Res lashed out at the world and the White Rabbit indiscriminately, a beam of electricity rippling through the fields.

“Why is everything in this world still coming after us? Raoul isn’t with us anymore. Mother is buried underneath a field of flowers! After all this time… it took 30 years for them to plot their revenge against Raoul! We had nothing to do with it! I’ll kill you! It’s no wonder the Angels hated Elysia!”

 

“My nature is not to torment. I am nothing like her…”

 

“What I seek is to confront, then give the option to shield it away.”

 

“Because I believe there are two kinds of people in this world. Those that will gladly hold their hands to cover their eyes, and others that will move on regardless of what they see.”

 

“You fall into the center of both.”

 

“The reason is because you are unchanging.”

 

“I don’t need to change. I’m happy being Res. I’m happy being blind. What would you know? WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW!? Is it fair that I’m allowed to change when the people I’ve let down can’t!?”

 

“Even if it’s temporary, I can help you.”

 

< Warning: CognitO Filters operating on 90% inaccuracy >

 

< Alert >

< CognitO Filters on the brink of deactivation >

< Construct of Consciousness will require immediate repairs >

 

“I won’t Corrupt. I can’t afford to. I’ve made so many people worry about me that I’ve gone through enough sleepless nights as it is. I can’t remember the last time I slept knowing that everything was fine. I’m like this… because the world has always been the same. No matter how many colors I take away from it, people are going to be taken away from me!”

Res slit both her eyes with the claw of her thumb, permanently damaging both her CognitO Filter and her eyes.

She could no longer tell if the droplets that landed on her hands were blood or tears. It didn’t matter anymore. Res tried standing up, but she quickly fell. The darkness behind her eyelids was her only comfort, and yet deep down, she had never felt more afraid.

Res was the coldest of the triplets. She was the most professional and clinical. She was no different from a weeping child now. An inconsolable Res tried finding her way around the flower field, but no matter how hard she tried she kept falling face first into the dirt.

“I have to set an example for my sisters. Because if I was allowed to indulge in my wants then who’ll watch over them!?” Res’ face merged with the ground.

She laid there, losing the will to carry on. She felt like she could hear the voices of her lost friends, all buried far beneath the soil. Her hands sluggishly clawed into the ground, pulling up nothing but forgotten memories of a time she’d rather forget.

Suddenly, after an unknown length of time, the White Rabbit spoke again as she heard patters approaching from behind.

 

“Frost can. Frost… says that she’ll look after them. And you too.”

 

Res’s heart froze.

 

“I am insulted that you believed me to be a catalyst of Corruption.”

 

The patters came close. They unfortunately did not belong to Frost.

 

“My intentions are purer than you can ever imagine.”

 

Nor did they belong to an adult.

 

“But I cannot watch someone willingly accept to remain inside of their birdcage.”

 

To her shock, they belonged to a child.

 

“There are so many colors in this world.”

 

Something heavy fell. The grass scrunched loudly, indicating that it must have been a sizable object. Something wide enough to stimulate that much noise.

 

“The Captured Star and I…”

 

“… Knew them only by name.”

 

“W-Where did it go?” The voice of a child spoke, causing Res to slowly raise her head. It didn’t come from behind her. It came from ahead. The patters were seemingly random, as if the person in question was lost.

But Res knew it was more than that.

Because this person was blind.

 

“I hope you too can come to understand it. Thus, until you can meet with the ‘Light’, someone else has come to answer you.”

 

Res shifted forward, alerting the child of her presence.

“Res! R-Res! Is… is that you?” They asked, the sound stopping right before her face, a hand pressing against her ears. “Soft…? This – this is you, right! Please tell me it is! U-Um… I’m sorry that I’m the only one… I’m p-probably the last person you want to see…”

“Stella… Why…?” Res couldn’t understand why Stella would do such a thing. Even without her sight, she could tell that the girl was trembling in fear. To come into this unknown world alone, blind no less, was a death sentence.

And yet despite all of this, Stella spoke with courage.

“Because you helped us. Frost told me that there shouldn’t be a reason to save someone. F-For you… I felt like I couldn’t leave you alone, because you always sounded like you regretted saving us.”

Res wallowed in guilt, her bloodied gaze lowering to her hand where she still held onto broken petals.

“… Aren’t you angry? I killed so many of your friends. People you called family. So many died in the Derma Layer because of me.”

Suddenly, Stella placed both her hands onto Res’ face and brought her head close.

“But so many more people lived!”

An untouched flower drifted from Stella’s hair and landed into Res’ palm.

“I’m grateful for you! All of us are! There isn’t a passing day where I’m not happy! I know I was angry! I know I was scared, but in time I realized that it’s ok! Because we’re still alive! There’ is no such thing as perfect heroes like that in stories in this world. All of us have learned that the hard way.”

Stella tapped around until she found Res’ hands. She took them into hers. They were so small, yet they held onto a courage far larger than she could imagine. Res trembled. This time not out of anger or fear. She couldn’t describe the emotion herself. Now that the final line of defense was destroyed, Res was left vulnerable to her emotions as she silently wept.

“Please… don’t say anything more…” Res begged, but Stella then dragged her hands towards a painting.

The handprints of many riddled it like a collage. She realized that these were the hands of the children from the other groups. Even though she had failed again, they didn’t blame her. Instead, they passed on their courage to her.

Res broke down into sniffles.

“So – it’s ok for you to stop feeling guilty about us. We don’t blame you. F-Frost… will be coming soon. Until then –!” Stella stood up, politely taking Res by the hand. “– I’ll be your guide. The world is scary. But I don’t think it’s worth losing your sight for.”

Res nodded like an obedient child. There was no shame felt for allowing a child to lead her.

Because at the end of the day…

“… Do you think I can change?” Res sincerely asked.

… she was still a child.

“What is there to change that’s bad about you?” Stella genuinely wondered. “You’re… not as bad as you think you are.”

Res didn’t know what Stella meant by that.

But she kept it close to her heart, just like the painting she carried in her hand.