The Children of Nihon (BOOK TWO)

Chapter 2 - Just a Game

"I don't want to partner with you," Sofia said to Orì. "I don't want to join in this game at all, but if I must, at least I don't want to do so with you."

Orì tilted her head.

"Are you still cross with me?" When Sofia didn't even dignify this with a response, she added, sweetly, "I'm afraid you don't have a choice."

"Sure I do."

Sofia crossed her arms in front of her chest and firmly planted her feet, as if she were expecting someone to tackle her to the ground, or to drag her away.

Orì laughed, which only made Sofia resent her more, even though she hadn't thought that possible.

"Why did you do it?" she asked despite herself. 

She had resolved that she wouldn't ask Orì any questions at all, that she would accept her betrayal as the action of a completely evil person, and that she wouldn't even care anymore. Except, maybe, for some kind of revenge, one day. She had told herself that she would be cold and distant and superior until then. Instead she found herself angry, with tears rising hotly behind her eyes. She wanted to take Orì by the shoulders and shake her until she got a satisfying answer.

Why have you done this? I never had a friend before, and now it turns out you never were my friend in the first place.

Orì's face faltered a little, but not enough for Sofia to truly recognize her as the person she had used to know.

"You don't even look like yourself," she said. "You look like her." She put as much contempt in the word her as she could.

Orì shrugged as if she didn't care, but it didn't come out right.

"It's just - because she prefers it. If I look like her. Because - because I am her daughter." The last word seemed to restore her confidence. She took Sofia by the arm. "Come now, I want us to be in one of the squares in the front. I bet you have learnt so much since you came here. You really have to tell me all about it! I am a little jealous that you got to travel all alone through Nihon like that." Orì pulled Sofia closer. "Wouldn't it have been amazing if I had been there too? We'd have had so much fun!"

Sofia had been so surprised by Orì's sudden chattering that she let herself be pulled after her. She remembered how much she had wished for Orì's company when she was in Nihon, before she had met Mica and Kaido, and even after that. But to hear Orì say it, just like that, as if nothing had happened, turned her cold again.

"You don't understand anything," she muttered. "Nobody here does. Everything is just a game to you."

Orì smiled brightly, as if to affirm Sofia's words.

"Don't be so grumpy. I am so happy that you are here." She pulled a mock-frown. "It would be nice if you were happy, too."

Sofia didn't even consider saying something in return to that. Since she had been taken, she felt like less of herself with every moment. All that she had left were the clothes on her back. Even her backpack with her ledger, her puppet, her lantern and the only thing of any objective value, the obsidian that Orì had given her, had been taken away from her. Sofia wanted to ask for them back, she even thought that she might taunt Orì into returning them to her, but she had to wait for the right moment. After all, what could she do with these things? Yet, they had been a part of her, chosen like an extension of herself when she had left her home.

And her memories.

Orì had indeed managed to pull her towards the front. An area of the turf had been divided into equally sized squares. The squares were drawn on the ground. The lines looked deep and elevated at the same time, like the sun reflecting on water, creating an optical illusion that could not be precisely described.