The last thing I remembered was the house jerking as we were being sent to our rightful realm. When I opened my eyes, I was sprawled out on the floor of the house, laying next to Ryuu. I groaned as I tried to sit up. A pounding headache worked its way into my temples. I put a hand to my head; I felt weak and vulnerable right now. I'd need to get some aspirin, that was for sure.
"Ryuu," I reached for him. When he didn't move, I turned to shake his shoulder. But, the Ryuu on the floor wasn't the Ryuu I had been standing next to moments before. His hair was wild and unruly. Sure, it had always been a bit long, but not like this. His hair was covering his face, and I moved the hair out of his face, and he looked older. Not a lot older, but a few years difference. "Ryuu," I shook his shoulder. Would he be the same Ryuu from before? Would he still be my Ryuu?
His eyes squeezed shut for a moment before he opened them and met my eyes. Smiling briefly before frowning. He jumped up too quickly, and had to bend over, using the wall for support.
"What?" I asked, concerned. "What's wrong?" I stood up, too and looked around. Everyone else was slowly coming around. I glanced back at Ryuu, a look of confusion on my features.
"You are obviously you, but you don't look like you. Well, I mean you do, but you just look different. Older somehow," His voice was even deeper than it had been. I looked for a mirror frantically to see what he was talking about.
Ryuu and I rushed into the bathroom and just stared at our reflections. My hair was longer and curlier, my features more defined and sharper. My eyes, my lips fuller. I wasn't as skinny. I filled out a bit. I touched the reflection's face, not sure what I was expecting.
"We've aged a few years," I finally said. I looked at Ryuu, finally really looked at him. He was cuter than ever, and I found myself so attracted to him. Much more than I ever had been before. I found I could stare into his eyes forever. And those lips. I caught myself leaning forward.
I turned my head and chuckled. "This is crazy," Ryuu muttered. "Let's go check outside. See where we ended up."
I nodded and lead the way. Everyone was up and about now. They were discovering the same thing Ryuu and I had just found out. Ryuu walked over to Kuro. "Where did you send us?" he asked.
"We are back in our realm," Kuro answered. "Of that I know for sure. As for why we've aged a few years, I don't know."
"Only one way to find out," Aisling spoke up.
I nodded as I walked to the front door and threw it open. It was our world, but different. Darker. I could feel the evil in the air.
"It's the Demon Lords," Christian reported.
I could feel it without him saying it. I could feel their presence in the air, as I was sure Ryuu could, too. The sun was hidden behind smog and pollution. The streets were filled with rubbish, and the houses were unclean. No one was in the streets. Everything was bare.
I reached for Ryuu's hand. He squeezed it.
"This can't be good," Puck muttered.
"What happened to everything?" Rina asked, looking around. "Where are my parents?"
"Where is anyone?" I asked.
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