《Shattered Echoes》


 Rippiling Waters

    It took all I could to hold onto the stone which wasn¡¯t stone that also gave like it was cotton candy, yet held the toughness of steel. It was confusing and hard, but it was either that or fall into the gaping sky that devoured all and die.


    The choice to me should¡¯ve been incredibly easy considering dying was the other option.


    But while I struggled with all I was to hold on, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I should just let go. It was so tempting to release my grip and let the sky have its way with me when I fell into it. I wouldn¡¯t have to remember what I had seen in this terrible Realm. I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about how to deal with the burden that I now had on my shoulders. I wouldn¡¯t have to remember her broken face, defiant to the end, and yet so very scared.


    I had made a promise to her during her last moments though.


    So instead, I held on. Even as the air around me seemed to scream with a million different voices whispering to me to let go. Even as the world seemed to spin around and around like a twisted carousel. Even as the feeling of a hundred little legs crawling on my skin assailed me. All things I somehow knew would stop if I simply let go and stopped fighting.


    I held on and didn¡¯t let go.


    I didn¡¯t let go.


    I didn¡¯t-


    <hr>


    ¡°Lewis! You there?¡±


    I jolt forward from where I had been sitting and staring into a blue sky that I wasn¡¯t falling into when my name gets all but shouted at me. Some grass of Srora¡¯s City Park that I had been gripping far too hard in my hands came with me when I did so which I promptly let fall back to the ground. My gaze swiftly finds itself meeting the concerned solid brown eyes of one of my best friends, Eric, who was sitting against a tree in front of me.


    ¡°Oh, uh, what¡¯s up?¡± I meekly respond, doing my best to shake myself from those terrible memories. I hadn¡¯t let myself get that out of it, had I?


    Eric just stares at me for another moment before he sighs. The look on his face not particularly fitting his wild light brown hair nor his haphazardly thrown-on outfit. ¡°Lewis, are you okay man? I¡¯ve been trying to get your attention for the past minute and you only just now noticed.¡±


    I frown for a moment before I plaster a small smile over my mouth that very much didn¡¯t have my heart in it. I really needed to get out of this new habit of mine. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve just had a lot more on my mind recently than normal. I¡¯m all good though. Mostly at least.¡± I add after a moment when his face doesn¡¯t shift.


    After another moment passes, he slowly nods his head still looking thoroughly unconvinced by my words. ¡°Sure man. Though, if you¡¯re all good, you really should stop zoning out like that. You¡¯re making me think I should see if I can¡¯t sic Bella on you to see if she can¡¯t figure out if your time in that Upheaval Realm did something more to you when you got caught up in it. She might not seem it usually, but she can be very perceptive when she wants to be.¡±


    Part of me wanted to say no to him immediately in response, but I knew if I did he¡¯d only be more sure about telling her so I resolved myself to wait a moment. I both didn¡¯t want to talk about my time there and additionally, I simply didn¡¯t deserve anything like that from his sister, Isabelle.


    She wasn¡¯t just his sister after all, something I had only realized when she had been the one to bring me to safety from the Upheaval Realm. She was a Magical Girl, blessed with strength and powers beyond comprehension. Many looked up to those like her. For they, alongside Magical Guardians, were the premier defenders of humanity from the supernatural threats that plagued us. That and those of them who were more public put on some truly amazing shows.


    Of course, everyone believed that to be one was to be extremely fortunate. Not even a week ago, I had been one of those same people who thought that anyone who was found to have the Spark was blessed.


    Now? Now I knew better than to think that and a part of me wished so desperately to be able to go back to that blissful ignorance. I could only wonder how others who I knew had ended up in Upheavals too could still think like that, much less not constantly find their thoughts occupied by the sheer wrongness that came with being caught in one. Did they just not care, or were they better at dealing with it than I was?


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    How did Isabella deal with it all and seem so normal if somewhat lazy at times?


    I suddenly snap out of my thoughts again when I realize I¡¯m beginning to zone out again and shake my head to try and clear them away. Hopefully I didn¡¯t do that for too long this time. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. Just¡­ I don¡¯t want to think too much about it.¡± Or ever again really, but memories didn¡¯t work like that unfortunately. ¡°Now, what was it you were originally trying to get my attention for?¡±


    The pensive stare Eric¡¯s been giving me holds for another moment before it disappears as if it wasn¡¯t there in the first place when I shift the topic. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve already agreed that we¡¯re going to spend some time hanging out this weekend, beginning tomorrow. But what do you say to staying the entire weekend instead of just hanging out? My folks have already given me the a-okay on it. And I think you¡¯d at least enjoy a break from your own folks and the chance to relax. So, whaddya think?¡±


    My face genuinely lights up a bit at his idea. A break from my own folks was something I welcomed, not to mention it would be an even better distraction from thoughts of that experience than it originally was going to be if I was there for the entire weekend. ¡°I think I¡¯d enjoy that. I¡¯ll have to text my mom about it and grab a spare change of clothes, but otherwise, I think it¡¯s set.¡± I left unsaid how I probably wouldn¡¯t receive a response back and that I¡¯d be taking that as permission from her.


    ¡°Then it sounds like a-¡± He abruptly pauses while his eyes shift towards something behind me before they widen. His mouth begins to move, but I¡¯m already in motion long before he can say whatever it is he¡¯s about to.


    I twist around to look behind me, not only finding the afternoon sun and its light shining straight into my eyes forcing me to squint, but more importantly a hard white ball on a direct collision course within my face and too close for me to do anything but get hit by. At least it should¡¯ve been.


    Instead, I find one of my arms moving impossibly swiftly to intercept it. Through some miracle, it gets there in time. I feel my hand wrapping around it and bringing it to a stop. I had somehow caught the ball of all things, which still sends my body rocking back slightly from where I had been seated on the grass from the force of it.


    ¡°Watch¡­ out?¡± I hear Eric uncertainly finish.


    I find myself stuck staring at the ball now held in my hand which has begun to feel a tiny bit sore. How in the world had I managed to not get smacked in the face with it, much less catch the ball?


    ¡°Oh shit, good catch. Mind tossing that back?¡± I hear a voice awkwardly say, causing me to tear my attention away from the ball I had somehow caught. It belonged to an older boy with a catching glove on one of his hands and who was currently looking more than a bit shocked if glad to be so.


    I absentmindedly tossed him the ball, the shock of the fact I had caught it of all things still running through me. He gives me a nod after he deftly catches it before he promptly runs back to where I could now see now another boy who was staring at me in both surprise and relief. It wasn¡¯t exactly like I was slow, but I had never been quick to react like that before in my life. At least I hadn¡¯t until a week ago.


    ¡°Well, that happened.¡± I slowly say while I turn back towards Eric.


    ¡°That it did. Didn¡¯t realize you were holding out on some sick catching skills there. I think if Jeremy were here, he¡¯d have scooped you up onto the baseball team in a heartbeat and tried to train you up from that display alone to fill in the holes on the team. Might still actually if those two say something about that to him once Monday comes round.¡±


    I shake my head, still in a slight daze. ¡°That was just a fluke. I have no idea how I even managed that in the first place.¡±


    Eric snorts. ¡°Another fluke, huh? Well, I suppose we can add that to your growing list of flukes then, can¡¯t we. Though I certainly can¡¯t complain that much this time, definitely would prefer that to you taking that, heh, head on¡±


    My own cheeks flush slightly at the first part of that, the terrible pun flying straight over my distracted mind at the moment. I had pulled off an astonishing number of flukes recently. From incredible displays of agility I knew I had never been capable of before being absentmindedly done until it was pointed out to me. To far stranger moments where I found myself excelling at things I had never done before or even at things I had been terrible at. Going from being absolutely incapable of juggling to being able to comfortably do it was almost as surreal as the fact I swore I knew someone who had been capable of doing the things I was suddenly capable of now too.


    Part of me knew they weren¡¯t just simple flukes anymore. Something about me had changed since that Upheaval a week ago, and in some ways, it felt like something important had been missing since then. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to figure out why, to again confront what I had witnessed.


    If I could help it, I¡¯d live the rest of my life in ignorance of the reason why rather than subject myself to willingly thinking about that cursed day. Tomorrow when the weekend hits and I had two days where I would be able to just relax and chill with one of my two best friends couldn¡¯t come soon enough.


    Nevertheless, even while my conversation with Eric continued, a creeping memory of that terrible day couldn¡¯t help but worm its way into my mind before I managed to shake it off. A visage of a girl I both didn¡¯t know whatsoever and knew so well at the same time and her shattered whispered words.


    Please don¡¯t forget me.

 Rippling Waters ll

    I find myself staring hard at the couch absolutely draped in blankets, pillows, and whatever else Eric had thought we might need for tonight. He himself was currently just gathering up the last of the snacks from his home¡¯s kitchen that we¡¯d need before we settled down for the rest of the night until we inevitably grew too tired to continue. We¡¯d hung out like this a few times before and it was always a blast, but I can¡¯t help but feel something essential to it all is still missing.


    I frown while I ponder it. Why was I struggling to enjoy this? I should be excited for what we¡¯re going to be doing tonight, figuring out my optimal lounging position, and setting up my den of blankets to cocoon myself in. Just like I had done the other times we did this with both my best friends. I shake my head in frustration before I resolve to try and clear my head. The last thing I wanted to do was inadvertently ruin Eric¡¯s night with whatever was wrong with me right now.


    ¡°Hey Eric!¡± I call out towards where I know the kitchen is. ¡°I¡¯m going to use the bathroom for a moment, I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Cool!¡± I hear him answer back while the soft sound of a fridge closing comes from the kitchen.


    Satisfied he wouldn¡¯t be left wondering where I was if he finished before I was done, I made my way through the partially decorated hallways of his home with a familiarity borne of the many times I had wandered through it. It was a nice house that spoke well about his family with the variety of family photos strewn around the walls and the often used but well maintained furniture. It might not be my own home, but in many ways it felt far more like a home to me than my home had ever felt.


    I wonder what exactly that said about my own home. I didn¡¯t have long to contemplate that when I nearly accidentally bump into Eric¡¯s sister, Isabella, when I¡¯m rounding a corner.


    In many ways her appearance is a reflection of Eric¡¯s and she even shares his height, standing a smidge taller than me despite being a year younger. But where Eric¡¯s brown eyes usually radiate energy and liveliness, hers barely seemed to move at all even when we nearly collided. Where Eric¡¯s hair is messy despite his attempts to wrangle it into something passable and progressively becomes wilder and wilder throughout the day despite his efforts, her longer dark brown hair carelessly strewn about looks to be more the product of simply not trying in the first place. Even her clothing just about every time I had seen her and even at school had always been loose and baggy pajamas.


    With how little she seemed to care a part of me couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Eric had ever come to the conclusion she was perceptive in the first place. I certainly didn¡¯t know her well but nothing about her had ever really screamed perceptive to me. My mind was quick to answer that though when the visage of her on that terrible day when she saved me seemingly overlays itself atop her. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever be able to forget the sheer fire that had seemed to burn within her amber gaze or how the broken reality of that Realm seemed to mend itself wherever she went.


    How was it that Isabella managed to be so different from how she was when she became Magical Girl Surging Earth?


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Her even voice snaps me out of thoughts. One of her eyebrows is ever so slightly raised upwards like that¡¯s the most she cares to manage.


    My cheeks flush slightly while I shake my head. ¡°No, sorry, I just had a few things on my mind. I was just heading to the bathroom to freshen up.¡±


    She stares at me for a moment longer. For a second I think I see that same spark that was in her eyes when she was Surging Earth. It¡¯s gone just as quickly though and she just gives me a nod before shuffling out of my path and continuing on her way, meandering in the direction of the kitchen.


    I linger for a moment longer before I push myself to get moving again. It doesn¡¯t take long for me to push the door to the bathroom open, gently shutting it again once I¡¯m inside. I take a deep breath before I head to the sink and twist the knob for cold water. It only takes a moment for the water to begin to pour out from the faucet.


    For a moment, all I do is watch the water pour from it and into the basin where it splashes off the open drain. Some of the droplets end up escaping the confines of the sink, but most end up being pulled right back in by gravity, a force that they have no hope of fighting now. It doesn¡¯t take long for them to be pooled back together where they ultimately end up flowing down the drain, never to be seen again. How nice it would be to be able to fall into the-


    I gasp at the cold water that splashes against my face when my hands seemingly of their own accord rush forwards to grasp what falling droplets they can, launching them at myself before they slip through the cracks. I can only be thankful for the disruption to my spiraling thoughts. What was wrong with me that thoughts like these kept popping up?


    My grey eyes find themselves meeting those of my reflection which has silently mimicked each and every one of my actions within its glass stage. My short black hair has multiple stubborn strands unevenly jutting outwards from it, with nothing I¡¯ve tried being able to bring it to order. Just the same as the stubble seemingly brushed across my face that seems determined to one day fully blanket it no matter how much I fight it. My shoulders are tense and my hands hurt a little from just how hard I¡¯m gripping the edges of the sink.


    I tear my eyes away from my reflection, unable to bear the haunted stare of its eyes any longer, much less the rest of my appearance. I had always hated seeing myself, but just like everything other peculiarity this week, it had gotten worse since that fateful day last week.


    I force myself to clear my mind the best I can before any other intrusive thoughts can jump forwards, slowly taking deep breaths. For a minute it begins to work. My hands loosen their grasp, my shoulders begin to relax, and I feel my pounding heart that I hadn¡¯t even realized was acting up alongside everything else begin to slow. For a single solitary moment, I manage to feel more at peace with myself than I have this entire week. I had to thank the person who had taught me this the next time I saw them.


    Then it¡¯s all ripped away in an instant when the chilling thought slams into me that I can¡¯t even remember who had taught me how to calm myself like this. I knew someone had, someone close to me. But no matter how hard I try to remember who they were or how close I get to picturing their face, it all fades away before I have a chance to comprehend anything else.


    ¡°Why!? Why can¡¯t I¡­¡± I yell for a moment, rage filling me before it¡¯s just as swiftly replaced by a quiet despair when my voice trails off.


    A gentle triplet of knocks interrupts my thoughts, keeping them from spiraling anymore than they already had. I quietly gulp, taking one last deep breath and shoving everything within my head to the side.


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    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I say, my voice far calmer than the tempest within me would suggest.


    ¡°The ceiling.¡± I hear the even voice of Isabella cut through the door. I can only find myself blinking at her answer and she plows onwards not giving me a chance to figure out how to respond to that. ¡°Are you doing anything private there I need to be aware of?¡±


    ¡°Well, uh, I don¡¯t think so?¡± Why was she asking me that?


    ¡°Eh, that¡¯s good enough for me.¡± The reason for her strange words is answered shortly when she opens the door, coming inside without a care in the world. My eyes widen while I stare at her. Her eyes now hold a slight glint of something I can¡¯t identify now in her eyes within them and held within one of her hands lies a glass of milk. Why had she come inside?


    It seems she takes my silence as permission to silently peer into my own. I¡¯m not entirely sure what she¡¯s searching for, my throat suddenly feeling drier and drier the longer it goes on. Eventually, I push myself to speak while my throat isn¡¯t feeling completely dry.


    ¡°Isabella? I¡­ Why are you here?¡± I manage.


    She snorts. ¡°To make my dreams a reality. Though it¡¯s quite hard to manage that when you¡¯re having a breakdown within the bathroom and my brother is pestering me about if I¡¯m noticing anything off specifically about you. By the way, mind turning off the faucet?¡±


    I reach out and twist the knob to stop the water while I process the rest of what she said. My eyes then narrow slightly when the realization about everything else she had said hits me. ¡°Hey, I wasn¡¯t having a breakdown in the bathroom, I was¡­ I was just clearing my head.¡±


    ¡°And that involves you yelling to yourself, quite loudly I might add, about not being able to do something?¡±


    ¡°I-¡± My mind struggles to come up with an excuse about that part.


    Isabella lightly sighs. ¡°Look, I know I don¡¯t know you that well. But you¡¯re my brother¡¯s friend and-¡± She pauses for a moment before a tiny frown colors her mouth. ¡°And that means I¡¯d really rather you not be having this breakdown, doubly so if it¡¯s partially because of that Upheaval you got caught up in. So instead, why don¡¯t you talk about it. Might not seem it, but it helps.¡±


    Man, I must¡¯ve really been in a state if she felt she had to talk to me. I could really see what Eric had meant now when he said she was perceptive. But I couldn¡¯t shake the image of her status as a Magical Girl still within my head. I didn¡¯t deserve her doing more than she already had when she saved my life. Especially when the root of it all seemed like it was something that everybody else that I knew that had been caught in an Upheaval was able to deal with without having anything more than a bad memory.


    She heaves another sigh at my momentary silence, before she suddenly offers her glass of milk to me. ¡°Look, just drink this at least if you don¡¯t want to talk about it. Warm milk always helps me settle down and frankly you need it right now. And don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t. We¡¯d both know that¡¯s a lie.¡±


    I don¡¯t take it, instead opting to just stare at the offered glass. ¡°I¡­ You¡¯re not wrong there but¡­¡± I awkwardly grasp around for something to decline her. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t want to take something you were going to drink yourself.¡±


    It feels like I can hear her eyes roll. ¡°I¡¯d just get another glass of milk and heat it up. And before you try to say it too, no I haven¡¯t drank from this one just yet so you don¡¯t have to worry about it being unsanitary or anything like that. Any other excuses you want to throw at me?¡±


    For a moment I consider saying I don¡¯t like milk or wasn¡¯t thirsty, though both really would be blatant lies at this point. In the end, I acquiesced and took her offered drink. The warmth of the milk within gently spilling forth from the glass and into my hand. I stare at it for another moment before I raise it to my mouth and take a gulp of it. The warmth of it now beginning to suffuse into my body and slowly relaxing my stomach and a few of my muscles. I really had needed that at least.


    Isabella¡¯s mouth now curves up slightly. ¡°Thank you for not denying yourself that much. Just try and have a good night with my brother to relax, okay?. Averitta knows you need it. Now if you excuse me, I need to get myself a new glass of warm milk.¡±


    I stare at her retreating figure for a moment and before I can stop myself I call out to her. ¡°Hey Isabella? I, thanks again for this. I shouldn¡¯t need you to talk to me like this after you already saved me once, but thanks. I needed this, even if I didn¡¯t want to take up more of your time.¡±


    For a moment she pauses in the doorway. It seems like she¡¯s about to continue on before she abruptly spins around to face me again, a wary look now in her normally lazy seeming eyes. ¡°What do you mean exactly by ¡®already saved me once¡¯?¡± She says slowly, a slight edge to her voice now.


    I find myself gulping at her gaze. What was it about that line I said that caused this? ¡°I, well, you''re Surging Earth, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    She stiffens for a second before her gaze turns into a glare now, taking a step towards me now. ¡°And how exactly do you know that?¡± She all but growls, the edge to her voice clearly coming through now.


    I hold up my free hand in a placating gesture towards her, taking a step back when she stepped towards me. Why was she reacting like that? I was only properly saying thank you for when she had saved me instead of the mess I had said to her originally. Then it hit me, was I not supposed to have known that she wasn¡¯t just Isabella, but Magical Girl Surging Earth too? It didn¡¯t make much sense to me, but it was the only idea I had.


    ¡°Well, you told me yourself when you were in costume that you were Isabella. I, sorry if I wasn¡¯t supposed to mention that to you or really talk about it with you at all. I didn¡¯t realize-¡±


    The edge to her features disappears in an instant while she holds a hand up, stopping me from rambling on any further. She¡¯s no longer glaring at me, instead that spark in her eyes returning full force and this time to stay. ¡°You remember?¡±


    Thrown off by her sudden shifts in emotions, I confusedly nod. Was I not supposed to remember?


    She looks at me like she¡¯s only just truly seen me for the first time now. ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°I remember, well everything about our conversation after you saved me. And I, well, I remember far too much about that day. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been the same since that day if I¡¯m being honest.¡±


    Isabella stares at me in silence only to break it a moment later when she laughs. ¡°Oh shit. Leave it to me to get blindsided by this and not notice. No wonder you were having that breakdown if you actually remembered that day.¡±


    It takes me a moment to stop gaping at her to ask the question now on my mind. ¡°Is it a bad thing I remember?¡±


    She shakes her head while she steps towards me, closing the distance. ¡°No. At worst it¡¯s just different and I¡¯m going to have to ask you to never mention that I¡¯m Surging Earth to anyone, ever. But if you¡¯re able to remember for the reason I think you are¡­¡± She places a hand against my shoulder for a second and I nearly jump at the strange feeling that runs throughout my body when she does so. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be talking again very soon.¡±


    I find myself gingerly rubbing the spot she touched with my free hand. What was that? ¡°How will I know if we¡¯re going to be talking again soon?¡±


    She grins at me, an expression I had seldom seen on her before today. ¡°You¡¯ll know. It¡¯ll be very hard to miss. Now, like I said earlier, relax and enjoy the night with Eric.¡± With that said, she makes her way out, pointedly in the direction of the kitchen, and this time I don¡¯t stop her.


    I find myself standing there for a minute trying to process whatever had just happened in the conversation before I eventually just take a deep breath and a deep gulp of the warm milk within my hand. Whatever it was, she seemed confident that we¡¯d be speaking about it more if it really did matter.


    The thought of taking her advice to just enjoy hanging out with Eric flashes through me again and I find myself liking the idea. At the very least, all those strange thoughts were out of my system for now and my head was cleared enough that I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be worrying him anymore.


    I could be glad for that at least.

 Rippling Waters lll

    ¡°Sooooo, how¡¯d it go?¡±


    I blink while I turn my attention from the TV which had just finished playing an older movie about a team of Magical Girls saving the world. It was a pretty generic movie, but despite its age its effects held up remarkably well and I had to admit the outfits were quite pretty. But I knew that wasn¡¯t what Eric had been talking about.


    My face scrunches in thought though in the end nothing comes to my sluggish mind, drowsiness having encompassed me. Not enough to put me to sleep, yet more than enough to keep me from piecing together why Eric who was currently cocooned in his own little setup meant by that.


    ¡°I meant the talk you had with my sister.¡± He clarifies upon sensing my struggle.


    Oh, that was what he meant. ¡°You were right, she¡¯s more perceptive than she seems. It helped, even if I¡¯d have rather not taken up her time and that the last part of it got a little strange.¡± I pause for a moment before continuing when a realization belatedly hits me. ¡°You sent her to talk to me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    He smiles unashamedly. ¡°Told you I¡¯d sic her on you if you continued being the way you were. And I¡¯m glad I did, it¡¯s good to see you able to relax more than you have this entire week.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t that bad.¡± I deny.


    ¡°Sure you weren¡¯t. But seriously, I¡¯m glad she was able to help you out with whatever it was that was bothering you. I can¡¯t imagine just what it was that happened to you in that Upheaval. My sister on the other hand, she-¡± He abruptly pauses as if he had been about to say something else. ¡°Has some friends I know she¡¯s helped out with that same exact issue too.¡±


    For a moment I wondered if he knew that his sister was a Magical Girl. I wanted to say he probably did especially after that, though it was hard to truly say for certain. ¡°Honestly, all she did was tell me to relax a bit and distract me a bit.¡±


    ¡°And sometimes, that¡¯s all we need. Though right now, I¡¯d say we need to get some sleep before we stay up too late and end up having a cold breakfast.¡±


    I smile a tiny bit as some good memories flash through my mind. ¡°You mean you have a cold breakfast. I specifically recall myself waking up on time that day and trying to wake you up where you said that you were up and would be at the table soon. Only for you to sleep for another hour after that.¡±


    He squirms slightly in embarrassment at that while he shuts off the TV, plunging us into darkness. ¡°Okay, maybe I need that sleep more than you do. My point still stands though.¡±


    ¡°That you and¡­¡± I abruptly trail off, frustration suddenly surging through me when the feeling of forgetting something comes once more.


    Eric catches on quickly in the silence that something was off despite the darkness. ¡°Lewis?¡±


    I take a deep breath, why did this keep happening? ¡°Sorry, just have you ever felt like you¡¯ve forgotten something really important and no matter how hard you try, you can¡¯t figure out what it was?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I have before. At least not that I¡¯m aware of.¡± He says slowly. The silence afterwards all but yells out his unspoken question of why I asked him that.


    Isabella¡¯s words about talking about it echoes through my head. I wasn¡¯t exactly jumping at mentioning much of it, but to Eric¡­ Well I still didn¡¯t want to though he deserved to know a little at least even if it was far from everything bothering me. ¡°I¡¯ve just had a bit of trouble remembering things lately. It¡¯s not a big deal, just something annoying to push through.¡± That was an understatement with how often it cropped up.


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    ¡°I see,¡± He says. ¡°Well, actually, I can¡¯t, literally. Too dark and all, you know?¡± He awkwardly jokes before he continues on more firmly. ¡°That¡¯d certainly frustrate me if I had to deal with it. All the more reason for you to get some good rest though. Might be all you need to deal with that and begin remembering again.¡±


    I doubted that, though I certainly couldn¡¯t say I had gotten a good night¡¯s sleep since then. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll remember, I know you will. Just give it some time and I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll come back.¡±


    I don¡¯t have much to say after that, I didn¡¯t share his optimism and belief but I couldn¡¯t begrudge him for it. In the silence that follows, it takes no time at all the drowsiness from earlier to claim me.


    I don¡¯t fight it and the world soon fades away.


    <hr>


    I wasn¡¯t on a couch anymore.


    That was the first thought that hit me while I floated through a strange misty void. There was nothing to anchor me to anything, nothing pulling me up or down or sideways. There was only a dense silvery mist that enveloped everything here and a dark wall encompassing it all.


    I found myself quite liking this strange dream despite how unique the feeling of it was. It felt in some ways like I was actually here and capable of thinking even if I didn''t particularly want to do much of that last part. A far cry from usual dreams where meandering through the mirages and mazes of my mind were all I was capable of or even the nightmares that had been plaguing me recently. Nightmares where I could think with the caveat of every thought being one of fear and waking up screaming. Here I felt relaxed, like nothing here could hurt or disturb me while I was cradled by the silvery mist.


    It was nice, but nothing nice lasts forever.


    The world around me seemed to shake once, then twice, then thrice. My eyes shot open while I flailed my limbs around the misty void. What was happening? For a moment nothing more seemed to happen within what had swiftly become my safe space. Then the world shook once more in that same exact pattern.


    ¡°Where is that coming from?¡± I mumble to myself in annoyance. Really I should be quite terrified of everything here instead of just annoyed. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to really feel much more than that, much less being worried about the peculiarities of the situation I was in. This was my strange misty world. If something wanted to disturb that, they had another thing coming. Now if only I had a sense for what was happening to disturb me.


    I blink when I suddenly find myself floating in front of my bedroom¡¯s window, only without any walls or anything else from my bedroom joining. It was certainly bizarre but I instinctively knew that if I peered through it I could see whatever it was that was disturbing. Wanting to get there before my world was disturbed once more I kick off the mist and gently spring towards it.


    I caught myself on my window¡¯s sill before craning my head to see whatever had thought they had the right to disturb my world. I don¡¯t find myself feeling surprised when I see three different figures standing in front of a person sized egg that I knew instinctively was where I was. Magical Girl Surging Earth and Celestial Weaver alongside Magical Guardian Engulfing Shade.


    I find that I actually care very little upon seeing three different MG''s, one of which I knew was Isabella, and caring far more about the fact they were disturbing my dream for whatever reason. I throw open the window in front of me and level them all with a hard stare.


    ¡°What do you all think you¡¯re doing disturbing my dream right now? I will not stand for-what the, ahhhhh!¡± I find myself panicking as what had begun as just me yelling at them instantly begins to devolve when Surging Earth rushes towards me before grabbing ahold of me. Despite how dainty her arms look, her grip is crushingly strong and easily drags me out from the window before depositing me on the formless ground they¡¯re standing on.


    The moment that happens and I¡¯m no longer in my world it¡¯s like a switch is flipped in my mind and everything comes rushing back to me while the strange sense of relaxation and muted emotions flit away. My throat quickly becomes dry while I stare up towards her beaming smile. I take a deep shuddering breath, doing my best to withstand the sudden surge of emotions within me, especially the panic. It¡¯s only the presence of three different MG¡¯s that lets me keep it at bay for the moment.


    Her now vibrant brown eyes that are filled with life are locked to mine. She extends an arm out towards me. ¡°Lewis Vellum, I know this might be more than a bit of a shock, but let me be the first of my team to welcome you to the Dreaming!¡±