Chapter 195 - Rest Is History

"She actually went there, I can't believe it," Heize said while watching Petunia collapse in front of her after crossing the border at a very low altitude, almost killing Petunia in the process if only she did not focus on avoiding those sudden fireballs from the ground.

"Help… me," Petunia said closed her eyes, making the scenery go black and transition to another one where she was out there, in the woods, brewing potions in secret for secret clients, very much like what Heize was doing in the Alps lately.

"Have you heard about the new team that the Princess was trying to build? I heard the princess recruited that leech from the outside saying that she's actually a girl and not just some deadly monster."

"But she's the princess, I don't think the Princess would lie about such things, especially since her whole island depends on it."

"She put her island on the line?! Well, that's a lot of faith and belief that the Princess put in this outsider, more reason to believe that this girl is not like what they're claiming." The delivery men outside Petunia's store talked loudly, making Petunia hear about stuff that she did not want to hear about, especially about the tournament that cost her whole family's lives.

"Here you go, tell your boss to send another delivery personnel if they still want to continue doing business with me," Petunia said coldly from under the trunk of a treehouse to keep her identity and form a secret from humans.

She could not even talk with animals because of the flaws that the incomplete potion carried, and although Petunia was sad about not having anyone to talk to, she just took it as a positive thing so she would not get involved in the capitals agendas anymore.

But one day, while Petunia was gathering yet another set of resources from outside the borders as if she was just out there shopping, she met a woman named Venedette whom she accidentally exposed herself to.

"What is a very white and clean cat doing in this ruined place?" Venedette asked.

And with the mistaken impression that Venedette was really from the outside world, judging by her choice of raggy clothes, Petunia did not mind talking to her and letting her know about her ability to talk to humans, even as a cat. 

"That's none of your business," she said which surprised Venedette at first and made her interested in this talking cat from outside the border.

"Do you want to come with me inside that country?" Venedette asked which confused Petunia.

"How?" she said with a confused face.

"I'll fly you over!" Venedette said with a cheerful face which just made Petunia realize that she just did a very grave mistake because of that wrong assumption.

"Uhh, no thanks. I'd rather stay here than deal with that country's bullshit."

"Oh? You've been in Clandamascarene?" Venedette asked, making her interest in Petunia deeper with every topic that they had while Petunia was busy picking up herbs from the ground and Venedette unknowingly help her do just that.

"N-No! I've just… I heard about that country being problematic, f-from the people that got kicked out," Petunia said and walked faster to discourage Venedette from talking to her but Venedette just ignored her signs and continued pestering her until she had enough.

"Enough! I don't want anything to do with that country, okay?"

"If only there's another safer place that I could stay in other than that country then I'd gladly run away and never come back there," Petunia thought to herself.

"Okay, fine. But just so you know, I'm actually a genie. And because you talked to me, I will grant you a wish. Just one, whatever it is."

"Anything?" Petunia asked, taking the bait.

"Anything," Venedette said with a friendly smile which made Petunia think that she's trustworthy and all that.

"No! What the hell? So that's how you got into this ridiculous turn of events, huh? I knew it! Royals are really full of shit! One day they'll give you a favor and the next, you'll just find yourself trapped inside their game! These cunning monsters!" Heize complained even though she already knew that these two people wouldn't be able to hear her.

"Okay, I'll give some thoughts about it," Petunia said and turned around with a confident attitude as if saying that Venedette was the one who needed something from her and not the actual way around.

"Great! I'll just come back here to hear that wish from you then, same time, same place?" Venedette said which Petunia nodded to.

"Okay! Don't be late!" Venedette said before flying off across the border in a hurry.

"I should also get going back," Petunia said after looking at the darkening of the cumulus clouds above her.

"This is so stupid," Heize said and let out a deep sigh before continuing on with Petunia's memories.

"So, have you decided about your wish now?" Venedette said the moment she stepped on the withered grass in the same location as to where they were talking before.

"I have a problem, do you think I can ask for your help fixing it?" Petunia said and stared at Venedette's place to observe her reaction but Venedette was just smiling the whole time.

"Sure!"

"And the rest is history, the end," someone with a familiar emotionless high-pitched cat voice said from behind said which made the scenery freeze in front of Heize.

"Petunia," Heize said and turned around.

"That's right, it's me. What are you doing here inside my memories?" Petunia said with her arms crossed, contemplating whether to be happy about meeting Heize here or mad at her for gatekeeping her when she was out of her mind.

"I was trying to understand you," Heize said calmly.

She also noticed that Petunia was in her cat form inside her memories but she was still in her old human form, which could probably reflect how Petunia still sees her inside her memories since they were her memories after all.

"Trying to understand me? Or trying to be me?" Petunia said and suddenly appeared in front of Heize's face, floating on her old Gummy cloud which she could control freely inside her space.

"Why would I want to be you? Haven't you seen the latest memory yet? You were fooled by the Princess into joining their games! The very same games that cost our whole population and city. The same game where you refused to participate in as a prize!"

"I know! But this time I won't be the price, and I'll make sure that this sickly tradition would finally come to an end!"

"So that's your purpose? To put an end to this game's prize system?" Heize said, seemingly mocking Petunia which made Petunia's eyebrows curl.

"Of course not! Venedette promised me she'll put an end to this sick game after defeating Yumeki-"

"And you believed her? Why would you believe someone who caused the demise of our families!??" Heize said, getting emotional about a topic for the first time in forever since she was just always alone and talking to herself most of the time.

"How about you then?! What is your purpose? Why are you doing this? Did you know that I was looking for you? I'm sure you do, you're Heize after all, but why didn't you help me? You know that I need your help, right?"

"And I need your body! I need to become you to have an influence in this damned government! Because even if I hate to admit it, being a member of this group is a big advantage for us! And you did it, Petunia. You became influential and powerful, but I didn't see you care about our city anymore. You let it burn, you're the only one surviving but what were you doing after all that? I thought you have forgotten about us and just decided to live like a hero and warrior to this damned country with those silly new friends of yours," Heize confessed, starting with an aggressive tone and shifting to a softer one towards the end.

"Well, that's because I did forget about you and everything that happened to Majesta! I had my memories transferred in my Stat-huts because I kept forgetting about them, and just recently, I even forgot who I was and what was my purpose in life all about."

"I'm scared, Heize. That was why I was looking for you. I need your help," Petunia added, reflecting Heize's soft voice just to pay respect to the old and good times that they have spent together as friends and as a teacher and student duo in advance chemistry.

"The potion is taking full effect," Heize said in realization which made Petunia nod to confirm her thoughts quietly.

"And I knew you survived that, so I came to you for help. You're the only one who can help me now, Heize," Petunia said while looking at Heize's jet black straight hair and innocent child-like face in a uniform, the same Heize that last saw before she turned into a cat from that unfortunate accident with her parents.

"I- I don't know what to say," Heize said and squatted on the dead ground, "I still need your influence to make a difference, but I also don't want you to die just yet, we're the only ones that were left of Majestians-"

"So save me, Heize.. And I'll make sure to give you the power that you need to make a difference," Petunia said with desperate eyes that did not fail to reach Heize's soft heart, especially to her.