Synchronicity

Chapter 14

"Mistress Megurine," Ruko said bowing down before the oracle. The woman turned to look down at the warrior frowning. Ruko made no eye contact, "forgive me. They reached the mountain… The army men have faltered back and returned to better suit themselves but we fear they-"

"It's too late now," Luka said raising her hand to silence the girl. Ruko looked up confused. Luka turned and stared out the nearest window, expression blank and emotionless. "They've already completed their quest. The journey is over."

"Mistress?" Ruko asked slowly rising, "I do not understand."

"They've rescued the diva and destroyed the dragon," Luka explained with a little sigh, closing her eyes as she remembered her most recent visions. "There's nothing left for us to do. We could arrest them, we could kill them, but it would do nothing. They've already finished…"

"I see," Ruko frowned looking towards the window also. "Then this boy really was the one."

"Perhaps," Luka said opening her eyes again and offering a faint smile. "Heroes have to die eventually after all."

"What do we do now?" Miku asked as they walked along the dirt road, heading back for the towns. No one had spoken for hours. They all had watched the mountain collapse in on itself. They'd all waited for Len to magically appear. They all listened when Rin screamed until her voice gave out. There was nothing left to do but leave and go on with their lives.

"Not sure," Gakupo said frowning, holding his arm. "The dragon is dead. We've started the first ripple in a series of many. There will be no more divas, no more fear of the great beast. Whole kingdoms will have to learn how to live all over again."

"What do we do though?" Miku asked softly, leaning against Kaito. He'd been carrying her for a while down, even though she knew he was probably getting sore from doing so. She told him she could walk but he refused to put her down. Then there was Meiko who was still carrying the fallen angel. Rin cried herself into exhaustion hours ago and even in sleep the tears rolled down her cheeks.

Gakupo hesitated before sucking in a sharp breath, "I have no idea."

He considered going back to the palace. Maybe Luka would call off the guards. Maybe he'd be welcomed back as some sort of hero. He could live as a scholar again and not a runaway. It was a nice dream. Meiko could do the same. The two of them could return to the kingdom they'd fled and try to rebuild their lives but it wouldn't be the same. Besides, there were too many bad memories there now.

"We go home," Kaito said suddenly. His voice was solemn and full of a kind of heaviness the others hadn't heard before. "We start over. We pretend that none of this nightmare ever happened."

"Sounds good," Meiko snorted under her breath, "but do you honestly think it's going to be that easy?"

"When is anything ever that easy?" Kaito asked with a sigh.

"Rin!" Miku called, waving at the girl as she walked over. "There you are, I've been looking for you."

"Hm?" Rin turned around and looked at the older girl as she approached. Both of them were much better looking than they were after the whole ordeal. Miku had returned to her old kind hearted self and was living her life to the best of her ability, though the guilt weigh deep in her heart still. Rin on the other hand… "I'm sorry," she said with a weak smile, "I should have told you I was going out."

"It's fine," Miku said waving her hand in the air. "What…are you doing?"

Rin paused then turned back around looking up at the sky. "I was just looking at the cloud. They're so pretty…"

"They are," Miku nodded and looked up also. Her hair blew around her and she often thought of cutting it. "It's been a wee now, hasn't it?"

"Yes," Rin said softly. "I'm still not even sure what I'm doing here."

"You're living with me," Miku said with a tiny laugh. Rin just sort of nodded. They had all gone their separate ways once they reached the cities. Gakupo decided to stay with Gumi and write about what he'd learned. Meiko had returned to the palace in hopes of stopping any kind of attack Luka had begun planning. They still hadn't heard back from her. Kaito and Miku had taken Rin back to the village they grew up. Most of the villagers welcomed Miku back with open arms while some took a while to warm up to the idea of having the Pythoness living with them. Miku had taken Rin with her to live in her old cottage and after a day or two, Rin started to feel better. She started experiencing things like grass, the sky, different foods, hot water, things like that thanks to Miku and Kaito.

"Will Kaito be visiting tonight?" Rin asked thoughtfully watched the clouds wisp into nothing.

"I think he said he'd stop by," Miku nodded. "I was going to make stew. Would you like that?"

"I don't know," Rin said looking back at her with another smile. Tears streamed down her face, "I haven't tried stew yet."

The night sky was just as beautiful as the day sky in Rin's opinion. It was very different than the one she'd grown up with her whole life. This one was real, for one thing. The stars were always shining so bright. The moon changed faces. It was calming and relaxing and all she ever did was sit in the grass looking up waiting. She could hear Miku and Kaito inside the little cottage, talking to one another. Sometimes they would laugh but Rin knew they were talking about her.

"Len?" Rin asked holding her pendant close. "Len… Where are you?" She asked closing her eyes. She felt numb when she thought of him. The only family she'd ever known and he was gone. She was grateful to the others for taking her in, but it wasn't the same thing. She wanted to live life and she wanted to do it as a whole. Not a half.

Crickets chirped around her feet and the stars were as bright as ever. The girl leaned back and felt her hair fan around behind her head like a golden halo. Did she look like an angel? Could Len see her from up in heaven? She didn't think so…

"I will fight to put an end…" A soft voice whispered in the darkness. Rin jumped clutching the pendant tighter. What was that? Was she imagining things? Slowly she sat up and pulled the pendant to her eye level. It was cold as ever. There was no warmth but…she heard his voice. "I saw you crying alone…"

"Len?" Rin called staring at the pendant with wide eyes. She started panicking when she got no reply. "Len! I can hear you! Answer me!" She got nothing though. She felt the tears welding up again as she shook her head pulling the pendant close so that it touched her forehead. "Where are you?" She asked trying hard not to let her voice crack.

"The thumping sound of the infinite world resounds," the voice sang out but she still couldn't tell from where. Maybe she truly had gone mad. Maybe she was dead. Maybe she died and left her body somewhere and now she was hearing his voice. "To declare the end… All lives end and grow back." She felt the tears falling again as she clutched the pendant tighter so the ends pointed into her hands. She didn't care though. She just held it close and squeezed her eyes tight.

"Again in the paradise of light and shadow," Rin whispered hearing herself hiccupping. She couldn't cry now! She'd done enough crying. "Let my wish… Let my wish…!"

"Let my wish reach there." Rin jerked her head upward suddenly. When had anyone approached her. Better yet… When had he approached her.

Len was standing before her, smiling warmly and holding out his hand. He didn't look the same. He seemed stronger now. One of his arms was in a sling, his face was cut here and there. His clothes weren't the same though. They were all new. From coat to the heel of his boots, they were all new. "How?" She whispered in shock.

"I'm sorry. I stopped by to visit Gumi and found Gakupo there. They helped me and got me situated. Told me where to find you too." His voice was sore, she could tell. She knew the rasp that came from singing for a long time.

"I don't understand," Rin said. "I thought you were…"

"It takes more than a crumpled mountain and fire breathing monster to keep me away from my other half." He said grinning stupidly. He was like a child. Rin just stared for a while then smiled back and pushed herself up. She hesitated only a moment before launching herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself close. He was a bit surprised, though only a second as he wrapped his own arm around her middle. "Sorry Rin…"

"For what?" The girl asked burying herself in his shoulder.

"Making you cry so much."

Rin just smiled and stayed clinging against the boy for a long time, then opened her lips and begun to sing a soft tune. "Thank you, for giving me life in this beautiful world… And for the days we spent together… You gave me everything I needed and more. Thank you for it all…" She said taking in an even breath, "I'll sing forever just for you…"

Len nodded just sort of staring for a while before closing his eyes and letting himself relax. Finally he could relax. "No Rin. Thank you…"