WARNING: NIGHTFALL SPOILERS AHEAD

"You live here?" Ren said in bewilderment, after getting mallowmelt. The house was tiny, but absolutely beautiful. Exotic flowering vines snaked up the house walls, giving a sensational aroma around.

"Partly," Mr. Forkle answered. Ren frowned in confusion.

"I have many identities, and while I am one of them, they each live in a different place," He clarified.

"How many identities do you have?"

"Five,"

Ren gawked.

"Whoaaaa,". She could hear Mr. Forkle chuckling and saying something like, kids. Ren plopped onto the bed, then leaned back and closed her eyes.

"It's the softest thing I've ever felt in my life!" She sighed in contentment. "Partly because I've slept on a metal table most of the time," she added. "But still,"

Mr. Forkle pulled up a chair.

"I still have to ask you some questions, Ms. Ren,"

Ren groaned. "Alright. But can you not call me Ms. Ren? It sounds weird,"

"What do you want me to call you?"

"Just Ren would be fine,"

"Okay, Ren. Now let's get on with the questions," he cleared his throat.

"When you stopped your attack at Havenfield, was it because you finally gained control of yourself?"

Ren nodded a yes.

"And how do you think you pulled yourself free?"

"I honestly don't know. And I feel you searching my mind, and I assure you, I'm not lying,"

"You're talented, you know that? Speaking of which, what are your abilities?"

"I used to be a mesmer and a gusher,"

"Clarify on 'used to',"

"I told Gisela that my powers weren't working, and ever since, I didn't, or couldn't, use my mesmerizing ability. I don't know if it faded or anything,"

"Only one way to find out," Mr. Forkle announced. "Mesmerize me,"

"To do what?"

"Anything,"

"Ok, dance," and at that command, Mr. Forkle started tap dancing.

"Make it stop!" Mr. Forkle yelled at Ren, while Ren toppled over, laughing. Soon, Mr. Forkle was back at the chair.

"Please do not tell anyone about this incident," Mr. Forkle pleaded.

"No promises," Ren giggled, then sat up straight. Suddenly, "Three, one, two, five, seven,"

Mr. Forkle sat dumbfounded for a second.

"What do those numbers mean?"

"I don't know. It's like these numbers are implanted in my brain or something,"

"Interesting," Mr. Forkle muttered to himself. "You know, Sophie had the star Elementine implanted in her head, as well,"

"Who's Sophie?"

"The moonlark,"

"Oh. By the way, I don't know everybody's names. Could you help me with that?"

They spent the next few minutes learning everyone's names and a little of their backstories.

"Ok, so Sophie was living with the humans, but Fitz told her she was an elf, so she came to the lost cities, was adopted by Grady and Edaline, who lost their daughter by her fiancé?"

"Correct,"

"Wow," She breathed. "They had it tough,"

"We all did, Ren. We all did,"

They sat in awkward silence until, "Mr. Forkle, why do you have three beds?"

A beat of silence. "Oh,"

"You see, I used to have a twin," Mr. Forkle started. "It was very frowned upon to have a twin. So my mother made our identities alike. We would go outside, switching days, sharing memories," He sighed. "We never could have crushes, always lived in fear of getting caught. We were two people merged to one. So when it came to having different identities, one of us could be somewhere as what the identity was supposed to be, and another could be another person. So that is why I have two beds," His voice cracked at the last sentence.

"Oh," Ren guessed on her own on what 'used to have a twin' meant. "But what about the third one?"

"I used to have a kid I was caring for, not that I was married," he chuckled. "He had no one. His mother was imprisoned by breaking the rules, and his father's mind was broken by grief. He stayed with me, only seeing me as a different identity whom I will not share with you. He had so much potential. So much I could basically feel it radiating off of him," he smiled at the memory, but then his eyes turned glassy.

"He was killed in a light-leaping accident," He croaked.

"Oh," Ren breathed. "I'm so sorry. That must be so difficult,"

"It does get better everyday, actually,"

"What was his name?"

"Hener,"

"Who are his parents?"

"I don't know the father, but his mother's name is Vespera,"

Ren stayed quiet, since she didn't know what to say.

After Mr. Forkle slipped away as another person, Ren looked at herself in the mirror after a long shower. It was the first in two years. The last time she saw herself, she looked a lot younger, of course. She looked at the scar at her back, staring at the words carved into her skin. Weak. She looked up at her face. No scars there, except for a few scabs. Her jade eye and iris purple eye glistened at the memory at the pain. She brushed away her crimson hair from her face, the looked at her bare shoulder. The blisters were gruesome. She looked at her back again. Weak, it taunted.

No, Gisela, she thought. You're wrong.

The night came. The nightmares as well. Ren's mother. The melder. The mask that she wore. The chains. The scraping of the knife when Gisela picked it up. The smell of burning flesh. And the constant echo drilled into her ears. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak.

"Ren!" Mr. Forkle yelled, shaking her shoulders. Ren's eyes flew open, and she was hyperventilating.

"Calm down," Mr. Forkle assured. "Breathe. Just a nightmare,"

A few moments later, Ren was back to normal. Then she looked around. The house looked like it had been through a tornado.

"Did I make this mess? Did I do this?" She gawked.

"Yes. I think some conscious part of you tried to defend yourself from whatever nightmare you were experiencing," He hypothesized.

"I'm so sorry about the house, Mr. Forkle. I didn't mean to. And I'm also sorry I woke you up," she guiltily apologized.

"No, it's fine, really. Don't apologize,"

"Wow. You'd think that after two years with no sleep, your dream would be somewhat pleasant," she chuckled. Mr. Forkle smiled.

"Try to get some sleep. You have a big day ahead of you," Mr. Forkle said.

"Why? What's happening?"

"You'll find out in about ten hours," Mr. Forkle smiled again and crawled back to his bed.

But still, Ren couldn't sleep at all.

I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for the ones who read the first and second chapters. 10 views in 11.5 hours! I think that is awesome. So, if you read my first two chapters, no words can portray my love and thankfulness. I'm so excited! ^^ - Rain and Shadows