002 ⚜ ❝ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ sᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ'ʟʟ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ❞

[repudiate]

[ It's a fairly normal scene, all things considered. There's just a road with cars occasionally driving by, lined with buildings, and then there's a single bus stop. And standing by said bus stop is a girl in a school uniform leaning against the bus stop sign while seemingly talking on the phone. She's fairly recognizable as Ange, despite the difference in clothing, the only difference aside from that is the fact that she's wearing her hair down instead of having her usual pigtails with the hair bobbles.

If you get close enough to her, you might be able to hear what she's discussing on the phone. ]

What, onii-chan's coming over for dinner tonight too? [ A pause as she listens to the answer on the phone and then she downright laughs - very uncharacteristic for her, those who know her might notice. ] No, dad, I like eating dinner with just you and mom too, okay? Don't freak out too much over it. It's just that this is a special occasion. [ She listens again, and then there's a hum. ] I know. I'll be home soon enough, the bus is just having a delay or something like that. But I'll hurry. Hmm, bye!

[ Now she's done with her call and tucking the cellphone - a fairly old-looking one, like a nineties' model - back into her bag, you might want to speak up. Or, you know, just silently stand with her at the bus stop, even though that's not as interesting of a way to spend time. ]

Comments

[waterfell]

[This isn't right. Ange's family isn't like that. Ami, who lived lonely with her broken family all her childhood, knows it very well. She remembers it. Ange's grudge, her wish for vengeance, was all because of what happened to her family.

It makes Ami want to know more. She heads towards Ange as if nothing is unusual, as if she's just happened to be taking the same bus, and she asks the question as if it's not obvious.]

You were calling home? Since you're already on the way, that's very touching.

[If there's a tiny bite of her usual flippancy, it's because she wants a whole family to go home to, someone waiting there instead of an empty apartment.]

[repudiate]

[ Ange blinks a few times as she stares at the other girl, but there's nothing like recognition in her gaze. Still, she just lets out a light breath before smiling a little. Even with the lack of recognition, she doesn't seem to mind talking to strangers - not like this, not this Ange. ]

It's more just necessary. Dad flips out if he doesn't know where I am, and since the bus is late I'll end up being late back home too. [ a chuckle. ] It's funny, but I don't want mom to have to deal with that.

[waterfell]

You're a good daughter.

[It's one relationship Ami still holds valuable herself. It doesn't answer what's happened here.]

Your family, how are they? [A polite question meaning nothing, but she'll be listening to the answer very closely for more hints.]

[repudiate]

I'm sure dad would agree. [ She laughs, only slightly awkwardly but most of it is actually genuine - she knows how much her dad squeals over her even though she's already this grown up, after all. ]

And they're doing just fine. [ Ange raises an eyebrow at the question, but that's as much surprise over it as Ami will get. ] Well, I guess I could say 'same as usual' but that won't mean much to a stranger.. But it should still be enough to give a general impression, right?

[waterfell]

[It's not enough to satisfy her. She wants to know more of this, hold it against the truth she knows.]

Tell me about Rokkenjima.

[repudiate]

[ Rokkenjima? Wait, why would anyone know about-- ]

Wait, why do you know I know about Rokkenjima? It's not like it's a well known place, after all, since it's just my family's property and nobody else ever goes there.

[waterfell]

You might not remember it, but we've spoken about it before.

[And that doesn't answer her question, Ange.]

How is it?

[repudiate]

... In school? [ She's blinking, trying to recall it. Something about this girl is familiar, but.. she has no clue where from exactly, really, so she just ends up blinking aimlessly as she tries to remember before shaking her head. ]

And there's nothing special about it, is there? I just go there every year for the family conference.. It's where my grandfather used to live, but he died a lot of years ago. Krauss oji-san and Natsuhi oba-san live in the mansion there now.

[waterfell]

[A different Ange, perhaps? Where that tragedy was averted, and so she's living out her days happily?

Or... is it all looming in her future?]

Will you see them again soon?

[repudiate]

Probably during the next conference in October. But sometimes we randomly visit, too.. It's just been happening less frequently since we aren't kids anymore. [ a slight shrug. ]

You sure seem interested in my family, though.

[waterfell]

It's because we've spoken of them often up until now. [Her voice is bland, as if Ange should know this.]

[promotedpawn]

[Primo isn't as curious as others. Or rather he forgot the need to be curious a long time ago. He observes the scene from the distance, even if he's not close to her he can still hear her talking. A dream about her family, her family being fine and with her, right? He shouldn't intrude. At least not loudly.

She's waiting for the bus so that's a good excuse. Just a bit of magic, a bit of will to change the dream, and he's just another student with blue eyes and a school uniform from a different school than hers. Playing with a hand held system he makes his way to the bus stop, sitting to wait not too close neither too far from her his attention completely in the game. Except that all he's watching is her actually.]

[repudiate]

[ Since she's done with the phone conversation, her eyes quickly wander again as she's waiting for the bus to come - she knows it will be a while more. It's then that her eyes fall on the boy sitting there who is playing his game, and she's stares quietly for a few moments. There's nothing in her expression that suggests she recognizes him, but she doesn't seem hostile or anything either - like this she's much more open to strangers than she'd normally be, after all. ]

... You're waiting for the bus too, right? [ In the end she speaks up. ] I don't know if you've heard yet, but it'll come a bit later than usual. Something about a strike, or something like that.

[promotedpawn]

[He keeps playing, eyes obscured by his hair.

He knew it. He knew it yet he hoped he would be wrong, he still has some foolishness in him after all. She doesn't know him. She's just like all the other Anges he has met in his travels, in his search. She has forgot him. No, she just never met him, she can't forger what she never knew. She's happy, the Ange she would be if her family had never been destroyed.

If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, its yours forever. If it doesn't, then it was never meant to be.

Just one of the many phrases and ideas that he knows and that remind him of why he should just go along with the dream. It's a dream after all, she will wake up soon and remember him and be the same Ange he loves. The Ange he loves, not this Ange. As much as he wants her to be happy... This happy Ange is nothing but a stranger even to him. This wasn't the shape of the happiness she was meant to have, this was a lie, a joke and it will do nothing but remind her of what she doesn't have once she wakes up.

Ange doesn't need more reminders of that.

He told her he wouldn't allow her to forget him no matter what.

If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, its yours forever. If it doesn't, then it was never meant to be.

That only applies to humans. Wizards love in a different way, and technically she already left him once and returned to him. She's already his. He's only getting back what's his.]

That's okay. It's not as if anyone is waiting for me anymore.

[repudiate]

[ She isn't aware of any of his thoughts, really - instead she just stares at him almost a bit curiously as she can't even meet his gaze since it's obscured by his hair. What kind of mysterious kind of guy is this..?

And what he says is even stranger, so she can't help but feel a little confused. ]

Nobody's waiting? You mean they're going ahead and eat dinner without you?

[promotedpawn]

No. I mean exactly what I said. There's no one waiting home, it's empty. It has been empty for a long time, ever since everyone died that day.

[He stops playing, turning to her, though she still won't be able to see his eyes as he makes sure that the angle keeps his fringe in the way.]

That's why it's fine if the bus never even comes. I'm not in a hurry to get anywhere.

[he focuses his attention in his game again.]

[repudiate]

[ Ever since everyone died that day.. Why does it sound so oddly familiar to her, clicking something in the back of her mind that even she doesn't really realise? There's something weird about the words, about-- well, all of this, really. So Ange raises an eyebrow, despite him not looking her in the eyes. ]

You can't be serious..

[ Is this some bad joke? Where's the hidden camera? ]

Then why would you even be waiting here? I mean-- [ yup, rendered her speechless. ]

[promotedpawn]

People who have lost their whole families can't wait for the bus?

[That's why they are there, right? To wait for the bus.]

Or is this a magic bus that only works for those who have families waiting for them?

Or maybe... Maybe you mean that rather than be sitting here, I should be standing at the edge of a skyscraper, ready to jump and defy death and God in desperation for not knowing the truth of why everyone died. Is that it?

[repudiate]

[ What is he saying, and.. no, moreover, why is it making her feel this strangely? As if there's something more about the words she somehow realises yet doesn't, and part of her is telling her to stop thinking about it and she doesn't get any of it anymore. Really, it's almost enough to cause a headache, so she raises her hand to her head as if to ease the pain, but it isn't helping anything.

What is going on..? ]

What are you talking about?! What is this..? [ She almost looks like she's in physical pain from the mental struggle she doesn't even fully realise by now. ]

A.. skyscraper?

[promotedpawn]

[He doesn't enjoy seeing her in pain. But he hates it even more to see her happy in a lie.]

Hey... Do you believe in magic? Do you think that the truth can be reached no matter how much time has passed? That even if time and people bury it, there's a chance for you to find out the truth of what you long to know?

[There's a pause before he tilts his head a bit, his eyes still obscured, it's almost magical how he manages it.]

Hey, when was the last time you saw your oniichan?

[repudiate]

... Stop..

[ It's probably not even said consciously, more out of instinct. Because there's something wrong here, somehow those words are enough to make her feel uncomfortable and even she herself isn't entirely sure why.

The last time she saw her brother? It was when he had visited a little while ago to eat dinner with them as well, right, even though he lived somewhere on his own? And he had sat next to her at the table, laughing at her as if they had some kind of special secret conspiracy as she passed some of the vegetables she didn't like onto his plate--

... Wait, what is this memory? A childish habit like that, throwing food onto someone else's plate.. that's from much longer ago, right? And Battler looks much younger there than he should be by now as well, right?

Why does it feel like the more she tries to remember, tries to hold on to it.. the quicker it slips through her fingers, like water?

Even breathing suddenly feels difficult. ]

I saw him..! I saw him, only.. a little while ago--.. [ Even in her words it's easy to hear she's trying to hold onto something that's slowly slipping away, falling apart. ]

[nohometown]

[The tall man at the bus stop with her is dressed all in black.

He listens to her speaking on the phone, and he can't help but wonder for a moment what it must be like, to have a mother and a father. A sibling. To eat dinner with them, at a home.

Something he'll never know. But he smiles at her as she puts her phone away.]

Your parents must care about you a great deal. You're fortunate.

[repudiate]

I am. [ She agrees with that much, with a small smile, even - she is fortunate to have a family like she has, a loving father and mother and older brother.. She's more grateful for it than anything, even if it's all a lie in this dream. Ange doesn't know that, so.. ]

I know not everyone is that lucky, so I try to at least enjoy it to the fullest and treat them kindly.

[ Apparently she doesn't seem to be all that fazed by the idea of talking to a stranger here. ]

[nohometown]

I'm sure they appreciate your efforts.

[He says this in an almost fatherly tone, though he already knows quite well he will never be a father, never have a family.]

We all have different lives. Others may be fortunate in other ways, but you're right. It's something to be especially grateful for.

[repudiate]

Yeah, I can imagine plenty of ways my life could have been worse. [ And those ways are actually the way her life is, but once again, she doesn't know what in this what-if dream. ]

How about yours? Do you enjoy your kind of life?