Erela
"Do you know your origin story? Like how this happened to you two? Maybe if you can give me any sort of details that you can remember that would help us." Akane asked as I led her to the old books. They smelt of dust and adventure. I loved them.
"I... I don't remember much from before my parents sent me to a mental hospital." I confessed, running a hand through my hair to pull it back. I fumbled through the file cabinet of memories in my head, going through each major event that I saved.
"I know that Ethan, in our home place and the hospital, was not very well-liked. Even more so than me. Some say that my brother was a freak, because he sprouted wings from time to time. Others, that he was too impure to be an angel." I recalled, "My parents feared for him."
I glanced at Akane before turning to the books, "my guess is that our parents fused us together because they didn't want to send him away or kill him, but they... didn't really want him to exist, either."
I skimmed through the book titles, hoping to bring more memories to light.
BrokenTear
"I didn't know there was a difference between nightmare and reality, only our perceptions of it. Not to mention the definition of normal is highly debated. What is normal to you, BrokenTear?" The curious Yuki asked cautiously. After a moment, I thought about if I really wanted to let her in to this, to talk about nightmares. But then I decided that I was an open book, she would find out anyway.
"Good question." I laughed a little, thinking out my answer, "Normal, to me is how life is without chaos. Without troubles and worries. But without happiness and adventure, as well. I think it's when you just settle into a boring, unfulfilled routine." I responded and looked up at the clouds again. They appeared slightly darker now, but still fluffy and white. With the sun shrouded by them, I no longer felt warmth on my skin. But I wasn't cold.
"I'm not sure which I'd prefer-- nightmares, or a normal life." I sighed and played with the grass between my fingers.
Forever
Warmth flooded over me from the shower, but it was nothing compared to the heat I felt when I was with Setsu.
I stepped out of the shower and grabbed the clean mask from the edge of the sink. Holding my breath, I quickly replaced the old wet one with it and wrapped a towel around my waist.
I opened the door, to unexpectedly see Setsu standing across the hall. I felt my face fill up with blood. I quickly wrapped my arms around myself, feeling insecure and embarrassed and startled.
"S-Setsu." I stammered and backed myself against the wall, "... heeeey thereeee." I dragged out, trying to appear less awkward.
The library seemed as good a place as any to start a search for separating people. There had to be books about magic or witchcraft or science that could explain how to separate Ethan from Erela. I wondered which side it would be. Science or magical.
"Can you lead the way to the library?" I asked Erela. "I've only been there once when I first got here, but it's been awhile." While we had first met in the garden outside the library, I still thought of the library and the talk of roses we shared as our first real meeting.
"Of course. Follow me," Erela nodded and started for the door, holding the door open for me. She then led me down a series of hallways before we came up to the library.
Staring at the mountain of books scattered around the room neatly, I wondered where we'd even be able to start. There had to be hundreds of different topics in this one room. How would we narrow the search down? The task was already daunting, and we hadn't even started it.
"So any idea where we're even supposed to start?" I asked Erela as I started for one bookcase to see what books were offered. These books seemed to be about American history.
Motioning me to follow her, Erela headed down an aisle and stopped at a corner shelf in the back of the library. These books looked severely old. "These are some of the oldest books in the library, so please be careful with them," she cautioned. "These are the ones I found to be most enlightening, but so far I haven't found anything to split Ethan and I."
"Do you know your origin story? Like how this happened to you two? Maybe if you can give me any sort of details that you can remember that would help us," It was a shot in the dark, but it was the best shot I could think of at the moment.
Continue?
Yuki
"I think I lost my imagination when I discovered that the things from my nightmares are real. When I just wanted things to be normal." BrokenTear sounded so sad as he said that, but also thoughtful. I hummed again to show I had heard him, but I was at a loss for words.
Nightmares were reality. That was something I had long ago come to understand, back when my world consisted of a dark room and my sister. I didn't know what to say to him, to somehow make things light again. It seemed wrong somehow, to just brush away what he'd said.
"Nightmares?" I asked softly, not entirely sure if I wanted to know. This seemed like something that should be tread upon very lightly. Still, I couldn't help but laugh softly, a somewhat bitter laugh in the face of my usual cheer.
"I didn't know there was a difference between nightmare and reality, only our perceptions of it," I stated, "Not to mention the definition of normal is highly debated. What is normal to you, BrokenTear?" I asked, curious and sluggish and somewhat sad all at once.
Setsuna
I felt embarrassed when Forever mentioned my previous shower, my cheeks feeling hot. I had forgotten for a moment that I'd had one. Now that I thought about it, my stomach felt cold. Thankfully, my sweet boy didn't mention my memory slip and simply told me I could wander around, though where I had no clue.
I finished my food in record time and stood up, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. I put my dishes into the sink in the adjoined sink and then pulled the shirt I had been given on, and then stopped where I stood in thought.
I had no idea where I would go from here, mainly because there was so much I could do in a castle like this. But I didn't want to be away from Forever. I truly enjoyed his company, and I liked to think he enjoyed mine.
Decision made, I searched out his essence via shadow and went to wait for him.
Erela
I awaited Akane's answer. Would she stay, or go? I can't say that I would blame her if she left. But... Ethan would be devastated.
"I want to stay and figure this all out." Akane stated. A breath escaped me as I felt a wave of relief.
"I'm not sure how to act in this situation, but I figure I'll figure it out as we go along. Much of this relationship we'll have will be a figuring it out as we go type of thing."
I nodded in agreement, "Yes, it seems it would be. But I'm glad you decided to stay and give this a chance. I know that would make Ethan happy." A smile appeared on my face. I looked for traces of regret on her face, but there were none.
"So now what? What do we do while we wait for Ethan to come back out?" Akane asked restlessly as she fell on the bed. I pondered for a moment. I never really had much spare time. Either I was sleeping or cleaning or cooking. And if I did, I was solving puzzles but that probably wouldn't be done hung Akane would be interested in.
But maybe we could solve something.
"We could try... to find a way to separate Ethan and I. I've read most of the books in the library, but maybe I've missed something." I smiled meekly.
I wondered how it would be to see Ethan outside of dreams...
BrokenTear
Yuki explained clouds to me, what it was like to be in them. She seemed so much older than she appeared now, recalling memories.
"Now deer, those are good to eat. A bit leaner than beef, a bit juicier than chicken. Man, that was a good dinner." She hummed, licking her lips a little as if she could taste it.
"And no, not all are shaped like fluffy marshmallows. There's one shaped like an upside down face." I looked at the direction of her gesture and smiled. I couldn't see what she was talking about.
"You must still have quite the imagination of a child. I don't see anything of the like." I stated, "I think I lost my imagination when I discovered that the things from my nightmares are real. When I just wanted things to be normal." I closed my eyes, thinking.
Forever
I could see Setsu wondering about my not-eating. I wondered how I was still alive without being able to eat as well.
He suggested eating my plate of food and I agreed, sliding it towards him. He also said we could both use a shower. I giggled a little, still feeling conscious of my collar.
"Silly. You just took a shower." I nodded in the direction of his bare torso, with BrokenTear's shirt draped around his neck.
I stood up from the table and smiled, "I'll be right back. After you eat, feel free to wander or whatever you want to do."
I knew it was wrong, and I knew that BrokenTear wouldn't be pleased with me, but I headed into his room. I rummaged through his belongings, making sure to place them back as they were, more out of fear of a messy room rather than punishment.
I found a set of keys. One of them has got to unlock this damned thing. Aha! the collar slipped off my neck and I touched the area it used to be around. So sensitive now.
I took my collar back to my room, no longer feeling the weight of a chain or ownership pulling me down. I'm.. free now. I grinned under my mask.
I set off to go shower.
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Wow that was actually a long post (I think). xD
Sorry for the wait, I haven't been motivated to do much lately but I'm working on it.
Yuki
I hummed lightly in reply to BrokenTear's story and smiled. Childhood huh? Wonder what one of those must have been like.
"You wouldn't like it very much, I think. I flew through one once, around this age I think. Anyways, those things are colder than you'd believe. Think ice cotton candy, with no flavor," I replied, tracing the shape of another cloud with my eyes. It would be nice to fly again, hell, it'd be nice just to run for a bit. One cloud that looked like a deer caught my eye, and rushed one of my good memories back.
"Now deer, those are good to eat. A bit leaner than beef, a bit juicier than chicken. Man, that was a good dinner." I hummed, feeling the phantom tastes in my mouth. That seemed like a long time ago. Time felt like a foreign concept here, like days hadn't passed since I first got here. It was a refreshing change of pace.
"And no, not all are shaped like fluffy marshmallows. There's one shaped like an upside down face," I pointed out, just to keep BrokenTear talking. I wanted to know more.
Setsuna
The food Forever had cooked was amazing, then flavors bursting on my tongue. It was amazing, after so long without. Just as amazing was the boy across from me, although he looked like he was caught up in his head. He kept tugging at the collar around his neck. Huh, I'd never payed much attention to his collar. Was there some significance to it, I wondered? He looked uncomfortable with it on.
He also looked so adorable, pouting at his food like he was. Huh, how did Forever sustain himself if he couldn't eat? Now there was a question. I sat back with a satisfied stomach at the mention of Forever needing a shower. "Yes, I suspect we both could use one. I can finish your food if you're not hungry," I offered, conscious not to mention the mask covering his mouth.
I was also conscious of how his hands rubbed at his skin like he wanted to scrub it off. I hoped it wasn't a reaction to me, yet I could relate to the feeling. There were a few times after an episode ere I had wanted to scrub my skin raw. I could only wonder why.
