T.A series Volume 7: Feathers of Fury

Chapter 43 - A Twisted Heroine

The incident had left scars that ran deeper than she had realized, and the weight of the humiliation felt just as heavy as it did on that day.

The image of Ranran, the 4-year-old girl with the rose eyepatch, and the power she had wielded haunted her, reminding her of her own vulnerability and powerlessness. Then she recalled the Ranran she knows now, the 6-year-old before her: Still as cunning, ruthless and blunt as she remembered.

A series of incidents from the past, ones that she had attributed solely to Ranran's villainous actions, now began to take on a new perspective. Sonoko saw her own past actions and judgments through a clearer lens. One significant memory stood out—the event where Shinichi had cut ties with both Sonoko and Ran to become Ranran's Tantei apprentice.

As Sonoko looked back on that event, she started to connect the dots. She remembered how she had been quick to blame Ranran entirely for what had transpired. She had seen Ranran as the sole reason behind Shinichi's decision, and she had harboured resentment toward both of them. But now, with a more mature understanding, Sonoko saw the situation in a different light.

She realized that her own behaviour, her possessiveness over Shinichi as her best friend's first love, and her refusal to accept his choices, had played a significant role in the events that had unfolded. The memory of appeasing Mouri Ran who has unrequited love towards Shinichi, her unwillingness to share Shinichi with anyone else to ensure Ran has him, and her tendency to prioritize her own feelings over the happiness of others weighed heavily on her conscience.

The memory of a specific conversation with Shinichi came rushing back to her—a conversation she had long suppressed. It was a conversation where Shinichi yelled at her to stop harassing Ranran. At the time, Sonoko had dismissed his words, blinded by Mouri Ran's grief.

Now, however, those words carried new meanings.

While she reflected on her past actions, Sonoko felt a deep sense of regret. She saw herself for the first time as the flawed spoiled heiress she was, someone who had contributed to her own pain and to the pain of others. As much as Ranran took it too far with the church incident, she lost a friend through murder, and to top it off, Sonoko's callous statement angered all of the children of the Edgewood Academy who saw the deceased boy as their protector and friend who died unfairly too soon.

Whether Ranran held a grudge towards Sonoko or not, remains to be seen. But Sonoko wouldn't be surprised if Ranran still did, and she had every right to be mad at Sonoko and Ran for the things they did to her and Shinichi.

In the midst of her introspection and self-discovery, Sonoko recognized that...she messed it up big time.

As much as Ishibashi Mamiko was solely to be blamed for manipulating her and Ran, towards the end of the day, ultimately, it was their own choices and behaviour that had compounded the situation. Mamiko had taken advantage of Sonoko and Ran's insecurities plus vulnerability, but Sonoko had allowed herself to be swayed by those manipulations.

The image of Ranran, both as the 4-year-old wielding power and the 6-year-old with her cunning and ruthlessness, served as a constant reminder of the consequences of her actions. Sonoko couldn't deny that Ranran had changed, evolved, and grown, just as she had. And while Ranran's methods might have been extreme, she had shown Sonoko the mirror of her own flaws and had forced her to confront her own mistakes.

As she continued to reflect on her past, Sonoko's tears weren't just tears of regret, shame, and pain. The worst part is what she did to Shinichi.

The realization hit her hard—she had let her possessiveness and selfishness ruin her friendship with Shinichi. She had contributed to pushing him away, and now, her once dear friend was not only out of her reach but thriving under Ranran's mentorship.