Collaborator Arc 4: Fade To End

Episode 14: Apology And Trust

Araru: (Who does this girl think she is?? Meeting one person and she just changes her mind about everything?? Bah! Impossible! And even it's the truth, why? Why does it matter now? The world itself hasn't changed. The one person she put all her hope into has died. For what reason does she have to keep going at this point?? Death should be on her mind and I should be there to prevent it to make her suffer! *Long pause* I just don't get it. What makes her better than me? Why can she move on from her pain while I couldn't?)

(Eva sits and focuses for a moment. Every memory of Zellos, Nuvia, his sisters, and Hana flow through her mind once again. She takes note of every one of them. She sees and feels every emotion they each went through for their entire lives. Eva cries, she laughs, and she can sense a slight euphoria from time to time. Fear still strikes her when she sees her father, as most of the memories pertaining to him are through combat, but she quickly composes herself. After several minutes, she stops viewing the memories.)

Eva: *Thinking* That was their lives. I can expect as much from my mom and dad at this point. I'll have to kill them, too, won't I? The others couldn't be reasoned with and these last few just attacked without communicating. (Though I felt a little desperation coming from them in their last moments.)

Araru: Girl…

Eva: What is it now? Here to shout at me? Tear me down and make me suffer?

Araru: How did you do it?

Eva: Do what?

Araru: How did you...get past your pain? I've caused so much of it to you. To your whole family. I am a bane to your existence and yet...you're choosing to cast that aside.

Eva: There's one thing you need to know. That is to forgive, but never forget. I still hate you and I will somehow make you take responsibility, but to let myself get wrapped up in only that...it doesn't feel good. I can forgive your actions for myself, but I will never forget the horrible things you've done. And I'm making my choices based on that. You're a part of me now. We can't live without each other unless you leave me willingly. But I have a feeling you don't really want to die either.

Araru: Forgive...you're forgiving me? Do you think you're better than me?

Eva: It's not about who's better than who. Forgiveness is about letting go. What you've done is in the past now. There's nothing I can do about you killing everyone, but I can use you for the now and future of this world.

Araru: (Letting go? Of all the pain, all the suffering...all the hurt. Should I have let go of the pain brought on by my own family and the humans? How? Why?) How did you just let go?

Eva: I didn't just let go. Being in these fights and seeing these memories...I saw the hate and the pain consume my family and their friends. They didn't let go. Zellos especially. And because he couldn't, he died for it. I have to do better. I can't let things end here. I will do them justice, but not through anger or hate.

Araru: Girl...Evangeline...I'm sorry.

Eva: *Quick pause* Excuse me?

Araru: I think you're right. I should have forgiven a long time ago. I let my own emotions consume me. It cost me my wife and my children. All by my own hands. I am a being of nature. All of my elements make up my personality. Darkness is a great amplifier. As well as light. It's no excuse, but I let it take me over. I created an imbalance within myself, one that my light element could not compensate for. But it was my choice to let it consume me, and I've been on a rampage until now. So again...I'm sorry, Evangeline. I'm very sorry.

Eva: Is this a joke? Are you trying to play me again!?

Araru: Your skepticism is justified, but this time, I'm serious.