The following chapter contains elements that can be considered spoilers for a fanfic idea of mine called "Virtuoso Killer", be it yet to be released or already released.

The songs used in this chapter can be replaced with the following options:

First Song: Tn-shi - Synthesis, Feryquitous - ALiUS, Arknights - Revealing

Second Song: Iroha Sasaki - Meltdown, nekobolo - Jishou Mushoku, Mili - Fly, My Wings

Roland looked around to see an awkward situation. Argalia stayed by his side, with a grin on his face, he was obviously wary of him.

But that wasn't the main source of his concern.

The Faraway gang seemed to be completely divided, Kel, who used to be so cheery had finally let go of that smile he used to have, Aubrey completely ignored Basil and Sunny.

As for Hero, he frowned at the situation.

He knew it was an accident, so he personally forgave them. Because that's what Mari would have loved, and what he personally believed would be best for everyone.

Now he was in the middle of trying to get the other two to mend things together with Basil and Sunny, yet Kel seemed to be completely out of it.

And given the fact they had that rocky moment, it made him abstain from trying to convince him. He was unsure what Kel thought about this, he didn't know if he hated them, forgave them, or any other thought he could have, his younger brother didn't seem to talk about it.

Instead, Hero decided to try and convince Aubrey, yet that was a tough action by itself, he made sure not to mention Mari, as it would be very foolish of him to do so. They had grown apart for so long, Hero didn't know anything about her current interests or situation.

In the end, Hero sighed, he wasn't able to convince the two of them before this next viewing, he'd have to try later again, or maybe he could do it during this viewing.

"Executive Manager, everyone is present, shall we enter the room?" Asked Outis.

"(Yeah, this should be the last one, right?)" Mentioned Dante.

Heathcliff groaned. "Hope so, there's way too much stuff going on in there."

"I don't think we should really meddle into the tension of the kids..." Commented Sinclair.

"What else can be done though? We're forced to finish this." Added Ishmael.

"Let us finish with this glimpse of another world." Declared Yi Sang.

Yi Sang looked at Sunny, the boy had completely closed himself off from everyone else.

Yet he decided to stay close to him, just in case anything were to happen.

It was funny really, since when did he start caring again?

Perhaps... This viewing was a message to him, one about not becoming distant to people.

To the other sinners that are present.

He clenched his fist, determined to see the end of this viewing, he needed to see what else this side of the mirror could show him.

"I hope we can be done with this." Murmured Gregor as he put out the cigar on his mouth before entering.

They all made their way into a room.

The scene started to change.

Time passes, yet it still feels like it is the past.

I was but a time capsule, waiting to open all the horrible secrets.

Welcome to White Space.

The place where I have been living for as long as I could remember.

Sunny stood in front of the group of sinners.

"However, we won't be staying here for long." Declared Sunny.

He then snapped his fingers, the white room then turned dark. Doors could be seen around the place.

"I will show you the tale of a talentless individual."

"Talentless..." Whispered Yi Sang.

Right, Sunny didn't deem himself as a broken genius, but rather, someone without talent.

If that's the case, what other differences would there be between them?

The kid still believed himself to be ill fated, cursed even, yet he wondered what other mysteries this boy held.

There were too many things that he needed to keep in mind.

Yet it didn't matter, he could keep up.

The group of sinners followed Sunny for a bit before going into one of the doors.

In there, they were met with yet another white room, yet one with more furniture decorating the place.

Accompanying the place was an individual they previously met before, specifically during their first mission to get the Golden Bough.

"You're free to do what you want here." Declared Hero. "So long as you don't touch any photos of cameras, it should be fine."

Basil widened his eyes. "The camera I gave them?"

"Oh, it's that fellow from before." Mentioned Heathcliff.

Gregor looked at the ground, remembering that time.

"A-are we seeing your past, Sunny?" Asked Sinclair. "Is there no longer any need for actors?"

Sunny shook his head. "No, this is the deepest fathom of my ego, I will be the only actor in this place."

This time, Kel didn't seem to talk in a cheery way, instead, he gave a sad chuckle. "You finally appeared in the scene, brother."

Hero tried to smile at him, yet he couldn't, it had been so long he'd seen his brother act this way. "Y-yeah..."

Yi Sang looked at the situation and recognized it immediately.

All because of the red glasses the boy had.

"A glimpse of Gubo..." He whispered.

"Don't forget to eat and take your supplements, I know how your nutrition has been for the past few years now." Declared Hero.

The Hero that I knew was no longer there, instead, there was a man with red glasses who simply looked like him and controlled me.

It didn't help that he pointed out the camera.

Curiosity killed me, and I saw a glimpse of myself, or rather, the one who always protected me the moment I used it.

"Why do you not talk to Hero or Kel anymore? You know they're doing this because they care about you, right?" Asked Omori. "You've noticed his worried look as he leaves the room."

That part of me, who defended me from the past.

"I care not about how he sees me, he'll change his attitude once he finds out the truth." Murmured Sunny. "If I fade away... he will certainly forget about me."

Kel flinched a bit, he glanced at Sunny for a moment, yet said nothing.

If he could express how he felt about the revelation, he would respond with the fact that he knew it was an accident, but he really didn't want to talk about it anymore. At this point, it was pointless to talk to the group, because it would never be the way it was before.

If he tried to befriend each one of them again, he knew it would pain him that his friends were so divided between each other.

So he decided to simply not think about it, not until there was a chance to finally make the group together again.

He tried to bring the group together again, but he was still naive to think things would be able to go back to being the same.

Meanwhile, Sunny looked at Omori inside the scene, he wondered if he would one day be able to meet him face to face inside his dreams.

Omori then retorted. "Sunny, Hero truly cares about you, you simply have to feign ignorance and continue as you do."

"You must know that he will continue to look after you, even when Mari isn't here."

Sunny sighed. "He doesn't care about me, he only cares about Mari's little brother."

"If I wasn't related to Mari, he would have never glanced at me, he would have hated me for what I have done."

"That's not true." Whispered Hero. "I know it was an accident Sunny, the same goes to you as well Basil, you were young... you didn't mean to do what you did..."

"I can admit that I would have been madder had you revealed it to me earlier, but that was four years ago, could you let go of this pain? Just for us at least?" He pleaded.

Aubrey upon hearing Hero talk, grasped her arms. It was true that it was an accident, yet the fact they hid it from them hurt her.

She thought that things could truly go back to how they were, but that hope easily banished the moment the truth was revealed.

Sunny decided not to speak.

On the other hand, Basil felt uncomfortable as he didn't know what to do.

Would he talk to Hero? Or would he shut himself off to not bring further pain?

"Such imaginary situations have no relevance, you are Sunny, brother of Mari." Refuted Omori. "Remember, the director of N Corp has given us the chance to reconcile so long as we work under the corporation, Hero and Kel have already agreed to it."

"Reconcile? They are simply holding me hostage in this room." Chuckled Sunny. "This is no longer the group of friends I remembered, Hero changed so much, he's grown cold and overprotective of his brother and I... And as for Kel, can you believe he started doing unethical experiments?"

"The boy who was said to be a clutz by Aubrey is doing experiments as a mad scientist."

"I..." Kel tried to speak, but he didn't know what to think about this other version of him.

He wasn't the smartest, but he wasn't completely oblivious, he was simply dense.

If anything, he believed that academics just wasn't his thing.

But this other version of him?

What was he?

All he knew was that he wasn't a good person in that world.

Sunny then glared. "What is it that you want? I already told you, I can handle myself in the real world, all you need to do is stay and protect my memories."

"I failed you by letting you figure out the truth of the death of your sister, yet even so, it seemed as if you found your way to cope with it without my need." Omori looked away.

"Even so, I will continue protecting you, Hero and Kel are here to do the same, even if they don't know the truth."

"And even if it's no longer the group that you know, it is still something that can be mended, you simply need to accept it just like you did with Mari's fate."

"So talk to me, talk to Hero and Kel, tell them about your true feelings, don't allow your emotions to bottle up inside you."

"This Omori fellow acts like an entirely different identity to the lad." Commented Heathcliff.

"It is similar to the other side of the coin." Responded Yi Sang. "I found my ideal form through the mirror, and so, Sunny found his own version through his own mirror."

Sunny shook his head.

Yi Sang noticed. "What's that?"

Sunny, for the first time during the viewing, whispered. "Omori... is a shell."

"A shell... that gained self awareness."

"I see now." Responded Yi Sang. "Rather than an ideal, it is the idea of a broken form."

It seemed that they were opposites in that aspect.

Hero has his mouth trembling, as a doctor in training, he recognized this sort of coping mechanism, this Omori illustration of Sunny was a form to comfort himself over the event.

Yet it wasn't healthy, not when it was used for many years.

Sunny needed genuine human interaction to cope, he didn't have to have to rely on a self detached form from reality.

Hero looked at Sunny once again, this time with worry over his mental health.

"What is it that made this fellow named Hero warn you about the cameras?" Inquired Hong Lu.

"I didn't bother asking much." Sunny responded. "It was a gift from Basil, which he used to make amends with both of the brothers... and by extension, that was when I realized both Hero and Kel knew about the truth."

"And then..." Sunny said, glancing at the door that opened. "It was soon revealed, the truth behind their purpose according to her."

"Is the room to your liking? Have you been taking care of your health?" Said Hermann as she walked towards the Sunny on the room's act.

"..." Gregor made a few noises of unease, seeing his mother again was something he didn't want at the moment, nor would he ever want. "Am I really going to have to fight her?"

"I see you're also in a pickle when it comes to family relationships." Pointed out Hong Lu.

"You can't imagine." Chuckled Gregor as he had a downcast look.

"Oh, not at all, I can certainly imagine." Responded Hong Lu.

Dante looked at Hong Lu, in a way, it was the first time he saw the usually naive and oblivious sinner so sure about himself.

What was his past?

In fact, what was everyone's past?

Even his own, what was it?

Sunny did not respond, but rather, he looked at Hero.

"I have informed you before ma'am, he is reliant on those he is not acquaintanced with." Informed Hero.

"You know of the man who made this camera as well, don't you?" Interrogated Hermann. "This fascinating piece of equipment which can show a myriad of realities, of what could have been."

Sunny simply nodded.

"He seems to truly trust you, I hope you continue to stay without resistance, we will be using you for a plan of ours very soon."

Aubrey frowned as she whispered. "I don't like how she's acting towards Sunny."

Hero, who was able to hear her, simply nodded mentally.

At the very least, Hero thought that there was still a small chance, but a chance nonetheless.

That Aubrey may still care about Sunny.

She then turned to Hero. "As for you, I assume you know not to interfere with the plan, right?"

Hero reluctantly looked away.

"I continue to hold my end of the bargain, I presume you will follow with your promise?"

"...Yes, ma'am."

"Good, I expect you to act like your friend here, you may leave now." She said as she looked at Sunny once again.

After the door closed behind them she then took a step further towards him.

"You're a good child, Sunny, you follow the instructions anyone tells you, I hope you continue with your lack of resistance."

Gregor had a hostile look for a while, it was unusual for him to act this way instead of looking resilient or defeated. "This is... I..."

It was bringing him bad memories.

Memories of when he was still within her grasp.

"That boy... needs to get out of there as soon as possible." He murmured.

"I can see it in you, that look in your eyes at the mention of that man." She then caressed his hair. "You seek to make him suffer, don't you?"

Sunny did not respond.

"Don't act like that, I know a certain someone who tried to do the same, this won't work with me."

Gregor felt his bug arm start to twitch by itself. "D-dammit..." He firmly grasped it to make sure it would go wild.

"D-do you truly want to do that?" Asked Basil as he looked at Sunny.

Instead not responding or remaining silent, Sunny for the first time in a while simply shook his head.

He didn't truly hate Basil. He didn't know where it started with this idea of him hating his former best friend.

Perhaps it was something Omori had started.

Hermann then smiled. "Let's keep this as a secret between us."

"I want to destroy each single world that the camera can show, and to do that, I want you to act as bait for the man who created it."

Sunny this time nodded.

"Good, you're much better than my son." She said as she then left the room.

"Tsk." Was the only sound that came out of Gregor's mouth, it was a sound of pity as he looked at Sunny with an empathetic look.

"It's in the past." Mentioned Sunny.

"I don't like how that woman started acting towards Sunny, it feels... really manipulative." Commented Basil.

"She manipulates those who she thinks are good enough to work under her." Explained Gregor, only to then look at Yi Sang. "I am assuming your situation was similar if not the same as the boy's situation?"

Yi Sang nodded. "My compatriot Gubo had partnered with Hermann, he wished to reanimate the League of Nine through coercion and threats."

"Amongst those he was able to meet again, I was inside of that group of unfortunate few, Hermann wished to destroy the mirror worlds for reasons I did not ask for."

"The League of Nine is now in the past, I can no longer reminisce of those times in hopes of them coming back, I knew that for long, yet I continued to worry about the future." Said Yi Sang as he closed his eyes.

"To which I now say... there is no longer any point in worrying." Concluded Yi Sang. "We will be going through this painful path together, as compatriots, an ideal I never knew I truly wanted until this very viewing."

"I will do what I can to help us, Manager." He looked determined.

The majority of the sinners remained silent, this silence was then interrupted by Don Quixote. "Excelente! Tis a step into thy path of noble camarie!"

Healthcliff scratched the back of his head. "Ah, seems like you won't be acting like a edgy lad anymore, good riddance."

He then extended his hand. "Let's work together now chap, I expect you to do a lot from now on."

"Ah... Yes, I will." Yi Sang said as he accepted the handshake.

Sunny then looked at Omori.

"The destruction of the worlds inside Basil's camera, they seem keen on it." Commented Omori.

"There is nothing I can do to help Basil." Murmured Sunny.

"Is it that you can't? Or that you do not want to?" Inquired Omori.

Sunny closed his eyes. "You've been quite adamant about this plan, don't you think?"

"Do you only think about defending me from my trauma regarding Mari, or do you perhaps want to fulfill a vendetta against Basil?" Accused Sunny.

"You know I am here to protect you." Responded Omori. "I exist with the sole purpose of preventing you from ever getting any further traumas."

Sunny then looked at Omori right into his eyes. "Then tell me, why are you so resolved into convincing me of hating Basil?"

Sunny closed his eyes.

Omori was gaining too much control.

If that was going to happen, he would need to cut ties. Perhaps he has been relying on him too much.

He needed to put down his foot and show that he was the one in control.

"Omori, you're no longer needed." Proclaimed Sunny. "You've done a great job, but it is time for you to finally be put to rest."

Sunny then smiled. "I've already accepted it, and I can finally move on, yet you seem to want to make me live only in this place so similar to the White Space."

"You have broken from your role, you now simply want to live inside me like a parasite."

Sunny then took out his knife. "Hero truly trusted me with a knife, his training as a doctor seems to have deemed me mentally sane enough to allow me to carry around a weapon, that was the first sign that something wasn't right.

Sunny took a step towards Omori. "You have agreed with Hermann and her group, you're one of the reasons why I was so against leaving the room."

"Yet now, I see that you're no longer the Omori I created back then, you've changed just like everyone else."

"I no longer seek to fill the empty seat for a talentless individual such as I, neither Hero nor Kel will be sitting and spectating this mediocre play you and I have started."

Sunny then plunged the knife into the camera. "Even if you're not the Omori I know, it was nice to see part of me once again, even after I joined him during my final duet."

"I truly thought you were the Omori who protected me for years, but alas, it seems as if there was always only one shard of his, one that is buried inside me."

Sunny downcasted as he saw what was to happen to Omori in that world.

He wondered how much was similar to his own world. There are many similarities, everything of their past was true, even what he had not experienced yet.

If that's the case... Omori will cease to exist in the future... and he didn't know if that was good or not.

Hero smiled a bit, a bittersweet one. He was proud of Sunny to finally start moving on from the past.

He looked at the one in the room, he wished for him to do the same.

But.. not completely the same.

No, that version unfortunately seemed to have gone down an unfortunate path, one where they never truly reconciled or got back together.

He would make sure this time, they could at the very least make it so that they could all stay together again.

And if that wasn't possible, then at the very least part ways with no regrets.

Yi Sang on the other hand saw the next difference, the mirror was against the boy instead of being an ally.

He didn't know what he would have done had his perfect reflection not been there as support for him.

In a way, he wanted to praise the boy for being stronger than him in that regard.

At that point I stopped taking any of the food or medicaments Hero gave me, those drugs that he gave me to remain inside that white room no longer blurred my judgment.

"I what?" Hero said nervously.

He was disgusted with his other self, giving unprescribed medicine to his former friend was sickening.

Hero felt frustrated, just why couldn't he be normal in that world? He hoped that there weren't many versions that were as crazy as this one.

Just like White Space, it was open, and the exit was always in front of me, all I needed was to come back to reality.

The door that stood in front of me was the exit to this place so familiar to me. The camera that Basil created was being used for what was never supposed to be used.

I was sure that Basil would have truly been disappointed towards Hero and Kel.

Basil looked away.

"I would never..." Basil whispered. He didn't believe he could hate any of his friends.

He forgave Aubrey, he could forgive them.

At this point I accepted that everyone I knew back then had changed for the worse, all because of me.

And yet, I felt as a renewed man once again, I felt for the first time, the feeling of freedom.

The faraway gang felt conflicted over what Sunny was saying.

Hero knew full well that Sunny had many problems, it was easy to see at this point, he'd have to ask Sunny's mother to take the boy to a therapist.

But at the same time...

It was one of the few times the boy truly felt happy in that world, not only that, it felt like he did move on.

Something that the boy needed at this point.

Just how long has the boy been neglecting himself in their world?

Not only him, what about Basil? The two of them were in need of a checkup, even though Basil seemed calm ever since they reunited in this odd place.

Hero knew this could be a mask to hide how he truly felt.

That same happiness Basil was expressing, the use of his words, over how it would be nice for Sunny to live as if Basil wasn't there, the fact the boy promised to give the album of photos to Sunny after Kel made Aubrey promise to give it back...

They all were signs of someone who was suicidal.

Even though the signs were there, even when he was trained to catch those signs...

He believed that Basil was alright, that he was sane.

But no, that wasn't the case.

Hero believed in that lie, because he believed nothing could be wrong, a fatal mistake that could have taken Basil's life away in the future.

Ideas and ambitions started to cloud my judgment, and from there, camellias blossomed within me.

I ended up dreaming. I vowed to bring my sister's dream to light, I would study like her, I would ignore how I truly felt as my own personality meant nothing to me.

There was no point in taking into account the wishes of a talentless individual, I would burrow such an identity deep into the ground, just so that the only trace of me would be the illusion of a talented person.

I would synthesize each element that made everyone I knew so great. Once I did, I would then be ready to show them what a talentless nobody could do to survive in the harsh City by sheer hard work.

So that all they could see was the final result, a reflection of an ideal self.

"Sheer hard work?" Spoke Heathcliff. "That won't cut it." He concluded.

"When I was a little lad that finally left home, I knew full well that the backstreets were cruel, and I knew that working hard wasn't going to cut it." He continued.

"Connections are important as well." He explained. "Which led me to the Syndicate I had so many great memories with."

Rodion nodded in agreement as she then added. "It shouldn't be close relationships too, those never do end up working, the ones that end up surviving are the ones that have a symbiotic relation."

"The boy's idea is noble, but unfortunately, the City won't be kind to it."

Yi Sang looked at the other version of Sunny. Alas, another similarity between them arose, the reflection of an ideal version of them was what they wished to achieve, yet the boy attempted to reach it, while he on the other hand, did not.

In one of the mirrors... he wondered...

What would have happened had they both switched?

They would both have been happy more than likely.

At least that is what he wanted to believe.

Just when I finally touched the door handles, I heard Hero talk.

"You've finally decided to leave." Said Hero. He had no anger in his voice, instead, there was sadness. "Even when you have nowhere to return, do you really wish to leave this place?"

At that point, all that could be said were the words of a helpless optimist. "This City that we live in, it is the only place we can call our home, right?"

"I am ready to return home, even if I am talentless, even if no one decides to take me in, I will survive in this cruel world on my own."

Hero then sighed. "Then... take care, I will notify Kel about your departure."

Hero signed, relieved that his other version wouldn't be too extreme to try and force him to stay.

"That would be the last time I saw Hero... until we tried getting the Golden Bough at D Corp." Narrated Sunny.

He then looked at the Sinners.

"Tell me, did I make the correct decision?" He asked.

Basil was about to talk, however, he was interrupted by Outis.

"Was this what you wanted?"

Sunny looked at Outis, abstaining from responding.

"You had no allegiance to N Corp. that, I can tell, however, you turned into a drifter, you became a nobody in the streets who could have died one day and no one would have realized." She took a step forward.

Dante looked at Outis, wondering where that response came from.

"Don't ask for my past executive manager, it is, after all, over your current clearance level." She spoke.

Dante simply nodded.

"I can understand the feeling the boy has." Spoke Roland. "Having no real path to guide you to where you're supposed to go..."

It was how he felt after the Hana Association confiscated Angelica's gloves, after he lost all power to avenge her death and make those he thought lead her to die pay.

But that was in the past.

He found a reason to live. He would live alongside those he became acquaintanced with.

"Was that what you truly wanted? Were you looking to live? Or were you hoping to die and fade like you never existed?"

"Such a declaration you've mentioned is but a delusional lie you have told yourself."

"That is not you, that dream is not yours either." Finished Outis.

"I agree with that version of Outis." Commented Yi Sang. "That dream of his is not his own, but rather, the dream of his sister."

"A dream of someone else..." Whispered Ishmael. "He shouldn't have that, there is nothing good that will come from that."

Yi Sang then continued. "I don't know what purpose the dream had, but I do understand that the finality is for him to give himself a reason to live."

"Perhaps... it is to make his ideal self fly as high as possible." He concluded.

A bit of similarities were starting to form, but he knew that it was perhaps his own personal experience clouding his judgment.

Perhaps he was projecting himself into the boy. He was doing so from the start, that wasn't healthy nor logical.

Sunny sighed as he closed his eyes. "I don't know myself."

"A talentless person has no purpose in this cruel city that we inhabit."

"Yet I tried to prove to myself that I could be someone with worth."

"I attempted to be charming like my sister and calm like my alter ego."

"I tried to stay positive like Kel, and I was trying to be reliable like Hero."

"I even attempted to be as kind as Basil and I tried to be strong willed like Aubrey."

Hero started clenching his fist.

As Sunny continued to admit to some of the most concerning stuff, Hero continued to realize just how much he had gone without any help.

In a way, he was impressed, and at the same time, concerned over his mental fortitude.

The others reacted a bit upon hearing how Sunny complimented each one of them albeit unintentionally.

But Aubrey slowly realized that her other version said something similar when she was manifesting E.G.O.

"...Was... was Sunny about to..." Aubrey thought.

Sunny then started walking, entering another room.

There was a piano in the middle of a room.

Roland widened his eyes while Argalia, who had been uninterested up to this point, finally paid attention to the room.

"Ahah... is this perhaps..." Mumbled Argalia.

Ideas were starting to form inside Argalis' mind.

Argalia was Happy.

He slid his hand through the keys as they played.

"I think I do know where this curse truly started."

"The day I tried the piano, it was to impress my sister."

"But instead, it was the day I started dropping my head when I played."

"I started seeing myself as inferior, I could never compare to how my sister played."

Sunny chuckled a bit. "It's funny, I didn't like playing the violin, instead, I found myself fond of playing the piano after I accepted her death."

Basil trembled a bit, he knew that Sunny no longer liked playing the violin, but seeing him admit that he liked the piano... It was jarring.

Sunny on the other hand mentally denied such a thought.

He never truly liked the piano... or at least back when he tried it.

It was all because he got easily frustrated with it, and despite that, he ironically picked up an instrument said to be harder.

"I may have wished to fulfill my sister's dream, or maybe... I tried to hide behind a pretty portrait, so that my ugly talentless mug wouldn't catch up."

"Perhaps, this was my way of trying to make amends with her, maybe I wasn't able to get over the past."

He then pushed his fingers down the piano keys, creating a harsh sound.

A few of those in the room jolted at the sudden sound.

"I played perfectly, I played each single note to perfection, I drew blood as I tried to copy my sister's talent."

He gritted his teeth as he grasped the piano with all of his strength.

"But I would never be able to replicate the skill of a genius, no matter how hard I tried, it didn't matter if I spent hours, days, weeks, months, years practicing, it was simply never enough."

"And when I finally was able to play like my sister, what do you think the reception to the way I played was?"

"An abject musician who only knows to play by the rules of the music sheet. A boring clown. A poor pianist who lacks any money, with no pull."

Roland exasperatedly spoke as he sighed. "Seriously? Is this what our influence did to this viewing?"

Argalia started laughing. "It seems so, Roland. What better way than the introduction of where everything went wrong?"

"U-uhm, what is this all about?" Asked Sinclair.

Faust then responded. "A glimpse of their personal past."

"We are about to watch the first instance of a distortion."

"Oh? I may know which one specifically." Gleefully commented Ryoshu.

"Is tis the fabled...?" Whispered Don Quixote with a lot of thrill.

"Yes... it has to be, dear fixer enthusiast." Smiled Argalia. "What other reason would there be for us to be here?"

Argalia was Ecstatic.

"The play that I performed was never mine, it was someone else's"

"I would never have the spotlight."

"I would forever be a musician with no talent, a boring performer."

The room changed to a pub.

"This kid..." Roland's voice quivered. "It has to be THAT." He spoke with hatred.

Argalia continued to giggle as he saw how the scene unfolded.

The faraway gang continued to watch the two individuals with concern.

Just what was it that was making them act this way?

What was Sunny supposed to be in that world?

They didn't want to know, not when two Color Fixers were acting this way to it.

"And yet I continued to play, I played because it was what I was passionate about and the only thing I had left."

"An adult who continued to wear the same old ragged clothes who wandered around on the streets at night, knocking on doors and asking people if they wanted me to play something for them."

"Slowly, I realized that I was starting to dream for myself instead of Mari."

"Mari... what would you do had you seen your brother like this..." Whispered Hero.

Kel gave a concerned look at Sunny. This could be his friend in the future, there was no doubt about that.

Would he leave his previous claim of not acting? He needed to do something, to still be there for the boy.

He didn't want to see his friend go down such a dark path.

"It was a dream of playing inside the nest that I grew up in my childhood, for those who I met before to compliment me over my achievement."

"It was a thought that would never become true."

"This place was the only room that allowed me to continue my dream, this foolish dream that I stole from my sister."

"Was this karma? Was I being punished for everything I've done?"

"But it didn't matter, I was born without talent, I was doomed from the start."

"I've been playing the piano ever since I finally accepted the death of my sister."

"And even after those many years, even if I played perfectly with the composition, I lacked what my sister had, the talent of a genius."

"Just like that, I was then removed from the piano, where someone else who played as a hobby was able to even surpass my performance."

"To think that I was talentless in what I was passionate about, and to have someone take the spotlight just because they played as a hobby."

"It hurt."

"It was my breaking point."

"And I couldn't be mad at them, no, they could play beautifully unlike my disgusting performance."

"They were different from me, while they were beautiful, I was ugly."

"I did this to myself."

"Yes, this all happened because of me, because I tried to be something I wasn't."

"Years of trying to synthesize turned into an abomination, parts and bits of the best qualities of my friends turned out to not mesh well."

"At that point, I gave up, I went back to how I was."

"I simply wanted to end it all."

"I should have simply died at the lake."

"I should have plunged a knife into my stomach."

"I should have allowed Omori to take over."

"Because anything was better at this point, the other options were better than the failure that I had become."

Aubrey cried.

She couldn't anymore.

Even if she couldn't forgive him for what he did to Mari...

Even if she couldn't forgive him for hiding the truth for four years...

She didn't want the boy to suffer, she didn't want to see him so misserable.

All she wanted was for the boy to be truthful to them.

It hurt her that the boy didn't see them as close enough to share such a dark secret, a secret that had affected them as well.

She knew this was foolish thinking, there was no way for the two to admit to what they had done, they were kids, they knew nothing better.

It just pained her that this was how it turned out.

She felt betrayed.

Basil then decided to finally step in. "S-Sunny, yo-"

Sunny started stepping back towards the piano in the bar. "No! This isn't what I dreamt of doing..."

"Was this what you actually wanted me to do?!"

"I was prepared to finally move on from this... this sin that you convinced me of doing."

"I wanted to finally work as a normal citizen of the City."

"There is no such thing as a normal citizen in this City." Refuted Meursault.

"Just as normal artists don't exist." Added Ryoshu.

Roland looked at the current situation with no idea about how to feel.

He wondered.

Did that distortion also feel like this boy?

He knew that attacking the boy wouldn't change a thing, he wasn't the one who took her away.

"But you had to show me my worst memories again, Carmen."

"Why are you so keen on trying to convince me again?"

"It didn't work before, there is no point in making me turn back to that despicable being."

Roland gasped, not out of shock, but as a final nail in the coffin.

He looked at the sinners, they knew what was going to happen, the notes Angela gave them had every bit of general information about the distortions and abnormalities.

One in particular, Don Quixote, seemed to be sweating profusely.

Roland knew that the girl was incredibly knowledgeable regarding this incident.

And he wondered how she would react to seeing a recreating of that event.

Kel looked at his brother, only to whisper. "He's... going to distort isn't he?"

Hero looked down, not wanting to see the sad look his brother was giving him. "Yes, that is the case..."

They were bracing for impact, they were preparing for a burst of emotions Sunny was going to give off the moment he distorted.

Sunny looked slightly upwards.

"No... you might be right."

"Perhaps this was actually Basil's fault."

Basil flinched. "N-no..."

His doubts were slowly clouding his judgment.

He already had suspicions that he was the reason why any of the tragedies happened because of him.

And this wasn't helping with the guilt he harbored.

"This is all his fault, he's the reason for my suffering."

"He was the one who gave me the violin."

"He was the one who helped me hide Mari's death."

"He was the one who gave the camera to Hero and Kel."

"He was the one who forced me to relive the past."

"He was the one who allowed me to suffer up to this point."

"I hate you, Basil, I truly hate you with all my heart."

Basil started to tear up.

Hearing his best friend tell him such hateful words hurt. Of course they would hurt.

He only existed to bring suffering to his friends. He clenched his shoulders as he cried, comforted by no one.

Yet he felt a hand trying to make him turn by grabbing his shoulder.

Basil slowly looked at the person who reached out.

And was met with a hug.

Sunny was hugging him. Basil had his eyes wide open at the sudden contact with his best friend.

The black haired boy whispered. "That isn't what I think... the fault lies in me, for ever letting my emotions get the best of me."

Basil slowly raised his arms and stretched them around Sunny as he hugged him back. "No... you don't have the fault either... you were just scared..."

He needed those words, both of them needed those words.

He needed to know that his best friend still loved him.

Yi Sang smiled for the first time in a while.

He was glad to see that the boy was different from him.

Sunny was not him, he simply had circumstances that were close to his own.

And it allowed him to see a different side to the problem he had for so long.

Gubo, Dongrang, Dongbaek, Young-ji... they were all from the past.

And they either changed or were no longer there.

He would need to move on and make new memories while keeping the past as a reminder, a reminder of the good times and the mistakes that lead to their fall.

That. Was what growing up was.

And from there, his wings would strengthen themselves.

Perfect wings or not, he would still take flight.

Because he couldn't stay in the past, he needed to make his journey to the future.

A future unknown to him, he would need his wings to support him until he got there.

Sunny then looked forward.

He could only see Basil in a dark room.

There was still a piano behind the sinner.

"If I could I would kill you right now, but the Golden Bough is more important than my hatred or your miserable life."

Sunny quickly covered Basil's ears, he didn't want him to listen to the voice of hatred.

He made him focus on him, the one who was there in the moment, not the one that was expressing such contempt to his own version.

Hero looked at the two boys, he was glad at the support they were giving one another.

He slowly walked to them.

"Hey, it's alright Basil." He spoke. "Sunny doesn't hate you, he's here for you."

The three had regained the lost link between one another.

Kel looked away for a moment, unsure as to what to do. If he moved now, Aubrey would feel like an outcast.

Aubrey looked at them, relieved that Hero was still as reliable as possible, she was glad that the two at least had someone else to rely upon.

"Because I, at least, know that it's important for everyone who suffered just like me."

"Not like you, you see yourself as a savior, you don't care about me."

"You simply care about the Sunny you knew during your childhood."

"You're a hedonist, Basil, you only care for your own pleasure."

"I am no longer the boy that you used to know."

"Instead..."

"I'm a poor pianist born from the City."

"Ahahah! Yes! It is him!"

Argalia was Manic.

He then looked at Sunny.

The Color Fixer raised his scythe and lunged towards him.

Roland quickly intercepted his brother-in-law with Durandal.

"You fucking maniac! Can't you realize this isn't the Pianist of our world?!" Roland yelled.

"Oh! It may not be, but it is still one nonetheless!" Argalia pushed Roland back, his desire was far stronger than ever.

"M-manager! What do we do?!" Yelled Sinclair.

"(I... I don't...)" Dante panicked at the sudden outburst of aggressiveness.

He didn't have time to react as Aubrey made her way through the crowd and hit Argalia in the back, only to realize that damage was not possible so long as they remained in the hotel.

Even so, she still wished to help. "Oi! You crazy asshole! You better not do anything to Sunny!" She roared.

"Seriously? A brat with a bat is attempting to hit me?" Argalia laughed at the pathetic attempt to stop him.

It was still enough to get him distracted as Roland moved in and disarmed Argalia.

"Hey! All of you! Help me here!" Demanded the Black Silence as he looked at the sinners.

Yi Sang, Don Quixote, Heathcliff and Gregor were the first ones to act as they immediately went to help the fixer.

"Let go of me! All of you! Can't you see?! The one who took her away from me! it's all because of that thing!" Roared Argalia.

"Roland! Can't you see?! This is the best time to act out your revenge! Kill him! Kill the one who took dear Angelica from us!" He tried to persuade his brother-in-law.

Roland looked at Argalia with a calm look. "The kid has nothing to do with what happened."

"That voice that told us sweet empty lies was the one who created this." He concluded.

"Angela told me, and the information that Limbus Company gave further proved the point."

"The distortions happened because of Carmen, she is the main culprit of what happened that day."

"I can't take out a boy who has yet to even become the Pianist, nor do I think I will go back to trying to avenge her, I've created too much ruin, all for nothing."

"Kehaha! Dammit!" Cursed Argalia. "Why is it that you're so calm about this?! Can't you see?! Every single time, you've stood on the way to make Angelica either be at peace or come back! Do you not care about my dear sister?!" He spat.

"No, this isn't what she would have wanted!" Roland refuted. "Nor is anything that you've done actually meant for her!"

"I'm ready to move on, Argalia, I saw what my own rage can do, and what it can do to me..."

He thought of that time he distorted, but also that time Angela showed mercy, even if he had betrayed her.

It was then when he realized that forgiving was such a rare response in the City... but one that showed him to let go of his ways.

In the end, he did gain what he wanted. Angela, who was part of the reason for why distortions were a thing, ended up letting go of her dream.

It was an eye for an eye, and it was just enough to make him feel at peace.

Because it ended with finding people he could rely upon, people he found companionship.

It was also, in a way, a middle finger to what the City stood for.

And that was even better.

Faust then interrupted. "Any attempt to harm people won't result in any casualties."

"Mr. Argalia, understand that no matter what you try, you won't be able to enact your vendetta."

"Tsk! I'll find a way." Reassured Argalia. "Maybe I should tell Bremen about this, they'll surely hound the boy until he breaks down."

Hero frowned at the claim. He looked at Sunny. "It's alright, he won't hurt you." He tried to assure. "Well make sure."

"Yes! Fret not pequeñin! We shall protect you from thy vile villains!" Spoke Don Quixote.

"I'll do what I can to help." Said a determined Yi Sang.

But the boy was trembling from fear.

The scene changed suddenly.

"I was the one to completely paint the photos black." Admitted Sunny.

"You! Why?! How could you?! How could you do that you fucker!?" Yelled Aubrey with pain.

"That's not all..."

"I was the one who killed Mari."

"I staged it with Basil."

"Hate me now, Aubrey."

"Because you cannot understand how much I hate Basil and myself for what we've done."

"AAAAARGH." Screamed Aubrey as she lunged herself towards Sunny.

Sunny realized that Aubrey's pink hair was slowly turning white.

The boy activated his E.G.O and stabbed her.

Aubrey opened her eyes. "Basil... you weren't the one to do it?" She asked.

Basil looked away. "I didn't want Sunny to get into trouble."

"I took the blame for him."

This simply made her feel worse, she had been bullying the boy for nothing in the end.

At this point, she was on a path to make his life miserable for no reason, she was disgusted with herself.

Even with the reveal, it was no excuse for what she had done.

The scene changed back.

"Carmen, would you allow me this duet?"

"Please, allow me to play this melody with you one more time."

He was standing on a concert stage.

He sat down on a chair with a piano in front of him.

"Let us proceed with the encore."

A resounding explosion could be heard as the entire pub started turning into a stave composed of musical notes.

Those inside the bar were then turned into musical notes.

And in the middle sat Sunny, seeing the destruction that he previously had created before.

Roland looked at the scene. The scarring memories of the destruction that was created by the distortion haunted him even to this day.

And seeing a reenactment was not helping at all.

Gregor looked at the battle scarred fixer with empathy, he knew what it felt.

He then said. "Hey, I know how it feels, tell me anything you may need."

Roland looked at the man. "Ah... Thanks..."

"..."

"Hey... have you perhaps..."

"From the smoke war? Yes, more than likely." Bluntly said Gregor. "You might have seen propaganda."

His bug arm twitched for a moment.

Even though there was general information shared, the past and personal lives of each of the sinners was still restricted information.

"I will become the very thing I swore to never turn back."

"You wanted me to relive my past, right? Basil?"

"The portrait of that boy you used to know no longer exists."

"It is but a distortion of what I imagined myself."

"Let me show you the form of my magnum opus."

"Allow me to show you the greatest symphony."

"Where a single musician can even rival an ensemble."

"I'll show you what sheer hard work can do."

"As for you Dante..."

"Please... Defeat me..."

"Kill me, make me cease to exist, do anything that you want."

"Never revive me again, there is no longer any point in living."

"Not when I can't even be of use to you."

Sunny, The Pianist was standing on top of a hill surrounded by a crater.

"Wait, are we seriously going to fight against that thing?" Questioned Heathcliff.

"Seems like it... This is not going to end well." Responded Rodion.

"Don't dampen the morale, so what if it is a distortion?!" Exclaimed Outis.

"I don't know, maybe because we have no chance against that?" Suggested Ishmael.

Outis, however, ignored her. "Never give up! It is not over until it's over!"

"(I think we should calm down a bit... this isn't going to happen to us... right?)"

"We have a high chance to encounter a distortion in our way." Responded Meursault.

"Like Meursault answered, we as Limbus Company have made ourselves known as a group who can deal with distortions and revert them." Explained Faust.

"Faust believes this is a good example to teach us how to deal with them."

The scene changed.

(Now Playing: tn-shi - Secretspell)

https://youtu.be/FX2ykgk-1us

"He's just too much for us dammit!" Cursed Heathcliff. "If any of us ends up distorting, I hope you make sure you knock us out before we do!"

"That won't be possible." Mentioned Faust. "Distortions cannot be interrupted unless the individual themselves stops it by themselves."

"..." Outis looked at The Pianist.

"Executive Manager, would you allow me to temporarily take control of the operation?" She asked.

"(Uhm... Sure? We don't really have any other options.)"

"I-I don't think you should give away your role as manager that easily." Sinclair pointed out.

"(Well... she seemed to have an idea of what to do.)"

"I mean... still..."

"If you end up distorting, I would like to hit you at least once." Commented Ishmael as she looked at Heathcliff.

"Aye, if you do the same, I'll take joy in doing too." Spat Heathcliff.

"Then, Faust, do you have information regarding this event?" She asked.

"Faust does have such information." She confirmed.

"The Pianist was defeated by a Color Fixer known as the Black Silence, this resulted in the death of the named fixer, however, it was then reported that an acquaintanced of said Color Fixer had taken upon themselves that very same name."

"That's not correct." Commented Roland. "Though Angelica was suppressing it... I was the one to defeat it."

"Oh, if only you were faster." Taunted Argalia. "Dear Angelica wouldn't have died."

"You have no right saying that, especially when the Hana Association dispatched you to deal with the distortion." He shot back. "Where were you at that point?"

"It appears there has been a conflict of accounts." Spoke Faust.

"Is this the first time she hasn't been correct?" Wondered Gregor.

"Rather than incorrect, it is that the sources were not correct." She responded.

"Sure, C.H." Smirked Ryoshu.

Outis then looked at Dante. "Then we must follow the script surrounding his memories, I will act as the Black Silence."

"Outis! Thou might be lucky to have the chance to act as the Black Silence!" Talked Don Quixote.

Dante could have sworn that she was biting her lips in jealousy.

Roland sighed. "I... don't think I will be able to see this."

"You're not Angelica, you'll never be!" Screamed Argalia.

"Can we do that?" Asked Ishmael.

"We cannot, our current technology only has a limit to how far we can extract identities." Faust explained. "An exception can be made during Walpurgis Night."

"But... that would mean that the boy's technology is far more advanced than ours to be able to extract such a powerful identity." Suggested Sinclair.

"That would be the case." Responded Yi Sang.

"Oh! Oh! I have a question!" Hong Lu said as he raised his hand.

"What Color Fixer would each one of us be?" He asked.

"I call dibs on the Red Mist!" Don Quixote quickly said.

"(Are you sure about this?)"

Outis looked at the ground. "It is the least I can do to take care of a subordinate who has gone rogue."

"But this is also a way to apologize for what I've told him before."

"I have realized that I didn't know anything regarding his past, just as no one knows mine."

"Even though I still don't agree with his beliefs, I can at the very least agree that I was unprofessional towards someone who was truly devoted to you, Executive Manager."

"Aaaaw is Outis caring about the boy?" Jokingly said Rodion.

"Now is not the time for this, Rodion." She responded. "We are currently in a threatening battle."

"They are, Outis, not us." Rodion clarified.

"But how will you do it? You're not at the level of a Color Fixer." Asked Sinclair.

Outis then looked at Basil. "Do you have an identity I could use?"

Basil sighed. "I... I will try to find one."

It seemed as Basil was truly pained by the words Sunny had said.

"Here." Said Basil as he threw a photo to Outis.

Outis then glowed for a moment.

Once it dwindled down, she now had a black suit with black gloves on.

Roland had a melancholic look. It was the very same outfit his wife used to have back then during their work as Fixers.

He truly missed her.

Argalia on the other hand did not accept this.

This wasn't his Angelica, it was but an impostor trying to imitate his dear sister.

"Be careful, I'm not sure if you will end up getting consumed by the identity's true self." Warned Basil.

"I will kill myself before that happens." Assured Outis.

She then ran towards The Pianist.

Don Quixote squealed in excitement. This was a sight she wished to see.

A Color Fixer vanquishing a distortion.

"Manager esquire! Bring me thy bucket of chicken!" She excitedly said as she had finished the one she was holding.

"Jeez, you're eating more than Rodion." Commented Ishmael.

"Ishy dear, please refrain from saying that." Joked Rodion.

Outis had her kopis raised as she cut through one of the musical notes.

She then dodged another as she jumped over one that was falling.

The sinner felt her skin starting to slowly tear, meaning she had to finish this as soon as possible.

She took out a sawed off shotgun and shot at the incoming attacks as she maneuvered around the notes.

Seeing as the rushing notes wouldn't stop coming, she took out an axe and a mace. This time, she threw her sword, which bounced back towards her as the musical note was destroyed.

Then she did the same with her other weapons again and again.

Jumping from side to side as she dodged the notes, she rushed and picked her weapons which came back to her as they destroyed the notes.

She continued to do so until she got close enough to the Pianist.

Outis saw this as her time to finally reach out to Sunny as she then leaped towards him, who was standing on top of a hill created by his own destruction.

Standing on top of the piano, she looked down on Sunny.

The Pianist looked up.

"In the end, I was never meant to stand on top."

"Are we seeing what the boy is feeling at the moment?" Asked Sinclair.

"Seems like it." Answered Gregor.

Roland watched as the Pianist continued to play.

He questioned if these words were the ones the Pianist had when he battled against Angelia or him.

The distortion was just as much of a victim as everyone else who fell to Carmen.

Yet at the same time, they were also culprits of the havoc they created.

"A genius was in front of me, ready to cut me down for the beautiful symphony I was finally able to create."

"This city didn't even allow talentless individuals to finally bloom through hard work."

"We only wished for one thing, and that was to find purpose."

"But alas, it appears that we cannot do so as long as talented and genius people exist."

"Even after I distorted, I realized such a pitiful attempt to surpass talent was futile."

"And yet, after everything I've done."

"I found myself in front of death."

"He's not dying now, there's no way, right?" Murmured Kel.

"No.. I don't think so." Responded Aubrey.

Kel looked at the pink haired girl with surprise.

"Sunny is stronger than any of us, he's been through so much." She commented.

"Yeah..."

"..."

"Hey, Aubrey." Kel spoke. "Can you... Can you at least stay with us?"

"Uh? Why do you ask?"

"I... I know that what the two of them did destroyed and betrayed our trust... but can you forgive them? Not for me, nor for anyone, but for yourself."

"I still want all of us to stay together as friends... So please... don't leave us." He pleaded.

Aubrey sighed. "Forgiving them will be hard for me... but I don't hate them..."

"Kel... I don't know how long it will take, but I don't want them to go astray like in that world..."

"So at least I can tell you that... I miss the old times... and I miss all of you." She admitted.

"That's enough for me." Kel smiled, he smiled genuinely for the first time in a while.

"... Could we go to the others now?" He asked.

"... Yeah, I think it is time for us to try and mend things..." She said. "I don't think distancing is the right call."

"I'm glad you think so too." Kel sighed.

Hero saw as the two of them made their way to him and the two best friends.

He smiled, seeing as they were willing to let go of the past.

"This white haired genius, who was ready to kill my passion."

"I did not want that."

"I wanted to continue on with this accomplishment."

"It was all I had at this point."

"And so, I fought for my dream."

"Now, in front of me..."

"Remained the body of a dying genius."

Outis was injured, her slowly tearing apart, and now she was unable to move. The identity was slowly feeding away her mind as she was starting to feel like this identity was her true one.

"Dammit..." She whispered.

"Sunny, please." She continued to whisper.

"I don't want to die."

"I have someone I need to go back to."

"Please, I want to live by their side."

"I have so much left to do with them."

"Stop this."

"I beg you."

"I can't just die here."

Sunny looked at Outis' dying body, her head upside down dropping almost onto the keys which Sunny continued to play.

Roland felt a few tears running down his face. He didn't realize that he was starting to cry at that moment.

"Dammit... why am I crying right now." He chuckled. "I thought I moved on."

Outis looked at the current situation, hearing her other self talk like that...

No, she didn't need to think of that, there was still a chance thanks to this company.

"Even if you say that..."

"I can't stop."

"I also want to live."

"Is your life more important than mine?"

"It probably is..."

"After all, you have someone you can go back to..."

"I, on the other hand, am alone in this world."

"Farewell, you are no longer a genius, for you have made a mistake..."

"No, your life is very dear to all of us, Sunny." Reassured Basil.

"And you're not alone either." Continued Kel.

"We're here for you, even after everything that has happened, we're still here." Finished Aubrey.

Sunny realized at that moment.

That there was no need to hide anymore, everyone finally accepted the truth.

Sunny broke down crying, he covered his face as he tried to clean away the tears that ran down his face.

The faraway gang comforted Basil and Sunny, they had gone through so much, and now was time to let it all out.

"After I realized what I had done, I was able to snap out of it."

"All because I was nearing death."

"I didn't want to die."

"That voice told me that as long as I continued with my hard work, there would finally be people who would notice my performance."

"She was right in a way..."

"But this wasn't how I wanted it to be."

"I remember how I found myself in the middle of nowhere once I finished my act."

"And I ran away from the destroyed district."

"I fled while hearing the haunting screams of a pained man."

Roland murmured. "That version of me didn't defeat the Pianist."

Argalia laughed as he mocked the Color Fixer. "To think that you wouldn't even be able to kill Angelica's killer."

"You're pathetic, you don't deserve her."

Roland looked at his brother in law with annoyance. "Yet she chose me for some reason, she decided to stay by my side until death did us apart."

"I thought that having mixed part of myself with everyone I knew would have been enough to make a change."

"In the end, I pretended I was still young."

"I thought that no time had passed, that I was still youth."

"After all, I never truly synthesized the personalities of my friends and sister in the present."

"I instead took their innocent youthful selves."

"I was a delusional adult, one who could not accept that I couldn't be something that I never was."

"And now, I am repeating that very same act of tragedy."

"With no one to stop me now."

"He never got over it then..." Whispered Kel.

"So much about saying that he got over it." Commented Ishmael.

"Sometimes we believe what is not." Said Yi Sang. "We end up believing that we did move on when in reality, we were still stuck in the past."

Hero sighed. "Getting over trauma is never easy."

But out of nowhere, a voice could be heard, one that Sunny knew well.

"Some things are more precious because they don't last long."

A wave of red hands rushed towards the Pianist.

Dante looked at Basil, who had used an E.G.O just now.

A painting stood in front of Basil, hands came through it, the boy was equipped with a giant pair of scissors.

What surprised him a lot was the fact he had the uniform of a sinner.

Hong Lu was the first one to react. "Whoaaaaa! That's incredible!" He said as he clapped in excitement.

"Indeed, tis an incredible revelation! Thy boy has become one of us!"

Heathcliff looked annoyed. "You know, at this point, sure, what else does this kid not do?"

"He isn't a sinner." Refuted Meursault.

Faust nodded. "He appears to have utilized his camera to take an identity."

"Uhm... is this really possible?" Questioned Sinclair.

"In the case of that version, yes." She responded.

"Dante, when I said I could understand you because of sheer investigation, I lied." Basil admitted.

"I used an identity back then, one that showed me what could have been had I been part of your group."

"I saw Sunny in this very exact form, and I knew that I needed to help him get through this suffering." He then turned around.

"It pained me to see Sunny this way, forcing him to understand what he truly is turned out to be the only way to help him." He smiled.

"He deserved nothing of what happened to him." He then started walking towards the Pianist.

"You don't know how long I've waited for this moment."

"The Sunny that I knew back then, I know he is still somewhere."

"All I need is to filter every single trait that isn't his own."

"Picture of Another World might not be good enough to take him down, but it should be enough to tip the scale if we cooperate." The red hands had returned with Outis' body.

Dante proceeded to revive her again, this time, Basil and Outis rushed forward to defeat Sunny.

"Wait, then Basil knew what was going to happen up to this point?" Asked Aubrey.

"I don't know what my other version was thinking..." Nervously said Basil.

This wish to have Sunny stay by his side had gone too far in that other world.

He was in a way, glad that they were able to reconcile unlike that other world.

Because there was no knowing what would have happened had they not.

"Picture of Another World." Murmured Roland as he flipped the book of abnormalities.

"Seems similar to Portrait of Another World." He declared. " Though... this is his personal E.G.O..."

He rubbed his chin with curiosity.

Was it possible for a distortion to be the same as an abnormality?

The Pianist might have fit in perfectly with the Silent Orchestra.

He might ask Angela about this later.

The scene changed.

"It has come to this..."

"I will die soon enough."

"What? Hath the spar been cut short?" Asked Don Quixote disappointed over the lack of fight scenes against a distortion.

"What else were we going to see aside from getting completely dunked on?" Heathcliff pointed out.

"B-but! Cool action scenes!" Argued Don.

"Is getting turned into notes cool to you?!"

"U-uhm... where is Sunny right now?" Stuttered Basil as he tried to ask a question.

"A place inside his mind, where he can talk to Carmen from the looks of it." Answered Faust.

Sunny could be seen in front of a public, a piano by his side, he saw as roses were thrown at him, whistles and applauds resounding through the room.

"But... this is not how I wanted things to end up as."

The light then went off, a spotlight lighting him up.

"Then... what is it that you want?"

"Carmen..."

"That's how she sounds?" Asked Hero.

"She has quite the soothing voice." Hong Lu complimented.

"I can understand why people end up listening to her." Commented Gregor. "A calm voice that tells them sweet lies would certainly trap prey."

"Like bugs getting trapped into flytraps?" Suggested Rodion.

"Ye- Oi." Gregor called with a bit of annoyance, yet Rodion simply chuckled.

He said as he looked in one direction.

"It's because of you I ended up here..."

"You gained recognition, is that not what you wanted?"

"It is... it was recognition for my talent, the Musicians of Bremen group was one that truly saw my worth..."

"But that's not what I was going for."

"Then... what is it?"

"Recognition for my own talent... your help made this an empty achievement..." Sunny remained silent for a moment. "... I will do this my own way."

He then stepped out of the spotlight, revealing a dark room that he knew full well.

"I will no longer envy the talented and the virtuosos." He declared.

"The City is a cruel place, and so, I am forced to survive in this cruel world."

"I will sacrifice others, so that I can be the only shining Star of the City."

"He-hey what does he mean by that?" Asked Sinclair.

Roland watched the situation. It was interesting to him.

The Pianist wasn't even considered a Star of the City, but instead, an Urban Nightmare.

That would have hurt the distortion if he had to guess.

Because not even the Hana Association saw him fit for such a title.

He started walking towards the door in the room.

"I must get rid of my competition."

"I have to kill each one of them."

"I will make it so people can only listen to my own performance."

"Wait, hey, hold on, there's no need to go that far, right?" Nervously argued Kel.

"No, that's how the City works." Refuted Heathcliff.

"A dog eats dog world out there, uh?" Commented Aubrey.

"The City never changes." Sighed Roland. "There's no such thing as a truthful and clean way to survive."

"Even Wings have their own issues."

"I seriously don't wish to live in a world like yours." Admitted Kel.

"You think any of us want to?" Chuckle Heathcliff.

"I still have a lot to discover about the City." Pointed out Hong Lu. "So I want to see what the City has to offer!"

"You're a little different from us, Hong Lu." Rodion laughed awkwardly.

He grabbed the handle of the door.

"I can be the only root of all evil."

He twisted it.

"And I must get rid of my past, of those photos Basil has, and everything that ties me to everyone I knew before."

"Only then will I be able to finally live on as a renewed man."

"Is he really trying to force his way from the trauma?" Questioned Hero.

That wasn't healthy at all, it was obvious.

If he had to say what the best way to do move on, it would be to slowly show the past, to slowly take out the bandaid.

Because you never know when the wound has finally healed. Ripping it could possibly cause the wound to continue bleeding.

"That seems to unfortunately be it." Responded Ishmael.

"Because the photos are the ones who end up ugly, all because I decided to blame it on them."

"I wish to be ugly, for such ugliness will make me stand out."

"Just as much as ugliness will show me how people truly feel about my music instead of any other trait I have."

"I shall create the greatest solo, one which not even an orchestra can ever defy."

"All made by myself, one without your help."

"It was nice meeting you, but a genius is not invited to my performance."

"Ah, at least he's snapping out of the distortion." Spoke Heathcliff.

"Indeed, it seems like at the very least he will be in control of himself." Yi Sang added.

"That won't be good." Declared Outis.

"Why so?" Asked Kel.

"Even though he has broken from the distortion, he is not in the right state of mind." She explained.

"Correct, it is more than likely that such negative emotions will lead to an automatic corrosion." Faust added.

"So you're telling me this won't end any time soon?" Heathcliff groaned.

"I was foolish to think that hard work would help me."

"Because such delusional thoughts you have, have never, and will never work."

"Not when the City continues to be the same."

"You lack patience, you're not fit to be a musician."

"You decided to recklessly progress without any thought of slowing down."

Ryoshu nodded in agreement. "Exactly, no artist should recklessly go onto make works."

She then turned to Sunny. "You are quite the artistic individual, little boy, at least in that world."

Kel interjected. "Yes! Sunny is quite creative!"

"I wonder what sort of art you will make in the future..." Murmured Ryoshu.

"We are not fit to work as a duet."

"My encore will resound through the City."

"After all..."

"To define is to limit."

"I will let myself chant a broken melody."

"It is all I have, and I am the only one who can understand it."

He opened the door.

"Sunny, the first Sinner, I have been waiting for you." Claimed Faust.

"If you join Limbus Company..."

"We promise you will never worry about time."

"And..."

"No." Interrupted Sunny.

"Oh?" Rodion voiced.

"I assume this is his own imagination, right?" Inquired Sinclair.

"Ask Basil for such a request, he is far more fit for the role than I am." Answered Sunny as he smiled.

"That won't be possible." Responded Faust.

"He was the one to recommend you."

Ishmael looked at Heathcliff.

"What? I said I'm done mentioning the bloke." He stated. "I'm not even surprised anymore, might as well just be the Head or something."

"Is this still in his mind?" Wondered Kel.

"I assume so, though, given how much Faust doesn't talk about this sort of stuff in that world... I wouldn't be surprised that it's true." Answered Gregor.

The place shifted into a white space.

In the middle stood The Silent Orchestra. Sunny walked towards it.

"I told you Carmen, I don't need you, I don't need whatever power you may grant me."

He started ripping away the faceless portraits of the band of abnormality.

His hands slowly shifted just as his clothes did too.

Sunny's entire being was slowly consuming the abnormality.

The Pianist was no more, and instead, there was a man standing, he wore black and gold, the same coat that the Pianist wore now had tints of yellow and white, yet the black continued to dominate the color scheme.

Roland looked confused at the situation. "I've never seen such a scenario before."

"Why do you say that?" Hong Lu.

"Distortions are different from abnormalities, it is impossible for a human to become an abnormality." Explained Faust.

"There has been no case of such an event happening." Continued Meursault.

"Could it be possible that this is a case of an extraction instead?" Considered Outis.

"With one's hands? Not very likely." Argued Roland.

"Would it be possible that this is not in actuality an abnormality?" Suggested Outis.

"So a distortion that looks really similar to the Silent Orchestra?" Asked Roland.

"Yes, a distortion that coincidentally looks like an abnormality, or in this case, a E.G.O. manifestation that looks as such."

"Mmm... yes, that might be possible."

Argalia, still restrained by Roland, looked at the new form that the boy had taken. "To think... that I would be able to see the face of that disgusting being..."

"If Bremen were here... how much chaos would that bring..."

The scene changed.

Sunny, The Strident Orchestrion, continued to wreak havoc against the sinners and the white space that looked like it was part of a district.

"What do we do now, manager?!" Panicked Sinclair, only to be crushed by a musical note.

"Bloody hell, just how long do we have to last against the lad?!" Yelled Heathcliff as he tried to parry one of the musical staves, only to be pierced by another.

"I'm sorry Executive Manager, it seems I am unable to defeat him alone." Apologized Outis, still in her Black Silence identity.

Basil looked at Sunny, he had two swords, the two blades of his pair of scissors were able to cut through an incoming stave.

Yet he was far more careful than the others, after all, he couldn't be revived like the others.

"Oh right, one mistake and he is dunzo." Spoke Heathcliff.

"Jeez, I am surprised he's able to stand near an Urban Nightmare." Commented Gregor as he scratched the back of his head.

"Given the fact that he is the founder of a Wing, I'd say having extensive self defense should be a given." Suggested Ishmael.

"Really? I thought most were just money gobblers that couldn't fight to save their lives." Admitted Heathcliff.

"Not every manager is like that, R Corp's is a prime example, but most are indeed usually incompetent." Explained Outis.

"Not like you're not strong yourself, executive manager, you just haven't fought yet." Assured Outis.

"(Still... all I seem to be doing is stay back and do nothing to help you guys)"

"This is completely above our level, I don't think we can even take care of him." Murmured Gregor.

"That is for now, Basil, do you have any other identities we could use?" Inquired Ishmael.

"I do, though I am still not sure if that will be enough to deal with him." Warned Basil.

"He is an Urban Nightmare, though I am sure he has been elevated to Star of the City in this form." Pointed out Faust.

"He's a what now?" Exclaimed Rodion.

"This is supposed to be our fourth mission, right?" Asked Sinclair.

"What was a Star of the City again?" Asked Kel.

Aubrey groaned. "Some of the biggest threats the City has, I'm not explaining this to you again, you have to pick up the notes yourself."

"In short, that's basically it, Kel." Agreed Basil.

Sunny was simply playing the piano, mechanical arms, violins, trumpets, whichever instrument one could name flew around as they played.

Sunny was both the conductor and the pianist.

"He synthesized both the Pianist and the Silent Orchestra." Roland stated. "This kid seems to keep taking the traits of others and using them as his own."

"Then, does that mean that this is his gimmick?" Asked Ishmael.

"From the looks of it, yes."

Argalia hummed. "I wonder..."

"Would the Pianist ever be able to reach this height had he been left alive?

"I was not sure about the Pianist's composition being good, but this one has E.M.E." Commented Ryoshu as she saw Don Quixote's body being turned into a musical note.

"(Now is not the time to be idle!)" Warned Dante as he used his powers to revive those who had died.

"Argh!" Yelled Heathcliff as he was revived. "I'll take anything at this point! Anything to make this entire thing stop!"

"Dante, although Faust has made sure that E.G.O does not corrode with the help of Limbus Company, it appears Sunny's has evolved." Informed Faust.

"(What do you mean by that?)"

"Sunny's previous E.G.O. Allegro Agitate, was a ZAYIN class E.G.O according to the information Limbus Company has recollected, that is the nature of the E.G.O. of all sinners."

"Though, it appears as his E.G.O. has changed to that of an ALEPH." She informed.

"S-straight to the top?" Stuttered Sinclair.

"Is that really possible?" Asked Ishmael.

"Army in Black." Answered Roland." There's also White Night."

"Uh, isn't it weird that it's only the ZAYIN abnormalities that end up getting their threat level changed?" Pointed out Gregor.

"From what the notes have reported, there is a possible link between seemingly harmless abnormalities, of which may even be beneficial to the corporation, to then turn into abnormalities with ulterior motives." Suggested Meursault.

"Might as well follow the same rules as the backstreets, anything that seems too good to be true, is never always good." Concluded Rodion.

"Furthermore, it seems as if he has synthesized the E.G.O. of another abnormality and made it his own." Added Faust.

"(And... what does that have to do with Sunny's current state?)"

"Sunny is conscious of what he is doing, he appears to have gone rogue due to the high levels of stress he's gone through during this expedition."

"(Then what do we have to do?)"

Faust looked at Basil. "We need to guide him to the right place, as if he were still distorted."

Basil looked determined. "I will do what I can to bring back Sunny, it's because of me that this started, yet all I wanted to do was to help him."

"Then... Why go through all this? Why couldn't you have simply let him go?" Asked Sinclair as he took another step closer to Basil. "Wouldn't it have been fine if you had let him go?"

It was understandable for him to ask such questions, after all, his circumstances happened because of the very same motives.

Sinclair squirmed as he didn't want to remember Kromer.

"S-sorry..." Uttered Basil.

"Don't be, it was very rude of me to oppose you by using personal experience as an excuse..." Responded Sinclair.

"Even so... you still have your own reasons and points." Stated Basil.

"I... I thought that I could truly help him, I wanted to be back with him." He started speaking. "I knew that letting him go would have been the best thing to do."

"But I couldn't, I missed him so much, I wanted to finally see him again after so many years."

"We made a promise to stay together no matter what, in my worst moments I was ready to end it all, but after finding the Singularity of this Wing..."

"I just couldn't, I had enough resources to spend so that Sunny could finally be happy."

"I thought that maybe now, he could finally join me, I could have given him the very same dream he had when he joined the company."

"I saw the realities, I saw each single possibility that I had the chance of viewing."

"But I never saw one where he synthesized with the Pianist and this abnormality that you so speak of."

"I just wanted to be the one to help him out of it."

"I have to agree with the other version of Sunny, this version of the blonde kid seems a bit hedonistic." Admitted Gregor.

"But thy thought is noble, is it not?" Argued Don Quixote.

"Some kind gestures can be traced back to personal gain, others for self satisfaction, in a way, there is no such thing as a pure kind gesture." Refuted Rodion. "It's still nice, it's just that in the backstreets, there's never any good reason to do that."

"Yet there have been people to that." Pointed out Roland. "Even though they do not last long, the Red Mist is a prime example of being at the end of kind gestures."

"That's part of the reason why she is the way she was back then, she wanted to repay the kindness of the people who helped her before."

"Yet it didn't work, because those very same people were vile greedy idiots."

Roland looked at Don Quixote. "Fixers aren't this perfect heroes, they have their imperfections, some are even villains, we are just as humans as normal civilians of the City."

"Your thought is noble, but it is important to not be too delusional with what you want to do, it never ends well."

Don Quixote seemed speechless at that moment, her idea of noble fixers had been refuted by a Color Fixer.

Even then... it was a nice tale that one of the top told her, it meant that she still had a long way into becoming the fixer she always dreamed to be.

"Thank you, Black Silence! I shall take this as a great lesson!" She smiled.

"Teaching kids now are we, Roland? What is it, do you wish to have had that kid you never had?" Taunted Argalia.

This time it hit a bit too close, Roland grunted as pressed onto Argalia even more.

"Ah, you're hurting me now, Roland."

"Good."

"Shouldn't that not be possible?" Pointed out Ishmael.

"It doesn't have the intent of killing, so that might be a loophole." Suggested Outis.

"Uh, that explains why my back almost split when the laddie threw me to the ground." Complained Heathcliff as he pointed at Ishmael.

"I'll do it again if you want to." Smirked Ishmael.

"You're the devil, lass."

"And you're a thoughtless idiot."

Sinclair grabbed him by the collar. Even though he seemed mad, he still had a bit of difficulty trying to confront Basil.

"A-are you mad?!" He shouted. "Did you not see what Kromer did?! She did everything for the same reasons as you!"

"Why?! Why did you think this was a good idea even after seeing what happened?!" Sinclair started shaking the other boy.

"Woah there, Sinclair. Never thought you had it in you." Teased Rodion.

"That version of me seems more secure of himself." He uttered.

"We went through your homeland, it might be that you became a more hardened individual." Suggested Outis.

Sinclair flinched, remembering that they were still at K Corp.

Basil looked at Sinclair with guilt. "Love does weird things to us, Kromer was a clear example."

"But I... I love Sunny as my best friend, I can't simply leave him alone, I was so determined to bring happiness to him."

"I honestly thought this was going somewhere else." Whispered Gregor.

"Not the time." Spoke Ishmael.

"Sorry, sorry."

"I was shortsighted, I thought that I had everything planned."

"Yet I forgot the most important element."

"Sunny's consent."

"Basil truly cares about him..." Whispered Hero.

"This isn't because of his hedonistic mindset now, is it?" Asked Aubrey.

"No, I don't think it is, at least this time." Answered Hero.

Sinclair finally let go of Basil's collar.

Basil started walking towards Sunny.

He then activated his E.G.O. once again.

Red hands shot out towards Sunny, the boy the proceeded to order the instruments to shoot towards them.

Basil then proceeded to rush forward.

"(Everyone, support Basil as much as you can!)"

"Why do we have to?! He's just rushing forward recklessly!" Shouted Heathcliff.

"Like someone I know!" Jabbed Ishmael.

"Oi!"

"(I believe in Basil, I think he has a plan to deal with this!)"

"Seriously... alright manager bud, I'll follow whatever you say." Accepted Gregor, using his claw to parry one of the musical notes.

Many of the sinners used themselves as meat shields as Basil continued to rush onward.

The amount of hands and deaths were many, Dante could have sworn he was about to faint from the amount of pain, yet he continued to persist.

Basil still remained standing as he continued on the arduous journey towards Sunny.

He climbed towards the top of the mountain in the middle of the crater.

(Now Playing: Memories of You / Sad Keyboard Guy feat. vally.exe)

https://youtu.be/mELeebJKkKQ

On top was Sunny, yet again playing the piano, with two pairs of hands moving around as they conducted the other instruments.

"Sunny..." Whispered Basil as he finally was near him.

"You're here, Basil." Responded Sunny.

"Please, stop this." Weakly pleaded Basil.

"I won't." He refused.

"Why? Why are you continuing to play?! It's done! The play is no longer going on!" basil asked.

"I ask you this..."

"Have you wished to stop existing in this world? Or did you just want to simply end it all?"

"W-what?"

Hero sighed. Was he getting used to this? It was by no means healthy.

He couldn't talk to Sunny about this, it was another version of him, there were bound to be differences between them.

One was the fact that the group was back together, they would be there to help both Basil and Sunny.

No, not just them, but one another.

Each one of them had their own problems, and they would fix them together like they used to.

Because that is what Mari would have liked them to do.

"It's simple, do you simply not have a will to live, or do you just want to erase everything you've done up to this point?"

"Basil... I have created so much suffering."

"Wouldn't it be better to end it all? To just cease to exist?"

Basil now had his eyes opened in shock at the insinuation. "You can't... you know you'll just be revived."

"I know that, and I wished that wasn't the case."

"It's really funny, I've switched between wanting to die and wanting to live throughout my entire life."

"Does someone who acts like this deserve to live? Or do they deserve to die?"

"My life would have been so much easier had so many things gone differently..."

Basil remained silent for a moment. "... You... Do you miss us?"

Sunny finally stopped playing, yet he didn't turn around.

"Of course I do, I miss those times when we didn't have to worry about anything."

Aubrey clenched her fist. She too wanted to go back to those easy times.

And now, there was a chance to be near something similar to that past.

It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough for them.

"Yet our group will never be the same."

"Hero and Kel are making use of your camera."

"Aubrey and Mari are dead."

"And... you and I... can never stay together."

"We'll simply do more harm to everyone else."

"We must go down, we must repent for our mistakes." Sunny declared.

"I won't let you." Said Basil as he raised his weapon.

"So be it, let us begin with this performance." Sunny declared.

He took out Allegro Agitate, however, the weapon had changed, the scythe was still a musical note, but clefs and curved staves decorated the weapon. Furthermore, the gun barrel of the rifle was not at the other end where the scythe was instead of inside the scythe's upper section.

Basil went forward and immediately clashed against Sunny's weapon.

He then backed off immediately, his pair of scissors then turned into dual swords as he detached them from one another.

The blonde boy rushed in again, this time he unrelentlessly tried to slash against Sunny, but the boy blocked each one of them while holding his weapon with a single hand.

Sunny remained on his seat as he continued to play, the hand holding the weapon then attempted to slash against Basil, but he blocked the attack.

"Just stop this!" Demanded Basil.

"I won't."

Basil attempted to stab Sunny, but he blocked the attack that was going towards his eye.

The blonde boy looked back at the other sinners to see how they were doing. All he saw was the group struggling to protect Dante.

"Just stop this at once already." Repeated Basil.

"You're really determined to make me drop this melody of mine, no?"

"Of course, that's what is keeping you in the past." He declared.

"Are you still going on with the assumption I'm still stuck in the past?"

"You are, that melody, it's Meltdown, isn't it?"

"..."

"Meltdown... that's the one he made back then in that world." Whispered Kel.

Was the melody very important to Sunny?

Actually... There might be one reason.

It was a composition meant for him and his sister.

Sunny had been playing that very same melody by himself, one that was meant for the two siblings.

He was trying to fill that gap Mari left behind...

He was still trying to be Mari until the very end.

After all, it is hard to stop what you have previously started.

Silence reigned at last, it was for the very first time since the start of Sunny's distortion that there was no sound to be heard.

Sunny finally stood up.

He walked towards a ledge.

Basil looked at Sunny. "Don't, you know it won't matter."

"It's the very same reason why I am doing it, it won't matter at all."

"Anything I do will be useless."

"All I have left is this melody that makes me feel like I truly matter."

Basil's mouth quivered. "Why... what did we do to deserve this?"

"I don't know either, but it doesn't matter."

"I've long accepted that past, all I can do now is live in the present..."

"There is no future for me."

"The only thing that I can end up doing is look to the past."

"The present has been tainted by your current self."

Sunny smiled at Basil.

"Whenever I say that I hate you, I truly mean it."

Tears started falling from his eyes.

"But... I miss you, I miss that innocent boy who promised to always be there for me."

"You never did try to reach out."

"Four years inside my room, and you decided to never try to call out for me during all that time."

"I hate your current self."

"Why... why do I have to choose?"

"Why is it that the present has the person that I hate the most..."

"But the past has the memories I already buried?"

"I just wish you were there for me before."

"When you talked about me leaving you, do you know how much it truly hurt?"

"I wasn't even given an option."

"My mother forced me to leave, and she then just left me in the middle of nowhere."

"I simply wished to be erased from this world."

The faraway gang seemed completely devastated by the honest declaration Sunny made.

Everything completely went wrong there.

Not just their attempt to reunite, but also Sunny's life as a whole.

He didn't deserve any of this.

It was an accident, one that has impacted him more than it should.

Basil held Sunny's hand tightly. He continued to repeat the same words.

"I'll be here, I promise I will be here for you, I won't let go anymore."

Those very words were mixed with the sounds of crying the blonde boy made as he tried to keep it together.

He felt at fault for not trying hard enough to reach out.

Just then, Basil rushed in to hug him.

Tears ran down as he grasped him as much as possible.

His identity had completely deactivated.

"Then... let me share that pain."

"I... I just can't stand seeing you this way."

"I don't care that you hate me."

"I'll be here, just this once."

"Even if I wasn't there before, I'll be there for you now."

Sunny gritted his teeth.

"No...no!"

"I...I can't!"

"You should just never talk to me!"

"I never wished to see you ever again!"

"Yet why... why is it that I am crying for you?!"

Sunny tried to fend off Basil's hug, but instead they both fell from the mountain.

"These feelings... they are not yours... are they?"

"You've tried to be other people so hard that you forgot who you truly are."

"You're Sunny, not the best friend that I knew, nor the talentless one you proclaim to be..."

"You are Sunny, the kind boy who was shy, who always got frustrated quickly, who never truly talked."

"You are not the image of your sister, not your alter ego."

"You're no longer the Pianist, you're currently part of Limbus Company."

"You can go back to them, you have people who will truly help you."

"You can stop now, you can be your own person."

Aubrey started crying, she could no longer take it anymore.

Hero tried to help her, yet she continued to say that she didn't need to.

It was agonizing, this entire viewing.

Yet they were glad for one thing.

It was enough to make them reunite as a group again.

Kel still continued to prevent the tears from falling from his eyes.

Sunny, who at that point had not reacted at all... he was simply letting every single teardrop leave his body.

This was it.

This had to be the last time he needed to be scared of what others thought of him.

He finally had people he could count on, people he previously felt too guilty to admit his wrongdoings.

Sunny finally gave back the hug.

"Ah..."

"I'll finally bloom."

"I'll bloom like a flower."

"A flower damaged by the rough climate."

"Just for you."

"This tribute... will be for you..."

"My best friend..."

"Even though I am no longer a beautiful flower..."

"I will find beauty in such ugliness."

"..."

"I can see it."

"The true color of the performance I've made."

"White."

"Just like tulips."

Silence reigned, the orchestra no longer played.

Slowly, the instruments disappeared.

Yet even so, the silence was peaceful.

It was a peace that none of the sinners had been able to feel for so long now.

The best performance was made by a silent orchestra.

Yi Sang looked at the scene, he felt... serene.

It was weird, was this what was ahead for him?

No, this was what Sunny had to go through, we would need to go through what the Golden Bough had in store for him.

Yet looking at what someone else had to go through...

It gave him reason to push forward.

Because they continued to preach of the other sinners, workmates who he could count on.

The scene changed.

"(So... about the Golden Bough)" Asked Dante.

"We won't be getting it due to the employer no longer being alive?! What sort of argument is that?!" Asked Heathcliff.

"What sort of bullshit is this?!" Roared Heathcliff.

"He--hey now, there's no need to be this mad over what happens in that other world." Sinclair tried to calm.

"Yeah, no shit, but come on! After everything we've been through, can't we just have it?!" Heathcliff ranted.

One of the K Corp executives stood alongside the other executives. "We won't be giving it away until we decide who the next owner of K Corp. will be.

"Then allow me to read Basil's will." Spoke Polly as she entered with Oufi Association fixers.

"Polly... wait... she never did enter with us into Sunny's inner ego, right?" Basil asked.

"You're right, then... that means you had something planned if you were never coming back." Theorized Hero.

"You were really keen on going to such a dangerous place, he must have had this as a backup plan." Added Aubrey.

"La ostia! Are thee Oufi fixers for real?!" Don Quixote said as this was the first chance she got to see them in action.

"O-Oufi Fixers?!" Yelled Don Quixote in excitement at seeing such magnificent fixers.

"What ridiculous clothing..." Whispered Heathcliff.

The Oufi fixer then cleared his throat as he took the will. "It is time to proceed with the will."

"The executives of K Corp. are present, and Limbus Company, the group mentioned in the will, is as well." He checked.

Sunny looked shocked. "W-what?"

The Oufi fixer continued. "With the relevant parties present, we shall commence with the ceremony."

"The first order of business will be a reading of Basil's Will."

"And as per the deceased's request, the will shall be read out loud."

"If anyone is reading this, chances are, I have died during my contract with the employees of Limbus Company."

"To ensure the prosperity of K Corp. I have written down the measures that should be taken, this way, even when I am gone, the corporation will continue to bring hope to the citizens of the district and beyond."

"Limbus Company will be given the ownership of the Golden Bough as per the previous contract's contents."

The sinners sighed in relief upon hearing that.

"Good." Mumbled Heathcliff.

"Furthermore, my belongings, my personal experiments and my position, shall be given to Sunny."

"I-I..." Sunny was too shocked to say anything else.

"Sunny, I am sorry for the suffering I have made you go through during your stay in K Corp's Nest."

"I have planned to force you to have my position, you were always talented, even if not with music, you were a talented individual."

"You were creative, that was enough to show me were talented, and even then, you were kind, such kindness that was not common within the City."

"The kid is right, there's never a lot of kindness around the City." Spoke Rodion.

"Though... it appears that Basil ended up doing what he planned from the start." Added Yi Sang.

"Oh yeah, he was trying to make Sunny part of K Corp." Kel said.

"So... in that world... we're partners with a Wing owner?" Inquired Sinclair.

"Very much so! Tis an interesting development!" Answered Don Quixote.

"Ooooh, will he be met with many people trying to gain his favor?" Wondered Hong Lu.

"As I continued to analyze you, I have come to the conclusion that your mental fortitude exceeds that of the average fixer. Your calm demeanor even after what happened with Aubrey, is noteworthy."

"I have requested for you to be registered as a fixer as well through the Hana Association."

"This way, even after you leave Limbus Company by any chance, you'll have many options to choose from."

"I wish the best of you, I truly do."

"I have laid a path before you, one that will lead you to success."

"Please, take it, think of it as my apology."

"As for my assistant Polly, I declare that she acts as a temporary owner of K Corp. until Sunny's contract with Limbus Company expires."

Sunny dropped to his knees, crying as he called out Basil's name.

In the end, it seemed his best friend truly wished to help him.

And Sunny had pushed him away each time.

Sunny realized at that very moment that he didn't deserve such a friend.

Sunny looked at Basil.

His best friend was now by his side unlike before.

Sunny smiled. "I'm glad you're here."

Those words were heard by no one, his voice still shy.

The scene changed.

"(Sunny?)"

I asked the named sinner, he turned his face towards where I sat, he had a defeated look.

Even though we had obtained the Golden Bough, the only one who didn't truly win was Sunny.

"Hey, manager." He called out.

"(Yes?)"

"I no longer wish to live."

"I want to meet him again on the other side."

Hero frowned. "I guess not everything is alright."

"I do understand him though." Aubrey added. "He just lost another one of his friends."

"You know... it is odd that he didn't cry when Aubrey died in that world." Kel pointed out.

"That's probably because I was trying to kill him before." Answered Aubrey.

"Even so... don't you think he would have tried to make amends with you?" Basil asked.

"... Maybe, maybe not, but I changed too much in that world." Aubrey finished as she looked back at the scene.

"(...)"

"Why... why do I always end up like this..."

"(I don't know how to help you, but all I can say is...)"

"(We are here for you.)"

"(You've said that you're glad to have met me, so I want to make sure you don't regret saying that.)"

Sunny looked at me for a moment.

"I... I'll continue to cooperate."

Sunny looked out to the window, through the reflection, he noticed a hand holding a skewer.

"Here, have some." It was Outis.

"Oh... I... thank you..." Said Sunny as he took it.

"Don't look so down, I know it's hard for you, but we all will be going through the same." She explained.

"And by that, I mean that I want you to do the same for everyone else once their turn comes."

"Aaaaaw, is Outis trying to say sorry?" Teased Rodion.

"Absolutely not, I am merely attempting to regain a sense of camaraderie between us so that we can cooperate to help our executive manager." Responded Outis.

"You know... you're sometimes a good motivator when you want to." Commented Gregor.

"Are you telling me that following the executive manager is not enough?" Asked Outis with a raised eyebrow.

"(Well... I haven't really done anything except order all of you around... so I don't think it is quite a good image on me...)"

"T-that's because you're the leader, and you need to reserve your strength in case anything happens." Refuted Outis.

"Uhm... didn't you talk about a leader having to lead others into the fight instead of staying behind?" Sinclair tried to call out.

"That's that and this is this." Outis declared.

Roland looked at the sinners. "Well... I guess there's that."

"Quite the odd bunch, aren't they?" Asked Argalia.

"Have you finally settled down?" Roland asked.

"Mmm... yes would be the answer you'd like, but I still have the desire to hunt down that boy, he's the Pianist after all."

"He isn't, he's not even from our world." Roland then groaned. "You're just looking for anything at this point, just let it go."

"Is Angelica that easy for you to forget?"

"What are you eve- you know what? I'm done talking with you."

Sunny looked at her for a moment.

"I will."

"I'll promise to be by your side, no matter what happens."

Sunny took out the photos.

"I bow to be reformed."

"I will become my own person."

He uses a lighter to burn them all away.

"In the end..."

"The photos turned into an ugly black."

"While I stand, albeit damaged, I will heal."

"Something photos cannot do."

"That's correct, we can still heal from what happened." Hero said.

"It'll take a bit, it's kind of awkward honestly." Admitted Aubrey.

"But we're at the very least trying, right?" Asked Kel.

"Yes, we are..." Finished Basil.

The scene changed.

Coughing could be heard.

"Dammit... it hurts..."

It was Basil.

"Ah?" Voiced Heathcliff. "Bloody hell, he's still alive?"

"Honestly, it is to be expected I guess, he's quite strategic from what I've seen." Added Ishmael.

He had used ampules to keep himself alive, he had gotten away from K Corp with a teletransportation device.

He looked up, only to see Demian.

"Demian?" Uttered Sinclair.

"You know him, Sinclair?" Asked Rodion.

"Y-yeah, he was my classmate back then..."

"He was the one who survived after..."

"Hey, it's okay, you don't need to remember." Assured Rodion.

"Thanks... but he's a friend I made, someone who was odd, but gentle."

"Mmm, this means that there are two groups we need to be wary of, then." Outis concluded.

"Why so?" Hong Lu asked.

"N Corp. and the group of this individual seem to be two factions on opposite sides." Explained Meursault. "Basil is part of the group formed by Demian, while N Corp is formed by Hermann and the two brothers."

"Oh? More enemies to SYNC? Splendid." Ryoshu said with excitement.

"No... perhaps they may be allies." Murmured Ishmael.

"How did I do?" He struggled to say.

"Splendid." Demian responded. "The first seeds of our plan have finally been planted."

"Now that they have access to the camera, they will be using it for quite a bit."

"That way, we will be able to gauge their true potential."

"And at the same time, perhaps they will be able to truly challenge Hermann's group."

Basil looked at him for a moment.

"Will this... be able to keep Sunny safe?"

"Of course."

"Then... that will be enough for me..."

"As long as he continues to live... I will be happy..."

"Even if I die..."

Basil tried standing up.

"Can... Can I see him again?"

Demian looked for a moment.

"You can, I wish for you to relay them a message once they arrive in U Corp's District."

The room turned back to white.

Ishmael took a deep breath. "Then... I'll be the next one then?"

"But... we're not ready, right?"

"Oi, what the hell are you yapping about? We took down a Star of the City level threat, we can deal with whatever we find at U Corp."

"We were only able to do that because of Basil showing Sunny the path, it's impossible for us to deal with that bastard!"

"Alright, hold it there." Roland intervened. "You don't need to be that anxious about what the other world is going to be doing next."

"You're still here, there's still a lot of time for whatever you are going to do next."

Ishmael sighed. "Ah... you're right... but, I don't know how much time there is left to prepare..."

"It won't matter, really." Muttered Heathcliff.

Heathcliff then started leaving the room, only to bump into a kid.

"Oi! Watch where you're going!" Shouted Heathcliff.

"Ah?! You're the one who opened the door out of nowhere!" Michael Afton said as he yelled back.

"Brat! You're lucky I can't do shit to you!"

From there, a few others came running after the boy.

"Michael! There you are! Your father has been looking for you!" Henry said.

He then looked at the others. "Oh! Hello there! I'm sorry for any trouble Mike has caused you." He apologized.

Gregor frowned a bit as he analyzed the man.

Rodion was the first one to point it out. "Hey, Gregor, doesn't he look a bit like you?"

"Just because he was the same hair length, color, glasses and a few strands of beard, doesn't mean we're the same!"

"Though... the kid looks like a little version of Heathcliff... or at least what I imagined him being." Murmured Ishmael.

"With a bit of a darker skin tone, then it's possible." Added Yi Sang. "Mmm, perhaps one or the other will be like Sunny and I, two mirrors that so happen to look the same."

"Ooooh, I'm glad I'm out of that viewing." Roland said as he stretched his arms.

Michael left as his siblings continued to follow after him.

"I'm not going back! I want to enter one of these rooms!" He declared.

"Come on, Michael, I'll convince William over this." Softly attempted to persuade Henry.

Yet the boy didn't stop.

He then bumped onto another individual.

"Watch where you're going there, this time it was actually your fault." Chuckled Jae Heon.

To Roland's surprise, he saw that the Puppeteer was in his human form rather than his true form.

"Sorry about this." Apologized Henry.

"Don't be, say, what if I help you with that." The distortion said.

Roland frowned, he didn't know what he was planning, and he didn't like it a single bit.

Before he could act, he saw Angela coming towards him.

"I see you have finished the viewing, how was it?" She said.

"A few bad memories were brought up, but aside from that... I think it helped the group of kids finally get over their own issues... although they gave them new ones."

"I got into an argument with an annoying kid, the one that you said was supposed to be the Black Swan."

"Really now? What did he do?"

"Talk about what counts as human, even after I was already over it."

"Ah, no wonder you look annoyed."

They then started to walk without direction as they continued their conversation.

_-_

Kleine seemed to be satisfied as he looked through the cameras.

After all, this viewing had happened before, and the relationship between all of the Faraway kids had not always ended up so well.

This was a good start, a great progress was made to make Sunny turn into that individual the Hotel wanted.

"What do you think, Hyoudou?" Said Kleine as he turned back.

Issei had entered the room again after he didn't know how to get back, he had seen the viewing through the camera that Kleine had of the room.

"Will... will things also go well for me? For when I end up entering a room to see the same?" He asked.

"That will depend on you, though, I must warn, your travels are quite painful." Kleine warned. "Sunny's original demise ended with a double suicide in this version of his."

"But that is still far away from what I want, what I need right now is to make Sunny in this place turn into the one that I seek."

"If my own version is too much for me..." Issei murmured.

"Then... Can you slowly show me what my other version is?" He asked.

Kleine turned around to look at him. "I can, I am able to manipulate the viewings after all, up till this point, I have made it so that they randomly show... except the one Sunny has seen."

"These multiple parts are important for their development, but at the same time, they are a gamble." He explained.

"The next one... is Michael Afton." He declared.

"You still have a long way to go, Hyoudou. Jaune might be far closer to his own, perhaps he will have his own after I show him the resolution of the Jaune of the library, then I will show him his sinner form."

"I have many options for you, however, most of which need the help of others to be present." He then switched the camera.

Angela, who was talking to Roland could be seen.

"She is one of them, however, there are two others who have yet to arrive, they will come with the Innamorati." He explained.

"Then... show me the one that is available." Issei asked with determination.

"Very well..."

"We will be seeing the first of your own corporation, and those inhabiting it, you're more of a stand in so to speak, as you're but a part of the founder of that place."

"The Death Palette, a group of Color Fixers who have gone through their own distortion and back."

The phone in the room rang, Kleine went to pick it up.

"Haine, what is it?" He said with hostility.

"A few new guests have appeared."

"Who may they be?"

"Cao Cao and Vali."

"Well, this will get quite interesting, things seem to be going towards the direction I wanted."

(A/N)

And that's it for Sunny's Canto.

To put it in short, Synthesized Self meant that Sunny had completely copied parts of people he knew, his attitude was similar to Omori's, his dream was that of Mari's, and in the end, he synthesized the Silent Orchestra, creating an "aberration" called the Strident Orchestrion, which fits given the fact that an orchestrion is a machine that plays an entire orchestra by itself.

I ended up not making the Sinners react to the song, this is due to the fact that I decided to give multiple options to choose from, as well as the word count already being quite big.

Also, Hero as Gubo is shockingly fitting... only because Pursuit AU exists. Aside from that, Basil is actually both Dongrang and Rim. Kel is Aseah, mostly because having the two compatriots in N Corp be the brothers is fitting imo.

This is it for all the prewritten chapters, this is why I was able to update this fanfic so consistently, so expect the chapters to come less from time to time.

Anyways, the current roadmap is the following (Subject to change).

Vermillion Arrow (Issei Hyoudou)

Yield my spirit to claim their soul (Michael Afton)

Philosophy of Death (Jaune Arc)

Audition or Die (Sunny)

??? (???)

The Family Meeting Part 1 (Michael Afton)

If you remember correctly, I gave Sunny, "Synthesized Self". I will later give hints to the other characters, since they sort of give a hint of how the story will go as the Canto changes into its own thing in the last part.

That should be all for now, I'll see y'all in the next update.

DxD (Issei, Rias, Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, Asia, Sirzechs, Azazel, Irina, Xenovia, Michael, Vali, Cao Cao)

RWBY(RWBY, JNPR, Ozpin, Branwens, Cinder's group, Adam, Sienna, Roman, Neo, Blake's parents, Winter, Ironwood, Sun, Neptune)

Library of Ruina (The Library, Ensemble)

Limbus Company (Limbus Corporation Main Cast)

Omori (Sunny, Basil, Kel, Aubrey, Hero)

FNAF (Afton Family (Except mother), Henry and Charlie Emily)