POST_METAMORPHOSIS - Arc I: REGENERATIO

Chapter V/2 - The 0th session

It's been two days since Saki reached out to Aleister. She was reading the brochures about Valkyria.

- "I still can't believe I wanted to miss these things out... It's a magnificent place... It has such an interesting yet bleak history... The efforts they put into making this town safe, comfortable, and sympathetic to everyone... I believe I may live more cheerfully here than in my hometown... Argh, dammit! What a complete idiot I was... To believe my world was bright and joyous... And I can't undo my mistakes, even if I had the strength to do so... And Hana... My daughter... She's gone... and I can't bring her back... But still... Even if it's hard, I must move onward... I have to learn from my mistakes... and I need to emerge from my pain... Yet I can't do this alone... My mom would enjoy being here if she was even alive. No! I still don't want to fantasize about it..."

- Hey, Saki! - Emma appeared in her room.

- Oh... Hi.

- Is anything wrong? Was I too sudden?

- No... I was only... lamenting...

- Saki...

- It's... Nevermind... ... Either way, I've finished reading the prospects. You live in such a wonderful place.

- Thanks... You can keep them. I bet your place is magnificent, too.

- Well..., I doubt it...

- Oh... Yeah, right...

- ... Japan is a colorful country, to be honest... Full of folklore, traditions, top-notch infrastructure, and refined cuisine... but also filled with malice and oppression... You can feel that lingering psychological and social terror trying to crawl into your skin. And... I still hate myself for what I have become... - Saki sounded bitter when she was loathing herself. It caught Emma's attention.

- You needn't. Remember what Al said.

- Yeah... He seems to be a nice man... Yet anything can happen...

- Well, he is... And I'd like to reassure you, Saki. We don't intend to harm you by any means. We aim to help you.

- Alright... Sorry if I still sound paranoid... I didn't get used to such... treatment... "Not this time, dammit..."

- Hey... It's alright... We have only the best intentions for you... Can you understand it?

- Yeah, I can...

- Cool! ... Am I disturbing you?

- You're not...

- Thanks. ... Uh... Were you honest when you said you like listening to heavy metal and hard rock?

- Yes. Why do you ask?

- Nothing really, just Al thought about you and sent over his favorite tracks you would most likely enjoy.

- Well, that's kind of him...

- I'll send your regards to him-

- You needn't. I'll do it personally if I have the chance to do so. "That was close..."

- That's how you do it! Remember to communicate with us more often if you feel like it. You're not likely to regret it here.

- Yeah... That's... a good suggestion... And this place is... constantly healing my mind and soul... Aside from those anomalies from yesterday...

- Agreed... It was a horrific sight, I believe...

- Yeah... I saw myself... as a... prostitute... from hell...

- You know you're never meant to lead a life like that terrible.

- .... Yeah! ... But we eliminated it. Not that I wanted to turn to the dark side... I should be better than this... And after what I've been through... even though I'd still think it was my fault..., I'm feeling microscopically better by the second... Strange, yet... comforting...