paradisa | three paintings burned

[If you ever went back in time and told Garry that one day, he would be partly responsible for someone's death, he would probably feel disgusted that you could say such a thing about him.]

[But after the events that happened in the gallery, that's now a brutal truth. He was responsible for a death. Not a death of an actual person, but still, a death nevertheless.]

[He had tried to forget about it, trying to convince himself that what he had did was necessary- after all, hadn't Mary wanted to kill him and Ib, or, at the very least, hurt them to the point where they could never escape? It was self-defense, that's all. But the image of her burning up like a piece of paper can never quite leave his mind. And then that book they found in her room...."How to Make Friends"...she was just a kid, a painting child who didn't know how the human world went around things.]

[She was just lonely....but then the image of that palette knife in her hand, aimed at his chest and quite ready to taste blood, returns to his mind.]

[He feels utterly conflicted about the whole thing. Which is why he finally clears his throat and asks a question that has been sitting in his head for quite a while:]

...

If you had to destroy someone because they tried to kill you and the people you care about, would...would that make you a bad person?

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The fact that you feel bad about something so extreme as destroying someone, makes you a better person than you'd think.

Do you think there was another way to solve it?

...

[He doesn't know what to say to that. He doesn't feel like a better person for what he did.]

Well, perhaps there was. I definitely think there was...I mean, what I did, it was something very drastic, and I mostly did it out of fear for my life.

I don't know. I mean, I think if I were in that situation again, I would act the same way...but that doesn't mean I'd feel any better for it, knowing what I know now.

There is nothing wrong with having respect for your own life.

Do you believe in destiny?

Yes, I get that, but there must be something wrong with not having respect for someone else's life, even if they weren't human...

Destiny? [That's a deep question, Ammy. He lets out a "hmmm" sound.] I...don't know. I haven't really thought about it.

What, are you saying it's destiny that made me do what I did?

You seem to have a lot of respect for them already.

Not precisely, but the way you said you'd do it again if you were in the same situation made me think about it. Maybe it was your destiny to stop this person.

...

[He doesn't want to say that sometimes, he doesn't. When he gets angry, he doesn't think about others, it's all about getting back at the other person who made him angry and causing them the pain that he feels. Is that really respect?]

It seems like an odd destiny for something like that to happen... Honestly, it's not like someone ever told me that one day, I would get kidnapped by an art gallery and have to escape from there...

Though I guess to you, I was in the right place at the right time?

[And she'd probably tell him that's alright to have feelings, but overall, it's alright to feel guilty sometimes.]

If it wasn-- [Wait, what?]

Were you kidnapped by an art gallery?

Um. Yes, I was.

I don't fully understand it either...but one day I was looking at paintings and then suddenly I was in another world. A world where paintings tried to kill me...

[She's heard and seen SO MUCH but this is new...]

Were they possessed by evil spirits?

Beats me. There was a diary entry by their artist I found which said that he poured some of his soul into his work...but I don't know how it's entirely possible.

It does sound possible to me... What a wicked story.

It does sound like a story, doesn't it? Though, I don't feel like a fairytale hero or anything...

And yet, you might be.

...?

[Him, a fairytale hero? What did he do to deserve such a title?]

Why do you think that?

You saved those you care for. And who knows, maybe even others in the way. That's what heroes do.

[There's a long pause, and then he lets out what seems to be an amused huff.]

You know...to be honest? I wasn't the hero in that scenario, if what you said was true. I didn't really do much. Ib did...the girl who was stuck in there with me. If she hadn't found and saved me, then I don't think I would be here, talking to you now.

...She was much more brave than I could ever be.

[What a tragic story...]

What's your name?

[You have no idea how tragic it could've been, Ammy. You really don't want to know.]

Oh, I'm really sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier! I'm Garry. And you are...?

They call me Amaterasu, but also Ammy for short. It's nice meeting you, Garry.

Oh, what a pretty name! I'm sure I've read it somewhere...but either way, it is a pleasure, Ammy!

How long have you been here?

The pleasure is all mine.

I've been here for about six moons, what about you?

Six moons...ah, six months, you mean? Wow, that's a while...I've been here for about two or three myself. I haven't been really keeping count, heh.

three paintings burned

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