God Eater: Shattered Dawn

Chapter 25: Perfect panacea

900+ views! You know what this means...

To Molly, a great friend of mine.

I added this song because...it's good. And I can imagine Aria singing it or whatever. Yup.

Ri's POV

I gulped as I saw Lupa fall to the floor. Okay, this was bad.

I knelt by her, checking my inventory, my pockets. Everything. I found all manner of poison antidotes, but I knew they were only for normal, not dark poisons.

No, there was a specific one I needed. I pulled a small wooden chest out of my pocket, decorated with golden patterns.

"What is it?" I was almost afraid to ask. He was way too young to be proposing.

We were only 10, for God's sake.

"It's called a perfect panacea. It can heal every illness there is."

"Every illness?"

I opened the catch on the box to find a small bottle inside. When I say small, I mean tiny.

The drop of liquid fell into her mouth. "This better be as good as you said it was. It's your sister's life at stake here."

Lupa's eyes opened again in answer. "You knew my brother?"

I smiled a little. "C'mon Lu, you can do better than that. Think."

She closed her eyes.

Lupa's POV

I tried to conjure up Ri's face, but it was blocked by a wall. Clearly I didn't want to remember.

I pushed the wall, crumbling it down in a flood of emotion.

Aria and Jack were chatting on the train comfortably now. I decided it would be an okay time for me to go ask the driver something, so I left the two.

"Hey Ari," Jack sounded shy. "What would you think about...going out sometime?"

He didn't think I could hear, but I could as I walked along the train corridor. Ari was probably blushing. "I think...I'd like that very much."

Another memory, shorter this time. I flew Josh down to Bloomingdale, and Ari waved to me. I smiled and waved back.

A hundred other dates. And then the war.

I landed in the village of Angel Falls, the crashing waterfall echoing around me. "Oh, Lupa." Ari looked surprised to see me. "What are you doing here? Where's Jack?"

My mind desperately tried to block it out, to push me away.

"He's...gone." she was shocked. "He died in battle, I couldn't save him. I'm sorry."

The shock was replaced by anger. A burning fury. "You monster! How could you have let your own brother die!"

I was unable to stand the memories any more. I opened my eyes.

"I'm so sorry Ari..." How could I not have realised who she was?

She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry for being such a dolt. I forgot you were suffering just as much as I was. I put myself first."

There was no sarcasm in her voice, no suppressed anger or judgement. She truly meant what she said. "Friends?" I offered a hand.

She paused, then took my hand hesitantly. "Friends." I smiled. It was what Jack would have wanted.

We left the area, complaining about the heat and that we needed showers, and spent the journey chatting about the terrors of bugs.

Needless to say, everyone was surprised when we came back.