Alte Liebe Rostet Nicht

Foresight

So many conflicting feelings, so much nonsense. Or so it had seemed at the time. Ann couldn't believe shallow words, they couldn't just accept this. The two events had been burned into their minds, the image Nyeli had created and Sora's words: All of them in favor of Izumi for some god forsaken reason. In favor of him... But why? What was this nonsense? Nothing could convince them, nothing. They aligned a little too well yet were independent events all the same. There was no way the two events could have happened just like that...

Or they were just thinking too hard about it the whole time. A jerk being kind? A jerk who is not hated? That doesn't happen. One day he will get what is coming to him! They were set on this!

However, if there's one thing Ann would not wish upon anyone, it was the sight they had right in front of them, right now. It would be a shock to literally anyone, most likely. Or maybe it hit just a little too close to home. They would feel this for anyone at that very moment. Something about it was just... Terrifying.

The sight was something to behold and in their current state of mind should have made them smirk widely, laugh even. But it didn't.

Right there, he was standing right over there. Right in Ann's view, them being in disbelief when having taken in the sight. It was different, to the point it made them anything but joyful however. It felt... Oddly pitiful, to say the least. They couldn't help themselves. It was probably the worst sight they had ever seen, or at least one of the worst. And to top it all off... It may have been a fate worse than death they had been witnessing.

"Ah yes, the boy had it coming..." A sudden rough, dark, voice in the tone of a man suddenly echoed through the dark emptiness, making Ann shriek for a moment as they turned around non stop, their face turning and turning. But nothing, nothing at all.

"Who–" They only let out but were interrupted by said voice in the end.

"Don't pay attention to me girl, pay attention to this... Thing."

As if their head had been forced to turn, feeling as if some type of force was making them twist it into the direction, it had gone back to the sight they had witnessed a moment ago. "Do you see this boy? Tch, hasn't learnt a damn thing. Look how he's standing there, all by himself, all alone."

"Alone?" They repeated, a little too soft for their liking. But they could tell. This pose alone seemed out of character. The 'boy' was standing there like some sack of potatoes, facing the ground, even trembling in place. As if he was feeling the coldness of this place against his very own skin more intensely than they did. Nothing and no one else was in this empty, devoid space. It was just the two of them, though a great distance from one another. He had not even spotted Ann, too busy sulking in place.

"Hmm... Why yes, of course. He had it all. Friends and family, even a career ahead. But due to his arrogance he threw it all into the trash. Now he is just a sad, pathetic existence of a human being. If you can even call him a 'human being' to begin with." The voice said all of this with a certain mocking tone yet also a coldness coming right from it. It was told to them, right in their ears, yet at the same time sounded indifferent, as if this voice could care less to begin with. There was no joy, sadness, rage nor concern. Just indifference... Left cold by all of this. Every single moment was nothing to them. It could have been anyone standing there and this voice would still not care. It was not comforting, it was stating the hard, cold facts. Truths they didn't want to hear, even if this did not concern themselves. Alone the thought of it could make them shake in their boots to be honest, even if it was not directed towards themselves.

"All alone in this world. Billions of people, yet not a single one will stay. They all leave him to crumble in the end. He's alone. An impressive feat on its own, isn't it?"

"Impressive? No..." They didn't know why but they kept responding while staring in utter shock. By then the male had been falling to his very own knees, looking more vulnerable than he would present himself to be. The proud way of standing still, head up high and the back right straight.. Gone. All gone, as if soaked right out of him. It was truly a pathetic sight, surely. Yeah, in some way it was. But in the end it was also an odd and uncomfortable sight. There was no one and they couldn't get closer either. Out of reflex they had reached their hand out yet were worried if it wouldn't come off as weird. They didn't know exactly what happened. Or rather, what was happening. It was confusing, to say the least. Ann felt conflicted. They wanted to get closer but... At the same time... This was just... Did they even have the right to do that was the better question. What if they were pushed away? if anyone approached them at such a time, they knew they would. After all, you can trust no one when all by yourself... They knew it better than anyone. And they wished this upon no one, really. A fate worse than death... A fate no one deserves... A scary fate.

"No? You take no joy in what is coming to him?" The voice suddenly asked, though it felt more because it had to ask. Yet they nodded. Why were they even talking to someone they couldn't see at this rate? They... Had no idea if they were completely honest right now. They just did. Their mouth opened on their own at this sight alone, responding in a rather natural way. It all had just come to them after all.

"No... Not like this..."

"Huh... But you hate him so, so much."

"I... That..." They couldn't deny it, not when they had said so earlier. They hated him. They hated Izumi Sena. They swore to never take pity on him. Yet even then, seeing him like this... It made them more than conflicted. It hurt. Their own body was aching at the mere sight alone. Looks like there are moments where they probably could take pity on him.. If this was true. If any of this was true. Maybe...

"You're an odd one, I'll say that much."

"Odd?" Yeah, maybe that was somewhat true...

"But it is what it is. Taking pity even on the lowest of the low... Shouldn't you celebrate?"

"Not really..."

"Not really you say? Hmm... One last chance."

"A what?"

"One last chance, wouldn't you say? If he won't take it, he will have to suffer the consequences."

"Wh... What are you–"

However, before any of this could go on Ann's eyes shut open, one moment to the next. Before knowing it they were back where they had remembered to be, their one room apartment. It was a cluttered mess, to say the least, and had not been cleaned in some time. Crammed, packages lying around, anyone with the need to clean would probably hop to it straight away.

Regardless, it didn't bother them as they had sat up and didn't pay much attention to the usual scenery. Instead they were just seated in their futon, panting rather heavily as they held their forehead with one of their hands. This... This was... Weird. It felt so... Real. It made them ache a little, almost making them somewhat sick, feeling bad even. Though not for themselves, no. For... Izumi, oddly enough. And all he did was stand there, crying and whining. But somehow... It hurt. It hurt them to see him like this. Yes, sure, it could be chopped off as a dream but this had started to pile up. Maybe, just maybe... They wished to see if there was some truth behind it all. If he was truly a 'kind' person. They couldn't see it... But others could. Nyeli was even ready to not hate him yet. And Ritsu had pointed it out...

There had to be more, more than they might want to see. After all, once getting behind the facade they might end up no longer hating him... But it was worth a shot. If Nyeli did not resent him yet, there might be some hope. Or just something... They just needed to figure out what.
And the first step to that is finding out what Izumi's deal really is.