Akuma Tiryns

I couldn't say for sure whether it was metal or something else entirely. To be honest, these days, I'm uncertain about many things. However, one thing I was certain of was that I found myself in a room, specifically on a bed, if you're curious. It dawned on me that I must have lost consciousness, and this was where I had come to. The room was predominantly white, likely made of some metallic material, giving it a clinical, almost sterile feel. The walls gleamed under the harsh fluorescent lights, and the air was tinged with a faint antiseptic smell that only heightened my confusion.

As I turned my head to the left, I noticed two beds: the one nearest to me held a little girl with striking lavender hair, her delicate features softened by the gentle rise and fall of her chest. She looked peaceful, lost in a dream, and for a moment, I felt a pang of protectiveness towards her. The bed further away, however, was occupied by a rather large jellybean -no, wait- upon closer inspection, that was just a hefty man, sprawled out and snoring loudly, his belly rising and falling like a ship on the waves.

To my left lay a sleeping figure who seemed to be a scientist or perhaps a doctor. She was quite large in stature, and I mean that in more ways than one. Her presence filled the room, and even in her slumber, she exuded an air of authority. Strangely, she clutched a thin red string tightly in her hand, as if it were a lifeline.

Suddenly, a loud pop echoed through the room as her snort burst forth, jolting her awake. "Where am I?" she exclaimed in a panic, her eyes darting around the room. "Oh yeah, I'm at H.Q."

With that, she retrieved a pack of cigarettes from her lab coat pocket, placing one between her lips with a practiced ease. "Um… I hate to be that guy, but should you really be smoking in front of a patient?" I wondered aloud, my voice shaky. Given her cloak and the sterile environment, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was indeed some sort of hospital -surely, that assumption wasn't too far off, right?

I watched in disbelief as the enigmatic doctor -whose affinity for white was evident in her hair, attire, and the room itself- began to chew on the cigarette. As she munched away, she explained:

"It's actually chocolate. I think a lot, so I use these instead of real cigarettes… Besides, I hate smoking. It makes me feel old."

"Y-You don't say…" I stammered, taken aback by her unconventional approach. And it was in that moment that I realized something. There was something about her that felt oddly familiar, not in the way one might recall a beautiful stranger, but rather like a father recognizing his child, even without ever having met. "You’re Victor. The Queen of Clubs..."

As she finished the last of her chocolate, the strange woman inquired, "What makes you say that?"

I straightened up, leaning against the wall as I continued:

"At first, I didn’t notice, since your Celestial Essence seemed to have faded. But then I spotted that string you’re holding… It’s 'The Third String of Fate,' isn’t it?"

A blend of astonishment and intrigue lit up her expression, accompanied by a playful smile that danced at the corners of her lips.

I tilted my head back against the wall, my eyes drifting to the ceiling as memories of a particular golden-haired boy surged through my thoughts. "But if that’s the case, it means you aren’t the Victor I created…" I said, a chuckle escaping my lips, light and airy, yet tinged with an undercurrent of nostalgia. "…It’s funny really. We created such similar worlds, even filling them with the same beings, yet we ended up so differently… Tell me, you were created by ‘him,’ weren’t you?"

"By him, I assume you mean the one we refer to as father… Yes, you’re right… I’m not entirely sure how it happened, but somehow, you two ended up exchanging worlds… So, what do you think of my father’s Yggdrasil?" Her voice was steady, but I could sense the weight of her curiosity pressing against the walls of her composure.

"What do I think…?" I mused, the memories of my past life washing over me like a tide, each wave bringing with it the laughter and warmth of my lives long past. Those memories were sweet, filled with joy, and undoubtedly among my most cherished. Yet, beyond that… "It’s utterly wrong." The words slipped from my lips, heavy with the burden of truth. …they were also haunting, shadows lurking just beyond the light of my recollections.

"What do I think…?" I pondered, as memories of my past life flickered through my mind. They were sweet, blissful, and undoubtedly some of my fondest recollections. Yet, more than that… "It’s completely wrong." …they were absolutely dreadful.

“Oh?” she prompted, her eyes narrowing slightly, intrigued by the intensity of my response.

“It’s all wrong. Completely wrong! Gods are meant to guide humans, to teach them and ensure they walk the path of virtue! But he… he… HOW COULD HE ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN!!” My voice rose, a crescendo of frustration and disbelief, echoing off the walls like a battle cry against the injustices I had witnessed.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“You must really care for humans, huh?” she asked, her tone shifting to one of genuine interest, as if she were peeling back the layers of my soul.

“Absolutely! I love all things! Everything in this world! …But it seems I’m the only one who does.”

Victor erupted into laughter, a sound that was neither entirely mad nor fully human, a strange melody that resonated with both sides. “I like you. You may not be our father, but you’re alright. Yes. Let’s go save humans.”

“Uh… okay…”

Come with me.” she said, rising from her chair. “Let’s go meet with the others.”

We stepped through two automatic doors and were immediately engulfed by the chaos of rush hour. It was a scene I recognized from somewhere, a multitude of busy robots of varying sizes, and surprisingly, a few humans and even some enormous insects mingled among them, which was quite unsettling. “Who exactly are you taking me to?” I asked, curiosity piqued.

The woman beside me, dressed in white and towering over me by a good two heads, casually popped another cigarette, or I guess it was chocolate, before responding. “I’m not sure how things work in your world, but here, the gods aren’t particularly kind to humans, even before Lucifer stole God’s throne. That’s why I’ve assembled a force dedicated to eliminating those disgusting beings.”

“…Well as long as I can help save humans. Or maybe I should save the gods? No, I think I’d prefer to see both of them fall. Or do I want to see both their-”

“Easy there, big guy. No need to get all crazy on me.”

“Huh? Oh, sorry about that.” My gaze drifted to the bustling environment around us, marveling at how we managed to navigate through the throng. The advanced technology was striking, or perhaps it was just the overwhelming whiteness that gave it a futuristic vibe.

Just as I turned my attention back to the path ahead, I was blindsided by a towering stack of paper, so tall it concealed the person behind it. The collision was sudden, and I heard an unexpectedly cute “Eek!” escape their lips.

“Damn.” I muttered, rubbing my forehead. “…Are you okay-!” But as I opened my eyes, I was met with a sight that left me utterly speechless, unable to comprehend what I was seeing right in front of me.

“Oww…” she let out, finding herself on the floor after our unexpected crash. Perched atop her head, a small creature began to emit adorable yet aggressive sounds, clearly displeased with my clumsiness. It resembled a miniature panda, though I had my doubts. I wasn’t exactly an expert on pandas. The noise faded into the background as my attention fixated on her features -her soft lips and stunning eyes that opened slowly, almost like a delicate flower blooming. Honestly, my mind was simply struggling to process everything. Yet, one detail stood out immediately… Her pink hair. Not once in my life have I ever met another girl with such a vibrant hue.

“Alice…”

A heavy silence enveloped us, and I could feel myself gulp as our gazes locked. Even that pesky panda had fallen silent, as if sensing the tension.

“Who… are you?”

Her question struck me like a bolt of lightning, sending shockwaves through my heart. It was a mix of confusion, a hint of heartbreak, and maybe even a touch of anger that coursed through me. “W-What do you mean…?”

“Aw, so it seems you’re familiar with my employee here.” Victor chimed in, casually twirling the chocolate stick around her mouth.

“What?”

“About a week ago, she just showed up here. I’m certain she’s linked to the countless people who suddenly appeared in this world.”

“What did you do to her?!”

“Calm down, lover boy. When she arrived, she had already lost her memories.”

“Hey, is what this woman says the truth?”

“Um… Who the hell are you talking to?”

Unbeknownst to both Victor and Alice, a small apparition resembling a child began to murmur softly into my ears. "What she says is true. The root of Alice's memory loss stems from Finral's teleportation. During the transfer, the Yang part of her soul took damage, resulting in her amnesia."

"Is there a way to bring them back?" I inquired.

"Since she hasn't checked-out her true story from the library, she currently possesses a demo soul. In theory, if she were to shatter her Yang barrier, her original story would merge with this one, thereby restoring her memories."

“I see… Thanks for the help.”

"I-Is he out of his mind?" Alice questioned Victor as she helped her up.

"Absolutely."

“Hey, Victor.”

“Hm?”

“I need you the break her yang barrier.”

“What?”

“I said I need you to break her Yang-”

"No, I heard you. I just wanted you to grasp how ridiculous that request is. What makes you think I can influence her soul?"

“Well, you’re the one who fixed mine, right?”

“Wow… I’m surprised you remember that.”

(Truth be told, I heard it from someone else, but they she doesn’t have to know that.)

"Listen..." She said, rubbing the back of her head. "…Normally, it's impossible to directly affect the Yang part of someone's soul. The only reason I managed to do it was due to Megara's Amplification. And she could amplify me like that because she used the Devour technique… Besides, I’m sure you sensed it." She gestured with the hand holding the red string. "As long as I’m gripping this, I can’t use any of my powers. That’s the cost of wielding this divine item… Now, onward."

Her response left me feeling frustrated, primarily because I had to confront the reality that I couldn’t help Alice regain her memories. In that moment, I smiled at her. "Sorry… I guess I had the wrong person."

Oddly enough, as I walked past her, my mind fixated on one wish. In the grand scheme of things, it was hardly relevant, but I just couldn’t help it. I really wished I could’ve helped her pick up that stack of paper. I would’ve loved to have done that. Maybe it would’ve felt like a scene straight out of a shojo manga, where that adorable couples harbor feelings for each other but are too shy to admit it. You find yourself yelling at the pages, urging them to just confess.

But alas, this is reality. A reality where she's simply forgotten me.