The One She Lost

“How long have they been going at this?” quietly asks Lori.

Observing the three, Aiko is filled with nostalgia, “Well, that’s a good sign. That’s Crimzon. They’ve been at it for about two hours now. They didn’t hear the transport arrive nor me walking out to greet you. Just focused.”

“Impressive for their age.” Elsa chimes in. “So, this is the Crimzon that could be from your world Aiko? The leader you used to follow?”

“Yes. I’m positive it’s him. I’ll know for sure when I observe him at the Rite. Let me show you to your rooms, let them finish their work. I wouldn’t want to interrupt their progress.”

They all nod and follow Aiko down the hall to the other rooms. As she gives a brief tour of the orphanage, Lori hangs back watching Crimzon, Irin and Mirai from a distance. Lori takes a seat near a window and phases out into the distance of the landscape. Her thoughts race through the memories of the chimera attack and running in the forest to get to the clearing. The image of the chimera splattering blood, the yelling, and the image of Crimzon’s smile from when they were children. Her thoughts are broken suddenly.

“Drink this. It’ll help.” Aiko hands Lori a cup of tea.

Startled Lori accepts the cup, “Thank you Aiko.”

“You seem lost in thought. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re thinking about that day.”

“That obvious huh?” Lori takes a sip from the tea and rubs her finger around the rim to suppress her thoughts.

“It’s time for you to move forward Lori. Your kingdom needs you sooner than you realize. I’m sure those three will go with you at the end of the Rite. They want what’s best for Mirai. Some place safe for her to grow.”

“I know. I just don’t know how to reconcile this feeling. It feels like I should’ve died back then, but someone else died in my place. How can I repay that to someone who is dead.”

Aiko leans in and comforts Lori, “That conscious in that body, if it is really him, you should talk to him. He endured so much and by his definition he should’ve died years ago. He should’ve died where he was in his world, but he’s here. He almost took his own life years ago, and yet he’s still helping those around him as he always done.”

Surprised by Aiko’s words she stares at the boy across the way.

“He wanted to end his own life? Why?”

“You should ask him. Our clan was brought together around him. Not because we pitied him. We had fun playing that game with him and during those moments we all felt alive. We gave ourselves to helping each other and became one for each other. Spend time with him Lori, because you may just find what you need to move forward. He’ll help you find it.”

Aiko gets up slowly, “I never got to meet him in real life in our world. He was years older than I and I was sick. He disappeared randomly and no one knew what happened. Years after I arrived, he shows up here in this world. I died after he disappeared. Guess we got to meet after all in person. So, Lori, you’ll never know what will happen. Just keep going forward, or you’ll miss out.”

Aiko walks away motioning to Lori to join them soon as supper is almost ready. Aiko walks by the table and leans in to let the know about supper being ready soon and that they have guests. Crimzon, Irin, and Mirai look around to see their guests throughout the orphanage. Stunned and shocked they frantically finish the programming and clear the table for supper. Shortly after the table is prepared with food laid out, plates and utensils properly placed. Everyone takes their seat and is about to eat.

“Crimzon, would you like to say grace?” Aiko nods her head.

“How did you…Okay.”

Everyone unsure of the gesture looks around the table. Shiori calmly smiles at Crimzon, “Please bless our food Crimzon.”

“Ahem,” Crimzon clears his throat. “Everyone please bow your heads. Dear Heavenly Father Lord God, thank you for everyone here today. I lift up everyone present to you Lord that you bless them with healing and your protection. Please come and join us as we partake in this food that you have provided for us and bless those that have prepared it. In Jesus name, amen.”

“Itadakimasu” says Aiko as she puts her hands together and bows.

Shiori follows suit and puts her hands together and says, “Amen. Thank you for the blessing Crimzon.”

Everyone unsure of what just took place follows Shiori’s lead and puts their hands together and says, “Amen”. After a moment people begin to eat sharing in the delicious food that Elsa, Kana, and Shiori prepared.

Lori pauses and looks at Crimzon, “Um Crimzon what was that ritual you spoke just now before we began to eat?”

Crimzon pauses and everyone begins to slow down also eagerly waiting to hear about it.

“The world where I’m from, Christians are followers of Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior, the Son of God. We read a book called the bible full of scripture and documented testimonies. What happened just now is called a prayer, asking God to bless our food and provide our bodies with nourishment. To give thanks and blessing to God, to bless those who prepared the food, then we end with saying ‘in Jesus’ name. We do the closing ‘in Jesus’ name’ for Jesus paid for our sins and died for us who believed in him. So, we honor him as our Lord and Savior by ending each prayer in his name. In scripture we are taught to ask in his name and the Father, Lord God will answer for he recognizes his son Jesus.”

Curious wanting to know more Shiori asks, “Are you a Christian Crimzon?”

“I want to say yes. I feel as though where I am with my faith, I’m a work in progress. But yes, I would have to call myself a Christian, not a perfect one but one who is trying to work on his faith.” Crimzon is calm, as he speaks yet nervous.

“Are there religions here? Are there gods that people worship?” Crimzon looks around the room.

Everyone looks at each other then, everyone’s focus shifts directly at Shiori. Shiori suddenly realizes the shift of attention to her as she takes a sip of her tea. Elegantly she places her cup down, “There are gods that people worship around the world, depending on the area. There is an interesting thing that caught my attention with what you said.”

Shiori prompts her Radial and opens a window, enlarges an image and throws it up to display in front of everyone to see. She calibrates the visual for everyone and brings up another image and displays two images side by side.

“This is at the kingdom of Aurora. These are texts that we have discovered over the last fifty years. It seems to be a part of a book of series notating names with a series number with the first number, then a colon with another number following it after. This is part of another text we discovered the missing pieces divides the word. A large letter R and sadly ‘Lations’ at the end.”

Shiori scrolls and changes the imagery to one more and splits the screen into three revealing a text ‘Christ’ within the writing. She looks at Crimzon intently.

“Where exactly did you come from? Would you be able to come to the kingdom and look at some of these documents we’ve been trying to preserve. I really would like your input and assistance.”

Lori observes Crimzon as he thinks about Shiori’s request. She has questions of her own as her thoughts begin to flash of that day. Hesitant to interrupt Shiori’s request, Lori struggles with wanting to talk to Crimzon. Crimzon surveys and see’s Lori looking down intently wrestling with her thoughts.

“Shiori, I will gladly come and look at those documents that you have preserved. However, I want us to concentrate on the Rite. We’re not sure where the three of us may end up, but I can at least go to the kingdom to investigate what you have discovered so far.”

Overjoyed with the response, Shiori thanks Crimzon. Crimzon gets up from his seat and begins to excuse himself.

“Oh, where are you going?” Asks Aiko.

“I need some air. This day, it’s so much in to take in. I just want to get some air. I’m okay. Please excuse me.” Crimzon makes his way to the door.

Lori’s eyes follow him as he exits and as she looks back her eyes are snagged by Aiko’s sinister smile. It’s as though her eyes alone are motioning to Lori to follow him. Lori starts to indiscreetly shake her head at Aiko sitting in front of her. Refusing to oblige, Aiko kicks Lori under the table in her shin. Lori bites her lip to prevent herself from the sudden scream that almost escaped her. Composing herself, Lori examines the room. Aiko’s eyes begin to glare as she motions with her finger to go talk to Crimzon. Lori refuses that result in another kick. This time Lori abruptly gets up with the flow from Aiko’s kick and makes her way after Crimzon.

Once outside, Lori sees Crimzon leaning along the fence as he looks toward the sky. The colors swirl and mix as the sunsets; at the highest point the sky is deep blue as stars begin to twinkle. Lori hesitantly approaches, stands next to Crimzon and begins to lean on the fence with him. She takes a deep breath and sighs. Crimzon looks over to see Lori smiling at the sky.

“This is beautiful. I guess life just brings you something you don’t want, but in a way something good unexpectedly also happens.”

“’Aint no one going to hit harder than life’, and ‘This world is cruel…but is also very beautiful’ two quotes I find very relevant to life. Sometimes we have to stop, take a breath and look up every once and a while.”

The two stand in silence for a bit, just taking in each other’s company inhaling the scenery. Peace settles in as the wind blows, birds flying off into the distance; silence and stillness overtake them freezing a moment in time. Lori musters up the courage to ask Crimzon.

“I know this may be a longshot, but I need to ask you something.”

Crimzon begins to burn up getting nervous, he feels hot.

“S-ssurre…” he stutters. He thinks to himself, I hope this is not a confession. I don’t know the princess in that way! “Go ahead, ask away.”

“Do you remember me or us from that day?” Lori turns and captures Crimzon’s eyes holding it frozen as he begins to lose himself in her innocent eyes.

Crimzon slowly turns away for a moment and takes a breath, exhales to calm his palpitating heart, “I’m sorry Lori, I don’t remember you nor that day you’re referring to.”

His thoughts race and scatter through his mind. He thinks, “What day does she mean?! US?! Was there an US?! Were they dating? Was this Crimzon promised to her?! Dude what did you do to the princess?!!”

A little somber to the response Lori looks away into the distance, “Oh, I see. You don’t have his memories then and don’t know what happened that day?”

Crimzon is running around recklessly in his mind breaking ever memory door to find anything the princess may be referring to. “Did this kid confess at an early age to the princess?! How could you! Why would you! Crimzon was it because you were poor and wanted to get into the kingdom?!”

Clearing his throat, all he can say, “I am sorry Princess Lori. All I can remember is who I am from my world and waking up this morning in this world. Please forgive me if this person was someone important to you.”

*Sniff* Sniff* “Okay, thank you.”

Crimzon looks at Lori and sees tears running down her face. He gestures to comfort her and rubs her back, “I’m sorry. How foolish of me. You’ve been waiting to talk to me because he was someone important to you. You mustered up the courage to do so expecting, hoping, a part of him remained. Even a fragment of a memory would’ve been more than enough.”

Lori attempts to capture her breathing as she realizes the truth that she must accept. The Crimzon she knew was gone. She wipes the small tears away and looks as the sun retreats into the horizon.

Observing that she has regained her composure, Crimzon places his arm back on the fence, “Would you mind telling me about that day? And who he was? I may not be him or of this world, but if I can understand what you lost, maybe I can help you.”

Serenity covers Lori as she listens to his words. “Is this what it feels like to let go? I feel lighter.” The reassurance and gesture of this consciousness that inhabits someone she knew reminds her of his kindness.

“We were around five years old, maybe older. We met him near a waterfall just outside the kingdom. Just before that we met Aiko. We all played together and met every day. He always gathered flowers form the area and gave us what he collected when we left. This went on for almost a year.” Lori becomes reminiscent smiling as the memories flash through her mind.

She continues, “Then on that day, I lost my father Crimzon. He threw himself in the way of the chimera so it wouldn’t get me and Kana and Aiko grabbed me as we ran for back to the clearing where the royal guards killed it. They found his body, a girl’s body and they were dead. Three people died that day.”

Lori leans down resting her chin on her hands along the fence. She closes her eyes, opens them as she breaths. “One day, I went ahead before Kana and Aiko to the waterfall. I didn’t realize I was followed by a couple other kids. They knew who I was an began picking on me, threatening me, and hitting me. Before I knew it, I was on the ground getting kicked. Then suddenly it stopped and there he was punching and kicking the other kids who were picking on me. As they ran away, Kana and Aiko arrived and began to chase them. He was beat up, scratched up and bleeding. Why would someone do that for me?”

She pauses and begins again, “I asked him why did he jump in fighting them knowing he was outnumbered because he could’ve gotten seriously hurt. Then he said, ‘No one picks a fight with my princess while I’m around!’”

Lori can’t help but chuckle at the memory. “Kana has always been the strong one physically, so she immediately was impressed back then and confessed her love to him. I think back then, I was grateful that I had a friend that didn’t care who I was, a princess, and he risked his life for me. When he died there was no way I could repay him, he saved me twice, and I couldn’t thank him properly.”

Crimzon looking at Lori realizes her suffering. Growing up a princess must have been filled with pressure, especially with a young age. People often become jealous of what they can’t have and will inflict suffering on people within their means. It can be through manipulation, guilt, fear, abuse of one’s position of power, physical abuse; anything that can be used by someone with a twisted heart to inflict suffering.

Realizing and remembering his past life experiences Crimzon looks to Lori.

“You mentioned that you wanted to repay him, to thank him properly. How are you going to do that now Lori? You can still do all of that.”

Lori lifts her head and faces Crimzon, who’s eyes are sincere, but burns with a fire. Lori is briefly taken back, almost challenged by the question. She thinks and looks at Crimzon.

“You can still do those things Lori.”

“How, he’s not here.”

“Remember in there I mentioned a man’s name, Jesus. In the beginning of time, mankind committed a terrible act of sin. Humanity would be dead by the laws of God for no man could fulfill the law to be holy, to be with God again. God sent Jesus, his one true son, to pay for all of man’s sin. In doing so Jesus was crucified to pay for all of humanities sins, he paid the price of sin so that we could live. Even when Jesus died, he rose from the grave spent forty days with his disciples before going back to his kingdom in heaven. Vowing to return one day to free everyone from the devil and sin for good.”

Crimzon pauses, “Jesus died for all of us. Now we live because of him, to fulfill his mission in life. The one that you knew a Crimzon saved you, so you can live. You can honor him, thank him, repay him by living out your life to the fullest of your ability as the princess of Auroroa.”

Lori’s eyes widen with as if her soul was renewed, the gloom that shrouded her vision lifted with a new truth. Someone sacrificed their life for hers; she can’t waste it. She smiles, “Thank you Crimzon for helping me see light in darkness. I didn’t think of it the way you put it.”

“That boy, on that day saw something worth dying for in you. You are worth what he gave you. I will do everything I can to assist you if I am able to do so.”

“Thank you. I’ll look forward to that.”

With a renewed spirit flowing through her, Lori remembers another question to ask Crimzon, “Aiko said you wanted to kill yourself once, can I ask why?”

“?!! She did? Uh, well that’s a selfish act and I didn’t do that so let’s table that for now for another day.” Crimzon remembers Aiko may have known her, so this detail was probably revealed to her back in her world.

“Alright, but I won’t forget so after the Rite I want to know.”

They both turn to go back inside the orphanage to see Kana and Aiko watching from afar, they become a little embarrassed. As they get closer Kana is poking at Lori about possibly confessing to Crimzon this time. They continue back and forth with friendly insults. As they enter the orphanage, Crimzon remembers Mirai-097 and her advice to ask Lori about Atlas.

“Lori, I know we just had a lengthy discussion, but could you explain your kingdom’s situation with Atlas?”

Taken back by the subject, she nods and motions everyone to the table. Mirai cleared the table with Irin as they are laying out tea and deserts. Everyone gathers this time the sitting arrangement is more structured. Lori sits at the head of the table while Elsa and Kana take the immediate seats on either side of her. Mirai takes her seat in between Kana and Aiko as Irin sits in between Elsa and Crimzon on the opposite side.