We both rest in each other’s embrace. How many times has it been? What does it mean between us? I am hopeless when it comes to this kind of thing. What does she feel about me, if my intention of helping her even that of kindness or something more… I can’t be certain of anything… so much for having six. I’m pathetic when it comes to this… I am sure however, that she is fond of me.

“We will go and talk to her alright? There’s no need to dwell any longer as it will soon be true” I said soothingly to her. She still embraces me even as time forever continues.

“I understand” She said, sounding rather solemn. Her heart is still beating rather rapidly as she no doubt is extremely anxious at the sudden opportunity to meet her sister. Confrontation is a scary thing that I doubt anyone doesn’t recognize, and therefore I know that what she needs right now is time to prepare. She might burst out earlier, but clearly that was one of emotions that doesn’t consider her stress and anxiety enough. 

Let’s take a bit more rest to dwell on what will happen next, and brace ourselves…

 

#####

 

“Floria, you’re still up?” After some time I speak up. She’s still in my embrace as looking rather comfortable.

“Y-Yeah” She said, lifting her head up to look directly at me.

“Let’s go meet her shall we? For all we know she might be unable to sleep anticipating you” I said with a smile on me. She looks at me with a happy expression, if only hard to tell.

“Of course” She responded simply. We both began climbing out of the bed, and ready our body and mind. It might be difficult, it might all end in a flash, or in days. Regardless of all that this is what I will achieve before the end, and there is no better time than now.

“Ready?” I asked one last time to be certain. Looking straight at Floria with a determined and serious look on me, I mean it when I ask that.

We both stare at each other. Our clothes and gears ready, but uncertain when it comes to our mentality.

“Yeah. As ready as always” Floria said confidently with clear conviction in her voice. I walked up to her in response and ready to leave. In the next second the results will come clear, and with all my hope it will come with a happy ending.

*Zoom*

Within an instant we are teleported to the forest that Rumel resides in. I teleported us to the edge of the forest instead right into the center of the forest where Rumel is. I think we still need a bit more time to ready ourselves, and of course to build up this meeting.

“Let’s go Floria. There’s no need to worry, your sister will listen to you, and I am here with you as well” I said with a reassuring smile as I turned to look at her one more time before we began walking our fateful steps. Her face appreciative and almost formed a smile once again, why would she not do it now?

“Thank you” She replied as she tilted her head to look further into the desolated forest. The dead air and silence of the departed no doubt gives the atmosphere of this forest that if a dreaded graveyard, yet inside is one lively, warm, and kind individual trapped in the pain of isolation. 

We both look at the forest and silently nod our heads, walking in and letting the sound of each step fill our ears.

The small vegetation on the ground with many fallen leaves and branches being crushed by our foot is the only sound heard as we went further in. There are traces of old blood, and nothing that can be considered living, even Floria looks at the sight with an uncomfortable expression.

Soon we reach our destination, as long it is it is also a brief respite before we face the problem head on, something she must do on her end as well, and something she immediately realizes as she noticed us, turning her head over and eyes widened. In the clear bright sky contrasting the romantic yet cloudy night sky that conceals many truths, both sides that care for each other will have to battle it out, their ways, their paths, it must be converged to see the happy ending I want.

“B-Big sister!” Floria yelled out with overwhelming emotions, swords still by her side and her body moving towards the destination. Seeing this sight Rumel look relieved yet clearly distressed.

“Floria stop!” Rumel commanded with a clear tone of desperation, she is still afraid to confront her sister no matter how much she wants to reunite, how unfortunate.

“W-Why?” Floria’s face seems to crumble into that of sorrow asked her big sister in a painful voice. She stops dead in her track as she tries to keep her emotions in check. I walked closer to the both of them not liking the rough start at all.

“What a nervous wreck you still are Rumel. This is your sister for crying out loud! Face her with determination and courage like you should! You are her big sister, act like one!” I said out loudly as if scolding her, but also as a motivational speech. Both of them hearing this turn their head to me.

“I-I…” Rumel cannot find anything to retort with as she stands there stiff and nervous. Floria looked at her sister still with determination in her saddened eyes.

I look at her still with eyes full of conviction, I cannot and will not see this fail, I’ve come this far, they all come this far, there’s no reason for everything to crumble now.

“You two are sisters! You should be embracing each other and talking it out! You two must be strong for each other, so show each other how strong you are!” I said, a struggling sentence made on the spot to motivate them to confront each other, so everything can end.

The sisters look at each other with eyes of anxiety. I understand that they are still overwhelmed by the reality in front of them, but I just hope my presence can at least ease the tension and give them the comfort they need to keep going.

“Floria… I’m sorry” Rumel said sorrowfully and regretfully. Finally this goes somewhere, a bit of a relief for me as much as it is for them.

“I-It’s alright” Floria said, only able to come up with an awkwardly delivered response.

...There’s an awkward silence where I would’ve wanted the conversation to continue, this isn’t good. I need to intervene at this point.

I walk in between them and grab their hands, taking them by surprise with a clear look of shock on their face. I smile at them reassuringly as I hold their hands.

“If you two are afraid, don’t be. I’m here for both of you” I said with a warm smile trying to ease their tension. It seems to work with their face looking less stressed and look back at me with happy expressions.

“W-We won’t be” Rumel said, still trying to gather her thoughts from the looks of it. Floria silently nodded in agreement, at least these two can finally agree on something. I know they won’t get at each other’s throats but that doesn’t mean their conflict wouldn’t harm each other.

“Thank you” I said with a smile of relief… which for some reason made both of them take pause. At least they don’t look like they’re uncomfortable.

...Eventually I have to not get in between them since this is their conversation and not mine, I have to give them some space and overlook them from a safe distance.

…They take staring at each other in order to properly begin talking, still overwhelmed with many emotions more than likely. As long as they don’t let their emotions destroy them then nothing should go wrong.

“Sister… Please… come back” Floria said a bit melancholically. In a few words her desire is made clear, of course at this point is it a want or a need? 

“Floria… I made my decision that day to leave for your own good… Was it a mistake?” In response Rumel asked a question where the answer should be somewhat obvious. Their voices are so melancholic and sad to hear.

“It… It…” Floria finds it hard to answer honestly, and then silently looks at me for the answer, the response her sister would be able to bear.

“Your suffering and hers all stemmed from that day… I’m sorry to say but it’s nothing short of a tragic mistake” I said in her place to not make her guilt ridden, it’s not something an emotionally vulnerable girl should say if she can’t handle it. I said it in a tone of someone calm and collected, trying to not to show any malice or bias.

“I see…” Rumel said as her eyes downcasted. It’s a harsh truth that needs to be said, a delusion of being right shouldn’t be maintained.

“Still, I doubt your sister will not forgive you, isn’t that right?” I said as I turned to look at Floria, as a cue for her to confirm it loud and clear.

“Of course! I couldn’t possibly hate you!” Floria said energetically, trying to ease Rumel’s regret, which she succeeded in. Rumel’s face shifts from that of a sorrowful woman to that of someone who is happy, finding relief.

“Thank you. Sister” Rumel said with a small smile. Her bandages concealing her demonic parts are moving about, as if it’s about to-

*Rip*

Rip apart and unravel the ‘ugliness’ that exists. It’s really not a problem for me but perhaps the world’s value is just different, or rather this time period such a progressive thinking doesn’t exist.

“But… how are we supposed to live in peace, as I now have something so monstrous” She asked Floria clearly not expecting an answer. Still I already know the answer Floria will come up with.

“Then we simply have to leave, we have to go far away from this place and never return! We will build our new home and live in peace, just like we always wanted” Floria said with conviction that Rumel doesn’t expect, taking her by surprise as seen clearly in her bewildered expression.

“But that’ll be diffi-”

“So what if it is difficult! I’ll do whatever it takes! Big sister! I will not give up! I will not!” Floria said cutting Rumel off. Her conviction is loud and clear and her determination greater than ever. Rumel seems to be at a loss as she cannot be certain of how to proceed. She wants to protect her sister by isolating herself from her now matter how painful it must be, yet Floria will not take that for an answer.

“If… If… If I can’t convince you, then I’ll have to drag you to the end of the world with me!” Floria said as her emotions went into overdrive. She brandished her two swords as tears fell. Rumel stepped back looking at her sister with a sense of horror at the level of desperation her sister fell into due to her action back then.

Floria cannot see reason at this point, there’s no way to communicate with her other than with battle, but will Rumel even retaliate? Can she possibly subdued her sister? Who have been training hard for a long time and learn from me as well.

*Swing* *Swirl*

Floria swings her two sabers wildly into the wind and causes ripples in the air that pushes Rumel back violently while not affecting me in the slightest.

Rumel, not expecting this level of performance with how long it has been since they met, cannot find it in herself to retaliate, unsure if that’s even possible. What is going on through her head? The girl she has been protecting all this time is attacking her with much more power than she could possibly imagine, and possibly outstripped her, who should’ve been protecting her, not the other way around.

*Dash*

Floria makes a mad dash towards her sister still fueled by pure emotions, lacking rationality in that moment. She’s trying to prove her worth, that she can make it work, and yet she will hurt her sister in the process, if anything goes wrong I have to step it again.

*Swing* *Evade*

Thankfully she swings with the dull side of her blades, but it’s still a violent and dangerous motion that will cause a great deal of physical trauma, if it weren’t for Rumel’s modified physical abilities and her intuition to avoid it in time things could’ve ended up really badly.

The chase continued in this circle within the forest with me as the only spectator. Both fighters who don’t want to fight continue the chase and are unable to come up with anything to say. One who wants to prove she can fight, and another who doesn’t want to fight and think her sister shouldn’t either.

Soon Rumel hit a wall, a tree in her way as she retreated backwards. It’s a simple blunder yet her pursuer catches her with that opening. Her blades are still in hands and lunges them in the direction of her target.

*Stab*

The blades are deep into the tree behind Rumel, and creating a wall on all sides that Rumel probably cannot destroy. She is overwhelmed, and right now it is her loss, not taking her sister’s determination and power seriously enough.

What seems like it will end in a bloodbath was but an emotional tantrum, Floria’s eyes full of tears looking at Rumel who is bewildered and shocked.

“See? I can do it… I can do it…” Floria repeated to herself as she looked down and back at her sister, still gripping her blade tight she began calming down and I walked over to them.

“She’s certainly not a girl who needs protection anymore Rumel. You two can walk side by side” I said to Rumel as I walked over to them. Meditating this heart-to-heart is why I’m here. The two people in this world are suffering and so lovely, I can’t possibly let either fail at the final struggle.

...Rumel ponders silently as she is still pinned to the tree by Floria who refuses to budge. All three of us were close to each other with Floria and I waiting for Rumel’s response.

“You’re right… I was being foolish, moronic. I really am a terrible big sister” Rumel said, admitting her fault yet making it sound so cynical. She is still clouded by her low self-esteem.

“No you’re not!” Floria immediately spoke up, trying her best to make Rumel feel better about herself.

“Thanks lil’ sis… Heh, how long has it been since I called you that?” Rumel replied with a tinge of nostalgia from her own words soothing the wound on her heart.

…The two silently smile as winds blow and warm light embraces all. Their smiles are much greater than what I’ve seen previously.

“So… Sister, can you believe in me as I did with you?” Floria asked breaking the silence and asking with a smile, one of a genuine and energetic younger sister. It’s so jarring to see yet it feels right for her to act that way towards her big sister.

“Of course I can… It might be hard on you… but I can see now that I worry way too much” Rumel said with a smile as she plucked the blades out of the woods for Floria without much trouble. Part-demon or no any demon could do that easily.

“Hey! You two actually did it! I’m so glad!” I said while embracing them both and putting them into a threeway group hug. I’m not used to putting up a friendly and active act but it doesn’t seem to creep them out at least. I really am trying to be more outgoing with my actions.

I smile at them and them back at me. It’s all worth the effort to be able to see the two so happy, and able to come up with a resolution… not mentioning how they’ll go about it of course.

“We couldn’t be together again without you” Rumel said, showing an embarrassing amount of gratitude towards me.

“Yes, we really owe you everything” Floria said following what Rumel said. A sister gratitude combo is really bad for my heart. I need a break, I can’t speak up like this.

...Soon I let them go and allow them to talk. All of us silently walking over to the middle of the clearing without any trees in the way.

“Talk it out more. You two have plans for the future after all” I said, putting my confidence in their ability to prosper even if hardship were to befall upon them. Of course I still have my own idea in mind that I won’t mind putting to fruition sooner or later now that I’m attached to them.

“Yes. We’ll soon leave this kingdom behind, I’ll go grab my stuff and leave with my sister in tow. With how much money I get we could live for a long time easily” Floria said sounding slightly overconfident, but she got the spirit.

“Certainly it will be difficult, but with me around to make up for the lost time, you don’t have to worry Floria” Rumel added with a smile. I’m glad that both of them can now be so happy and optimistic, ever so different from the sorrowful girls they were not long ago.

“We don’t have to deal with anyone ever-” Suddenly before Floria could continue her optimistic boasting she interrupted herself. Suddenly her face turns melancholic once again, much to both Rumel and I’s concern.

“W-What is it Floria!?” Rumel asked, sounding her concern quite emotionally, walking over to her sister and grabbing her by her arms, practically shaking her.

“I… I don’t want to part with her” Floria suddenly blurted out. Mind not playing the pronoun game right now? It’s not the best time for that?

“Her?” Rumel echoed the important pronoun in question and mirrored my concern. Suddenly her face is stuck with a realization I still can’t comprehend, and her face turns into that of sadness as well. This isn’t good, why can’t things just go smoothly, what is it now?

“Y-You two, are you both alright?” I asked, sounding my concern, really not wanting this successful reunion to be dashed away by more problems.

They both turn their heads to me with eyes that seem to be outright pleading for something. What could it be now? Why are they directed at me? Why does it look like they’re silently agreeing on something!?

““We want you”” Both of them said simultaneously… Huh!?