Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Even now, as the ever-adored woman sat, engulfed in the flames around her, the smile of one girl was etched into her mind. Her arms heavy with the limp body of the last friend she ever knew, her heart heavy with the memories of the only woman able to make her blush and her eyes heavy with the sting of unshed tears, she couldn't help but find it ironic. All of it.

She had meant it when she told Luka that neither of them were worth saving. She was no angel. It wasn't oblivion if she had known all along. It wasn't effort if she hadn't even attempted to keep Sua with her. It wasn't love. Not like hers, anyways.

It was strange. It was never her intention to lose everyone. Everything. Then again, didn't she see it coming? Every single night, when Sua would practice the death she thought inevitable for herself and Mizi would watch from the crack in the door, holding herself from running over to her proclaimed god although she failed most times.

Mizi closed her eyes, as she held Till's body close to heart, wrapping herself around it. All noises melted away into the chaos around them. It was just them and the souls haunting the same stage which snatched their mortal vessels from them. No amount of cleaning could ever remove the years of blood spilled on this stage. Perhaps, having it burnt down would erase everything. Undo everything.

She closed her eyes, silencing everything to enjoy the few moments she could. Her eyes opened as a slight thump made her pause. She froze for a moment, her grip getting tighter as she tried to hear another beat. A sign of life. Something, anything to relight that glimmer of hope.

And there it was again.

The slightest pulse.

Mizi raised her head as she looked around for someone. Someone who could help him. And yet all that she blinded by was the bright flames which burned with ferocity around her, the panicked voices and screams of pleas formed a haze within her mind as she tried to find someone within the chaos.

The flames wrapped around them, a warm embrace that chained itself around the two. Her eyes closed for a final time and she lowered her head. Even now, she was pathetic. She had survived but not at all on her own. Others had died for her and even now, she could do nothing but accept defeat. A tear slipped down onto Till's pale face as Mizi's lip trembled.

Her heart clenched as she came to a realization she had tried to ignore for too long.

She couldn't remember Sua's face properly.

Her eternal, delicate smile was the only thing still etched within her mind.

A choked sob left her throat as she fell to the ground with a thud, a hand covering her mouth as another still stayed on Till's cold body. Issac's screams drowned within the disarray around them, melting into the shouts of the horrid creatures and their pets. It didn't matter anymore though. There wasn't a pulse anymore. All she was now holding onto were the shards of broken hope and the corpse of a dear friend.

She would be called a witch, an abyssal being for launching the rocket onto the stage for centuries to come. But who could blame her? There was only so much she could bear. You cannot cut a rope into pieces and expect it to bear burdens. Then again, these aliens weren't merciful.

As the fire grazed against her skin, a million thoughts flooded her mind. How would Shine react to finding about Mizi's death? Would her mother, as motherly as an alien could be anyways, be upset? Would she be missed in Shine's memory? Or simply be a replaceable pawn?

Memories of the Anakt garden provided a second of nostalgia. How carefree they had been, in the embrace of one another. How she'd always been this way, even as a child. Deceitful. Cunning. Behind a layer of charm laid an existence rotten and beyond saving.

A whimper left her lips as she kissed Till's forehead one last time.

They could be happy in the afterlife. Them. Not her.

It was common knowledge that someone, something like her couldn't dare reach for the heavens.

Hushed voices and soft whispers ran through the white room. Was she alive? How? It was impossible.

Mizi tried to pry her eyes open, but to no avail. It felt as though someone was holding on to her. A sharp cry broke her out of her train of thoughts and questions, much like that of a small infant.

"Aren't they adorable?"

A soft voice asked, accompanied by sniffling and cooing of other women. Who was adorable? What was going on? Where was she? Did someone save her? Was she in the afterlife that so many saw as an escape from their current existence?

"Ms. Hoshino, we need to conduct a few tests and check the vitals, as we do with every newborn child. It might take a minute considering you have twins. You just relax and we'll bring them right back. Congratulations again, Miss."

Tests? Newborn? Twins? What in the world was going on? Who was Hoshino? Where was she? Hoshino wasn't a name that rung a bell.

"I wonder where Doctor Gorou is. He promised he'd help me."

The gentle voice spoke up again, sounding more further away as Mizi was carried away from woman's embrace. Alot of names, none of which she remembered. Questions occured within her head, none of which she could answer. What was going on? She couldn't move a lot. At most, she could move her hand.

"Aw there, there, sweetheart. We'll be done very soon and you'll be right back with mama, okay?" The one holding her cooed.

Who? Mama? Was someone going to take her back to Shine? What were they going to do Mizi?

A thought passed her head. Had she….perhaps resurrected? It was an irrational thought. People didn't get a second chance at life. The mortal world is nothing more than a trial. No one got a retake, hence why people tried to make the most logical choices they could although they failed due to their human nature which is to sin. They were gluttons, yet always felt hollow. They were selfish, yet still felt emptiness. They were envious and prideful, yet still nothing more than a morsel on earth.

A few weeks later

Mizi opened her eyes, immediately taken back from the heavenly beautiful woman smiling fondly at her. Her eyes were the first thing that anyone would have noticed about her. They had stars in them. Stars.

What the hell? She had meet a lot of attractive people in her life, somehow she made it into the top five (top one would forever be Sua's).

Violet bangs with pink highlights fell gently on to the woman's face as her eyes curled with adoration. It was was surprising. She was plenty adored in her life, be it by Sua or the boys who claimed she led them on. Somehow this type of loving gaze was one she had never seen. Protective and angelic. Mothering, as one would say.

Now that Mizi really looked at her, she looked very young. As though she were in her teens. And yet she had such resilience present within her eyes, it was truly surprising.

"Aw, are you finally awake, Ruby? Are you happy to see Mama, dear?"

Oh.

Oh she saw what it was now. She had been given a second chance, against her will.

Her world was cruel and horrible but it was hers. She couldn't find another Sua in this world. She assumed this wasn't the same place she had become so familiar with. She hadn't seen a single alien. And if she was in the same place, this girl would have already been on the stage. She had a rather huge advantage in the visual department, however, who knew whether she had the voice and charms to go along with her looks.

It was a hard pill to swallow. Why had she been given another chance? Was reincarnation a simplification of whatever was going on or was that it? Had she just been sent to spend another life at random? Why? Was there as catch? She seemed ignorant at the first glance, but she knew better. The stage was a place where the innocent could not survive, not that any of them had a shred of innocence left within them.

Then the confusion hit her like a tsunami. Was she the only one resurrected? Perhaps…Sua would be here? It was a fleeting feeling. They couldn't get another chance to be one. She should have been thankful she even got another life.

"Look, its your sister, Aquamarine!"

The girl chirped as she held another child, a boy in her arms, presumably Aquamarine. Now, Mizi (or Ruby, she supposed) was no naming expert but wow. Those were two terrible names. Aquamarine? Was it due to his clothing or the color of his eyes? She probably would have jumped into oncoming traffic if she was named after a color. Although…Ruby was close. She'd let it off the hook. Unlike fucking 'Aquamarine', it was an actual name

If her name was Ruby, then she probably had red eyes to represent the color. Or jewel. Whatever she was named on the bases of. Then again, her eyes could be pink.

A thing she noticed about the child in front of her was how had one star present within his eyes, as opposed to having two like his mother. He had blond hair too, which was strange as the girl who birthed them had hair which was the opposite of blond. Eh. It could be the father but she never truly had parents. How was she supposed to know how genetics worked? They, unfortunately, did not teach that in the Anakt Garden.

"Ruby, can you say 'Mama'?"

A look of sheer disgust passed on Mizi's face. Absolutely not. Mizi was, under no circumstance, calling this teenager 'Mama'. Not yet, at least. She barely knew the girl.

And that's when she saw that the girl was talking to the boy. Wasn't his name Aquamarine? Wasn't she Ruby? Had she fucked that up?

A sigh followed the click of the door opening as a taller and seemingly older woman walked into the room, the slight noise her heels made against the hardwood floor made Mizi's attention immediately divert onto her.

"That's Aqua, Ai…the girl's Ruby, remember?"

The woman said, clearly exasperated at the younger's incompetence.

"Oh! Sorry, Miyako. I keep forgetting. I'm not that good with names…hehe."

Ai smiled before leaning down to press a kiss on a baffled Mizi's forehead.

Oh god.

Her mother was a moron.

She wasn't some scholar herself but it was the bare minimum to at least be able to see their color of clothing and determine who was who, right?! And these human mother's were supposedly more loving and affectionate than the aliens and even those creatures could tell the difference between children. Seriously… It made her smile thinking about how difficult it would have been for Ai to tell the difference between Ivan and Sua.

Aqua stared right at Mizi, his eyes narrowing on her as he gripped Ai's shirt tightly around his tiny fist. What was his problem? Oh right. She was a baby. She should probably act like it…

Mizi smiled at him as she leaned against Ai and still, the intensity of Aqua's glare didn't lessen.

Alright fine then, you little shit.

She knew how to put on a facade better than anyone. She had faked her way through the Alien Stage, surely acting like a mindless toddler would be nothing compared to the atrocities she had once endured. More importantly, why was this Aqua kid so protective over their mother? He would barely ever leave her side and immediately burst into tears upon being separated from her until his face was red.

Was that how children usually acted at that age? Back where she came from, young children were usually removed from the care of their mothers as soon as they stopped being breastfed, that was if they weren't the creation of a lab.

She wouldn't know. Shine was the only mother she had known and wanted to remember

"Time to get down to business. What are we doing for your hiatus comeback, Ai? Me and Miyako will take care of the twins while you work."

Mizi raised an eyebrow and looked over the whiteboard they had rolled into the room, the word 'Comeback!!' circled on the top. Hiatus? That sounded…interesting, whatever it meant.

Chapter Text

Ichigo Saito points to the schedule written on the whiteboard, the days packed down to the very second. Interviews, vocal practices, choreography practices, commercials, shows, meet and greets and rehearsals filled the columns. Mizi blinked, her gaze running down the grids with confusion running through her head. How did a child have so much work to do? Just what did this Ai girl even do for her job?

Her eye slowly widened as she stared at the amount of vocal practices present just within one week. There…was no way. Was she being prepared for the Stage?! If that was the case, why wasn't this Ai girl in the Anakt Garden? Had Mizi perhaps been reborn in a time without the garden, but still with the Stage?

Mizi shook her small head. Surely…not. The gods wouldn't do that to her once more, would they? Then again, she was still unfamiliar with the ins and outs of this world. The Alien Stage could still exist.

Another question arose in her mind. Was it…normal for women of Ai's age to give birth to children? Wasn't Ai a child herself? There was a chance that it was how this world worked. Presumably, this was seen as ordinary, since no one she had seen yet questioned this.

Mizi pauses as her stomach rumbles, and a smile appears on Ai's lips as Miyako looks at her questioningly.

"Did you feed them in the morning, Ai?"

"Mhm. I'm guessing growing babies eat more. Isn't that right, Aqua?"

She asked, holding up Mizi in her arms with adoration glowing on her face.

"Ai, that's…."

Miyako sighs, giving up her attempt to correct Ai, knowing perfectly well it would be futile. Ichigo returned to the board and started underlining some points.

"These are the ones that need more work. Chorography is something you need to polish up, and we have a few commercials on hold because of your hiatus. Do you understand?"

Ai nodded, a sense of responsibility settling on her as she ran her fingers through the wisps of Aqua's hair. Her luminous eyes were downcast upon her children, and a feeling of melancholy surrounded her.

"I suppose I need to work hard if I am to give these children a good life…"

It was strange. No young person such as herself should have to be focused on providing for anyone. Shouldn't she herself be provided for at that age? It was reassuring, however, to know that Mizi's provider had the ability to become solemn when necessary.

The days passed by in a haze of nothingness. She had learned the hard way that this tiny body needed much more sleep than she would have preferred. She could only stay awake for two hours at a time. It did feel pleasant to be cared for. To feel protected was a luxury no one was well-off enough to buy back where she came from.

It felt even better knowing that the only expectations set upon her were that she doesn't throw up on anyone holding her and acts cute, the latter somehow easier to stick to as compared to the former.

Months passed by in this way. Soon she learned how to walk on her own, and god, she could not be more thankful to own kneecaps and neck. It did get a bit much, though, when Ai used to squeal with excitement when Mizi used to crawl into her lap. However, it was quite amusing how she would start smiling, cracking up as Mizi tried to stumble towards her, small arms opened as she carefully placed one foot after the other.

Mizi stared at the building blocks in front of her, stuffed animals sitting around her as she clenched a block around her chubby fist. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a half-side ponytail that Miyako had been insistent on making, no matter how much Mizi fussed and whined.

Her single starry gaze travelled up to the wide television implanted on the wall. Some weird children's cartoon played on the screen, singing a song off-key as they performed a silly dance to accompany the music. She was a civilised toddler, mind you. No way in hell would she settle for this dumpster fire of entertainment.

Aqua sat beside her, equally repulsed with whatever was on the screen, simply poking the rainbow xylophone toy set for him. Miyako sighed before stepping outside the room to take care of a call. Mizi pauses as Aqua grabs the remote and immediately changes the channel as though he's done this a million times before. Which was bizarre since she had never seen him do that.

She blinked and leaned forward as the words "B-Komachi" appeared. Ai entered the screen, her grin as galactic as always. Her eyes shone bright as she winked at the camera, raising a microphone to her lips. Now this, was something worth watching

A feeling of amazement set within her as she watched the girl perform with utmost perfection, not a stray hair to be found. She moved with precision, her voice seamlessly harmonised with those of the rest of her group. However, it was phenomenal how she stood out the most.

The air around her gave off energy, which instantly drew everyone towards her. To anyone who would see their group, Ai would be the star shining brighter than anyone. Mizi stared at the screen, fully engrossed in the show. It was truly a sight to behold, something beyond explanation. However, now she was fully aware that Ai had the charms and the ability to captivate anyone, which was startling when combined with her mythical attractiveness.

Had she been on the Alien Stage, she would have been a crowd favourite. Ai's strategy of luring people into her world until they bowed down to no one other than her was one that only a few people possessed. It was extremely apparent that she had spent a while on this ability of hers.

A small murmur dragged Mizi out of her entranced state.

"Ai is so adorable…"

Aqua sighed as he stared at the screen dreamily, his head resting on his hands.

Mizi froze, slowly turning to Aqua. The gears started turning in her head. Had her infant brother, who was supposed to be blabbering at most, just spoken?

"Did you…talk?"

Mizi whispers carefully, her eyes narrowed on Aqua as he blinked and turned to her. Oh god. He had spoken. Did it mean he had been….?

"You too?"

Aqua raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly. It seemed as though he wasn't nearly as stunned as Mizi was. As though he had predicted that, and now all that had happened was that his hypothesis had been proven true.

A thousand questions emerged in her mind. Just how old was this man in his past life then? How long had he suspected her? What were the rules of reincarnation in this world? Was he even from this world or from an unknown universe like hers?

Mizi cleared her throat before looking back at the screen. Aqua seemed to know Ai in a way a fan would know the one they fawned over. With the way he was staring at the screen fondly it would suggest that he had been a fan of hers for a while. Perhaps in his old life, he had been an admirer of her work. Then, that would mean that he was from this world. Which would be quite advantageous in the long run.

Mizi sighed before turning to Aqua.

"Mind waking me up next time she's up?"

She asked quietly as Aqua nodded, dismissing her as he continued watching the performance.

Tremors wrecked her body as she sniffled and curled into a ball within the cradle. Tears subconsciously trickled down her face as her puffy eyes weighed heavier and heavier with tiredness. The common cold, maybe. It wouldn't be a huge deal, but unfortunately, her immune system was extremely weak, leaving her highly vulnerable to any and everything.

Sobs and whimpers erupted from her throat as Ai bites her lip, holding Mizi within her arms as she walked to and fro the hallway. The time on the clock ticked away to 3:20 AM as the young woman tried to hush the child within her arms.

Ai closes her eyes for a singular moment, trying to collect herself together. A vein appeared on her forehead as she gently patted Mizi's back, struggling to soothe her.

"Hush….please…sweetheart."

She whispers tiredly to Mizi. A futile attempt at best. As much as Mizi hated burdening the already overworked girl, it wasn't something within her control. The shouting and bawling were reactions which erupted from the depths of her throat were simply a response to the pain. Tears dampened Ai's shoulder as she sighed, running a hand through her hair. She placed Mizi on the carpeted floor, losing herself as she towered over the infant.

"Stop it, just stop crying, god damn it!"

She screamed, tears of frustration stung her exhausted eyes. Her hands curled into a fist beside Mizi as she continued yelling.

"What do you want from me, Ruby?! Do you want milk? I don't know what you need! Please….just tell me what you want from me, baby."

Mizi flinched as her wide eyes stared back at Ai's, watching as the youthful woman broke down in front of her. The dazzling stars within her eyes had visibly gotten brighter, with more or less desperation as she tried to figure out her offspring's needs. It hurt her very soul to see her daughter in that condition and still be unable to find out what she needed. Ai choked out another sob, hair sticking onto her face due to precipitation. Her arms held both of Mizi's as she cried, her throat going raw.

"Ma…ma?"

Mizi croaked out as she stared up at Ai, her dried-up tears being replaced by those falling onto her face from Ai.

It's comical when you think about it. Stars are these luminous beings which shine afar. You'd never expect them to be near the ground, as the sky is where they belong. And yet, here was this adored star, her fragile pieces breaking down into millions of shards.

Ai paused before blinking down at Mizi, all her frustrations melting away as she gawked at her child as though she were seeing her for the first time. Stray strands of hair fall onto Mizi as Ai picks her up.

"Ruby…did you just…?"

The key turns in the door as Miyako and Ichigo rush into the house. Miyako rushes over to mother and daughter and gently picks up Mizi as she hands her delicately to Ichigo.

"She has a fever. Take her to the car."

She orders before turning her attention to Ai, who stammered, reaching out for her daughter. Her baby. That's her child. Where were they taking her? She needed to apologise to her sweet child, tell her how it was never her fault for her mother's incompetence. Ai could do better, she knew she could. She couldn't show disdain for her own children, could she? Was she so incapable of loving that she couldn't express her love towards her very own kids? Surely, she was not so far gone, right?

Miyako held her wrists. Resolute set within her eyes as she regarded the young girl

" I saw your messages and ran here. Stay home. Aqua needs you. We'll send you updates from the hospital, Ai. Go and rest."

Miyako said, helping her up to her feet before rushing out the door and into the car.

Ai stared at the door, which shut with a thud, before her gaze travelled down to her hands. She was no angel; she was well aware of that. But surely she would burn in hell for treating her sweet, innocent Ruby like that. Her eyes went to the untouched bottle of milk sitting on the table before she fell to the ground again.

She had promised herself she would never treat her own children the way her mother treated her. That her own kids wouldn't be forced to think that their mother didn't care about them. Ai wrapped her arms around herself as she shook with quiet cries of defeat.

And yet that one word kept revolving around her head

Mama

Chapter Text

Mizi's eyes strayed across the movie set, her hand gripping onto Miyako's finger as they stood near the refreshments table. As much as she would have preferred to stay at home rather than coming to the movie set of the whatever movie Ai was partaking in, she had been dragged there without consent.

Ai had sobbed and repeatedly apologized a ton after Mizi had been discharged from the hospital and refused to let go of her.

Her uninterested gaze rested upon her twin brother and smug smile played on her face. Ah. So her dear brother also did not want to be there. She couldn't blame him. The place was intensely boring, camera's set in different places and actors mumbling and rehearsing their lines. The cookies on the table were almost stale, the lemonade jug was too far for her to reach and the egg sandwiches were plain.

Mizi sighed before focusing on Ai instead. The girl sat cheerfully on a classroom-like table beside the main actress, a smile graced her face. The camera started with a click and the room fell into silence as the women began their parts.

Mizi blinked as Ai giggled softly, a strange sort of energy surrounded her. Again. It was something she observed whenever Ai performed. As though she wore an entire new persona whenever a pair of foreign eyes or the daunting stare of a lens were upon her. The aura which made every head turn towards her glimmered around her. It was extremely clear that she out-shined the actress herself. The way she smiled, the way she talked, the way she placed her hand over her mouth, the way she slightly dangled her legs in a carefree manner...it was all too perfect to be coincidental.

Mizi shook her head, breaking away from the trance Ai managed to put people into. It was quite obvious that Ai's part in the movie would be close to nothing. Placing someone with such a magnetic presence into a movie wasn't always a good idea. It would raise more revenue but she would cause the main actress to be over-shadowed. What would Aqua's opinion be on this matter?

Just as she turned to see what her twin brother thought, she noticed Miyako's empty hand. Had the child escaped to somewhere outside the halls? Well. She hadn't thought of Aqua to be a mischievous child. Huh. Well that wasn't fair. Why should she stay with Miyako then?

She pouted slightly, looking up at the hazel-haired woman who stared at the actors in awe. Surely, she wouldn't notice if another child ran away. Mizi carefully let go of the dazed woman's hand before tip-toeing out of the room.

The halls seemed huge, accompanied by rooms after rooms with stairs to perhaps the next floor. It was a standard high school set, as she had been told on the way there. A yawn escaped her mouth as she strolled past the empty classrooms, the intimating hallway seemed to go on forever.

As a child, she would have likely hid behind Sua, letting the raven-head girl take the lead of any challenge they were faced with. A dull ache formed within the deepest chambers of her heart as she recalled the instances where she had cowardly hid behind the girl who's face slowly faded from her memory. The ever-so resolute eyes with a glimmer of love present within every look and the small smile she often wore as she witnessed Mizi's antics…they all slowly disappeared from her memory. It was the reality she had tried to not realize for far too long.

Mizi landed on the floor with a thud, as electric pain shot up her leg. Tears stung the borders of her eyes as she laid on the tiles helplessly. It wasn't that she couldn't get up, she didn't feel like it. Somehow, the ground felt more comfortable. As though the ground could swallow her small body.

An ounce of familiarity. Was all she craved for so much so that they universe denied her even the memory of whom she loved? To any passerby that may come by, she perhaps looked like a toddler throwing a tantrum. What would Sua do in a situation like this…?

"You okay, there?"

Mizi looked up, past her unkept bangs to who was standing in front of her. Aqua looked down at the defeated Mizi lying on the ground with a raised eyebrow which she grudgingly took after a second of contemplation. The girl dusted her self off and stood with a slight limp.

"Were you…crying?"

Aqua asked, his had tilted slightly. He knew that Mizi had given her all to the role of the lovable daughter who almost never created problems for their darling mother (excluding the time she had gotten sick), so her crying wasn't something he witnessed often. He almost…felt bad. Was her fall that bad?

"Was not."

Mizi mumbled, discreetly wiping at her eyes with the corner of her eyes and folded her arms across her chest and shifted her attention onto the piece of paper he was clutching. The boy, noticing the others curiosity shrugged and handed it to her.

The paper was undoubtedly a business card, which rose even more questions. Who's number was on card? Who had even given a child, of all people, a business card? Why Aqua specifically? Did whomever give this want something to do with Aqua?

Mizi blinked as she was pulled out of her pondering and was lifted up by the collar of pink sweater. Her single-star eyes traveled to the exhausted Miyako who glared at the two twins.

"Seriously…I can't take my eyes off of you both for a second, can I?"

Aqua pointed at Mizi as she squirmed in Miyako's grasp.

"Ruby hurt her leg."

Mizi rolled her eyes and gave up on her efforts to escape. Of course Aqua would play the part of the mature and concerned older brother and make her look like a little brat.

The older woman sighed before grabbing Aqua's hand and dragging them back to the main room with Ai in it.

Mizi turned to Aqua and quietly handed him the card which he pocketed quickly.

Chapter Text

Mizi looked up from where she was placed on Ai's lap.

The violet-head girl had a smile drawn upon her face as she sat on the couch beside her son, patiently waiting for the TV to air the show she had acted in. Truly, even Ai was aware, her acting was not phenomenal. After all, she had worn the same persona she wore every time a camera was pointed towards her. It was second nature, at that point. The way her eyes crinkled and glowed with amusement, the way she moved her arms…it was all per-manufactured. The line of acting didn't do manufactured. It was supposed to be raw, authentic and real. Everything she wasn't.

Mizi yawned, leaning into her mothers hand, which gently patted her head. Any longer and she would start balling her eyes out.

Thankful, the screen light up as both of the twins leaned forward in anticipation. Ai, too, observed the show, although her expectations were lower than those of her children.

The minutes on the clock ticked away, the seconds disappeared as did the children's interest. Mizi sat with her eyebrows furrowed and Aqua glared at the screen. As soon as the end credits begun to roll, Mizi snapped.

"Why did they cut most of the parts which included you?!"

Ai shrugged, a hint of a smile still lingered as she tried to provide a satisfactory answer to her toddler.

"Maybe my acting was that bad?"

Bullshit. Mizi was in the room. A single look towards her brother confirmed that he was equally pissed. Perhaps…the issue wasn't that she was bad at acting, maybe she was too good. It made sense, in a way. She would more than definitely overshadow the female lead if she received too much screen time. The role of Ai in the show was supposed to be nothing more than a new, pretty face. A breath of fresh air.

Nonetheless, a strange sort of rage boiled underneath her skin as she thought about it more. Less screen time meant less work. Which meant less money. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Ai needed money to support herself and her kids.

Mizi shook her head and paused as she watched Aqua run off into a room with a phone and the business card he had shown her. Who the hell was he going to even call? Not that she cared. At all. If he wanted to be the cool older brother, then she could give him that…

As if. Mizi jumped off the couch as Ai cleared the place up. The door remained slightly opened as she peeked inside. She jumped back with a squeal as Aqua opened the door, looking exasperated.

Mizi tilted her head and stared at him questioningly. Aqua sighed and shook his head before stepping out of the room. Seriously, the dude acted like he was fifty years old. With a scoff, Mizi went inside the door, dropping herself onto of the bed with a thump.

It was weird. She felt so angry for Ai. She herself had seen how much effort the young girl had poured into the show. It wasn't anyone's fault, honestly. It was just how the industry worked. What could anyone do to this billion dollar line of work, which stole lives at the price of fame.

Her eyes strayed to the crumpled paper on the bed. Curiously, she reached out for it. The name typed onto it was simple, 'Taishi Gotanda." Huh…

It was the same card. Was this the man Aqua had called? Why? Was he a friend of Aquas? How had Aqua even become acquainted with someone high profile enough to have their own business card?

A shiver ran down her spine as she stared at the name. Oh..god. She'd seen that name. It was the directer of the show Ai had just aired in! His name was in the credits! How could have she overlooked such a detail?!

She stared at the ceiling and groaned at her incompetence.

The mountains stretched for what looked forever with no definite end. At that point, her neck ached as she reached out at the sky. It was odd. The clouds moved. The air felt cold as she took a deep breath over and over again, as though trying to preserve the air within herself. It felt so different than the Anakt Garden. Everything moved. Everything was alive. An avalanche of emotions settled within her. Almost enough for her to jump out of Miyako's arms and cling to the railing of the cliff.

For what was supposed the movie set of a low-budget movie, they did a pretty good job. Her eyes narrowed as she set her gaze upon the director who chatted away with her brother. She didn't care that much about the kid but she didn't completely trust the man. She wasn't into the 'caffeine addicted' or 'living in his mom's basement' type of men. Not that she was into men to began with but that was something else entirely.

She wasn't completely clueless, however. Snippets of conversations in the filled her in on how Ai had apparently gotten a gig for a movie…on the condition that Aqua, too, perform in the movie. Mizi didn't get it at all. Not to be mean or anything, but the guy barely smiled. It was pretty easy to guess that he wouldn't be a good pick. But hey, she wasn't a directer.

"Miyako, what's going on?"

Mizi asked innocently, as she looked up at the woman who tried to form an explanation.

"Aqua's going to be in a movie with Ai. He somehow won the director's favor. Oh, and there's going to be a little girl on the set too. Kana Arima."

Kana Arima. She'd heard the name now and then. Some famous child actress apparently. She herself hadn't seen the girl before. However it was inevitable to have seen the darling of the entertainment industry. With her short red her and sweet smile, everyone on and off stage adored her. Mizi and Aqua had seen her a couple times on advertisements and movies. Mizi had to admit, the kid was pretty darn good at what she did.

A sigh escaped Mizi as she stared at the costume room, which had been provided to the twins. Well, Aqua. For some reason, she had been dragged to stay with her brother as well. Even though she would much rather be outside, admiring nature and exploring about.

The situation wouldn't have been that bad, at first thought. She could kiss up to Ai during the leisure time she had, as she had been planning to for a while. If there was one person she needed to earn brownie points from, it was her famous, beautiful and beloved mother. As far as she knew, Ai could give up on her as soon as she disliked her. Unfortunately, as she had come to understand, the shooting days for the mother and children were much different.

A slight knock on the door made both the twins turn towards the door where she stood.

And oh god, Mizi lost her breath right then and there. She looked so familiar. Too familiar. The distant look in her eyes, which light up with recognition the longer she looked at Mizi, the way she stood with confidence and assurance.

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY?!

Why did she look so much like the one woman who wrecked Mizi, for better or for worse? Why did she bear such a resemblance to the goddess of her universe? How did one even achieve the same energy as that of Sua? How did her short hair fall upon her face the same way that was so nostalgic?

The young girl plastered a smile upon her lips, one that almost caused Mizi to stumble. She extended her hand to the wide-eyed blonde, the corner of her eyes curled.

Mizi let out a staggered breath.

"Sua…?"

Kana's eyes widened slightly.

Chapter Text

Kana's eyes widen, her crimson irises a dam in front of the flood of emotions Mizi wasn't even sure she wanted to see. The young girl offered a small smile, her head tilted the slightest and she stared at Mizi with a questioning stare, as though she hadn't heard her, as her clean bangs swiftly moved against the wind. Her glance traveled onto the young boy as she tightened her fingers around her bag, an action which did not go unnoticed by Mizi.

"Kana Arima. You both are…?"

She asked, no hint of softness found within her monotone voice. It was strange since a young child would be the last person you would imagine to sound so emotionless. Much like another girl Mizi happened to know. A girl who had escaped through her fingers, leaving nothing more than a light trail of fading memories in her absence. The pink-haired female knew better than anyone that it wasn't enough.

Aqua folded his arms and replied in a tone similar, though less professional.

"Aqua Hoshino…and shes Ruby Hoshino, my sister."

Kana nodded her eyes squinted slightly for a beat before she clasped her hands in front of her, bidding Aqua goodbye. Perhaps she had said the same for Ruby, she would be none the wiser. Her unfortunate mind had started panicking about the hyper-similarities between the red-head and the dazzling woman who had dominated every sector of her past life, corrupting Mizi with her alluring smile.

Her swift movements, the way every step she took was with purpose and authority and the calm smile she issued them…there was no coincidence. It was as though she had looked through a mirror which reflected back on Sua, which scared Mizi more than she would ever admit.

The world, or more specifically Mizi's world, had come collapsing on the day where the bullet hit against Sua's neck. It seemed to be the end, when Mizi had fallen on her knees,blood splattered on her face. Blood which wasn't hers though she wished at many times that it was. How could she go on without her raven goddess shining beside her like a cosmic star which would never burn out. Truth was, she wasn't sure how to continue her journey back then, with such a vital part of still cold and lifeless upon the stage.

Mizi turned her gaze to her brother who raised an eyebrow at her. Oh right. She probably seemed overwhelmed with Su-…Kana's appearance, something Aqua hadn't witnessed before. Mizi shook her head.

"Shes…not the most easy going huh..?"

Aqua simply stared at her for a beat longer before being called by staff. He turned to face her one last time before leaving the powder room, his eyes narrow as he turned and walked off, the door left wide open. A sigh escaped her as she looked up at the ceiling. Nothing made sense anymore. And honestly, for once, she wanted to stop trying. Had she not already exhausted herself out in her last life? If this new world was supposed be a reconciliation, then why the hell was she exhausting herself out, even here?

Underestimation wasn't the exact word she'd use to describe how she had felt about Aqua's acting skills. Truthfully, she hadn't seen them first hand, hence why she assumed that someone who displayed almost no emotions would have subpar skills in an industry which relied mainly on feelings,

But as she stood with Miyako, observing the current scene that was being shot, Mizi understood exactly why it was Aqua who had been selected.

Her eyes widened as she watched the two children. Aqua seemed to have this naturally eerie energy around him, one which he did not have to act for. Everyone on the set seemed to be taken aback by his effortlessness. The way his eyes bore holes within the woman in front of him and Kana made even the actress her self break character. She, as much as didn't wish to, had to admit that he was made for it.

Mizi clutched the Capri-Sun she was handed tighter, her small fingers sticky with the liquid, yet it was not enough to distract her. Her attention remained solely upon Aqua, although it was with much resistance that she wasn't zoomed into Kana's movements and expressions.

She blinked, a small gust of wind brushing against her golden hair, stealing her fixation like a crisp leaf being carried away in the autumn breeze. Her eyes involuntarily strayed to the back of the little girls head, her red eyes curled as she smiled ominously at the older actress in front of her.

It was near fucking impossible to not compare her to Sua. Mizi wanted to stop, she really did. Unfortunately, every small detail was reminiscent of her.

Every. Small. Fucking. Thing

It hurt her goddamn head. She closed her eyes, her lip trembling as she tried to get her senses under control.

She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her.She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her. She's not her.

A soft hand on her head causes her to snap her eyes open and release a staggered breath. Miyako looked down at her, her eyes twinged with concern. With a turn of head she realized that the scene had already been shot, with the way the staff started packing up the camera equipment and Kana spoke to Aqua. Oh. They were done. Finally.

"Are you alright, Ruby? You seem a bit…tired."

Miyako asked softly, her fingers gently caressing Ruby's flushed cheeks.

"Mhm…I'm sleepy."

Mizi mumbled, leaning into Miyako's hand. It felt warm and safe. As though she finally had people to rely on instead of being the one who was constantly relied on.

The woman smiled, initiating her to say goodbye before they left. With the smallest sigh, she turned around, walking up to the two other children.

The red-head paused as Mizi approached them, her eyes lighting up with what she could only decode was amusement. She tilted her head, crimson locks brushing against her face as Aqua simply turned to her sister.

"Ruby, right? You're very pretty."

Kana stated, not a hint of insincerity behind her words. Mizi's eyes widened as she fidgeted with her fingers nervously, a small laugh escaping her mouth as she replied.

"Y…you too! I really liked your acting and your hair and your eyes."

Mizi blurted, mentally slapping herself as she blurted out compliments, color spreading against her face as Kana let out a small laugh of appreciation. Mizi grabbed Aqua's hand and muttered something about having to go home before running back to the car as fast as her small legs would take her.

Kana remained there standing, her hand still waving at them. Her smile dropped as they climbed into their car. She sighed before raising her head and staring at the bright sky, a hand covering the rays of sunlight which shined down on her.

The love of her life was adorable, even though she didn't look the same .