The memories didn’t arrive like an intrusion. They settled into place, like the pieces of a puzzle. They threaded themselves through her thoughts with an ease that was almost frightening. No irregular edges, no sense of being forced into place. Laughter she didn't remember hearing, places she didn’t recall visiting, but seemed more familiar the more she focused on them. And with them, a presence that felt as natural as breathing. It was warm, comforting, familiar.
Too familiar.
Yumi’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly as the images continued to unfold. Yuki’s face, clear as day, a tear streaming down her cheek. The smell of steel and smoke. The moment everything shattered.
And next to Yumi, screaming in a way she had been unable to at the time, was her.
HikariThe name slid into place as if it belonged there. The memories insisted it did. Childhood afternoons, whispered promises, shared dreams. It all made sense. Too much sense.
Except for the way it didn't.
HikariSomething deep in her chest twisted as the name echoed in her mind again. A quiet dissonance, like a word pronounced slightly wrong. The presence Yume tried to place beside her in that moment did not belong. The scene bent around her inclusion, strained to accommodate a shape that had never been part of it. In that world, there had been Shadow and Light, two halves of a whole. There had never been room for a third.
There had only been one Hikari there.
And she had died.
The moment that realization hit, Yumi pushed it down, locking it away somewhere Yume's voice couldn't easily reach. Not forgotten, but rather guarded in a way she would take to her grave, no matter how hard the witch tried to take it away.
When she finally turned her head to look at Yume, Yumi's expression was calm. Not necessarily distant, but not particularly joyful, either, the way one looked at an old acquaintance after too much time had passed. She managed to muster a small smile.
"It's. Been a while... Yume."There was no accusation in her voice, though she made a point of not using the name
Hikari, instead sticking with the name she had been accused of stealing.
As Yume asked about Yuki, Yumi paused for a fraction of a second longer than necessary, eyes lowering as if considering the thought. It was a possibility she hadn't considered, if only because she didn't want to get her hopes up. When she spoke, she kept her words simple and honest without giving anything away.
"I... don't know," Yumi answered quietly.
"I haven't. Seen her."She made no move to confront the fake memories, no attempt to push back further. If this was a game, then she would play it, but on her own terms. Better to keep Yume close and let her believe she had won.
Yumi turned her head toward Hiruq, blue eyes meeting his briefly. She allowed herself the faintest hint of relief. Finally, literally
anything else to focus on. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to draw her attention away from Yume for a moment. She gave the man a small, almost imperceptible nod, accompanied by a soft,
"Hai," her voice calm and measured.
"I am. Not very used. To speaking. But I find it. A bit. Easier. In my native. Tongue."At last, the call to move out came. Yumi's fingers brushed over the leather straps of her scythe and the fastenings on her belt as she walked to the gate, checking that each piece of equipment was secure, partially to distract herself from the events of the mess hall. The spell had ended long ago, but the fake memories had not left when the magic did. She tugged the hood of her black cloak up and over her head, pulling it low to hide her face in shadow. She kept a keen eye on Yume, but otherwise kept to herself for the time being. The cold air bit at her cheeks as she faced the mountains ahead and began the cold march through the snow. Though she stayed with the group, old habits kicked in, and she faded into the darkness, staying just out of sight while keeping a keen eye and ear out.
Kage no Mimi | Grade E
Stealth E, Perception E, Fast E, Survival F, Darkvision F
1 post cooldown
Character blends into the darkness and environment, reducing her chances of detection, while also keeping an eye out for any threats and skillfully covering more ground.
Member
RPM
Moonberry
Tau
Scrawl Banditta
Ducksworth
Lunamaria Hawke
Not a Sayan
