(A/N)
(It's Christmas somewhere for you all, so Merry Christmas. It's not for me, so here's an early Christmas gift from me. Besides, I don't want to bother you all when it's a special day! Uh... It's a regular chapter. I couldn't think of a special to make for this as I forgot that this was Christmas week. So sorry, but I hope you can enjoy the holiday with your families!
Happy Holidays from me again people.)
"Hello." My eyes narrowed at the woman outside my house. I didn't spare to speak out in the moment as I feared that my displeasure was going to be shown in a single sentence.
After coming back from the bar with Calli in the afternoon, she was given a lecture by Mio herself about taking me to the bar when she learned where we went. I wasn't at the drinking age, so I only drank water while Calli had her fun at the time.
I relaxed for a bit, and now here I am. Standing at the door with an unwelcome familiar face.
Time. Or rather, Kronii.
She stood in front of me with her usual uninterested demeanor with her arms crossed and waited for me to respond.
"...Do you need something from me?" I maintained a relatively calm tone. As much as I didn't want to pass her off, I was not in the perfect to speak to the one who killed one of my friends and almost killed another one.
"To talk. I'm not here for anything else but for talking." No matter if there was a weapon I could see on the ground of hers would show her intentions, I still didn't exactly trust her.
And if said no, then I doubt this will be the last time I see her.
Especially when I have learned that Amelia is still somehow alive.
I looked behind me to see if there was anyone there. I didn't want anyone panicking, and I especially don't want Gura to notice her.
Telling someone that I'm about to talk with her could potentially cause panic. But just leaving without telling anyone would cause more panic. I could possibly lose my life to her if I let my guard down, and then Mumei will...
Should I tell someone? Who could make this situation better than it needs to be?
Mio?
Kiara?
Fubuki?
"For the love of God." Snapping her fingers in front of me, I was prepared for something to happen, but nothing came.
"What...?" She huffed out a sigh as she started to walk away from me.
"Froze time. Now hurry on up and let's go." I wasn't exactly in a hurry as I noticed that the leaves of some trees had remained in place. There was no wind that I could feel, and no was sound that came around me. It was like there was nothing around was making a single sound.
"Wait!" Seeing that the only person that caused this was walking away from me, I had started to run after her. She could've basically trapped me in this state for all of my life.
The only thing that I could do is to at least listen to what to wants to talk about.
Here's to hoping nothing serious happens while we talk.
After catching up to her, she kept her arms crossed and her demeanor didn't change in the slightest. How does she expect me to say something to her when she looks like she's had enough of everything?
...
...
Not a single word was shared during the walk in the woods. There was no use in trying to take in the view since everything was essentially frozen in time.
But to Time, she seemed to analyze everything that was around her. I couldn't tell if she was trying to take in the scenery of the frozen world, if she was just making sure that there wasn't anyone following us. Either way, her eyes were still narrowed. Truly, a person that you could converse with easily.
"...So are you going to tell me why you basically kidnapped me? Again?" After sighing, she opened her mouth to speak.
"I haven't kidnapped you. And I was just about to say something, but you invaded my thought process." So it's my fault that you didn't prepare your mind to say anything?
"Alright. I'm listening now. What did you want to talk about?" She stopped as I obtained her attention. Her narrowed eyes were looking around again.
"Err..." It was like she was trying to figure out what to talk about, but she couldn't seem to think of it.
Wait, was her eyes looking around the area meant that she didn't know what to talk about?
...What is up with these gods?
"So it's true that you came from another world, right?!" The moment she figured out a topic, her voiced was slightly raised.
"No and yes. It's very complicated to talk about. Not only that it's complicated, but it's also a topic that I don't want to talk about right now." Said topic was easily not one that should be discussed upon. It's done and over with. It's in the past and I don't want anything else to do with it.
There was nothing in my control then.
"But it's something that I want to talk about. Just give me the basic run-down of it." She's persistent.
"You don't have conversing skills, nor have a general understanding of reading the room, do you?" She raised an eyebrow at me.
"What room? We are clearly outside. And what other skills would I need when I'm clearly making a conversation with you?"
Amazing.
Who knew that gods were narcissistic and lacked basic conversation skills?
"...There was a scientist or whatever he was in his world named Su that created a program 'Kingdom' to save people. Turns out, Mumei, who was a friend of his or lover, ended up sabotaging the program to make it somehow destroy that world. That god with the white long-hair had resurrected Su and Mumei, but I somehow managed to take his place. That's it." After all that, same expression and stance.
"Huh, I guess you can narrow things down." I'll pretend I didn't hear that.
"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" Seeing how disrespectful she was being, I wanted out of this as soon as I could.
"No. So, how exactly does this tie into Mumei's desire to destroy humankind? And your annoying desire to protect those who could cause catastrophic damage to your world... You went through so many lengths to protect people, but why? Why do you do it? Because it's your responsibility? Because you have this power?" For the first time, I felt genuine curiosity from the woman. Was she that interested in knowing about Mumei and Su that she had to kidnap me?
"...I don't know about Mumei, but she probably had her reasons to hate humanity. And guessing what I've learned is that it probably has something to do with the world where we came from. But I don't care about that other world, it's... done. And you make it seem as though Amelia was a monster. A being who's trying to destroy the world because they want to. But Amelia wanted to help people. To protect the people that were going to lose their lives. So enough trying to convince me that Amelia's death was justified."
"It's not just about Amelia. A reaper, a phoenix, and now Mumei; They don't need your protection, but you still convince yourself that they do."
"Because Calli and Kiara are my friends. It doesn't matter of they can handle themselves. It's not about if your stronger than them. It's about being compassionate to others. It doesn't matter if they are strong or not, everyone needs someone that they could rely and count on." There was a click to her tongue.
"It sounds more like a weakness. Do you really think that someone like Mumei would rely on you?" ...This was about Mumei and me. I'm sure that the council members were all distant from one another, but I was sure that Time was the one that cared about them the least. They were at least comrades.
"...I don't know if I view Mumei as a friend right now. After killing the one I love, after hurting my friends and almost destroying my world... I don't know what she is to me."
"She is your enemy. She has gone against The Council, our creator, and you. For what reason would you want her to live? And when she does this again?"
"Then I'll stop her on my own." She scoffed.
"That display from before was surely telling me that you could handle her." I rolled my eyes.
"Well if she wants to live, then she shouldn't try and kill me. And right now... I belive in second chances. I'll talk to her." Her eyes rolled as if I was being unreasonable.
"Right, and go on with this 'friendship' crap. You are a fool to believe that she's not capable of betraying your trust again."
"...This is probably why you don't have any friends. And truthfully, I can understand where you're coming from." While I thought she would glare at me, she didn't.
"Like I need someone to understand me. You think you can comprehend where I'm coming from? My decisions, my actions, and my thoughts? There isn't a single person that can-"
"It's called being lonely. You don't think about other people's feelings, you think that you're always in the right, and you don't want to be slowed down by anyone else so you try to do everything on your own. Working with the other council members must've been because you were desperate or you were following orders from your creator. I would know how you work because I, too, was lonely at a point of time."
And then I met Amelia. The person that you killed in cold blood.
"Are you saying that a human's experiences are the same to a god's? That is completely ridiculous." About having enough, I crossed my arms.
"Maybe, but you know what's not? Mumei, a member of your council, was able to have the emotions to love someone. If she was able to, then you too should be able to have other emotions like a human would. Now, if this is all, could I please return home?" I wouldn't be able to know if I was under her skin because her expression never budged. Well, she got under mine, and I was done here.
"...From our creator to Nature and to Civilization... You're a target for trouble. Shinzou Haru... I sure hope you know that this won't be the last time we meet." She then snapped her fingers, time now flowing like it did regularly. "Have a nice day. How's that for conversing skills?" She must've used her abilities again as just as I blinked, she was gone.
...
I already have enough on my plate to think more about the gods right now. Unless they start interfering with my life a lot, then we won't have a problem.
But knowing my luck again...
...
I should just go home now.