The Choice Of Fate || The Promised Neverland

Chapter 38: You're Genesis

Sistine's POV:

My eyes scan every line in the letter, glancing at the owl in curiosity. It tilts its head to the side, and I do the same. I let out a little hoot, and the owl hoots back, as if it could understand me.

"What does it say?" Genesis asks, ignoring my connection with the bird. I turn to the ravenette in confusion, to which he sighs. "I mean the letter."

"Oh," I blurt out. I hand the note over to him, summarizing it for him. "Some of the kids were impossible to spare, so they had no choice but to leave them behind. Norman's taking Mister James' place as the author and leader of the Neverland journey. He escaped sometime after January 29."

After he finishes reading the paper's content, he folds it submissively. "Well, they do look similar. I suppose it wouldn't be noticed all that much."

"Plus the guy's got height steroids shoved into him," I add, making Genesis snicker. I reach up to pet the white bird, to which it softly coos in response. "Is there anything else in there that I missed?" I ask.

"Maybe the part where he said he's coming to get you." My eyes widen in shock. My hand swiftly snatches the letter in his hands, and I read the pages once again. Apparently, I fail to notice the Morse at the giant owl symbol, saying, "I'll get you out of there."

I start to breathe heavily, collapsing on my bed. Genesis immediately rushes to me to ask if I'm okay. "Genesis, I can't leave this place! This is my home! But how am I supposed to tell him that!? What if he thinks I'm some sort of traitor and chooses to eliminate me or-!"

I get interrupted by Genesis, who wraps his arms around me. He shushes me softly, gently brushing my hair and whispering, "It's okay. He isn't going to hurt you. If he truly is your brother, he wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

"... But what about you?" The boy falls silent at my words, nuzzling my shoulder, wondering what really could happen. "You look like a human, sure, but what if he identifies you? What if he finds out that you aren't... That you're one of THEM?"

"... Then I don't have much of a choice but to let him kill me." My breath hitches at the thought, slowly looking up at him in fear. He gives me a loving smile and whispers, "It's okay."

I rest my head on his chest, muttering, "If only you could come with me..."

"Same," I hear him whisper. "But, in case you do leave... there's something I want to talk about." I look up at him as he lets go. He falls back on my bed, covering his cobalt eyes with the back of his hand. "It probably doesn't connect much with your worries but... I guess I just wanted you to know I didn't like admitting I was one of them.

"I wasn't some monster that wanted to hurt human children. I wasn't some bacteria that grew into some sort of abomination. Hell, I never even took up the form of the regents!

"I was born looking like a human. And it doesn't help to think about it. I've seen human-looking entities, and you've seen the Queen! Even with the realistic eyes and figure, it's still easy to identify her as inhumane. She grew slower, making her seem almost immortal."

He lifts his arms in exasperation, reacting, "And me!? I'm exactly thirteen years old and I'm aging like it. I don't look like an entity, I dont age like an entity, and hell, I don't even have the memories of an entity!

He sits up in frustration and buries his face in his hands. His voice shakes as he utters, "What kind of entity would have a memory of being killed by someone else? If I'm not one of them, but I'm not Francis either, then... Then what..."

"Genesis." I cut off his ranting to drop his hands and look at me with teary eyes. Carefully, I take a step after another... Until I was sitting next to him.

I wipe his tears away, cupping his cheeks. "You're Genesis," I answer. "That's all you ever were, and all you ever will be. It doesn't matter if you're a human or an entity. It doesn't matter if you have the dark memories of someone else. It doesn't matter if you aren't sure of what you are. What matters? It's that you know why you're living today."

I lower my hands to hold his, lifting them and asking, "Do you know why you're alive? Do you know why you want to keep living?"

"... Because I want to see the humans reach their neverland," he answers, lowering his head.

"Then that's all that matters," I tell him, wrapping my arms around him. "You know, race doesn't really matter. Either way, Papa love you, your father loves you, even Palvus loves you!

I rest my forehead on his, meeting his gaze. "Heck, even I love you," I utter softly. "You don't need to be the same as everyone else to be considered as family. Everybody loves you just the way you are; don't ever question that, okay...?"

He falls silent, staring at my purple eyes as I patiently gaze at his blue ones. A streak of light illuminates the darkness, revealing the tears that can't seem to fall anymore. A small smile stretches across his lips, and mine eventually follow as he laughs. "Francis was right," he tells me. "You really are crazy...

"... For loving even the worst of people."

A knock brings both of us back to our senses. Genesis flinches at our proximity and falls off the bed, face turning bright red. "Just a second!" I squeak, helping him lie down on the bed before rushing to open the door.

And boy, was I surprised to find Papa's personal aide standing on the other side.

"Good morning, Sir!" I greet, bowing quickly. "Do you need something?"

The towering figure falls silent, bending down to my level, he places a hand on my head. His eyes reflects confusion, pity... sorrow. I can't quite figure out why.

"Did something happen?" I ask, gradually becoming more worried.

I look down and see him hand me a leather-covered book. Taking it, I hold it close to my heart and meet his gaze again as he mutters, with the softest, most heartbreaking voice I have ever heard...

"It's time, Princess."