Whis of a Star indeed granted wishes; Joker hadn't lied. This was something Misaki had come to realize. After all, her greatest wish was for Joker to return to her, and here he was, once again in her arms.
Even though she was scolding him like a wife who had been abandoned for too long and demanding compensation, Misaki was happy. She clung tightly to Yuki, afraid he would disappear again.
Misaki couldn't bear it if he left. This time, she would make sure to hold on tight...
This time, she wouldn't let him go...
"Promise me you won't leave again... You have to promise!"
Yuki didn't respond. He didn't know what to say. It was impossible for a Champion to stay in one world; they had the difficult task of saving worlds, making the promise impossible to keep... (TN : Why his thought process becomes so dramatic at times)
(What should 'I' say now?)
Yuki had always been a man who preferred to let his 'future self' solve his problems, but he never thought that this time his 'future self' would leave his problems for him to solve...
This time, he was getting a taste of his own medicine...
"Why aren't you saying anything?... You—"
Misaki looked up, her eyes trembling and her body shivering. Her level 5 supercomputer processed so quickly that she feared the worst...
"You're going to leave... Are you going to abandon me again?"
"No, he isn't going anywhere, Misaka-chan... I'm the one who's leaving..."
"Huh?!"
Surprised by the abrupt interruption, both Yuki and Misaki turned their heads. Dolly was smiling at them.
Only then did Misaki remember. Besides her, she had forgotten about Dolly and especially...
(Aren't they here?!)
Misaki's eyes widened. Deadlock had disappeared, but this was to be expected. The moment Yuki ignored them, he swallowed them into his shadow and devoured them...
Trash like that, who blamed others for their own potential and power limits, didn't deserve to live. Moreover, they committed the sin of attempting to harm Dolly and Misaki, so Yuki showed no mercy...
This was also why they didn't interrupt the reunion between Misaki and Yuki. After all, they had already been killed in the shadows...
"Dolly..."
"Misaki-chan, my presence has caused you many problems, and at this rate, I'll end up hindering your life and happiness..."
"Dolly... You aren't a hindrance! You're my friend!"
"Yes, I'm your friend, and that's why I have to leave..."
Dolly wasn't foolish. She knew everything Misaki was going through to save her and keep her safe, which is why she always obeyed. But she also knew this way of 'living' wasn't what she wanted.
Living like this wouldn't be any different from being in the lab. Besides, the longer it went on, the more Misaki's burden increased. Aleister was already after them, and soon they would face more problems...
Dolly didn't want Misaki to be caught up in an irreversible problem because of her. She had to do something, she had to disappear...
But she couldn't die or turn herself in to the scientists; that would go against all of Joker and Misaki's efforts...
So she remembered something Joker had told her before he disappeared...
[Destiny? This isn't over yet....]
That's right. Although she was supposed to die that day, here she was, alive and kicking. Therefore, 'destiny' could be changed. If so, then 'Joker' was still with her, Dolly was convinced of this...
All she had to do was set the bait and wait...
It didn't take long before Joker found her and told her the truth behind everything...
Dolly agreed immediately. She needed to leave this world, but before leaving, she wanted to take a precious memory. She didn't know when she would see Misaki again or how long she would be gone from this world...
So she insisted on going out with Misaki and sharing this memorable day. It was supposed to be a beautiful day with both of them smiling, ending with a hug and a smile...
But who would have thought Deadlock would appear and ruin everything? Yuki wasn't omniscient or omnipresent to know everything and be everywhere. Rasiel had its limits, and so did he. Fortunately, thanks to Whis of a Star, who protected Misaki, and its activation, Yuki knew Misaki was in danger...
"Dolly...."
Misaki, who heard all this, was left dumbfounded and deeply depressed. Joker never chose her; it was all an accident. The reason behind Joker's actions was all for Dolly...
Misaki, from beginning to end, was just a means to an end...
"Please don't blame Joker-san. He did it for me, 'Onee-sama.' He never intended to hurt you...."
Dolly didn't want Misaki to hate Joker because of this. After all, if everything followed the natural order, then Misaki would have become friends with Dolly anyway, and consequently, she would see her die...
But Joker changed everything, and now here they were, the three of them together...
"But Dolly... Do you really have to leave?"
Misaki understood everything, of course. She was smart enough to know that a single variable changed everything, so she didn't blame Joker. After all, he was and still is her 'Light.' She didn't know what would have happened if he hadn't been there at that moment, but she was sure it wouldn't have been easy...
"Hm!..."
Dolly, hearing this, smiled and slowly approached Misaki, hugging this loli who was trying her best to hold back her tears...
"It's necessary, and besides, I won't be gone forever. We'll see each other again... Right?"
"Of course, as long as you both agree..."
"..."
Misaki didn't know what to say. She simply hugged her best friend and thought about the 'Place' where Dolly would go.
(A place where the influence of Academy City can't reach, a place where Dolly can be happy and safe from harm...)
It all seemed too good to be true, and Misaki had her doubts. She knew what Academy City wanted; it was possible nothing in the world could escape their eyes. But she trusted Joker and Dolly; she knew they wouldn't lie to her.
"You must promise me you'll come back!"
"Hm! Of course, I will..."
"And you have to tell me everything! I want to know how you are!"
"Hm, I will..."
"You can't lie to me!"
"Hm, I won't..."
"And... promise me you'll be happy..."
"I'm happy now, Misaki-chan, and I will continue to be..."
Seeing two cute lolis hugging was a rare sight. Yuki did his best not to interrupt their farewell. Everyone has their moment, and he knew this was their moment...
After whispering in each other's ears, Dolly separated from Misaki and approached Yuki. Understanding her intention, he activated the holographic screen in the chat room...
[Transferring a living being to the World of the Gods requires 200 Karma points...]
[Do you wish to continue?]
Yuki didn't hesitate and accepted. Under Misaki's anxious gaze, Dolly dispersed into thousands of light particles...
"You have to come back! You promised!"
"I will!"
This wasn't a 'Goodbye,' but a 'See you later,' so even though Misaki was sad, she smiled and waved. Dolly did the same until she completely vanished. Only then did Misaki stop waving and fell silent...
It was a rather uncomfortable silence, one that left Yuki without words...
It wasn't until Yuki took a step forward that Misaki turned, ran, and jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly and burying her face in his chest...
"Waaaaaawaaaa"
And then it happened. The tears she had tried so hard to hold back spilled over, and Misaki's sobs were all that could be heard...
"It's okay... She'll be back. Don't be sad..."
"Waaaaaaa"
Unfortunately, no matter what Yuki said, Misaki's sobs didn't stop for a while. A woman is always more sentimental than a man, especially when a loved one leaves, and for Misaki, Dolly had become an irreplaceable person in her heart....
Yuki understood, so he hugged her and let her cry until, after a few minutes, Misaki's arms tightened around Yuki...
And Yuki unconsciously had a bad feeling...
---
TN: LoL