Blessed Messiah and the Tower of AI

Chapter 2: A Decision

Miku scans the scroll for the nth time, rereading the one line she can't get off her mind: "The Messiah is born every fifteen years..." and so on it goes. She just can't wrap her head around her- her of all people, her friends, her village- being the Messiah. She seemed so small compared to the kind of peril Earth is being dragged into. How can she be the one to save it?

"Hey, you feeling all right?" Meiko takes the spot besides Miku and props an arm on her leg.

"I... I don't know..." Miku utters, positioning a hand under her chin. "How are your injuries?"

"Okay for now. I didn't take much of a blow, so I bet the wounds'll heal up pretty soon. But come on, Miku, I know you're just trying to avoid my question: are you okay?"

The tealette bows down her head and hugs her knees to her chest. A mouth in her arms, she muffles a "no" that luckily Meiko is able to hear. The swordswoman smiles sympathetically and swings her head the opposite direction.

She hasn't seen Miku frown in forever. Meiko only ever got to see her when she was with the group, and those were the times when seeing her smile was inevitable. Although, lately she'd been noticing Miku losing herself to deep thought since a couple days ago. It was nothing like her to be so caught up in thinking that she isn't communicating with the others.

"Miku..." Meiko pats her back for comfort and the sounds of a soft crying follow.

"Meiko," the tealette lifts her head to reveal her red-stained cheeks and puffy eyes, "what do you think I should do?"

She doesn't give her question much thought, instantly blurting out, "Well, if I were you, I'd probably go for it..." Meiko pauses for a moment and rubs Miku's back. "But if you think this is too much for you to handle and can't accept being the Messiah, that's okay. Or if you think you're willing to head to the tower and face it, that's fine, too. I want you to know that whatever you choose, I'll support you all the way."

"Really?"

"Of course, and I know everyone else would say the same."

Miku wipes her tears and Meiko throws her into a hug to help regain her composure. The tealette succumbs to the motivation and breaks into a brief laugh. There's no wonder why Meiko is known as the motherly figure of them all.

"Now why don't you go outside with Rin and Len to think? They'll be happy to see you."

She pulls away from Meiko, giving her a quick nod until she stands up to go out the door. The brunette watches Miku exit the house and once the door closes, she's left to think on her own.

Everyone else in their group had gone off doing the usual: Rin and Len in the fields to tend to their sheep, Gakupo probably on the hill to say some prayers, Gumi in the library to catch up on reading. While the others- without Miku's consent- assumed she'd taken up the Messiah role and were gathering items in the village to prepare.

As much as Meiko wanted to go out and maybe practice a few sword swings, Kaito and Luka assured she'd stay at the house to heal. It frustrated her to think she couldn't go outside because of some simple injuries, but the two constantly insisted that she just had to abide by their commands.

A smile remaining on her face from the recent incident with Miku, she looks to the floor, only to realize that the scroll is still left at her feet. It's the one the oracle gave Miku, isn't it? She opens it up and carefully skims the paper.

After reading a peculiar line, Meiko's eyes frantically fly through the page and she stares at the words agape.

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