63 A Sinister Path (2/2)

”Hai... But, oni-chama can I ask a question?”

”Sure, what is it?”

”Why does Lacrimosa onee-chan love to go to dark places?”

”Hmmm... Maybe it's because it's ugly like her?”

”Ehhh??? Onee-chan is not ugly! She is beautiful, like an angel!”

Hmm... That's also how I took perception of her the first time we met. Beautiful. Elegant. Graceful beyond bounds. Yep. Not till her mouth started to blabber to no end. I don't know why but every sound it makes, nullifies her facade down to earth... She does look like an angel... if her mouth is kept with a duct tape that is.

”I'm just kidding, Shiro. Hehehe.” I frivolously replied,

”Hmmmphhhh... Yous shouldn't call people ugly, oni-chama. My mother used to tell me that all people have beautiful in their insides too...”

”Roger that!” Look what you've done Jaiden... You just turned your adopted sister to a Values Educator, which is supposed to be your role, and worse, you even made her remember her mother.

Remembering that her mother's not with her, the girl's enthusiasm suddenly dropped. She probably saw memory flashing before her.

”Let's go?” I asked without taking consideration of the little girl. I have to say sorry, it's not like I'm good at cheering someone.

”Yes, oni-chama! Bye-bye Mr. Slimies!”, she bid thee slimes that she played with earlier her farewell, and to my surprise, they frickin responded back with their slithery waves, that again made the girl rejuvenate her usual self. Salute to the slimies!

Then, to the unknown, we both go, and to this sinister path that we must navigate in two days time, whilst knowing that if we don't abide by the rules of the warfare and to merely play, then the chance of getting off in the first few quarters would be slim to zero. And, 'Winning' in our minds is not that prevalent.

First in the checklist is 'Survival' in an environment that we are not fully accustomed to and in a realm with so little knowledge of what really is inside its sphere. Other than that, this might just be the perfect warm-up for the greater challenges that we are hell-bent to face, not yonder.