"That's no good, you can't be acting like this. Not with this many people around." Kemal whispers while carrying an unconscious alicorn prince through less visited halls.
"What are you doing here?!" Prince Kioshi whirls around to find Mike in their shared space.
"No, what are you doing here? I thought we can't see each other while I'm awake."
"You're not."
"Not?"
Mike takes a better look at the colourful blur surrounding them, only then realising where they're at.
"Oh hey!" He waves with an enthusiastic smile.
Prince Kioshi approaches wearing a rather cautious look.
"Did something happen? Should we be concerned?" He questions carefully, as if facing an oblivious hearted child.
Mike responds with a simple head shake, his smile never wavering.
"I'm okay! Besides, we passed out near Kemal, he'll keep us safe no matter what!" How infectious, that kind of enthusiasm could convince anyone, it sure got Kioshi.
"In that case, welcome back big brother!" Now that he's smiling whole heartedly his shoulders finally relax.
"That's right! I'm the oldest and will be addressed as such! How have you been? I bet you're bored, I'd be!" Mike whirls closer, preparing to sit on what he assumes is their floor only to land on a makeshift seat.
"Looks like a slushy.."
"Oh!" Kioshi's eyes widen in surprise.
"I haven't seen this happen before."
Kioshi mimics Mike's movement perfectly, attempting to get the same result without any success.
His body drops with a soft thud.
"Guess it's your last time seeing it ever again!" He laughs before dropping as well.
"I see! So you're in control of this terrain when here!" Prince Kioshi's chuckle fills with relieved amusement now that they're both on the floor.
"Don't say that! This place loves me, I have no control over any of this!" Mike shrugs confidently.
"How about learning? Or are there other places to be?" Kioshi offers with a smile that matches Mike's flawlessly.
"Oh! I guess since we won't wake up for a while that would make sense. You think learning here will improve my magic skills out there?"
He shakes his head at Mike's question.
"Well this situation is rather unusual, although magic begins with determination and will, so practicing simple things in here could help you familiarise yourself for the foreseeable future."
After that explanation it didn't take long for him to ask another question.
"Is that all it takes? My imagination!"
"Not quite, magic depth and amount matter just as much if not more, although considering our species this shouldn't be any concern."
"Hmm."
Mike rolls away, taking a longer and more observant look at their surroundings.
"Why do you think it looks like this?"
"Excuse me?"
He doesn't turn around, instead his fingers dig into the blur that instantly begins behaving like dirt. It's a rather sudden change of topic but who is he to question another man's curiosity.
"It's rather cozy, vibrant, and quite easy on my eyes. Which is rather surprising considering how vivid this space turns every now and then."
"Perhaps we're residing in your mind? A cozy home big brother keeps me inside of while he's out adventuring." All of a sudden Kioshi sighs.
"What's the matter?" Mike turns back.
"It's lovely in here, with or without your changes, getting to see my little brothers through your eyes puts me at ease."
He falls silent, eyes softening before they move to meet Mike's.
"Thank you for taking care of my brothers. Even if you aren't obligated to do so." His voice shook faintly.
"If it weren't for you they would've lost their big brother forever, and It's clear I don't have the right to mourn that fact." Kioshi barely manages to choke out before getting captured in a warm embrace.
"It's not your fault! You didn't choose this sickness, besides it wasn't fair game at all! I bet you'd thrive in our world." Mike coos soothingly while running fingers through his hair.
Kioshi doesn't respond, instead falling silent with tear pricked eyes.
"I don't know my brothers." He breathes out, attempting to keep it in.
"You can get to know them now, can't you? They wanna stay with us, keep you safe! Always swarming around Kioshi like you're some sort of treasure." Mike grins even if there isn't anyone to see it.
After some sniffle filled silence Kioshi buries his head deeper into Mike's shoulders.
"Did you have siblings? Do you believe they'd detect someone else inhabiting your body?"
"Ah?"
"Would your friends be capable of telling you apart from me, anyone that took over your body?" Kioshi's voice is barely audible, muffled by unshed tears and fabric keeping him quiet.
"Of course!" His voice is the complete opposite.
Happy, content, satisfied, Kioshi's nothing compared to him.
"I'm glad.."
—
All those tears flooding Mike's face are rather concerning. Kemal sits him up on the bed and begins wiping every tear there is to catch.
"No way you're crying. Dreaming nonsense again?" A smile flickers on his face.
"I'll let you cry about it once you're awake." He mumbles, making sure to hold him extra tight.
So he wouldn't choke, right?
—
Kioshi coughs while wiping away some escaped tears.
"I hope big brother accepts the blame for what just happened."
"Me?! I was just asking questions." Mike scoffs while digging through some dirt textured blur.
"Your emotions are infectious, it's best you stay aware and cautious of that." He sighs once again.
"You keep sighing! You're just like Kemal, except he'd groan whenever I'm around!" Mike points accusingly with blurry fingers.
"I believe he must've felt the same kind of overwhelming emotions as me."
"Don't make me cry." He sobs dramatically, clearly unaffected by what was said.
"Well then I won't push it." Kioshi chuckles, already feeling better.
"So you wanna teach me magic! Let's learn!" Mike switches just as fast.
"So you wanna?" He repeats to himself.
"So you want to teach me magic? Or do you want to teach me magic?" Kioshi tilts his head in thought.
"Is that how you people talk when alone?"
"Talking is exhausting! Especially for a man of few words. You should see how much of my vocabulary was lost when I started talking to Kemal." Even his frustration is filled with adoration, he's clearly uninterested in answering.
"Well then I wanna attempt to teach you..?" Kioshi, despite his confusion, still manages to string some words together.
"Attempt? You don't know how to teach me?" Mike pouts with crossed arms.
"There's only so much I can assist with." He waves his hands in a dismissive manner.
"Although I am quite grateful for your confidence in me."
"Well, I did want him to teach me, so the less I know the better!" Mike reasons to himself while getting back on his feet.
"Then let's start with something obvious." Kioshi gestures around.
"This is your space, and if you recall, when you attempted to sit it molded into a cushion to catch you. It's important to note that you're in control even in a space you lack awareness in."
At his explanation Mike plops back down, this time not being caught by anything.
"You're right! I thought of wanting to drop on the floor and it let me!" He smiles wholeheartedly, does he ever run out of those?
"You're so wise! Magic isn't so easy but I do know a bit!"
"This is nothing you couldn't have figured out yourself." Kioshi dismisses with an equally loving smile.
Slowly their surroundings begin creating bumps, each one connecting with one another until they create one big heart with three letters inside.
"What's this?" He curiously steals a peek.
"A heart!"
"Heart? This?"
"That's what we call it in our world, not sure what you guys think this symbol means." Mike explains with a proud look.
"It's a war symbol to us." Kioshi carefully traces a bump.
"Same thing! Love is war!"
Without any warning more bumps emerge and sink, perfectly mimicking an ocean's waves. Kioshi watches with silent awe, these colours blend quite beautifully with everything surrounding them.
"You adapt quick." He comments.
Mike isn't responding, instead his waves continue, swallowing other bumps only to grow larger.
Kioshi instead shakes his head, realising he stopped paying attention to him.
—
"That's terrible."
"What! I thought you'd like the beach!"
"Of course I do!"
—
"Oh…"
"You don't like it?"
"No, not really, it's kinda creepy."
—
"Damn it! Let me go you stupid dog! Agh!" Sun winces, fire ropes tightening around his wrists and body.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Yasing questions while hauling him on his back.
"Hey!"
"I can't let him know that I failed! If he thinks I lost that thief for good he'd hate me!" Azul hisses, both voices carrying a different pain filled tone.
"He'll trust you! Besides, how am I gonna explain this to our captain?" He grunts.
His body carefully adjusts to the added weight before taking flight.
"You don't get it! He said he doesn't forgive failure! If I find him he won't be as mad!" He quickly follows.
Yasing shakes his head before gathering the restraint to respond.
"Why do you care that deeply?! Just look at him! He's clearly using you!"
"I know! How can I fail to be useful if that's all he requires of me!" Azul whines pathetically.
"That's not my point."
"He trusts me! He took me! He sent me!"
Yasing groans, flying closer until they're nose to nose.
"Me me me! He he he! How about you pay attention to what he's doing!" His frustration is barely contained.
"So what! You're my friend and I trust you!" Only one of his voices said that.
"Just do me this one favour."
His eye twitches, as if something this subtle could escape him. After some deep breaths Yasing flies ahead, making sure Azul manages to keep up.
"Boho." Sun mocks.
"SHUT UP!" Yasing instantly snaps.
"Yeah! Be quiet! If you're mean to him I'll be mad!" Azul's echos threaten.
Sun rolls his head away, ensuring he won't meet his fiery gaze.
"Where are we going?"
"Since you don't wanna return without him we'll first go to my dad to keep this guy locked away since we can't risk others coming after us during our hunt." Yasing explains, already thinking ahead.
"Thank you!" Azul beams from behind.
"You're my friend." He speaks softly.
"Hey, Yasing?" Both voices call out.
"Hm?"
Suddenly a large fiery wolf dashes past him, his eyes meet Azul's, he's wearing quite a proud grin.
"Let's try being as close as them once we're done, okay?"
Without waiting for an answer he's already rushing ahead, leaving a trail of calculated warmth behind.
"Okay…"