User blog:Seieireppa/God Eater:Universitas, chapter 30: Memories of You, part 1

Beoblade’s return was met with great celebration. One of their own had made it to the Horizon and successfully gained power of a magnitude that defied the very definition of “power.”  With this, they were one step closer to being able to stand against Feldman when he returned.

Still, though, that was only one of them—two if you were to count Sigma—and Feldman would have his enhanced Boundary Aragami at his disposal. They would need more power—far, far more—should they want any sort of a chance in the coming war.

Amidst all of the celebration, one man slipped out relatively unseen. He wasn’t much of one for crowds, it seemed, and besides, there was something weighing on the mind of the one called Ken as he took the elevator to the roof of the Liverpool Branch.

“So much has happened,” Ken spoke quietly to himself as the elevator rose. “I mean, I’m glad I’m free of that prison, but at the same time… I’m in this unfamiliar time, everyone I knew is older, and then there’s, well…”

Ken slumped against the wall of the elevator, the light gone from his eyes.

“Misaka…” Ken lamented. “If only I could see you again. God, I was doing fine here until I thought about her, and now look at me. I’m a wreck. Some God Eater I am…”

Ken gripped the hilt of his God Arc and gazed skyward, or at least towards where the sky would be were he outside.

“I’ve wielded this blade through thick and thin, to slay more Aragami than I can count… but what’s the point? Any notion of happiness I ever had is gone, and who knows if I’ll still remain here once the crap with Feldman is over? I just don’t know…  Misaka… what would you do?”


 * Dry your tears, Ken.

A familiar voice snapped Ken out of his stupor.

“That voice… Misaka! Where are you, Misaka?!”


 * I’m right here, Ken.

“What?? I can’t see you… Misaka, where are you…?”


 * Right here.

And as the elevator reached its apex and the sliding double doors opened, the scenery that greeted Ken was not that of the heliport atop the Liverpool Branch, but rather an unfamiliar space of infinite darkness stretching off into every direction.

“Oh my god…” Ken began, stepping out of the elevator and into the alien landscape—or lack thereof—that awaited him. “This is… the Horizon? It’s just like Beo described. Misaka… did you lead me here?”


 * Come this way, Ken.

“Where? Where are you?”


 * I’m right here, Ken.  Just step forward.

And as Ken took one unsteady step after another, the world around him began to change. Off in the distance, a single speck of light appeared, spreading outwards infinitely until it became an endless horizon line of brilliant blue light that extended as far as the eye could see.

This was it, Ken realized. He’d made it. He’d been chosen by the Horizon… which meant—

A single noise, a slight sound from behind Ken snapped him back to his senses. Going by what Beo had said, he’d have to fight “himself,” a vision of his own perfect, idealized self—

But the one who stood behind him was not the mirror image he had been expecting.

Ken dropped to his knees as before him stood the one person he had wanted to see more than anything else in this world.

“Misaka… it’s really…”  Tears rolled down Ken’s cheeks as he struggled to wrap his mind around what he saw.

“Ken, stand up,” came the reply of the form of Misaka. “Stand up and dry your tears. I’m right here.”

Ken rose to his feet and took Misaka into an embrace. “Oh, how I wanted to see you again… God, I missed you, I missed you so much…”

“There, there…” Misaka returned Ken’s embrace, comforting him as he struggled to retain his composure. “I’m right here. Everything will be alright.”

This was it, Ken thought. This was everything he wanted… but something wasn’t right. This was Ken’s ultimate happiness… so why did he feel so… so hollow?

“Misaka…” Ken began, breaking the hug.

“Yes? What is it, brother?” came Misaka’s earnest reply.

Ken steeled himself, his hand on the hilt of his God Arc.

“Misaka… what are you?”

At once, the atmosphere completely changed. All feeling of warmth vanished from the space as Misaka’s visage suddenly shifted, taking on a forlorn and distant expression.

“What do you mean, Ken?” inquired Misaka. “I’m me… aren’t I?”

Ken pushed her away, taking his God Arc in hand. “No… you aren’t Misaka. Misaka’s dead… I remember that. I remember the mission, all those Aragami… like hell you’re Misaka! How dare you defile my sister’s memory!”

He barely had time to finish his thoughts as a black blade swung down on him from above, forcing Ken to parry with his own God Arc as he looked up to gaze upon the source. Misaka had drawn her God Arc and attacked without warning, that same forlorn expression on her face as she bore down on Ken like a predator determined to devour its prey.

“Misaka… what…?!”  Ken struggled to speak as Misaka pressed into him with her God Arc.

“You’ve moved beyond your desire to see your sister again,” came the voice of the Misaka who was not Misaka. “Now that you’ve proven your own inner strength and willingness to discard your past to progress onwards, the true test can begin. Now, Ken… surpass me! Surpass me and surpass yourself, and prove your worth to the Horizon!”

In a fierce push, Ken shifted his God Arc to its buster blade form, knocking Misaka away as she assumed a battle stance.

“You’re wrong, Misaka… no, Horizon,” Ken exclaimed, shifting his God Arc back to its short blade form. “I haven’t discarded anything. I still regret Misaka’s death… but I will not let you defile her memory! I’ll show you, here and now, that I’m strong enough even for her absence!”

“Good… very good,” Misaka replied, charging at Ken once more. “Now—”

““—let’s throw down!””

-

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