It was safe to say that night I got little to no sleep. Between Jane's memory of almost drowning and Taylor's confession I had a lot to think about. At times I'd lie wake thinking about Taylor and an awkward happiness would fill my chest preventing me from sleeping. When I finally did close my eyes, Jane's memories began to seep in again, different ones that made no coherent sense, images, sounds and sometimes even smells. By the time the sun rose I was sitting in my bed annoyed with dark rings beneath my eyes.
I made my way down the stairs of the inn tiredly. The sun had barely risen and most would still be sleeping, however I was hungry from the useless turning and tossing during the night. I ordered a mixture of eggs and toast at the kitchen and sat down alone, sipping at some juice. As my food came I noticed Ronalt walk in and waved him over.
"Good morning Rain… you look terrible, did something happen?" he eyed me curiously.
"You could say that," I sighed and shoved the food into my mouth. The light spices and strange texture of the egg caused me some delight but not enough to remove my tired expression. "Please go ahead and join me."
"Then I shall," Ronalt left and came back with a drink of his own. He sat down and pulled out a small mirror. At first I thought he was inspecting his face but as he pulled out a cloth I realised he was making sure his horns were clean. "You know I've grown quite fond of these. They represent a personality that I believe suits me, although I'm unable to sleep on my side."
"Well I can't sleep face down." I tried once and ended up poking a hole through the pillow.
Ronalt laughed, "The horned tribe members must have some inconveniences."
"From what I heard the real things can detect changes in mana," I tapped the horns on my forehead.
"Is that so," he nodded in thought.
"By the way Ronalt, can I ask you something?" I asked.
"Of course Rain," he smiled lightly. Compared to when I first met him the difference really was too much. At this point he would have scowled at me.
"Have you heard Lara ever mention the name Jane before?"
His eyes narrowed as he threaded through his memories. A silence came between us. I sighed. It was a long shot anyway. Then in realisation he spoke, "Ah yes, it was quite some time ago now. When Lara was first summoned here, one of the first things she asked was if another boy called Jane was here as well. For the few days after she would occasionally mention him but then she just stopped. Why do you ask?"
I couldn't hide my pensive expression, "When she showed us her memories I saw him. Worse still I keep seeing strange things about him."
He scratched his head, "My apologies Rain I cannot help you in this. As curious as I am, perhaps you should talk to Ardent."
"I tried that," I sighed again. "Anyway, how long are we staying in Citlia for?"
Ronalt firmly grasped the change in topic, "I'd like to leave in two days' time. For now we'll gather what information we can and rest." I nodded and as Ronalt's food came we ate in relative silence.
Once we were both done I headed outside to the stables as Ronalt went into town to find a route to the Demon's Capital. Pina was lively and communicating with the other paradise moas like her. After making sure she was being well fed I entered the carriage. Once more I set up my apothecaries' kit. I had been using it a lot compared to my other tools lately. If Margaret knew she'd call it a victory against my other parents. My goal for now however was to make a sleeping draught. At least that way I could finally get some rest.
As I mixed the reagents together and did the other necessary steps the door to the carriage opened.
"Oh Rain," Lara said in surprise. "I didn't know you were here. You look sick… did something happen?"
"Just lack of sleep," I said telling half the truth.
"Really what were you doing?" she asked innocently and sat at the table.
I felt like teasing her, "I went to the red light district."
"You what!?" her voice pitched higher than usual. "I-I mean you are a man and I know people do things like that. Umm." She was looking around avoiding my eyes.
"Lara what are you talking about? Just what do you think the red light district is?" I feigned innocence. The term red light district wasn't one used in this world and the only reason I felt like I knew it was because of Jane's memories. I had to wonder just what else I knew because of them.
"Eh? Umm isn't that place where- where men and women do things with each other?" What a pure way of phrasing it.
"Hmm pretty much," I said.
Her face reddened, "Then you really…!"
"You should really get your mind out of the gutter Lara. Just because I went there doesn't mean I did anything."
She was clearly miffed now, "Y-you, stop playing around."
"Sorry you're reactions are just too cute sometimes," I plonked my hand on her head. As soon as I did so we both froze. Me because I couldn't tell if I was acting as Rain or by Jane's memories and her well, I couldn't tell. I slowly pulled away.
"Rain… you mentioned my friend Jane before. Do you know him?" her eyes upturned to mine with a slight hope.
The muscles in my neck tightened, "No, it was just that one time."
"You're lying," her words were more forceful than I thought they'd be. "I can tell your lying! I don't understand it but whenever you lie seriously, when it's not a joke… you and Jane look the same. So please just tell me the truth!"
"My face isn't that girly," I sighed.
"You know what he looks like?" despite her insistence actually hearing me say caused her to freeze up.
"Thin build, sandy brown hair, big green eyes and basically pretty enough to confuse a bunch of men in their sexual preference." A part of me hurt saying that.
"Yep that's him… but why do you know that?"
"I think when you showed me your memories something happened but to be honest I don't really know how deep this goes. Lately I keep seeing things."
"Like?" she stared at me with wide eyes.
"You saved him before from drowning."
"Yeah… I remember that." She smiled softly, "It's strange, the more you talk about him the more I'm able remember again."
"And now if you could help me, do you have any idea what's happening to me?" I folded my arms and leaned against the wall. The need for sleep that had been piling up had for now stilled itself.
Lara however shook her head, "Sorry I don't."
"Then tell me, just what was Jane to you?"
"Jane… Jane was my childhood friend. His parents left him when he was a baby and my parents ran a foster home. We saw each other a lot and grew up together. We went to the same schools and even the same university. He was my best friend."
While that was well and good it told me nothing about why 'his' memories were in 'my' head. I already had enough trouble not being able to die and this really was just the icing on the cake of my life. Add the fact we still had to deal with the Demon Lord and we had the whole damn desert buffet.
I sighed and finished making my sleeping draught, "For now I'm damn tired. So if you excuse me I'll be heading to bed."
"Ah sure…," Lara looked at me a little taken aback. My leaving was sudden. As I reached the door Lara caught my hand in hers. She squeezed it tightly, "Rain, do you mind if we can talk about this again?"
For a moment I stayed silent and then with a tired breath, "Sure." I couldn't say no to her.
"Thank you," with that she let go of my hand and I went back to my room in the inn. I drank the draught and no sooner than when I hit the bed, darkness took over.
*
It was a more recent memory this time. Lara still had red hair but her appearance was almost the same as the one she had now. Jane as well was taller and they walked together. The two perfectly comfortable with the other. There was no one else around them as they made their way through a park. It was relaxing even for me seeing it through another's eyes. Then as if from nowhere the sky began to darken. Thick clouds rolled across the sunny sky stifling the warmth as a sudden wind kicked all around us.
"What's going on?" Lara asked me. While her voice was concerned there was an excitement as well.
I however frowned, "I don't like this."
"Should we head back home?"
"Yeah," I took her by the hand and began to quicken the pace. The wind picked up and a vibrant energy filled the world around us. "Lara hold on to me! No matter what don't let go."
"O-okay," she nodded and tightened her grip.
A smash of light fell form the skies. The runes of a magic circuit span around us. I became more desperate as if knowing something bad would happen, trying to shield Lara from the expanding light. It was no use. As the energy reached its pinnacle the earth shook and in a flash the world returned to normal. There was one difference however. Lara was gone and the space I held was now empty.
"Lara!" I screamed and turned to look for her. She was nowhere in sight as if she never had been. "Lara!" I screamed again becoming agitated and ran to the surface of the nearby lake. She wasn't there, she wasn't anywhere. A crushing sensation filled my chest.
*
I woke up covered in sweat. The midday sun shone through the windows and the noise of the streets seeped into the room. The sound calmed me as I breathed heavily. That last memory had been as vivid as when I took the memory drug. While I couldn't tell what Jane had been thinking, I felt his emotions running wild as if they were my own. That was the moment when Lara was summoned to this world I was sure. She was ripped right out of his arms. It was no wonder why Lara asked about him when she first arrived.
I got up and washed myself using the nearby basin. The cold water brought me back to life. At least now I was no longer tired. My thoughts continued to go back to those memories. Was it a message or something more than that? I shook it off and marched myself downstairs.
"Hey Earnest," I called out to the swordsman as soon as I reached the kitchen. He was leisurely sipping at a drink.
"Good day Rain," he smiled. "Are you busy tonight? I heard this city has a very nice pleasure district. Ardent and I were planning to have a look. Care to join us?"
"No thanks," I replied bluntly. I felt like if I did that I'd get the ire of Taylor. "Are you busy now though? I need some exercise."
"Exercise you say?" his smile became fierce. "I'm sure I can keep you company." He drained his glass and stood up, sword already in hand. "Shall we?"
"With pleasure."
For a good hour I trained with Earnest. It had been awhile and as usual his harsh methods had me bruised and battered. My thoughts directed entirely at him and the stress of the pass few days vanished. Eventually I couldn't continue and he cheerfully left as I tended to my wounds. My next agenda was shopping as I tried to keep my thoughts away from Jane.
I wondered through the market and bought some unique ingredients I had never used before. The idea of cooking with them made me excited. While the others may not like it as much, it was fun experimenting with new things. Finding ways to combine them and create something entirely different was one of the joys of cooking. A female merchant with long feathers for hair waved me over cheerily.
"Young man would you like a taste of these berries? They're sour but have a sweetness to them you just can't beat."
They were strawberries. I hadn't seen them for ages. Lara loved strawberries, we used to fight for them when we were younger. The sudden thought caused my hand to freeze as it reached for the berry.
"Umm young man?" the merchant looked at me perplexed.
I pulled my hand back. This wasn't right. I shouldn't have known what these were nor that Lara liked them. Still I strained out a false smile, "I'll take a carton please."
The lady handed it over happily and I left quickly to be alone. On the edge of the market I sat with my legs hanging from the platform above the lake. A single half eaten strawberry in my hand. I as Rain had never eaten one of these as far back as I could remember but the taste was nostalgic. It felt like I used to eat these a lot and even as my heart shook from the unexpected anxiousness a small comfort from the fruit spread through my chest. I needed to get to the bottom of this.
"Heya Rain!" Just as I stood up the voice rang out loudly followed by a push.
"Whoa!" I tittered at the edge of the platform barely able to stop myself from falling in. "Marley careful!" I yelled at the younger girl.
"Ah sorry, didn't know there was a ledge there." She didn't look sorry. "Well if you hurt yourself I could just heal you anyway."
"You really shouldn't use that as an excuse," I sighed and seeing the running figure behind her averted my gaze unconsciously.
"Marley don't just run off like that- Oh Rain," Lara smiled and turned to Marley, "so that's why you ran."
"I thought I'd give him a surprise," Marley grinned. "You shopping?"
"Yeah," I held up the bags in my hands and offered the two of them a strawberry.
Marely ate hers curiously, "Oh these are really good."
"Are these strawberries?" Lara's eyes lit up and snatched two of them. "Wow I haven't had these in ages." She paused in thought as she chewed, "Though they do taste a little differently."
"Hey don't eat all of them," I pulled the carton away from her. "They were meant for everyone. What are you two doing here anyway?"
"Just looking around. There's a lot of different things here. I was thinking of changing up my attire," Marley span around. Right now she was wearing a simple black dress and coat. Since we had stopped her wearing her priest's outfit she had been having fun trying out different outfits.
"Don't spend too much okay," I said.
"We have plenty of money from selling that pirate ship," she smiled widely. "By the way Rain, you look kind of down. I do owe you one for saving my life so I can spare some time if you cook me dinner."
"How kind of you," I replied sarcastically. "Though honestly I don't think you'll be much help. Not even Ardent knows what's going on."
She laughed, "Probably not. But if you're really stuck maybe you should ask the Goddess."
"You can talk to her?"
"Not me personally but I know some of the elder sisters and priests who've taken her guidance. I heard there was a temple east of here. If you ask Ronalt maybe we can pay it a visit. I'm kind of curious as well."
It would be interesting to see the differences between the faiths and it was worth a shot. "I'll talk to him. Thanks for the advice."
"And now we're even," she grinned.
"Is your life really worth so little?" I folded my arms, "I feel like you at least owe me something else."
"Don't worry, I'll stop charging you for the healing."
"Wait, you were charging me?"
"Yep, you worked up quite the bill," she grinned and tugged on Lara's arm. The white haired hero had been suspiciously quiet for a while and I soon realised why. My focus had been on Marley and without me realising more than half the carton of strawberries were already gone.
"H-hey!" I moved them away. "If you eat that many at once you'll get sick."
"I have a really strong constitution," Lara replied easily. "You know you should just leave those with me and get some more for later."
"Fine whatever." She took the carton before I could even offer it to her.
"Well we're off." Marley continued to pull Lara as she was still absorbed in the strawberry's sweet and sour taste. "There's apparently a cage match of sorts going on later and I might just offer my services once we're done shopping." Her smile turned once more with a creepy edge and soon after the two disappeared back down the street leaving me with a potential new goal. I wasn't all too religious but if the Goddess could help, it was worth a try. After all, if any being in the world would know, she would.