𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 | 𝙼𝙷𝙰 𝚇 𝙵𝚎𝚖! 𝙾𝚙! 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚁

22. "Ocean."

"Ahh, you probably forgot again." He wrapped his arm around your shoulder protectively. "Don't worry, I'll be here to help you remember who you were."

"..." A soft smile was graced upon your features. "... Thanks?"

"... God, you really are different this time around." Atlas removed his arm that was slinging around your shoulder.

"... Huh?" You questioned, tilting your head. "How?"

"Regardless, no matter how many times you forget, you will always find some sort of issue about me or the world and insult it," he explained, a smile growing on him as a fond memory filled his mind. Atlas turned his head to you, "You would always find yourself insulting me, too. I would always think so because a part of your memory told you that I would be able to handle your insults, and that's... probably why you're comfortable with me. I think it's not like that this time around. I feel awkward with you, you know."

You breathed, "Sorry."

"Hey, it's okay." Atlas solemnly said, closing his eyes. "Nothin' you can do 'bout it."

Even so, those words had meant nothing to the both of you two. You were still upset and so was he.

"Ah, we're here..."

"... What is this place?" You questioned him, noticing his slight smile.

"Come on," he beckoned you, grabbing your hand like a little toddler. "This place is cool!"

"H-Huh?! It looks abandoned!" You immediately retorted, shaking your head. Though, your concerns were only met with laughter and a desire to explore from Atlas. "W-What about Reenee and- and Rayne?!" You don't even know who those two were.

"They won't mind," his bright blue eyes shone, similar to a sapphire. "We'll be fine, okay? Trust me."

Bold words he says.

His hand was extended towards you, the door opened by Atlas pulling on it. Obviously, you took his hand because where would you go in this world? You're so unfamiliar with it. The room the two of you entered contained a huge fish being hung at the top of the ceiling, a school of smaller fishes strung up as well seemingly following it.

"Rayne told me this was an aquarium." Atlas explained, walking through as he turned on the flashlight he kept in his bag he carried with him. "Animals from the mythical ocean were kept here— pre-apocolapse."

"..." Aquarium. You knew what that was, but... why was he explaining it in such a term...

Then, it hit you.

This desolate world was ruined.

"The ocean... have you ever seen it?" You asked him cautiously.

"Nope," he sighed, his eyelids lowering. "A shame. From the picture books it was beautiful. There's one I have... at home. I showed you it before, but uh... seems your brain doesn't really like the fact that you remember shit, so..."

"... But don't... isn't there an ocean?" You shook your head, not understanding.

"Probably. I don't know?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I wasn't alive during the time the ocean was... a beautiful deep blue color filled with life."

"... What?"

"Seriously? Are you okay? Even when you lose your memories you aren't... this bad." Atlas quickly stepped up towards you, a concerned gaze filling his features.

"... I think I'm fine?"

"... Sorry for asking, this might all be overwhelming," he apologized, realizing his mistakes. "I'm treating you like you have your memories and you're probably really freaked out."

"No— no!" You quickly stopped him, "I'm... if anything, it makes me feel comfortable!"

"... Really?" Atlas tilted his head, curious.

"Yes," you nodded, backing up a couple of steps. "I'd rather you do this than you... treat me like some weird stranger on the side of the road you just found."

"Interesting way to put it," he chuckled quietly. He then looked over to his left, "Reenee took me here once when I was younger. Before you joined us." Atlas had his eyes set on this specific part. "Oh, and, by the way, Reenee and Rayne are twins. Older than us by a bunch, so we owe them our respect. They save our asses, too."

"Okay."

"... Hm," he seemed bothered by your answer, but you didn't really care. You were simply trying to figure out whatever exactly he was so keen on staring at. "This used to be where they kept... ah, does that say sea turtles? Yeah. These animals were called sea turtles. Real adorable, too."

You softly smiled, "Hmm... have you ever seen one?"

Atlas turned his head, "They're all gone. Extinction. Everything you will see here is... gone. There's no life in the sea, I've heard."

"So there is still a sea?" The fact that all the marine life was now gone, but he said something else about the ocean that caught your attention.

"Yes. I heard it's... horrid." He sighed, shaking his head.

"Oh..." You frowned, solemnly looking down.

"But, watch, I'll clean it all up again one day, just for you. That way, you can see that pure blue ocean on a nice sunny day, and experience the actual thing instead of looking at the picture books."

"R-Really?!" It felt as if you weren't even talking, like you were saying those things by default.

"Yeah, [Name]." Atlas admired you with kind eyes.

But, everything got dark.

It was raining, pouring. Atlas stood in front of you, grimacing.

"...You killed them."

"I had to!"

Such familiar words. This time around, it struck harder and harsher.

"Please, Atlas— they were bitten!" Pleads— not your own— escaped your mouth.

"That still doesn't excuse your actions, [Name]!" Atlas was absolutely livid, his blue eyes staring right into your soul, accusing you of something you needed to do. "That... that bat— with the fucking bat I gave you!"

"Atlas, please! I've told you— so many times! They were bitten! We would have turned, too, had I not killed them!" You pleaded, laying all your defenses out. "We all would have—!"

"Shut the hell up!" He screamed loudly, a vein nearly popping out of his forehead. "Quit saying all these excuses! They're just some damned lies in disguise!"

"Atlas!" You called his name out. "Listen to me—"

"Why should I ever listen to some cold-blooded murderer?! You're— you are fucked up!"

The cards seemed to have been switched.

"I hope you jump off this building." You say, a tear slipping down your cheek.

"..." Two steps back, he fell.

CRACK!!!

... You exhaled shakily, collapsing onto the floor as you sobbed your heart out. What was the truth? What was the lie, now? Your cries and screams echoed out into the darkness, nobody to hear you.

-

You hugged yourself, your tears still flowing as your grip got tighter and tighter.

"..." You continued to cry, obviously.

The ocean.

It meant a ton to him.

Atlas.