“Ryo? I like that name! It’s cute, but also feels kinda strong, ya know?”
“Millicent…”
“I told you, just Millie is fine!”
Before him stood a girl blessed by the sun, kissed ever so gingerly that its mark was left on her both physically and emotionally. A treat to be around, a blessing that illuminated any room she graced with her presence.
It made him smile. He wished he could be something more…
“Hey, Ryo.”
“Yeah, Millie?”
“There’s this guy I like.”
“Oh really?”
Her face puffed up as she pouted at him.
“Act a little surprised! Jeeze!”
“Who’s the lucky guy?”
Her smile was radiant, but her bashfulness filled the soul. If there was ever a being that could be described as pure, it would be her.
“Well, he’s tall, dark, and handsome. He’s very strong, but kind. The nicest guy I’ve ever met.”
“Do I know him?”
“Gosh, I hope so!”
“I’m sure he’s a very lucky guy.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Having someone as amazing as you after him. Quite an envious position to be in.”
“D-do you mean that?”
The red that graced her cheeks, he’d never forget that. The way her eyes shimmered, the way she gripped her blouse as she tried to steady her heart. The way her rhythm poked him, trying to say that which remained unspoken.
“Wait, is it… me?”
Even the sun needed to hide behind the clouds sometimes. Though he alone stole her radiance in those moments.
“Y-yeah… I… like you Ryo.”
----------------------------------------
“What a wonderful day, I’m so glad we’re together.”
“Me too Millie.”
The man stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the back of her neck. The pair drinking in each other’s love. Though warm metal suddenly hung around the woman’s neck and their touch broken.
“Wait wait!”
She stepped back, eyes wide, darting wildly refusing to rest on his visage for even a moment. Her hand snapped to the necklace he had deposited during their embrace.
Had he messed up? Was it too early for this question?
“I-I’m not being honest with you… I can’t.”
The way her voice trembled, it wasn’t the beacon of sunshine he was used to. She was fearful, possibly for her life. That’s what she conveyed to him.
“Millie I-”
He tried to reach out but she smacked his hand away.
“NO!”
Her scream was disarming, his heart hurt; not from the rejection but from the fear emanating from his beloved.
“No…”
“Talk to me Millie, what’s wrong?”
“Me, I’m… wrong.”
She trembled, tears sliding down her cheeks, her smile long since departed. Only terror was left in its wake. Even so, he loved this woman and refused to allow her to face her nightmares alone.
“Millie!”
“Ryo, I can’t I’m scared… you’ll hate me.”
“No matter what you say, I can’t hate you. Even if god itself stood against us I’d never give up on you.”
“D-do you mean that?”
“With all my heart.”
She gently pulled her hands away from him, sniffling as she tried to dry her tears.
“I haven’t been honest with you. I’m not who I say I am. But… if you want to marry me, I have to let it all out. I have to let you see what I truly am.”
She took a breath, holding it. She trembled, fighting her lack of conviction. The dream couldn’t end, that’s what her rhythm said.
“Trust me, Millie.”
His words gave her the strength to let go. To allow the veil to drop, to finally show the beauty she kept hidden from the world. The net of feathers she kept hidden deep, the secret no one was allowed to know, she laid it bare before the man she loved, a curl of feathers now rested behind her, showing what she was.
“I… am a Lyrebird. The last of my kind. I’ve been hiding from you-”
Her confession was cut short as he took her up in a tight hug. He squeezed her tight. His rhythm poured into her, the truth of his conviction saturating her fear, washing it away.
“You’re beautiful Millie, will you marry me?”
“Y-yes Ryo… yes…”
----------------------------------------
Their apartment was small, far too small for their ambitions, but the husband and wife were happy. That’s all that mattered to them. They soon came to share their happiness with a third. Over a crib they stood, warm smiles appreciating the life they brought into this world.
“What should we name her?”
“I’m not sure, there’s lots of good girl’s names.”
“How about Faith?”
“Why Faith?”
“Do you not like it?”
“I do, just curious why you decided on that name.’
The new mother leaned on her husband, closing her eyes as she rest on his shoulder.
“Because you trusted me.”
“That I did dearest, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
A baby crying cared not for what hour it did so, she had her needs and her parents were nothing but doting. Even with the two newlyweds having to support their new child, they still had to keep a roof over their heads. Trading who was working and who was caring for Faith was a task all of its own.
Even so, the years went on and the family of three was happy, content with their modest existence.
And then they were joined by a fourth.
“Vienna.”
“Hm?”
“Our new baby girl, I want to name her Vienna.”
“Where did that name come from?”
“I heard someone use it in passing, and I thought it was pretty”
“She’s your daughter, so a pretty name fits a pretty lady.”
“You’re gonna have to put her in a castle, there’s going to be so many boys after her.”
“If they can get through us they might make the cut.”
“Oh, Ryo!”
The days went on, summer, fall, winter, spring again, day after day, year after year the family of four lived their modest, quiet lives. The young girls grew up, though they tested the edges of what was right and moral.
Girls will be girls, their transgressions were waved off as the mere boredom of youth. The parents couldn’t be more proud of their girls. The two young ones they shared their lives with, their treasures.
----------------------------------------
She lay in a glass chamber. Perfectly preserved was her vessel, as if hands of time had released their grasp of her. For Ryo Saitou, time had most certainly stopped. Every day passed without his consent, cold, and uncaring.
His heart had long since frozen over.
However.
“With future technology, we may be able to bring her back.”
For the one he had sworn his life to, Ryo Saitou would sell himself to any demon just to hear her sweet voice one more time.
That is why he rose every morning. That is why he completed his tasks with ruthless efficiency. That is why he served a man like Ilea Vim.
“P-please! Don’t!” a Resonator man cried, using his body to protect a smaller Resonator that lay beneath.
Ryo had no words. If only they were stronger he wouldn’t have had to do this. The parent was easily dealt with. The child plucked from their father’s embrace like a ripe fruit ready for consumption.
He’d never see this child or their parent again. Fed into a proverbial grinder of research. His hands were long bloodied with the lives of countless parents just like himself. Perhaps he himself was part of this meat grinder, fed to it long ago. Even so, he couldn’t stop now. Not until her voice graced his ears, not until her touch caressed his, not until her eyes drank him in.
“Alright Mr. Saitou, the next one is ready for you.”
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The man snapped to. Everything blended together, but he knew what was being asked of him.
A tuner was in his grasp, a red device displaying the vitals of a Resonator standing in a cage before him. The fragments of his mind showing a transparent shell briefly roused his heart, his stoic face cracked as a scowl formed.
“Lanciafiamme, Fortissimo.’
His call passed his spiritual essence to the unsuspecting Resonator. Forced into their being.
“AUGHHHH!”
The screams that followed every time failed to rouse any empathy from the man. He had heard it too many times before. Even watching the various scientists crowd around the suffering creature didn’t elicit any change in his demeanor. He just watched them writhe, not deriving any pleasure or guilt from the act.
Only apathy. That’s all that was left in his heart.
His daystar was gone, nothing wrought meaning anymore.
These were mere motions of a shell being puppeted by another. The owner of the puppet had long abandoned his post. Perhaps the dulcet tones of the one he cherished would bring him back to his station.
“His rhythm is simply too much for normal Resonators.”
“We need a way to control his output.”
“Why are we wasting our time with this?”
“Orders of Dr. Vim – Mr. Saitou needs a Resonator to fulfill his duties as chief of security.”
The useless rabble of the scientists gave nothing to him. He only entertained their fancies with some vague notion that all research would lead to the path where his beloved lay.
It would all be worth it in the end.
For every soul he trampled, Ryo Saitou was one step closer to returning to her.
----------------------------------------
“Corrente Elettrica, Fortissimo.”
A bolt of electricity struck down a target in a firing range. Ryo regarded the large yellow gem in his hand. There was a connection there. Not the same connection he sought from his beloved, but one that could be used to enforce – a weapon.
“I told you the sprites would suit him! Such robotic rhythm can only be matched by a being of pure electricity!”
The man who gloated over Ryo’s success was a newer hire. Ryo didn’t recall the name, then again he had long lost the ability to remember.
“Klaus Martin” was written on the man’s employee badge, so that had to be it.
“I will inform Dr, Vim right away and we can proceed with the project!”
Klaus had passion, that much was certain. Though that left Ryo with the gem containing the sprite. He pocketed it and left the room. Underground bunkers had been his dwellings for as long as he had been employed under Dr. Vim.
It mattered not. Comforts were luxuries reserved for people with souls still affixed to their vessels. His had long since abandoned its post. Comforts were wasted on a man like him.
The rumbling of the facility was new. Even if his emotions had atrophied to dust, what remained was a keen sense for rhythm. A finely tuned tracker that told him more than any Resonator ever could.
A sense that pushed him into his duty, his obligation.
It wasn’t long until the question of another graced his hearing: “Who are ‘they’?”
Three girls walked cautiously through the hallways of the facilities. The trio of trespassers didn’t immediately become aware of his presence. He lifted the yellow gem to strike them down.
However, a pair of hands wrapped around his. A shake of her head told him to stand down. These interlopers shouldn’t be dealt with indiscriminately.
Instead, he gave power to his vocal chords: “That is none of your concern.”
Instantly the trio of girls spun to face him. He loomed over them, his scowl penetrating his shades causing the girls to back up and evaluate their current options.
“Dad! How could you work for him!?” roared his rebellious daughter. In defiance, his youngest stood between her sister and father, glaring him down.
“You wouldn’t understand what Dr. Vim is trying to accomplish.”
“He KILLED mom!”
For just a moment his heart wavered, but it quickly seized back the ice that encased it, wrapping up in chains of permafrost.
“Millie isn’t dead. She is asleep.”
Though he said this, the children refused to back down. They just didn’t understand. He’d make them understand.
“Perhaps it is time for your bedtime as well.”
While the girls muttered amongst themselves, Ryo readied his weapon. Thankfully he wouldn’t have to touch the girls. All he needed was the gem.
“Whistler.”
He spoke the name of the spirit encased in the gem. He couldn’t afford to waver. She was waiting for him. Even if their own flesh and blood stood against him, he couldn’t back down. Not now, not after everything he had done.
“Corrente Elettrica, Forte.”
His youngest was effortlessly flicked away by the bolt of lightning.
“VEE!”
His eldest screamed into the air. It mattered not. There remained two standing – they must be dealt with. Once again he raised the gem to dispatch the intruders.
“Corrente Elettrica, Fortissimo.”
“Riffletore Musicale, Fortissimo!”
Ryo Saitou was a monster in all classifications. So even when lightning was reflected back at him, he stood unflinching, a simple side step was all that was required for such a simple tactic. When the smoke cleared the children had done the same.
“̶̠̺͖̪͆̅͆͜Ř̵͈̭̀̀̈́̏͂͐͘y̴͍̹̼̘̗̿̑̇̍̋ǫ̵͚͍̻̝̝́̔́̃̑.̸͔̜̝͕͉̼͎͋̋̾̌̇͛̕.̷̢̤̦͉̭̬͔̃̕.̷̜͉̎̈́̀̉͋̊́"̴͎̙̐͒̃̚
However, before him stood an impossible presence.
“M-millie?”
His beloved stood before him, just as gorgeous as the day she d̶̡̖͔̙̯̗̐̌̎́͑̕i̵̹̓̿͂̽͠e̶͓̹̓̏̀̋̈́͑d̴̹̯̱͓́͛͝.̵̺̯͈̩͇͊̉̈́͂̅
“Ryo, don’t do this, do you think this is what I want?”
It all became hazy. He couldn’t hear the words of his beautiful wife. It all spun together. She was saying something to him, but he just couldn’t hear her. Despite forcing himself to listen all he got was
"̵̡͕̂͂͑̔́͝͝͝͠C̸̜̖̖͓̊̽̍͆o̴̘̫͈̓̽m̵͙̻͋̚ẽ̸̺̲̳̊͌͂͊͐́̑ ̸̭͔̈́̄̒͑͝b̴̧̼̘̙̗̭̅̈́͠á̷̛̤̱̹̮̬̔͌̓̇͛́̈́c̵̳̟͉͖̱̖̫̭̺̑̀̐͒̓́̽̂̆ͅk̷̼̹̅͆̏̀̐̅͂̕͠ ̵̱̋̔͝w̶̡̧̳̭̣̲͚̏͊̄į̸̛̜͎̄̀t̵̢̬̝̞͒̐̉͋̕͜͝h̵͉̘͖̹̼̍̈́̈͊̚ ̵̨͎̜́͝m̶̢̪̣̭̙̼̭̱̹̱̓͆̂̅̓̑̐̚̕ȇ̸̢̛͇̲͈̗̋͛̋̓́͒͜,̸̞̈́̃͌͛̍͋̑͠ ̶̫͆̓͋̽̉̽ẃ̵̢̮̙͚̯͝ẽ̵̠̼̩̱ ̴͔̮̘͇̿̿͌͜͠c̷̘͔̟̀̿̓̅́̄a̴̧̡̨͉͍̹̰̖̳̙̐̂̽n̵̢͈͈̖̲͎͍̮̚ ̶̘̤̮̹̖̺͌̏̈̾́̈́̒̊̊̐ͅb̵̢̡͉͍͕̘̤̑e̸̩͍̿̔̐̈̔͊̓̒̐͝ ̶̞̓̈́͘h̷̢̘̹͔̹̼̠̯̪̣̾̈́̃̀͆͐͐ą̵̡̜̰̓̒̈͐̇̚p̸͕̟̦̭͎̜̂̔ṕ̶̛̦͔̅y̸̡̳̗͕̪̝̽ͅ ̵̢̭̪̘̫̦̩̹̫͚͕̋̈́̀̕ą̶͍̤̮̗͉̞͍͖̎͊̄͗̂̉̓̚g̴͙̩̳̬̜͍̙͌͗͋͒̓̌̊̕a̶̧̨͍̼̪͙̣͚̟͔̲̒i̸̮̬̅͂͌̐̋̿̈́͘̚n̵̜̠̱̆́̋͊̾̂̈́̕͜.̴̛̦̪̭͖̏̂̊̀͋̒͆̀̅͌ ̷̙̹̩̟̙͇̞͕͑̀̄͗͆́͊͝͝P̶̳̩̞̳̦̂͐̈́̃͂͋̒́͘͘͜͠l̶̨̛͕̅́̓͋̓́̄ͅę̷̤́̈́̕ȃ̸̯̲̯͚̫̯̰͔̈̄̚͜ŝ̴̻̽̓̋͘e̸̛̮̻͎͕̻̟̻̬͐̊͌̂́̔́̏̇.̴̘̦̥̩̱̖͕̗̂͊́̄̃͒̌.̴̯͙̯͇͚̜̘̰̒͜.̵̺̖͐̑̈́̓̌̓͗̅̈́"̸̡͉̺͚̭̣̹̫̦̲͗̈́̐͝
What had he done to deserve this hell? All he wanted was to be with the love of his life. Here she was in front of him and he couldn’t even hear her wondrous voice.
----------------------------------------
The next he had become aware of his surroundings, it was all gone. Like a bad dream, he awoke to his recurring nightmare. His heart chained back up and the horrible status-quo resumed.
Not all was like it should have been though.
Every so often, there was a whisper in his soul.
“̷̫̾̈͝͠͠Ṛ̵͕̬̒́ẻ̷͓̰̳̫͌s̶̭̺̗̟͉̦̐̆̀͘t̴̳͋̎̕.̸̧̙͖̱̄̊”̸͎͗̽̑́̋͠
̷̪̈́̍̓͆̉“̶̫̞̫̓̓̓̑́̚L̷̻̄͌͛͠e̷̙̘͇͈͚͌͛͋͆̀̌t̴̳̝͎͑̋͐́͜ ̶̗̻̉͛̽̔i̶̡̇͝ͅt̶͚̠̂ ̵̢̢̲͚̆̔̄͛ȅ̴̢̥̟̭̫̈͂n̴͈̲̫̂̽͊̄̋ḓ̶͖͍͚͂͂̚͠ ̷̨͙̗̹͇͑̚R̶̜̥̟̭͘͜y̵̢̛̞̘͔̓̑͝o̸͔͋͠.̴̥̟̅̔̑̓͌̕ͅ”̸̞͇̽̄́̅
̴̨͚̤̰̣́͂̈́̐“̴̺̱̹̥̰́͒̂J̴̪͙͗̿̾̅̄ö̸̟͒̇͒͋î̵̹̗ņ̷̜̦͎͓̋̈́ ̴̨̜͕̮̋͒͜ṁ̷̩́́̿͗͠ͅḙ̵̪̘̉̓̇̈́͝.̸̞͕̈̈̓”̷͓͚̜̤̓
̸͇̍“̸̫̠̩̦͚͒P̴͈̝̭͖̑̔̊̀́̿ļ̴̣̲̠̣̹̄̈́̿̿ê̸̢͎a̷̟̯̟̾̃̍̎͜ṡ̶̡͈̰̜̈́̐̈e̷͈̐.̵̡͔̼̻͓̍̅̃͊”̸̤̪͕̣̏̌͠
̵̩̝̘͉͍̬̄“̸̤̙͌̓̓͜I̴͙̠̰̻̪͒̃ ̴̤̤͍̩́́̀͜m̶̼̟̂̈́̇̋͝ī̶̜̔̐̾̚s̷͓͖̖̰͔̽̒̍͜s̶͙̹̐̕ͅ ̷̗͉̖̱̂͋̿̈́ÿ̵̙́͝ó̶͔̯͖̻̅́̊͜u̷͖̪̐ ̵̣͍̻̩̥̔͌m̶̩̰͇͑̓̂ỹ̴͚̎̀͊̚ ̴̢̡͙̺͇̩͛l̴͙͍̫͕̯͓̃̈́̋͑̔͠ȍ̴̬͈̎͑ͅṿ̵̘͍̎͂̿e̷̜̓͂̊͛.̶̬͍̠̩̐.̴͙̈́͊̄̈́̾.̸̡͒”̷̧̛̙̥̘̪̐̿̈́̿