Chapter 5:

“Chapter 5: Edens Garden

Madman's Forgiveness


“Chapter 5: “Eden’s Garden”

The heat of the rapidly approaching sun tore through the landscape. Basking the traveler in it’s warm rays.
It was unlike the heat he had experienced back home. It was more of a dry heat, which was par for the course for forest-like environments.

As he cautiously made his way down the lakeside path, he couldn’t help but notice the abnormal silence. Aside from his movement and the sounds of nature. It felt as though the area was completely devoid of life.

“It’s way too quiet out here.”

The crashing of the nearby waterfall progressively became louder the more distance in between the two was shortened. The occasional tune of a sparrow's morning song cut through the silence, breathing life into an otherwise barren landscape.

Whether this comforted him or left him with a bigger amount of angst was something he was left debating.
“We must have actually ended up killing all of those things..”
“If that’s the case though..”
Clenching at his chest, he thought back to the fear he felt as that behemoth of a creature towered over the two.
“Why can’t I shake the feeling that we’re still in danger..?”
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Finding himself now at a dead-end, Hiro looked onward perplexed. There was no house in sight, only the surrounding wilderness and the ongoing stream of water pouring down from the mountaintop.
“Huh..?”
“This is just a boring old waterfall!”
“This can’t actually be where she expects me to meet her!”

This wasn’t right. He had followed her instructions perfectly. Yet he still found himself in what appeared to be the wrong location.

“Then again..”
“I never was good with directions.”
“It’s entirely possible I took a wrong turn..”
He sighed, attempting to shrug off his short-comings.

In a moment of rest, he presses the palm of his hand through the water. Hoping to regain his composure by leaning against the rockface.


“If I’m going to survive in this world, let alone my own world. I need to start taking better care of myself-”

As he was rambling to himself, he was blind to what his actions had led to. The surface wasn’t as sturdy as it appeared to be. In fact, it wasn’t sturdy at all. It was as if Hiro had tried to lean against the air itself.
In a quick moment of realization, he could only mutter
“Huh.” as he stumbled forward.
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Feeling the rocky terrain meet his cheek, he began to quickly realize that he had collapsed.

“What is all this..?”
Looking behind him, he could still clearly make out the backside of the running water. Yet, the rocky surface had changed significantly. Appearing to him now as nothing more than a translucent grayish outline. It was as if he were staring into a natural hologram.

“And the surprises just keep coming..”
He thought, rising back to his feet.

Recollecting himself, he turned his attention forward. Stunned by the sheer beauty of the sight. He couldn’t believe it.
“It’s like a scene straight out of a movie!”
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There before him was a traditional Japanese-style mansion. It was much more appealing than the minka he stayed in the night prior. Lavish with fields of watermelon as far as the eye could see and not a single cloud in the sky.
It was the closest thing to heaven that he could imagine. This left Hiro feeling as though he had stepped into a portion of reality far separated from the likes of both space and time.

Though, it would soon become apparent to him that behind every beauty, hides a dark secret.

A foul stench began to fill the air, cutting short his brief stint of sight-seeing.
“Oh god, what the hell is that smell?!”
The moment the smell hit his nose, he began to gag uncontrollably. This scent was familiar, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint where he first smelled it. Only that it was coming from inside the mansion.

“Where have I smelled this before?” He asks himself. Thinking back to the previous night, he’s reminded of how the smell of death had filled the clearing.
Visions of kappa slowly being corrupted and fading into nothing but static plagued his mind. Though he tried, he was unable to remember actually killing the evolved variant. It was as if a small chunk of his memories was locked away.

His eyes began to fill with terror as he put two and two together.
What could this have possibly meant for his newfound friend?
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“Shit..”
“She told me that I killed it!”
“Was that just a lie so I wouldn’t have to worry..?!”
“No..”
“It couldn’t have been.”
“There’s no way we would have escaped that thing otherwise..”
“Right..?”
It was as if he was attempting to reassure himself that nothing had happened to her.
Hiro desperately wanted to believe that this was all just a misunderstanding. He knew that if that thing was indeed still out there, that without her he would be completely defenseless.
The world was still foreign to him after all. Hiro was left to believe that if he were to come across anything like the kappa's again, he would surely die.
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“Suika!!”
He called out, making his way through the mansion's doors that had been left agape. To his surprise, the place was surprisingly empty. Aside from the bowls of salt by the entrance, some furniture, and a make-shift stove. It appeared as though the place hadn’t been inhabited for years.

As his eyes scoured the room for any signs of life, something caught his eye. In the corner of the room he spotted something moving. Underneath a green quilt, he saw a mass curled up in the fetal position. Although hesitant, Hiro began to move closer to it.

“Suika.. Is that you..?”
He called out, hoping not only to gain their attention but to verify that it was indeed her. Yet, the only response came in the form of its movement ceasing. Hiro considered himself a film critic. The one genre standing far above the rest however was horror. He loved every single thing about the genre. Even going as far as applying certain rulesets from said movies to his actual life. Which was a key reason as to why he felt he had made a mistake blindly entering the mansion. For all he knew, he very well may have stumbled into a complete stranger's house. The horrid smell that lingered throughout the house and the lack of a response led him to believe he could easily become a victim if he didn’t play his cards right. Yet, he had to do something to make sure Suika was unharmed.

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“Are you hurt?”
Reaching down, Hiro attempts to lift the quilt.
To his surprise, his attempts are stopped the moment she sits up. She looks different to say the least. Her hair’s a mess, her clothes are drenched in sweat, and her eyes resemble those of someone who hasn’t slept in days. The most confusing thing of all though, is that in her left arm she held a strange book close to her chest.

“Huh..?”
“What are you doing here so early..?”
“Shouldn’t you still be asleep?”
She asked him in a confused tone. With her free arm, she begins to rub her eyes.

“You can’t be serious right..?”
“It’s ten in the morning.”
By the look on his face, Hiro was disappointed. Had she really forgotten that she was supposed to help him leave?
“Oh..”
She speaks softly, her eyes just now re-adjusting to the light.
“So it is.”
With a yawn, she turns her back to him once again. Attempting to fall back asleep.

“You told me to come whenever I’m ready so here I am!”

As he starts to raise his voice, his words catch in his throat as he notices something off about her. Down the middle of her back he could see a fresh wound. It was stitched together crudely it seemed, already in the process of healing.
It didn’t look to be something that a human or a weapon for that matter could create. Could it be an injury she attained when he was unconscious?

“Forget about all that for a second though..”
“Just what the hell happened to you Suika..?”
He asks, pointing at the wound. Though her back is turned, she immediately knows what he’s referring to. Just the mere mention of it bothers her, but she attempts to put on a façade so that she doesn’t worry Hiro.
“Oh this..”
“It’s nothing more than a scratch!”
She quickly leaps to her feet, nervously holding the book behind her in an attempt to hide the wound.
“Last night I went out for a hunt after taking care of you.”
“It’s..nothing really.
She notes, looking away from him. Hiro could tell from her body language alone that she was either lying to him or not telling him the full truth.
“Didn’t look like it was just a scratch to me.”
Something was different about her. What happened to that serious personality she had the night prior?
He ultimately decided not to pry, choosing to have faith that she truly was okay.
“You’ve made it this far out here alone, so I trust you know what you’re doing.”

This comment seemed to calm her down a bit.
“So, you must be ready to go back to your world, correct..?”
“It’s a shame..”
“I was starting to enjoy the company.”

Hiro awkwardly laughs, scratching the back of his head.
“Yeah, well. I’d stay but I kinda like not having to wonder what
will and won’t kill me.”
“Besides, living like this ain’t really my style.”

“Fair enough”, she replies.
“Meet me in the watermelon fields in an hour.”
“I think it’s time I teach you about your anomaly.”

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“Again!” She shouted, slamming the shaft of a rake into Hiro’s stomach. This action caused him to keel over in pain.
“What the hell was that for lady!”
He shouted, looking up at her. Suika however showed him no mercy. She aimed the end directly at his face threateningly.
“Quit your bitching.”
“You want to go home right?!”
Hiro covers his face with his arms as she slams into him once more, sending him rolling away from her.

“Why the hell are you attacking me all the sudden?!”
He shouts, turning to face her.
“You still don’t get it do you..”
She states, readying herself. Now eyeing down her opponent.
“Your ability is triggered by intense emotion.”
“To leave, you must really believe that’s what you want yourself.”
“You can’t second guess.”
“Otherwise you’ll be stuck here.”

Suika begins to breathe in. Her rake became engulfed in that same purple aura from the night prior. Before his eyes, Hiro watches as the ordinary gardening tool transmutes into her signature weapon. A bow and arrow.
“What are you going to do with that..?”
Hiro questions, standing back up.
Yet, she doesn’t grant him the respect that would come from a dignified response.
Instead, she begins to draw the bow.
Readying it’s sights on Hiro.
“One!” she shouts, beginning a countdown. Could this be her way of giving Hiro time to think of a way to defend himself?

“She can’t be serious..?”
“Is she actually going to try to kill me??”
Hiro can’t believe his eyes. He remembered what a single arrow could do to a whole horde full of Kappa. There would be no possible way to escape from this even if he tried. Running wasn’t an option. He knew that she must have known this area by heart. Even if he were to try, the arrow would surely catch up to him.

“Two!” She continued.
“I’ve gotta think fast, otherwise I'm done for!”
“But what can I really do!?”
Hiro continued to think to himself.
“Three!” As the final number was uttered, she immediately fired the arrow. Having exhausted all of his options. Hiro threw his hands forward, turning his face away from the oncoming attack.
To his surprise though, the arrow never hit him. He never even heard it land for that matter.
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“Huh..?”
“What all happened-”
As he turned to investigate, he was caught off guard. There before him appeared a vortex composed of nothing but television static. Throughout the white noise however, he could very faintly see the image of his foster fathers room. It appeared as though the arrow landed perfectly in the middle of the wall.
This was unlike anything he’d seen before.
Hiro looked down at the palms of his hands stunned. Was he really capable of doing things like this?
“That.. came from me..?”
He asked in disbelief, still trying to process the situation.


Suika lowered her bow. She was pleased at how her student was able to quickly channel such an ability.
“Sure did!”
“And you’ve got little ol’ me to thank for it!”
She boasted triumphantly as her weapon began to fade away. Hiro however, had quite the opposite reaction.
“You could have killed me dumbass!”
He screams at her, yet the girl seems unphased by his outbursts.

“And..?”
“You say that as if you’d be able to do something about it if I did.”
“You should be thankful.”
“Besides..”
She turns away from him, heading back in the direction of her home.
“You’ve got what you wanted so just leave.”
Her words seemed pained, as if she was forcing herself through them. Forcing herself to keep up a strong persona.

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“Just do your best to forget about me okay?”

This phrase was one that haunted him for eight whole years. They were the final words Suzume said to him before she moved away. Hearing them repeated by someone who looked just like her sent a chill throughout his being. The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps surprised Suika. She turned around, only to see Hiro desperately grabbing hold of her by the hand.

Her face began to flush a bright red.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
“Let me go, you pervert!”
She tried desperately to shake herself free from his grasp, but stopped upon seeing his face. Tears streamed down Hiro’s cheeks as he looked up at her.

“Please..”
“Come with me..”