Since Acheron, unlike the Iron Cavalry of Glamoth, isn't barred from dreaming, there was no need for the two of them to share a single Dreampool.
However, considering the influence of the Nihility path surrounding Acheron, 'Robin' offered a gentle reminder:
"By the way, once you enter the dream, make sure to fixate on a specific location within the Dreamscape. Otherwise, the Memory Zone might drift you off somewhere strange."
"Why is that? Does the Memory Zone have a mind of its own?"
"It's a rule left behind by a Nameless who gave their life to protect the people of Penacony."
'Robin' gave a brief account of the Trailblazer who traded their life for this safety measure.
Hearing the tale, Acheron felt a wave of solemnity, mixed with a touch of regret.
Had that accident never happened—had they not been so reckless in exploring the Memory Zone—perhaps those three Nameless would still be gathered together today, passing the time with stories of the past.
But 'what ifs' are a luxury the past doesn't afford.
"Where should I set my destination, then?"
"Let's go with Dewlight Pavilion. It's located in the Moment of Morning Dew, and the little girl I need to see is there."
"Fine by me."
With their preparations complete, the two sank into the dream pools and synchronized their consciousness for a shared dream.
'Robin', still a bit uneasy, kept a fractional eye on Acheron's status even as she drifted off.
Thanks to the medicine Acheron took to suppress the spread of Nihility, the dreampool functioned smoothly. And since Acheron remained focused on the image of the Moment of Morning Dew, they weren't cast off into some bizarre corner of the subconscious.
The pair landed successfully in the Moment of Morning Dew, right in front of the Dewlight Pavilion.
The moment Acheron opened her eyes, she froze.
A white-haired figure stood right before her.
"..."
An indefinable emotion swelled in her chest.
Even though she knew all too well that this world was full of flowers that looked identical yet remained distinct—and even though she had long since stopped letting such things haunt her—it was different this time.
What if this particular flower was the very one that had saved her?
Bai Ming had no idea what was racing through Acheron's mind.
To be honest, she wasn't all that self-conscious about her current appearance.
In the beginning, waking up with white hair and blue eyes had given her pause.
But after Aha had messed with her face, making her look like a bit of everyone and no one at once, she didn't really think she looked that much like Kiana anymore.
She's probably just surprised by the color scheme, Bai Ming thought. She waved a hand in front of Acheron's face.
"Hey, you alright? Staring a bit there, aren't you?"
Snapping out of it, a faint smile tugged at the corner of Acheron's mouth.
She took in Bai Ming's formal attire. "I see. So this is your true face? I didn't expect you to reveal it even in a dream."
"Something like that," Bai Ming replied with a shrug, keeping it vague.
Lately, she felt the Light of Nexus merging deeper into her soul. Perhaps eventually, she could use that light to manifest a body of her own. But there was no telling how long that would take.
"Come on, I'll take you to see the girl. She should be in the middle of her lessons inside the Pavilion right now."
A mischievous glint flickered across Bai Ming's face.
In the dream, she looked like her 'real' self, so little Robin definitely wouldn't recognize her as her future self. Then, she'd find a way to meet the little one in reality later.
Hehe, the grown-up Robin is definitely going to give the little one quite a shock.
Acheron didn't know exactly what was on her mind, but seeing that expression, she could guess Bai Ming was plotting some sort of prank.
As they stepped into the pavilion, Acheron looked around curiously. "Speaking of which, you've been busy lately. Do you need a hand with any trouble?"
"Are you worried about me? Thanks. But I'm doing alright. I'll tell you the whole story later."
Bai Ming didn't feel the need to hide things. She felt Acheron was someone she could trust, so she didn't mind sharing the details of her recent encounters.
Acheron nodded with a smile. "Alright. I'll look forward to it."
Bai Ming flashed a quick wink at Acheron and led her to the room where Robin and Sunday were finishing their daily schoolwork.
Perhaps Gopher Wood had already given the word, because as soon as their teacher saw Bai Ming, the kids were promptly given the rest of the day off.
"Big Sis! You came to see me again?"
Little Robin was ecstatic about the unexpected holiday.
The moment she saw Bai Ming, the small wings behind her ears fluttered with excitement as she lunged forward for a hug.
Sunday followed behind, trying his best to act composed while gently reminding Robin to be polite.
The moment Bai Ming made contact with the siblings, she felt a prickle of being watched.
She wasn't certain, but she guessed it was a messenger from the Family's Main Custodians. It made sense; the Main Custodians would surely notice the talent in these two children.
Bai Ming had prepared herself for surveillance before coming, and in a way, she almost hoped they would reach out.
In the game, the Family's main branch was shrouded in mystery; in reality, they were even more enigmatic.
Curiosity aside, she really wanted to see how the inner workings of the Family actually functioned.
Bai Ming patted Robin's head. "What do you two usually do when you're on break?"
"We sing, spend time with Mom, go for walks in the real world..."
Robin started counting off on her fingers. For the most part, they were like any other kids.
She loved playing with the children over at Dreamflux Reef, and some of her classes were held there as well.
In fact, most of the local children in Penacony lived and studied in the Lampmoth Family's territory.
The Twelve Hours of the dreamscape were flashy, but they weren't exactly a great place to raise a child. Compared to that, the restricted Dreamflux Reef had a much better atmosphere.
"When I'm not stuck at Robin's little 'concerts,' I usually stay here and read. I like books."
"Brother—!"
Robin turned bright red, glaring at her brother.
She had only dragged her brother and mother into practicing singing in front of people! Calling it a 'concert' in front of others was so embarrassing!
"...Okay, okay, sorry. I won't say it again."
Sunday apologized, but he gave Bai Ming a knowing wink, as if to say, 'My sister is pretty cute, right?'
Bai Ming found the whole thing hilarious. At the same time, she was genuinely happy for them. At least in this timeline, they didn't have to endure the pain of their home being destroyed.
"So, do you know why I came to see you today?"
"Why?" Robin tilted her head, her eyes wide with curiosity.
She was so innocent and adorable that Bai Ming felt a sudden urge to just scoop the little girl up and spoil her. She was already beautiful, but this tiny, pint-sized version was just too much.
"Hehe~ Little Robin, have you ever wondered what you'll look like when you grow up?"
"Me? Grown up?"
Robin blinked, exchanging a confused look with her brother.
She had fantasized about singing on a grand stage, or becoming like Mr. Gopher Wood—spreading the power of Harmony to help those in need. But those were goals, dreams.
She'd never actually thought about what she would look like.
"Yeah. Curious?"
"Oh—I know! Did Grandpa Gopher Wood ask Big Sis to give me a special lesson?"
Robin's sharp little mind pieced together a bit of the puzzle.
She figured this was some special curriculum about the future or following one's dreams.
She'd heard similar things at school in Dreamflux Reef. But since it was arranged by Gopher Wood, maybe it was different? Was she going to have a dream about her future self?
Robin stared at Bai Ming expectantly. That eager, pure face made Bai Ming forget half the lines she'd prepared. This girl was just too sweet. Even Sunday, though he was quieter, was incredibly well-behaved.
Bai Ming patted little Robin's head with a sigh of affection and gave a mysterious smile.
"In a way, yes. But this lesson has to happen in the real world. Is that okay with you two?"
"In reality? Sure! Can we go play at Big Sis's place?"
Robin was all for it. The Reverie Hotel was massive, and the areas where the Family lived were strictly separated from the guest quarters.
Having only recently arrived in Penacony, the kids were naturally curious about the legendary, luxury hotel.
Since children weren't allowed to wander the guest areas alone, that part of the hotel was like a forbidden playground to them.
"Of course. How will you get there? Should I come pick you up?"
"No need! Brother and I can just ask a sister from the Oak Family to take us."
Bai Ming nodded. Within the confines of Penacony, she wasn't worried about the kids getting lost.
Bai Ming and Acheron spent a little more time wandering the dreamscape, timing it so they'd wake up right as Robin was set to arrive.
As they returned to reality, Acheron looked at the 'Robin' standing before her and laughed. "Going out like that... you're going to give little Robin the shock of her life. You have a mean streak."
To Acheron, insisting on meeting in the real world while looking exactly like the adult Robin was clearly just a ploy to mess with the kid. It was definitely a bit mischievous.
"What do you mean? This is strictly educational!"
'Robin' replied with total confidence. Of course, the words would have been more convincing if she could actually hide the massive grin on her face.
A moment later, there was a knock at the door.
'Robin' started toward the door, but Acheron beat her to it.
Acheron's tall frame blocked the doorway, completely obscuring the children's view of the room.
After a brief exchange with the Family member who escorted them, Robin and Sunday practically scrambled inside.
But before they could begin exploring the room, they froze. Standing in the center of the suite, smiling warmly at them, was 'Robin.'
"..."
"..."
The two children were stunned.
Sunday thought this Halovian looked remarkably like his sister.
Robin, meanwhile, looked utterly bewildered; she thought the woman looked a bit like her mother, but she was so elegant and refined—like someone straight out of a movie.
Taking in their expressions, 'Robin' walked over and knelt down to their level. "Robin, Sunday. What are you thinking about?"
While Robin was still processing, Sunday asked tentatively, "I was thinking... you look a lot like my sister."
"Huh? Me?! Brother, you're being too..."
Robin looked at the stunning beauty—who looked like she belonged on a televised stage—and then looked down at her own tiny, bean-sized self.
Her face turned beet red instantly. Don't just blindly praise me at a time like this!!
If it weren't for her strict upbringing, Robin probably would have tackled Sunday to cover his mouth.
Seeing the reaction, 'Robin' let out a brilliant laugh. She reached out to pat little Robin's head. "Your brother isn't wrong. This is exactly what you'll look like when you grow up."
"Eh...?"
Robin's face was a mask of disbelief. She found it impossible to connect this 'Big Sis' with herself. But 'Robin' took the initiative to release the power of Harmony, tuning her resonance with the two children.
"Can you feel it? It's the truth. I've simply borrowed your appearance from a certain future possibility."
"It really is Big Sis! Big Sis turned into me...!"
The resonance of the Tuning let Robin recognize exactly who was in front of her. Very quickly, her confusion was replaced by burning curiosity.
"Sister, Sister! Is this really me when I'm older? What do I do when I grow up? Am I a good singer?"
Questions came flying like a barrage, so fast that Sunday couldn't even get a word in.
"Of course it's you. You're a huge star! So many people love your songs."
"Wow—!"
Children are simple; she didn't even ask for details before believing every word and letting out a gasp of wonder. Before she could ask more, 'Robin' finally revealed her 'evil' plan.
"Little Robin, how about I teach you a few songs? You can hear what your future voice sounds like."
Unaware of the 'dangers' of the world, little Robin didn't have a single doubt. She just nodded excitedly, dying to hear the 'Big Sis'—or rather, her future self—sing.
At that, 'Robin' flashed a triumphant grin. Since they were just kids, she wouldn't pick anything too complex. She'd just go with two 'classics': Hachimi and Space Mambo.
Acheron caught that smile and her expression turned subtle. She didn't know what the girl was about to sing, but if it turned out to be something too weird, she decided she might have to step in and put a stop to it.
"Then let's listen to the first one. It's called Space Mambo."
"...Space what?"
Robin wasn't sure what those last two syllables meant. It sounded like 'Space Walk,' but the Synesthesia Beacon didn't seem to translate it.
She didn't have time to ask. An ethereal melody began to flow from the phone.
At first listen, Robin thought the tune was wonderful—it had a quiet, peaceful vibe, like stepping out into the vast, silent exploration of the cosmos.
But then—
"Mambo—Mambo~!"
"...???"
The music was great, but the moment the lyrics started, a giant question mark appeared over little Robin's head.
Wait... is this right??
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL