Birds singing overhead.
Purple and gold; a pre-dawn sky.
My body aches but does not hurt...
I cannot breathe, I cannot die.
No rest, for I-
am a leaf in a storm
of my own making.
『 Ah. 』
...
I hold my hand over my chest.
...Haha.
I can still feel that spiralling flame lance ripping in...
Burning, as if there were lingering embers in my chest...
It hurts but... it's... actually not too bad, you know?
It kind of... feels good even?
Almost? Sort of? A little...?
S-Shut up.
I don't know anything about these kinds of things.
Your expectations are already too high, aren't they?
I'm just a girl that does what she likes.
Hmph.
Anyway...
Who cares about that?
Where is Crier?
Even sitting up, I can't seem to find her-
or... anyone else... for that matter...
Nine-Tails... that old man...
bug-lady... everyone's gone.
I'm still at the temple courtyard,
and the sky is still in twilight; pre-dawn...
it's just suddenly... there's... no one here...
It's just me, the chilling wind, and birds...
I don't understand what's going on at all!
Well, it's not like that's a new development...
But still!
Everything is quick and fleeting...
I really can't grasp anything at all...
Crier... where is she?
Or rather, what the heck?
Where could she have even gone?
If I'm dead, and she's dead...
Ah, wait, wait a second.
I'm jumping ahead...
I skimmed over the assumption that I just died.
Instead... I should be asking myself if I'm even dead to begin with...
How could I be dead if I'm still sitting here thinking?
Doesn't that instead imply that I'm alive right now?
That must be it...
Well, I just so happen to be an experienced die-r,
so I know for sure that when you die...
it should hurt and you should wake up,
all in one instant.
This time, however, it didn't hurt at all...
So I must not have died in the first place, right?
Wait, no, on second thought...
I was undead, so technically... already dead...
That reanimation-technicality could also explain why it didn't hurt so-
Ah.
I'm back to zero again...
I can't grasp onto anything!
Everything is fickle and finicky!
Nothing makes any sense!
I cup my hands into a megaphone.
『 This sucks! It's annoying! Lame!
「 Zero! A million zeroes out of ten!
「 Triple F minus! Ultra-fail-world! I hate it!
「 God-sama is the worst and I want to speak to the manager! 』
Ha...
I catch my breath.
Well, whatever, right?
Who cares? I don't care.
Not me, nope, not one bit.
Not even a little. I completely don't care at all.
It doesn't bother me so much, that I'm not even going to think about it.
Not because I give up or anything. I can figure out my circumstances easily!
It's really just because I don't care, at all, not even a little bit.
Yup, that's how it is.
I absolutely don't care.
I seriously don't.
Not one bit.
Not at all.
Nope.
None.
Zero care.
I'm even lying down again, see?
Not even going to get up. I don't care!
...W-What?
Crier? Huh?
I'm Crier, idiot!
I may be in Sing's body but I've always been Streya!
Sing and Crier... are characters... I made up in the end...
so if I only have one body it doesn't even matter anyway!
I'm not crying! I mean, I- who cares if I only have one body?!
Two bodies is a hassle anyway! How does that even work, am I right?!
Right?
『 Haha... 』
S-See? I'm smiling! Are you looking?
How could someone who cares be smiling?!
『 Hah! Ahahaha! Hahahaha! 』
I... I don't care! I don't care I don't care I don't care...!
『 Ha... ahaha... ha... 』
I don't care...
so...
I mean...
Whatever, right?
Let's just stand up...
I can...
...
I can do whatever I want...
Nobody can tell me...
what to do... or what to think here...
I don't have to do anything...
for anyone...
I can live in that temple pagoda...
I can run into the forest, meet a monster, and die...
Wait here until I get hungry? I can do that if I want to...
And I'm tough, I can take the pain... I'm the best at taking pain...
Nobody takes as much pain as me...
I'm the queen of getting hurt...
An unstoppable... force of nature...
That's me...
Haha...
So... let's see...
...What do I really want to do now?
Ah... on second thought, I don't want to think.
Let's just look at stuff and see if I feel like doing something.
Right? Let's do that...
Temple pagoda; it's really tall, the mountain continues on behind it.
Temple courtyard; stone-tiled, surrounded by walls; an octagon.
Forest; it's blue. Looks magical, and like a jungle... and like its infested with bugs.
Sky... purple and gold... it's nice...
...I want to watch the sunrise.
There, see? Easy...
We can do that right now!
Let's just walk to that big red torii...
Sit on the stairs...
And...?!
A-And...?
W...What is this?
Seriously, what is this?
It's... that kind of thing, you know... that?
The kind of unbelievable thing that makes no sense at all...?
Yup... I must be delusional... because I think I see skyscrapers.
Roads, street lights, construction cranes, parks, towers, and cars...
It's that city, my home city, the one I never got to leave because of my illness.
Somehow, despite being transported to another world, I'm... I'm here again...
Ah, this must be an illusion right? Some kind of mental skill being used on me?
Hah! That's it, that must be it...
I was almost fooled for a second!
Too bad there's no forest like this in my actual home city.
Where would it even go? There's no room! Especially for a-
...mountain.
Hey...
You're kidding, right?
This mountain can't be the same mountain from my hometown...
That's actually impossible. This mountain was in Myriad Worlds,
I know it was! It's obviously not the same mountain! So... why is it here?
Why am I here?! Why am I looking over my hometown from this mountain?!
I can... I can even see the rooftop I died on, off in the distance...
If this mountain is actually... the same mountain from the real world...
That would mean it's the same mountain that I've always wanted to go to...
That would mean, somehow, I've made it from the place where I died to Marie,
to that same mountain I saw... just before I died...
And that would mean... my wish...
to come here... came true...?
That's...
『 That's stupid... 』
...
D-Don't misunderstand...
I'm not happy about this at all...
It's not even the same mountain,
it's just the one from Myriad Worlds...
It's just... well...
I-it's not like... I knew what the real mountain really looked like anyway...
So... I mean... it's not impossible for this and that mountain to be the same...
Y-Yeah... this and... that mountain could be the same...
It's not impossible...
so...
y...y-you know...
I can... pretend like I actually made it, right?
I-I don't actually care but... you know?! I could!
It wouldn't be dumb to be happy about this at all!
...
N-Not like I care what you think, idiot...
I can... I can do whatever I want... so...
I swallow my breath...
then glance around me...
...It's only me here...
『 I... I made it... 』
...to the mountain I only ever got to see as a kid.
This isn't that mountain, you say...?
Who cares what you think...!
I... literally died and crossed into another world to get here!
So if I say this mountain is the same, then it is!
...Okay?
...
I know... I get it...
You're right, you're completely right...
This isn't that same mountain...
There's just no way it could be...
This mountain I'm on...
...it's obviously a better one!
『 I did it! Everyone! Look at me! I'm on top of the mountain! 』
I shout as far as I can over the sleepy city down below.
『 ...You're all freaking losers and I hate all of you!
「 I unironically believe everyone is stupider than me!
「 I think all boys are gross and girls are backstabbers!
「Vegetables taste awful and if you think you like them, you don't!
「 And... I secretly love-! 』
「 Hey! 」
『 PFFT! 』
Ack! Cough!
「 Take it easy... you're not in trouble.
「 What are you doing up here? 」
What am I doing up here?
What is a security guard doing up here?!
Isn't this like, purgatory or something?!
I'm still in Sing's body... white hair and... everything!
『 I-I...a...! 』
Achoo!
Ah...
It's windy...
Wait a minute...
I'm still only wearing bandages?!
I crouch.
A jacket is thrown over my head.
I-It's heavy?!
「 Wear this, please. 」
I try...
...
It's like wrapping myself in a metal blanket.
It's too big, and its sleeves are unreasonably heavy.
I just button the top and let it sit on my shoulders instead.
If it were Crier, she'd probably just collapse under the weight...
...The jacket sleeves are dragging on the floor though.
「 Are you alone? Where are your parents? 」
『 ...Y-Yeah. My parents are- 』
My parents...
They're... probably still at home...
...what will they think of me?
They probably think I'm dead...
They won't even recognise me if I'm like this...
「 ...Nevermind, don't worry about it.
「 Can you walk? Do you need me to carry you down?」
He crouches down to my eye level.
He's a young adult, sleepy, and long-faced,
but he has an uplifting expression...
I guess I might be able to trust him a little bit...
I raise my arms.
『 Carry, please... 』
...And that's how I got a free piggy-back ride down thousands of steps.
「 You're really light, how much do you weigh? 」
He asks while securing the cable car door.
『 ...Dunno. 』
「 Oh... well, what can you do, right?」
It starts, and we continue our descent.
I look out the window.
...
It really is the same mountain temple as in Myriad Worlds...
The only difference is, it's been modernised as a tourist spot...
There are fenced off areas, garbage cans and such...
It's surreal...
Did Myriad Worlds... actually happen? Is magic real? Is this a time-travel thing?
Somehow, that's harder to believe than being transported to another world...
...but I'm kind of tired of trying to figure that stuff out.
I'd really rather worry about myself right now...
「 Where do you live? Do you live alone? 」
『 I'm a hobo. 』
He makes an interesting face at that.
「 Uh... okay... how old are you? 」
『 Over two thousand years old, or fourteen. 』
「 ...You're not sure? That's a... bit of a large gap. 」
『 Yup. 』
Another interesting face.
This is fun...
「 Okay, well... when we get to the bottom,
「 I'm thinking that the people who can help you best are the police.
「 You're not in trouble, but... you know, I can't really bring you anywhere.
「 Like, for example... people might think I'm a kidnapper- 」
『 That's fine, I understand. The police are nice. 』
「 Oh, that's good. You're very mature about this. 」
『 Aren't I? I know a lot of things for my age. 』
「 You've convinced me! Hey, I wanted to ask but...
「 are you cosplaying a character maybe? 」
『 Cosplay... yeah. This is a wig, I don't have any hair. 』
「 Ah, I thought so- wait, sorry? 」
Hehe... the cable car ride was nice too...
Woosh.
A car speeds by.
The passing wind shoves me off balance.
I bump into the security guard.
「 Woah there, careful! Don't want to get blown away, do we? 」
So what if I do? What's it to you, mister?
...He resumes talking to the police officer.
Sigh...
I guess I'll just... look at things while I wait then...
The buildings, the stores, the cars, billboards...
The city is just starting to wake up it seems...
I've never been anywhere close to the mountain,
so being at its base, everything here is just as new to me.
It's... okay, I guess...
Oh, look, a balloon stand...
I want one.
Let's get one.
I run across the street.
I hear a shout behind me, but I've already lost interest.
Grab!
Oh, I grab a lot.
I yank, and the ribbons break from the cart instantly.
True Damage still works here? Perfect.
I take off the jacket,
and promptly float skyward.
Oh, I grabbed too many, I'm floating too high...
I release some balloons,
but the wind is already carrying me up over the rooftops.
By the time it dies down, I've already landed atop one.
That was... pretty fun though...
Balloons were a great idea...
but what now...?
Let's take a look...
I don't really want to go to the police station...
I don't want to go back up the mountain...
I don't want to just keep exploring the lower district...
...Do I want to go back home?
I look off towards a cliff in the distance whereupon the upper district lies.
Yeah... home...
I want to feel warm in bed again.
Ah... we need to buy new VR gear huh...
Breaking it was a mistake after all...
I tie the balloons under my arms and around my upper body.
There, a harness.
Now I'll have full use of my arms.
Oh, I'll make a small detour on the way back too...
Ready? Balloons check.
Hair piece secure...
Um... bandages...
I look around.
People don't sun dry clothes at this time of day...
Well, I'll find something to wear along the way.
Go...!~
I run and jump.
Floating, weighing almost nothing.
The wind is light, but it's helping me soar
over the multi-story buildings and streets.
It's wonderful...
This is ...nice.
I'm happy.
...Haha, that feels weird to say.
I've been unhappy for so long...
Worrying every day about something...
It all feels like just a bad dream now-
Ah, I see an exposed clothes display...!
Clang.
Ooph... my stomach...
I fold myself over the metal railing.
...
Well, that's what I get for not catching it with my hands...
My new clothes seem to be unscathed at least...
I cling to the bar and look over my shoulder.
...It's a nice view.
All the buildings I've flown over, far below me...
I've finally made it to the cliff...
It's reinforced with what feels like concrete,
and buildings are embedded along its entire face.
I'm scaling it from the outside right now though, cool huh?
Like a certain cinematic giant ape! Roooar!
Stairs? Heck no. Stairs are for losers, only losers use stairs.
Car surfing could have also gotten me up
but that's a bit too scary for me...
Scarier than climbing the side of this cliff anyway...
Don't judge my threat assessment!
Who do you think you are?!
『 Hup! 』
Cling!
『 Hup! 』
Clang!
Eeeh... on second thought... there are a lot of floors...
Maybe I'll take the elevator instead when I reach that building...
...the detour point, the apartment rooftop where I died.
It's right on the way home, so why not stop by for a visit, right...?
『 ...C-Come on! 』
「 ... 」
『 Just... get... in! 』
「 Maybe you should... take the stairs? 」
『 No. It has to be elevator. 』
「 But the stairs would- 」
『 Elevator. 』
I hear a woman sigh on the other side of the balloon wall.
「 Okay fine, squeeze in, I'll help you out. 」
...
Strangely, the woman didn't get into the elevator with me afterwards.
I reach for the butto-
Ah... I didn't think this through.
『 ...Bwah! 』
I'm shoved out of the elevator by the balloons.
I pull the threads to bring them with me-
-they break.
I forgot to take off my hair piece.
Well, those balloons are someone else's problem now.
Now on the top floor,
I head to the stairs to the roof.
Door locked.
No key.
Break doorknob.
Door not locked.
"Problem-solving skills."
...Prompt encounter with former enemy staircase.
You think I'm afraid of you?
You're nothing but a mere first boss!
Through sacrifice... and hard work...
My stats have simply become...
too high for you...!
Hora hora hora hora!
Fast stair climbing technique!
Two steps at a time?! Bakana!
That's a forbidden technique!
『 Oriya! 』
Stairs climbed!
I look back down at them.
I guess you could say...
I was two steps ahe-
I hold my head and push open the rooftop door.
I got a bit carried away; brain, I'm sorry, please stop hurting me.
...I hear laughter.
It sounds... familiar?
...
I step out slowly onto the rooftop gravel.
The door closes behind me with a thud.
『 Welcome home. 』
『 ... 』
『 ...Okaeri? 』
『 ... 』
『 Sing? Are you real? Ah...
「 Maybe I'm imagining things... 』
『 ...Crier? 』
She turns around.
Fluffy white hair side swept to her left...
A single stray hair atop her head, split in two...
Pink eyes, a white summer dress, a pink flower hairclip...
and a backside scarred and darkened with burns...
She's here...
It's really her...
Just... casually sitting on the ledge...
Crier...
...But there's someone else here.
Another girl is lying down on the ledge,
with their head resting in Crier's lap.
I can't see their face, I don't know who they are...
but they're wearing our school uniform.
『 Who is that? 』
『 It's Streya. 』
『 ...What? 』
『 Streya. 』
『 I'm Streya. 』
『 No you're not.
「 You're Sing, and I'm Crier.
「 Neither of us are Streya... 』
『 ... 』
I sit on the gravel.
I'm really sick of this...
Crier carefully moves and sets the head of that girl down on the ledge.
She has... my face... my body... she looks just like me... "Streya..."
Why is there an imposter here? Why were they resting in Crier's lap?
What is-
Grab.
Crier grabs my shoulders and looks me in the eyes,
then pushes me down onto my back.
...
...I feel something wet on my cheek.
Am I crying?
Drip.
Something wet hits my skin...
『 You're Sing, okay? You're Sing... 』
『 ... 』
Why is she crying? Why does she keep calling me Sing?
What's going on? I don't understand but... if she keeps crying...
『 ...I'm Sing- 』
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
She hugs me.
『 I missed you... I missed you so much... I missed you, Sing...
「 Please don't leave me again... please... please! Sing! 』
『 Hey! 』
I squeeze her as she nuzzles her head into me.
『 I won't go, okay? I don't understand but,
「 I'll do everything I can to protect you, okay?
「 That's my responsibility... a... as your big sister... 』
She sniffles, trying to stop her tears.
I'm on the verge of crying myself...
What happened to her...?
She rolls off and lies next to me.
We both have our backs to the gravel,
looking up at the purple and gold sky.
I take a deep breath...
She grabs my hand and whispers:
『 We're dead. 』
...I hear the wind blow.
『 This place, a long time ago...
「 You and me, after we died... we ended up here...
「 You... you don't remember the things that happened here? 』
『 ...Yes, I'm sorry. I have no idea what's going on anymore.
「 You, me, "Streya," I don't get any of this... none of it makes any sense. 』
I hear Crier hiccuping.
『 Where... where did you even go?!
「 I thought you... ascended or something!
「 ...D-Don't laugh at me!
「 I seriously thought I was...
「 going to be alone here forever... 』
『 ...Everything will be okay now, Crier...
「 We can figure this out together somehow.
「 Let's just start from the beginning... okay? 』
『 Y-Yes... from the beginning... 』
Where the memories start, to where they end...
...Show me, what you made of us.
...Of the day we died to Marie and fought Mak 'Euvier' Jing'ra.
We came to terms with the fact... that we were now Sing and Crier, the Devil Twins...
but we also... regrettably, took pride in our newly pain-inflicted moral decline...
...Of when we woke up in a cave later, in a snowy region called Sal'venakai.
We took a second look at ourselves here... and softened our mental decay.
We adapted our legs through destruction and regeneration to escape that dark cave.
...Of when we later went hunting for food... and got our first kill.
We knew it then... that we were cursed to carry it as well...
The sadistic expression seeking, beauty obsessed, zero-sum corrupted mind
that was Streya's nature... we knew... it had not died with her, and was ours now.
...Of the few memories we hold of our monotonous survival.
We began dealing with the first traces of our independent minds.
Sing, Crier, Streya, not a duality... but a trio. Two bodies, and our binding anomaly.
...Of our escape from the cave, through a thawed Sal'venakai.
A new dream, a new life... an escape from that corrupted fate Streya brought with her.
In order to escape that, we ran from the safety net that was the cave, and into the wild...
This was when we first used our nature as Devil Twins towards something better.
...Of our second death.
Here, however... we... learned the true nature of our fate...
You don't remember this, Sing... but after we died... this is where we ended up.
This city...
At first, we played all day... but eventually...
we just started thinking, and thinking, and thinking!
About everything we could think about! And...
I think we figured out... what we were fated to do-
『 Stoppu. Desynco. 』
『 ...Eh? 』
『 You weren't there to experience it...
「 but I just had a very bad time with someone who preached to me about fate.
「 If you're about to say our fate is, "To receive just punishment for our actions-"
「 then I'm going to have to stop you right there because I don't want any part of it. 』
『 E-Em... how about you tell me what happened to you... because on my end,
「 you were here one moment, then you just disappeared the next... 』
Sing sighs -- and stretches her arms over her head,
all the while not letting go of my hand.
By proxy, I end up stretching.
...
...?
『 Are you sleeping?! Sing! You can't just-! 』
『 I ---- was reanimated as undead by some old man and a bug-lady.
「 ...Then they took me to Nine-Tail's temple and made me fight her. 』
『 W...What? 』
『 Right? Nine-Tails even remembered me!
「 She was so mad... I don't know what those guys were thinking...
「 but I heard the fight was some kind of test to become her "avatar?" 』
『 ... 』
『 Other than that... I learned a few other things too.
「 Apparently something called The World Fall happened
「 two thousand, seven hundred and fourteen years ago? 』
『 Did they take you through the entire raid? 』
『 Huh? Oh, no, everything was already destroyed and old.
「 Agehatate was the only one there and she had two tails when we arrived. 』
『 That's so weird... 』
『 I know! But anyway... yeah... she just... destroyed me. 』
『 W-Wait, you said you were undead but...
「 it sounds like you're telling me you were in control?
「 And if that's the case... how did you even lose to her two-tail phase? 』
『 Well... do you remember our Feral title? 』
『 No way... 』
『 Mind-domination immunity~
「 It includes undead-summoning, remember?
「 Ah... but still... even with that cheat title... I was really...
「 really slow... I was definitely in control, but everything was so awkward
「 that it didn't matter at all! I never-ever-forever-never want to do that again...! 』
I giggle to myself.
Sing growls.
『 I-I'm sorry! It's just... you... you went through something that sounded
「 like it might have actually been... fun. I was in so much distress, I thought that...
「 I was worried you were going through something so much worse... 』
『 Are you kidding me? That hurt like-! 』
『 But did it actually hurt? 』
I turn my head to the left.
She turns her head to the right.
We look at each other.
『『 It didn't... hurt at all? 』』
『 H-How did you...? 』
『 Because nothing hurts me either.
「 Actually... I'd even bet you- 』
『 Don't you dare say it. 』
Hehehe...!
Sorry, I couldn't help it!
Anyway... I bet you don't know why that is, do you?
The answer ties into what I was talking about, our fate...
It's something... that ties into the true meaning of one of our titles...
Try to remember...
The second time you died, did that hurt?
『 ... 』
I sit up and pull Sing with me.
Chomp!
『 ?! 』
I sink my fangs into her arm.
Sing winces but doesn't move away.
I'm seriously biting into it too, you know?!
This is the definitive proof...
That you've conquered pain...
I did this, so you would believe what I'm about to say.
Please forgive me, you'll understand at the end...
...Are you ready to hear this, Sing?
『 Ask... before you bite me... 』
『 Ah! I'm sorry! 』
『 It's fine... it looks like you've decided on your own anyway, so... I'm ready. 』
I lick my lips and smile.
You really don't know what you have until it's gone!
『 Crier, don't think that while licking my blood. 』
『 Sorry~ Listen closely then, okay? 』
...Here are the two most important truths you've forgotten.
〖 1. First deaths break, allowing you to feel oncoming demise. 〗
〖 2. Second deaths relieve, granting complete tolerance to pain. 〗
These are the two truths of what it means to die.
When people learn these two truths, they've become fully aware.
Please remember these, as they will become important at the end.
Now, how does this tie into our fate...?
"Prophet of Death"
...Do you remember this title? We started with it...
but it cannot exist normally because of an innate problem:
A prophet only exists... if they prophesize a viable future.
What is this future to be prophesized?
It must the two truths of death, right?
Ah... but whose future are those for?
That's a future only applicable to us!
No normal person remembers what it's like to die...
and nobody naturally comes back to life.
So for normal people, those two truths are garbage!
Who cares what happens after death? You'll be dead!
You're not coming back, so the prophecies aren't relevant!
What kind of prophet "prophesizes" nobody's future?!
The word for such a person... is "madman..."
So our Prophet of Death title is meaningless if nobody returns to life.
In other words, there should be more to it, right...?
If we've received it, that must mean...
it's possible for people to return to life.
...What unique blood-related ability do we just so happen to have?
Pure Demonic Blood.
Blood that cleanses death.
In other words, an ability that brings people back to life.
『 Do you know what this means, Sing? 』
『 W-We could... make people... not feel pain? 』
『 Not "we could," rather, we shouldn't. 』
『 Uh...? 』
Listen closely!
So far, we've told nobody else the "two truths."
As far as we're concerned, we're the only ones fully aware.
In other words, we both have a prophet title...
even though we haven't "enlightened" anyone yet.
Sing... do you know what fate I'm talking about?
『 ...Wait, you mean- 』
Yes... not that arbitrary fate that nobody can grasp...
I am talking about the game mechanic from Myriad Worlds:
F-A-T-E... FATE.
The event director for Myriad World's campaign system.
It's why childhood friends always seem to meet again.
It's why The Hero always defeats the Demon King.
It's why rivals always seem to cross paths.
It's designed to do that,
to create emergent stories.
Do you understand now?
We figured out what FATE has assigned to us...
It wants us to be Prophets of Death.
To kill, revive, and spread the word of what death really is.
We know this because it gave us the title preemptively...
Do you know what other title is assigned preemptively?
The Hero, a title that sets your future in stone.
You either live to kill The Demon King,
or die after becoming a Fallen Hero.
You will never truly die until you hit an ending for your fate.
What does this mean for us...?
...We cannot revive anyone else twice.
The moment we do, they will become "fully aware."
In doing so, we will have realised our fate as prophets,
our fate will be complete, and we may die -- permanently...
...So long as we haven't made anyone "fully aware,"
we're at least guaranteed our lives until our title changes.
Just as The Hero will never truly die,
unless their fate is met,
or their title changes first.
The same logic applies to us.
This is the truth we realised here-
Sing, why are you staring at me?
...She looks away.
...
I explain to you the method of our future survival...
and the first thing you think of, is how cute I look?
『 ...Pfft. 』
『 S-Shut up! I'll pummel you! 』
『 I'm sorry! No pummeling!
「 This is a no pummeling zone! 』
Sing huffs.
I cover my mouth to hide my smile.
『 A-Anyway... who cares about what we're doing when we revive?
「 We're still trapped in here with... Streya... for who knows how long...
「 Actually, if we even get out, doesn't the evidence point to us forgetting
「 everything we do in here? What was the point of that? 』
Haha...
Yes, that's probably correct...
We probably even entered this city-limbo the first time we died and
we just don't remember it because the memories are gone when we wake up...
But isn't this fun? To talk about this stuff?
Aren't you curious how our future selves will react when they find out?
What if they revive someone twice? Or learn about it too late? Isn't it exciting...?
I've lost track of how long I spent with you in here, but it was... a lot of fun...
We thought about a lot of stuff like that...
Since while we're here... we can do anything. Nobody tells us what to do,
not even we ourselves will remember. It's true freedom here...
An exclusive paradise of ours...
Maybe you could even call it...
『 Our personal heaven? 』
We look at each other again.
The blood streaming from Sing's arm has stopped.
Heaven is... a bit of a bold statement...
But it's true isn't it? Is there anything else you want?
『 ... 』
Not really... but...
Are my dreams really this shallow?
『 Hey! 』
『 Kidding! Kidding... just a joke! 』
...We really don't mind where we are,
so long as we're together... huh...
Crier gets up and runs to the ledge.
I notice Streya still just lying there.
That's right... Streya... what is she even doing here?
And why is she sleeping? Could it be that she's...?
『 Sing! Come sit here with me! 』
『 A-Ah, yeah, coming! 』
I run over to the ledge with her.
『 Sit here! 』
『 ...Okay? Why- 』
Crier lifts Streya's head and places it in my lap.
...
『 Feels weird right? 』
『 Yeah... what... what is this? She's cold and...
「 I feel weird... I physically... feel weird! What?! 』
『 Hehehehe... seeing your first reaction for a second time...
「 This really is heaven after all huh~ 』
She sits next to me, and we stare off towards the mountain in the distance.
I'm noticing it now but... all the buildings that I leapt over...
They're covered in clouds, I can't see them from here at all...
Weren't the skies clear before?
Where did all these clouds come from?
『 You'll get used to it, this particular spot is special. 』
『 A-Ah... is that so... 』
『 And... to answer your question...
「 What do you think Streya's heaven is? 』
Streya's... heaven...?
『 Ah! Wait a minute! I completely forgot!
「 Marie! She's still alive in that world! 』
『 Ah, no way! We have to get her back for killing Streya! 』
『 Right? Oh, and you know what? I just had an idea...
「 What if we killed her... and then revived her, but only once? 』
『 That's... that's evil...! But I'd like that very much... 』
I smile into a sigh, looking down at Streya.
I run one hand through her hair.
Tiny jolts flow through my fingers.
『 Well... I mean, there's no rush or anything...
「 I'd... be happy if things ended here too... you know?
「 That whole "Prophet of Death" business, even if it fits the mould...
「 It's not really -- being alive isn't what I care about the most-
「 I guess, is what I mean to say... is that... okay? 』
She smiles softly...
『 Of course, we're the same... me too. It's only if we get pulled out...
「 Really, if I could choose to stay here forever with you instead... 』
『 It's probably best for us to stay here. 』
『 We'd probably end up hurting a lot of people... 』
『 And... we might end up apart again. That would be the worst... 』
『 It's not even worth it if we're apart. I'd much rather stay here then! 』
We look down at Streya together.
『『 But what about you, Streya? When will you wake up? 』』
...We giggle.
She's a mystery, this girl!
She's not like us Devil Twins...
Will she be alright if she wakes up?
Wonder wondering...
『 Crier? 』
『 I'm Crier~ 』
『 When will the sun rise? 』
『 The sun never rises here. 』
『 Eeeeh? But I want to watch the sunrise... 』
『 Then jump down! The sun works normally below the clouds. 』
『 Eh? Really? It's actually just this spot? 』
『 I said it was special, geeze! Take a hint! 』
『 I was just asking! I like the sun where it is! 』
『 Yeah! It's beautiful, right? 』
『 ...Yeah, you're right. 』
Even with all that talk of the future...
and going over the past... I think...
『『 ...It's beautiful, exactly where it is. 』』
[https://i.imgur.com/hNoOSWN.png]
SING CRIER
CH.18 - It's Beautiful, Right?
End.
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