[Original] Chronicles of the Paranormal [Novel]

Chapter 6: Rin's Past

Chapter 6: Rin's Past
The red moon glimmered overhead, and a dark blue-haired youth with eyes as equally crimson as the moon stared up at it. Rin watched the youth carefully, wondering what he was contemplating. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he was thinking intensely about something, and Rin thought that he must be reflecting over his life before he died. Rin was surprised to see him there, though she knew that his time must have come. She went over to Hachirou and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, before saying, "You're now in the spirit world, Hachirou. Do you feel any residual pain transitioning from the physical world to the spiritual world?"

"The only pain I feel is my dignity," Hachirou said. "I've been murdered in cold blood. To prevent me from revealing the truth."

"Do you have any regrets about the life that you lived, Hachirou?" Rin asked.

The youth turned to gaze at her with crimson eyes. "The thing I regret is that I will be unable to perform my work as an Oracle. Such a shame, don't you think?"

Yes, it was unfortunate that he was taken at the tender age of eighteen, though if that was his destiny, then that's how it should play out, or so Rin thought. Hachirou was her friend, and it pained her to see him in so much emotional turmoil, yet she knew that eventually he would have to move on from this state and go on to reincarnate. That's the natural progression of things when it came to the shinigami world.

"I know that you performed good deeds as an Oracle," Rin said carefully. "And your services have been greatly appreciated."

Hachiro turned to take a step towards her. "I could do so much more, though. Rin, you knew that this day was going to happen. Did you also know the potential things that I could have done in this lifetime? In the next lifetime, I might not even be born an Oracle again."

It's true that he could be born another person entirely rather than the Oracle that he used to be. Rin knew that, and it was a shame that he probably wouldn't be able to keep his Oracular abilities in the next life, there were dozens of Oracles that were being born in the world as they speak. This is all for the sake of balance, Rin told herself. This was just how things had to be, no matter how unfair or unjust that it seemed. She would try to reason with him, make him see that it really is for the best that he moves on from this lifetime and into the next one.

"Hachirou, I know it's hard to transition from the physical world to the spiritual world when you die, though you will eventually get used to it," Rin said gently. "You saved so many people so selflessly. Though your time has come, and now you must move onto the next lifetime that is in store for you."

Hachirou shook his head. "There's still more good that I can do. There's still more lives that I can save. I can also solve murder cases that have been cold cases for several years. I have the power to look into the past, present and future. With this power, I can still do so much more."

Rin felt herself falter for a moment. She knew that Hachirou wasn't bluffing about the good things that he did as an Oracle. She saw them firsthand, as she also worked alongside Hachirou rewriting people's destinies or solving cold cases. But would it really be worth it to revive him again, while going against the rules of the shinigami world? It was absolute taboo that shinigami use their powers to resurrect a person into their bodies again, even though they had the capability of doing so. Why this rule was put in place, she didn't know, though she was certain that it upset the balance of the spiritual world somehow.

"What would you do if I were to bring you to life again?" Rin asked, more to see what his response would be rather than caving in.

"I would do the same things that I have always done. Helping other people. Besides, you helped me rewrite their destinies, so I think that I deserve a rewrite of my own destiny for all the deeds that I've performed. Wouldn't you agree?"