I arrive early, wondering if the mysterious figure would appear. But he never does. Maybe it wasn't written in the stars that we'd meet before I see Olympia. I guess it was just a chance meeting.
Or maybe there was no mysterious figure. At this point, I can no longer tell what's real and what isn't.
Regardless, I must press forward and see the end of this story.
Whether this has all been a delusion or reality, I will discover the truth.
I will scrape away at the darkness with my flame and see what's there.
And there she is, outside the entrance of the park we first spent together hunting for the rumored witch.
The reason why I'm in this mess.
Illuminated by the park lights that scrape away the darkness of the night.
Olympia Ventura.
"Kiyo. Kiyo Kiyo," Olympia begins as if nothing is wrong. "Sorry for making you have to wait. Like I said, there was a lot of cleaning up I had to do at the school. Now that I think about it, I'm surprised you didn't hear the culprit and their racket. But that's besides the point. Are you ready for today's witch hunt?"
"There are some things I need to ask before we go on with our witch hunt," I tell her firmly.
"Oh? Is that so? Well, I'm willing to answer any questions I can. What could be troubling your mind? Oh! I know. You must be thirsty. Here, I brought Olympia's Secret Juice again. Drink up, it'll make you feel better. I was trying to avoid the topic for your fate, but you don't seem like you're doing well. It's not much, but my tea will surely help.
She brings her flask filled with her tea close to my lips, but I swipe her arm away. She lets out a cry, telling me that what I did hurt her. But in this state of mind, I don't care anymore.
"Jeez, Kiyo, what's up with you? I was just trying to be nice. Hmph. If you won't drink my tea, then I refuse to answer any questions that you have," Olympia affirms with a teasing smirk on her face.
Screw you, I think to myself, but decide not to say out loud. Instead, I reach out my arm to grab her flask and drink her self-made tea, as if I'm in the mood to let her serve it to me. The bitterness lingers, blooming into something stranger. After a while, I realize—my mouth is numb.
"There, happy? Now will you answer my questions, Olympia?"
"Of course, I will! Now that you drank my special juice I made just for you, I'll answer any question you can conjure up—Never mind."
…
Huh?
"I'll answer only three questions. Wait, genies typically grant three wishes. That's besides the point. I'll only answer up to three questions that you have. Any more than that and there will be dire consequences."
Stop playing these games with me. I refuse to say aloud. She can see how unwell I'm doing, and still goes out of her way to have her fun. Why? Why is she behaving like this? What changed?
"Fine. I agree to your terms."
"Wonderful!" Olympia exclaims as she jumps up and punches the sky. "So, what is your first wish? I mean, question."
"My first question is this:
"Why is it that you want to find this rumored witch?"
Olympia doesn't take a moment to think and responds immediately, or more so instinctively, "I believe that this witch obtains what I desire most in this world. The truth. The truth of what you may ask. The truth of this world. The truth of myself. I believe this witch can peer into my being and see me for who I truly am. Then, by whatever means, I'll make this witch reveal to me who this person named Olympia Ventura truly is."
I don't fully get what Olympia means by her response, but it satisfies me enough.
"My second question is this," I continue. "Are you truly happy?"
For this question, Olympia doesn't respond right away. But neither does it seem like she's taking time to think of an answer. Instead, it seems as if Olympia is struggling withstanding some sort of pain, as if what I asked her hurt her.
A strong wind blows by, making Olympia's hair dance in the moonlight, distorting her face.
Until finally, she responds, "Of course, I am, Kiyo. Why wouldn't I be? I have so many things that make me happy. I have my father, all of my friends at school, my promising future, Kumiko, and even you. I have all the tools to guarantee my happiness. Why would I not be happy? If I weren't, then I'd just be some ungrateful, spoiled brat. But that's not who I am, right? I'm the top student at our school. I'm the pretty girl who everyone fawns over because of my beauty.
"I'm Olympia Ventura.
"Why wouldn't I be happy?"
Strange.
While answering this question, Olympia was facing me, but her hair dancing in the breeze made it so that our eyes never locked. It only got out of the way once she finished, and upon completion, Olympia's face was smiling, but all I felt was a sense of sadness.
I know I should stop pushing her. I can tell this is too much for her. But I can't stop now. Even if it burns, I must see what's hiding in the dark.
And so,
"My third and final question."
I ask her the question that will break her.
"Are you Olympia Ventura?"
And thus,
"Of course I am, silly. Who else would I be—"
Her voice trails off. Then silence.
She broke.
She refuses to answer my final question.
She can't answer my final question.
Because if she does, then she must confirm the reality of things.
"I'm a real shitty genie, aren't I, Kiyo?" Olympia finally musters up. "I can't answer your third and final question. But I can show you. I can show you the real Olympia Ventura. I can show you the real me.
"So, come with me.
"To see the real me.
"Let's make haste,
"To the Cocoon of Resurrection."
And like that, we edge closer to the end of this story.
What comes next grants neither satisfaction nor joy.
But instead, something entirely new.