Omake 1: Those left behind, but not forgotten

Often, we only think of those missing, and we forget those who remain. However, they too suffer from the disappearance of their loved ones, whether they are really dead or not.

Caroline had done her best to cover her back and not to cause trouble for her father, going as far as taking out life insurance which covered the cost of the credit she had taken so that she could buy whatever she wanted to take with her. The whole problem had been to find one who would not take too long before paying the money to her father after her disappearance. Because all things considered... she would be dead for this world. Part of her... didn't believe it being hers anymore. Her world... and her home in a way... that was where Zack and Sephiroth were. Even if only the first was still alive.

Her father had reread her letter dozens of times in the weeks following her disappearance. Struggling to totally believe what was written there… but unable to totally deny the content. Because she had disappeared before his eyes... and in a way that wasn't normal. It was a relief to find out that she had taken care to not put him in deep shit financially despite the credit she had taken... had been a relief. Or, in any case, not definitively, even if his brother had railed about her actions. He told himself that she was lucky to not be there anymore... or he would have given her a monumental, furious talkdown. And not just that because she spent her whole time on her computer or consoles, he told himself, entering the room that his daughter had occupied in recent years, his heart heavy.

He could see the signs that her departure for this other world... hadn't been rushed. There were boxes all over the room, neatly stacked on the bed when there had been no more room. A glance in the cupboard also informed him that she had stored her things inside it too, the boxes with inscriptions on the side to inform of their contents. Some also had a name on the side, showing that it was meant for someone in particular. And others, finally, were marked "for sale" or "to give" on the side. Part of him... didn't want to part with it. Because that was all he had left of his daughter. The rest... knew that he would never touch it… and that his second daughter might need it, just like his son. The two of them… had families to take care of. And having a room ready to accommodate them when they came… wasn't a bad thing.

Getting to work with a sigh, the retiree, helped by his brother, got downstairs the boxes to be shipped across the Atlantic, still thanking his daughter for having planned enough to ship so much weight by plane.

A few days later, a young lady opened her door grumbling, having been dragged from her game, before yelping when she saw the number of boxes that the delivery man was getting out of his van.

"WHAT? FUCK! BUT WHERE I'LL PUT ALL THIS?"

oOo

Saphyra had finally managed to cram everything she had received from Caroline, sometimes bitching against the numbers. Basically, where she had found space between all her dragons and Zelda stuff. They were everywhere, and in the most improbable places… as Kasu would soon discover.

The latter regularly came to play at Saphyra's, and vice versa, or just to relax after work. Today, they were playing Breath of the Wild, and it was Saphyra's turn to control Link, while Kasu went looking for snacks and drinks. The girl froze by opening the door of the pantry, blinking, before closing it. Reopening it a few seconds later, she found that she hadn't dreamed, and that there were a lot of manga in a fucking pantry, where food was normally stored.

"SAPH!" She called, distracting her friend, making her swears as she took a hit from the silver Lynel she faced.

"What?" She asked with irritation.

"Why are there manga in your damn pantry?"

"Eh? What manga?" Saphyra asked in confusion, her mind still in the game.

Pausing Breath of the Wild, she stood up, going to join her best friend. Glancing in the pantry in turn, her eyes lit up when she saw the contents.

"Aaaaah, that's where I put those ones!" She said cheerfully as she pulled out one of them to look at it.

Kasu looked at her in disbelief.

"Saph… where did you get enough money to buy all these? Last I heard, you only had the Zelda's and Captain Harlock!"

Saphyra chuckled in response.

"Inheritance, Kas, inheritance."

"Don't tell me you spent all the money you inherited on manga!" Exclaimed Kasu, ready to explode.

"No, duh," replied her friend, putting the volume back, rolling her eyes, "It's the mangas that are the inheritance."

The young woman pinched the bridge of her nose with an annoyed sigh.

"Repeat that please? From WHO exactly?"

"From Caro," Saphyra replied gently with a smile.

"…Caro, the Caro? The one from Discord who disappeared after saying that she would be leaving this world? That Caro?"

"Oh, you know, she's not really dead," smiled the young woman, looking both sad and mischievous.

"What?" Was the flat answer. "If she's not dead, where's she then?"

"She went to save the world of FFVII," chuckled Saphyra.

Kasu had to resist the urge to bang his head against the nearest wall.

"Damn it, Saph, FFVII is a VIDEO GAME. Not real! Is that your way of saying that she committed suicide?" She asked with exasperation.

"NO, she's not dead!" She responded with indignation. "Just lost in another world! I'm sure the multiverse exists. And that each game you play is inspired by a universe that exists for real! And she's in one of the coolest," she added sadly. "And I couldn't go with her."

Kasu didn't really know if she should comfort her, shake her like a plum tree, or bang her head against the walls. Especially afterwards, seeing her friend light up.

"But don't worry," she added with a smile, "she is fine. And I know it, cause I saw it in a dream. I just hope she doesn't forget to hug my favorites."

"Ah well if you dreamed of her everything is fine then!" Kasu replied, her tone heavy with sarcasm.

"Yep," Saphyra replied cheerfully. "Okay, are we playing now?"

And with that, she turned around, going back to the living room and leaving her best friend in the kitchen, desperate. The latter couldn't resist the urge to gently knock her head a few times on the pantry door, which she had just closed, before grabbing the first snacks that came, taking a bottle of soda from the fridge. Then she went to join her friend, trying to avoid thinking about what she had just learned.

Because it was just too much for her. Kasu knew Saphyra believed in magic and everything around it… but it was just a little too strange for her. In any case… whether Caroline was dead or not… it didn't make much difference to them. If it was her friend's way of mourning… she wouldn't say anything, and would be there to support her. Because that's what real friends did.

To be continued…

And that's what happened in our world after Caroline's disappearance.

(The conversation was in Quebec French, and I'm sad to say to you all readers, that my dialect was lost in the translation to english. As Quebec french is very unique and doesnt translate. But for those lucky to also read french you may find it in the Fr version of this fic as I wrote the dialect for those parts for the author as she came from France and don't know them. - Dragon)

On the other hand, thank you for not telling me that it is not realistic x) I did the best with my meager knowledge. And moreover, even if I try to be as realistic as possible, it is a FANFICTION.