All over the newspaper, headlines—thunder through the city, Moren and the Regime's conspiracies. The Velatos Case solved and this time, the news spread out from the borders; a little footnote to acknowledge the assistance of a young detective as well.
'She didn't officially become a detective, but it's something. I met up with the mayor.' Jotou shook his hand, behind closed doors.
"On behalf of Kria, thank you, for everything."
"No news on Jack?"
"Mr Tenner left the day prior to the attack," Mayor Gestryle sighed.
'If Lexi's tearful confession wasn't enough, this sealed any doubts… But one more thing was stuck in my head.'
"I did technically use my authority as the Thundering Blade; I don't know what that authority exactly means, but saying it across the city must at least be a confirmation. I don't suppose, we can void that little deal?"
'The mayor took a minute but.'
"Fine. That contract is void. You still get to keep the title, but no strings attached. If your party can expose such a large operation, I don't need you on my trail."
'And to that, I shook even harder. If this were a fairy tale, he would've seen the error of his ways, but nope. He was still the same politician, using this as a crutch for his campaign; I was more surprised the media ate it up.
There was basically a parade of people outside of Kria Estate, but I didn't stick around for the praise; I didn't feel like it.' Hood up she left the scene.
'I still had his sword made from armite. A sword made of wealth, taking his life; must be rough. It's apparently named by Moren as The Skyslayer.
It really had nothing to do with the sky. The four enchantments on it; Lightweight, which makes it pretty much weightless in my hand, but it can get heavier when I think it.
Flame-Deflect, which is how he was picking up and swinging fire around. It works like a magnet repulsing another magnet. Momentus, which means the faster it moves, the more impact this thing will make. And Indestructible—that one should be obvious.'
Master Tensuo gave it a few swings; though it was not curved it seemed faster than even his ones. "This will be a fine sword for you."
'I couldn't read him. Whether he was proud or disappointed. But he didn't say anything about Moren's death… and neither did I. I don't feel regret.
It was my choice and I feel justified. This sword, it will be more than a tool to me. Maybe Master saw it differently, but this sword has meaning to me.'
'Besides, I had other things to be sad about that day.' Jotou sat next to Fumeko who kept quiet. The only sound, was a girl weeping in the funeral house.
Asobi comforted Hotaru while she wept. Her father in a coffin in front of her. Jotou put an arm on Hotaru's shoulder and the wolf-girl immediately latched on like a leech to hug.
'The Lexokodac, well, the two of them anyway, came to pay their respects too. She cried so much she had to rejuvenate her eyes. Still, Hotaru pulled me aside to a more private corner.
She told me everything that happened in that Krialin Station. I told her.'
"You'll have to move on, slowly and in your own time. You shouldn't feel guilty, it's not your fault. He was who he was and you were who you were; no point in having regrets. Okay?"
'She smiled, for a moment, still crying. I don't know if what I said was right, but that smile of hers… It was so genuine… So, bittersweet…'
'Speaking of which. I remembered a deal I made with someone weeks ago. I thought to pay him a visit in the evening…' Jotou stepped into the church, sea dandelions all over the place. All she could see, was a fleeting crowd.
Past it a coffin made of glass and the scent of thundering blitzes. "Oh, are you here to pay your respects?" a familiar woman noticed the hooded blonde.
"What happened?"
'The Regimes happened. Apparently Father Keel was on the hitlist and the day all hell broke loose, a velatos took his life.' Jotou walked forward, placing a hand on the coffin.
His dark skin in a black robe and white flowers all around him; he looked, peaceful. Even then, with a smile on his face… 'What did he say again?' "May the breeze be your guide," Jotou said before leaving the church.
'With our home burned to ash, at least some of our belongings were recovered, including that plush puppy of all things. That girl, I swear… More importantly, the Lexokodac denied us to stay anywhere else for the moment.'
The same table she had once fought her foe before, sat next to her, finishing up his meal. Asobi hopped up on the table, throwing silvery fireworks which burst into butterflies.
Zach joined in, firing off into balloons he had filled with sea dandelion petals. Hotaru had her head in her hands, admiring the display, starstruck by merely being at their table. Fumeko's cheeks bigger than a chipmunks as she chowed down.
'I watched and watched… They could never replace my friends. But I never expected to get so close to them. Imagining my life without the three of them was impossible.
I watched and watched, maybe I smiled. Okod; he actually smiled too, but those hollow eyes… Those two having been betrayed by someone so close. In those moments, I couldn't tell if we were celebrating or trying to move on—perhaps both.'
'Kor? I could barely see him. After everything, his schedule only quadrupled. He was to help fix up the Ordinate and find any remaining spies by any means necessary.
He was even requested to be present when the new Krialin were to be stationed. He was now more integral to the city than ever before… A thought crossed my mind; knowing how busy he gets…
That I should maybe send him some dinner, but I didn't want to remind him of her.'
"Sir?" one of the new recruits into the Ordinate went up to Kor. A new secretary, "There was a package sent to you," he gave the container with a note on it to Kor.
Kor picked the sticky note off and it read 'I know you're busy and all, but don't go overworking yourself. If you do, make sure to at least eat. And get enough sleep, okay? -J' Kor gave a little smile.
'I'm not a great cook without a recipe to follow, but I'm sure he'll like Zach's cooking.'
'And so I thought about it all, staring almost into the Sun itself. Where I first learned magic; now I'm the Thundering Blade. Never expected all this to happen, but then again, who the hell could?
And it had only been two days after the entire attack… Maybe that's why I needed a moment to myself to process all of it.' Jotou, under the tree sat on the hill.
Autumn leaves fell down, as one of them crunched. Grass crumpled next to her, another sat, legs swinging off the hill.
'That moment was there till it was broken by the person who kinda started me on this wild ride.' "Hey detective."
A paper bag in her hands, she had already bitten into the sandwich, before Fumeko looked back to Jotou. "Here," she pulled the already bitten sandwich in two, "You want half?" she snarked.
"Oh my, politeness?"
"Just shut up and take it."
Jotou grabbed the half and gazed into the city; this view was once blocked by incoming snow. 'It's delicious, but going down my throat… it just felt like things clogging it up, forcefully swallowing it down. I looked to her; I needed to say something.'
"Hey Meko?"
"What?" the brunette was in the middle of pulling out another paper bag from her side, "You're not getting another one!"
"Not that…"
Fumeko took a bite, "Oh, then what?"
"I just wanna talk," Jotou's eyes softened.
"Oh, vent?" Fumeko chewed more, swallowing it, "I'm listening."
"Right…" 'Here it goes.' Her heart could not say this out loud… She took a deeper breath… "I'm glad that I died in my old world… My fear is that I feel no remorse for that.
What kind of person am I? Does that mean… I was looking for an excuse to end my life? Because everything I did seemed like it didn't matter.
Was my life just that pathetic and had no impact on the world whether I lived or died? Did I matter?" Jotou went silent for a moment—she was not expecting an answer.
She continued, feeling her alleviating heartbeat, "This kept me up for a long time… I kept thinking, trying to change that mindset, but I only arrived to a worse conclusion—a better fear.
The people that mattered to me and the people that I mattered to, made my life have meaning. But if they all died with me… Then the people shedding tears at my funeral would be people who truly didn't know me.
And somehow, in trying to find a reason to feel grief or remorse for my old world and the people I left; I only justified my own death further…"
The autumn winds simply swished and swayed the tree, watching the clouds pass by. Leftover thundering blitzes fluttered in the grass. 'Maybe that was a bit much… I don't want to put some philosophical crisis on her head.'
"That's bullshit," Fumeko finally replied, scrunching the paper bag.
"What?" the blonde turned her head.
"Your thought; it's a bunch of bullshit. You not having that fear would be worrying. If there's one thing this detective learned from the case, it's that your fears keep you in check.
But if you don't keep them in check, well, then it might just come true and end you; if not mentally, then really," Fumeko shrugged.
"I… suppose you're right."
Fumeko sighed, "Look, whatever happened in your old world is behind you now. An entire city is lucky to have you. I'm glad you're here now… with me; alive and crying rather than dead and happy."
"Huh?" Jotou checked her face, realizing a tear had formed below her eye. Was it sadness? Or joy? Or relief? Regardless, the blonde gave a smile in return.
"And if you do, do something stupid. I'll make sure to heal you the best I can," Hotaru came from behind… From where exactly?
"Uhhhh…" Fumeko's eyes widened, "How much did you hear?"
"Everything!" Asobi popped up from invisibility.
"Well, at least I won't have to repeat it," Jotou looked back to the city.
"Couldn't have put it better myself Meko," Hotaru rubbed the top of the brunette's head in mocking.
"NGEH!" Fumeko recoiled, throwing the redhead's hand away and crossed her arms—pouting.
"So, what do we do now!? The Velatos Case is over, we got some money from the guild. Oh! I know, Jotou! You should become the new leader of the guild!" Asobi giddied beside.
"I'm… not qualified for that in the slightest. Though," that question remained. "The City of New Beginnings… Hmph. Everything's safer, now it's just the rebuilding process."
Jotou looked to Hotaru before looking to the horizon with a smile, "We are still a part of the guild and I think I do want to see what's out there.
There'll be places to go, mysteries to uncover and sights to behold. I'm sure of it. So, what do you guys say? Wanna go on an adventure together?"