"The Library of Tales"
The place where I recorded the memories of souls claimed by Death. Long time ago before I came to Hortus, I travel from country to country, era to era to records memories of dead souls. I have seen much more lives after the day I become Messenger of Death.
Tragedy, Happiness, Lies, Cruelty, I have seen all of them…
So much disgusting things inside this world yet I was the one assigned to record their memories, the memories of those evil, those who didn't realize what they have, and those who innocently follow the wish of evil. I recorded all of them.
Hortus has always become some kind of base camp for me to store those Tales. All records I gained during my travel were stored here. Thus it was called "Library of Tales".
My Priceless Treasure…
The round shaped room with books organized neatly on those shelves which was also a wall. If I try to look up, I would see blinding light from above which made me could not see the top of this Library. The higher I fly. I could see more empty slots on those shelves.
It was not strange knowing my job just started from 400 years ago. There were still so much spot not filled with book yet. Each book has their own tales, their own memories. Some even also have connection with another book.
My black wings flapped, guiding me to middle area of the library. Above the bar which separated each shelves was written the year of the era. I reached out for the book with reddened brown color.
"Honne-kun!Honne-kun! Look at this one!" before my finger could take out the book, I was stopped at the moment by The Angel voice. I grumbled in annoyance, it made me remember what happened before which lead me to be paired with this white winged being.
…
…
…
I don't know what happened to me that time. I could only remember about my dream where I stood among the snow, then those solitude rushed back to me. The end was I hoped at the moment, I just wished the playback of my memories end soon. It was at that moment I opened my eyes and saw her face.
I was supposed to get angry, but I don't felt wrath at the moment. She closed her eyes forcefully, perhaps she knew that I was gonna yell at her again. But it was strange, my hand moved to caress her cheek instead.
It felt soft….
And warm…
I have been living in solitude for so long. Countless time I wished for a companion and Father granted my wish, sending an Angel as my companion. Each time my eyes opened, it was always nothing that I saw. I hate to admit it, but I knew that I was really lonely, no matter how many times I sleep, there will be nothing when open my eyes.
The white dream I had, I was hoping it could played longer. I felt scared when I opened my eyes that I saw nothing again. It sounds pathetic for a Demon to feel like this, but this was what I felt. I could not lie to myself, no matter how many times I entertain myself with the City attraction.
The smile in my lip and the tear in my eyes were showed as my eyes saw her. It was like two contradicting emotion filled me. The Angel eyes were open wide; I guess this was the first time she saw me act like this.
The happy moment happened for a few seconds only as my sense snapped me back, telling me what a foolish thing I have done.
With reflex, I backed away from her immediately. The back of my hand covered my mouth; I could felt my face flushed, since when I got so close to her. I breathed like lacking of air, sweats was what I could felt on the surface of my skin.
Her face glowed in pink color as she smiled at me, not her usual idiotic smile, but a genuine innocent smile.
"Tha-that's doesn't mean I am gonna play with you! Don't get the wrong idea! I just felt tired!" I quickly shouted, hiding my embarrassment.
"ehehe~ I know." And she was back with that idiotic smile of her which I hate so much.
I felt like she was making fun of me, how annoying. I stood up in awkward way which showed my embarrassing side more, I wanna walk away from her as far as possible right now.
"Honne-kun? Where are you going?" The Angel also stood up, from the looks of it, she was gonna follow me again.
It irritated me, knowing her intention so I yell at her, "None of your business!"
"Not anymore."
Another annoying voice which I knew to whom it belongs, countered all my statement at once. My feeling tell me something annoying will soon approached me. After all nothing good came from him.
The six winged arrogant Demon descended in front of me from the sky with his cocky smirk.
"One thing after another, does you guys really wanted to annoy me that much." I spat at him.
"Hi, Ted!" The green haired Angel suddenly greeted him, waving her hand few times in the air. Ted replied her with another wicked smile of him.
"Did she know him?" I thought, I took a peek back at her with confusion, and then something snapped in my mind. Now I knew what happened.
I glared at Ted, I know everything was his idea, "You are the one who tell her my name right?"
That annoying Ted rolled his eyes while whistling; acting that he didn't know anything.
"Damn you, Ted! You're gonna pa-"he immediately cut me off,"Alright! Alright!Cut the slack off, I got another job for you, happy now?"
I sighed in annoyance, "Make it fast, old man!"
"Old-! Hmph! You should really learn how to respect you senior." He glared at me before he opened his thick book again, flipping several page before he stopped at one particular page.
"Well actually it's a simple job, so I think you're gonna enj-"
"Main point please. What are you? An old man? Babbling so much." I cut him off this time, revenge for him cutting me off before. I could saw anger mark cracked on his head while he tried hard to maintain his smile.
"Ne ne, can I join?" The angel suddenly was beside me without I realized.
"Not a chance." I said
"Aww…" The Angel put her finger on her lip, acting like a child disappointed that she could not go with her parent.
Ted was supposed to agree with me, but that Jerk instead giving me his wicked smirk, "Don't worry Gumi, you already has your name on this job."
"Huh?" we both voiced in unison, could not comprehend his statement.
"Ted… don't tell me…"
…
…
…
And that's how it goes… I need to work together with her to organize this giant Library. One thing that I never thought of that she was also the one who doing the record, thanks to that I was told to mix my record with hers and organized them neatly. What was Father and Death thinking?
"Honne-kun!Honne-kun! Look! Look!" this girl kept shouting nonstop, how am I supposed to concentrate like this.
"Argh! Alright! Alright! I got it !" so I shouted in annoyance before I approached her.
"Look! I remember this one!" She happily showed one particular book which I also recorded before. I guess there were some records that were same, ughh this organizing work will be a huge pain.
The book has unique design on the cover, I could remember this one, it was dated to the middle age era if I remember correctly. It was a record of a servant which obeyed his Princess who was also his sister loyally.
"Yeah? So what's wrong with this book?"
"He is one of my friends."
"Huh?"
"Len, he was one of my friends, we used to play chorus a lot with his song in Heaven before I was assigned here. It was lot of fun."
I was surprised, that person got to heaven? I never thought it would happen. I don't really like this story, it ended up tragically. The one who supposed to die didn't die; I was sure she ended up in hell. Serve her right.
"Is that all you want to say, I am gonna go back to work." My wings flapped again guiding me back to middle area.
"Oh ok." The Angel intended to follow me, I know it, but before she could proceed further, I stopped her, "You organize the lower area, and I will organize the middle area."
At first I thought she would ignore my order and follow me instead. Guess I was wrong, she obediently follow my command and went back to do her job.
"Hmph! At least for once in a while she could be obedient."
...
…
…
"Huh?"
"What's wrong?" The Angel approached me the moment she heard me.
"Hey did you record this one?" I showed her the book I hold. It got a melody symbol circling earth on its cover. The title was "The World and Me".
"Eh? I don't remember ever record this one."
"You don't? I don't record this either. The year was unknown either"
The angel tilted her head in confusion, if neither she nor I ever record this, and then who record this memories?
"Ne ne, what's inside looks like?" I just realize she was too close to me right now, just as I was gonna told her to go back to work, she snatched the book from my hand and flew higher.
"Hey! Give it back!" I felt irritated somehow even though I don't certain what the reason is. Chains were summoned from my hand to shackle her, but she easily dodged it each one of it without looking back. What was this Angel? She was crazier than I thought.
She was trying to open it but noticed the book was locked. My instinct took me at the moment, I dashed towards her but end up hitting the book shelf as she easily dodge it. Uhh… my head hurts I bumped the shelf too hard. Those books I organized before fell from the shelf from the impact. I groaned in annoyance, sending angry glare at the angel who was laughing at me right now.
"Ehehe~Honne-kun are so careless."
Damn you Angel, let see how you dodge this. I formed a bubble on my left hand and throw it at her faster than a bullet, just as I predicted she easily dodge it like before. The bubble hit the shelf behind her making it wet with water. She giggled at me, but she didn't realize my trick yet. The trail of water left behind her formed a water hand and grabbed her immediately. She was shocked when it wrapped around her body in an instant, making her unable to move.
"Got you now." I fly approaching her, grabbing the book away from her clutch. Her pouting make me smirk, I felt like just won something important.
"Give it back!" she shouted for the first time, I smirked once again. I just love to humiliate any being.
"Then try and get it all by yourself. Look, look, the book is here." I teased while swaying the book in my hand which was out of her reach. She looked pissed, just what I want.
But suddenly she was able to break free those water hands which took me by surprise. The Angel raised the heat inside her body to evaporate them. She rammed without thinking at me immediately. I was taken aback by this sudden change, she rammed with all her strength even after she hit me she kept ramming till we hit the shelf on the lower area. The impact caused the book above to fall again.
That's it. I am really out of patience right now. Before her hand could reach the book on my hand, I quickly move my hand out her reach. She yelled telling me to give back the book. Who want to give it back, I tried to fly again but she dragged me down. This girl sure got lot of stamina to rebel. Her hands grabbed onto my shirt, before I knew she climbed over my body like climbing a mountain and snatched the book from my hand.
She tried to fly again, but this time it's my turn. I intend to fly and halted her from flying further but it ended up bumping to her. Both of us fell to ground immediately. The books falling faster than I thought, I was hit by several books at once. As for the Lucky Angel, she was protected by my body hovering over her. The number of books which fell increased at once. I looked back and what I saw was swarm of books falling towards me like bees.
…
…
Ughh … my head felt hurt. Getting hit by books sure was not a joke; if I were human I might have died. I raised my body a bit to realize that Angel who brought everything to mess was right now below, with me hovering over her body.
I felt disgusted for a moment, maybe because I still angry with her for creating all these mass. If I looked a bit closer, she looked a bit different from any other Angels I have met before. Her skin was not as a white as them, it got a bit darker color but still looked white and her wings size was a bit smaller than other Angel. As for her face …
"Ho…Honne-kun?"
"Eh?"
"Your …. breath. It's tickling me."
Those words snapped me from my mind at the moment. I just realized that my face was so close to her right now, her hot breath was breathing against my face indicating how close I was.
I get up immediately, letting few books on my back fell as I got up. My eyes could not saw her at the moment, for the first time I ever acted like this, what's wrong with me I wonder. Ever since she came, crazy things just pop out one after another.
"Ehehe~~"
"What are you giggling for?" The giggle make me glare at her, was she mocking me again.
"Its fun to play with you." She said with her usual pure smile.
Her bold answer could lit a new flame inside me, but strangely it didn't. Instead I just turn my head around without saying anything. Perhaps I got no strength to get angry anymore, knowing the work load increased because of her.
"Get back to work. We need to clean up this mess."
"Yes, sir! "The childish Angel gave me a formal military greeting like when they met commander. I sighed in annoyance, she just take things too lightly didn't she?
…
…
…
The organizing job took longer time than I thought. Countless times I would stop at several particular books which I recorded and I would end up reading them instead of organizing it. The tales stored within these records were all unique, I gotta admit I always end up reading them, but I would snapped myself whenever I was drawn too much inside the memories.
ね 変わらないものはもう この世界に無いかな
Hmm?
ね 伝えたいことはもう この心に無いかな
夜の淵、朝が待つ、繰り返す日々・・・
I turned around looking at the Angel below me who was organizing the lower area. I could say I was entranced for a while by her voice. It sounded so sweet and kind, but also sad and lonely. It was like the girl tried to keep a smile even though no one beside her. Such a sweet song, it does not take a long time before I realized that I lost focus when she noticed me.
ねぇ、あの約束さえもう、忘れてゆくのならば、
I quickly turned back, return to my work previously. I organized the book neatly based on the year and era, but once again her voice caught my attention.
ねぇ、この歌声だけ、嗚呼、君に届くようにと、
I didn't lost focus, rather … somehow I was enjoying it, I no longer attracted with the book I hold and read them. My hand and wings work in harmony, carefully stacked those records together.
終わりから始まりへ 溢れ出す涙から始まる 今日
Although I don't felt happy or mad, I felt calm whenever the voice reached my ears. Like a calm dawn before the sun arise, that kind of feeling. Calm and stable, silent and peaceful, the kind of feel you got when you wake up in the middle of night and walked outside.
遠くへ 遠くへ 過ぎた時の影法師 光求め あぁ
遠くへ 遠くへ 消えないように陽炎 掴みたい ね
How long was it since I felt something calm like this? Rage was always what I felt from the day I lived not as Angel anymore. It must be pretty long already till I could not remember it at all.
交差する 交差する 光と影
その先に 何がある
"Is it ended already?" I turn around and looked at her while carrying a few books on my hand.
The Angel smiled, excited that I started the talk first, "Yes, it's a short song!"
"I see, hey sing me another song, I am bored."
Her eyes open widely; she nodded immediately and went back to work.
"Weird girl." I whispered as I turn back to organized the shelves.
大好きと思うからね
傷ついたり 躊躇ったり
冷たい頬を寄せ合って
心が生まれた
Oh, this time was a sad song. It's rather depressing tone yet the elegant touch inside it still not waver. It sounds more like a love letter rather than a song. Although it was supposed to be a confession, but the sadness was too obvious. The lyric show passion yet the melody show sadness.
いつも今すぐに会いたい
Something stings my heart as I kept listening to it, like a big glass shard was planted inside me. It pierced me little by little. Sympathy? No that was not the reason I think.
無口になるほど好きよ
優しさどうしたら見えるの？
What was this feeling I don't know? My hand could keep working, but my heart could not follow. Such depressing sad song … for what reason this song born I wonder.
抱きしめてもっと強く
暖かな胸を信じるよ
さよならソリティア
Now I remember why the other Demons don't like me. Why they despise me. It was because I have this thing called "Affection". I could felt sympathy towards those who suffer from tragedy. In which that was a big disgrace for a Demon.
明日へ・・・
But I was an Angel before, it's not supposed to be strange to have something like this inside me. I touched my chest as I could felt it beating slightly slower and calmer than before. Was having this "Affection" really that bad?
小さな私だから
全部でも足りないよね
何にも隠さないで
貴方にあげたい
I don't give a damn about them insulting me. They just envy that they don't have this thing, I am proud instead of ashamed for having this thing within me. Its not like I want to get along with other demon either, we demons were not like human. We didn't like grouping.
まだ白い夜明けを見送って
I fly lower, approaching the bottom shelf of the middle area. I took a peek at the Angel, her back was facing me, and she worked diligently while singing. Her sound resonated within this room; with the blue color that painting this room somehow made the "Affection" inside me reacted stronger.
こんなに大事な人に
どうして巡り会えたのと
I hate to show this kind of secret in front of other beings. But her voice just allured me more to listen to it.
痛いほど繋ぐ指で
寂しさ消える夢を見るの
さよならソリティア
My wings guided me lower and lower, my finger could not stop working. My ears could not stop listening to her, its like it has tamed the wild rage inside me, like splashing water on a burning fire.
もう一人じゃないから
明日目覚めるの
貴方と・・・
Maybe there was really existed a story behind this song. But I still don't wanna approach her, Angel make me sick.
大好きな人だからね
側にいる 守ってる
貴方へ繋がる大地に
生まれて良かった
I guess the song finally ended, so the sad tale has ended. It really made me curious on what tale lies within the birth of this song.
My hand reached towards the book a bit above, it was that time her hand also approached the same book. Our hand touched at the moment, I was supposed to be surprised but I didn't, instead it was her who let out a squeak of surprise and withdrawed her hand. It made me realize either, since when I reached the lower area where she worked? Her voice must have allured me.
Yet this time she didn't show that idiotic smile of her, only red signal painting her face. What's gotten into her?
"S-sorry." She apologized, the red color on her face glowing deeper.
I stared at her with a bit annoyed look, what game was she playing this time. I hope she didn't bug me again like before.
"Hey."
"Y-yes?"
"Sing me that song again."
I wonder what gotten into me, my usual distant attitude was absent today. But still I wanna kept my distance from her, I don't want her to have an idea that I wanna get along with her.
…
…
…
小さな私だから
全部でも足りないよね
何にも隠さないで
貴方にあげたい
Her sound echoing within The Library of Tales while The Angel kept organizing the records. A happy smile was hinted on her face as she kept singing, she felt happy that for the first time he ask her something.
まだ白い夜明けを見-
The Angel stopped singing at the moment when she heard a sound of book touching ground. Gumi turned around to saw Dell was sleeping peacefully surrounded by book. She smiled once again when he saw him sleeping peacefully like that, The Green haired girl pulled a blanket nearby which was used to cover the books and use it to cover him.
"Good Night, Honne-kun." The Angel planted a small kiss on his cheek. Red was the color lingering on her face the moment her lip touched his cheek.
She stared at his face for a while. A bit red color was heating her cheek at the moment, she smiled towards the sleeping boy, "Len … It seemed like … I finally got my own tale…"
Disclaimer: I do not own the song mentioned here.
Disclaimer: I do not own vocaloid.
Disclaimer: I do not own the tale mentioned here.