Back in the present, year 2011.
"But… am I doing right?" Akarum stood up, pacing around the room unconsciously.
*Am I being impulsive?* His legs moved without pause, unaware of their constant motion.
It wasn't like stopping being childish would change much. Perhaps the issue was that he had been forcing her instead of letting her speak in her own words.
He stopped, realizing his impulsiveness, and shame flooded his mind, overwhelming him immediately.
*Seems like my mistake. Now I just have to wait. Let's see if she opens the door by evening.*
Bluesy stood in the whiteness of the Infinite Library, books floating around her—some closed, some flipping their pages on their own. The Library had its own consciousness. Lavanya stood before her, sighing at Bluesy's evident remorse. The space was entirely white, infinite, and metacosmic.
Other Divines were lost in reading, immersed in the self-aware, atemporal archive that preserved the complete realized histories of all universes in real time.
"You almost killed a boy, and you're sad about it. That's bullshit," Lavanya said, shaking her head.
"It's not your fault. True Reality constantly protects you from any external or internal threat," the Divine of Nature said without looking at Bluesy, her mind still on the book she held.
Bluesy's gaze lingered on the Divine's school-like outfit. The skirt was pure white, paired with a red shirt whose sleeves were entirely white, appearing almost like separate pieces stitched together. A green ribbon floated above her shoulder, its ends falling gracefully before her chest.
"You're wearing a school dress," Bluesy remarked with a hint of amusement.
"I get bored of wearing the same thing every day," the Divine sighed, still not turning toward her.
"See? You don't have to worry about whoever it is you hurt," she finally said, turning her head to Bluesy. "It's not your fault."
"But if I keep hurting people like this…" Bluesy's mind flashed to memories of alleyway incidents, though no blood had ever touched her clothes or her body.
"You can just read books," Lavanya said firmly, grabbing Bluesy's face with both hands, exasperated.
"It'll be boring… reading and reading," Bluesy muttered.
"Then fine. Let new humans know about them, leave them, and loop this. That way, you could still observe them," Lavanya suggested.
"But… won't it be wrong?" Bluesy's chest tightened at the thought of leaving others behind for her own benefit.
Lavanya's hands slid away from Bluesy's face, defeated. "You can't be helped unless you're True Reality's Fragment favorite."
Bluesy said nothing. A portal opened, swallowing her and depositing her in the courtyard of Heavenly Kaatoumo.
As soon as Kashime's gaze landed on Bluesy, her muscles tensed.
"Why are you here?" she asked sharply.
"I… am…" Bluesy's eyes scanned the courtyard, searching for Lyanna, though she wasn't there. She wished Lyanna would answer instead of herself.
"I am…" she repeated, struggling to complete the sentence.
"Don't 'I am' me. Answer the question," Kashime pressed.
"I… am… sorry for hurting your son," Bluesy finally blurted out, clearly embarrassed.
Kashime froze. Her mind raced, caught off guard by the revelation that Akarum was her son.
"What? He's not my son."
"I thought you were… seems I misunderstood," Bluesy said awkwardly.
"That doesn't resolve anything. Akarum won't be playing with you anymore. Now, get lost." Kashime turned, her right hand gesturing mid-air for her to leave.
*Did I just insult a Divine? Are you trying to get killed?* Bluesy's mind reeled.
Kashime swallowed hard, trying to comprehend Bluesy still standing there, doing nothing.
"You heard me," she said firmly.
"Okay," Bluesy said, stepping back but not opening a portal immediately. *It's sad that I don't know how to convince people.*
Finally, a portal opened, swallowing her.
"These Divines are so weird," Kashime murmured, turning toward the door of Heavenly Kaatoumo. "Let him stay inside. He won't repeat this again," she muttered to herself.
Outside, Flint and Asami were near a tree, observing him. Asami's expression was a mix of worry and pride. Kashime approached.
"Is he still inside?" Asami asked.
Kashime nodded.
"Why is a simple ability that just boosts speed taking so much time?" Kashime whispered, careful not to disturb Flint.
"Who knows," Asami replied.
Suddenly, the air around Flint twisted. Kashime immediately gripped Asami's hand, stepping behind her, though Asami didn't seem to notice.
"What happened?" Asami asked, puzzled.
Kashime didn't answer, her gaze fixed on Flint.
Then, his nose and ears began bleeding. He coughed up blood. Kashime lunged forward, catching him before he fell. She pressed her palm to his forehead. The white outline of her Divine Scar glowed, and glittering particles formed around him, healing his body.
"Will he be fine?" Asami asked, panic rising as Flint bled even while recovering, shaking her to the core.
He was healed and breathless. As soon as she pulled her hand back, the outline faded.
Kashime lifted him into her arms, heading inside. Flint gasped for air, though neither Kashime nor Asami understood the reason.
They laid him on the bed and stepped outside, closing the door behind them.
"Why did that happen?" Asami asked desperately.
Kashime's mind replayed a memory of her own childhood, concentrating on her Divine energy, bleeding from the pain that was as mental as it was physical. She could feel what Flint had just felt, and it left her uncomfortable.
"I don't know," she admitted, turning into the hallway.