"I win again."
"Ah."
"..."
"—Eep! Why flick my head when you've won?"
Arivia asked, rubbing her head as she leaned back in the chair. If one could look hard enough, smoke would seem to sporadically erupt out of the point of impact.
"Arivia. What is going on?"
"You beat me four times at Conquest, that's what's going on.." The girl says as she removes the pieces.
"No. With you." Asakawa points. "And where is everyone else?"
The two girls were located inside Arivia's room, evident by the seemingly blinding colors that consisted of the walls and roof. Arivia had a hobby of collecting puzzles and cooperative games, even at the age of seventeen, so the room was neatly littered with said items. Despite her upbeat nature, the girl liked to test her mind in games and things of that category.
Her bed was as grand as her personality, boasting a large mattress that could hold four adult men, as well as a frame that seemed to twist all the way to the ceiling. There also existed posters of various gamemasters, or people who 'invented' said games.
The girl's favorite Gamemaster was a man known as Harold Login.
Arivia and Asakawa's relationship could be described as night and day. However, despite the clear difference in personality, the two got along spectacularly. Arivia would often prattle on about how much she liked a specific game, and Asakawa would interrupt her prattling to ask when they would play.
These two were in essence, friends.
Every Tuesday night, Arivia would send out a flyer to the denizens of the mansion. This flyer would contain an invitation to come over to her room and engage in a game of conquest. The girl liked being the gamemaster of said game, and would often tease her players, but would always play fair.
Everyone in the mansion, including the Hommunculi would engage. Even Navi, who was known for being absorbed in her own world, would play these games. Much to her chagrin at Arivia's demeanor. There were still laughs that would be shared.
Everyone. That was the keyword.
Yet now…
"There's nothing going on. You're just the only one that came. I've realized that if people don't like someone, there's nothing that says they have to force themselves to be around them." The girl says as she places a piece inside her box.
"...Whatever makes you say that? Was your goal not to befriend everyone here? Was that not your goal? Why would you give up so easily and out of nowhere?"
Arivia momentarily stops, then resumes her motions once more. She bites her lip, clearly disturbed by the statement she had just made.
"...."
"...Arivia, what happened? Simply tell me."
"I happened. Me. That's what happened. I'm the reason why something even 'happened', and I realize that.."
"That is not—"
"Asa, do you only hang around me because you feel bad?"
The girl who had been questioned raises an eyebrow. Asakawa Meiko was clearly not used to having her calm demeanor stumble for a moment. However, in less than half a second, she recomposed herself.
"Answer me, please."
Arivia clenched the fabric around her thighs as she averted her eyes downward. Her lips seemingly began to quiver as well.
"No. I am friends with you because I personally enjoy your company. You are someone that always speaks their mind whenever asked. You are a girl capable of lifting any mood—"
"I hurt him, Aza."
"?"
"I hurt him, then tried to act like his friend afterward. It's my fault he exploded. I shouldn't have subjected to such things. He probably became confused and exploded because of that. And-and—"
A single drop cascaded down the girl's red cheeks. Arivia was not one to cry often, but she still cried, only a handful of times, however. Whenever Arivia cried, she tended to repeat words and stutter.
The girl desperately attempted to wipe away the oncoming liquids with the back of her hand.
"I'm sorry. Uuu… I'm sorry. Hic. I'm a mercenary, a murderer. I've killed people before. I don't deserve to be crying like a little girl… Uuu… If those people I've killed looked at me now, they'd–they'd surely.. Nnn… say: 'What right do you have to be crying about something like that?'"
She lifted her remaining hand and continued to rub away, however with each movement, more began to pour. The girl's eyes grew more radiant, her eyebrows vibrated, and her lips quivered.
"I don't deserve it. I don't deserve to cry about emotional things… Hic… I only need to focus on what my job is. I'm a magnet that only pulls in negative charges…"
Asakawa Meiko looked.
Asakawa Meiko observed.
Asakawa Meiko stayed silent.
Asakawa Meiko did not know what to say. For emptiness cannot fill a hole.
She merely watched as her friend cried. For emptiness cannot fill a hole.
There was nothing she could say. For emptiness cannot fill a hole.
The girl's sobbing ground to a halt. However, remnants of the paroxysm remained, evident in the pink cry marks within the corners of her eyes.
"I tried to pretend I was the one who was hurt at the moment. Like he was the one who was at fault, and I was merely affected by it. But within these past few months…"
"It kept hurting. More and more."
"I've constantly invited you all to game nights. I constantly make jokes and tease others. I constantly latch onto one of you whenever I'm asked to go on solo assignments. I'm always desperate to be around somebody. And I have the audacity to cry when someone gets sick of my crap? Why did I think it was appropriate to come off all nice to someone I tortured?"
The girl's mouth spoke the opposite of what she felt, yet at the same time corrected its course.
"I'm a leech."
Asakawa stood up, and turned towards the door. She could not watch any further. So she turned.
"Asa?"
"...You are not a leech. You are anything but. You are merely a girl who wishes for others to like her. I will not ask you personally for what transpired, so I will ask him. Please, do not insult yourself as if you are trash. I understand that in this line of work, one may reach a certain point where the pressure becomes far too much so I will request a few weeks off of duty for you. You are much more than you think."
Arivia stayed silent.
Asakawa remembered the day she had first entered their respective team. She had burst through the doors, proclaiming the words: 'My name is Arivia! The name that'll ring in your ears for days to come!' The girl had accidentally broken the doors hinges due to her kicking it with intense force. She then proceeded to fix it for the remainder of day, much to her chagrin.
However, that did not cause her to waiver. She continued, a smile present no matter what she did.
Yet, that same girl had sobbed uncontrollably in front of Asakawa moments prior. That same girl who was confident in everyone's perception of her was criticizing that very aspect.
What had Kaito done?
____________________________________________________________________________
Kors eye's kept focused on the three individuals outside in the courtyard, surrounded by the Homunculi. Kaito and Samuel were jogging in place while Kaelira Kaen barked commands at the two. The homunculi were clearly amped by the intense energy in the air, and were giving hyped speeches of their own as well.
The purple and orange symphony of color from the setting sun cast along the various figures, seemingly changing their colors. It was dusk, and the long reaching grasp of night began to overtake the sky.
The light flickered on.
Kors turned his head towards the one who had flipped the switch.
Navi Highergald stood in the doorway.
"What you in my room for?" The silver haired girl asked as she walked past the wight, who now took the appearance of a young man in his twenties. The girl seemingly ignored his physical presence and waited for his verbal one, which took in the form of her walking past him and examining a wanted poster.
Said wanted poster contained the picture of a man known as the Echt Exterminator. A man who had murdered various people of goodwill who had contributed to their respective towns and even countries. His modus operandi was still unknown, even to this day.
"Ms. Highergald. Following the Abyssal Valley journey as well as the subjugation of Gorthro Volara, you have begun to act in many favors of your own that would potentially put your fellow mates in danger. The first example includes not following orders, as well as escalating situations that do not demand a explosive resolution."
Navi turned the paper over, reading through the general details of the Echt Exterminator's acts and potential motivations.
"What are you, a warning letter?"
Kor's head turned in an unusual angle.
"Ms. Highergald, would you like me to address you in a non-formal manner. Rather, would you be willing to respond to such a manner?"
The paper is placed on the table it had been previously lifted from.
Navi's eyes shift to the left, and her head follows, turning behind to the wight.
"I'd respond, but first, I want to know why you're in my room."
Kors's head shifts back in front to its original position. He then sighs.
"I haven't been able to speak to you properly until now. You know what you've been doing whenever I attempt to speak in the hallways."
Hallways. Long. Distant.
Navi's head creaks to the left as her body walks over to the specified direction. Her bed is the only thing that remains in the corner. The girl extends her arms.
"Well, go ahead, say what you want to say."
She drops onto the bed face first.
Kors's eyes travel to the swaying chandelier above.
"What happened?"
Navi's body turns, face now gazing at the ceiling that seemed to run away.
"Do you know how vague that sounds?"
The bed squeaks, due to the weight shifting. Due to the moving bed, a dagger, which had been on top of the mattress, collapses to the ground.
"To anyone else, it may sound vague. But you are not 'anyone'. You know exactly what I am referring to—your demeanor."
The girl places her arms behind her head.
"It's an age thing. When you live for this long, things start to piss you off if you do them for too long. Vampyrs live for hundreds of years."
Kors's eyes remain on the chandelier, swaying with it. Perhaps he was curious about what was causing such movements, but his mind remained in the conversation.
"This demeanor is not new, that much is known. However, there was a change in personality prior to you reverting to your original. This took place directly after enslaving Mr. Kaito."
Navi closed her eyes.
"So you only care because my personality? How does that benefit you? You want to know how I feel all the time?"
Kors shifted his right leg to his lap.
"No, I already mentioned that your slightly new demeanor is potentially dangerous to your mates."
Navi's lips curled into a threatening smile.
"Oh, so you only see your teammates as productivity charts? Not—"
"Navi. Stop dancing around the oncoming question."
The man was now standing. His shadow seemed to endlessly extend to the right, a result of the setting sun.
"Tch."
The girl clicked her tongue. Navi was quite attractive, but still possessed a 'sharp' appearance as others would often say. Clicking her tongue and making such stern expressions played into this said role.
"If you were to tell me, I would be able to assist you. I at least am aware of Kaito playing a small role in the event that lead to this change. I just need to specifically know what had happened. Perhaps it was an argument?"
The girl turned to her side, her silver bangs falling down the side of her face.
"Stop being so trusting of people, Korshak. That's all I'll say. Behind every smile, there are teeth."
Kors raised an eyebrow.
"Did he betray you or something? Did you two make a promise?"
The girl remained silent, before taking a deep breath. The room seemed to hold its breath, contrary to her.
"I was reminded of why I believed in something. I let my guard up, thinking there were exceptions, but that wasn't the case."
"Could I know what you are explicitly talking about?"
The girl remained silent.
"..."
"I see."
Sensing the lack of conversational vigor the girl possessed moments ago, the wight turned to the door and placed his hand on the doorknob. He then turned his head back to the Vampyr who had her back turned to him.
"Thank you for opening up, Navi Highergald. I know it was difficult."
What had Kaito done?