Lady Misfortune: Daddy, I'll Be A Righteous Villainess!

"You'll be alright. Don't worry. Big sister's here for you." 

The little girl, tiny and weak, gives her a grateful smile. 

However, she can tell that there's something else in that young, innocent mind of hers. She considers asking her about it, but then, she abruptly stops in her tracks right before they enter the hospital – her head tilting upward, a curious look on her face. She follows her gaze. 

Two children, the older being a brown-eyed brunette - the younger grey-eyed and black-haired, stare out at the shuddering tree branches under a deep blue sky. 

Light peeks through, the familiarity of the stars and the moon strangely off-putting. Their journey to the hospital has taken them worlds beyond the only home they've ever known. Yet, in reality, they're only several miles away. These mere hours of freedom have felt like an eternity.

After a lifetime spent in a prison, they're at someplace new – someplace different, maybe unsafe, and kind of scary. But despite this, they're finally free. 

The silence is broken once the little girl grabs her elder sister's hand and says softly, "I just want to say… thank you."

The sudden remark confuses her. Still, she can't help but feel relieved by her touch.

"Thank me for what?" 

"For taking me out here. You'd been planning to do it for a long time."

It isn't a question. But she seems to be waiting for an answer. 

She just settles on a shrug, not sure what else she can give her. She's right, anyway. 

 "I told you to save yourself first. You don't have to come back," her younger sister added.

She frowned. 

Saying it like that made her sound selfless when that simply wasn't true. She had put her first, but to keep her safe, she was willing to sacrifice anyone else – even herself. Really, she's only protecting her for her own selfish wants. 

Right as she's about to say something along that line, she opens her mouth and blurts out, "Hey, big sister. What do you want?"

"Same as you. To find a home for us to live in," she answered, and she shook her head. 

"No, I mean… Like if you can do anything or have anything right now – something that's just for you. What would it be? Maybe it's something you've always wanted. It's okay even if it's impossible! Just think of yourself for once."

There she goes again, assuming she's always thinking of other people.

She stares at her expectantly. But all she offers her is a blank expression.

"Come on, big sis! Be selfish for a moment! If you could have anything in the world right now, what would it be?" she demanded.

"Forgiveness," she said – so quick and unintentional that she even startled herself.

Her little sister also seems thrown off by her answer. But even after she turns away, looking uncertain, she doesn't succumb to the awkwardness. She faces her elder sister directly, takes a few steps forward, and pulls her into a hug.

"You already have it," she told her, and she clenched her fists.

"Just like that? After… everything? You don't even know half the things I've done! And you know what I was going to do! Why would you forgive me so easily-"

"I know you didn't want to do those things. You helped Mama and Papa in order to help me. Who knows if I'd even be here without you? So, yes, I'm forgiving you that easily."

She tightens her grip on the brunette, and at that moment, she wants to hug her back so badly. But she remains as still as stone. The most she can do is press her face into her shoulder, wishing she can accept this forgiveness she's so readily giving her.

"I don't think I deserve it," the older girl whispered, tearing up. 

"That's not for you to decide," the younger girl whispered back.

Guilt claws at her insides and slices through her heart. 

She should be mad at her, scared of her – anything at her. But instead, she's forgiving her like nothing happened. 

She wants to run away and hide somewhere – disappear like she always does when her feelings try to break through the cracks in her walls. She wants to leave before her little sister can see her face or feel the wetness seeping into her shoulder. She's only as strong as her walls, and right now, they're crumbling faster than ever. 

"My turn, my turn! If I could have anything in the world, I'd want to taste cookies! They always sound so good when they're described in books!"

It takes a moment before the brunette realizes she's redirecting the focus away from her pain – turning her question into some sort of a game. She's grateful for it. The distraction gives her a chance to compose herself. 

Any longer than that, and she might have broken apart completely.

"Well, as for me, I want… I want to visit the Sagrada Familia. It's a basilica in Spain that's supposed to be one of the greatest examples of Gothic architecture ever built."

She's impressed by how steady her voice has come out, especially considering that she's on the verge of sobbing minutes ago. She smiles.

"That's a good one, big sis…!" the little girl chirped while clapping.

"Okay! Me again! I want to go stargazing! Or maybe see the city!"

They take turns, voicing out their wishes – some big, some small, some simple, some ridiculous. 

By the fourth round of their game, her elder sister finally raises her arms to return the hug. She squeezes her back happily.

"My turn. I want big sister to never leave my side."

In an instant, the brunette is swarmed with emotions once more. She understands the unspoken plea for her to live the life she has always wanted – to not sacrifice herself. 

"I want that too," she said, her face still not leaving her shoulder since the start of the game, and if she could, she'd stay there forever and never leave. 

Her younger sister gave her another squeeze and blurted out, "That makes me happy! We both want the same thing!"

She pulls back and smiles her sunshine smile while patting her arm reassuringly. The brunette isn't sure if she notices the tear stains on her shoulder from where she's definitely not crying. But if she does, she says nothing. 

"We should probably head inside now."

The little girl nods and follows her to the entrance of the hospital. They walk side by side, and though they're instantly overwhelmed by the crowd inside, they hold their ground. 

"Big sis."

"Hmm?"

"I want… I want to keep bugs as pets." 

"You what?"

Apparently, the game isn't finished yet. Neither is their list.

"Well, then, I want… I want to see you get bitten by one." 

"Hey! That's mean!" 

They played for a long while. 

And later that night, they slept together at one of the hospital public wards. She had sat beside her little sister, tracing the contours of her face with her eyes. Her expression had looked serene – as if she could banish the struggles of the day while she slept. She had never been able to do that. 

She couldn't help but wonder just how this frail, sickly child could stay so full of life even after everything they'd been through. 

'How can she smile so easily and trust so easily? How is she so certain I'm worthy of her forgiveness?' 

The answer to that, she was never able to find out.

--- 

From quite a peculiarly realistic dream, Weiss stirred awake.

He squinted, blinded by the rays of sunlight that greeted him then. Morning had come with a warm welcome. His eyes opened and closed, blinking away the remaining sleepiness. The night before had been long.

Sitting up slowly, Weiss thought about the dream.

'Just what was that?' he wondered, expression befuddled, as he recalled the scenes.

There were these two young girls, and there was this little wanting game they were playing. He tries to remember where they're headed to so late in the afternoon. Yet, just like any other dream he's had, it all gets blurry the moment he wakes up. He can only make out their conversation. 

At least, some parts of it.

"You'll be alright. Don't worry." 

"To find a home for us to live in."    

"Forgiveness."

"I don't think I deserve it."

"I want to visit the Sagrada Familia."

"We should probably head inside now."

Everything's a jumbled mess. 

Usually, he would just forget about it and move on with his day. For some reason, though, he feels that this dream is essential – that he's doing something very cruel if he is to treat it like any other. So, as if by instinct, he runs to where his schoolbag is and pulls out a pen and a paper. 

Then, he lists down everything he recalls about the dream.

Weiss doesn't know why this happened. Weiss doesn't even know how it happened.

Yet, for the sake of those nameless children whose fate that afternoon had seemed to turn out to be as heart-wrenching as the emotions he felt the whole time he's in that world with them, he would at least try not to forget.