When I woke up, my mind was in a light haze. It felt like I was on a cloud, soaring in the sky only moments ago, then gently placed into my bed. I could feel the drool come from my mouth as I turned to the side. I wiped it off and looked around the room. Thankfully, I didn't make a mess as I slept. My room was in perfect order, which was a rarity because of my night terrors.
"Hmm…"
I thought about it, looking up at the ceiling as I did.
"Did I… have a bad dream?"
I couldn't recall having one, but that's not abnormal. There had been times that I instantly forgot any dream I had. My mind was likely pushing them away at those times because of how horrid it must have been. I was grateful for the peaceful wake up if anything.
When I turned to the side, the light of the day filtered in. Last night with Yuu Yuu felt like a distant memory, and as much as I wish it didn't turn out the way it did, I had to chase after her to make sure that she was okay.
"Yuu Yuu…"
I whispered her name. I decided I would get all the answers I needed when I met her at the lake. I was determined to find out… everything about the timid loner today.
"Well, Yuu Yuu didn't specify a time. Guess I'll get going."
I got dressed and put my sword at my hip. Usually, I wouldn't bring my sword when I journey to the lake. It's supposed to be a time to relax, but with the events of last night, Janova, and what happened with those treant monsters, I wasn't going to take any chances.
"Goodbye, Maxwell."
I murmured before I shut and locked the door behind me. The sun was bright… horribly bright. I shielded my eyes as I made my way down the steps onto the grass. I looked about briefly before turning towards the forest. As I made my way through the path, I followed the direction Yuu Yuu took me before.
"This way…"
I said under my breath, reassuring myself that I was going the right way.
"Hmm… wasn't there a time when I came here and things looked differently?"
I thought about that strange dream I had. The one where the lake was dried, and everything was dead. I figured it was only a dream, but the thought of it stuck with me. It felt like one of my night terrors… scary but all too real.
"Yeah… it was just a dream."
I said although I wasn't sure. It had to be a dream. There was no way that this lake flourishing with green leaves, animals, and clean water was the same place that was black with death.
"This way…"
I turned as I made my way closer to the lake. I could hear the stream of water as I finally came to view. This place was remarkable. It felt like a whole new world as I casually approached the water.
"Yeah, this is the lake I remember."
I giggled, trying my best to hold down my apparent excitement. The day's mood lightened up a bit as I felt calm within this beautiful land.
"Feodora…"
I turned to see Yuu Yuu approaching me. She looked like an angel with a beam on her face, worlds different from last night. The pink bunny wasn't frantically running about, terrified of her own shadow. No, she was calm, collected, and beyond adorable with her hands behind her back. When she got close enough to me, she lifted her head and stared into my eyes.
"Are you okay, Yuu Yuu?"
I asked, worried she might have been hurt last night. However, she nodded, causing her pink hair to bounce.
"Yuu Yuu was scolded, but everything is fine now. Yuu Yuu promised to listen more. Yuu Yuu will listen when she's told to do something..."
"Listen to Janova?"
I interrogated. The pink bunny confirmed with a nod.
"How does Janova talk to you, Yuu Yuu?"
Yuu Yuu paused, looked over her shoulder, and then turned back to me.
"I ah.. ah…."
She was struggling to answer, so I pushed the question further.
"Apparently, I can't hear when Janova is speaking with you. But… that begs the question, 'how is Janova speaking with Yuu Yuu?'"
I shook my head.
"Listen, I just want to know how to help you in any way I can, Yuu Yuu."
I said.
"You want to help… me?"
Awkwardly, Yuu Yuu asked. She rubbed her shoulder and turned away from me slightly.
"Yuu Yuu didn't need your help. Feo should have listened last night. If Feo did… she wouldn't have been attacked, and everything would have been fine today."
Yuu Yuu stomped her feet.
"You almost got yourself hurt, Feo, because you decided to follow Yuu Yuu. Because you thought you were helping Yuu Yuu..."
Yuu Yuu fiercely looked me in the eye. It felt like I was a child being scolded by an adult.
"I don't want Janova to hurt you…."
Her tone changed as her eyes sank. Yuu Yuu looked worried.
"But Yuu Yuu will watch you get hurt if you act… rash and stupid. Yuu Yuu won't be able to help you… if you do stupid things like that again, Feo."
I was a bit taken aback by her candid words. It was clear that Yuu Yuu was upset with me for following her. I felt a bit guilty… but all the same, I didn't regret my choice.
"I don't regret following you. I… wanted to do everything I could to protect you, Yuu Yuu."
Her eyes lit up as we stared at one another.
"…I understand."
She whispered.
"Yuu Yuu understands… that you care for her. Yuu Yuu… likes that side of you a lot too."
Suddenly, she approached me. Her body pressed up against mine as Yuu Yuu kissed me on the cheek. I was surprised by the sudden attack. It was light, fruity and, warm.
"Hehe."
She giggled mischievously.
"Thank you for trying to help."
Yuu Yuu grinned.
"Yuu Yuu… was happy to see you fight. It was fun."
"Fun? Is that really the right word to use?"
I complained, earning a beam from the pink-haired bunny.
"Let's go play!"
Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and ran with me. I wasn't sure where she was going until we went to the bridge on the lake. The wood clanked under our feet as we made it to the center. The water of the river flowed underneath us, and it was lovely. When the wind blew, our hair would dance in the cool breeze. This lake was… perfect.
"Okay, today we're going to play the game hide 'n seek!"
Yuu Yuu shouted excitedly. These childish games she played always made my chest warm up.
"And if you catch Yuu Yuu, you might get a prize!"
With her arms behind her back, she began to walk backward.
"Close your eyes and count to 100."
Yuu Yuu commanded. So, I did just that. I closed my eyes and began counting…
1… 2…
I heard her footsteps on the wood then the grass. Slowly, I counted away, thinking about her all the while. The wind took my hair in its flow as the warm day began to embrace me. I was… happy that I could play with Yuu Yuu again.
"… 60 … 61"
I cherished the moments of being a kid again. Back then, I wasn't able to play these games. I was too busy… trying to live. But the games that Yuu Yuu played took me back to the times that I should have had. It was like she was helping me relive the past and be the child I could have been.
"… 80 … 81."
The world was behind us… We were together within this new one made for us. And… I loved that.
"100."
I opened my eyes to see the beautiful lake. This sight would never get old, and I would admire it for as long as I could.
"Ready or not… here I come."
I said as I raced in her direction. It wasn't going to be complicated. I could look at the tracks she left to find her. So, to make sure I didn't catch her too fast, I casually went about, looking at the fantastic views.
"Yuu Yuu!"
I called out to her tenderly. I knew she was around here by the tracks she left. There was a collection of boulders, and my instincts told me that she was hiding around them.
"I'm going to find you!"
I teased, drawing closer to her.
"Shhhh, stop laughing, Yuu Yuu."
I heard Yuu Yuu whisper to herself. I approached, and I grabbed her from behind with a surprise attack!
"F-Feodora! S-Stop!"
I began tickling her as I finally was able to embrace her again.
"Yuu Yuu messed up! She was laughing! Yuu Yuu needs to hide again!"
"Nope, I won!"
She wasn't getting out of this as I continued to tickle her further. We fell to the ground, but I kept going.
"P-Please stop! I-I can't take it anymore!"
Her hair brushed on my nose as her soft body pushed against mine. Yuu Yuu smelled like fruits, and it only added to her adorableness. This… was pure bliss, if I had to be honest.
"Nope, I won't let you go that easy."
I teased.
"Feodora! Stop!"
Yuu Yuu laughed as she struggled. We played around for a bit longer before she turned to me.
"You found me. I… I'm so happy you were looking for me."
Excitedly, she kissed me on the cheek. I didn't know what to say, but Yuu Yuu began speaking first.
"Yuu Yuu shouldn't be selfish and keep you to herself. Yuu Yuu knows what happens when she does."
I was at odds with what she was saying. Gently, she put her hand on my cheek.
"You're like a small animal to me."
She said, rubbing my cheek as she did. It was kind of embarrassing hearing her say that. I found my face heating up because of her words.
"This… is how things are supposed to be, Feo."
Yuu Yuu said in a whisper.
"Yuu Yuu… shouldn't be greedy…."
"What do you mean?"
I asked in a hushed tone.
"… Don't worry about it. Everything will be okay from now on, Feo. Yuu Yuu… will make sure you're happy."
Our lips touched… and it felt like a dream. My mind was in a haze as I thought things… will be right from here on out. I didn't get the questions I wanted to be answered, but we were together. It was as if time didn't matter as we played, chatted about things, cooked food on the fire, and enjoyed each other's company.
"Is this real?"
I asked, looking at the bright blue sky above. Yuu Yuu looked down at me. My head rested on her lap. It was then the fear of her leaving came to mind…
"I don't want Janova to separate us…."
I expressed my worry. Yuu Yuu made a sad face as she looked away from me briefly. She turned back and spoke the words I wanted to hear.
"Don't worry….Feo."
She petted my head softly.
"It'll be okay, Feodora. Janova understands how you feel…."
Yuu Yuu kissed me on the forehead. Her lips were warm, and they soothed my worried heart.
"And as long as Yuu Yuu doesn't act selfish and does her mission… we can be together forever."
I closed my eyes, and it felt like I was drifting into a dream. I tried to stop myself from falling asleep. I didn't want the night terrors to creep in, take over my body, and show Yuu Yuu the horrible monster I was when I slept. But as if she knew my worries, my pink bunny patted me on the head.
"Sleep well, Feodora. Yuu Yuu will stay here with you."
When I was with Yuu Yuu… everything felt right. I couldn't understand why Maxwell would have wanted me to never experience the feelings and touch of another person. It felt like Maxwell was cheating me out of these feelings.
As the night came in, with the crackle of the fire… I closed my eyes, scared of what might happen… But I put my faith into the girl I've grown so fond of…
"I want to know… more about everything… Yuu Yuu."
I confessed.
I wanted to know more about Yuu Yuu's mission. I needed to understand all her problems to help her through them. I… I wanted to ensure one thing…
"I need to know more about you… so you'll never leave me, Yuu Yuu."
Meekly, I said.
I was tired for some reason… like my body was heavy. So eventually, I closed my eyes while still lying on my girlfriend's lap. I invited the night terrors in… praying that she'd still be here when I awoke…
When I woke up, I was in my bed. I couldn't recall much of what happened last night… I could only assume that I walked back home and went to sleep at some point. My mind was beginning to feel cloudy as if I had just come out of a long dream.
"…Hm?"
My room was in perfect order. Nothing was turned over… everything was right.
"Feo! Feodora!"
There was a knock at my door, along her sweet voice echoed in the morning light. When I opened it, I was held by Yuu Yuu.
"Yuu Yuu?"
"Let's play! Come on, let's go!"
In her hands, we made our way down to the lake. Together, we played childish games like the previous day. I felt alive when I was with her like nothing could harm me. Like she was my everything. All I wanted to do was give her all the love I could.
"I… I think I really love you, Yuu Yuu."
I confessed, earning a blush from Yuu Yuu. I found myself kissing her constantly. My mind was a haze of emotions that all fixated on Yuu Yuu. Tomorrow came and went. Within our time together, I fell into a routine of waking up to see her…
The days began to blend together. I believe this routine lasted all of 3 days, but that didn't matter to me. This… was the perfect world for me. I could spend the rest of my life with Yuu Yuu in this way. As the day turned to night, I found myself walking alongside the river with Yuu Yuu in arms. Like a dream, I closed my eyes and felt as though I was drifting away…
I woke up… and everything was right… I had no night terrors. My room wasn't a mess… That's when… that feeling began to gnaw at my stomach. These perfect days were…
In a way…
Too perfect.
"Something… isn't right."
I murmured. As I looked around the room, nothing was out of the ordinary. My weapon was still in place, my bedsheets were still on, and my items were still on my nightstand. But no matter what, I couldn't shake it. Something just wasn't right.
"Why… have I not had a night terror?"
Unless I was cured… I should have had my night terrors. My room should have been a mess, and I should have been picking up everything the moment I woke up. However, since I genuinely started to spend my time with Yuu Yuu… it's like I've been cured of my curse.
"Is that… possible?"
I asked myself.
The thought of my lifelong curse… stopping so suddenly didn't excite me in the slightest. I hated my night terrors. They tortured me to death, strangled me with fear, and caused me to despise myself at times too…
But they were a part of me…
And that's what's wrong with everything.
"Feo! Feodora! Come out and play!"
At the door, the one person I wanted to see was waiting for me to open up. Excitedly I began walking to the door. At times like these, I felt like a dog waiting for her master to come and take her away. When I'm with Yuu Yuu… I felt safe, happy, and loved.
Kind of like…
A small animal.
I stopped immediately as I wrapped my brain around those words. Everything was perfect. I could spend my day with Yuu Yuu just how I wanted to…
I turned to my bedroom, clean to the point of unfamiliarity.
"Feo, don't you want to play with Yuu Yuu?"
She asked from the other side of my door. My body wanted to rush out, hold her in my arms, and embrace her with kisses. But something was pulling me towards my room. A lingering uneasy feeling that attempted to destroy this wonderful dream I was in.
I found myself going back into my room. It was clean… but that was wrong. Everything was wrong with this place.
"Feodora… I want to play. Are you tired today?"
If I had a tail, it would be wagging because of her. However, something told me to look around… Something wasn't right, and because I noticed it… I couldn't go back to… not seeing it.
"Hm?"
I looked around the room, but nothing I could find was out of the ordinary.
"Am I… overthinking things?"
Maybe it was simple. My love for Yuu Yuu cured my curse. I knew that was stupid to say. Clearly, that wasn't true, but everything in me wanted to open the door and forget about it for the time being. So, I walked over to the front door and touched the knob. Something was wrong as I pushed the door open. There, standing outside, was my girlfriend. Her eyes were bright and full of life.
But something was gnawing inside me.
"Morning, Feodora!"
She giggled cutely. I held myself back from hugging her. Instead of answering her, I looked back at my door.
"Yuu Yuu… I have a question."
"Oh, what is it, Feodora?"
She put her hands behind her back and gazed at me with those beautiful eyes.
"Do you lock your door to your cabin?"
Her eyes went wide. She looked over her shoulder then back at me. But before opening her mouth, she looked back at the sky… then back at me.
"Ah… no. I… ah… Yuu Yuu doesn't lock her door."
I wet the bottom of my lips as I continued…
"I always lock my door, Yuu Yuu. Maxwell beat that into me… Keeping it unlocked is something I'd never do. That's because it's dangerous if someone comes in while I was suffering from my night terrors."
Yuu Yuu tilted her head and looked away slightly.
"What a strange question, Feodora."
Coyly, she looked to the side.
"Is something wrong? Don't you want to play with Yuu Yuu? Don't you want to play with… me?"
I felt like I was accusing her of something. Maybe it was simple; I was too caught up in the days that I forgot to lock the door before sleeping. How I wanted to conclude that and go play a childish game with Yuu Yuu. But… something was just feeling off…
"Feo…"
Yuu Yuu spoke tenderly, but I cut her off.
"I have night terrors… when I sleep."
I turned towards my room.
"But when I've woken up recently… my room has been perfect."
Quietly she listened to me.
"I've had these night terrors for as long as I could remember. I hate them… they're terrible, and sometimes make me feel like I'm going insane."
For some reason, tears were welling up in me.
"I hate them… but they remind me of who I am… Of Maxwell… Of being a dark vessel. They… connect me to who I am, Yuu Yuu."
I turned back to the pink bunny, listening to me in silence.
"I feel like I'm going crazy. Everything… is perfect. It's so perfect that it all feels… wrong."
"And what's wrong with that, Feo?"
Yuu Yuu asked as she approached.
"What's wrong with everything being perfect?"
Her lips came close to me, and her soft body pushed up against mine. She cornered me against a wall in my home and put her head on my chest.
"Don't you want to play with Yuu Yuu?"
Everything in me said yes… but the gnawing in my stomach was questioning what was happening. But I couldn't put my finger on what… if anything was happening. I could play with Yuu Yuu all day. Embrace her… be intimate with her, and do it again… forever at this rate, and nothing will be wrong.
So why…
Did it feel…
Like everything was wrong here?
As I thought about this, Yuu Yuu took the initiative to kiss me on the lips. I could feel her passion and excitement. As I held her closer to me, my mind was filled with her…
"Yuu Yuu loves you, Feo."
She whispered between her kisses. The heat and sweetness of her touch tasted like nectar. They were delicious, like warm honey.
"I love you too, Yuu Yuu."
I ignored my strange feelings and held her tight.
"I love you so much, Feodora."
Without holding back, Yuu Yuu was telling me all her feelings. When I wrapped my arms around her, my mind began to be covered with images of Yuu Yuu. Nothing else mattered but her. My curse was gone, and I didn't have to see other people. I could live my life in solitude with the one I've clearly fallen in love with.
But suddenly, a word sparked in my mind.
"Trickster…"
Maxwell's teachings came flooding back in. He told me… no, he warned me of something important before he died…
"People who will make you believe things…that aren't true. Always be wary of them…."
Always be wary of them. Clearly, there was a disconnect in what was going on here. As we passionately kissed, Yuu Yuu pulled me to my bed and continued to assault me with her feelings. I looked up at the ceiling as she kissed my neck, embracing me with her body.
"Feo… Feodora…"
Tenderly she kept calling out my name, and my heart would respond by speeding up. But I closed my eyes and began doing something I hadn't done in the past few days…
I began searching with my darkness…
My spell was light as I tried to do what my mentor mentioned. Be a tad wary… at least to make sure something wasn't going on.
"Yuu Yuu…"
I whispered her name as she continued to lie on top of me… embracing me with her tender love. So I promised in my heart that if I didn't find anything… I would forget everything and be with her without question.
"Huh?"
I opened my eyes as I looked her in the eyes. Yuu Yuu sat up and put her arms to the side. Confused, she tilted her head.
"What's wrong, Feodora?"
Yuu Yuu looked worried as my eyes went purple, becoming one with the darkness. I could see Yuu Yuu's eyes begin to well up with tears.
I turned to the side. The light hit the wall perfectly, and what was there was nothing short of horrifying.
"Feo, look at Yuu Yuu! Feodora! Feodora!"
Yuu Yuu took my cheeks in her hand and forced me to look into her starry eyes, but I resisted as I turned back and saw what was on the wall. There were shadows as there should be. The light was cast on us, forcing them to hit the wall perfectly. But as I looked closer… I felt the darkness around me… something wasn't right.
"Feo! Feodora, look at me! Look at Yuu Yuu!"
I was too absorbed in the moment, and because of that, I was blinded by something so obvious.
My feelings blinded me from realizing what was right in front of me…
That something was... wrong.
The number of shadows… didn't add up.
"Why are there… 3 shadows here?"
Suddenly, that odd sensation came back in. The same one that Janova had inside of her barrier. It felt like water flashed through my body. As if someone broke a mirror around me, her voice cut in.
"Just a little bit more time… that's all Yuu Yuu needed… Just a few more days…."
I pushed her off of me and looked at the two shadows reflecting on the wall. She stood up, and they both moved along with her.
"That's… Janova isn't it Yuu Yuu?!"
She looked over her shoulder, looked at the wall, then turned back to me.
"I can't introduce you two yet. B-But soon I will, Feodora."
Yuu Yuu said in a worried tone. As I looked at the shadow that wasn't supposed to be there, the world around me began to shake. It felt like someone put me in a salt shaker as everything began to distort.
"What's going on?! Yuu Yuu is this Janova's doing?!"
"Everything would have been perfect for you and me, Feo. We were having so much fun, but you had to challenge Janova."
She stood firm and looked me in the eyes. The world still shook violently around us.
"Don't worry, Yuu Yuu doesn't want to give up on you. And I don't either."
She whispered.
Suddenly the world was gone. Everything went black. When I closed my eyes and opened them again, I woke up in bed, clenching my pillows. Everything was a mess, my things were turned over, and I could clearly recall a horrible dream. I looked about, and everything felt… right.
"Yuu Yuu?!"
I looked around, but she wasn't there. The floor was littered with things I must have pushed over in my night terror state. I couldn't recall when I fell asleep. But that entire dream was in my head, running like a video on repeat.
"Two shadows?"
I thought about the sun reflecting off Yuu Yuu… and how I didn't see that or feel that. But… in that dream, it was different. That night terror was the most vivid dream I've ever had.
As I cleaned up, I thought about it…
"What if that wasn't a dream?"
Instantly, I shot up. My mind began to race as I looked around. A strange feeling was overcoming me.
"What if… Janova…"
I was unsure of all the powers of a level 2 chaos element user. It was time I made my way into the Radiant City and found out what I might be dealing with. So, I left the mess as it was, got on my clothing, and took my sword off the wall.
"I'll be back, Maxwell."
I said, silently thanking him for his lessons. I was worried that something did happen to me, that it wasn't all a dream. So, I ran to Radiant City without stopping. The further away I got from Janova's barrier, the safer I'd be, I felt. When I reached the gates, knights were guarding as usual.
"Ah, wait! You're Feodora Cicer, right?!"
I attempted to run past them, hoping to go right into the Baron's library without running into anyone, but I was stopped.
"Ah… yes?"
I wondered what the problem was as they approached me.
"Jade Opal has been looking for you for the past couple of days."
"Jade has?"
I was confused. Jade never came to my place. My phone didn't show any signs that I was called by anyone.
"Jade's out right now. If it's possible, would you contact her and make sure you get in touch with her?"
I nodded without saying a word. Eventually, the knights left, and I began jogging into the city. I took out my phone and selected the contact, Jade.
"Hm?"
There were Radiants all around the city, which was a sign that something had happened. As I ran towards the Baron's group, I passed the knight's station, and the sight took me by surprise.
"What the hell?"
The knight's station was beaten up but not destroyed. Radiants were searching the sight… and it looked like a bomb went off here.
"Hello, Feodora?"
"Huh?"
Jade's voice took me by surprise even though I was the one that initially called her.
"About time I hear from you. I guess you're not part of my command anymore, so it's okay to take vacations and go anywhere you want…."
"What are you talking about, Jade… I've been home."
She exhaled.
"I figured something trickery was going on there. Listen, I am doing business right now… is it possible that I can meet you somewhere in around an hour?"
"Yes, I actually need to talk with you… so that's fine."
"If you haven't heard yet, the knight's station was bombed, and Vert escaped during the blast."
Jade said dejectedly.
"Vert got away?"
I asked furiously. I imagined his smug look. It only pissed me off more knowing he's free once again. After all the mayhem he caused, he took the chance and escaped.
"We'll talk more about it soon, Feodora. But right now, Eve is in custody as our prime suspect."
I clenched my fist.
"Eve?!"
"Yes, the very one we know and love. I'll explain more, but you mentioned you're going to the Baron library. Could you wait there until I come?"
"That won't be a problem, Jade. So, Eve is in custody over the bombing?"
"Yes, we have her in jail, underneath the knight's station for the time being. She's being held there on suspicious of being the serial bomber."
I bit down on my teeth… I knew just what must have happened. I figured that the bomb she deactivated… must have gone off anyway… The Radiant Order must have caught her tampering with it or something.
I couldn't imagine Eve would be the one bombing places… then casually telling me about her plans to "find" the bomber. She must have been trying to contact me for days… just like Jade.
I decided to put it behind me for the time being. Eve would have to wait in jail until I figured out what was happening with Yuu Yuu.
Eve wasn't going anywhere, but I couldn't say the same about Janova and what she might end up doing if I took too long.
"Alright, Jade, I'll meet you in the library."
"Good, I'll see you in about an hour."
She hung up, and I held my phone in hand. Instead of thinking about it too much, I rushed off towards the Baron's library.