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A relaxing break. That’s what they had been told at least.
A chance to look at new technology they hadn’t encounter before and dream a dream they wouldn’t otherwise dare to come up with.
At least that’s what they had been told. That’s what they had thought.
Stelle hadn’t fully processed what she had seen by the time they reunited with the others in the dreamscape, but the weight of the photograph felt heavy in her pocket as March’s voice cut through the heaviness of their head.
“There’s something weird going off here, isn’t there?” March questioned Welt and Himeko who both gave her a look of neither confirming nor denying.
“I’ve sent back to Dan Heng to see if he can uncover anything.” Welt said slowly his arms folded as his eyes scanned the hotel room. “We need to be careful, anyone could be listening.”
“But, we are safe here? Right?” March asked her voice rising a few octaves as she looked at her mentors. “Right?” She glanced at Stelle.
Himeko had noticed it as soon as the small group had met up in the hotel room. Stelle was usually rather stoic although they had a calming and reassuring presence but as March turned to look at Stelle for that comforting smile and slightly sarcastic optimism, Himeko noticed that it was missing.
She couldn’t put her finger on what exactly, but the girl before her stood a little hunched over. Her hand rested on her pocket as if protecting something inside while her other arm hung loosely at her side, she stared unseeingly at the wall just beyond March’s head and did not utter a word of reassurance to the pink haired girl.
“We are.” Himeko said after a little awkward pause. “We must remain cautious and keep our wits about ourselves. Let’s return to our rooms for now, we don’t want to look suspicious.”
Welt agreed and gestured to March.
“I can walk you back if it makes you feel better.” March nodded glancing back at Stelle.
“I will follow.” Himeko said smiling warmly at the girl, this seemed to ease a little of March’s tension as she followed Welt from the room but her eyes flickered back to the grey haired girl stood by the bath tub.
“Stelle?” Himeko said turning her back to the door.
“Yes?” Stelle replied, her voice crackled in her throat and she dared not look at Himeko for the fear she would cry or scream or completely break down.
“Did you have a good dream?” Himeko asked cautiously unsure how to breach the subject.
“I…” Stelle sighed and looked down at her gloved hands. “It started off pleasant enough… but like everything it never ends that way does it?”
“Does it not?” Himeko asked watching her. “How did it end?”
Stelle shuck her head, she didn’t want this, she didn’t want to talk it out with Himeko calmly in a room that smelt of lavender with soft trickling of water behind her. Stelle wanted to rage, scream, and go find whoever was behind this and destroy them.
“Revenge is a powerful emotion.” Himeko said slowly and Stelle looked up. “It can fuel us forward or pull us backward, be mindful that you don’t get sucked downward into a place you cannot escape. I won’t ask questions you don’t want me too but please, be careful.”
“Her name was firefly.” Stelle said suddenly, it burst from her like a butterfly escaping its cocoon as if she had been holding it back, as if it wanted to be free just like her.
“What a beautiful name.” Himeko said smiling sadly. “What happened in your dream?”
And so Stelle told her. She told her everything from Sampo, to Sparkle, to Firefly and the photograph that felt like a lead weight that would drown her if she sat in the bath again.
Stelle felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders once again, the weight she had felt upon them after Tingyun was now doubling down on her shoulders once again.
“Do you ever get used to it?” Stelle asked, Himeko hummed a little.
“No.” Himeko answered honestly, “never. Perhaps you learn to deal with it, maybe not even accept it, but you deal with it.”
Stelle turned her back on Himeko toward the bath tub again, its surface shimmering with an endless dream, hope, a possibility to see the grey haired girl once more.
“She just wanted to be free.”
The words were so quiet that Himeko almost missed them especially with her back turned, and Himeko felt her heart shatter.
“Perhaps she is now.” She replied sadly.
“I hope so.” Stelle said a gloved hand coming up to her face. “Thank you for everything.”
Himeko nodded watching the trailblazer as she took a step toward the shimmering water before her.
“I meant what I said.” Himeko said her hand on the door handle. “Don’t go too deep, you’ll end up drowning.”
“I know.” Stelle said her foot plunging down into the shimmering water.
“Stelle.” Himeko said almost warningly.
“I know.” She repeated, her hand going into her pocket to pull out a crumbled photograph that she placed beside the bath tub.
“Is that her?” Himeko asked cautiously.
“It was.” Stelle confirmed her eyes casting over the photograph. “It’s all thats left now.”
“Be safe trailblazer.” Himeko said quietly, Stelle nodded as she slipped out the door.
Himeko sighed as walked down the hotel corridor, being strong for the girl who’s heart was shattering was faster than glass that had been hit by a baseball bat, she clenched her fists and squared her shoulders.
Into the dreamscape once more.
Stelle looked back down in the shimmering water a familiar tune floating around her from an unknown source.
“I only ever wanted to protect your heart, Firefly.” Stelle whispered into the air like a silent promise that was being carried along the wind by the beating of wings. “I’ll protect you now.”
Stelle squared her shoulders and narrowed her eyes as the hotel room door slowly swung open for what was one more tragedy in the day?
What was one more song bird that has had their wings trimmed?
Stelle stepped from the dream once again and toward something she didn’t understand but she would walk this path for the girl who hadn’t been able too.
Let my heart bravely spread the wings
Soaring past the night, to trace the primal light
Let the clouds heal me of the stains
Gently wipe the sorrow of my life
I dream