Was it the right choice? Am I incompetent? Why didn't I choose the safer, logical option…
Satoya groaned, sitting up. He looked at his surroundings. The others were fine, seemingly unconscious, as Satoya vaguely remembered the gate opening around 5 meters in the air. They were in the middle of an overgrown city, green life littered the buildings, the assumed road was now just a mere garden for life to dwell in. The air was crisp, yet humid, too humid even in summer, the sounds of the ocean current was loud, along with the sea breeze cooling the clear blue skies.
This place, it wasn't real—it can't be. Satoya glanced at a deep orange autumn forest inside a city block, but after blinking, the city block shattered, as if it was simply a screen projecting the image. Where was he exactly? Did he make the best call?
"Satoya…"
Satoya turned back, looking up at Edward who was standing tall, but there was this anger, not the same anger as Argoreas, but that of… Betrayal?
"Why.." Edward clenched his fist. Looking down, was it a childlike tantrum? Was it just him being infuriated? Satoya couldn't tell. But Edward continued.
"Why? WHY!? You chose this option, WHEN Ludwig pointed out the better option? Seriously? How stupid are you?! Now Ludwig is probably dead, now everyone inside the airport is dead, because of a fucking idiot of a 19 year old, WHO NEVER PAID JACK SHIT IN HIS LIFE, TRIED TO DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL AFTER BECOMING A SUPPOSED TRUTH SEEKER."
In cold sweat, Satoya looked at Edward, the concern on his face was open like a book. He held out his hand, and tried to reason, but Edward shook his head, even adding more to the now blazing rage.
"You risked your own damn life, you even nearly got all of us killed, because you are a pathetic excuse of a person, lying about being a Truth Seeker.. I don't even know how I'm still friends with you…" Beside him, Rayna was also listening, awoke by the argument, and it didn't seem like she would defend Satoya.
Her mouth opened, spewing out words of contempt. "He's right, even if he's crashing out like a 4 year old, he has a point."
"Satoya, have you been lying to us? Are you crazy? Was this "dream" of yours actually an Elusive Solace? Or was it just you making up an excuse to be different? Why couldn't you have stayed as the Satoya who was indecisive, and zoned out alot."
Rayna stood by Edward, her eyes frowning in deep disappointment, not resentful like Edward, but disappointed, and lastly betrayed. The two started walking away, eventually leaving out of sight.
Johnathan nonchalantly stood up, his phone in his hand, headphones in. Satoya saw a glimpse of.. Numbness? No, that's not right, but it's an expression he had never seen from him, Johnathan was always the one saying something out of pocket with a poker face. He heard him mutter, "not cool man." Johnathan was gone as well, leaving with Rayna and Edward in the same direction.
That direction was what he assumed would lead to an underground subway. Based off of him seeing a stairway on the side of the sidewalk.
Satoya sat there, looking at the grass and weeds that now cover the road in this comfortable bed of life. The sun rays shone through the trees, illuminating the area around Satoya.
Why did I choose that choice..
This discomfort, it hurts.. It feels like it's eating the core of my heart…
I must be guilty, this must be the guilt accumulating from the ones who are now resenting me as they are slain by Argoreas. I'm no main character of some Okamuraese film, I'm not the son of a god, I'm not the destined one, I'm a guy who is a Truth Seeker, yet lacks the one thing that makes Truth Seekers, Truth Seeker's.. a Verity. And that means I'm no different from a Nebulaian Philosopher..
He was unsure how he was remembering more than he thought. But maybe it was because he is realizing how pathetic he is, maybe it is due to his incompetence to make the right choice. Now the people who supported his little thereatics are leaving one by one, and now left the one guy who stood by his side since childhood, nearly 12 years of friendship. But that same friendship wasn't close, it was simply a kind hearted soul talking to a enclosed titanium door of a heart that is Satoya.
Satoya delved even deeper into this spiral of a mental downfall. Deep silence, silence only broken through by the sound of crickets in the summer, the chirping of birds, the rustle of squirrels. He was beginning to believe Edward was right. What if he was delusional? What if this whole thing is just some messed up dream he's having, conceived by the insolent wish to be someone different.
Someone patted his back, strong but also gentle. "No need to be depressed, they'll probably come back, I don't really care about this whole Truth Seeking thing, but c'mon, don't dig yourself into some 5th disaster pit." Satoya tilted his head, seeing Isaac kneeling beside him. He didn't really understand the whole phrasing, aside from that minor memory of Edward and Rayna arguing the importance of pits in the 5th disaster. Weren't there a history term called The Crucifixion pit? It revolved around like a farmer who was a die hard fan of the Cataclysm of that disaster, trying to offer some "sacrifice." But Satoya shook that confusion aside.
"I still gotchu, even if that decision you made was kinda stupid, but it takes one to know one."
Isaac straightened his posture, stretching his neck up, searching around, then relaxed, "and look, it ain't just you and me, Shizune is over there probably taking a nap, I mean, she is kinda unathletic compared to you and me, so she might've got tired by the fall." Isaac laughed, standing up right. His eyes squinted in the light. He pointed his thumb back, making a suggestion.
"Why don't we find some food for us, and that lil gremlin over there who likes being in the trunk."