The Oracle

Chapter 44: Home isn't a Place, it's a Person

AKARI

As I lie awake at night, staring at the wall as I rest on my side, I can't help but let my mind drift to the others at Aria. Before we went on the mission to leave, Clea and I managed to find time to talk to Aikaterina.

"Did you know?" I asked quietly as the three of us sat in Clea's dorm, Aikaterina nodding.

"I felt some sort of connection to him and thought that maybe we were related somehow due to him having married Naomi," Aikaterina explained. "And when he died, I felt it. I felt it as if it were me. And that's the moment I knew that I was the reincarnation of his daughter as I inherited Sloth. And...I knew that Carmin was the one who killed him. I could feel it in my bones, in my heart."

"So, you don't have anything against Sora?" Clea asked.

"No," Aikaterina smiled sadly. "I could feel that my dad really cared for him. Anyone who my father managed to care that much about after being so jaded must be a good person. Besides, I know it wasn't Sora's fault."

"Maybe someone should tell Sora that," I sighed sadly.

"You think he blames himself?" Aikaterina frowned.

"When doesn't he?" I asked, meeting her emerald green eyes, Clea's eyes flickering downcast in agreement.

"Sora," I sigh, turning onto my back to stare at the ceiling instead, holding up a hand in the air to lazily trace the patterns on the ceiling. "I hope you're alright."

Aikaterina decided to stay behind at Aria in order to ensure that there was still somebody on the right side left to guide those who came to realize that what was going on was wrong. I can only hope that she's safe as well. As for Reverence and Kaito...I don't know what ran through Kaito's head the last time we spoke, nor do I know what went through Reverence's mind during the entire incident with Evory and Raciel. Reverence seemed to shut down after the incident happened, unsure what to believe and what to fight for anymore, torn between his brother and what's right. I can't blame him, but I wish he'd make the right choice, no matter how hard it may be.

I chew on my bottom lip, feeling bad about leaving Reverence and Kaito behind. After all, it's only natural Reverence is conflicted, and Kaito...the look on his face before I left has been ingrained in my memory since I saw it. But it's his fault for being so emotionally blind and such a jerk to those around him. At the same time, though is it really his fault he ended up that way?

"My mother and father died when I was six," Kaito told me one time when we were on a mission together, hiding in an open tree to get cover from the rain. "They died protecting me from Wrath, who tried to take me from them. Ever since I was a baby, they knew I was Envy, and they knew that protecting me came with risks. My parents were just humans, not even Arias, but they did their best to protect me. Wrath took everything from me, and I vowed to never let myself become like him."

"Kaito..." I breathed out, my eyes wide at him finally opening up to me as he sat there staring out the opening of the tree, his eyes downcast and his jaw clenched.

"I grew up isolated, orphaned, made fun of for being alone. The other kids called me a freak," Kaito laughed dryly. "Could you believe it? Not only was I mocked for being alone, but I was mocked for just being who I am, what I am. I couldn't help I was born with these abilities. I couldn't help that my parents were slaughtered in front of me. I couldn't help that nobody cared. So, I guess...I just stopped caring that nobody cared, and I refused to let anyone try because I didn't want to be disappointed."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked softly, wondering what made him trust me, let me get close to him.

"Something about you just..." Kaito glanced over at me, his red eyes meeting my blue ones, "god, you just radiate home."

"I radiate home," I breathe out, dropping my hand back down to rest on my stomach. "Do I still?"

I was his home, and I left him just as he was left before.

***

"Well, you're up early," Nikita muses as she notices me standing in the same place I was standing at night when I was talking to Sander, the sun just starting to rise. "Can't sleep?"

"Not really, no," I admit as I have my arms draped over the railing, a caffeinated drink in a mug resting in my hands.

"I see..." Nikita hums. "What's troubling you?"

"It's just...I left someone behind who couldn't see that fleeing Aria was the right thing to do," I explain. "He let me go, but he didn't approve. At first, I felt like it was his fault for not seeing reason when I continuously tried to explain the truth to him, but now I feel like I abandoned him."

"He just needs time. I'm sure he'll come around," Nikita says, looking out at the sky with me. "After all, if someone as important to him as you told him that, he'll be sure to think about it."

"Yeah, I suppose..." I trail off.

"I noticed Reverence wasn't with you," Nikita says after a few moments.

"He seems...broken," I wince at the word, but don't know any better way to explain it.

"That sounds about right," Nikita nods before she sighs. "In every way, actually. He lost his parents, he lost the love of his life, he's a dead man walking, he lost a friend, and now he's about to lose his brother. It's no wonder he shattered under the pressure. You would think that him surviving all of that would make him stronger, but it seems as if the Reverence he was before he fell was stronger than he is now. He's simply lost his hope, all he needs is it back."

"You warned Reverence not to come back here," I start. "Why was that?"

"I warned him not to come back because I knew that if he did, he'd bring Aria with him, whether intentionally or unintentionally," Nikita sighs once more. "The last thing I wanted was Carmin finding a way to break through the barrier. So, I made sure Reverence was as healed as he could be, and I sent him on his way. Sure, it was upsetting. I had come to care for him, but I knew he couldn't see the whole truth until he experienced it for himself."

"Most people often can't see the truth until they experience it for themselves," I say sadly in agreement. "That's just the way life is."

"Unfortunately, you're more right than you know," Nikita glances over and sends me a sad smile.

"It seems I get that a lot," I smile back at her, deciding that maybe I can relate more to Nikita than I thought I could, and that maybe I shouldn't be worrying about Kaito and the others as much as I am. After all, I trust that he'll understand eventually, now matter how long that may take.