Silver Wish

"I--"

Lila shook her head. "Please listen to me. This is something not even Kiryu knows very well. But there was a time when I was younger when my father just abandoned me, he took me on a walk and left me in a strange town. He said he would be coming back, but I waited and waited. The innkeeper didn't know what to do with me. But when she saw how pretty I was, she tried to gain profit. One day somebody offered to take me off her hands for a hefty sum of money."

"That was when your mother wasn't around?"

"Yes. Naturally, I was afraid and lost control of my emotions, in other words, my abilities. When I finally regained my senses, everybody was dead. It seemed the police had caught hold of the suspicious activity in that inn and were already on their way. I was only a child, I didn't know what was going on. I was scared and confused, but I knew I was the one who did that."

"Then what happened?"

"A young boy appeared in a cloak and wearing odd clothes at the doorway. He grabbed hold of my cheeks and told me not to cry, 'I will bring you back home and protect you.' I didn't even know who he was but for some reason it felt like I could trust him, that boy was-"

"Haruka?" Rikka finished.

"Yes. From the very start, that person has always been there beside me. I had met him a total of three times when I was a child, and every single time he has saved me." Lila trailed off. "I never thought my feelings regarding Haruka would lose out to anyone because we have such strong ties. But when you appeared for the first time, I thought I might lose him."

"But Haruka never-"

"He loved you, Rikka-san, and I could see that very well. He would have been more than willing to give me up if you came back to him and resolved that misunderstanding. You two could have been happy together, and Sophia saw that. That was why she tricked you."

Rikka averted her gaze, and Lila laughed. "But what use is there saying all of this now? Right now, Haruka calls me his wife, but he doesn't remember anything. I think he reacts more to your name."

"Lila-san," Rikka trailed off. "I have already said my goodbyes."

"Right, you stole a kiss; that was something."

"Uh, you--you saw?"

"Well, the amnesia me saw it and Kiryu. But since I remember everything amnesia me did, yes I saw it."

Rikka looked uncomfortable, and Lila gave her a friendly pat on the back. "Don't mind it. I found it sweet. But I want to ask you if you are sure?"

"With my current state, I am unable to function properly. It isn't just at night, but I have relapses out of nowhere. It is hard for me to be around other people. I feel like they are constantly watching my every move. I am afraid of people." Rikka wrapped her arms around herself. "But if I confine myself to one space, then I will recall it even more."

The extent of her wounds and pain Lila knew she couldn't ever hope to understand. She has never experienced such a thing.

"If it is okay with you, once you feel calmer, you can talk to me."

"Talk?"

"I know it will be hard for us to meet, but you can message me whenever you want somebody else to talk to." Her gaze softened. "I would like us to be friends, Rikka-san."

It seemed the girl didn't expect that response, and Lila stood up. "I will let you think it through." With those words said, she quickly exited the room and glanced at the door with a deep frown on her face.

'Rikka-san was trembling so much and her appearance- for it to change that drastically.' Sophia, it seems she will have to confront this woman openly. She could no longer allow her to do as she pleased.

Her thoughts broke off once she saw a woman with long curly brown hair and jewel amethyst-colored eyes.

"Mother."

Indeed there at the end of the hallway was her mother, Terashima Sumire.

"I'm angry at you."

Light laughter passed her mother's lips. "A sulky Lila-chan is cute."

Geez, why is her mother so carefree all the time? Neither of them spoke for the next few minutes, and Lila followed her mother outside onto the courtyard area.

"Mother, will Rikka-san be okay?"

"That girl has gone through a lot. She wakes up every night screaming, and when she sees somebody of the opposite gender, she reacts violently. What they did to her, I have only heard bits and pieces. But I have hired an expert psychologist, and he is working on making her better again."

"He? Didn't you just say.."

"Yes, at first it was complicated, but eventually she started to open up. Lila-chan, leave this matter to me."

"Where is my eldest sister?"

"Originally, I was supposed to look for her, but the situation became complex. So I asked Soujiro to find her."

So that's what happened. If Kyoko-nee was around, then she could investigate more openly. No, Lila shook her head. 'I need to do something myself. I can't rely on my mother and my sister forever.' Something has to change. She can no longer live a carefree and careless lifestyle.

"Sumire, why are you outsi-"

"Ah, Yuhi! Welcome back."

Her father glanced over at her and nodded. "Right, where is that brat?"

"Kiryu is waiting outside."

"Then let me lecture him for a bit." Yuhi gently kissed his mother's forehead. "You be good and get something to eat. Eat with Lila since she is here."

"Aha, you found out."

Such perfect harmony as always. Lila never understood how her parents could still be so in love with each other after so long. After everything that has happened, one would think their relationship would be sour, but it is not like that at all.

"Mother, you didn't eat?"

"Lila-chan too."

At that comment, Lila awkwardly had to explain what had happened. By the end of the story, her entire face was red.

"So um...that's what happened."

Sumire laughed. "Indeed, you must inherit your boldness from me. Or maybe it's your father? He was always so shameless."

"I--I didn't know how to react. Why did I have to regain my memories at that moment? It gave me quite the fright."

She managed to find Kiryu, who explained the situation to her. But it still startled her a lot.

Lila watched as her mother approached a tree in the center of the yard. Lila immediately recognized it.

Tree of life?

The moment her mother placed her hand on the center, the leaves blew almost like it was dancing.

"It looks like it is answering you."

"It would be nice if that were the case." Sumire trailed off. "The world is completely different now. The existence of evolved humans with powers is commonly known, and hanyous can co-exist with others even with the restraints."

"Then, mother, I have a question about the world Zane is trying to create."

"He intends for peace but at the cost of sacrificing others."

"Peace..?"