- Taking the Test -

"Rachel, I'm going."

That kind of answer really shocked Rachel.

He was.....going? Regardless of what she said?

"What do you mean?! You'll die, Just give up!"

"No."

He calmly denied Rachel's idea and formed his [Blue Oar] in order to enter the door.

"There's a reason....that I have to go" he said while looking at his twin sister and extended his hand, gesturing her to grab his hand and ride on the [Blue Oar].

Rachel frowned. She was not only annoyed at this moment but also curious and realized something.

Bam also asked both Hockney and Mata to come. These two guys will suffer there if White and Karaka come as well, since those bad guys won't let them off. It would be the best if the two of them came with them.

Ignoring Mata who was still worried about Grand De Jah, Hockney pulled Mata's collar and dragged him to ride the [Blue Oar]. Rachel wasn't invited to ride on it and she was left alone, looking at the four of them who were heading to the gate together without her.

She wouldn't let that happen.

She wouldn't let them reach that door without her, without knowing the reason, without stopping Bam and the others.

They had to stop right here.

"I ASKED YOU WHAT THE REASON IS!!" Rachel shouted as her lighthouses formed a barrier that stopped them from going ahead. "BAM!"

Seeing that barrier, they were surprised. Bam looked at the blonde haired woman with freckles who was coming towards him by riding her yellow lighthouse.

As she moved towards them, she shouted, "You came here and met the water- colored princess, didn't you?! What did she tell you?!"

She then jumped and landed on the [Blue Oar], pushed Mata who will fall if both Hockney and Charlotte didn't catch him.

"Argh!"

"Mata!"

"Gosh, do you have to come here and push people?!" Charlotte asked as she tried to pull Mata up. "Haven't you pushed people enough?!"

"WHAT DID SHE SAY TO YOU?!" Rachel asked loudly and rudely, ignoring Charlotte. Charlotte was even sure that this woman has no one to teach her manners. "Did she tell you about.....?!"

"....Arlene Grace" Bam answered, looking Rachel straight to her eyes.

"I heard about someone who might be my-- mother" Bam answered. He changed his word into "our" since Charlotte was his twin sister. "She said that she ran away from the tower thinking that the place where we were is a paradise."

"........" Rachel was lost in words as she heard Bam's answer.

"But Rachel.....the place where we were.....wasn't really paradise, was it?"

Charlotte's body stiffened when she heard that.

Charlotte had traveled and climbed the tower with her brother. Even though they weren't real twins, but they could understand each other's feelings.

And she knew, that right now, Bam was trying to suppress the pain that he felt right now.

Charlotte had always waited for this moment to come because she knew that this day was the day where her brother would let go of his obsession that has been hurting him. She was happy to know that day will come....not only because her brother wouldn't be chasing a woman who she found unworthy and filthy, but because the woman who she hated the most will see that her brother wasn't the same boy she could deceive anymore.

.....how selfish she was.....

Rachel was Bam's everything. When he decided to let go of her, the amount of courage that he had summoned wasn't less or even more than when he was facing his enemies. Letting go of someone who you cared the most in the past.....who you cherished the most....

Her hands were trembling as she lowered her head.

"..........." Mata and Hockney didn't fail to notice that, but there was nothing they could do.

This wasn't their business and they didn't know what exactly happened between the three of them. Both Hockney and Charlotte pulled Mata up and tried to calm him down, though Charlotte could only tap his shoulder in silence.

"W.....what would you know about that place....?"

"You are right. I don't know as much as you. But I know very well you absolutely despise that place" Bam said.

'That place was like a paradise to me because you were there.....but whether it's hell or paradise, I can't go back there again.'

There was no turning around.

"So I'm going to find it--"

He turned around and looked at the barrier she created to stop him and destroyed that barrier, destroying what has been stopping him now.

If that barrier was his obsession, him destroyed it had no different meaning than letting go the obsession that has been harming him and his friends.

"The real paradise-- that will make everyone in this place happy" declared Bam. Determinedly, he added, "And along the way, Zahard, FUG, and the Ten Great Families-- anyone who gets in my way is nothing but enemies.

I'm not going back anymore, Rachel. I'm going to gather all the thorn fragments, climb the tower, get the key then open the door that leads to the final floor on this tower. Because there must be something on the other side."

Ever since in the Test Floor, Rachel had a nightmare.

It was that Bam would turn his back on her.....along with Charlotte....and left with his new friends. That he would leave her alone while he was going to a bright place with his new friends.

The door to their destination has been opened, there was no turning back. Once they crossed the line, they couldn't look back or regret their decisions. But since they were there, why should they hesitate?

Charlotte was unsure what to feel at this moment. Between her hatred towards Rachel or her affection to Bam as his younger sister....they were mixed when love and hate were clearly two different things.

Rachel gritted her teeth.

"Don't be ridiculous! Why would you do such a thing?! Do you think you are some kind of hero?! Stop trying to show off! You're talking about the world that has nothing to do with you! Just give up!! Stay in that place and wait for me like before!

The man turned his head around and glanced at Rachel.

"Rachel......"

That tone....it was a different tone than what he usually used to call her. She knew that this time, the boy who had always regarded her as his light will let go of her.

"Good bye."

It has always been her wish so that Bam would forget her and stop following her. She was the one who asked it by herself, who asked Bam to give her up. This time, the boy listened.

But she was still dissatisfied. Things shouldn't have turned like this.

'Damned destiny!'

They went inside the door, leaving Rachel behind. The three of them were worried of Bam who has been quiet while walking.

"A...are you okay? That girl said some pretty extreme stuff before......are you going to leave her?" Mata carefully asked.

"Yeah....." Bam answered.

He turned his head around and faced them with a smile, though he couldn't suppress his sadness anymore. There were tears on the corner of his eyes.

"I'm fine" he lied.

It was obvious that he wasn't fine.

Charlotte chose to put aside her pride and behaved like there were no Mata and Hockney there. She immediately ran towards Bam and hugged him rather tightly.

"C- Charlotte!"

".......sorry" she apologized.

Bam was surprised.

It wasn't like he didn't know the person who had become his younger sister for eight years more. He knew that right now she apologized....because she believed that she had done something wrong. And it must be something related with between Rachel and him.

It wasn't Charlotte's fault that Rachel hated him. Charlotte always stood on his side. Whoever his enemy will be her enemy, whoever his friends will be her friends. He knew how deep her sincerity towards them.

He hugged her back and patted her head.

"Don't be sad anymore. I'm really fine."

She hugged him tighter.

"Liar. If you are fine, then what's with the tear on your eyes?"

"C- Charlotte, let go of me first. You are hugging me so tight that it's kind of hard for me to breath."

Both Mata and Hockney wondered whether they should leave or not. After all, right now they were having siblings' moments. Was it wrong to stand there and watch them?

Charlotte believed in Bam's words which was the truth. She let go of him and took few steps back, looking at her brother with a sad expression. Bam patted her head.

"I'm fine. Really."

If a tear didn't flow from his eyes, perhaps Charlotte would be slightly convinced.

Seeing her brother crying really made her sad. With the pained look, she reached out her right hand and held his cheek, wiping the tear away with her thumb.

Bam never cried before her. He had always wanted to be a good brother for her so he never wanted to show his moment of weakness. He always wanted to appear strong and tough before her, not showing her weak side.

But this time, he was really sad.

His golden eyes were honest. They didn't lie. Just by looking at those eyes, she could tell what he was feeling right now.

Sadly, this was something doomed to happen. Charlotte wasn't sure of what she should say to comfort her brother. She could only stare to him while holding his hand once more. And like the usual, he patted her head gently to comfort her.

"Let's go" said Bam again while looking at Mata and Hockney. He was telling both of them to come with them as well.

Without saying a word, they continued to walk until they reached a room with a blinding white light that forced them to close their eyes.

"My name is Grand De Jah--" A male voice spoke up while Mata was panicking when he knew that Grand De Jah was there.

"What purpose has brought you here?"

The said Grand De Jah had long white hair. And he was very thin that you could see his bones. His face was just like skeleton, without eyes and he was holding a staff on his hands. He also had a small yellow crown on his head, reminding Charlotte of a certain person who alsohad a crown and white hair.

Next to him, there was someone shorter. But unlike Grand De Jah, the person next to him looked more like a person with flesh and meat. He was standing next to Grand De Jah and was looking at them. He was the current Lord of North, Grand De Lee.

"You intruders--"

"L....Lord D...De Jah!" Mata called the former lord's name in fear and stuttering. "W.....well, you see--!"

"We!" Bam interrupted Mata and answered De Jah's question. "We came in order to find the thorn fragment left by Enryu behind!"

"What?! The thorn fragment?! Wait, do you work for Hell Joe?!" Grand De Jah accused them.

"N....No...!! We--!"

Grand De Jah who had felt something weird then said something strange.

"YOU'RE BACK!!" he said with the hint of excitement. "My eyes!"

"......what?" Hockney was surprised.

"Grand De Lee!" he looked at his descendant. "I told you they were coming, didn't I?! I told you my eyes would deliver my message and bring us a savior! How could you not even recognize my eyes?!"

They were confused, except for Charlotte.

"Sorry, Lord De Jah" Grand De Lee apologized.

"Very well!" Grand De Jah looked again at them. "You strangers who have come with my eyes, you are worthy! I will allow you to take the test!!"

"R...really?" Bam asked, didn't expect that it would be easy to take the test.

"That's right! You must be worthy if you came here with my eyes! So I will let you take the test!" Grand De Jah announced.

Hockney was confused when he heard Grand De Jah called him his eyes. Among the four of them, the only one who had ever lost eyes was only Hockney and the only one whose eyes were strange was only Hockney. He was sure that Grand De Jah was talking about him and while he was looking at Grand De Jah, Mata was quiet for some reasons.

There was the sound of the footsteps.

"Let me......take that test too."

"Rachel.....?"

Bam wasn't really surprised that Rachel would come as well.

"Let me take that test too!" said Rachel as she put her right hand on her chest. "I'm worthy too!! I've dreamed walking on this path for ages! Plus, I'm the one who brought that guy here! This guy is nothing but a thief trying to steal what belongs to me--!"

Charlotte might feel bad earlier, but that feeling of sadness was never directed to Rachel. What made her sad earlier was that her brother's sincere heart has been trampled again and again by a woman who was even filthy than her. To Rachel, she had nothing but hatred.

And she couldn't tolerate anyone who slanders her brother. Even if Bam could tolerate it, Charlotte couldn't.

"We know damn well who is the thief here" she coldly said while glaring at Rachel. "Stop claiming something that doesn't belong to you. That habit of yours to claim things that doesn't belong to you and blame others when something fail is really sickening, you know!"