Hanashi 07 - Lovely Paragon

Atsuko suddenly wakes up, realizing that she has been on autopilot mode for a long time. She finds herself sitting beside Kenzo, on a train. Kenzo is seated next to the window, lost in his own thoughts. As Atsuko blinks and looks outside the window, she is horrified to see that the beautiful blue sky she has always known has been replaced by a foreign red color, which is not pleasing to the eyes at all. Atsuko wonders where they are going but is hesitant to ask Kenzo, whose intentions she is unsure of. She is relieved to regain control of her body but fears that it may not last long. Suddenly, Kenzo turns towards her and greets her with a smile, "Good afternoon my sweet.” He tries to kiss her and Atsuko is taken aback by this, quickly moving away.

“What are you doing?”

"I'm kissing my wife." Kenzo blushes with delight.

"Wife!?!?" Atsuko gasps in shock to see a silver diamond trinket on her ring finger. She is confused and overwhelmed by many questions, unable to believe that she is married to Kenzo. Her emotions get the better of her, and she starts crying. Kenzo rolls his eyes, "You're such a brat. Always acting like this since being a child."

"Shut up!" Atsuko snaps, wanting to get as far from Kenzo as possible. That's when it dawns on her that Kenzo's words are strange. "You've known me since I was a child?" She asks, looking back at Kenzo with a curious expression, "How is that even possible?" Kenzo merely nods in agreement, "I'm afraid you can't remember because it's been so long ago."

"Well...tell me about it." Atsuko replies, sitting back down next to Kenzo, feeling uneasy. She has always been afraid to face her childhood memories. Kenzo thinks, trying to come up with something," Can we talk about that later? Today you and I are supposed to have our honeymoon." Atsuko's look of curiosity fades into another frown. She gets embarrassed and shakes her head, "No way! I won't go through with that!"

"You don't have a say. I call the shots here. You are my wife and I am your husband." Kenzo instructs, having so much authority and control in his voice. His words hit Atsuko like a truck. She can barely believe what she's hearing. As if sensing her hesitation, Kenzo's eyes suddenly light up, glowing red like the sky at sunset. Atsuko stares into his eyes and can feel her body go rigid as if she's been frozen in place. Just then, Ms. Lia appears at their side, serving them both a cup of tea. Atsuko can't help but feel uneasy around the woman. Something about her seems off, almost otherworldly. "What is this? Let me go!" Atsuko protests, wanting to cry again. Kenzo doesn't say a word, taking a sip of his strawberry tea.

Atsuko unwillingly does the same, eyes watering as she drinks from her teacup. As she drinks from her cup, Atsuko can feel her body growing lighter and lighter. It's as if she's floating in mid-air. She tries to resist, but it's no use. The drug in the tea is too strong. Ms. Lia stands by, watching with a knowing smile on her face. She knows exactly what's happening to Atsuko. Atsuko has just been exposed as a Lovely Paragon, being a human with spiritual luminescence in her blood. For the Daten-shi, Lovely Paragons like Atsuko are a precious resource. They provide the spiritual energy that the Daten-shi need to survive. And Kenzo has been using Atsuko all along. As Atsuko's consciousness fades away, she clings to Kenzo for support. Her false self, the one that's been created by the drug, is taking over. It's everything she's ever wanted, a life of luxury and fantasy. But deep down, Atsuko knows that it's all a lie. And there's nothing she can do to stop it.

****

Atsuko and Kenzo step off the train and Atsuko can't help but express her happiness. "I can't believe we are married." Atsuko exclaims. She gazes at the silver diamond trinket on her ring finger in awe. The false blue sky that stretches above them appears like a beautiful painting. Kenzo is uncharacteristically quiet, but his excitement is visible. He leads Atsuko into the hotel suite with a sense of thrill, relishing the feeling of having control over the situation. Humans are mere puppets to him, and he celebrates their vulnerability.

Eh syojne gnivalsne sih yerp.

Ms. Lia and Hideo follow the couple into the suite. Hideo's expressionless face is a mask for the satisfaction he feels at Kenzo's success. However, he can't help but feel a sense of apprehension. What if things go wrong? What if their plan fails? As they climb the stairs, Kenzo unlocks the door to their shared room with the key he had already obtained. Ms. Lia and Hideo disappear down a different hallway, eager for their own alone time. Atsuko steps into the stunning suite, fit for royalty and newlyweds. She feels a mixture of nervousness and excitement, but deep down, she knows that the true her is being suppressed by force. The real Atsuko is screaming for help on the inside, but no one can hear her. Atsuko falls onto the bed, her body has gone numb with laughter but her mind is in a state of confusion. Her eyes are fixed on Kenzo, who approaches her with a look of lust and a hint of passion in his hazel eyes. Atsuko reciprocates his kiss, but her heart is not in it. She is merely succumbing to the human desires she has always tried to keep at bay. As the night progresses, Kenzo takes advantage of Atsuko's vulnerability. He is happy to finally have the chance to get back at Jun, who is always ruining his plans. However, Kenzo's true intentions are far from pure. 

He has no love for Atsuko, and his sole purpose is to destroy her from the inside out. He wants to kill her spiritually, leaving her completely broken. As Atsuko falls deeper into Kenzo's trap, tears start to roll down her cheeks. Her smile is bittersweet, and Kenzo notices her pain. He embraces her tightly, "Don't worry, this will all be over soon. It will be like a dream if you're lucky." Atsuko finally drifts off into sleep, feeling exhausted and defeated.

Kenzo kisses her gently while she's asleep, drawing spiritual energy from her. He clings to her like a lovesick fool, but in reality, it's Atsuko who is under his spell. As she sleeps, Atsuko begins to sense that something is wrong. She realizes that she's dreaming, but she's confused and distressed. In her dream, she's trapped in darkness, all alone, with no hope of escape. Suddenly, a voice calls out to Atsuko. It belongs to a small fairy girl who has short orange hair and purple eyes, “Atsuko, I am here to help you."

"Who are you?"

The small fairy giggles, "I can't reveal that now yet I want to remind you something. The life you have been living is all a lie."

Atsuko doesn't understand, "Can you prove that to me?"

"Yes." The fairy girl states, "You are number one hundred and seventy-five, being the only prototype that has withstood Dr.Crane's experiment."

"I don't understand! I don't understand!" Atsuko cries again.

The fairy girl becomes sad. "Soon you will. For now remember these words, "Jun will save you."

With that, the fairy girl fades away and Atsuko fades away into the darkness as well.

****

Jun slowly wakes up from a deep slumber, his body emerging from a large water tank. The surroundings are unfamiliar to him, and he realizes he is in a lab. As he tries to comprehend his situation, he is greeted by Dr. Alistair Crane, a handsome older man with an air of authority. However, Jun soon realizes that Dr. Alistair is not a kind man. He is trying to do damage to the real world using a machine called Somnus. This virtual fantasy machine is a bizarre mix of science and spirituality, and it allows Dr. Alistair to achieve what he cannot in reality. Jun remains silent, knowing that the situation is dire. 

However, he feels weak and helpless. Dr. Alistair begins to speak, “What am I going to do with you, Jun? You are very defiant. Oh, I forgot about your father. Even though he's dead, the old geezer still gives me a hard time too. I wish these glitches from Remiel never existed.” He complains. Dr. Alistair is an evil man who is against all that is good in the world. Jun's only hope is Remiel, a rebel who opposes Dr. Alistair and his dark plans. Remiel has secretly planted glitches in Somnus, which Dr. Alistair tries to delete but fails every time. "Papa!" Exclaims a young girl with blonde hair and cute pigtails. Her teal wide eyes twinkle, "Can we go to the park now? I'm bored."

Dr. Alistair's dark expression softens, "Sure thing darling. Just let me finish work here." As Myra leaves, she gives Jun a mysterious look, noticing how his body is thin and covered in bruises. Jun stares back at Myra, understanding what her expression means. He and a few others, including Atsuko, have been imprisoned in glass capsules within Somnus Headquarters. Dr. Alistair has been researching the relationship between Daten-shi and humans. Jun realizes that everything he thought he knew was a lie. The false truths told about Atsuko's past were all part of Dr. Alistair's plan. Jun and Atsuko were captured on July 16th XXXX, and their lives were never the same again. As the truth begins to dawn on Jun, he realizes that he is caught in a dangerous game, and he must find a way to escape Dr. Alistair's clutches before it's too late.