I sigh as I sit on a hotel bed that's next to a giant wall made of plexiglass with a balcony on the outside, rain pouring down the glass windows and sliding door as I run a hand through my hair and the sound of fireworks continues going off every now and then in the distance. Reine came back about a half hour ago and mentioned that Tsukumi helped her book a decent hotel for us to stay and that Nathan found his way back to them, still angry, but he was more cooperative when he got back. And so, we headed to the hotel and it started raining on the way there, which seemed fitting given the current mood. We had decided on burying Melantha down by the beach where fireworks were being set off. We decided to stop by the hotel first to drop off our stuff while Dimitri waited outside with Melantha, which is where we are now.
"Are you ready?" Reine asks as she stands in the doorway, shuffling around nervously as she stands there in a kimono and her hair pulled up in a bun, multiple lavender strands framing her face.
We had also decided that we were going to celebrate part of the festival while we were here in Melantha's honor. She couldn't be here to experience it, so we're going to experience it in her memory. We also decided she would want us to try and be happy and not sulking around, which contributed to the idea of participating in the festival after having her funeral.
"Yeah," I nod, running my hands along my thighs before standing up, "I cleaned up my wound, so I guess so."
Reine nods and steps aside as I walk over, exiting the room and shutting the door behind me. Reine and I walk down the hallway and take the elevator downstairs to find the others waiting in the lobby with somber faces. As we make our way outside to meet Dimitri, I find it hard to look at Melatha's body lying there limp in his arms. I glance up at the sky and inhale shakily, watching as rain continues to pour down and the fireworks finally stop, most likely due to it being too hard to light them. We make our way down the street quietly, some citizens sending us curious looks or sad expressions of understanding.
Even though I knew one of us could always end up dying, it really put in to perspective the danger of it. I feel like things are more real now, if that makes any sense. Everything feels...different. Anyone's time could run out at any moment. The thought makes me sad and worried, but it also makes me want to train even harder to make sure that that doesn't happen. We all agreed that we'd save talking about what happened and what to do next for tomorrow, saving today as a day for celebrating the lives of the dead and cherishing those we still have.
We arrive at the beach in about fifteen more minutes to find that most people have left due to the rain or are hiding under umbrellas or swimming in the ocean, multiple beach towels scattered across the sand and unlit fireworks abandoned in hurry for cover from the rain. We scan the beach and decide to head over to a small secluded area by the right of the beach that's next to an underwater cave and hidden by a rocky area with grass from up above.
"Do you think she'd um," Nathan starts, rubbing the back of his neck, "do you think she'd want to be in the water? I mean, she was Aquais..."
"That's a good idea, Nathaniel," Reine smiles softly and Dimitri places Melantha down on the sand, her black hair spreading out in a fan below her and her skin more porcelain than normal.
Reine holds out her hand and a white field of energy begins to surround Melantha.
"Wait!" Nathan starts and Reine lowers her hand, the aura of energy going away as Nathan runs up to her and he kneels down beside her.
Nathan reaches for Melantha's right hand and he slides off a dark brown, wooden, beaded bracelet that has a wooden cross on it and he places it on his right wrist before he strokes the side of her face.
"I'm so sorry, Melly," Nathan whispers before he leans forwards and presses a kiss to her forehead and stands up, slowly making his way back over to us.
Reine holds her hand out once more once she has a nod of approval from Nathan and the white energy begins to glow around Melantha again. Reine raises her hand up in the air and Melantha moves so that she's hovering over the water.
"That which is full of beauty and pain can only thrive for so long on giving beauty to others alone before it itself will eventually wither from no sustenance being provided in return. It is on this principle that which states angels who leave this world too early are simply flying to live their next life in the heavens where they finally receive the safe haven they deserve," Reine states, "for death is not the end, but a new beginning. Rest now, Iegashyia, and take peace with your soul as we protect thee by ours."
"We'll always love and miss you, Melantha," Nathan whispers.
I watch sadly as Reine lowers Melantha into the water and the white energy around her flashes before it becomes a long clear coffin with a blue rose inside of it that rests on top of Melantha's torso. The coffin sinks underneath the waves and a glowing blue Aquais rune forms on top of the water and stays there for a few seconds before it bursts, particles of blue energy raining down like glitter that fades as it gets closer to the ground. And with that, Melantha Gould is gone forever under the unforgiving waves.
***
"It is a shame we could not be here on a happier occasion," Reine says as she purchases two corn dogs from a street vendor, turning back to face me and handing me one.
"Yeah..." I trail off, accepting the corn dog and staring at it.
"I truly am sorry for your loss, you know..." Reine trails off, "Melantha was...a sweet girl."
"Yeah," I say again, my eyes flickering up to meet Reine's sympathetic lavender ones.
Everyone decided to split up into their own groups for the festival. Kaltrina, Shitau, Aislinn, and Ciana went to go play carnival games together while Renee, Renji, Ayette, Nathan, and Dimitri went to go ride rides, leaving me and Reine alone as Tsukumi went off to handle what she called private business. Dimitri didn't really want to go ride rides, but Ayette forced him to go along. Surprisingly, he didn't put up too much of an argument after a short while.
Reine bites into her corn dog and makes a face of slight disgust, sighing as we move away from the booth.
"Don't like it?" I ask, raising a brow.
"No, it's just...it's not the same as melonpan," Reine grimaces.
"Of course it's not," I chuckle, suppressing a smile, "corn dogs and melonpan are two completely different things."
"Yeah, but still," Reine sighs before her eyes lock on to something behind me, "oh, look! Come on!"
"Wh--"
Reine grabs me by the wrist and takes off in a run, dragging me along with her.
"Reine, wait! Where are we going?" I shout.
"We're doing a tradition!" Reine replies and I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.
As Reine continues dragging me down the street, I notice we end up in an open courtyard with a giant bamboo tree in the center that has multiple pieces of paper with unfamiliar symbols written on them. Strings of paper lanterns hang in the courtyard and light it up, keeping it bright and nicely contrasting the dark night sky full of bright stars and a crescent moon. Multiple wooden booths surround the courtyard and make up the circle of the courtyard, selling merchandise, food, and some of the paper that are hanging from the tree. Reine drags me over to a booth that's selling paper and she summons a pink velvet coin purse and pulls out two tokens, placing them down on the counter. The cashier smiles gratefully and slides over two strips of paper and a thick black marker. Reine enthusiastically takes them and thanks the shopkeeper, turning back to face me.
"Here," Reine smiles, handing me a piece of paper.
"Uh, what do I do with it?" I ask sheepishly.
"It's a tradition of the summer festival to write down a wish on the piece of paper and hang it on the tree. The higher you hang it on the tree, the higher to heaven it is and the more likely your wish is to come true!" Reine's eyes sparkle and I smile warmly.
"Thanks, but...I don't know how to write in your language, Reine," I remind her, my cheeks heating up in embarrassment for some reason.
"Oh yeah..." Reine sighs, "that's okay. Write it in English then."
"But--"
"English is fine," Reine assures me, "don't worry about it. It would be worse if you told me your wish and had me write it because then it's not from you and I would know what it is. And you know what they say about wishes, Gabriel."
"Alright," I chuckle, feeling oddly out of place but a warm feeling spreads throughout my chest nonetheless.
Reine uncaps the permanent marker and draws down two symbols on her piece of paper, one on top of the other, before she hands me the marker and turns her paper away from me, holding it against her chest.
"Your turn," she smiles softly and under this lighting in her kimono with her lavender locks and her beautiful, honest lavender eyes, in this very moment as my fingertips brush against her while I take the marker, she looks utterly and completely astonishing.
"Y--Yeah," I smile back at her and feel my face heat up even more, but not from embarrassment.
I turn to the nearest flat surface, which is the shop counter, and write down my wish before I turn back to Reine and she nods, still smiling.
"Let's go," she says and grabs ahold of my hand, bringing me over to the giant bamboo tree.
There's a ladder already by the tree and Reine climbs it, shifting around through the branches of the bamboo tree with her eyes and gentle nudges with her hand before she finds an open space at the top and hangs it there. She then slides down the ladder and turns to face me, motioning for me to go up the ladder. I climb the ladder and notice a spot about three-fourths of the way to the top and decide that's a good spot to hang it. I carefully reach over and hang my piece of paper before I climb back down the ladder and notice Reine looking up at the tree wistfully.
"I really hope mine comes true," Reine whispers, her eyes still focused on the tree.
"Yeah," I whisper as I keep my eyes trained on Reine, "me too."
I wish to stay with Reine Yvatlovich forever.