Ordo ab chao - A GWH Story (LEVEL 4)

Ordo ab chao - Chapter 4

During the following few days, Tsukiko kept mostly to herself. She still tried to maintain a façade of collected coolness around her peers, insisting the initial interrogation hadn't gone as planned but that she would still keep attempting to coax information out of the Colorful subject before the execution. However, in reality, the girl was dealing with her interior conflict on her own. She constantly had this strange sensation of shame, which impeded her from showing her speck to anyone. Also, nothing she did could wipe the color away. What if Aerin was right about it always being there? The Grey individual hated the very notion of it; she didn't even know her. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Maybe the color had led her to Sypha... Or, what's more, maybe that explained her obsession with finding the scurry one and why she could empathize with her so much. Could joining the Colorful really be the right thing to do?

No... What about her life as a Grey? What about everything she knew and stood for? She couldn't abandon it all just like that for one particularly disconcerting experience, no matter how powerful it was. Still, there had to be something she could do. Something significant that would eliminate these foreign emotions...

...or, if there was really no way to get rid of the color on her chest, at least eliminate the foreign aspect of them.

The day of the trial, Tsukiko was granted one last chance to interrogate the subject privately before entering court. The inspector entered the room with her mind made up. After having a few days to think it over with care, she was convinced of her next course of action. There was a way to reconcile both aspects of her life without sacrificing her convictions and beliefs, and all it took was one choice; one significant move.

Sypha greeted the white-haired woman with the same smile she had left her in their first encounter. The speck was covered up, but she could see the color in motion nevertheless. It looked like the Grey had finally come to terms with her true nature.

"Hello." The Colorful said, as if talking to an old friend. "Your mind is made up, it seems."

Tsukiko's expression was stoic, and she took a few seconds to reply. Aerin was being too optimistic; she was assuming too much. The investigator wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of fulfilling that specific desire, but there was something else she could do.

"Listen to me very carefully." She told her, remaining stone-faced despite the crazy thing she was about to do.

Sypha nodded, still smiling.

What happened that day changed the fate of that world. It was unexpected to everyone, but the tides slowly began to turn in favor of the Colorful until, many years later, their color reached almost everyone and everything. It respected those who didn't want to be converted, of course, but most people saw the good in letting their individualities and emotions run free, unbound by the strict laws that once tied them to a society that frankly felt boring and restrictive. In time, they would reach an accord with a few laws to create a more balanced place to live in for everyone.

All because of the actions of two certain women.

"Impressive." Minori declared. The light under her chest seemed to be glowing a bit brighter due to her glee. "I'm very proud of you, my dear spirit."

They were back on that crystalline platform in that indigo space again. After the end of that mortal life, Tsukiko's soul had once again been dragged back to see the Tale Dimension in her true form. Bit by bit, it was becoming more cohesive, and thus could withstand being separated from the Riversphere just for a moment longer than before. Plus, thanks to its growth, it had developed its form and consciousness a tad more as well, rendering it able to understand and express itself better.

"You did as I asked of you. You chose to live your life under the embrace of order and stuck with that until the end of your mortal days. As a result, you are leaning ever closer to becoming a spirit of order. I can't express how glad I am that this will work out for the both of us." The young-looking girl concluded, beaming at her friend.

"Thanks for your kind words... milady." The soul replied respectfully. "May I... return to the Riversphere now? I am... eager to return to life and start anew."

"Ah, yes." The dimension agreed. "But before you go, I have something else to say."

"What... is it?" Tsukiko's ghost inquired curiously.

Minori's beautiful expression slowly changed to show a heartbreaking tinge of sorrow.

"History repeated itself. Your encounter with the agent of chaos known as Sypha Aerin muddied the results of a perfectly orderly life. Given the choice to turn her in at such a critical moment, you... released her. Despite you sticking to order after that, color eventually took over the world. All because of one simple act of chaos."

An unpleasant silence fell between them. The immortal's disappointment was palpable in the air, making Tsukiko's spirit feel uncomfortable... but not entirely guilty.

"Why did you do that?" Minori asked, genuinely intrigued. She didn't sound like she was trying to accuse her partner, even though she still looked sad.

"There was... a speck of color." The ghost tried to explain. "I don't understand how, but... it came from inside me. I just couldn't... couldn't act against something so deeply embedded in my heart..."

The Tale Dimension sighed, comprehending the soul's words. It was understandable. She would have also acted in line with what her heart was telling her under such an extreme situation... which was exactly why this matter was so dangerous and delicate.

"The speck of color represents the small portion of you that's tainted by chaos." She told her. "Unfortunately, it's going to be omnipresent in all of your subsequent reincarnations unless you do something about it early. That is why you must stay strong and make an extra effort to side with order, my dear. You tend heavily to it, but chaos will always haunt you, trying to pull you away from your rightful path. So, please... do not forget your true mission. Stay away from significant choices of chaos so we can have a shot at surviving the great upcoming event together."

Tsukiko's spirit nodded, but otherwise, it made no indication that it had actually understood. Minori, noticing this, frowned in worry.

"The importance of this is greater than you know. Please promise me you will at least try."

"Where's... Kiari?" The ghost asked in wonder. "I miss her..."

The immortal was about to comment on how the fairy was not important anymore for the purposes of the mission, but before she said anything, she had a helpful idea.

"The spirit that used to constitute your Tale in that life is already working towards the same goal you are. If I said you were to find her and some of your old friends and family members in your following lives, would you consider being more active in avoiding chaos overtaking your mortal periods?"

"Y-yes." The soul responded almost instantly, brightening up somewhat.

"Marvelous." Minori's face was illuminated by the return of her smile. "In that case, you may go."

The immortal dimension watched in concern as Tsukiko flew away from the indigo space once more to become part of the stream of life. In the end, they had found a good motivator for her to get back on the right track... but there had never been any promises made. Granted, it was hard to make a promise of that kind with a soul when mortal bodies cannot recall spiritual memories so easily, but it would have helped, even if it was just a little. Just like in the previous instance, Minori had the awful feeling that something was going to go wrong with the plan, no matter how much they tried to prevent it.

No. Now was not the time to lose faith. Tsukiko was her only hope, and the Tale Dimension would do anything to help her fulfill her destiny.