Thank you to everyone for the kind words after the last chapter. It might not seem like much, but it did help make me feel better.
"What did I do wrong?"
Kotone can't get the words out of her head. Ryoji was looking at her when he asked this, tears streaming down his face.
He? It? What is Ryoji?
She thinks back to the day she found Makoto in his apartment. The way everything froze around her, pushing her back. She remembers the dull pressure, cold air, and sense of dread that loomed over them when she and Minato made love for the first time. But most of all, there's what happened to Makoto—what he became because of that thing and how it taunted her, almost killing her and her friends. Minato said it himself, a part of him died that day he can never get back.
So why did it ask that? Why was it crying? Why did it feel guilty? She's killed plenty of shadows—they're all monsters, incapable of feeling anything but maybe the most basic emotion. Arcana Lovers didn't understand love like its name implied, only basic lust. This was Death—it should just be another monster that only wants to hurt people.
But those tears. Monsters don't cry. They don't curse people for hurting someone they care about. They shouldn't break down to the point of throwing a tantrum like a child, especially when they have their enemies almost at their mercy.
"Why you?!"
Did she do this?
Kotone blinks, dispelling the thoughts plaguing her and returning to the present. She's seated on the sofa beside Yukari and Fuuka, and the rest of the team gathers for an informal meeting.
Fuuka scans the room, noticing the absence of two. "Where's Aigis?" she asks Mitsuru.
"Waiting inside his room," she answers. No one questions Minato's absence; the mental stress from last night's events caused him the pass out shortly after Ryoji disappeared. "She refuses to leave his side."
"I know how that feels," she thinks to herself. It was only at Aigis' insistence that she went to bed in her room last night instead of sitting by his bedside, holding his hand until he wakes up. Despite her efforts, the night was restless; she should be there with him, cherishing every moment they have before…
… before that day comes.
It's the day on everyone's minds. Death will come back to kill them personally at the end of December. Even if they manage to defeat him, The Fall will happen a month later to kill them and every living thing on Earth. No matter what they do, they'll die.
That's why he said those things. It had to be. What he said, his behavior; it all makes sense, and she ignored it because he hurt her feelings. Stupid. Both of them. Damn him for going off on his own again, and damn her for ignoring his silent cries for help.
Damn them both for hurting each other despite their best intentions.
Koromaru lowers his ears, giving puppy-dog eyes while whining softly. The canine companion brushes his nose against Ken's leg softly, earning a few quick scratches behind his ears in acknowledgment.
Akihiko is the one to break the silence. "Do we know when he will wake up?"
Mitsuru shakes her head. "Hopefully today. I would have taken him to a hospital under any other circumstances. If not, I can have some doctors come here directly."
Hospitals and doctors. How many times has she seen him get hurt now, physically or otherwise? The time he was hurt because of Sakuya, the apartment, everything that happened with Makoto—she's always doing something after the fact.
Junpei's eyes dart around to everyone, waiting for someone else to say something being interjecting, "wait, that's it? That's all we're gonna talk about?"
All eyes are on Junpei who stands from his seat. The tension on his shoulders builds, so much that he has to fight himself from fidgeting.
He swallows the lump in his throat and continues, "We're doing this again? Just acting—"
"Sit." Kotone interrupts her voice possessing an unusual sharpness to it. Her head is still tilted downwards, having been looking down at her hands. Despite their efforts, her bangs did little to hide the red glare peaking behind them.
The sight of the piercing crimson orbs quickly melted away whatever nerve Junpei had been able to muster. A trail of cold sweat trails down his brow and he lingers for what feels like minutes. He opens his mouth to speak, but no words can escape.
She wasn't going to give him a chance to steel himself, ignoring the regret she already knew was forming within her friend. "Sit," she repeated her command, "sit down and do not say another word."
His resolve is crumbled—no, that's not right. There's no resolution, instead, there was only the fear of a child wary of his and everyone else's impending deaths. "Ko-tan, I—"
Kotone stands.
"Junpei," Kotone clenches her fists as she says his name, "I have had a shitty past few months." She finally looks up to face him clearly, revealing the surrounding redness from a sleepless night. "Shinji dying and having my boyfriend used as a puppet trying to kill me. He comes back to me but pushes me away for reasons he won't even explain, only for it to be because that thing is back and says we're all about to die soon."
An empty laugh fills the room, turning looks of sympathy into those of concern. "Oh, and the cherry on top? Mommy-Dearest that abandoned me when I was a little girl comes back and wants to 'talk,' because apparently, God said I don't have enough to deal with."
"Kotone…"
She's not sure who's saying her name. Fuuka? Yukari? Akihiko? Would it even make a difference?
"So please, Junpei, sit down and shut up." She ignores the salty liquid she feels on her cheeks. "I know you're scared. I know..!"
Kotone steps back, not seeming to care where her legs would take her.
"Just… just shut up…"
Kotone ignores her friends calling her name, running out the door to someplace—any place—else.
Somewhere that isn't here.
Somewhere where it can all just stop.
Aigis remains motionless, sitting with her legs crossed watching the boy sleeping peacefully in the bed in front of her.
Another hour has passed. It was time for another scan.
Analyzing…
Scan complete; temperature is at thirty-six degrees celsius. It is still lower than average. Perhaps a fourth blanket should be added?
A knock at the door disrupts her process. "Come in," Aigis answers, unmoving from her position.
Mitsuru enters, arms crossed and her gaze uncharacteristically soft when she sees Minato in bed. "How is he?"
"Unchanged," Aigis answers, comparing her analysis with the previous reports in her database.
"I see," Mitsuru returns, sounding dejected. "It would be unwise to leave him in a hospital for the time being given his circumstances. If there is no improvement by tomorrow, I can arrange for medical staff to provide him with any care possible within the dorm."
Aigis nods, "Agreed."
The mechanical maiden looks behind her, expecting to see Kotone watching wordlessly. Her expectations were subverted, only seeing Misturu by her lonesome.
"Has something happened to Kotone-san?" Aigis asks. Were it not for her insistence, Kotone would never leave this room. She wouldn't leave him now.
Mitsuru pauses, closing her eyes and inhaling deep. Exhaling slowly, "She… she left. She needs time. No matter how strong a person may be, everyone has a breaking point. I considered sending someone for her, but… we've done enough."
Aigis nods in understanding, returning her gaze to Minato for a brief moment before a thought occurs to her. "Kotone-san's mother. She abandoned her."
The heiress gives a quizzical look at the android but nods in affirmation. "And now she's come back to her after all these years."
"Minato-san came here to avenge his family," Aigis notes, "just as you came to absolve yours of their sins."
"I know what you mean." The redhead steps closer, standing beside Aigis. "Myself, Arisato, Shiomi, and even Sakuya. All our lives have been shaped by our respective families, for better or worse."
"Unfortunate," Aigis says, "that one is unable to determine their blood relatives."
"Blood isn't your only family, Aigis," Mitsuru is quick to retort. An unconscious smile forms on her lips, "one's true family are those you care about; who remain by your side when you need them most."
One that stands by your side.
They hadn't been together for so much as a year, yet SEES has been through so much together. Throughout countless battles, they always would have each other.
Yukari would always insult Junpei, yet were always there when they needed each other.
Fuuka often tries and fails to cook for everyone. Though the results are often destructive, the thought was what was valued by each member.
The bond between Mitsuru and Akihiko as they watch over their juniors.
They hadn't known each other long, but their time together has formed an unbreakable bond between all of them. Intentionally or not, they've become a part of each others' families. To act against one would be to act against all of them. Isn't that what family is?
But then there was another that came to mind.
"Ryoji-san." Is that what Minato felt with Death?
SEES haven't had even a year. Minato and Death had almost ten. If the bond between SEES was so strong, what must the one between them be?
Catching her words, Mitsuru's voice becomes solum. "Yes. I imagine he must have been like family to Arisato as well."
Betrayal. That's what he meant. Minato turned his back on the last of his family for Kotone.
"Family." A moment ago, the word was so simple. Now merely saying it feels like it should carry so much meaning.
With Death came one last question. "But when family harms one another," Aigis asks, tilting her head, "is forgiveness possible?"
"That's not something I can answer." The heiress' gaze turns to the android, "But sometimes… I like to believe that yes. It can be."
Aigis takes those words to heart. She kept pondering them incessantly when Mitsuru left the room, leaving her alone with Minato once more.
Scanning.
Status: unchanged.
"I understand now," Aigis says to no one in particular.
The cold air stung against Kotone's skin. The leggings she wears do little to protect her. For a moment, she's thankful she was still wearing her school winter uniform before leaving.
The tears that had been streaming down her face have now long since dried. The crushing weight she felt was becoming more and more of a distant memory.
Kotone laughs. To think, Junpei made her cry. She was never going to hear the end of this when she goes home. Everyone must be worried sick about her.
How many times has she been left crying now? Minato's right, she's a child. Every time something bad happens, she's left an absolute mess.
For now, she needs some time alone. Fortunately for her, no one comes to the shrine's playground during the winter, especially after the snow has fallen. Everyone's staying inside trying to keep warm, and that's if they're not one of the Lost.
An entire playground to herself. Some years ago, she would call this heaven.
Kotone sits on a swing, shifting her weight back and forth to build momentum and height. Childish though it may be, she couldn't deny the smile on her face.
This place brings back an old memory.
She remembers having a fear of heights. Her father would be on the other side of a slide, encouraging her to go down and that it would be alright, but she wouldn't budge. The slide went on for so long her young mind felt it would go on forever.
But then she came. She placed Kotone on her lap, holding her tight and telling her she would never let go. Kotone clutched onto her arms almost as hard as she shut her eyes, afraid of what would happen if she opened them.
"Whee!" Kotone finds herself saying out loud, mimicking her in the memory. Her younger self was too scared to do so much as scream.
And then it was over. She opens her eyes and she was down at the bottom. The unending fall was over in a few quick seconds.
She's asked if she wants to go again and she agrees. Once again, she's held tight. She tells the woman not to let her go. When the arms are around her, she lifts her own in the air laughing when they descend together.
She remembers hugging the woman.
"Thank you, Mommy!"
The swing stops.
She said she would never let go, and then she was gone without a goodbye. What makes a mother abandon her child?
Kotone exhales, "why?" Why did she come back? It would be so much easier if she stayed away. That way she could go on hating her like she has the past twelve years.
But she's back. She's back when she has no reason to. She has refused her once already, but she came back.
Kotone furrows her brows when another question comes. How?
The first time, she assumed it was luck. A twist of fate or a slap in her face from God. A chance meeting with the woman who left her behind for reasons she would never know.
But now she's here. Mother didn't only find where she had moved to for school, but she knew her dorm.
That's not possible. There's no way she could have found her, unless…
Kotone pulls out her phone, fingers hovering over the call button. There's only one person who knew where she was—only one person who could have told her.
But why? She left them. Why would he tell her?
If he told her, then they must have been talking. If they were talking then…
All it would take is one press of a button. If she was right, then maybe Kotone wouldn't have to face her again after this. She could get all the answers she wanted…
"But you wouldn't like that, would you Blue?" Kotone scoffs. What would he give to have a chance to be with his family again?
She doesn't just want answers; she wants her mother. Or at least, a chance to have one again.
Kotone closes her eyes, inhaling deeply. Her palms were sweaty and she felt a pit forming in her stomach. If she doesn't do this now, she never will.
Exhaling, Kotone acts quickly. Dialing the number given to her, she puts the phone to her ear until the other line picks up.
"Hello?"
It really is…
Kotone's breath hitches. The pit in her stomach became an endless abyss threatening to swallow her.
No, not now. She can't stop it here.
"H-Hello, Mom," Kotone forces the words out. "I… would like to meet you."
She has to try. Even if in the end it hurts her, she has to. If Death is coming for her soon, then she wants to face it with no regrets.
Igor sits comfortably in his chair. Hands folded in on themselves, he waits patiently.
Interesting that the Velvet Room's form is an elevator still. It's understandable given the similarities between Kotone's journey and the new guest's.
Of course, this guest is special compared to Kotone. Not just in their circumstances but their state of being. Their Wild Card had been tampered with by Death.
How magnificent. The Arcana of change, and The Arcana of Infinite possibilities! This will be an extraordinary guest!
"Master," his female assistant calls out to him. Her words are joined by the sound of rattling chains that lets him know their new guest has arrived.
Opening his eyes, Igor sees a single orb glowing a bright purple and piercing into him. Undeterred, Igor grins. "I have been waiting for you."
The guest gives no response. He remains on the other side of the room, behind the chair most other guests would be seated in. The hood he wears conceals all his features except the single eye contrasting with the darkness.
Hovering over him was another figure. From the darkness, Igor could see several coffins held together by a chain attached to the figure's arm. Looking closely, he could faintly make out what appeared to be ichor dropping from its arm. Were the chains digging into its flesh?
Igor extends his hand to his new guest. "Welcome to the Velvet Room."
I gotta ask, how many of you saw that end coming? Because I didn't. No, really. I do not plan ahead very well.
