Hanashi 14 (B) - Freedom At Last

Atsuko is seized by sudden laughter, and it catches Kenzo off guard. She doubles over and continues to laugh uncontrollably, holding her stomach. Kenzo looks at her, puzzled and somewhat embarrassed. He is not used to being the source of someone's amusement. 

"What's so funny, Atsuko? Did I say something amusing?" Kenzo asks, looking confused. Atsuko composes herself and says, "No, Kenzo. I cannot stay with you and become your one and only. It wouldn't be wise. I barely know you, and this is all just a dream." Atsuko's epiphany is thanks to Leonarda's occasional appearances in her dreams. Kenzo is speechless and deeply upset, no longer his charming self. The sky turns a shade of crimson red, and the castle, which had previously been beautiful both inside and out, now appears the opposite. Kenzo's expression darkens, and he says, "You should leave now. I will give you a head start."

Atsuko backs away, feeling uneasy, and runs off. She exits the courtyard and returns to the castle, where she runs into Hideo. "Where are you going?" He growls, his appearance looks to be full Daten-shi. Despite her fear, Atsuko takes a deep breath and runs towards Hideo, who is taken aback and lets her pass. Hideo no longer pays attention to her and notices Kenzo's brooding appearance. In a way, Kenzo wishes Hideo had stopped Atsuko. As Atsuko emerges from the castle, she doesn't slow down; instead, she dashes away, thoughts racing in her mind. She can't help but wonder why Kenzo didn't put up a fight. Meanwhile, back inside the castle, Kenzo and Hideo are confronted by the sudden appearance of a bright white silhouette. Trembling and scowling in fear, they recognize the voice from the light but can't quite place it.

"Kenzo, Atsuko doesn't belong to you. You're just wasting time!" the voice declares before disappearing. Kenzo exits the castle in frustration, hoping to find Atsuko. Ms. Lia is waiting at the bottom of the black staircase, relieved that Atsuko has managed to escape. However, she can't help but feel envious, wishing she had been in Atsuko's shoes. 

Atsuko, on the other hand, has made her way to the Weavers' Dream forest, though she can't quite recall how. She stands before a beautiful and ornate building that she recognizes as one where she used to hang out with Jun. The familiarity of it brings a sense of nostalgia and comfort to her.

As she approaches the front doors, they open on their own, causing her heart to race. Jun emerges from the building to greet her, "It took you a while." Jun remarks, "How have you been holding up?" Overcome with emotion, Atsuko bursts into tears and embraces him. Memories both sweet and bitter flood her mind, giving her a clearer understanding of the situation. However, before she can even utter a word, she is overcome with pain and falls to the ground. Blood begins to seep from her eyes, nose, and ears.

Holding her in his arms, Jun looks distressed, "Stay with me! Atsuko! Please!" He urges.

Atsuko closes her eyes and drifts into a deep sleep, leaving Jun to worry over her condition. Jun is well aware of Atsuko's predicament. She has fallen prey to Kenzo's poisonous influence, and this has been reflected in her real-life behavior as well. Given that she has spent more time than Jun in the sleeping pod, she is particularly vulnerable to Kenzo's poison. 

Determined to save her, Jun picks up Atsuko and carefully carries her to a guest room in his sanctuary. As he lays her down on the bed, he can't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion. He has come too far to let Atsuko slip away from him now. Though she has finally broken free from Kenzo's grasp, she is not yet completely rid of his toxic influence.

****

As Dr. Alistair stands in front of his main interface terminal, his eyes are glued to the vital signs of Atsuko, one of his subjects. There's a scowl on his face, indicating that he's not happy with what he's seeing. He's a man of many ambitions, and his ultimate goal is to merge reality and Caspien, a different dimension, into one. Atsuko's condition is critical, and Dr. Alistair knows that her dying plays a special part for his plans to move forward. If she dies, his dreams of merging the two worlds will come to pass. On the other hand, if she lives, it could mean the end of his ambitions. Turning to his daughter Myra, who's sitting beside him, he asks for her help. "Myra, can you do me a favor?"

"Anything for you, Papa." Myra replies, showing an innocent smile.

"I need you to help your friend, Atsuko."

"Okay Papa, you can count on me." Myra winks playfully and stands up. Dr. Alistair leads Myra to a different-looking sleeping pod, one that is bronze-colored and reserved for higher-level "beings." Atsuko's body is in a standard white sleeping pod, and Kenzo and Hideo are both in bronze-colored pods like the one Myra is getting into. At the Haven Headquarters, Remiel is deep in thought, trying to figure out a way to gain access to the Somnus Facility and retrieve Atsuko's body. Seiko, who is by his side, is also trying to help him with ideas. Seiko breaks the silence with a joke, "Remi, how about we make a dramatic entry into the facility with the S.W.A.T Team? It would be so cool and cinematic!" She is clearly trying to lighten the mood.

However, Remiel doesn't find it amusing. His expression is severe, "This is not a game, Seiko. We are dealing with life and death, and this is not the time to mix the real world and Caspien. Something like that should never happen." Seiko playfully pouts, "I know that, Remiel. I was just trying to add some humor." 

Remiel doesn't respond verbally, but he starts thinking of various ideas. The two sit in the common area, with Seiko studying Remiel's expression and blushing suddenly.

Remiel glances at Seiko, noticing her sudden change in demeanor. After a few seconds, he turns red and asks, "Why are you looking at me like that?" Seiko grins mischievously, "Like what?"

"Never mind," Remiel huffs, trying to calm his nerves. He knows that he has a soft spot for Seiko, and he doesn't want to get distracted. Changing the subject, Remiel clears his throat and goes back to his serious expression, "The plan to retrieve Atsuko is both simple and complex. We have two options. We can either sneak into Somnus Facility or pretend that we want to collaborate with Dr. Alistair." Seiko looks a bit uneasy, but she wears a determined expression, "It sounds challenging, but we can do this. I'm looking forward to it." Remiel smiles, feeling grateful to have Seiko as his partner. He knows that together, they can overcome any obstacle and accomplish their mission.

****

Atsuko awakens from her slumber, her eyes slowly fluttering open as she takes in her surroundings. She finds herself in a small, familiar room, with a plain bed. She's lying on it. Her eyes, a striking blue, dart around the room, filled with a sense of curiosity as a blank slate of thoughts fills her mind. The room is sparse, with only a single mahogany bookshelf standing in the corner. At the top of the second shelf, there's a book that catches Atsuko's attention. She feels inexplicably drawn to it and walks over to the bookshelf, reaching up on her tippy toes to retrieve it. The book is black, with no decorations other than the title, "My Lovely Paragon," printed in dark red calligraphy on the front cover. As Atsuko studies the book's cover, the door to her room creaks open, and just like that, her mind is flooded with memories from her false reality. She winces in pain as her body becomes cold, trying to shake off the memories.

Leaving her old room with the black book in hand, Atsuko steps into another room where she finds Jun sitting at a desk, writing something. She approaches him slowly, her steps hesitant, "Jun, is that you?" Jun stands up and exits the room through another door without saying a word. Atsuko was determined to catch up with Jun, who had just left the room, but she was distracted by a beautiful sketch he had left behind. The drawing depicted two people dancing, and as Atsuko looked at it, she suddenly found herself transported to a grand ballroom.

The room was filled with elegantly dressed people wearing masks to conceal their identities, and the atmosphere was one of mystery and romance. The interior of the ballroom had an ancient feel, with ornate decorations and dim lighting. A table laden with delicious pastries stood nearby, tempting Atsuko with its sweet treats. As Atsuko looks down at herself, she realizes that she too is dressed in fancy attire. She wears a frilly red and white dress that accentuates her curves, and her long brown hair flows down her back in soft waves. Her eyes glow a bright blue, and she feels beautiful and confident. Just then, a tall figure approaches her from behind, wearing a phantom mask and bleached orange hair. Atsuko's heart races as she wonders if it is Jun.

"Is that you, Jun?" she asks, her voice hesitant with hope.

The figure in front of her enters the mirror, grabbing Atsuko's wrist and pulling her inside. As soon as they are both within the mirror, the figure's appearance shifts and changes to.....

To Be Continued.