*
"Really? You would accept my deceit just like that?" (Arin)
"... Who you lied to... Was the first Lastia. I won't deluded myself, I will definitely be one of the many forgotten Lastias who perished inbetween.
Neither the first who held the weight of her own history, nor the last who will break through into new frontiers. Therefore... This is not an issue you should take up to me. " (Lastia)
" Ridiculous! It's all of you! I lied to every single one of you! I feign ignorance and go along with whatever stupid plan you come up with!
Now that you struck the matter at its core, the cause... Being me. You're just going to let it go? You could... Try and find a way out... " (Arin)
She heaved a sigh, her shoulders dropped as her body relaxed into a comfortable stance. Lastia was in no hurry, it was late evening and perhaps she had less than 4 hours left, disregarding sleep.
She took in the dark sky, stars infrequently popping in and out of sight, concealed by the light pollution of the residential zone. No governments nor meaningful borders, all that's left is organisational borders separating places into superficial labels like 2A.
"I... Maybe I lost. I'm not willing to break the curse, if you're unwilling." (Lastia)
"If...? If I'm unwilling? That's ridiculous, I casted it on you in the first place." (Arin)
"And there's a reason for it, right? I won't go against the better judgement of every other Lastia.
You understand why it took more than a year for a single 'me' to suspect you, right? It's because in that very diary... Everyone spoke highly of you. Trust was built up, maybe affection too.
For some of them, you had certainly made it worth living their single day to the fullest. " (Lastia)
Moreover, she wasn't really dying. Her memories were erased, but her personality was mostly consistent. Some semblance of her residual self always remained, every single Lastia was leaving a bit of something of theirs behind. Whether that be their muscle memories or some deep seated attachment at the back of her mind. Below even her instincts or subconscious, new information was deposited.
She recognised Arin and Sariel almost on sight... Even with the diary's descriptions of their appearances, she was unreasonably confident in her judgement of the individuals that showed up in front of her house... That certainty is the new information that's been deposited. Was she... Developing a resistance to the curse, after becoming a magical girl?
So which is it?
"You're saying that you will trust in my judgement... Because... Because..." (Arin)
"Because you're Arin." (Lastia)
Maybe this wasn't the right way for her to discover the curse, maybe... There was some destined plan for her, but instead she skipped to the ending with a deduction. Under the assumption that the perpetrator has to keep monitoring the curse and maintain it, the only one who fits such a bill would be Arin.
It could have been some unseen person, or that assumption could have been invalid as it was unreasonably and arbitrarily thought up. The curse could have been autonomous or lack a need for maintenance, nevertheless Lastia pierced through the mystery to the truth in this miraculous manner.
This shouldn't have been how it ended. Arin simply needed to lie through her teeth and everyone else would be none the wiser. Why? Why did she admit her crime? To honour the fight? Was it really so simple?
For that, Lastia has to dig even deeper into the past. Why did Arin cast the curse? What is the meaning of this curse? What did it achieve? Arin didn't seem to be the type to mess with the lives of others for amusement. There is clear intent in it, just that it was indecipherable at the current moment.
... It can't be her. Despite her admittance... Was Arin referring to another wrong doing entirely? No, she explicitly mentioned that she casted the curse... But it didn't make much sense. According to all of Lastia's instincts and knowledge, Arin was too soft to pull this off. It can't be as straightforward as 'Arin did this'. There was still much more missing under the surface. If Arin was the sole perpetrator, Lastia would rest easy, believing that Arin was trying to do something for her own good... Inexplicable, but she would remain faithful in Arin's intentions.
The concern comes from the possibility that there may have been others behind this ordeal, they could have threatened Arin... They could also simply not exist, there was absolutely no evidence suggesting otherwise. Knowing Arin is involved was the most massive step forward any Lastia had ever taken, however knowing and discovering shares a structure to a large tree that branches off infinitely.
The main branch... No, only the trunk has been discovered. Every other Lastia in the past would likely condemn her, either for discovering the fact, or for being sceptical of Arin. After all, they trusted her too much. Someone who helps her get by in her daily life, entertaining her whims and wishes... The present Lastia felt like a heretic for going against that notion.
Arin had gone back home, the sky was dark and there were less than a couple of hours left to midnight. Lastia sat at her usual desk facing the feet of her bed which layed in the centre of the long side of her rectangular bedroom. On her right was the door to the rest of her home, on the left was a curtain shielded window. There was no longer any light piercing through, her gaze silently lingered on the new empty page of her diary.
There was a pen to her side, but as if wary of its weight, she didn't pick it up. The way she saw it, finding out Arin's involvement was akin to skipping to the answer... What was clearly more important was the process, the motive of her's that led up to this. It clearly layed in her past, the troublesome aspect was that clearly any germane information wouldn't be conveniently recorded for her perusal.
"Haah~ what would you guys have done?" (Lastia)
She broke the silence with her own voice. Staring indecisively at the back of her slender fingers, that seem to glow with a pale hue under the dim bedroom lighting. She rubbed the base of her thumb over the back of her other hand, noting how smooth and supple the surface was. Lost in the lack of thought and discomforting silence.
Why stop now? Why halt progress? What she learned today... Was just the start. She wanted her relationship with Arin to remain the same, so...
'The answer does not lie with Arin, instead, search your past.'