After a lengthy journey with Ashlyn, who marched forward as if on a mission and did not utter a single word to us, she finally came to a halt and remarked, "This location is perfect. And the atmosphere... here... is... tolerable. At the very least."
We found ourselves outside a floral boutique named "Starrling Lilly." "Whoa! How have I never come across this place before?" I mused, and the peculiar spelling raised my caution. "Starrling" has two Rs. "Lilly" has three Ls. This is more like my original nickname, 'Lilly.' It's not like the 'Stargazer' lily flower, which has two Ls. It was also not like the name 'Lily,' which Ashlyn gave to me. Are you confused yet? Yes? Good.
After thoroughly inspecting the three of us and the floral boutique, Ashlyn declared, "Alright, it's time to offer you ladies some much-needed guidance. Larisa, you're quite an exquisite young lady, graced with stunning features and impeccable skin. Though, I dare say, the white Japanese gown-kimono hybrid you've chosen lacks a certain harmony with your innate elegance. I commend you for keeping it pristine and free of stains or damage. Still, you kind of give off the vibe of a bride for some otherworldly wedding."
Larisa remarked, "Well, I can't exactly change this outfit; it's a part of me, like my skin."
"Well, that's rather unfortunate, Larisa. Your current look doesn't quite align with the youthful and stylish vibe I'm aiming for at the moment."
I had a burning question to ask: "Do you need us for a photo or something?"
"Of course! What do you think we are doing here?"
"What about the ghost cat? I thought that was what we were all doing out here," I asked.
"Ghost cat?" Ashlyn furrowed her brow with bewilderment. "Oh, you mean that creature Eliza keeps photographing for her eBunnee page? We'll address those ghost cat matters later, my dear... or should I say, 'Neko-chan obake'?"
"Whoa!" I mentally exclaimed, taken aback. She actually knew the meaning of the words 'Neko-chan' and wasn't just using them casually with her friends.
Ashlyn said, "It looks like the paparazzi aren't around, and luckily, they haven't bothered me today yet." Most of the paparazzi are too busy recording footage of a new fashion trend that broke out a couple of hours ago, so we're safe for a while.
"A fashion trend? What fashion trend?" I asked. "It wasn't anything involving you?"
"Involving me, Starrling?" she replied, a sophisticated smile gracing her lips. "I find myself engrossed in a myriad of projects and ventures. One could say I'm meticulously preparing the stage for something rather exceptional."
She was vague as always, and she didn't really answer the question at all.
Ashlyn gazed thoughtfully at Larisa for a moment, then gracefully declared, "I believe it's important to include Larisa in our photos as part of our dedication to championing diversity and fostering inclusion, underscoring our unwavering stance against discrimination, be it against ethereal entities like ghosts or any other individuals."
I was fully on board with that cause, but did we discriminate against ghosts? They're often depicted as terrifying entities in movies and media, so it's possible that we do harbour some bias against them. On the other hand, Larisa embodies an angelic presence and personifies innocence, which couldn't be any further from frightening. I didn't know if it was just a marketing strategy; it very much seemed like it, but what the heck? I am all gung-ho for it.
"Larisa just shows up as invisible on camera, so you can't actually take her photo or record footage of her. Like when Lillian recorded footage of her at Heart-ling Forest, you could only see the grass moving where she walked and nothing else," stated Eliza.
"Oh my greatness, why in the starrs, did none of you girls share this with me earlier?" Ashlyn exclaimed with genuine excitement. "Did you really not think it was necessary to mention it? Seriously, hello!"
"This is a good thing? I thought you already knew that only the two of us and Kai could see her."
Larisa hesitated briefly before speaking up. "I can make myself visible to anyone, but it happens within my mind. I need to genuinely desire for the person to see me, granting them the privilege. It's hard to explain. As soon as I saw Lillian wandering through Heart-ling Forest, I wanted her to be able to see me. She was the first human to enter the forest and appeared friendly. Moreover, she was the first human to venture into the forest alone, which I found quite strange. There was something about her... it was as if she sought companionship with something or someone she couldn't attain through a living human. The look on her face conveyed a sense of a lost soul."
She twirled around with a playful smile and said, "Oh, and guess what? I heard everything you were mumbling to yourself! I was actually watching you at Heart-ling Forest for a long time before I decided to finally make myself known to you."
"What was I mumbling to myself?" I asked, hoping it wasn't embarrassing or anything like that. But I HAVE to know.
"I can paraphrase it using your voice, Lillian," said Larisa.
"Larisa, please, please, don't mimic my voice in any way. Say it in your own voice. I'm already hesitant about being reminded of what I was mumbling to myself."
Larisa's voice transformed into a guttural death metal growl, and she uttered a few words before shaking her head in a swift motion. She then experimented with a disturbingly low, almost demonic baby voice, as if a child was possessed by an otherworldly being. After these trials, she had settled into a profoundly deep and masculine radio-like resonance and she began, "This ghost girl must be lonely out here all alone and can relate to that. Maybe she just needs a friend. I wish I could meet her and show everyone on eBunnee that she is not a scary ghost, she is a good ghost. Slurp!"
Experiencing such a resonant, deep voice from someone with the most innocent-looking, feminine face in the world had undoubtedly been a perplexing juxtaposition. Waking up to that voice in the morning would certainly have caused quite the brain fart.
As for Larisa's paraphrase, it held a measure of truth. I couldn't recall the slurp, though. Everything she said I was mumbling to myself was indeed true. I remembered it clearly now. I expressed, "When I am afraid, I tend to talk to myself to keep my mind off things. And you are... right, I was out there in the forest soul-searching. After self-soul-searching, I corrected myself. It felt like a personal thing to do, so I did it alone, even though I was scared out of my skin."
I locked eyes with Larisa, a radiant expression of joy spreading across her face—a silent affirmation that her perception of me as a whole was indeed accurate. Understanding that my words might come across as trite to Eliza and Ashlyn, who were inadvertently eavesdropping, I decided to interject and alleviate the awkwardness: "You know, Larisa, there's potential for both of us to achieve eBunnee fame someday."
Ashlyn, who had been privy to the entire exchange, seized the opportunity to respond with a touch of nonchalance, steering the conversation with her own question. Before doing so, she hastened to add, "If you were so desperate for eBunnee fame, you should have mentioned it earlier, and we would have given you a boost. But alas, your ineptitude has led you astray."
I hadn't even known of her back then, but I guess thanks for the offer. I silently thanked her in my thoughts.
I gazed at Larisa and said, "I was so glad you decided to reveal yourself to me. I genuinely appreciate it. Honestly, I do. To be completely candid, my dear blue-starry-eyed friend, I have eBunnee, so I always have company." Even Lillian didn't believe the words she was saying.
Larisa nodded in response before turning to Ashlyn and saying, "Ashlyn, I have a confession. I knew who you were even before I saw you live-streaming at Estresey Academy."
Both Eliza and I were left breathless with disbelief.
"You were at the Academy?" Ashlyn inquired, her tone tinged with both surprise and curiosity. "Naturally, you must have been! Yet, I don't recall making your acquaintance."
"Well, um..." Larisa hesitated, her excitement to discuss the Academy clearly visible. Her eagerness to share her admiration for Ashlyn took over. "Nira and I used to be your biggest fans on eBunnee. We practically lived on your videos. I devoured every single one, from that hilarious slime challenge where you ended up covered in goo to those heartwarming clips where you catapulted small businesses and charities into the spotlight. Not with money, but with genuine shoutouts and exposure. I'd known about you even before I met Lillian! Every single thing about you is just beyond awesome (literally)! I was dying (not literally) to chat with you at the Academy, but, eek, I was totally starr-struck! You looked so busy, and the awkward moment with Lillian was when I first saw you. It just didn't seem like the perfect time."
Ashlyn appeared overwhelmingly happy upon receiving that response, her facial expression slightly shifting to confusion before transitioning back to sheer delight. She then uttered, "I didn't realise you could use a phone, let alone use eBunnee, especially considering you're a ghost and all."
"Do you want to follow my channel?" Larisa asked with puppy eyes that you couldn't say no to.
"Perhaps in the later hours, when the sky's embrace is draped in night's grandeur. For now, we have tasks to do."
She didn't exactly say no, at least. I found myself somewhat uncertain about my feelings regarding Larisa's immense enthusiasm as a fan of Ashlyn. It mirrored the dynamic between Kassy and me. I admitted to being equally fervent about Kassy, considering myself a devoted fan of hers. Consequently, I was in no position to pass judgment on Larisa for her intense fangirling. After all, we belonged to the same category of enthusiasts.
Eliza Starrling, Lily Starrling, and Lillian Starrling: "I need the three of you over here to assist me."
Why did she say my name twice? I assumed she meant Larisa. There was no way she wouldn't include her after the speech Larisa gave her. And giving us all the surname Starrling made us feel like sisters or something. I wasn't sure I liked it.