Ryunise sat up like the crack of lightning. It was as if billions of mirrors shattered all around, and the glass gleefully shredded her hearing to ribbons. Her bed was soaked, smelling sweet and salt with sweat as she grabbed her splitting head. A hand clutched at her heart, as if holding it would make a difference. If that thrashing organ wants to come out, it’s going to break into a whole Broadway show cluster-fucked on the sopranos with the accompaniment of a brawling orchestra pit.

“Geeze. It’s very hard to stabilize you when you don’t set boundaries.”

Wait. Who’s that?

“I came all this way because it was so loud. I couldn’t sleep with all the racket.”

She didn’t have to search very far. A face hovered above her, connected to shoulders and a body. A very tall figure as if the shadows of the room plotted together in whispers to be made real. Yet, strangely, wanted to remain obscure as their former lives by covering the lower half of their face and flowing uniform. They had a trim of glowing emerald green carved into intricate lines, and the obsidian encasing them flickering with every breath like dark volcanic glass beneath waves of viridian green. Two pricks of eyes as if radioactive set in alabaster was framed by lengthy, smoky crimson hair.

“Who…?”

“Shh. You’ll wake the Order Knight,” He lifted skin-tight leather gloves by a finger to his lips, “He’s doing patrol right now.”

Ryunise scowled mildly and spoke anyway, “How would I wake someone who’s patrolling? They obviously can’t be sleeping.”

“Good point.”

“Do you even have a point?” She pressed on, “Point one for me, you zero. I think that gives me a right to ask you questions. A lot.”

“That’s not how this works,” The man said.

“It’s not supposed to work for you, trespasser. You seem to know the Order Knight, so you should be familiar what he will do once he detects you.”

There was a pause, then the words followed thoughtfully and quietly, “He cares about you as such…?”

“Papa’s little girl,” Ryunise said flatly, “Now either you tell me what you’re doing here or snap yourself out of existence.”

“Ah, good. You got sass. It means you’ll be fine now. Although,” His tone returned and he loomed his upper half closer to her just slightly, “…you’re exceeding your tiny human body. Hold still.”

Before the girl could react a hand of black flickered an index and middle finger in an arc over her forehead. It swirled, almost in a cross of…Christ? Who’s Christ? The thought was banished from her head as he flicked a double smack smack that made startled her enough to squeak.

“Ow! What the hell was that for…?!”

“Loud. You are too loud,” The hand disappeared and he sat on her bed. The man had long, long legs and he crossed them at the knee, “If I didn’t come you would’ve splattered this entire room like a day of execution.”

“Don’t get on my bed! Off! You smell!”

“I don’t smell!”

“Yes, you do, old man! Grandpa! Hermit!”

“Hardly,” He snorted, “If you so insist, I will give you the honor of calling me—”

He didn’t get to finish. Ryunise landed a hefty blow to his face with a dense pillow, then practically jumped to her feet and pummels him with it. It felt so good to shut him up! More, more!

“By Aetheillia!! How dare you treat me like this, after all I’ve done for you?!” He easily tore it from her fingers.

“Out! Begone, El Creepo! You’re hereby denied!!” Ryunise pointed defiantly at him. A rush of breeze seemed to fly from the simple motion and tossed her auburn locks.

“All right, all right! Enough of this, this is completely out of hand. I can’t believe you forced me to talk,” He was gone from her bed, only to reappear like a plague on the moon in her window, “You better call me ‘Epsilon’ by the time we see each other again, you brat.”

“Brat?!”

Between opening her mouth and the voice from her throat, the dark figure devolved into a shapeless thing, passed through the window like a smoldering ghost or a desert mirage, then melted away into the cold star-prickled night. His presence had also disappeared. Or was it even there to begin with? Ryunise looked down at her pillow, crumpled in on itself with what appeared to be the molded concave of a misshapen face. His face.

No. He was definitely here, and yet not. But most importantly, why was she not even scared? Why didn’t she call for help? Why instead did it feel like the most natural thing in the world?

Was I bespelled? She thought. Is there even such a thing as witches and stuff in this world?

Ryunise slowly sat back down and drew her knees up. She could breathe. There was no fear, no caress of suffering, no allure of death’s calling, no single percent of the great, terrifying sorrow. The thrill of losing her mind, the decision to give into it, something, anything, just anything, with all her heart and soul crying out. Begging for relief. Begging for the end. Begging for rest. Just what in the Aetheillia world was all that…? After being touched by the masked man, it was as if no emphatical attachment had ever existed. A bad dream, even though it was clearly a memory. But who’s memory was it?

She sighed. There’s no use. Not now anyway. She was no longer burning as if being licked by hell’s forest fire and her skin wasn’t about to riven itself asunder. And the stranger had seen himself out. The girl had successfully defended herself.

Ryunise got a drink of water and slid back into bed. Not even sweaty or sticky, how handy. Couldn’t do much about the tangles sure to be there for fun in the morning though. All this, all the memories, all the sensations, and yet it held strong still that the girl wouldn’t be able to say anything.

I don’t know who to trust yet. Voices, images, past lives maybe? Or crazy hallucinations? I need to know more about this world and who exactly I can talk to, she mulled like hazy wine. Eventually her muscles, so taught and cramped before, suffused relaxation in her blood and her eyes closed. The two moons crescent the last company she saw before sleep whisked her away.

-*-

Breakfast was held off, much to the displeasure of the drooling Ryunise. It seems that even the original Ryunise had an immense distaste for the mornings and was a top rank groaner. Anjina wasted no time, successfully snatching her from the land of pillows and comfort, and splashed down into a cold bath. It was just short of a heart attack, and the maids silently prayed with sympathy. The screech was enough to wake the neighbors down the road.

“M-m-mama, was that really necessary?!” Ryunise was still shivering in her chair.

She was practically sparkling. Her auburn hair was flounced up in a side, high ponytail tied with numerous braids and arranged like a rose. There were several green enamel pins shaped as leaves and other tiny blossoms dyed blues and reds holding it all in place. There was also a lace black and green ribbon with a bow weaving in and out, then curled around her fine, almost shimmery hair. Her dress was a lighter take on gothic wear; a white high collar with a bit of lace petaled about her throat, airy sleeves that had ribboned cuffs that matched the one in her hair, and another cinching her waist. Her bodice imitated like a corset with lacings down the front instead of the back. The patterns were layered in pinstripes of dark, dark gray overlaying a very rich green. It all came down to an asymmetrical skirt that was draped and tied in the back and traveled along her ankles but gathered on her left side just below her lower knee. A white ruffled skirt was puffed beneath it with a hoop cage to lift into the classical bell.

The shoes they argued about all the while, but her mother finally gave in and let her daughter wear heeled ankle black boots instead of doll-like Lolita ribbon shoes one would see in the old paintings of Europe. It wasn’t like the running shoes she wanted like on Earth, but at least she won’t kill herself in these.

“Oh hush, you look beautiful!” Anjina was riffling through the jewelry boxes presented by the servants.

“Isn’t this too much?”

“What’s too much?”

“For Church! And I’m going only for maybe an hour!” Ryunise protested. She was currently trying to duck and lean away from having her makeup done, “Mama, do I really need make-up? The Goddess doesn’t care.”

“I’ll care! We all care!” Anjina smiled at the servants. She was beaming, brightly, and like the sun in full happiness and burn mode, intimidated all to get her way, “Right?”

They all bowed and collectively said, “Yes, My Lady” while trying to avert their gazes from the scowling tiny Miss.

“But!” Ryunise was got an idea, “But! Mama is so pretty. And Mama gave me pretty looks already!”

“Aww! You’re so sweet, Nise!”

“I’m glad I look like Mama more!”

“You’re such a good daughter! Your father is very handsome, but I’m flattered you think I win!”

“You would, you would! Everyone says how fair and lovely you are. Even the Queen thinks so!” Ryunise continued to dangle on for her life. For the sake of no itchiness! She can scratch her eyes and rub her face as free as she wants!

“You sure hear quite well, my daughter,” Anjina laughs.

“It would be a shame to cover up what Mama gave me, right? It would be a shame to hide such a city, no, national treasure even!” Ryunise clutched her hands together, “The beauty of Mama, Papa, and the bestowed gift of the Goddess!”

The maids tried to smother their chuckling behind their fingers. They already knew it was futile, but applauded the tiny Miss of her valiant and poignant efforts.

“Absolutely not!” Anjina smiled that smile of iron will unwaved by flattery and snapped her fingers like an ultimate finishing move, “Make-up for Nise!”

“No…!!” Ryunise was practically reduced to a whining puppy and was pounced on by the cooing maids.