Chapter Text
I know now, that I was not wrong.
About what?
About you.
What do you mean?
You never gave up.
I wanted to.
When?
When she died.
That's fine.
You're fine.
Don't die.
The Commander looked off into the marshlands, then back at himself--his hands were slightly cracked, lines etched between his fingers. From this distance, it was far away--Eden was rather secluded, after all, and everything around was mostly grass--as lush and vibrant as the eye could behold.
If it were not for the faint smell of ash in the air, he could've kept admiring its beauty. But underneath everything was a heap of ashes, and a burning fire that had swallowed his image of this place whole.
"So this is where you were."
Turning back, he saw her--Cicil, twirling her hand absentmindedly as she stared at him with a slight smile on her face, betraying a hint of amusement. Silently, she walked up next to him, his eyes simply trailing her as she glided next to him.
"Getting used to it all?"
"...Don't think I could."
"Too much green?"
"Too much everything," The Commander slightly chuckled, seeing a robot move a couple of boxes across the valley--probably meant for one of the lower floors of Eden.
"Enjoying the view?"
"As much as I can."
"...Well, enjoy it."
Cecil followed his line of sight, then looked at him from the corner of her eye.
"...You know, you never told me how you did it."
"Did what?'
"Dorothy."
"That was luck."
"Life cannot be controlled by luck all the time, though I can't deny it must have played a part in it."
"...Johan kicked her out of Eden for a reason."
"And he was right for it," looking down for but a moment, the Commander sighed.
"She's changing, all except for that arrogance of hers. Guess that's never going away."
"You wish it would sometimes, don't you?"
"Nah... Well, maybe, but it comes with the job."
.
.
.
"How's it going with Snow White?"
"Talked to her a couple times. She's different, but I don't think she's forgotten what I told her back then."
"About what?"
"Leaning on me."
"Ever the dependable man, aren't you?"
He scoffed, slightly bemused.
"I wish. But I can't be in 19 places at once."
"Everyone around you seems to think you can."
"Including you, it seems."
"I suppose I do, but there's a reason for it."
"What is that?"
"Because you get the job done," Cecil turned her head back, and heard the raucous sound of those four beasts, as well as the familiar cry of Scarlet, Rapunzel, and Snow White, "You're reliable."
"But reliable doesn't mean flexible."
"But isn't that what ever man wants? To be desired by beautiful women?"
"I didn't know you were the joker type."
"I'm not. I'm being dead serious," Cecil faced him directly, eyes meeting the Commander, "And if you don't do something about that," she pointed at the commotion in the background of their discussion, "Then you might be dying from a Nikke before you die from a Rapture."
"Because of what?'
"Playboy syndrome."
"...Can never get away from it, can I? Even if they're 100 years old-"
"No matter the age, fair maidens never do lose their youthful hearts."
"Sounded like Scarlet there for a second."
"And maybe you should get to answering Scarlet, before she takes initiative herself."
Both chuckled at that.
"I'll get to it. Maybe once Rapunzel stops drawing those paintings of me. Or when Snow White stops stalking me wherever I go."
"That's all your fault."
"Which? The paintings, or the stalking?"
"Which do you think?"
...
"Exactly."
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Hey, Cecil."
"Yes?"
"Have you ever thought about it?"
"Thought about what?"
"Giving up."
"...And why so suddenly?"
"Because I've thought about it too many times, and I need assurance."
"How forward, and no, I haven't."
"And how's that possible?"
"Because what do I gain from giving up?" Cecil crossed her arms, "There is no home for me to go back to. No matter what I do, people might as well just classify me as a traitor and move on. Giving up is a choice. And in the situation we're in, do we have one?"
"...I thought I did."
"Maybe you did. But you don't know. Look," she pointed at the someplace far away. There, a beacon remained--Reclamation Site 001, and 002, and 003, and 004.
And so many more.
"Even if you gave up now, the people that you've helped would probably grab you by your legs and drag you back again."
"Against my will?"
"Maybe, but let's be honest here, would it actually?"
...
"Exactly. And, plus, at least I know now."
"About what?"
"About you."
"What do you mean?"
"You never gave up."
"I wanted to."
"When?"
"When she first died."
"That's fine.
You're fine.
Don't die."
A breeze passed by, striking his hair.
Gently, Cecil put up a pinky.
"Promise?"
Smiling, he nodded, then tied his pinky with his own.
"Promise."