As expected with the new addition, the journey back was bit tricky. The little dragonling had efficiently wrapped Note around its little claws. Note who hated having his hair loose, gave into leaving it down. The little one hiding around his neck when necessary. It loved being held in his arms. When they were on the road it would contently sit in his lap, dozing off.
Ravan like a jealous cat began to cling more and more to Note in rebuttal. He didn't care that his opponent was a little dragonling. He was simultaneously trying to win it over while competing for Note's attention.
Xian was trying his best to ignore the pleading looks Note gave; whenever the smallest members got especially rowdy. Note found ways to drag the false pacifist into the chaos. Getting close to Xian tended to make little Scratch behave. Ravan would also then, sensing the competition shift. Would focus on bothering Xian.
After a few days travelling like this, Scratch finally got used to them. Truly the little week-old hatchling had proven itself more mature than Ravan. Note was able to tie his hair up again, leaving Scratch to hide in Ravan's thick locks instead when needed. Making peace with its playmate.
Once they arrived back at the Division, with their little tag-along. They made straight for the peak. When an unexpected interruption appeared before them. A naked blur came running past. Seemingly escaping from the direction of Reign's office. Before they could process what, they'd seen. A shriek came from the direction the blur had run, along with the caw of an upset rooster. The person rushed past them again, now with feathery pursuers.
Four sets of eyes watched a nearly naked person -with barley a cloth around their waist, in the middle of winter- running in circles in the courtyard. They'd upset chicken's somehow and were running for their life.
Out from the office came Reign and Liaud. Reign was rubbing his temples as he tried to command a few hands to stop the chaos. Liaud was sporting a small smirk, not trying to help in the slightest. Enjoying the show thoroughly.
Xian let their group around the chaos and up to his master.
"Sir? What's going on now."
Liaud turned his attention to them, his eye's shining at the little addition. Reign looked their way as well.
"Ah, welcome back. Thing's went well then?" Liaud waved a finger at Scratch.
Reign smiled shaking his head, "I see you successfully ignored the 'keeping your distance' order yet again."
Note felt a guilty smile itching to break across his face. Giving Scratch a little pat. As they sniffed at Liaud's hand.
A few of the chicken's had been caught. The rooster was still in hot pursuit of the screaming nudist. Xian being unable to tolerate the chaos any longer let out a few sounds in the chicken mother tongue. The frantic birds all calmed down. The strange one seeing they were safe, laid down in relief. Seemingly not bothered by the snowy muck on the ground.
Xian frowned in surprise, "Sir isn't this?"
Liaud nodded giving a pitying look, "Yes this is that noble the Elm Division was sending over. I'm afraid their proving quite a handful."
Ravan's brow raised, "Their noble? Are you sure about that."
Note cut back instinctively, "What rich people can't be crazy. Look at you."
Liaud chuckled, "I'm afraid it's not as easy as that. They're under a curse. Its why Elm had to send them here. They were having difficulty finding the curses origin. So, they had to turn to me. It's my expertise after all."
The three looked closer at the fallen noble. Though their hair was a sheared mess, their face held traces of an almost royal disposition. Strange runes covered their arms and back. The script was impossible to distinguish. But the marks gave off an odd sense of malice. Note felt his skin start to itch just from staring at them.
Ravan turned away, "You can't keep them clothed?"
Reign sighed heavily, "It's proving a challenge. It seems even in this weather; they find clothing unbearably hot. Perhaps it's apart of the curse. It seems to give those who look upon the marks an odd sense of unease."
The focus of the head's scrutiny finally opened their eyes. Having seemingly cooled off enough they looked towards the trio. Their eye's going wide as saucers when noticing Scratch. Sensing danger Scratch leapt from Note to Xian's shoulders.
The cursed noble came up to them, Note noticed a brief moment of sharpness in their eyes. As if they were on guard even in the fog of the curse. Their eyes darted across them, before a foolish smile wiped the wariness away.
"How pretty!"
The three were unsure of where such a comment was directed. Was it at Scratch? One of them? …. All of them?
Liaud finally took charge of his new ward. Having some hands help lead them away by promising a long bath. Xian quickly gave his report and Note's mission log to Reign. Promising to get Scratch's account for the records once they'd settled in. Reign didn't seem to upset with their inability to not end up in getting involved… Again. Though he tried to begin lecturing them. Scratch gave a yawn moving into Xian's arms to sleep. Reign's words fell off his tongue at such a cute display from the baby.
Scratch wouldn't be able to stay in Note's dorm, animals and familiars weren't allowed in new recruit dorms. As Reign was trying to think of a solution Liaud returned. Note half suspected he had a spy device installed. His timing was a bit too on the nose.
"If the need calls for it, why doesn't the team move into Xian's house. It's in the cavern fall district by the river. An ideal place to keep a little fire starter."
Reign looked relieved at Liaud's return.
"That district is full of young Xian's beasts already correct. His neighbour's wont mind?"
"Oh, don't mind that. Most of the creature's XiXi watches out for, are spoiled rotten by the whole mountain."
Reign pondered as Liaud sidled up beside him, leaning against the desk. Note realised this was the first time he'd seen the two-branch heads together. They had an ease of familiarity with each other. Having clearly worked together for who knows how long. Reign's posture even relaxed a bit as he spoke with Liaud. The heads almost seemed to be in their own bubble as they discussed, forgetting their peanut gallery.
Reign mentioned the hatchling wouldn't be able to live with them for long. It would need a larger space to roam, and its own territory eventually. Every concern was deftly met with a solution from Liaud.
Ravan seemingly getting bored began to fidget. Note didn't notice when a fox carved charm was attached to his belt. Xian on the other hand felt something get slipped into his pocket. He side eyed the deft rogue who had seemingly barley more then shifted in place. Ravan noticing the glance gave a few doe-eyed blinks in his direction. As if displaying his innocence.
Xian is so busy scrutinizing Ravan, he loses track of what Liaud is signing his home up for.
"Xixi that's alright with you, correct?"
"Yes sir."
"Wonderful! That big old house of yours's will finally be filled with people and not just animals."
"Wait wh-"
Xian was too late. His peaceful home had suddenly been handed over.
-
Note looked around his nearly bare dorm room. His few possessions had already been shuffled over to Xian's house. His office was also nearly all moved. Turning one of the spare rooms into a work space meant Note wouldn't have to come back to his branch's mountain as often.
Note shook his head. Why do I feel nervous. Not much is changing. Nothing compared to falling into this world. New mountain, less dealing with the weather. Roommates would be… Note cringed at his memories of dorm life back when he was in school. He liked these roommates, it'll be fine. This house also comes with pets. Lots of pets. He was just saying goodbye to a little room, a little office. Familiar routes. It wasn't like…
Note fell onto the bare mattress, his head feeling a bit heavy. He fiddled with the little fox Ravan had given him; as sleep snuck up on him. Suddenly Note was dreaming.
Note opened his eyes. Feeling the familiar strangeness of a dream. Though he was often plagued with stress dreams. He'd always had a knack for recognizing when he was in one. It was just too easy to get caught up in them. If he hadn't been so aware of such things. He might have thought this life of his was a dream. A long, long dream.
A familiar space stretched out. His old apartment. The plush couch he had loved to cozy up on. Whether studying or enjoying books for fun. He'd loved pressing himself into the corner underneath the lamplight.
There was something out of place though. This memory space shifting in the dream, fuzzy around the edges. An old full body mirror sat in the corner. Nothing but boxes had ever sat there.
Note felt a tug, the dream wanted him to go towards the mirror. If this was to be a nightmare, he'd wake himself before he got to involved. But for now, he followed the pull. Standing in front of the mirror. Seeing not himself, in a space that had been his. Was an odd feeling. His new body standing there in his apartment.
"Hey" Note whispered to his reflection.
Orion's voice, not his own. Note felt all too aware of his body. It had been so long he'd gotten used to it. Forgotten it wasn't his.
"What's wrong?" his reflection asked.
Note glanced up, tilting his head. The reflection followed his every move. Note laughed, was his brain trying to work something out. He humored it. Taking a seat on the floor.
"Nothing's wrong." Note responded.
The reflection spoke again, but Note's indifferent expression didn't leave its face.
"There is, you feel guilty. You feel sad."
"Well, I always feel sad. Come's with being me."
"This is different. The guilt and sorrow are mixed. Hard to discern from each other."
Note sighed, he really was talking to himself. They knew the mental itch that he'd been ignoring all this time. Maybe he couldn't avoid it. He'd been doing his best to avoid it.
Note spoke slowly, searching for the words.
"There's a bit of a list. I don't think I need to contextualize. But for the sake of saying it. I loved stories like this. Stories where Alice falls down the rabbit hole. The lost soul finds their way into a world full of magic. When they 'go home' at the end… That I never understood. I'd have given anything to exist in a world of dragons. Of magic. Now here I am. I've done it."
"Are you upset you're not the hero?"
"Relieved. Such a part isn't for me."
"You always wanted to be the older sibling though."
Note sputtered, "Yeah… Guess I did get that wish checked didn't I."
"Your happier here. I think compared to the 'plot' you've made Lise and the other's happier too."
Note nodded smiling at the thought. The reflection smiled with him, though its words didn't match.
"Sometimes the grief is so much. It's too much to get my head around. So why does guilt keep creeping in? Why?"
Note looked away from the mirror. Ah, I don't want to.
"Because I get it now. What it cost. I had never considered how simple a cost it was."
The reflection's voice sounded confused, "What? What did you lose?"
Note smiled towards the mirror. The smile clearly didn't reach his eyes.
"Everything. It cost everything. My voice, my face, every tattoo I'd ever gotten. Every scar- I won't pretend I was that close to my body. But still-"
He felt warm tears begin to well up in his eye's.
"The arm's I held my grandmother's hand with. The ink I'd gotten to remind me of her. The matching set with my best friend. Words from my favorite poet. It's all gone. I won't pretend the people I cared about, didn't fit on one hand. Still if I'm here for good. Then. Then I'll never get to see them again. And if I'm not. If I go back somewhere down the line… I still lose, people. The one's I've met, here…"
"Either way you've lost." His reflection's eyes were red.
"I've been less of a hoarder here. But seeing my old place, all the little mementoes. I've never had the best memory. I need little thing's they-"
"Help you remember them. You're scared of forgetting."
Note felt a bolt of ice shoot through his heart. His vision blurring as he looked back at his bookshelf. The little nick knacks and picture frames littering it. A little red plush bull, his best friend had bought him on a trip catching his eye. It's goofy face making him smile despite the tears.
"Yeah… That's it. The thing I've been too afraid to think about. I was already worried about such things. Before all this. With my grandmother gone. I was already afraid. It's just… Suddenly it's everyone. Everything. I'd have been fine with forgetting myself, but them. I couldn't bear it."
"So that's the feeling. Parting ways, unexpectedly. I can understand that."
"That's not all though."
"Not all?"
"I also took something. A life. The legitimacy of this reality aside- This body doesn't belong to me, now does it."
The reflection was silent awhile. As if Note had shocked it into silence. He couldn't help continuing. He'd said this much.
"I know the character, wasn't much more then a silly side character. At least that's how it's supposed to seem. He's a classic sacrificial older sibling archetype. Using his life- Giving his life to Lise. But now I've stolen it. The time Orion had left. Those precious moments with his little sister… And I- I don't regret it. I might be scared and sad for what I've lost. Feel guilty for taking it. But I wouldn't so easily give it all back."
Note looked back to the mirror.
"I don't regret being here. I worry of course I do. Even if I can't change anything. This world, this life. It's worth it."
"Even the ending? If you end up like… Like the 'original'."
Note felt a weight lift off his chest. He hadn't admitted it to himself before. Even missing his old friends. He'd never be happy to just end up back in his old life. It felt like, even if he was afraid of becoming plot fodder. His future here was worth fighting for. He'd never felt that way about living before.
"Even then."
His apartment slowly began fading into shadow. Only him and the reflection remained. Note felt the dream beginning to slip. Darkness swallowed his vision. The feeling of arms embracing him. A wash of comfort followed.
His room was painted with sunset, as Note laid there dazed with waking. He couldn't recall what he'd been dreaming about. It felt like he'd been crying; he felt lighter.