The World Was Going to End on New Year's Day ((Pt II))

Both Emi and Taki knew that a wretched beast was lurking just below the surface of Miu’s psyche, and they feared for all the world if that creature was unleashed. Even worse, they knew they couldn’t stop its arrival if that were what Miu chose.

Cold emptiness overtook Miu’s eyes and face as she gathered her thoughts to answer.

“I don’t know exactly what yet, but this world will end. Everything they ever loved will be consumed. All of them will die. Anyone who supports them will die. I will shatter this timeline and curse them for robbing us of better days. I will not stop until this world is left in ruin.”

Emi’s trembling hand reached for Taki’s as they watched the light of red fire begin to glow in Miu’s menacing glare. Her thoughts were not with them, but instead stuck on imagining how she would decimate the reality that had caused her, Yuki, and so many others so much pain.

Taki dared to speak.

“But Miu, there are regular people here. Regular people who had nothing to do with any of this.”

“Do not try to stop me, Taki,” Miu growled in a dangerous, biting voice.

“But things can change, Miu! People can change! Look at me- I changed for the better!”

Miu bolted up from her seated position as hateful fire ignited in her hands.

“YOU CHANGED BECAUSE I BROKE YOU! I MUTILATED AND HUMILIATED YOU, TAKI!”

Taki shielded Emi in genuine fear for their lives. Miu gasped in humiliation, and the flames extinguished, but she held her ground.

“You were a monster back then, Taki. You caused so much pain to so many. And you made most of the time I had with Yuki a living hell just because you could. But then I ripped your tongue out and made you feel embarrassment and trauma yourself. Without my violence, you may never have changed. As much as the world tries to trick us into believing, violence often is the answer!”

As much as he wanted to challenge her, Taki could not deny that her harm to him was the catalyst for his life veering down a different path.

“But, our baby… Miu, we’re having a baby in two months…” Emi begged.

Miu scowled, then softened ever so slightly.

“I am not the same sort of monster as they are. I will not destroy this world so fully that there is nothing left. But I will destroy the world as it currently is. All of this advancement, technology, and magic never meant anything other than a better way for them to control and exploit us. They laughed at us and spat on us as they fed us scraps. We were forgotten, unfunded, and forgotten. All of us.”

Beside them, Yuki tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t form. In his mind, Yuki was raging. Everything Miu was saying was true, and he knew her spirit was collapsing, but he was now forced to watch it happen. Shaking limbs and a broken voice were confining him to a prison of steel, where he was trapped and unable to comfort her or speak up. All he could do was watch and feel helpless, and it was consuming him.

His movements were enough to stop the rising tension. The three of them looked to him as he began to rock and groan in frustration. Miu’s guard lowered, and she rushed to his side.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Yuki,” she whispered as she caressed his faceplate.

Her gaze returned to Taki’s as Yuki’s fingers struggled to hold her wrist.

“This is what they did to Yuki. And he was the best of us. He was a kind, innocent child. Now look at him. Taki, I’m sorry, but they only cared about you once you put on a uniform and swore to support their status quo. But that status quo will end. …On New Year’s Day.”

Her heart finally had a deadline. As she spoke, memories of every hurt from their past had bubbled up, and the date that jumped out to her was the day when their orphanage had been set to close. Because of that New Year’s deadline, they were going to separated. Because of that deadline, they had tried to run away. And everything had gone so wrong. Back then, Miu and Yuki had felt that the world was going to end on New Year’s Day for them.

Now, as Miu thought about her remaining time, she accepted that this date would be enough. It would give Taki and Emi enough time to prepare. They could tell as many as they were able. Whatever messaging could be spread would be up to them and the rest of the world. For Miu and Yuki, it would give them time to help the other G.A.K.I. say goodbye to themselves. It would also allow her to fully plan what she would do while also gathering strength for their final conflict.

Yuki heard Miu’s words and finality began to move through his mind. Jitters of nerves and grief mixed with unstable code as he processed, but the timeline was understood. They had a few months left. He knew he could make it until then, but he feared what version of himself would be left to greet that end. If nothing else, he hoped that he could help Miu burn all of this to the ground.

“Taaaaaaki. E-E-E-Emi. Make neeeeeewww… bett-ttt-ttter worrrrrrrrld,” Yuki croaked.

Emi sighed and closed her eyes. Taki shook his head.

“Yuki, I’m just one person. Emi’s just a person. Making a better world doesn’t work like that.”

“Goooooood. Good… persons. Nottttt just p-persons. Weeeeee were once-once-once good. Nooooot anymoooooore. Butttttt y-y-you are. Anddddd thaaaaaaaat i-i-is enough. Staaaaaaaay goooooooood.”

Both of them knew there was no changing this. Whatever Miu would unleash, it would arrive on January 1st. They had a little over four months to prep for the end of the world and birth a new soul. They were standing on the edge of an event horizon, and there was no way to escape its pull into nothingness. All they could do was brace for what came afterwards.

This was goodbye.

Taki’s hand clasped Emi’s as he stood in solemn acceptance. Miu helped Yuki stand to face them. Taki inhaled as tears bit at his eyes once more. The three of them had once been broken children. In a cruel twist, he had been given so much happiness. For these two wretched, cursed souls before him, no such decency had ever arrived. In his heart, Taki felt that this was partially his fault. His teenaged malice had set the foundations of scarring for all of this hurt to pile upon. Now, he was faced with the consequences. 

Still, Miu’s eyes were softened when she looked at him and Emi.

“I promise. I won’t destroy everything. This world will be gone, but there will be a future for your child. I am not them. I give you my word. And Taki, when I’m done, we will be at the orphanage…” Miu said.

Taki realized what she was hinting at. He and Emi bowed slowly as Miu helped Yuki lower his head to return the gesture.

“Goodbye,” Emi whispered.

Words lodged in Taki’s throat as he tried to compose himself.

“I… I will make sure to get there before them… And… And.. I’ll make sure to kill you. So that they… we… can never hurt you again…” he cried.

Miu blinked away tears in relief that he understood. Three souls connected by a cruel childhood, now colliding at the end of all things. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. But it was.

“Please, empty the clip into our heads and set us on fire. Don’t let them have any more of us,” Miu pleaded.

“N-n-no moooooore p-p-p-pain,” Yuki agreed.

Taki wiped his eyes and nodded.

“No more pain. I promise. Goodbye, Miu. Goodbye, Yuki.”

Emi hesitated, then stepped forward.

“I will light incense for your souls,” she offered.

To her surprise, Miu shook her head in rejection.

“Don’t bother. There will be enough smoke in the skies already once I am done…”