Part 29: Chapter 28: Frozen Hearts

Chapter 28: Frozen Hearts

Loading Excerpt- The Melody of Metafalica, C. Pastalia, L. Trulyworth
We traveled through the Rim with Shun to find the Secret Space. After all the effort we've put into saving the land, it's sort of strange to be intentionally losing some.

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I authenticate, and the gate should open.
Right, now we can move on.

We had no real choice but to purge the coupler. It seems someone didn't want us to succeed, though.



...Yes.



Feinne's Shouts From the Fourth Wall:
I'm not willing to call this a boss fight, we're just fighting the Divine Army again. Watch the video if you want to see some of Jacqli's new Song Magic and Shun in action.



What's wrong?
Is it really impossible to recover the lift generators?
Not if Frelia still had enough strength, but it's not a good idea right now.
So, what's going on between this world and Frelia's power?
......
This is a simple way of puttng it...
This world... is Frelia's Song Magic.
...What!?
Song Magic...
Right. The same as what you sing. Frelia created this world.
So, do you understand it all now?
You have experience, so you should know what happens when you run out of energy while singing.
......
That's why it's not a good idea to try and keep Dreamy Fields afloat.
...Alright.

There was no more time to talk, every minute brought more risk of collapse.



...I'm disconnecting it.
Alert: Ma num ra parge b0iii kierre 0x100101100
Now, let's hurry and go outside. This place will fall soon.

And sure enough as we fled the Rim itself began to fall apart behind us.



...It fell.
Lady Cloche!

Lady Cloche was most hurt by what had happened.



We lost... land.
Lady Cloche...!
The world is nearing its end...
...I.
What can I do?
Lady Cloche, it's okay.
Yeah! You're just tired so you're seeing things in a negative light!
Let's rest a while at home. I'm also kinda worried.
Once we return to the Grand Bell, we'll be overwhelmed with work. Let's rest at Luca's.
Yeah... good idea.

Honestly I was worried about Mint Block after the collapse. It turned out to be okay luckily.

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Um... The earthquake...
Were you okay...?
Yes, perfectly fine. It didn't shake too much around here.
Oh... good. I was a little...
...Hm?
I was just a little bit worried...
...Luca.
Oh, um, Lady Cloche! Let's get some rest upstairs!
......
She's changed a little...
...Yes, it seems so.

The collapse of the Dreamy Fields was definitely one of our lowest points.



The world is falling... It's heading toward destruction...
It's alright. If we work together, there has to be a way to save-
What can the two of us do!?
There's Croix and the rest, too!
What can the eight of us do for this world with a million people!?
L-Lady Cloche! Calm down...
Pu pu! Pulu pu!
Soope, thank you. Are you trying to cheer me up?
That's right. How can I, of all people, lose hope?
Pu! Pupu pu!
Lady Cloche! Don't hold all your worries in.
It's no one's fault. You're not powerless!
I am powerless. I want to save everyone, but I can't do a single thing...
...Lady Cloche.
Don't worry. Your feelings will reach everyone, for sure...
Lady Cloche... I want to directly feel the emotions you're feeling right now.
If I could cry for the same feelings... Do you know how happy I would be?

For the third time since Gaea, Soope began to glow...



...Come on, let's dive.
......
Let's dive into the Infelsphere.
That's all we can do right now...
*sob * Hrr... *hic *
Don't worry. I'm sure your feelings will reach Soope...
So... let's dive.
*sob * *sniffle *
...Okay.



......
It'll be fine, I'm sure. Everyone's been watching you work really hard.
You're doing your very best. I'm sure we can all cooperate to create Metafalica.
So... it'll be okay. Kay?
...Luca.
I'm honestly scared... Really scared...
Will everyone really cooperate? The Grand Bell's already betrayed the people twice.
How can I tell everyone what I'm feeling?
......
...Don't worry. I feel it, too.
Lady Cloche... you're not alone anymore...
We're always with you... So it'll be fine.
...Okay

We returned to the Infelsphere, but in truth we still didn't even know why it existed.



Luca, Cloche. I see it's just the two of you today.
Yes. From now on, we'll come here together. But before that, there's something I want you to tell us.
What is this world's real objective? We were just using this place as a way to talk to each other.
Oh yes. I should tell you the real reason for the Infelsphere's existence.
This world exists in order to protect this one Hymn Crystal.
And it guides the development of the person who will use it.
Which crystal is it for?
The Hymn Crystal Metafalica.
Metafalica...!? But we already had Metafalica downloaded.
It's a different one from that. The Metafalica that the Infelsphere guards is its pair.
In Metafalica, two qualifiers sing separate songs at the same time to create one effect.
For that, the two have to act as one. The program of this world attempts to perfect this communication.
And that's why we have to do things that deal with the depths of our minds...
Correct!
By doing that, your minds will connect and you'll be able to sing in unison... It creates a high level of Synchronity.
But, why didn't you tell us this before!?
Until the qualifiers are stable to a certain extent and are willing to follow the objective, it can't be disclosed.



Yup!
So, Soope. Now that we know, it should be easier. I'm back to being human now, so can we begin the rest?
Alright. The way I see it, the balance seems to be normal... Let's resume the continuation.



Well then, ahem...
The theme for this level is "one's true feelings". To handle honesty is harsher than you might imagine.
......
......
Why? Because the truth can bare its fangs at the other person. And that can cause you to hurt each other.
It sounds pretty scary.

A strange woman appeared out of nowhere!



???: Scary? You seem to have come back as quite a spoiled brat.
What!? Who are you!?
Icy Silverlocks: I am an existence that was born from your heart... Icy Silverlocks.
That aside, where did the strong Cloche of Gaea go? I'm sure you have a lot more things you wanted to say.
Th-that's not true! I said everything at the end of the third level...
Icy Silverlocks: Oh, be quiet!
...!
Icy Silverlocks: You think you said anything in that childish fight?
Fine then, I'll speak for you.
Oh no! It's a remnant of Gaea's will! Emergency shutdown...
Icy Silverlocks: Hmhm, I won't let you.
Wahhh!
Soope! Y-you're terrible... What did you do?!
Icy Silverlocks: Hmph... Little miss coward can at least talk big now, I see. You grew up.
It's fine! I'm done! I don't want to...



...!?
Icy Silverlocks: You lie to yourself like that to escape. This is going nowhere... Then...
Ahhh!
Lady Cloche!
...Hehehe.
You're... Icy Silverlocks, aren't you!? What did you do to Lady Cloche!?
Nothing really. I just combined myself with her.
Hmm, but combined sounds a little strange. I mean, I am a part of Cloche to begin with anyway.
No... Give back Lady Cloche...!
If you want her back, do something yourself. You really are dependant on other people all the time.
......
I'll make it clear now. Don't think it'll just reset if you go back to the real world.
Hey! Wait!
What am I supposed to do now...
Croix... What would you do in this situation...?

There was nobody to help me here anymore, though. If Lady Cloche was going to be saved, it was up to me.

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I was determined not to be swayed no matter what happens, or what I hear...
But, where can I go to see Lady Cloche.
It's so dark and cold here... I wonder if she's here all alone.
I have to find her and get her out of here.
Staying here for too long will freeze our feelings.
Oh, I see light over there...
......
Is that you Lady Cloche...? Or is it Icy Silverlocks...?
Welcome, to my world.
This is... Lady Cloche's...
Yes, this is my room. The maiden's room in the palace.
And these are my clothes.
This room, these clothes. It matches me so much better.
Unfitting for a temporary Holy Maiden.
......
You're Icy Silverlocks, aren't you. Where's Lady Cloche?
Hmhm... Hahaha...
Wh-what's so funny!?

Did I mention Icy Silverlocks made Lady Cloche kind of a jerk?



Wha...!
How many times do I have to tell you? Icy Silverlocks and Cloche are the same thing. I thought I explained it to you.
It's your choice to favor Cloche as much as you want, but...
Thinking that I'm a different person just because you don't like me is simply self deceit.
I am Icy Silverlocks, a part of Cloche. Cloche herself. And Cloche is Cloche, as well as a collective of Icy Silverlocks.
...Where is Lady Cloche?
She's right in front of you. Can't you understand?
This is nonsense. I'm going to go find Lady Cloche. Good bye, Icy Silverlocks.
You're unbelievable. You think Cloche would come and meet you?
...What?
What weirdo wants to meet with someone who she doesn't even want to see?
A stupid, unenlightened person should be a sin itself.
Why are you so rude, Icy Silverlocks? Lady Cloche had a bad mouth too, but she never said it like you.
You really don't get it, do you. Icy Silverlocks is Cloche. I am Cloche. Can you not understand what that means?
Listen. I just never used these words right at you before this. I was hiding it.
......

I can't say I was liking what I was hearing.



To me, you are an eyesore.
Wh-what's that supposed to mean...
You are a barbaric, atrocious usurper to me.
Because of you... I've become an insubstantial existence, an empty shadow.
What...?
The name I thought was mine, my origin, my history... And my right as a maiden.
All of it was actually yours...?
Then where is my identity?
Then who am I?
Tell me, who am I?
Answer me, Luca.
What can I say... You're you, Lady Cloche.
You pretend to have that good face on the surface again. I bet you're proud of your triumph deep inside your heart.
No way...! No I'm not, that's not true. I sincerely think you're you Lady Cloche... Really.
The Holy Maiden can only be you...
Don't mock me! You thief!
No, you're worse, more impudent and cunning than a thief in the slums.



Lady Cloche...
How many people have you fooled with that goody goody mask? How many empty trusts have you won with it?
It's only an empty fake after all. Though, it does match you actually.
Y-you have no right to say that to me! What! You got to live comfortably, surrounded by people on your side!
What's wrong with giving everyone a good face!? What's wrong with receiving a tiny bit of affection from everyone!?
Lies can be necessary to stay alive!
There's your truth.
...!?
That's how you plan to take everything from me.
L-Lady Cloche...?
The world, the time I created with my own hands as "Cloche".
The position of Maiden Cloche I built, struggling to learn, to think.
How dare you steal away my entire existence from the side.
You're a barbaric, atrocious usurper!
I-it's not like I wanted to be in this situation either!
I was told out of nowhere that I was a maiden. I was surprised but I still don't want to be the maiden!
You're so conceited! I'm disgusted!



And the moment you find out you're a maiden, you denounce me like a snob.
Yet, when you find out you have to bear the tasks of a maiden, you get scared and push all the responsibility onto me!
I am a victim of you!
No... You're not Lady Cloche.
I know she took on a lot of troubles and weakness inside. But she wasn't the type of person to hold it against anyone.
Rather, she'd burden herself with it. She'd blame herself for being wrong, and she'd try to make it better...
Lady Cloche always tried hard to become stronger than anyone! She wasn't a coward like you!
Icy Silverlocks... You're dragging Lady Cloche's mind into a dark, sad place.
You need to be purged.
You would never understand this fear...
Huh?
I... I'm scared...
I'm scared...
Don't take me away from me...



Icy Silverlocks: If you'd disappear...
S-stop it!
Icy Silverlocks: Ah...
Huh!? I-it's gone...!?
I-icy Silverlocks? What happened... Lady Cloche!?
Icy Silverlocks: You should just disappear...
Ahhh!
I saw you phase out... and disappear. Wh-why...?
I won't die, I won't disappear... I'll be reconstructed forever...
And each time, I become finer. I'll regenerate deeper and deeper inside Cloche's heart.
But let us part for today. It's hard enough for me to see your face.
Huh...?
You should just go away.
I'll be sure to welcome you with a chilling, freezing breath next time.
If I seal you in an icy coffin, and bury you under the permafrost, I won't have to see your face ever again.



I have no obligation to answer you.
Er...
I wonder if we'll meet again. That is... Only if you intend to walk into an icy coffin.
Wait... Give back Lady Cloche! Icy Silverlocks!
Lady Cloche!

The world around me vanished.



Luca, are you okay?
...That was a scary, dream...
That Icy Silverlocks is Lady Cloche herself... That's Lady Cloche?
That resentful expression... That's her true heart...?
No, I won't lose. I... believe in you. Lady Cloche. I'll make sure you get your body back.
Luca... I'm sorry. It's because I wasn't good enough that Icy Silverlocks took away the initiative.
No, it's alright. This is our problem.
......
I can't do much, but... I can give you this too... Here. For this time.
System Message: Obtained Mindgem: Underworld Throne!
This is, a Mindgem!
If I can have this... I can assume that we've made a little progress, right...?
I think so.
I'm glad... Thank you.

As long as I was still making progress, there was still hope we could come to a common ground.

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You... Here again, I see.
I told you you're unwelcome... Do you want to sleep in an ice bed that badly? You still want to pry into my business?
Icy Silverlocks...
I am Cloche. Icy Silverlocks, is Cloche. I thought I told you.
Please, Icy Silverlocks, tell me. How can Lady Cloche get back to her body?
Hm... I don't quite know myself. I wonder how she can come back. Well, it's more of whether she even wants to or not.
Do you... not intend to give back Lady Cloche at all?
Let's see... Then how about you defeat an Icy Silverlocks, one by one, and stack up the corpses in a pile.
I'm a single fragment of Cloche. So maybe if you gather them all, Cloche would come back.
Um, Icy Silverlocks. I... didn't come here to fight with you, nor did I come here to threaten you.
I just want to save Lady Cloche...
Save... huh. I seriously wonder whether your sense of "saving" will actually save me.
Of course! Me and Lady Cloche are going to create Metafalica together. That's why we're here...
And you want me to continue to sacrifice my everything for the people, right.
...What!?



Wha-huh?? What are you talking about?
And then you'll get to live free as you want, while complaints and criticisms are all going to be blamed on me!
Lady Cloche!? What are you talking about?
I've always done my very best for the people. I killed myself, gave up my private life. I've worked myself out!
And even then...
Everyone if they weren't happy, it was the government, the maiden's fault.
Not giving any effort, not wanting to know about this world, not willing to fight for themselves...
They assume it's only normal that they receive what they get.
They sit arrogantly on top of peace that's barely maintained on top of sacrificed efforts and tears of blood.
Lady Cloche...
They only now how to complain, they don't realize their own sins and negligence, impudent, foolish beings!
Why... Why are you saying such things!? No one blames you for anything!
Such lies!
...I was fooling the people?



And you call it a heartless act? Call me a demon? A devil? How can you say that!
......
But see, you just don't realize yet.
Sure, I was the one who swung the knife and killed the rabbit in front of me. But it was you people who ate it.
Everything was done because you wished for it. You're the real devils.
I had to stand there alone, getting covered in the blood that the people were supposed to be showered in.
I entirely covered myself in your sins and pains, all by myself...
We... don't wish for that. Happiness that builds on someone else's sacrifice, someone else's sadness, is just wrong.
How can you be so naïve!?
You were discontent that the land was sterile, and there was a lack of food, were you not?
Same with hunger and I.P.D. outbreaks. If a relative or friend died, you'd complain that the government was at fault!
Th-that's... But...
Yes... You're a great example of the foolish, obscure, cunning people.
Wha...!

I wanted to disagree, but I knew in my heart that I had felt that way in the past.



That's not true... I...!
And again, you're going to lie to me to your convenience.
Just like that, you suck up to whoever is most powerful at the time... What do you want now? So wretched.
You're horrible...!
You only demand, always intent on being given. A glutton for love, trying to muster up compassion from anyone.
You pretend to show preference for others, yet calculate how to show yourself off as the best girl.
S-stop that...!
And even then, behind that though, you enjoy seeing people who are more unhappy than you!
That's not true!
Sure I put up fake smiles for a lot of people to put favors on my side. Yes, I sometimes used it to my advantage...
But my feelings of wanting to sing Metafalica with you are real!
How can you say that now!? Do you even remember what you said before...?
Huh!? Wh-what do you mean...!?
I will never forget that time...

It really was a sign that Lady Cloche was truly starting to get to know me, because she knew just what to throw back into my face.



You killed Leyka!
......
Everything you've said is a lie! You've betrayed everyone's trust!
I can't believe I ever though you were nice!
You don't protect this world, deceiver!



Th-that was... I was really sad and it was hard for me to accept and...
Even you force all the responsibility onto me. Even you try to use me like that...
You're just the same as the barbaric people. A beast that eats me.
N-no, Lady Cloche!
What do you know!? You didn't understand anything!
I wanted someone's warm hands to lift just a single drop of this pain I've kept shut inside my heart.
"It must have been tough, but I see you tried so hard even through that..." That's all you had to say!
Lady Cloche...
We won't understand each other. It was impossible to begin with.
It's not true! We can even start right now...!
I've had it!
Ah...! What is this... I-it's cold, my fingertips are frozen... You're... doing this?
That ice wall is my heart, my frozen tears.
We're pitiful, aren't we.
P-please listen to me, Icy Silverlocks!
...It's enough...
Huh?



It seems I hate you.
So I'll envelop you in an icy cold breath. A breath so cold that it'll freeze the core of your life.
What!? W-wait a minute... H-help...
It's goodbye, Luca.
No! Lady Cloche!
Lady Clochhhe!

Just before the ice could close in, the world around me vanished once more!



Luca? Are you okay?
Uh... huh? Why am I back here?
Oh, yeah... I was forced out by Icy Silverlocks from the Infelsphere, huh.
Yeah, it looks like it. They're stronger right now, so.
But... Lady Cloche returned me to this world.
She could've killed me if she wanted to. If she wanted to trap me, she could've done that as well...
Luca...
Soope, I want to believe in Lady Cloche.
I know that she truly wanted everyone to be happy, she dreamt of green land. I know she worked so hard towards it.
Even just a second ago, she had such a sad face. She had longing eyes like an abandoned child, full of insecurity.
I think she's really lonely at heart.
Yeah, if you think so, then that's the truth to you.
I'm going back to Lady Cloche. Even if she ices me again, even if I'm scared, I won't run away.
Yeah... that's all you can do now. Luca, take this...
System Message: Obtained Mindgem: Devil's Reason!



I didn't even know if there was any way to bring Lady Cloche back, but I never once lost hope...

Next Time on Ar Tonelico 2: A Bond of Ice and Fire