Fragments of a bright future

Chapter V: Roses

Tairitsu stares at the land afar, arms gently hugging her legs. She is sitting on a broken tower, which brought her a nostalgic yet hateful feeling. Sighing, the girl lean her head on a broken wall, and tears started to flow on her face.

"This... world is really, really disgusting. Yet... whatever. Crying won't do any good. I need to get to Hikari immediately, but arghhh- Tairitsu you idiot! Don't even think of destroying these worthless shards again!", she cried, knowing the fact that more glass shards are going to follow her, possibly expanding her "collection".

Wiping her tears away, she grabbed an apple from her parasol (which surprised her, since she wouldn't have this parasol until she's surrounded by blue butterflies), and immediately took a bite from it. The apple was completely sweet, leaving Tairitsu a small smile. She then immediately stood up as she picks up her parasol, ready to leave the broken structure behind.

As she steps on the lifeless soil, her mind started to wander around different events, from her first day, the "empty" surroundings, her risky mission, meeting Hikari, and so on. She fondly laughs at those memories, as she knows that she will find a memory full of light and hope someday, despite the fact that conflict is the only thing that follows her, wherever she goes.

"Even if our roles are switched, I would still die at your hands, right? These hands that was never meant for caressing such light, how laughable of me to reminisce such painful events...", she laughed at herself, not before she seemingly stepped into a familiar darkness. She's standing near to that tower, and a devilish smirk is now painted on her face. "So we meet again, you little shit. I can't wait to destroy you again.", she muttered under her breath, staring angrily at the tower.

She feels like an idiot for doing that, but nonetheless, the frustrations in her heart slowly wears away, and indication of change. Tairitsu then looked at her parasol that is still unopened, as it has a few apples inside. "Is this thing really spacious inside when not used?", she thought.

Before going inside, she gently waved her hands, and numbers of glass shards merged together, forming into a basket. An "ability" she once used to summon crows and stuff. The girl popped out her parasol downwards, revealing the apples inside. She picked them up one by one, gently placing them inside the basket.

After storing the apples inside, she gently laid the parasol's shaft on her shoulder, and waved her hands again. Glass shards once again gathered around each other, spiralling around the tower's walls. They formed into stairs, starting from the ground up to the highest window of the tower, where a creeping darkness is seen. A careful Tairitsu stepped on the glass stairs, eyes full of determination and cautiousness.

With each steps she takes, she notices a faint light enveloping her. Her black dress that is topped with a few rings and bows slowly fades, leaving a new, upgraded version of it. The new dress has more bows and frills, complete with blue and black roses. Her parasol is also reverted into a more befitting one, which is the one that she onced picked up on her past journey. She wouldn't called it a past one though, as she is currently in the time before it. After minutes of walking through the long stairway, she has finally reached the top.

With a small leap, Tairitsu is now inside the tower's highest room. The stairs made from Arcaea started disappearing one by one, forming back into shards of glass. A faint purple light shines from the insides of the strange darkness, which tells the girl to get closer. She carefully approaches the dark mist, using her parasol as both sword and shield.

The mist started to fade, revealing a glowing purple sphere. "The core of desolation, eh..?", she grinned. Her grin turning back into a stoic smile, she grasped the core with her hand.

- - - - -

After Hikari's encounter at the empty church, her eyes are focused on a translucent gray crystal ball, wondering how would she use it. She tried raising it up above her eyes, hoping to examine it clearly. But alas, she can't think of anything.

The apple that fell on her head was already eaten, and she also left the basket on the altar, with the crystal ball being the only item that she carries.

- - - - -

As two girls tries to find each other in a massive maze, the ground they step on is slowly being rearranged, piece by piece.

By someone who claims to be "god".

"Tairitsu... the world... really... resurrected you?"