One morning you will breathe like you used to—without any heaviness
The Rink of Time
June 2
No communication from Queen Soleil and a half-baked plan later they were back in the rink, but this time there is actually no gravity.
"This was expected" Delarune sort of swims towards Emily. "Are you sure you can do this?" He asks her and she nods. "Okay then."
Suzumi takes that as her cue to swim downwards, freezing her left hand to the rink she sends cold air through the rink.
"It will take a while to circulate" she tells them as her entire body begins to to turn to cold almost freezing, some parts frozen "Emily right about now would be fine." Emily's skin starts to glow and then she catches on fire, the place begins to warm up slowly and the portals and all of them slowly go to the ground.
"You two stay up front together" Delarune orders and they wait for Suzumi and Emily to move forward. Suzumi takes hold of Emily's fiery hand without hesitation and rather than the atmosphere shifting from hot to cold, there was balance like it was previously when they came to the rink.
"Skai I need you to take this and pour it on the clock." Delarune turns to Skai as they get closer to the big clock, handing her a vial.
"What is it?" She asks trying to open it.
"Maybe don't do that yet" Dexter stops her.
"It will make the clock solid, so you can bring it down" Delarune explains.
"I can fly I don't have super strength" Skai points out confused "There is no way I can move that thing Mr. Starling."
"You won't do it alone. Elijah, Dexter and I will help you." He assures her "River you spot Skai, if she loses balance and falls you better catch her" Delarune tells him and he nods in response.
Skai flies all the way to right above the clock and suddenly a shriek sounds through the quiet rink. Emily. Their eyes dart in her direction instantly and Emily is gone. next to Suzumi is a puddle. Elijah runs over to her quickly.
"Reach for my hand sunshine" he calls but no response. Elijah looks over to River who had just rushed over. River places his hand on the cold rink, they could feel themselves getting lighter already. Water splashes upward and River quickly reaches into it grabbing Emily out.
"Freeze it" Delarune tells Suzumi as Emily was safe she quickly freezes it.
"Emily your shoes are gone and your clothes..." River trails off and Elijah wraps his cloak around her, her cloak was gone, and her clothes were starting to go too.
"It'll still burn bro" River shakes his head, "then you'll giver her yours when we're leaving" Elijah shrugs. "You guys should try again" he tells Emily and Suzumi as they started to float.
"The clock is ready!" Skai calls from above and Elijah looks up before turning back to River. "Immerse her feet it water so we all don't sink"
He runs back over to where Dexter and Delarune are. "Dexter that thing you did with Soleil? I'm going to need you to do it again" Delarune tells Dexter, and he springs thick branches from his two hands this time without hesitation. They wrap around the clock, and he begins to pull as Skai pushes it to the ground, Delarune joins to pull it down and Elijah focuses on trying to cushion the fall.
When it gets to the ground everyone gathers around except Emily, River and Suzumi.
"Move it backwards 10 times" Delarune breathes out. "Okay, son lift me up"
Elijah follows his orders concentrating on him and moving his entire body up to one of the clock hands.
"Don't lose focus" he yells at his son.
"I won't if you stop talking" Elijah yells back.
He pushes the hour hand back but instead it flips the other way and turns clockwise three times.
"Well crap" Dexter mutters. That's why they made a mistake, it's not just any ordinary clock.
"It's too heavy" Delarune sighs.
"Well what are we going to do?" Skai asks him.
"We're going to try it the other way" Delarune shrugs.
"You mean move it anti clockwise?" Dexter asks and my Delarune hums.
And so they did, Dad, Skai and Dexter worked together and just like Delarune thought when they pushed it clockwise it went anticlockwise. They just had to be watchful and count the turns.
"Last turn" Skai breathes out tiredly.
"We should hope so" Delarune mutters.
It was the last turn.
"So now that we've stabilized the balance of the worlds... what do we do with them?" Skai asks as they get back to the tunnel.
"I don't think that's a proper sentence bubblehead" River chuckles.
"River what did I tell you about calling her that?" Kaito butts in causing him to roll his eyes.
"I don't know about you guys but I'm going to get my wife" Delarune jumps giddily fishing for a potion.
"I want to come with!" Elijah beams. Delarune opens the portal, and a big smile makes its way onto his face when he sees the portal.
"What about them?" Dexter is the one to ask this time. His question directed at Kaito.
"I will turn them in...to the great council" he pauses in thought. "Along with myself."
"What?" They all ask in confusion.
"Why would you do that?" Skai asks her dad.
"Living in hiding is no way to live" he sighs looking over his shoulder at princess Lethia and Seraphinius who are asleep on some blankets. "It makes the people you love hostage to your misfortunes"
"Can't you plead a case or something?" Emily asks.
"I wish it were that easy. Unless my father has forgiven me and talks to more than half the council for my sake then I'll do my time" he tells them.
"You don't have to" River speaks up "This is just another excuse to leave us again"
Kaito seems taken aback by this.
"River, son. I am not leaving you, it's what I have to do" he tries to explain "Please take care of your sister-"
"Take care of your sister. Every trip for the past 8 years...who's gonna take care of me?" River asks his voice cracking.
"You're not a child anymore River" Kaito says firmly.
"You're right I'm not, and I never got to be one. Thank you, Mr. Ladiston." He rolls his eyes coldly walking to the opposite end of the tunnel.
"He's sort of right dad" Skai looks at her dad warily. "And you're wrong... River is a child, if you must turn yourself in know that I will be going in with you, I don't like living in the shadows either" Skai walks away and goes over to meet her brother.
Emily walks over to where princess Lethia and Seraphinius were. Princess Lethia was still asleep but Seraphinius is wide awake in his own world.
Kaito lets out a sigh walking over to them.
"What was that about?" Suzumi asks and Dexter shrugs.
"We should stay out of it" Dexter tells her. "Can we get out of here? Saving the world makes you hungry" he rubs his belly.
"I'm hungry too, there's no food or water in here" Suzumi sighs sitting down.
"So, what's with you and River?" he asks curiously joining her on the floor.
"He's annoying, don't even get me started" She grumbles.
"Then why do you hang around him a lot?" Dexter asks.
"Uh uh" she shakes her head "He hangs around me, if it were up to me, I'd wipe every memory of me he has" she shudders. "He's tolerable sometimes, I'll give him that. He's reliable too but a pain in the-" Dexter cuts her off "Interesting" he chuckles looking over at where River and Skai are with Kaito a few steps away from them. Thinking up what to say to his son.
"But I hope he's okay" Suzumi says distantly, and Dexter turns to face her. Her eyes staring at the ground, he hums in response.
"What color are his eyes?" she asks Dexter, and his brows go up in surprise.
"Why do you ask?" he asks instead.
"Curious, they feel warm, is it a warm color?" she asks.
"I don't know" Dexter pauses not sure if it would be regarded as a warm color. "They're blue" He answers "Ocean blue"
"And yours?" she asks.
"Emerald green" He turns to face her "Emily's are golden brown, Skai's are blue, and Elijah has violet eyes" he tells her.
"Pretty" she nods.
"Mine are grey...almost white" she pauses "But you could probably tell."
"I can also tell that your hair barely gets run through by a brush." Dexter jokes.
"You try being partially blind" She nudges him playfully "I notice you look at people's hair a lot"
"Habit" Dexter shrugs "I went to hair school one summer with River and Skai and now I can't look at someone's hair without nitpicking". Just then Elijah and his dad come through the portal with Esmeray Starling. The entire Starling family.
"So, it's been 4 months?" Esmeray breathes out.
"I guess so" Elijah beams clinging onto her. He really missed her. The only other person Elijah clings to like that is Emily.
"Elijah, can you give me and your mom some time?" Delarune asks his son, and Elijah shakes his head "No not really"
"Leave him Rune" Esmeray smiles at her husband and Elijah chatters on to her. He brings her towards Suzumi and Dexter after some time "Oh and this is Suzumi" he introduces.
"And Dexter too" Dexter scoffs making his presence known standing up to embrace Esmeray. She was like a second...no third mother to him. He spent a lot of time at the Starling house growing up.
"Dexter how are you?" She smiles.
"Fine Mrs. Starling" he beams at her and Suzumi stands to her feet beside Dexter.
"Suzumi Mako" she sticks her hand out.
"Nice to meet you" Esmeray shakes her hand "Esmeray Starling, you can call me whatever feels right" she shrugs. "You feel rather familiar" Esmeray remembered why soon after.