Against all odds, the light coming from outside had changed its shade in no time. Reflecting against the lake as beams of dusk shone in this mysterious place.
Sunless and Plume were still walking, the latter being in front since the former wasn't able to locate himself in this manor shaped maze. No "words" were exchanged, still silent from their last discussion.
A favor had been asked and a teacher had been gained.
Sunny couldn't really explain why but his mind was getting numb. As if those last hours had strained him more than it would have liked to admit.
It was tiresome for him to walk straight. His pacing was getting messier over time. And still, he kept trying to map the building bit by bit, step by step.
It was because of that exhaustion that he didn't notice that Plume had stopped her march, to look at him.
Without any reflexes whatsoever, the poor boy then collided with her. He would have liked to compare her with a wall but by experience, a wall was less dense than her abdominal muscle.
A piece of paper was already in front of him. She had written something on it but it couldn't get blurrier than that. Forcing on his eyes, her message finally revealed itself.
[Plume]: "[Are you alright ? You didn't react when I clapped my hand just now. Feeling anything weird ?]"
Well.. that was awkward.
She surely had written that note before that majestic crash of his into her.
So lying wasn't truly an option just now.
[Sunless]: "I'm a bit sleepy, that's all."
Taking a few steps by himself, Sunless was trying to force her to resume her…her what now ? The words started to melt in his mind, things became even harder to grasp.
But that was not a problem since…everything turned to black.
His consciousness had surrendered to the exhaustion. At least, that he was aware.
…
...
...…
He would have been surprised a few months ago to feel something soft and warm under his head. To not be surrounded by a smell that turns your stomach upside-down.
Not anymore.
The feeling of the pillow against his cheek was relaxing for his mind, which had a hard time waking-up.
He was still dozy but it was more like someone who had done a long and good afternoon nap. An improvement on itself if he dared to say so.
His eyes half open now, he could see where he was. Or at least…deduced it.
There was a door, another door that seemed to be connected to a small room - maybe a bathroom - and some pieces of furniture here and there.
Yep, that was a bedroom.
A little light shone shyly in the corner, just enough to see around while not being too hard for the eyes.
A sudden fear took over him as he jumped out of his bed. Taking an instant to look at himself while moving his arms and legs, fright was running through his veins.
Still in the same attire and no real discomfort.
A long and heavy breath later, he was a bit calmer now. Reassured that he wouldn't have to pass another month bedridden.
It had been a nightmare to not be able to move by himself, and he would gladly not repeat that awful experience.
Finally awake after that spike of adrenaline, he didn't even hesitate before moving around to search for what this room had in store for him. Or simply put…he wanted to know where the few belongings he had were. Which was quite easy to find since everything was tidy.
A bit too much to his taste.
For him, a bedroom was like a hideout. Somewhere where he could feel at ease. Where he belongs. And all that… it was "him".
The problem was not about the things he had but how they were handled.
So…Sunless then started to take everything out and reorganize it all in his way. Which was closer to an organized chaos than anything else - after all, a rat will always be a rat - but at least, at the end…he felt like it was his room.
For as long he was not thrown out by Ashe and the others of course.
He was a guest and every guest had to leave eventually.
…
Well…
That was certainly a way to darken the mood.
A simple reminder to himself that even if they act like good people with him, he was nothing more than a lost pet that they are trying to help.
All that, even them, was temporary.
Ashe, Nephis, Jeanne, Dana, Plume or Vincent.
He will have to leave one day and it will be the last time for him to see them. For some of them, the farewell couldn't be easier but for a few…The simple thought of leaving was taking him by the throat as if words were trying to be left unspoken.
[Sunless]: "Wake up Sunny, I know that I will have to leave one day. Getting too close will only make it painful."
Clap
He needed to focus, and what was the best way to do that other than slapping his face? Heat started to gather on his cheeks, the tingling sensation of pain and a new shade of red came soon after.
He was here for Rain. To become someone that could save her and protect her from all the suffering that those worlds had to offer.
[Sunless]: 'Wait a little more Rain…'
A silent prayer made in his mind, words couldn't reach her so maybe thoughts might ?
Just like all those times he came to express his love for her while hidden in the dark. Was he crazy to do something like that?
He dared to think that at least, he wasn't crazier than those who wait to be saved. Rain was a little child so she had an excuse but everyone else had to save themselves, and he wasn't an exception.
[Sunless]:"Hum…? Isn't it…-?"
As if it was waiting for him, close the door was a…book ? He wasn't still used to seeing those kinds of outdated things but the cover was something he had seen a few times today.
It was Plume's notepad.
By some mystical power, he hadn't noticed it until now. Which was even more surprising since it was wild open. His agitated behavior had completely disappeared, leaving him to be on edge. Walking slowly toward this thing that wasn't his and far more precious than the price of all his organs combined.
It was okay if it was Plume that handled it, after all, she was responsible for it. She could simply tear it apart or burn it to ashes that he wouldn't really care. But now, if anything happened to that book, it was on him.
Taking his time to get closer, his gaze finally met the letters written on that page.
It said:
-"Hello Sunless, since you collapsed on your way here, I had Jeanne come and check on you. Everything's alright, it was just the side effect from entering the Memory that came with delay. I leave you this notepad as a present from a teacher to her student. If you need anything, you can look on the next page. I have drawn a map that indicates the location of everyone's room."
[Sunless]:"..."
The words were missing, from his side at least. Because she had a lot of things to say from what he could read. It's something close to a planning, which was directly interacting with that said map.
Based on the time, there was a number that helped him to know where some of them were supposed to be. For example, she had added a note for around after lunch telling him that she would be in his room for their sign language lesson
Wasn't it supposed to be after dinner ?
He would have to ask her tomorrow…or maybe not.
There was also a part explaining to him which person was on guard duty at night.
'It seems like Jeanne and Dana are really on duty all the time…'
Both were almost always paired together, but not tonight. For an unknown reason he had yet to find, Plume and Ashe were taking their place for the night.
Until now, Sunless didn't even dare to take the book in his hands. That was why he had only just noticed the pencil that was hidden beneath it.
And it was also that instant that he remembered something…
Never in his life had he used a pencil nor holding one. Nowadays, no one uses those things, everything is tactical or with a keyboard if not a mix of both. Reading was no problem for him but writing with that relic of the past ?
He couldn't say that he didn't try to, but simply handling it felt uncanny to him. He was uncertain of where to put his fingers.
A problem he couldn't handle himself.
A problem he needed help with.
…
...
...…
Toc toc toc
A knock at the door in the middle of the night. It took a moment before someone came to open it. A tall and muscular woman was looking at the little figure waiting in the corridor, book and pencil in hand.
His head was turned toward the ground as a whisper broke the silence of the night.
[Sunless]: "You told me that if I needed anything I could ask you. Can you please…teach me how to use a pencil…?"
There was shame and there was Sunless asking for help for something as trivial as writing.
And yet, after what he deduced to be a chuckle, the woman simply moved while inviting him to join her in her room. A lesson became two then eight, and five minutes turned into an entire night.
Daring to ask every question he had on the spot. Going from her weapon to her opinion of waffles. All of them shared in silence as words were written one by one. He was supposed to have practice before breakfast with Nephis.
She wouldn't be mad if he dared to skip it, right…?