine where the Oyashiro statue had resided? Is the place even a place for that matter?*
Rika sat up in bed for awhile, dwelling on these thoughts whilst Satoko was already wide awake and attempting to make a decent breakfast despite their need to go shopping for food that day. After sighing from her thoughts, Rika noticed that the bedside where Hanyuu usually slept had remained empty the entire night. Wondering where Hanyuu had been off too, she soon became worried when Satoko had no answer for her. Quickly getting up and throwing on some clothes, Rika grabbed her shoes and quickly went outside; surprisingly, finding a note left on the door.
"Mi?" went Rika, looking at the taped note to the door. She took it quickly and opened it up, noticing Hanyuu's handwriting in it. It read:
"I'm sorry that I missed dinner last night, but it seems the village elders required my help with some of the festival preparations for Saturday. I would have refused them Rika-chan, but…"
Just when Rika wondered how Hanyuu could have been roped into helping doing the grunt work of the festival when the village elders and workers knew quite well of her health lately, Rika was nearly blindsided and fell to the floor when she read the next few lines…
"…THEY OFFERED ME TONS OF CREAMPUFFS! I'm sorry, but I couldn't refuse! I'll bring some back tonight when I'm finished with the work. Don't wait up on dinner for me.
-Hanyuu"
"Hanyuu…if Evil offered you an endless supply of creampuffs, would you betray me? Et tu, brute'?" Rika murmured to herself, throwing her shoes to the ground once more and heading back to her room to hide under the covers. Whether it was "that time of the month" for her or just Hanyuu's poor advisement on notifying her on being absent last night, Rika couldn't tell. All that she knew would most likely happen later was that someone, a specific person named Hanyuu, would be forced to drink an entire bottle of sour wine as punishment for making Rika worry like that.
After sitting down with Satoko for breakfast and going back to her room for awhile, Rika heard a knock at her door; hoping that it was Hanyuu returning early for her much deserved punishment and scolding session from a pissed off Rika. As she nearly blindsided Satoko in the hallway, sending her into a flurry of spins and being dazed, Rika opened the door and yelled at whoever was there.
"Hanyuu! How dare you go off without telling any of us that…"
"Eeep! Rika-chan!"
Blinking twice and trying to forego her sour mood to her new guests, Rika realized she had just scolded loudly enough for all of her friends to hear. Surprisingly, they all looked at one another as if they were just as surprised as her to see them all. Smiling nervously and awkwardly, they decided to look at Rika and ask what she was doing before getting to the heart of the matter.
"Umm…Rika-chan. Are you ok? I don't think we've ever seen you so mad before…" stated Mion, trying to pat Rika on her back to comfort her. Rika calmed down and bit her lip, feeling sorry for yelling at her friends like that. It seemed like even Rena and Keiichi had hid behind a tree after seeing the young girl like that. Rena, for the most part, did not go into "take it home mode"; an important bit of evidence which Mion would note as a powerful countermeasure for another time.
"Mii…I'm sorry…I've just been having a bad morning…" Rika sighed and sat down on the porch, looking up at the others. She was surprised to see them all gathered at her house that day, not even sure why they were there in the first place. She didn't have any plans with anyone, but if they were up to doing something then Rika would be fine with it; anything to get her mind off of Hanyuu's rash decision.
Looking around, Rika found everyone in pairs; almost like a congregation of couples. Mion and Keiichi stood next to Rena and Ryuu, while Shion and Satoshi were behind them. They all chuckled at Rika's odd behavior, but one feature was clear across most of their faces: all of them seemed tired; an unusual aspect of her friends during the early part of the day. Being concerned with this fact, she quickly brought it up to conversation with hopes that she would receive an answer.
"You all seem very tired. Had you all wanted to play today, I'd believe you to be more energetic. However, your tired eyes give away your states. What troubles you, I wonder?"
In her darker aspect, Rika sent shivers up each of her friend's spines. They sweated as they looked at her, some of them casting their glances sideways and sighing. Even Shion put a hand to her head, sitting down next to Rika for the time being. Above everyone else, she had seemed the most tired. Speaking up for the group, Mion answered Rika's question.
"Er…well, I guess you can say that. I can't speak for the others, but Kei-kun and I have been suffering from some…nightmares lately…" Mion gripped onto her summer dress, feeling nervous for bringing this up to mind. Shion looked directly up to her sister, astonished that they were there for that reason.
"So…you and Kei-chan were also having nightmares?" asked Shion. She looked from Mion to Keiichi, watching as they nodded their heads.
"Eh! Is that why everyone is here today too, I wonder?" spoke Rena. She studied the others and oddly enough they had discovered that it was true.
"Geez…what is going on here?" asked Ryuu, sighing deeply. He crossed his arms and sighed in deep thought, trying to figure it all out.
"So…what you're saying is that you've all been having bad dreams? What kind, if I may ask?" Rika was confused that this was the reason they seemed so afflicted, however; in Hinamizawa, dreams usually meant that darkness was on the horizon. Mion's inner Oni demonstrated that misfortune to them in the past, so why should now be any different.
"Umm…well…"
This impression was shared amongst the group, each of them seeming to be ashamed of the dreams. It was as if even mentioning the dreams would either take what little energy they had that day away from them or send them into a deep depression. Deciding it was better to discuss this inside rather than in the heat of the day, Rika rose up and beckoned for everyone else to follow. She moved them all to an inner room in the house where the air was cooler. When all of them were seated, with Satoko as well once she brought out drinks for everyone, Rika resumed the conversation.
"So you all can't sleep lately because of some bad dreams. Will anyone in here tell me these dreams so that we can get to the bottom of this?" Rika asked. For the moment, she wished that Hanyuu was by her side to provide some council on the matter, but this time it was up to her to help her friends.
Gathering enough courage, Shion decided to go first, having Satoshi holding her hand for support. She glanced sideways at Satoko, giving her a look of shame that came to mind. This dream of hers was something only Satoshi and Mion knew of; everyone else kept in the dark. Satoko looked back at her, wondering why her proclaimed older sister was giving her looks of guilt. Clearing her throat, Shion addressed everyone else with determination in her eyes.
"I'll go first, I guess. It's a dream…and a reality I'm not proud of. I dreamt…that I was in our family's dungeon, driven to madness by the syndrome because of how much pain I felt over losing Satoshi-kun. I blamed everyone around me for his disappearance: my family, my friends and even Satoko-chan. In my dream…I'm in our family's underground dungeon torturing everyone. I killed Oni-baba, Kimiyoshi-san, Rika-chan, Sis, and I even tried to kill Kei-chan. However…I also killed…Satoko-chan…in the worst of ways…"
Shion didn't dare cast her eyes in Satoko's direction. She heard Satoshi's little sister gasp, and sit there with a loss for words. After a few tense moments, Shion looked up to Satoko with tears in her eyes.
"Satoko-chan…I'm sorry…I would never do that to you or anyone else! What I did then wasn't the real me! I swear it!" she pleaded, asking for forgiveness. Satoko looked at her, feeling hurt to some extent, but shook her head.
"I know you would never do that, Nee-Nee. Otherwise…I would never have cared for you so much. If that really happened, then I'm sure the me of that world would have forgiven you. It's ok…don't bear that weight on your shoulders anymore…please…" She smiled weakly at Shion, causing her to come to where she sat and embrace her in a big hug. Shion continued to softly cry into Satoko's chest for some time, causing the others to feel her sadness. After a while, though, it felt as if a great weight had been lifted off of Shion's shoulders, making her feel much more focused and whole again. Satoshi patted her on the head once she sat back down, causing her to blush like she normally did.
"Mii…I remember that world, Shi-chan. You really did a number on all of us, and with such flawless ability. However, after you died and joined us in the afterlife before starting the next world, you did accomplish two very important things; one of which Mi-chan was only able to overcome in this life…"
"What do you mean Rika-chan?" asked Keiichi, confused.
"Shi-chan defeated her demon…her inner Oni…by making a promise before dying in that world. She has kept that promise since then and by doing so I can only assume that, by what Mi-chan's inner Oni stated, that Shi-chan's demon was killed."
"Then…I'm glad I was able to defeat "her" before I ever saw her…" smiled Shion.
"And what was the second thing?" asked Rena.
"Well…from what I remember as I watched in the afterlife, Shi-chan literally wet her pants…"
"…"
As Mion, Keiichi and even Shion were taking sips of their drinks, Rika's sudden statement sent the liquid right back out across the table in a sudden mist. Everyone stared at her, looking serious one moment, and instantly the next bursting out in giggles and rib-breaking laughter. Even Mion was on her side, unable to stop pounding her fist onto the ground with great force. Shion looked sideways from Mion to Rika to Satoko and then the others; Satoshi even snickering under his breath and looking away from his love. Shion, on the other hand, blushed deeply and began trying to explain herself; but to no extent did Mion pass this chance up to get an edge over her sister.
"So Sis actually…AHAHAHAH….pissed herself? This is….TOO hilarious!" Mion stated in between breathing and laughing.
"Geez Shi-chan, I now wonder if you still wet the bed too?" stated Ryuu, from which Rena counter-assaulted and hit him lightly on the head; hoping to defend some of Shion's dignity at least.
"I…that is…I…um…THIS ISN'T FAIR! WAAAAAAAH!" Shion began cowering under the table, crying as everyone made fun of her. Satoshi patted her back again, trying to comfort her at least. After the others managed to calm down from the laughter, Rika addressed everyone.
"Good, I'm glad I was able to put smiles on everyone's faces…Nipah!" Her effort paid off at least, managing to lighten up the moods of her friends. "…Now, if that was Shi-chan's nightmare, what was everyone else's?" Rika casted her eyes on Satoshi, seeing as he came in line next. With a weak smile and some nervousness about him, he decided to speak up.
"Muu…In my dream…I'm walking down a dark forest path on the night of the Watanagashi. I…lured our aunt out there…so that I could stop her from abusing Satoko-chan so much. If anything…I wanted to scare her away with…that damn, sorry excuse for an uncle as well!" Everyone noted Satoshi's anger at the mentioning of Teppei, however; they agreed with him on that. If one thing was shared amongst the group of friends, it was the hatred for the man that abused Satoko on a constant basis. He was of no matter now, as he was rotting away in a prison somewhere north of Japan. "…but…when I confronted her, she slapped me around and tried to overpower me. That's when I took out my baseball bat I previously hidden just in case something like that were to happen. After I fought back…well…you could all guess what happened. After the police started to question Shi-chan and I, I became paranoid that our aunt didn't die and was everywhere; every person I saw looked like her. Dr. Irie then took me back to the clinic just before I tried to claw my own throat out. That's where my dream ended…"
Nodding to this thought, Rika understood where these dreams were all going. It was their sins, the times when they knew the most pain in their lives. Piecing together these stories, Rika thought deeply as to their meanings now of all times. Before the others could go on, Rika spoke up and decided to diminish whatever confusion there would be.
"If I am correct in my assumptions, then I can only guess everyone else's dreams. Rena-chan…" Rika looked over to Rena, pointing a finger in her direction with focus and determination. "…you dreamt of the time you took over the school and made hostages of everyone because of succumbing to the syndrome and from being paranoid over who you could trust. You eventually succeeded in burning the entire building down with everyone inside. Am I correct?"
"Yes, but how did you…"
"Mi-chan..." skipping over Ryuu oddly enough, Rika pointed next to Mion, prepared to say what lied in her nightmares for everyone else. "…you dreamt of the time you killed all of us in jealousy over Keiichi and from succumbing to the syndrome. Afterwards, you and Keiichi both tragically died by falling into the well together after mere happenstance. Am I correct again?" she asked, looking deeply into Mion's eyes. She didn't need more than a moment to confirm it, seeing the answer right before her.
"Er…yeah, but Rika-chan…"
"Now for Keiichi. You dreamt of the time you killed Rena-chan and Mi-chan in your home due to the paranoia of the syndrome and from mistrusting us just before clawing out your own throat. Again, correct?"
"Yeah…"
"Which leaves me with Satoko-chan and Ryuu-kun's nightmares. Satoko-chan dreamt of the time she killed her parents on the ledge of the waterfall, believing that they were out to get her."
"Rika-chan…I didn't…"
"Satoko-chan...it is not your fault nor your place to lie to anyone here. We know what happened, so it is ok to tell us now. Just tell me; am I correct?"
"…yes…"
Casting her eyes to the floor, Satoko felt like everyone in the room was judging her, though no one was doing so. She noticed that her brother stared at her for a few moments, but instantly the next patted her on the head in comfort. It was not something Satoko was proud of nor did she ever want to do. However, their parents were dead and there was nothing she could do about it.
"What about me, then?" asked Ryuu while feeling left out. Rika looked at him curiously but tried her best to remember that far off world she had only experienced once.
"I believe…it had something to do with a one-armed man who tried to kill us all. However, the story of that world ended tragically as well, though I can't remember why…" Rika contemplated more on that particular world, but could not fathom why she could not gather or even recollect any other details from it. Sitting back down and sighing once more, the others addressed her as to what it all meant.
"Rika-chan…if you remember all of these dreams…these lives of ours, then why are we all having these dreams now?"
"I'm not sure, but it is most likely a warning to us. What its message is, I'm not sure. But let me ask you one more question to complete my hypothesis: Would you say that you learned from these past sins…that these were the places and times that "defined you"?"
Everyone looked from one to the other, thinking over her question. It was a unanimous answer in the end for everyone in one way or another.
"I guess. Yeah, I made my promise to take care of Satoko-chan after all. I became a better person that way…"stated Shion.
"For me, it was learning to stand up for what I believe in…" stated Satoshi.
"The same goes for me and trusting in my friends no matter what!" Keiichi nodded to Rika.
"And for me, I learned to be true to myself and my friends…" stated Mion.
"For me, it was learning to believe in my friends." Likewise, Rena smiled at Rika.
"For me, it was learning to overcome the impossible!" went Ryuu, smiling.
"For me, it was learning to be stronger!" smiled Satoko.
"And for me, it was to have faith in myself and everyone else no matter the odds! These are the places which defined us, and at least, this gives me a possible solution to Reimei Ryuu's riddle!"
"Hmm…Reimei Ryuu? Who is that?"
"You needn't worry about that. For now, I am confident the next clue will come to us in no time. It's like Hanyuu said, everything is…"
*Ring*
"Oh, I'll get it. Be right back…" Satoko rose from her seat and went over to the nearby hallway, picking up the phone's receiver. She conversed with the other person on the line while Rika thought to herself.
*Hmm…Reimei, I have my answer. Now what am I to do?*
"WHAT? IS HE…?"
"Eh?"
Dropping the phone quickly and rushing back around the corner into the room, Satoko looked at Rika with a face full of great concern. As everyone else watched on in confusion, Satoko's message dealt Rika a hard blow; one that was going to create a rift the fabric of everything that was going to come on the horizon.
"Satoko-chan, what is it?"
"It's…Komoto! He suffered a heart attack last night. He's…!"
/
As if enchanted by the forests of Hinamizawa, Bernkastel idly walked around in a daze unlike any she had ever had. With every step she took in the forest, the heat of the day taking its toll on the nearby villagers who could neither see nor hear her, Bernkastel felt it taking more and more effort to manage walking. She felt lost, betrayed and confused as to why Rika chose to go against her like that. Unable to understand why Rika wanted to die only to meet her fate in eventually becoming a witch, whereas now she risked everything that encompassed who they were, Bernkastel could not fathom the next coming days. She only wanted to find complete solace in a certain victory, not a possible defeat. However, Bernkastel was the Witch of Miracles. As long as the probability of a situation was not completely zero, she could inadvertently create a miracle which would change Fate.
Listening to the low drums of the cicadas, she sat on a rock, feeling safe and secure in the sunlight like a black cat taking a mid-afternoon nap. Feeling tired, she studied her surroundings and thoughts in peace, if but for a moment.
*Rika won't escape her Fate as a witch; it is already prophesized through my being. She will inherit her destiny and make something out of this world. For now, though…she's risking everything; and I can't do anything unless she is within inches of dying. Only she can accept my offer; if she doesn't…even though I bluffed to her about forcing this on her…then I will die along with her. At least…death would return us to the Promised Land…together…*
"My my…unguarded, are we?"
"Hmm?"
From listening to a serene forest full of sounds and music to a scenery going dead without so much as a pin drop, even with the cicadas halting completely in song, Bernkastel suddenly stood up and looked around quickly for the owner of the dark voice. Staying on guard, she listened once more, unable to hear anything now. It was as if sound ceased indefinitely.
"Who is it?'
"Guess who bitch!"
Suddenly, as if being grabbed extremely hard by the back collar of her dress, Bernkastel was pulled with great speed from the area. As she watched on in a mere nano-second, everything became blurs around her; like a movie reel rewinding with a speed that was too fast to comprehend by any eyes' perspective. With the force of gravity hitting her entire body, and with time slowing down in the last second, Bernkastel was thrown with tremendous force right into a black chair; reappearing in Reimei's Meta-world once again.
As splinters of wood flew in all directions, Bernkastel's limp body thrashed into a nearby wall; her clothing ripped at the collar and torn in other numerous areas. Feeling like she was hit by a mountain, she coughed to try and regain some air in her impacted lungs. Opening one of her eyes and looking up, she found Reimei standing over her without his blindfold on; his eyes scaring Bernkastel to her deepest core. If anything could describe his eyes, they were not normal, not demon-like and not human. They were something far beyond her own understanding, something that only Reimei could fathom and understand in its entirety. As light and dark as his eyes were, they were powerful enough to make Bernkastel the Witch of Miracles fear with complete honesty.
Feeling a bladed weapon at her throat, much like a giant claymore but with a long, gun like barrel attached to its main structure, Bernkastel could only hope but to focus on breathing and not pissing her pants. He stood over her like a predator having cornered its prey, his teeth barring with anger and darkness. Looking closer into her soul, Reimei spoke while narrowing his eyes at her.
"Do you think a cheap attack like that would persuade me to give up, Bernkastel? More so, do you still believe you can stand up to match someone like me?" Reimei's voice was like a deafening roar, causing Bernkastel to weigh her options carefully. In such a state as she was, despite being a witch and immune to death except through the likes of boredom, she still chose to tread cautiously.
"Rika….hah….said I should trust…erg…you more…but I won't. I won't…let you try…and destroy Rika's…" she murmured. It was hard for her to speak, but given some time, her bruises and internal wounds would heal without worry.
"If I wanted to kill Rika and the others by now…if I were truly the Evil that remains in Hinamizawa…then I would have done so with no effort whatsoever. Killing you would be like dropping a ball of glass off a tall building: everyone knows what the outcome would be. I could smash you just like that glass ball with a flick of my wrist. You best understand that, Bernkastel, for the next time you try to gut me with a scythe, I will blast a hole into your existence with my weapon!" Showing Bernkastel his weapon with a hint of severe expression, he made his point loud and clear to her. Once she succumbed to surrendering to his notion, he quickly pulled his blade off her neck side and un-summoned it from his hands; the weapon disappearing in small balls of light and dark. Returning in stride to his seat, Reimei sat back down in his chair and focused more on the blue orb in the middle of the room; its images showing Rika and her friends going to the clinic to check on Komoto.
Bernkastel felt like a wounded animal, unable to comprehend everything that had happened between Rika and now Reimei's trememdous power. She was at a loss for words, feeling despair for the first time in a long while since she became a witch. Sitting up against the wall, she watched as her wounds healed and from there brought her legs up to hold in her arms. Bernkastel did not speak for some time, causing Reimei to look at her and study her again; this time, with his own eyes.
"I take it your meeting with Rika-chan didn't go as planned?" he asked without emotion. He watched Bernkastel from the other side of the room grit her teeth, looking down to her knees and shedding a few tears of sadness and pain. Reimei sighed again and felt remorse for breaking her like he did, but in all honesty it needed to be done eventually. With a wave of his hands, he reformed the broken seat anew and beckoned for her to sit down next to him.
"Bernkastel…if you will now hear me out for once then please just sit down and watch. That is all we can do. This is their fight, not ours." This time, Reimei spoke with sympathy in his voice, though it did not do him any good.
After a few moments, he stood up and walked back over to her, deciding it best to sit down next to her to at least mend what broke in Bernkastel's being. Sighing again as she did not move an inch from him, Reimei looked over at the blue orb and watched as Rika ran into the clinic, the others not far behind her.
"You feel like a trapped bird in a cage, unable to venture out into the world to find your place. Lambdadelta is very cruel, corrupted to an extent even, but no matter what you still defy her and hope to be the bird that lives freely in the sky one day…"
"How…would you know something like that?" asked Bernkastel, slowly raising her eyes up towards the blue orb. She saw out of the corner of her eye Reimei pointing to his own eyes with one finger.
"I can see everything about a person and feel their thoughts, memories, pain and happiness if I so choose. I can also delve into people's minds, break them into a shattered mess if I wanted to. I can even slow time down and perceive the world differently in my eyes; seeing a person's heat pattern, seeing when they are in love with another, seeing what their life would be like as if it were written in a book and I was the reader. The only thing I can't do is tell the future, but with everything else at my disposal I can surmise to what it could be. If I know the past, and understand the present, then I will know the future. And right now, Bernkastel, like I said before, I intend to shatter whatever you may believe about life and reveal to you the truth of the matter. I am…not here to destroy anything; I only want to fix it…to fix this broken mess we call reality by eliminating Evil from it…"
For a few more moments, Bernkastel and Reimei sat quietly, trying to let the passing light and dark of the room itself provide a peaceful tone to the atmosphere around them. Sighing now and looking around the room, Bernkastel rose her head up, but still, kept her glances at the blue orb; wondering why Rika and the others were at the clinic.
"I may say I'm the cruelest witch of them all, Reimei-san, but even your eyes won't tell you everything about me. I am a being of pain, of misery and of sadness; Rika Furude only encompassing what little happiness I ever had. She is my reason for living the way I do, so that she may never become someone like me in the end. Rika will become a witch, but I hope that she becomes someone who goes beyond what I could ever do. Only God and I can judge my life and no one else…and so shall it be for Rika, if she overcomes this last game…"
"Good…you are beginning to see some of the Truth…if only a small part of it…"
Standing up, Reimei brushed himself off and offered a hand to Bernkastel. Looking at it wearily, Reimei smiled caringly for once in the small amount of time Bernkastel had known him.
"What is it that you are so adamant on proving to me? Why can't you just tell me this secret you are hiding so that I may aid Rika?" asked Bernkastel, getting up with his help. She noticed how gentle his hand was this time, easily picking her up and setting her right on her feet again. By this time now, she fixed her torn clothing and wore a new dress much like the previous one, though cleaner.
"Komoto already demonstrated to Rika that Evil is nothing more than a third element in the world. Let me prove to you that this is the Truth of the world, that Evil can be separated from Light and Dark, that a balance can be achieved once more and that the world can become something similar to Eden without Evil's tendrils invading it. Let me show you…the thing you forgot so long ago: how impossibly strong the will and determination to separate Evil from life is in people. Let me show you, that what you knew of this world was wrong, and by doing so provide you an answer to one of your longest, oldest and most troubling of questions ever posed. Come sit by my side and watch as Rika and the others achieve this impossible dream. Our time of interfering is over. Now, let them all make a miracle of miracles occur…"
"Are you saying that Rika will survive this final game and defeat Evil?" Upon hearing Reimei speak of such an outcome, Bernkastel's hopes skyrocketed. However, until she saw his emotionless smile did those hope slowly plummet.
When asked of this, Reimei's smile turned into a thin line. He sat back down with her, remaining silent for some time. Turning to her, and seeing less fear in her as their eyes made contact, Reimei spoke up once more as the orb revealed the coming events of Komoto's health and status to the group of friends in the real world.
"Nothing comes without a price, Bernkastel. Even Rika and her friends will experience the worst of Evil before even the possibility of victory is given. They…will lose everything only to gain it back with some sacrifice in the end. That sacrifice, though, I cannot say; its form, its amount and its shape being unknown to me and known only by God…"
/
Come to me, I say, come to me…
And stay with me, no matter the hardship.
Come to me, I beg, stay with me…
And bear my sadness, so that I can bear it.
Come to me, I plead, stay with me and bear it with me…
For I don't want to be alone.
Come to me, I cry, stay with me, bear it with me and live with me,
For I did nothing wrong.
You there,
Will you not come to me?
And stay with me?
And bear it with me?
And live with me?
A person, scorned by Fate,
Destined for pain, for misery and sadness?
For doing nothing wrong?
As having lost something,
Which even as a child I could not understand?
Will you then do these things,
And will you save me?
From my own hell?
My child, what have I ever done,
To have this Fate…without you…
Next time on Hinamizawa Hell: "The Truth of Fate" Arc 3: Ch. 10: Secrets
Can you accept this?