Enter The Sandman 2: Karmatic Recreation

Our Hope Has Returned?

After twenty minutes pass by, Brima and I lay under the bed's covers, completely naked.  We just stay there in a somewhat awkward silence for a few seconds.

I slowly pan my eyes over to her and decide to say "W-Who would've thought we would have ended up like this... huh?"  And follow it with a nervous laugh.

Her face turns a little more red, but she slowly turns her face in my direction.

I chuckle even more nervously and say "Okay... before I make this any more awkward... I did have questions I've been wanting to ask you..."

"A-And those are?"

"Well... why did you decide to trick me and say you were this guy named Emanuel?"

"There's a long story to that..."

"Then make it brief, please."

"Well... a long time ago... I met someone named Emanuel, after I was split apart from my brother.  In short words, he taught me how to control my elemental powers to a much further extent.  He trained me to become a lot stronger, to the person I am now."

"Just how strong was this guy?"

"...I'm not sure.  He disappeared one day, and I never saw him again.  I never saw him use beta, or an elemental power... so I was never sure if he was an elemental user..."

"Then how could he get you... this powerful?"

"Maybe he was just really skilled."

"Still... I remember Yein mentioning he knew an Emanuel... maybe it was the same guy?"

"But there was always something off about him... he seemed to know more about me than he showed.  I wish I could find out."

"Let's just leave our thoughts in the past... I want to ask you a few more things..."

"Okay..."

"Well... before you said you and your brother split up?  You mean you forgave him while I was gone?"

"Well... kind of.  I never forgave him.  But he slowly made it up to me, over time."

"Why did you guys split up?"

Brima remains quiet for a few seconds, changing her expression to one of sadness.

"...Altar was killed."

"Killed!?  By who!?"

"...Emanuel."

"What!?"

"I found out after he left.  He wrote a note for me, admitting to several things he did and knew about me.  He admitted to killing Altar.  I... grew to hate him for that... then shortly after that, I find out Emanuel had been killed.  I almost became overjoyed... but I still felt relinquished... because he was my teacher.  It's still hard to believe he could have done something like that..."

"I'm so sorry to hear that..."

"...Do you have any more questions?"

I scratch the back of my head nervously.  "I kind of lost my trace of thought... I'll ask more later..."

Another short silence.

"I... guess we should get dressed now... we might be arriving soon" I say.

She nods and gives me a cute grin.  When we both hop out of the bed, I decide to turn my head around and take a peek at her.

I get smacked by an invisible force.

"No looky" Brima says with her back turned to me.

"Right..." I say quietly.  "Even after what we just did..."