Faraway Survivor

Farah's POV

The girl stands beside me and asks.

-Is this girl the one you want to find? 

I nod and reply to the girl.

-Yes... (Farah)

The girl frowns and watches the small Sora closely. I immediately call out to the girl.

-You can't be sure that she is the one who makes your city disappear.

The girl sighs and reassures me with a calm voice.

-I'm fine...I'm not like that time...

However, her glare gradually turns sharp as she watches over Sora.

-But she is one of them...Watch out.

I nod and step inside the room. The small Sora notices my approach and runs to my side.

-Hey! Hey! Are you my new friend? (Sora)

-Stay aw...

The girl tries to move in front of me to protect me from Sora.

-Stay away...

Sora lets out a creepy laugh and points at the girl. In the next few seconds, many hands come out from the ground and pull her away.

-Heyy! (Farah)

When I try to reach out to save the girl, Sora has already hugged me and whispers into my ears.

-Leave her alone! Let's play with me... (Sora)

-But... (Farah)

-She will be fine as long as you play with me... (Sora)

I can't really believe the current Sora, but I have no choice but to play along with her now. Since it's not a good idea to fight with the current Sora when I have no method to save her.

-I will play with you! (Farah)

Sora jumps up and laughs happily.

-Hooray! I have a new friend now! (Sora)

Sora points at me and says in a loud voice.

-Since you are taller than me, I will call you sister. (Sora)

-Yeah? (Farah)

The current Sora gives a different image from herself when she is a queen. But it's not too unfamiliar since the current Sora looks like the one I saw in her bedroom.

-What's wrong, sister? Don't you want to play with me? (Sora)

I shake my head to deny it.

-No, I want to play with you! (Farah)

Sora smiles as she hears my answer.

-Let's go then! (Sora)

Sora grabs my hand and pulls me away. We pass through many corridors and eventually arrive at the castle's garden.

-Sister! Sister! (Sora)

Sora points at the sandbox in the middle of the garden.

-Let's build the sandcastle. (Sora)

-Okay? (Farah)

We sit inside the sandbox and start building many things. But I can't fully concentrate on playing with Sora and glance at her from time to time.

-Sister! Your castle looks so ugly! (Sora)

-Ahh... (Farah)

I look at my collapsed castle and let out a wry smile.

-Let me try again. (Farah)

Even though when we are playing together, the monsters wear royalty clothes, stand from afar and watch over us. I point at them and ask them.

-Should you tell your parents to take a little break? Are they tired of watching us? (Farah)

Sora stops her hand and looks at me with a confused face.

-It's alright, sister! I'm still a small "princess." I need extra care for them. (Sora)

Sora glances at the monsters and says in a passionate voice.

-I want them to look at me forever...like an ordinary family. (Sora)

From the hint given in the previous conversation, I felt the current Sora may be the emotion she hides deep inside her heart.

-Is this good? I can play for the entire day while having the family on my side. (Sora)

-... (Farah)

-I can be happy forever in this place. (Sora)

Sora suddenly holds her head as if she has remembered something.

-And the "prince" won't leave me here. I hate that betrayer... (Sora)

-Sora... (Farah)

Sora bites her nail and mutters repeatedly.

-I can be happy...That betrayer... (Sora)

I can think of one person when Sora mentions the betrayer.

-But Sora...? (Farah)

Sora looks up and stares at me with irritated eyes.

-What...? (Sora)

I swallow my saliva and take up the courage to ask out loud.

-Are you fine with throwing away your dear citizen? (Farah)

-Citizen? What are you talking about...? (Sora)

-What I mean is the people outside of this illusion... (Farah)

-They are all living happily under my parents' rule. Why do they need me, a princess? (Sora)

-Sora... (Farah)

I need to break her illusion and make her realise the truth.

-Sora, this is just an... illusion. (Farah)

Sora blocks her ears and shouts out loud.

-Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! (Sora)

-Sora! (Farah)

Sora pushes me away and glares at me with eyes full of hatred.

-I thought I would make you a friend. Then, you would become my prince. (Sora)

-... (Farah)

-But I never knew you were a mean person. (Sora)

-Sora... (Farah)

Black tears come out of her eyes and wrap around her body. For some reason, I feel this black water is very familiar.

-This... (Farah)

-Betrayer! Get out of my life... (Sora)

Right, I have encountered this black water before.

-Transform... (Farah)

It seems like fighting is unavoidable.

-The water that used to take over Hina's body. Why did it appear in this place? (Farah)