⠀
The ARCH was mostly humanoid. It sat upright in the chair and spoke to Haddler.
⠀
"All humans do is destroy... that's why the world is the way it is now. This is all your fault."
⠀
"Oh, is this the part where we talk for a while before I kill you? Let's see, does your arm hurt? I think I shot it earlier by accident while trying to shoot your projectiles. No harm was intended at this point, I swear."
⠀
"Bastard..."
⠀
"You're capable of speech, but you still insist on only saying insults? That doesn't make any sense. Hey, how about we talk about a topic and see where it takes us?"
⠀
Haddler smiles at the ARCH as it grips its arm.
⠀
"What's your biggest aspiration in life?"
⠀
The ARCH furrows its brows at the question.
⠀
"Why do you care about that? ARCHs don't have aspirations. We're simply made of fear, sorrow, and pain... Just kill me—"
⠀
With the same unusual smile, Haddler shot the ARCH in its abdomen.
⠀
"Answer my question, ARCH. What dreams do you hold? Every conscious being holds aspirations."
⠀
"You humans are all the same... All you do is use violence to intimidate those weaker than you..."
⠀
"Don't mix this up with your whole human stigma. I'm doing my job, I just have certain curiosities about ARCHs I like to indulge in from time to time. So, are you willing to enlighten me?"
⠀
The ARCH hesitated before nodding.
⠀
"Good. Again, tell me about your aspirations."
⠀
"...I..."
⠀
Haddler checks his wristwatch.
⠀
"We don't have all day."
⠀
"A-All right. I'm sure you already know this, but I was born from the agony experienced by the victims of the Sanguine Awakening, the ones who were turned into meat sacks... Now, I look like a human, but I still possess the same powers as a normal ARCH."
⠀
"So you represent their pain. Do you feel all of that pain?"
⠀
"Not so much anymore. I've grown numb."
⠀
"Interesting... Are you connected with Sanguine in any way?"
⠀
"No. He's the reason I felt all that pain... He's just like any other human."
⠀
"Well, I'm sure he never meant to create you. I heard that when he first awakened, it was because of the loss of a friend. He was just a 1st Division Fixer back then."
⠀
"You're getting things mixed up. I'm not connected to the Sanguine Awakening, I'm just a representation of what he's done. If I were anything like him... I'd have killed you by now."
⠀
"I think that would be an interesting match-up!"
⠀
"Because of all that, my only dream is that I could go back in time and... never be born."
⠀
"Why's that? You're an amazing ARCH with so many gifts!"
⠀
The ARCH's eyes flash crimson red as he snarls at Haddler.
⠀
"These gifts are curses. Tell me, human, why are you so interested in ARCHs?"
⠀
"Look..."
⠀
Haddler lowers his revolver and sits across from the ARCH.
⠀
"...Becoming a Fixer exposes you to a high volume of ARCHs, especially if you work in ARCH extermination. It's only natural that a child who spends all day squashing bugs would develop an infatuation. Don't you feel the same way about humans? I mean, deep down you're sure to have some curiosity."
⠀
"..."
⠀
"Nothing to say."
⠀
"..."
⠀
Haddler sighed deeply before raising his left hand, handcuffed to a stainless steel briefcase, and placing it on the table facing the ARCH.
⠀
"Let's take a look inside Incrimination, then."
⠀
"Do as you please..."
⠀
Haddler takes a key out of his pocket and unlocks the briefcase, lowering his gaze from the ARCH to check what's inside. As he opened it, a bright light shone from within, then dimmed. Inside was a tattered hat covered in blood. The ARCH leapt up from its seat, taking a few steps toward Haddler before he raised his revolver again, gesturing him to sit back down.
⠀
"It seems Incrimination thinks this is your worst sin. Why's that?"
⠀
The ARCH begins to hyperventilate, its fingers gripping the chair as its eyes remain set on the bloodied hat.
⠀
"...That..."
⠀
"Hm?"
⠀
"How did you... get that hat...?"
⠀
"Incrimination found it for me. Now, explain to me why this represents your worst sin before Judgment comes."
⠀
"I...! No, I won't! Just kill me!!"
⠀
Haddler slams the revolver down on the table.
⠀
"I'm not asking."
⠀
The ARCH grits its teeth, reeling back into its seat.
⠀
"It belonged to an old friend of mine."
⠀
Three years ago. Ten hours after the Sanguine Awakening gained his power, unintentionally killing 6,381 people in District 9.
⠀
A destructive slash, spanning roughly 20 meters, marks the side of a makeshift homeless shelter, exposing the ruined interior to the elements. Inside lie the bodies of its occupants, reduced to piles of flesh and viscera. Their final agony lingers, coalescing into a single mass in the center of the room, one that begins to grow, rising into a figure that shivers in the cold.
⠀
"H... elp..."
⠀
A voice rises from beneath the debris of what was once the roof. The amalgamation turns toward the sound.
⠀
"Help me..."
⠀
"—!?"
⠀
The figure, still forming from the victims' flesh, looms over the debris, staring at the small form trapped within.
⠀
"...H... elp. Help. Help. You."
⠀
"Hello? Please, help me..."
⠀
"Hel... lo... Hello. Hello. Help. You."
⠀
The amalgamation sprouts branches of flesh from its body, grabbing the scrap metal and tossing it aside with ease.
⠀
"Thank you...!"
⠀
The boy, now free, looked up at his savior, whose form was indefinite, writhing and wrangling, tentacles of blood coagulating around its body.
⠀
"A-An ARCH..."
⠀
"Hello. Hello. Help. AR... ARCH... Hello, help ARCH."
⠀
"...You need help?"
⠀
"Help ARCH, you."
⠀
"What do you need help with...? W-Wait! Where's mama? Please, can you help me find my mama??"
⠀
"Ma...ma..."
⠀
"Yeah. My mama! She was here with me before that big explosion!"
⠀
"Yeah. Mama. Help. Find."
⠀
"Th-Th-Thank you!"
⠀
The amalgamation tries to copy the boy's form, shrinking and mimicking his features, but it misses a detail.
⠀
"Wow... Hey, you forgot my hat!"
⠀
"Hat...?"
⠀
"Here."
⠀
The boy places his hat on the ARCH's head, and it gets stained by the swirls of blood surrounding it. The ARCH hesitates for a moment.
⠀
"Mama. This way."
⠀
"O-Okay!"
⠀
The boy trails after the ARCH, its path winding past the shattered remains of what used to be a thriving community.
⠀
"Here. Mama here."
⠀
The ARCH points its sanguine tendrils at a pile of rubble on the ground. Blood spills from between the concrete. The pool of blood stays connected to the ARCH.
⠀
"Where is she?"
⠀
"Here."
⠀
"Is she under there?"
⠀
"Yeah."
⠀
"Can you get her out? Help her, like you helped me?"
⠀
"Okay."
⠀
The ARCH wraps its tendrils around the debris, moving it aside. There is nothing beneath the rocks but flesh.
⠀
"Here."
⠀
"She's not there. Are you sure she was here?"
⠀
"Mama. She was here?"
⠀
"I wanna find my mama... She has to be here somewhere. She wouldn't leave me."
⠀
The ARCH tilts its head, something uncertain flickering behind its forming eyes.
⠀
"She... wouldn't... leave?"
⠀
It repeats the words back slowly. The boy nods back, clutching his arms.
⠀
"Yeah. She promised me. Mama always keeps her promises!"
⠀
"...Promise."
⠀
The ARCH looks back down at the pile of flesh. Something inside it stirs... an instinct, or perhaps the echo of thousands of final moments.
Screams.
Begging.
Hands reaching.
A truth.
The ARCH turns back to the boy.
⠀
"Mama can't."
⠀
"What?"
⠀
"She can't... keep... promise..."
⠀
The boy freezes.
⠀
"What do you mean?"
⠀
The ARCH's tendrils twitch, recoiling slightly.
⠀
"Mama is... here."
⠀
It gestures again to the remains. The boy stares. For a moment, he doesn't understand. The moment passes.
⠀
"No..."
⠀
His voice comes out small.
⠀
"No, she's not... You told me she was here, but she's not— no... No!"
⠀
"She is."
⠀
The ARCH's voice is steady now, no longer sounding like a collection of voices, now one. He continues.
⠀
"...She is... all of this."
⠀
Silence. The boy's lips tremble.
⠀
"...You're lying."
⠀
"Ly...ing...?"
⠀
"You're lying!!"
⠀
The boy lunges forward, his small fists striking against the ARCH's unstable body. Each hit sinks slightly into the flesh, staining his hands red.
⠀
"You're just an ARCH! You don't know anything! You don't know her! You don't know anything!!"
⠀
The ARCH takes each hit, unmoving.
⠀
"...Don't... cry..."
⠀
"I'm not crying!!"
⠀
The boy's tears ran down his face. His voice shook as he spoke until it collapsed into a sob he couldn't stop.
⠀
"I... I just want my mama..."
⠀
The ARCH hesitates, a feeling spreading across it, born not of agony, but empathy.
⠀
"...Help."
⠀
"...?"
⠀
"H...elp... you..."
⠀
"Wh... What?"
⠀
"Help you."
⠀
"You already helped me... You saved me earlier, but... you can't save mama..."
⠀
"..."
⠀
The boy continues to cry to himself beside his mother's remains.
⠀
"I... I don't wanna be alone..."
⠀
"Don't... be... alone..."
⠀
"..."
⠀
"You... me..."
⠀
"—?"
⠀
The boy turned to the ARCH, whose form steadied.
⠀
"Not... alone."
⠀
A long silence follows.
⠀
"...Okay."
⠀
Haddler starts clapping.
⠀
"Bravo! What a touching story. Not only did you make it unbelievable, you included a kid in hopes I'd feel sorry!"
⠀
"I don't care anymore. Believe what you want! Just kill me now."
⠀
"Hm... If it were the truth, what happened to the kid after? And why's his hat your worst sin?"
⠀
"...he died. I killed him."
⠀
"And after all that, you still blamed humans for all the bad in the world?"
⠀
"We traveled together for days, searching for a permanent home, but everywhere we went was torn apart by the Sanguine Awakening. Without food, we did anything to keep our minds off his hunger. He taught me so many words; before him, I only knew a handful. Eventually, the hunger consumed him. He grew so frail... small... weak. He told me it was going to be okay..."
⠀
Haddler sits in silence, no longer smiling.
⠀
"I waited beside him, hoping he would wake if I could find some food. I searched until I found some, but even after I fed it to him, he didn't move... So, I ate him. I thought... I thought that way, he would stay with me... that he wouldn't leave."
⠀
Its voice drops to a whisper.
⠀
"...But he did."
⠀
The ARCH looks up at Haddler. For the first time, there was no longer any hatred in its eyes.
⠀
"So when you ask me about my 'aspiration'..."
⠀
Its lips tremble.
⠀
"...I want to go back."
⠀
A tear slips down its face, cutting through dried blood.
⠀
"...And choose to be alone."
⠀
Silence fell before Haddler exhaled softly.
⠀
"...I see."
⠀
He glances at the hat again, then back to the ARCH.
⠀
"That's a pathetic dream."
⠀
The ARCH flinches.
⠀
"B-But it's honest! That's my one dream! If I were alone, he'd be... he'd—"
⠀
"You didn't kill him because you're a monster..."
⠀
The ARCH's eyes widen slightly.
⠀
"You killed him because you didn't understand what it meant to lose someone."
⠀
"..."
⠀
"And now you do."
⠀
Haddler picks up the hat from the briefcase, turning it slightly in his hand.
⠀
"...That's your Incrimination."
⠀
He places it back down gently.
⠀
"Not the act."
⠀
A pause.
⠀
"...But the understanding that came after."
⠀
The ARCH stares at him.
⠀
"...Then... just kill me."
⠀
Haddler doesn't move.
⠀
"That's what you Fixers do, right? Judge... Execute... Clean up what's left?"
⠀
Haddler slowly lifts his revolver, pointing it directly at the ARCH's head. It closes its eyes.
⠀
"...Do it."
⠀
...
⠀
"You've been cleansed of all sin, Catastrophe. Judgment, disappear!"
⠀
The ARCH opens its eyes again. Haddler's revolver is holstered, and the ARCH realizes he was staring at something behind it. Turning, it sees a floating dagger poised to pierce its head. At Haddler's command, the dagger dissipates.
When the ARCH turns back, Haddler is gone. All that remains is the hat.
⠀
As Haddler leaves the dilapidated building, he thinks back to a time in the distant present.
⠀
"King of Spades... Fair, huh?"
⠀
He raises his handheld transceiver to his mouth.
⠀
"I lost track of the ARCH. There's no trace of it ever being here. We should move the investigation to another spot."
⠀
⠀
< beginning of recording >
⠀
"Ok. It's recording. My name is Suzette, and I'm here with?"
⠀
"Haddler Zimmermann! Hey, isn't that Antollio's recorder?"
⠀
"Uh... Don't mind that. Now, could you please draw a card from my deck of infinite possibilities?~"
⠀
"For you? Without question!~"
⠀
shuffling
⠀
"..."
⠀
"King of Spades! What's it mean?"
⠀
"You embody logic and reason, and you are fair in your relationships. However, you may sometimes appear cool and aloof. Preferring to think before acting, you tend to observe situations before getting involved. On the other hand, you might use your charm and wit to disarm others and assert dominance."
⠀
door opening
⠀
"Hey, Haddler— What's she doing in our room?"
⠀
"Uh oh."
⠀
"Suzette, how many times have I told you? You aren't allowed to record people sleeping in their rooms."
⠀
"Wh-What?! I-It's not like that, I swear! Not this time, at least!!"
⠀
"I don't want to hear it. Give me that."
⠀
"Hey, Pallas, it's perfectly fine. She was just interviewing me!~"
⠀
"An interview? Seems pretty late at night for interviews."
⠀
"Pallas, let go of the recorder! D-Don't touch that! You're gonna stop the rec-"
⠀
< end of recording >