Editing BlazBlue:Phase Shift 2 Chapter 4 (section)

===Part 3===

That night.

Celica took a shower after finishing dinner with her sister at home. Beginning her night-time routine, Celica went upstairs to her room and changed into her pajamas.

She was sitting on top of her bed, which was positioned beside the window. She squeezed a pillow between her legs and let down her hair.

Nirvana was sitting on top of a sofa beside the bed. The sofa was something Celica had prepared to become Nirvana's default position when she was in the room. Nowadays, she was completely attached to it.

She had already switched off the lights, however, she didn't feel like sleeping at all.

She knew well the reason. It hadn't left her mind. The words she heard today in the council room of the Mage's Guild.

——''His soul is sleeping within the Black Beast.''

Rachel was the head of the Alucard Family who had been watching over all of history. Celica knew that her words must hold some truth. When she had the chance to meet the previous observer, Clavis Alucard, she could see a faint sadness in his eyes and hear it as he spoke in his gentle tones. She thought that Rachel had looked similar back at the meeting.

If she dared to believe it was true...

Rachel's words gradually rekindled the ashes of a fire within Celica. Stoked by thoughts provoked by the day's meeting, that fire immediately flickered bright red, releasing heat, and burned within her chest.

As if she couldn't bear the growing heat, Celica tossed aside the pillow and got off the bed.

She ran up to the closet which stood in one corner of the room.

She opened it to reveal the outer coat and dress of the academy's uniform, as well as several sets of casual clothes, hanging neatly from its railing.

Right at the back of the closet, there was an outfit which clearly did not belong.
A long, bright red coat.

The coat was too long for Celica to wear. It was apparent from the design and shoulder width that this coat was tailored for a man.

Hidden even deeper in the closet, there was a single sword with a thick and bulky blade. It was leaning against the closet's back wall.

When Celica reached in and dragged out the sword from the closet, she fell onto her bottom. The sword was heavy.

Unable to wield it at all, Celica raised her knees to hold it up in her arms and placed the broad body of the sword on her palms.

The sword was cleanly polished without any stain on it. The same was true of the red coat. At first, it had been dirty and torn in some places. Every day, she had mended it little by little until it was completely restored.

The sword and coat had been left in Celica's possession by her important friend.

"Ragna..."

Unconsciously, her lips moved and uttered ''his'' name.

If Rachel was telling the truth. If ''his'' soul was indeed sleeping within the Black Beast.

She might be able to meet him again.

She could meet him again, and then... have a conversation if possible.

She couldn't stop once she thought about it. Celica had that nature since she was little. The recklessness had often made her do things without thinking of the consequences. It must have given her sister Nine trouble.

She surely would give her more problems this time as well.

She knew. In truth, she didn't want to give Nine any more trouble nor worry. However.

"Ragna."

Calling the name out loud again made her chest even warmer and furthered her expectations.

Embracing the bulky sword, Celica's soft lips began to open. She might be able to meet him. Just thinking about it gave her a feeling like she could do anything.

If the owner of the sword could see what Celica was thinking right now, he would be frowning. He would definitely have scolded her and told not to do anything dangerous.

Nine would say the same. Putting Celica's safety first, she had even created Nirvana for her.

But it was no good. Her chest was throbbing. She could only feel a wild and impulsive happiness.

Because none of the options that were born from the possibility Rachel had hinted at would inconvenience Celica, she suddenly felt like she could do anything.

"...I've decided."

Celica looked over to the sofa while still hugging the sword.

Nirvana was sitting bolt upright on the sofa. Her unblinking eyes were staring at Celica.

Celica faced Nirvana and spoke. And as she spoke, the determination within her took a shape.

"Tomorrow, I'll speak to my sister. When the Black Beast revives, I might be able to lure it towards me."

She might get angry. At worst, she might cry. But Celica didn't think she should give up.

"If I can lure the Black Beast, I think my sister's strategy will go a lot smoother. If there's any possibility that I can do something to save somebody, then I would do anything. I'll give it my all."

She wanted to be her sister's, everyone's strength.

Above all, she hoped she would be able to see Ragna.

As her chest gently throbbed, Celica hugged Ragna's sword tightly once again.

She remembered the last time she had this kind of feeling. The warmth from his kindness.







——That night, Celica had a dream. She was standing alone in a white room. There was nothing when she looked around. Not even her own shadow.

Where might this place be?

She was thinking aloud, but even her breath was inaudible, as if the white void was absorbing all sound.

She took a step forward.

The room was so white she couldn't even tell if she was walking on solid ground. However, her feet unexpectedly found solid purchase as she moved forwards.

Then, a mirror, previously unnoticed, appeared before her unnoticed.

It was large enough to reflect Celica's entire person. Furthermore, it was not reflecting anything else around. It was as if the rectangular, full-length mirror had been prepared exclusively for her.

How could there be a mirror here? It was oddly suspicious.

She felt a vague sense of déjà vu, as though she had been in this dream before.

She wondered if the mirror really existed here.

Wanting to touch it, Celica reached out towards it.

In the other side of the rectangular mirror, Celica's reflection also stretched out her hand.

When the fingers of the real and false image were about to touch, Celica was driven out of the bright white room like a fish thrown back into the sea.



The dream ended there.

When she awoke, Celica couldn't even remember a fragment of the dream.

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