|11 A.M.W.|
Sitting on a beach chair beneath the sun, Kris read a book.
His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, and a straw hat rested atop his head.
He wore light clothes — a red Hawaiian shirt and beige shorts.
The book's cover was filled with scattered formulas, its title reading: Physics — Written by Professor XXX.
Every so often, his fingers gently slid across the pages.
He read each page with quiet attention.
After a while, he lowered the book for a moment to grab something from his pocket.
Pulling out a pack of cigarettes along with a lighter, he placed one between his lips and lit it.
Soon after, he returned to his reading, letting out a few puffs of smoke.
"Ugh, what's that smell?"
He turned his head just enough to glance over his shoulder.
Marceline floated out of a mattress store, rubbing one eye while pinching her nose shut.
"It's a cigarette. Haven't you ever seen one before?"
"Nope. Throw that thing away."
He simply shrugged, tossing the cigarette away along with the pack and lighter.
"Nicotine doesn't really work on me anyway."
"Nico— what?"
"It's a substance that helps people relax, but it also wrecks your lungs."
"Then why would anyone use it?"
"To relax? Honestly, I'm more surprised you guys didn't have something like that in the Nightosphere."
"The constant chaos doesn't really let anyone relax there."
She replied as she floated closer to him.
"Except for my dad. He lives for that stuff."
"Oh. Right."
The two remained silent for a while before Kris's eyes drifted down toward her feet.
Noticing his gaze, she followed it in confusion.
"Are my shoes dirty?"
"You're seriously gonna float around all day now?"
"Heh, what's wrong?" she asked with a teasing grin, floating upside down closer to his face.
"Jealous?"
He squinted at her before pushing her away with a hand to her face.
"Hey! Careful! You almost poked my nose."
"Oh, right."
He murmured, suddenly remembering something.
"I think we can finally take those bandages off."
"Finally. I was getting sick of that crap."
He closed the book and set it down on the ground before standing up.
A moment later, he motioned for her to sit.
Marceline quickly sat down, clearly eager to get rid of the bandages that had been bothering her so much.
Carefully, Kris stepped in front of her and began peeling away the strips of tape holding the bandages over her nose.
Sitting in the chair, she suddenly grew a little awkward.
He was so close to her, and there was nowhere else to look but at him.
That ended up reminding her of the thoughts she'd been struggling with back in the tunnel.
"What—" "By the way—"
"Ah—" "Ah—"
He let out an awkward laugh.
"You go first."
She pulled back while waving her hands around, causing him to yank one of the strips off a little too fast.
"Ow— no, you go first."
"Stay still."
He frowned at her before focusing back on the bandages.
"You're gonna end up getting hurt."
"Oops, my bad."
He simply sighed.
"Anyway—"
Anxiously, she looked up at him.
"What was that thing you did back in the tunnel? The thing where you increased your heat and stole Fool's powers?"
"Ah—"
She visibly deflated.
That's what it was about?
"Didn't I already explain that?"
"Nah, we were busy looking for supplies. I ended up forgetting."
Her cheeks puffed slightly, her mood visibly souring.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"It's nothing."
"Alright... done."
Kris finally removed the last strip of tape, peeling the bandages away completely.
Marceline quickly checked her nose with both hands.
"Whew, everything's still where it should be."
"It's impressive that it healed perfectly in just a month and a half."
"Probably because you're half-demon."
"Heh, yeah. I know I'm amazing."
"..."
"Can you take off your jacket?"
"Huh?"
she blurted out, blushing faintly.
"To remove the rest of the bandages."
"Oh. Right."
She carefully took off her leather jacket, revealing bandages wrapped across different parts of her body.
Still seated in the chair, she turned her back to him and lifted her white tank top.
Kris sat down behind her, leaving a bit of space between them.
Then, he began removing the bandages along her back.
"What was it you wanted to ask me earlier?"
"Huh? I already forgot."
"Eh? Already?"
"Yeah. Your fault."
"Mine? Why?"
"None of your business."
He gave her a flat look.
What did I even do?
But he just shrugged it off and went back to what he was doing.
The small plaza they were in fell silent.
Only the sound of birds echoed through the vegetation spreading across the towering buildings around them, alongside the current of a nearby river.
Time and weather had carved rivers through places where none had once existed, and the world that came before faded a little more with each passing day.
The wind whistled through shattered storefronts and rusted cars.
And yet, when it brushed against them, it felt calm and pleasant.
"Sooo—"
Kris suddenly spoke up.
"Hm?"
"Can you explain it to me now?"
"Oh, right. Sure."
"Demons are born with an innate ability to control flames."
"The stealing part... that's kinda hereditary. I got it from my dad."
He paused thoughtfully for a moment.
"And how does it work?"
"Hmm—"
She hummed, resting a hand beneath her chin.
"Which one?"
"Both."
"Of course..."
She let out an exasperated sigh, though a smile still lingered on her face.
"Alright, alright."
"The flames are created from mana — an energy that exists within all living beings."
"Being born able to control it is ridiculously rare unless you're from a specific race."
"Hm? Which races?"
He spoke over her, his eyes still focused on the strips he carefully removed.
"Well... demons, fairies... maybe Rainicorns? Uhhh—"
"What are Rainicorns?"
"Hey, weren't the questions supposed to be about me?"
"...My bad."
"Fuhh. Anyway, that's starting to change. Ever since the war, more and more creatures have been born able to control it."
"Really? Do you think I could use it?"
"Hmm. Maybe?— Yeah, no. Definitely not."
"Huh?!"
He exclaimed in disbelief.
"But why?"
"You don't have a single drop of mana."
"Damn it..."
"As for the other one, it's more biological. I can absorb the souls of others."
"..."
"Hm? What?"
"That's it?"
"Pfft. Yeah."
"Seriously? That's all?"
"Yep. That's pretty much it."
"Lame— I mean— I thought it'd be more complex."
She let out a giggle, covering her mouth with one hand.
"I think you'd have to ask my dad if you wanna know more."
"That is, if he doesn't suck your soul out first."
"...I'll pass."
She let out another laugh.
"Well... is that everything?"
"I think so."
He replied while continuing to remove the bandages.
The wind began blowing harder through the plaza as a massive cloud drifted over the sun, casting the area into shadow.
The birds stopped echoing their songs, searching for shelter.
Far off in the distance, the sky looked even darker.
The current churned harder in the distance.
"Hm? Is it gonna rain?"
Marceline asked, looking up at the cloud above them.
Kris briefly focused on the horizon before shaking his head.
"Knife storm"
"Again?"
"Yeah. We should probably find shelter."
"Alright..."
They stood up, and Kris grabbed his book before the two of them hurried back into the mattress store.
Once inside, they sat down near the storefront window to watch.
Massive storm clouds completely swallowed the city.
Thousands of knives rained down endlessly, quickly covering the streets below.
The chair outside had been completely pierced through.
"No matter how many times I see it, it still surprises me."
"Yeah... it's kinda hypnotizing."
"Sometimes I wonder where this stuff even comes from..."
"I thought you asked that about everything."
"...Maybe."
The two sat there quietly for a while.
The sound of knives crashing down echoed throughout the city, almost completely swallowing every other noise.
The store was in relatively decent condition, with only a little dust drifting through the air and no signs of leaks.
It would've felt cozy, if the entrance hadn't been nearly destroyed.
"Hey."
He suddenly called out to her.
"Yeah?"
"What's flying like?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like— do you use the air? Or gravity?"
"Hmm... I dunno. It just feels natural, y'know? I probably absorbed Fool's experience."
"Hm? What else can you absorb?"
"Abilities, life force... maybe even physical traits too. I think experience comes along with it."
"Then why didn't you use it on the other vampires?"
"Absorbing souls is... kinda unpleasant."
"Got it."
...
"By the way, what are Rainicorns?"
She let out an exasperated sigh.
"They're a race of rainbow unicorns. Long, colorful bodies with a horn on their heads."
"Oh? I think I've seen one before."
I guess it makes sense that they're so bright, if they're directly connected to light.
"Seriously? Even I've never seen one."
"Was it pretty? Do they really speak Korean?"
"Uhh. It definitely was, and yeah, they speak Korean."
"Damn. I'd kill to see one."
Yeah... probably shouldn't tell her how I found it.
"Maybe someday?"
After sitting there a while longer, the two finally got up and moved deeper into the store.
The place had already been thoroughly looted, leaving only a few mattresses behind.
The cashier counter had been completely wrecked.
From mattress to mattress, they sat down and laid across them, testing each one.
Every mattress released a puff of dust whenever they pressed against it, the smell of age and dust rising with it.
"I think I'm sticking with this one."
Kris said while pressing down on one of the mattresses.
"I've got a better idea."
"Hm? What idea?"
"Let's build a mattress fort!"
...
He stared at her for a few seconds while she looked back at him with excited eyes.
"You know what— why not?"
With a small giggle, she started building the base by dragging over two mattresses.
Letting out an amused breath through his nose, he went to grab more for her.
After a few trips back and forth, they quickly finished the fort.
Four mattresses for the walls and two for the roof.
A small opening was left at the front so they could look outside.
Inside the little fort, the two sat curled up facing each other just to fit.
"It ended up kinda cramped."
"Yeah... didn't really think that part through."
"Pfft."
He suddenly laughed.
"What?"
"I just thought it was funny."
"What exactly...?"
"...Never mind."
"...Right..."
The two sat there for a while longer, and with nothing else to do, boredom quickly settled in.
"So... wanna sleep until the storm passes?"
he asked while looking through the gap at the rain of knives outside.
"I guess we could— wait, I thought you didn't sleep."
"Well... I don't really need to sleep. But I can still stay inactive enough to pass out for a few hours."
"I don't think I understood any of that, but alright."
Then the two laid down, their knees slightly bent so they wouldn't bump against the walls.
Their eyes met for a brief moment before Marceline quickly turned away.
"See you later."
"Eh. Later."
he replied, turning away as well.
She's so obvious.