17 Unknown

The feeling of the wind passed my face as I walked down the sidewalk. Chilly this time around, I guess it's about the time when it gets cold around here

"Hey...Yuri, maybe it's not up to me to say but...do you really think what you did back there was the right decision?"

Erika barely making out her words in hesitation, she was essentially dragged into it and heard everything.

"I'm not really sure... I just hope it is"

Saying those words hurt, that doubt I had was killing me. The fact that I couldn't be sure if it was the right decision was messing with me. I stop to think about what happened before I left.

"I'll stay with you...to the bitter end..."

Whatever made me say those words, it was how I truly felt, that strong feeling where no matter how much I wanted to I couldn't ignore her.

"My bad you merely asked what I wanted to be...and it got all gloomy."

Miyuki says wiping her tears with her hand before putting up a smile. No matter how much she tried, that smile was fake, it was easy to see through. A front, a facade she was clearly just doing it to make me not care...it was frustrating. Her smile screamed it, yet I was unable to act or do anything to help. That awkward silence hit the room before she finally stood up and placed her palm on my left cheek.

"Promise me you'll be there when I need you most...will you?"

Her smile...it was painful, sweet, and honest. Words on the edge of breaking down like broken glass, even when broken it still paints a picture or a story.

"I-."

Something still held me back from saying those words once more. That part of me that still holds on to the idea of being alone. Clinging to that idea I hesitate. No matter how dumb it is I still hold that sentiment. Even so, a part of me also wanted to grasp her hand and cherish her words. They gave off a sense of warmth and comfort no one else could. Like a spring blossom, it was beautiful. No words ever came out of my mouth no matter how hard I tried and wanted to. Miyuki removes her before placing it on top of her chest.

"I know it's probably hard for you, but I know you will. No matter the odds I have faith that you be the one there. Even if that day takes years I will wait for that day to come..."

The orange color of the sun shines in and hits her face to show the tear dropping from her eye before she moves towards the window and looks outside.

"Until then I will stay with you even if you don't want me around. No matter how annoying and stubborn you may get I will stay. Until that day comes..."

She turns to face me from the window and smiles and nods. Moving her hair behind her ear as the wind picks up, it was a beautiful sight. The words still never came out of my mouth, but I would never forget that scene. Neither the pain and sorrow I felt that moment. Her hair flowed through the wind before she picked up her bag and left after no response from me.

The more I remember what happened there, the more I feel like an idiot. I look up to the sky before finally making up those words I never said.

"I don't regret what I did back there even if it wasn't the right decision. No matter what, I couldn't just leave her like that. With that, no matter how wrong it may have been I truly believe that was the right thing to do."

"You really care about other people and especially her, don't you? No matter how hard you try to hide it it's quite obvious through your actions, but it's nice to think you care about her."

"I owe her more than you can imagine..."

"Is that so...well your kinda softy aren't you...hehe."

Hearing Erika's words made me want to go to die.

"S-shut up..."

My words struggle to come out as I scrabble to defend myself.

"Okay, okay got it but no need to get flustered about it. It's quite nice to know you aren't as cold-hearted as you seem."

"Yeah well, whatever..."

Once again I struggle to muster anything up and come off desperate.

"No need to say anything I understand."

Just like that Erika leaves into my head.

I truly wonder why is it I do care...or what you are Erika. I continue walking on the sidewalk before halting to a stop at an all to a familiar street light.

I reminiscent of that the I almost got ran over but Rin was there. My life really is just filled with surprises. The light turns green and the walking sign appears so I begin to walk forward. No matter if that decision I made was the wrong one, to me it was all I could do. I arrive at my house and unlock the door and close to behind me after entering. As I walk up to the living room couch and lay down before I knew it I was asleep. Hours pass by as the clock ticks with every second in what felt like a couple of seconds 3 hours had passed. Rubbing my eyes to wake me up from that nap. I turn on the tv to hear the news.

"Another person after a series of disappearances has been labeled missing as the police struggle with every new case."

Another one...man I guess the phenomenon really is serious...

"Police are baffled as to what could be behind these mysterious disappearances, well that's it for today's main headline back to the station."

Sitting up straight I lay back to stretch. Frozen Requiem maybe if just a little I can help lower those numbers of the people who go missing because of the phenomenon. I guess I understand a bit more has to why Erika wants to stop the phenomenon from occurring ever again. I'm not sure how often they occur but there really hasn't been one in a couple of days. I guess I should go and practice what Erika has asked of me now. Extending my left arm out I whisper the activation sequence.

"Restrictions Released...Virtualizer...Linked, Frozen Requiem."

Closing my eyes I try and visualize in my hand that same knife, its sharp edge...the grip...everything. I feel a cold object in my hand and before I open my eyes it breaks into cold air.

"No luck huh?"

"Not particularly, to be honest. Although, I was able to recreate my sword perfectly if that means anything."

Does it? the more I think about it make some wonder many things such as how I was able to use act 2 already. I'm positive if I try now I would just end up failing horribly.

"Well, to be frank, you weren't even supposed to be able to create such complicated objects with ice."

I'm not supposed...?

"what do you mean...?"

Erika's words baffle me beyond confusion...if that's true then why am I even doing this.

"Don't sweat the details I'll explain that some other time, but for now try and see if you can make such a replica again?"

"I'll try...but no promises I can."

I say with basically no confidence in my ability to do what she asked.

Visualize it...its black blade it's black grip...almost shining like the night sky. It's captivating black with a blue crystal near the grip. The more I think more of a weight I feel in my hand. Getting a form in my hand I open my eyes. I had been successful, it was a perfect copy of my sword and it didn't seem unstable either...I was shocked. It felt the same the difference was close to none yet I was able to let right away just by looking at it. It's still nothing more but a fake.

"Impressive nice work Yuri."

"Giving praise are we well FINALLY!...geez I felt like I was constantly told how incompetent I was."

"I don't even think I ever said that...but on a serious note it really is impressive had you not told me its a fake I wouldn't have guessed otherwise."

"That much huh? maybe because I made it but...just one glance and I can easily tell what its made of. Even its whole build and what makes it...pretty much everything that my eye can see."

For a moment Erika says nothing almost complete dead silence it catches me off guard it was odd for her.

"Erika?"

H-huh!?...oh yeah what's wrong?"

Her reaction was suspicious we were clearly just talking yet she seems so out of it in a matter of seconds. who knows what exactly was in her mind I could only speculate as to what that could be.

"Nothing, you just went silent for a while after what I said...is something wrong?"

"The...description...fits...could it be an ori...Re..."

She mumbles to herself making it quite hard to make out what she says.

"Umm Erika? Earth to Erika? are you going alright?"

"Eh?!! oh my bad sorry something kinda on my mind."

With that my hunch was right but it just makes me wonder what it is. Just from her words, it's impossible to make out what exactly she was trying to say. At this point, I stopped caring.

"You know what forget it Im just going to go sleep now. I have nothing to do anyway."

No response I guess she heard me or so I hope. I walk up to my room before laying in bed and closing my eyes and falling asleep in a matter of minutes. A black-filled space surrounded me like a black void. It was familiar...yeah I had been here before. I look around before I see a bunch of ice under me like spikes coming from the ground almost extending quite a bit. It was about the size of a classroom. In the middle was that same red ice spike from before. I remember that this place was, it was what Erika called where my deepest desires lie and paradise to me. From what I could tell this place felt less of a paradise and more of a frozen wasteland. It was empty nothing in sight besides ice and that infinite black void. In a way, I guess it was like a land full of ice. Although I would think there would be more here. This place which I having been here before, it changed but even so it baffled me.

As I walk closer to that red spike of ice I notice there are some lines written on it.

"Standing upon a hill of ice...marching towards a cold end, even if the answer I sought meant nothing, my heart still searches for a Frozen Paradise."

What does that even mean...? it felt as if these words meant something?... I wasn't so sure. Just thinking of those words in the word was painful but why? not matter how much I thought about it the answer never came. The reason for this place and the text written here we're unknown to me, but I felt comfort in this place. A weird sensation truly. As the ground beneath me begins to shake it becomes clear that I'm about to wake up. The ice breaks as the ground collapses and I fall into that infinite black void. I open my eyes to see the sun shines through my window. Not as bright as yesterday, the clouds pass over it creating a temporary shade.

"What a strange dream."