Kaede and Gabbro

Well, that was…

"Told you this was a long story." Said [TRAVELER] ending his monologue.

It was indeed a long story. A sad story. But also…

"Sorry it I made you depressed."

"I…actually feel you're really stupid you know?"

"…"

[TRAVELER] didn't respond in any way, it wasn't just that he wasn't talking, he really was motionless for minutes. Never before had he impersonated the concept of heat death so well. Honestly, his story had multiple things that made me curious. Heat death itself was fascinating because…when I died in my world that was one of the leading hypotheses on how the universe worked. I heard there were others, like the fact that everything was expanding just to then retract and explode again in a new Big Bang, but honestly, I was never that big into astronomy. Still that theory was so big that even a bum like me knew it so it's interesting that his world too had something like that. It's also interesting that nuclear reactions are said to be the reason for the ending of my world…even if I suppose it's still alive and kicking. So if heat death were to be correct in any way, uncontrolled nuclear power would still be more dangerous.

But aside from this.

There was something more important.

It was about [TRAVELER] life. Well, multiple things. For starters, he already said that he had a wife, but it only now dawned on me that HE had a wife. I'm sorry for the poor gal. Then…

"Hey, you alive?" I ask him waving my hand in front of his helmet

"Are you looking for a fight young lady?"

"No?"

"To say someone's life story is stupid is not nice you know?"

He had a tone never used before. I really touched a nerve there huh? Well, but it was the truth.

"I know. But…you are really stupid you know?"

"Maybe I should freeze you to death and call it a day."

"Aren't you against useless killing?"

"Touché"

"Then listen, you're really stupid because…you know why, don't you?"

"If I'm so stupid, maybe I don't."

"Do you really think your wife and kids resented you?"

"I…"

"You were on a mission to save the universe. How could they resent you?"

"But…it's not that. I…died happy. My biggest dream achieved…"

"And so?"

"To be happy while the reason for your happiness is killing everyone you love…it's bad."

"I'd say that if I were to give to the edge of the universe on a slim chance to save it only to find out that there was no hope, dying with at least a little bit of satisfaction it's something I'd deserve."

"You fail to see that my failing killed everyone."

"No, heat death killed everyone. You tried to prevent it 'till your last breath, you stupid fucking idiot."

"I'm the one that should be angry. Why are you getting angrier?"

"Because you're a good person you asshole! If you deserve punishment, what does that mean for useless shells like me? Get on the high horse and take credit for what you deserve dammit."

"But, that doesn't ma…"

"No buts…"

I really lashed out here. He went back to silence mode. Actually, now that I get the hang of how he works, I have to say he's kind of easy to talk to him…or at least to handle his way of thinking.

"Still… now that I know your story…that complicates the situation…"

"Why? Because now you know I'm too stupid?"

"Also that. But…"

There was no way around it. Whatever my choice, I had to tell him about Tama. Or Tamamo.

"When I went outside before…I met Tama."

[TRAVELER] sprinted on his feet and rushed to the outside.

"Wait, she's gone."

"Dammit, she always eludes me…"

"Have you ever had the chance to simply…talk with her?"

"No, don't tell me she sweet talked you into mass destruction."

"I'm not that stupid."

"Sure?"

For someone that was offended about me saying he was stupid just a moment ago, he really is oblivious to the fact he's saying the same to me now.

"Sure."

"Then, why was she there."

"She…wanted to talk."

"She did sweet talk you then."

"I said no. We argued…I couldn't forgive her. She explained why she manipulated me into becoming a Fateless. Said that [MYTHO] would have killed anyone in the city without even being able to break the chain if she didn’t meddle… but I can't really trust her."

"Good"

"But…"

"No buts"

"Hear me out… she explained me that I can break the chain. But if I do, there's no way I don't make a lot of casualties…so I'm not doing it."

"Good."

"But…"

"There's a little too many buts for my liking…I feel like in the end you will give her what she wants."

"You said that the reason you're here is because you're following her…but that in the end you felt manipulated to be at the mansion right when I awakened. Right?"

"I don't simply feel it, I also heard this is exactly what happened directly from her mouth."

"What if that's her way to avoid casualties?"

"…I don't follow. You know what's the best way to avoid killing people? Not creating situations in which people can die! And she's not great at that, let me tell you."

“Think about it, if I wanted to destroy the chain, wouldn't it have been better to get you away from here? When I was reborn as Fateless, I couldn't contain my power. The only reason I stopped was because you were there.”

“So, you're saying that without me, you would have destroyed the chain?”

"I haven't used my power since you froze me... honestly, I don't even know how to use it, or how destructive it actually is. But the most destructive use of nuclear energy is to make it explode... and that's exactly what I was doing. So, if my power can destroy the chain, an explosion would definitely have been enough."

"You would have killed who knows how many people though..."

"Exactly. That's why you were brought into the fray."

"This is not convincing me of anything good about that girl... you know?"

"What I'm saying is...she is giving me a choice...and you a chance...at least that's what I think."

"She did sweet talk you then!"

"That's...not the point."

"That's the entire point."

"No, what I'm saying is: if all she cared about was destroying the first chain, then it didn't matter how many casualties she involved, right?"

"You forget one important thing."

"And what would that be?"

"if you exploded, she would have been caught in it."

"That's...actually kind of true. But probablye she could have escaped somehow, don't you think?"

"I'm not sure. Her abilities are a mystery to me. She's one of those Fateless that before becoming a calamity actually tried to learn this world magic systems, that means that she has both the Fateless uncontrolled destructive power and the capabilities to perform local spells."

"And you think she really needed you to stop me or she would have died in the explosion?"

"I..."

"You're not sure, right?"

"I'm not convinced either way."

"So, what if she really wanted to give us a choice?"

"She stands to gain nothing from it. The only scenario in which her objective is reached is if we collaborate."

"Exactly...but is that a bad thing?"

"I told you, I don't care about the Goddess mission, especially if pursuing it means that someone has to die in order to pave my way."

"But what if we could avoid casualties?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your power does not have the destructive power needed to destroy the chain...but mine does. On the other hand, you can shield everyone from the fallout of my explosion...so that means."

"If I trap you inside a cage made of pure eternal ice, whatever destruction you cause won't affect the population."

"Exactly! But your shield would need to stay even after years and years, after all I don't know if my kind of nuclear power leaves behind radiation...would you be able to so such a thing?"

Yet again, [TRAVELER] fell silent. At this point I was painfully aware what that meant. I hit the nail on the head. His power was capable of what I asked. But I decided not to rush him a waited until he replied

"What meaning would there be in obeying the Goddess orders?"

"That's...actually what the choice I need to make entails. I don't really care about Arthesya...sure I'm grateful she gave me a second chance after i wasted my life...but it's more of a give and take situation."

"Exactly."

"Still..."

I talked a lot and made a lot of convincing to this guy without actually having reached a response myself. What do I want to do? Now I have the instruments to make a difference. I'm not just a spectator sent into another world with the perfect excuse to do nothing my whole life. Now, if I decide to do nothing, I have to shoulder the consequences.

My mind goes back to the moment everything began. The moment everything ended. Me deciding to rebel against the fate inflicted on me. At that point, I hated everyone and everything. I hated my father that never recognized me, I hated my boyfriend because i couldn't believe his love was genuine, I hated my mother because she never tried to free me from my torment.

There was nothing for me in my world and I hated everything because the only way I had to survive was surrendering to a life I would have hated. And so, I chose to rebel against everything by doing what was most extreme. And now...what would be the correct rebellion?

Should I give up on the imposed mission? Or should I fight tooth and nails to affirm myself in the world, to show that I'm not just a powerless girl and to save my soul...whatever that would mean.

"Hey, what you made a deal with Arthesya, she said that the moment you reached your mission, you would have been reunited with your family, right?"

"Yeah."

"When I did mine, she simply said that I would be saved...does it mean that once my objective is reached my soul will go to heaven?"

"I suppose so."

That settles it. Everything aligned so perfectly. That was the one missing piece of the puzzle. Now I know what I need to do.

"I don't want to live as a weapon of mass destruction. But I don't want to die doing nothing. This time...I can make a difference; this time I have something that makes me able to fight and an objective to reach. So I will reach it."

"I..."

"Please, help me."

"..."

"You need to stop punishing yourself, exactly like I need to stop punishing myself. I too was running away, since coming here, I only focused on living with as little issues as I could...but life still managed to punish me for it. Now, i want to hit life back, at least for one time, one final rebellion to grant myself salvation. But I don't want to do it at the expense of someone else."

"If I cooperate, it would be at my expense."

"If you cooperate, you'll start your own journey to heaven. And I think your family deserves to see you."

"I…feel like we've been had by Tamamo."

"Maybe..maybe she knew that all along the only possible outcome was this one. I can't simply hide all my life knowing that one day I could go berserk and explode. And honestly, I also think she knows that your self-imposed martyrdom has to end eventually."

"Still, don't like how we're basically going to help her…"

"Her methods are…wrong. But you can't deny, she got us. She knew that we would have never accepted a plan that involved casualties…so she prepared everything in order to show us a way to do exactly what she needs…while also avoiding endangering more people in the future. I don't know why I was brought here by Arthesya, I don't know if she knew that I would have become a Fateless, bringing nuclear power inside this world…but I know that I can't allow such a frightening power to keep existing here."

"You're not wrong but…"

"You still got buts?"

"Yeah…you're right. We'll do it. I guess I never learn."

"BUT."

"Now you got buts?"

"What's your name? Your actual name, not the Fateless one."

"Huh? Why?"

"Now we're going to fight together…actually, maybe you'll to all the fighting, all I can do is explode so we'll keep it for the ending."

"Wait, that's kind of an important detail to just drop on me all of a sudden."

"What's your name?"

"is It necessary?"

"It is."

"…I'm Gabbro."

"Kaede, happy to know you!"