"I'm sorry it took me so long to remember." She can't believe she ever forgot. Even if reality had been overwritten, created a new in someone else's ideal image. How could she? How dare she forget what Hifumi had done for her. What Hifumi meant to her. From a surface level this reality should have been perfect. Her father was kind, he loved her as she remembered he had, their company was helping not hurting others and there was no sign of Sugimura in her life. It should have been everything she wanted and at a glance perhaps it was. But the truth was it wasn't. This was a choice made for her. She had no say in the creation of this reality. She did not get to decide if her scars stayed or went. Someone else chose for her and in that choice they stole her voice from her, again. Not only that they stole memories of the most important person from her. They wrote over the pains and the joys she had with Hifumi. They decided both girls realities for them!! As if they were just dolls!! No more! They didn't deserve that!! They deserved to live their own lives!! "Hifumi." She reaches for Hifumi's hand but stops. Instead turning to offer it for Hifumi to decide if she will forgive Haru and take her hand. "I'm so sorry. I promise from here on, no matter what reality or future we may find ourselves in, I will find you. You won't be alone and we can both be free. I swear to you..." (HIII KOOOIII 3rd Semester stuff for you)
Screaming raw tends to have that effect on ones throat. But it's more than that, it has always been more than that. Hifumi felt flayed, as if each layer of her was shreded, the skin, the sinew, tendons and all wrapped up into mesh nerves barling clinging to bone. None of it felt like it existed where it should. The act of simply standing feels exhausting. Her body feels as if it was swaying in the wind.
Ereshikal, beloved abyss. Tiamat hums, craddling the tatters of her lovingly as a mother beast. Her voice sings softly, reverberates through broken bones and torn away nerves. Venus is gone. Venus lies as she should in an mass grave within sea like the rest.
You may swim free my little nymph. Sing sweetly unpon the shore again.
The don't stand within the Metaverse anymore. They stand outside, somewhere, someplace that doesn't matter as much as it should. Sea foam eyes remain affixed to the only one that matters, the rest fade away. As if they were never there at all.
But they were only......they didn't matter right now.
"...." A puff of air leaves her when Hifumi opens her mouth. The girl shuts her eyes but still she feels her step closer, hears how Haru's voice grows louder as the distance closes. Tiamat presses a gentle gaze upon her beloved abyss and soothes the writhing emotions of the soul. Mother beast soothing away the guilt, the shame and fear that comes from such precious words. Such loyal oaths.
Because she would die if they weren't anything but true. Because self doubt knows she will die of tomorrow comes and this is all gone. The fight, the screaming and defeat.
"....I" To speak is to hurt, to make vocal cords tremble beneathe the strain. But, Hifumi pushes onwards. "I...."
A stagger step, one then two brings the former Venus of Shoji before the other girl before she forgoes her hand and rests her head against Haru's shoulder. Her arms trembling, healed wounds still taxing upon her body as she wraps them around Haru.
"....I'll hold you to that.....my prince."
