***(?)
The setting sun carved a gold afterglow across the bare earth, drowning residential zone 2A in soft idyllic brilliance. The evening air had grown slightly chilly, winter was coming soon and their uniforms hadn't changed in time to follow suit. They've set off, long after their lessons ended, walking silently in the great barren districts of the residential zone, immersed in the gentle tranquility.
She couldn't see Arin's expression whom was gently wrapped by the sun's embrace. A faint outline of gold marks the outline of her cheek and jaw, of the girl languidly keeping a pace in front of her. Sariel had already gone home earlier, it was only the two of them left, and Arin requested that they take a relaxing walk. Was it for the sake of Lastia to relax? Had Yggdrasil been under too much duress lately?
She wouldn't know. All of it had been done on a whim, so it should conclude just as casually. There's no reason for every trivial matter to become a philosophical debate. Yggdrasil loved to question the nature of the world, more specifically the world of humans and their interpersonal behaviour. However, even she can recognise... Or rather she had learn over these couple months how humans truly feel. How their sensibilities react to a variety of stimuli, how everything has a designated value that dictates how they respond. Ever since Lastia died, Arin has been subtly taking care of her replacement, Yggdrasil.
She cited that Yggdrasil was the last chance to revive the real Lastia from the dead, as long as Yggdrasil was alive there would be a solution whether it'd be begging the gods or prodding into the forbidden. Was that really how she felt? In the very first place, she didn't have an equal relationship with Lastia. She casted a curse on her and urged her to move past it, for the sake of their daily lives, something perceived as significantly higher value. If we were to account for the situation at face value, casting a curse on your close friend puts you at moral debt.
In other words, there is a none zero chance that Arin is merely taking care of her to compensate for that debt... To appease her own guilt.
"Hey look! There's... There's an injured cat at the side." (Lastia)
"... Whoa! It's fur is all clumped up and bloody, who would do such a thing?" (Arin)
Blood had already dried outside its body, the roads are wide enough for two lanes and the cat was perched against a high wall. Aside from the entrance, every house in this zone had an accompanying high wall, like block cells in a grid. Evidently, the cat had been run over and either no one noticed it, or no one bothered to care.
"... What should we do!? I don't have a sympathetic module developed, I don't know what to do!?" (Lastia)
"Sympathetic module? The hell is that, since when did you need modules for personality presets?" (Arin)
"This... I haven't encountered it before, I'm starting to feel... Restless." (Lastia)
"Hmm? That means you've already developed sympathy. Why else would you be so concerned?
Anyway, leave it to me. I can heal a small injury like this with {Barter}. It'll be good as new!" (Arin)
Just as she boasted, after a flash of light and the cat was as good as new. Perhaps that wasn't a good way to describe a living being, the cat's fur became flawless as it returned to its original chestnut brown. It meowed a couple times before running off around the corner, never to be found again. It was only for a short moment, but Yggdrasil definitely wasn't mistaken. They're the same.
Yggdrasil, as a semi spiritual entity had her stats perpetually amplified partially. She's akin to a Trace, her base stats are simply supernaturally higher than a human's, there's no chance her perception speed can dip to the point where she'd be mistaken. Arin... Used {Barter} without transforming. Normally that would be impossible, but she came to a simple conclusion. Arin was already transformed, her normal clothes, her school uniform, no matter when or where she was already a magical girl.
She was exceptional at disguising herself as a human. However, there was clearly something more to her than meets the eyes. Not just the curse, but also everything else about her. She claims her parents work in the commercial zone, so they don't see each other unless it's the holidays. Can that really be trusted? Yggdrasil walks forward, pass where the cat used to lay waiting for its eventual end, pass where Arin stood. This time, she took the lead.
It's hard to see Yggdrasil's expression, but endearingly she was predictable. Arin loved all the little thoughts and conclusions that Yggdrasil came to, like a mother bearing pride at their child's competence. Every one of Yggdrasil's micro-expressions, every clue Arin layed out like bread crumbs, every modicum of growth Yggdrasil underwent as a person... She loved it all. That's why she understood her the most, believed in her the most.
When The Invader manifested, she didn't believe for a second that Yggdrasil would lose. She had full faith that she and Lastia would eventually be saved. Was it guilt? A sense of debt? A duty to recompense? What gave rise to such devotion? If it was merely love, Yggdrasil would be wholly uneasy. That's why in an unfair turn of events, their lives were exchanged. Never to meet, never to confront. Never to seek a conclusion.
All that time they spent together, yet she didn't feel like she truly knew Arin. Only deep despair at her own helplessness filled her heart at this thought. Yggdrasil would regret, she would lament how she was weak despite having come this far, she would lament at the world for presenting such unfair trials. 4 Heavenly kings and a being above the heavens, someone that couldn't even be compared to the gods due to how powerful she was.
Absolutely absurd, anomalous beyond the bounds of comprehension. Arin, are you in heaven? Just you wait, I'll save everyone.