"Lynx, are you ready to wake up?" A voice gently reached her ears, and Lynx, ears twitching, slowly shifted, propping herself up on an elbow, having fallen asleep on her side. It wasn't there earlier, but at some point, Aerendyl had tossed a huge fleece blanket over her- now, he sat on the coffee table looking down at her with darkening windows at his back. "I'm sorry, I'd have gladly let you sleep until morning, but, somebody from higher up in the corporate ladder than me is getting annoyed and said that I need to hurry up and get you over there. I can make you some coffee before we go though, if you like," He added, gentle as can be. "I'd say if it took me another forty five minutes or so to get out of here, nobody would care too much." He smiled and leaned back, edging away and standing up now that Lynx seemed attentive. For a long moment, she blinked up at him, yawning, bringing her arm up with a sleeve over her hand, wiping her chin. As she did- the sleeve caught.
"Do I have- fangs-?" She mumbled tiredly, confused.
"A couple of em, yeah," Aerendyl nodded.
"What do you mean, a couple-?" Lynx blinked slowly, angling her head, and Aerendyl pulled out his phone.
"The dorm will supply you with toothpaste and other such stuff, so don't be self conscious. Want me to snap a picture and show you?" He asked softly, angling his head.
"Sure," Lynx shrugged and bared her teeth as if she were an animal threatening to bite. Aerendyl snapped a picture and turned the phone toward her- inside her mouth, her upper and lower canines were semi-sharp fangs like those of a cat properly, but the rest of her teeth remained human. Curious, she sat up a bit more.
"Weird- I wonder if learning about my past would help me to understand why my soul said mmmm, pussy time. Is there anybody at the academy who might be able to help me?"
"Some of the demons and angels there are mages- but I can't remember off the top of my head if any of them have the ability to see into the thoughts or memories of others. I'm not allowed to share anyway, but... I'll do some digging for you. I appreciate you, after all, so... yeah, no promises, but I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks," Lynx hummed and sat up, yawning, stretching, arching her back.
"Course- so, want some coffee to give you energy for settling into your dormitory?" Aerendyl hummed, raising an eyebrow.
"I'd love that, thanks." Lynx nodded, leaning forward just a bit and looking at the windows, only for her head to snap right as Aerendyl threw something down on the couch beside her- something shiny. It was... a phone? Scratched up and with chips in the metal sides.
"What's this?" She asked as he tossed a charger down nearby it.
"Well, when I upgraded my phone, I didn't trade in, they didn't take my old one. I looked it up and it'd go online for like, less than my monthly phone bill, so, you can have it. I reset it- it's not very good and it doesn't have service, but it'll save you some money when you find the cash to get it turned on." He smiled and walked away before Lynx could really respond.
"Are you sure?" She called after him, standing up and walking halfway to the kitchen door.
"Yeah! It'll sit in a drawer forever otherwise, and even if you don't use it long, it's free and only like, uh, four or five years old !! Better to see it get more use than be done for good- besides, I upgraded because I take too many photos for work and needed more storage, the phone itself wasn't dying or anything."
"Mnf... thanks...!" Lynx sighed, feeling a bit guilty about how much help she was being offered, and slowly walked to the windows, looking outside. The aurora lights were still there, ribbons of pink and blue and green fluttering and waving slowly in the air, and Lynx found her eyes slowly drawn from them, down to the frozen lake. In the low, nearly non-existent light, it looked like a black hole into hell itself, with lighter patches here and there where snow had fallen onto the ice and stayed.
"What, causes the lights...?" Lynx mumbled softly, looking slowly back up at the lights as Aerendyl returned. He offered her a mug, and she took it, slowly, sighing comfortably at the way that the mug, in contrast to the cold air radiating off the window, warmed her hands.
"Magic," Aerendyl hummed comfortably, now leaning in the kitchen door frame, crossing his arms. "The lights are pretty common in cities with Contracted Arms Academies- because higher magic usage. It's been determined that the lights themselves aren't harmful, but they will fry any electronics that come near, so in almost all cases aircraft aren't allowed to fly directly over these cities- don't want a helicopter slamming into the lake. They're not a problem though, just that magic and tech aren't necessarily made to go together- and raw magical energy is known to attack that which isn't organic. Since you're not likely to get your phone twelve thousand feet in the air, though, it shouldn't matter- that make sense?"
"Mhm, mhm. So I don't suppose I could find a demon with a robotic leg then?"
"Nope. Demons actually have some regenerative properties- given a few months, the leg would reform. It's been said that in the very rare cases of demons who are a millennia old- or angels, but that's beside the point- limb regrowth can happen in moments, but I doubt there are any that old."
"So, two questions," Lynx spoke, sipping slowly, looking down at the mug. Something was written on it... 'My Hero'. "Um... so what happens if somebody dies with a prosthetic limb, but they become an angel or a demon?"
"Body will form a new limb. However, limb regrowth being so slow is because that's not to save the life, and the soul is still housed and safe."
"Got it, so there's a huge difference between somebody with no body and no legs," Lynx nodded, understanding. "What if somebody believes there's nothing after death?"
"I couldn't tell you," Aerendyl answered immediately, but not suspiciously so. "I mean angels and demons have been common knowledge for so very long, why would anybody question that, you know?"
"Mhm, fair..." Lynx sighed, slowly sipping, closing her eyes for a long moment.
"Wait here, okay?" Aerendyl spoke softly. "Gonna grab you that box of coats I mentioned, we can take it to the school with us, and you can sort through them later, see if you wanna keep them. Though, I'd put one on right now, at least," He added lightly, walking off. Lynx stood there, just enjoying the quiet, the peace, the warm coffee... there was only that moment. No past, no present, no future, just the warmth, the quiet.
Oddly, Lynx realized, ears twitching, she could hear him the entire time. Moving what seemed to be upstairs, scraping from somewhere in what must have been the attic, footsteps returning... he came into the room again, and she, the catty one, opened one eye, looking at him sideways.
"Thank you, Aerendyl, really. For everything."
"Thank you, too. Are you about done with that coffee?"
"I am- can I ask why this mug says my hero on it?" Lynx asked carefully, watching his expression. It struck her again, as odd, that aside from his glowing eyes, there was almost no light in the room itself, and yet every detail was fairly clear to her, down to the seams in the couch cushions.
"That mug is the only I own," Aerendyl spoke gently, setting the box down on the coffee table. "-and it was gifted to me by somebody who's life I saved. I don't want to explain any more than that. Why don't you see if these fit you? Want you warm on the way there," He added, and Lynx nodded, stepping forward.
"What did you thank me for by the way? You're doing so much for me and I'm sure it's not as simple as your duties as an angel- but don't worry, I won't pester. On the other hand, I've eaten your food, drank your coffee, used your gas, so what in the world are-"
"Fine." Aerendyl cut her off, face transforming into a scowl. "Fine, fine fine fine, Lynx. I'll tell you just a little bit, okay? After that, you'll stop asking questions. Swear. Now. I'll tell you only enough for you to stop asking questions."
"Sorry, you don't need to-"
"Trust is a two way street," Aerendyl cut her off, once again scowling like an entirely different person. "I tell you enough to stop you from worrying, you don't ask me anything else at all, got it?"
"Yeah," Lynx mumbled, ears folding back, resisting the urge to step back, swallowing.
"I've been accused of a lot of things I didn't do," Aerendyl spoke, his face beginning to soften, melding to something more thoughtful and tired. "Because of that, I've spent many years with nobody feeling safe or comfortable near me. It doesn't matter, the truth- only what people believe. You, letting me help you, like this... makes me feel better about myself, and sometimes, you just really, really need to feel better about yourself. Okay? Is that enough explanation for you?"
"Yeah- I'm sorry," Lynx nodded quietly, looking down.
"Not mad at you. Just, don't know you well, I don't want to share any more than that. Now, pick out a coat?" He asked more gently, opening up the box. Lynx did some poking, and slowly grabbed the sleeve of a color she liked- a soft, pale gray flecked with black, like dirty snow, and tugged, leaving a few coats still in the box. The thing was simple, but with a fleece-lined inside and a soft rim of fur around the hood- but the material was coarse, not the sort of thing that would feel cold when picked up. Sliding it on, oddly loving how the fabric was almost rough, Lynx had fallen in love before the sleeves settled- it was the right size.
"I thought you were about the size of the person who owned these before," Aerendyl hummed thoughtfully. "Then, you can have the box and I can be free of them- ready to go?"
-
Lynx blinked softly, watching the city slide by outside. They hadn't spoken throughout the car ride, not really, but it was an easy silence rather than thick or stuffy. The city was so pretty, colorful... red and orange brick homes, rooftops of every color imaginable where they were visible under the snow... and even though the houses and shops themselves seemed to be relatively square, prioritizing space, the actual layout for shops and homes lay full of roundabouts and fun scattered buildings rather than lines and rows of any sort. It felt loose, fun. I'm gonna fall asleep on the way again, aren't I...
"You okay, Lynx? Don't feel bad if you need sleep," Aerendyl spoke gently. "Recovering from the amount of strain your body, mind and soul went through could take a week of sleepiness-" She didn't know what clued him in, nor did she know how his sentence ended, cheek mushing into the cold window.
-
"Lynx...?" A quiet voice, and Lynx, confused, raised her head- she stood in a forest clearing, surrounded by a ring of trees, for the most part. In front of her, a small creek babbled over stones and made its way through the forest, the water maybe five feet across and only a foot or two deep. On the opposite shore, a girl lay curled up, with dark hair, and the ears, tail, of a fox. "Lynx, why have you left me behind... I'm so tired..."
"Who are you?" The catty woman stepped forward, shivering, and plunged bare feet into the water, beginning to cross, not really registering that she was naked- It's just a dream, and clothes suck anyway- except for bras. Bless the bras.
"You, don't remember me...?" The fox groaned- it seemed she was trying to sit up, but so weak. "I just remember this, burning... like a fire... and then... but we met in the court..."
"What? What's the court?" Lynx asked gently, kneeling down beside the girl. Her skin was tanned, and she seemed scrawny, horribly underfed.
"It's the place where he hangs onto our souls, before they return," She groaned, trying to sit up, panting softly, still too weak, and pushing weakly at the hand that Lynx offered to her. "I should be back... there in the court... that means I'm... not, dead... but where the hell is this..."
"Uh... the woods," Lynx mumbled, without thinking, looking around.
"Oh gee, thanks... but, why are you, here... you're naked..."
"So are you- besides, I thought that I was dreaming. Besides, I'm not looking," Lynx added honestly, rolling her eyes.
"If you're dreaming then... am I in your head...? But no, if my body had gone, I'd be... back in the court... you really don't remember... that place...?"
"No- what, did I commit some terrible crime?" Lynx looked back down, very careful not to let her eyes wander.
"N-Ng, I just feel wrong-" the fox shook her head, groaning, pained. "I feel like a part of me is missing, this, this isn't right- it's like somebody reached into my head and ripped out a handful of whatever they found," She whispered, swallowing thickly.
"Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?" Lynx asked gently, blinking down as the fox rolled onto her back, legs clamped together, groaning.
"I feel... like I was ripped in half... most of my memories are gone... part of me, missing... what happened to me, Lynx...?"
"I-I don't know- I'd love to help, but I don't know how-"
"Do you believe in, fate, Lynx-?"
"Fate?"
"Fate- the idea that, everything happens for a reason, is that, lost on you?"
"No, not at all, why? I mean I don't know that I believe in it or don't, but I understand it."
"I'm so confused," The dark-haired woman shook her head, hands open. She looked so defeated, laying there in a bed of rocks, Lynx felt pity and concern welling up but, as before, she was helpless to do anything at all, and she scowled, lip curling- the helplessness, it made her gut twist. "All I remember," the dark haired woman spoke, and Nara was snapped back to the present moment. "All I remember is that I have to find you, the old man who runs the court, he said so- he said that, it's fate, that you can't, do... something, there's something important... and you can't do it... wonder if you're some kind of world savior..." She sighed, and when she opened her soulful brown eyes, Nara was captured by the violent fatigue and wisdom, there.
"Me? Saving the world? I really doubt that." Lynx shook her head, sighing and closing her eyes for a long moment.
"He said... I can't remember, but I have to find you... for some reason... something we have to do... I'll find... you..." She trailed off, and then there was the soft sound of snoring. Half of Lynx wondered if she would wake up then and there, but nothing changed, and so, curious, she slowly rose to her feet, tail flicking, looking around, her toes naturally curling against the stones underfoot. Closing her eyes again, she took a deep breath, taking in the scents of wet wood, something floral, and smoke. Curious, as to the smoke, she slowly began to walk forward, opening her eyes and making her way through the trees, humming as the stones under her feet became sand, became grass.
After a short distance, she found herself edging through two trees and into a clearing where a cabin lay... burning. Eyes widening, horror tore at her stomach, nausea ramming into her mind and body at once as she watched the cabin burn. Somebody knelt in front of the cabin, perhaps a survivor, and she raised her head, screaming into the air with blood soaking her chin. That scream... Lynx recoiled, eyes burning with tears that she didn't fully understand. It pierced the air, it curdled her blood, so full of horror and abandon. There were no words, just that one long, awful scream... and then sobs that shook that blonde girl's skeleton.
Against her better judgment, Lynx slowly stepped forward, toward the girl, and... perhaps her heart understood before her mind did, but it was with a dull resignation that Lynx stepped up to the other girl and met her own eyes. No cat ears, no tail, no fangs, but the rest was the same- she looked up, at Lynx, and the cat-girl resisted her urge to step back, letting the nearly mirror-image of herself speak through sobs and blood.
"Please- you have to kill them, you have to end the cycle." As she spoke, her form slowly crumbled away, falling apart into ash- and again, Lynx thought she'd wake, but, nothing. Just that she was left alone in the clearing, with no trace of the other girl ever having existed, and a burning home in front of her. Confused, she stepped forward, toward the flames, looking around... a wall of heat hit her when she came close, making it clear that she wasn't to step forward. But this was only a dream, right...? Bracing herself, Lynx tried to step forward... and was thrown back, through the air, lungs emptied suddenly. There was the lurching, a moment of freedom, the sick crack of bone, and then-
"Lynx? Are you okay?" Aerendyl asked quietly, sitting forward a bit and looking at her as she sat bolt upright, clutching her coat in her hands, face expressionless, eyes glassy. This time, she clung to every detail. End the cycle, though? What did that mean? Who was that dark-haired fox, and did she know of Lynx? Was it only a dream? Please, Lynx- you're in a world of demons and angels and magic- no way in hell is that dream just that. What am I forgetting...?
"I had a- a dream, where a demon was, asking me about my time in the Court. Have you ever heard of a place called the Court where dead souls go?" Lynx asked softly, trying to ignore the nausea making her stomach roll over.
"No such thing as far as I know, but I could do some digging for you," Aerendyl hummed, smiling lazily.
"You're smiling- I'm being serious," Lynx mumbled intensely, as Aerendyl turned his eyes back to the road. There were trees on either side of them, but houses still visible through the trees, this area just seemed to be more remote.
"We're about ten minutes away, circling around the edge of town. As for your dream- don't worry, the dreams of a demon are very rarely just that. I'm being honest, I'll do some research on the Court, see if anything crops up. If so, it's not something that I know of, right now, but that doesn't mean I'm not taking you seriously. Promise." Lynx, floored, leaned back.
Should I share any more...? What have I seen burn, and why did it hurt me... that was me, right? I can't really be sure... but what, did I see burn... and what is the court... that fox girl looked so familiar...? The fire, that, meant something... really... who am I...? I thought that didn't matter, but now...
"Aerendyl? How long was I asleep anyway?" Lynx yawned, stretching, looking outside again- there were no more lights through the trees- a strange sinking in her gut, this didn't feel right.
"Oh, a few hours. That's not important," Aerendyl hummed, driving a bit faster, and Lynx felt herself stiffen.
"Aerendyl where are we going, where are you taking me?" Recoiling, now.
"I'm taking you where you need to go- forget the school-" Before he could finish, Lynx rammed the safety lock on the car door with an elbow and sprang the door open, throwing herself out with abandon. She heard the screech of tires, but it didn't matter- a snowbank cushioned her fall, as planned, and she rocked to her feet, starting to run the way they'd come. Her body burned with heat and pain, and she didn't know where she was to go- but whatever Aerendyl had planned-
He was there in a flash, in front of her, somehow- grabbing her throat and lifting her.
"Lynx, I can't just let you walk away, you have to-"
"Get the fuck off of me," She snarled, kicking at his chest even as her windpipe began to collapse, red tinging the edges of her vision.
"You have to -" Aerendyl started again.
"NO, GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!!" Lynx choked out, fighting, and suddenly, it wasn't Aerendyl's glowing eyes that she was meeting- but her own, and Aerendyl's voice meshed with that of a young woman, both coming from his- her?- throat at once.
"You have to end the cycle Lynx. You have to stop this. They don't know about you."
-
"Ugh..." Lynx groaned as she woke up. The car was stopped, and that was all she needed to see, opening the door and falling out onto her hands and knees as she vomited, eyes glassy. Her world spun with dizziness- somebody was speaking to her, but she couldn't hear just yet, there was a ringing, starting to die down...
"-I won't move any closer, I don't want to freak you out, Lynx. Tell me when you can hear me, okay? If there's anything I can do to help, please, let me know." Right. That's Aerendyl for real- communicating even if it hurts to do so, a bit. It was just a dream, a dream, a dream. No more. I'm awake now, right? I have to be- Still, she felt the burn of the snow on her hands just as well as the pain from throwing herself out of the car. Or maybe that was just cramps from vomiting in the snow...
"Ugh.. I had a nightmare," Lynx admitted, slowly looking up at Aerendyl. "I-"
People never used to feel safe with me. You're doing me a favor by trusting me, too. Didn't he say something like that...?
"I had a nightmare where some angel chick was trying to kill me. Drove me to the middle of nowhere and took a hacksaw to my neck."
"It's okay, Lynx, you can admit that the angel was me- I appreciate you trying to spare my feelings, but I'm not offended." He spoke gently, leaning sideways on the hood of his car. "You're going through a lot, worried where the next negative thing is going to come from. I'd like to help you up, if it's okay- hands in the snow doesn't look too comfortable."
"Thanks," Lynx sighed, reaching up with an arm, and Aerendyl gently took her arm, hauling her up, helping Lynx to lean back against the car. They stood in front of what seemed to be a simple apartment building in the downtown area- cars parked along the street and one idling toward them and past from behind... she wasn't out of the city at all.
"This is the dorms- but before I take you in, do you wanna talk about your dreams at all? No pressure," He added softly.
"I..." Do I trust him? That dream... was it only a dream? "I had a dream where somebody... I don't remember. There was a fox girl, and she knew me, and we chatted about random stuff. I was in a forest. And, I smelled a fire. There was a burning cabin there. I don't know what any of it means, or if there was a point."
"Mm, I'm sorry to hear that you're being slapped with weird dreams- let's get you inside and get a room situated for you? You're going to be exempt from classes tomorrow so you can sleep in and look around campus, but after that you'll be another student like any other- and you can't be late just because you're friends with the director," He added playfully, winking.
"A-Alright," Lynx nodded softly, pushing herself off the car. Her hands felt numb from the snow, but she just jammed them into her pockets as Aerendyl picked up the box of coats from the back seat, slammed the car door and started to make his way inside. Lynx followed him into a... what?
Couches and televisions, gaming consoles, tables, lined the walls, and one quarter of the room was penned in by bookshelves, through which she could see beanbags and squashy armchairs, along with the crackle of a fire.
"This is the recreation room for the dorm," Aerendyl explained. "Probably just empty because it's four in the morning- come on, with me," He added, pushing through a doorway at the back, into a stairwell, and then up, to the second floor. Lynx paused on the landing and looked up- there may have been... six or seven floors? The stairwell itself was odd, with wrought iron stairs patterned with a field of roses and thorns, each landing being patterned the same but without any gaps, filled in with what might have been anything, but was carpeted. The door that Aerendyl pushed through next, simply labeled 'floor 2', was simple and wooden, and beyond, another carpeted hall. The walls were wood paneling carved with more roses, more thorns, and she followed him, admiring the walls, before her eyes wandered up- the ceiling too was patterned with roses but this time painted, a beautiful mosaic of rose trellises overhead with the occasional view of sky.
"Aerendyl... all this... it's so much..." Lynx breathed, and he smiled back knowingly, pushing through a door near the end of the hall.
"Room two zero two, here we are," He hummed as Lynx walked into the room- there was a door immediately to her right that seemed to be a bathroom, and then the room properly, which floored her.
"This is too nice, it's not a dorm-" Lynx shuddered. Though it was separated by a miniature island, there was an isolated kitchen with a fridge, stove, dishwasher, sink and microwave, along with the other usual affairs. The main room held a window overlooking the street with curtains pulled back- Lynx gasped as the room went blindingly white, and a moment later, her sight returned fine. She looked to Aerendyl, confused.
"Right. Sorry. Forgot you can see in the dark," He laughed, and only then did Lynx register the yellow lamplight coming from the ceiling- right, she hadn't needed that. The room was decorated with a fairly large bed with black sheets and a comforter to match- and then, a polished wooden desk along one wall.
"No seriously, what the hell kind of a dorm room-" Lynx mumbled, aghast. "This is like a nice apartment."
"There's a deep fear of demons and angels in human society, which, even after everything, does vastly outnumber us." Aerendyl explained, setting the box of coats down, which held the paper bag of clothes, she noticed now, as well. "So making sure that the ones trained to serve the community are comfortable was high on the list of taxpayer priorities, I guess?" Aerendyl shrugged. "You're right though, the dorms were actually furnished apartment buildings. Anyway... welcome home. I'll send another student by tomorrow to give you a tour of campus and the surrounding areas, how about that?"
"This is still too much, too kind-" She spoke, confused. "Don't I have to do paperwork-?"
"That can be taken care of when you actually start classes. I'll situate the dormitory side of things tonight myself, okay? For now, you should try to get some actual sleep- oh, and you forgot this at my place," he added, producing the phone he'd offered her and tossing it onto the bed. "Wifi password is Teamwork, underscore, between, underscore, worlds, underscore, yolo, l-m-a-o." Teamwork_Between_Worlds_yololmao... Upon seeing Lynx's puzzled expression, he continued- "A student here who's good at hacking won't stop adding that to the end, and it's not a problem really, so we let it go."
"I see- so- that's it? Get some sleep and tomorrow I'll be shown around campus-?"
"Mhm~" Aerendyl hummed, stepping toward the door, and Lynx lunged forward, grabbing his sleeve.
"Wait-"
"What is it?" He looked down at her, eyes wide, confused, and Lynx shook her head, throwing her arms around his waist and yanking him into a hug.
"Thanks, Aerendyl- you're not gonna vanish are you?" For a moment, there was silence, and Lynx closed her eyes, breaths coming out shallow, fast.
"I... I have to get back to work, but... I mean..." Aerendyl hesitated, slowly raising his arms and loosely hugging Lynx back, his his thumb rubbing the small of her back through the coat she wore. "I... Lynx, I'm not looking for-"
"I don't want to sleep with you, I don't want love, I want- a friend." She muttered, slowly releasing the hug and stepping back, out of his grip. "Promise me you'll find time to come chat with me? I felt safe chatting with you."
"Is that manipulation or genuine?" he asked, eyes widening, and then paused. "Whatever. Good. I don't want romance or love either, not anymore. Haven't I proven I'm your friend already Lynx? I'll be around, you have my word. Get some decent sleep, if you can," He added more softly, headed for the door and leaving, this time uninterrupted, door clicking shut softly behind him. Walking to the door, Lynx hesitated, debating poking her head out to say more... but instead, she locked the door and signed, stepping into the bathroom. It was what one could expect, toilet, shower, sink and mirror- but a bit more room to stand than she would have expected, and a stool in the shower. Oh, the naps I could take...
Sighing, she returned to bed, thinking, sinking down into the soft sheets and climbing up to the headboard, collapsing, letting her body sink in.
I doubt I'm gonna be able to sleep tonight... who is the fox girl...? That was myself, right...? The blonde watching the fire... god, was I a child of war...? A criminal...? Did I get in with the mafia...? Who was I... it's starting to look like I wasn't just some random nobody... was my family burned or something...? What the hell is going on...
Flashes of the dream came back to her; Aerendyl holding her throat and speaking in two voices as she kicked, fought. The way that the almost-clone had pleaded, sobbing. What cycle do I have to end... ugh, let me charge this phone up, no way am I sleeping again... for real this time...