Remember

Episode Two: Shifting

Chapter Three

Despite the warmth of the mid-summer air, Ronan shivered. He stood in complete bewilderment, unable to take in the entirety of what had just happened. Taking a moment to pat Mimi's light green hair, he tried his best to remain calm.

"I-Is Blue gonna c-come b-back?" Mimi whimpered, looking up at her older companion with tears in her ruby eyes.

Ronan didn't have an answer to that, but he pretended like he did. "'E wouldn't leave us, Mimi, don' worry. 'E'll come back." He fought desperately to keep his own voice from shaking.

"H-How long will it be?"

"Soon, I'm sure."

"W-well then… wh-what do we do now?"

That was a question Ronan couldn't come up with an answer for. His nanna would probably come home before Blumiere did, and Mimi was stuck green. They couldn't do anything with her in this condition.

"A-are yeh sure you can't turn into a 'uman anymore?"

"Not that one," Mimi sighed, hanging her head. "I tried and tried, and I can't find a different human to turn into because I can't go into t-town anymore…"

Ronan glanced sidelong at the green-skinned girl. "A diff'rent 'uman?" he leaned forward in genuine curiosity. "Yeh mean the 'uman you usually turn into is based off o' a real one?"

Nodding, Mimi rubbed her eyes and pulled away from Ronan's half-embrace. "Y-Yeah, there was this little girl I met in t-town one day… She looked so p-pretty a-and…"

The orange-haired boy narrowed his eyes in confusion. So Mimi had been stealing another girl's identity all this time…? "Well- Why didn't yeh tell me this is how yeh did it?" The words fell out of his mouth in a staggered manner. Thoughts whirling, he turned to look at Mimi, who was pacing the forest floor with jittering steps.

"I-I… I thought you'd think it was weird…"

Ronan shook his head and was about to deny Mimi's worried assumption, but was struck by a revelation. "That don't matter any more, Mimi! I just thought of somethin'! You can turn into me, and we can pretend to be twins! Then we can go back into town and find you a new 'uman to turn into."

A broad grin split Mimi's face and her eyes brightened. "O'Chunks! You're a genius," she giggled. Without further delay, a purple cloud of smoke engulfed Mimi, and when it cleared, Ronan was staring at an exact copy of himself.

"Woah," the boy's jaw dropped in awe. "That's… Do I really look like that?"

Mimi laughed, even her voice sounding identical to her friend's. "I did a good job, huh? Exactly like you!"

Ronan chuckled as well, nodding his head. "It's brilliant! Although… Yeh might need some 'elp with the voice."

"Oh yeah," Mimi said, realizing that she'd forgotten to imitate Ronan's thick accent. She'd tried copying it before, so it wouldn't be too difficult. "'Ow's this? Ah'm O'Chunks, teh bravest warrior in teh whole world!"

"'Ey! I do not say that!" Ronan's face flushed. "A-and don't call me that in front of the townspeople!"

"Don't worry, ah won't. Can we go now?"

"Ah! Right!" Ronan had almost forgotten about the reason Mimi was impersonating him. "Let's go find yeh a pretty 'uman to turn into!"

Blumiere lay on his bed, staring out the window at the setting sun, a symbol of the end of the first day in his room-turned-prison. He was laying across the foot of the bed, his head hanging off the edge so he could see the sun upside-down. Clouds were beginning to obscure his view, and he realized it was probably going to rain tonight.

His octagonally shaped room had begun to look more and more like a prison. It didn't help that it was located in the top of the frontal west tower, and that the singular window overlooked the gardens. He felt like a princess from a fairy tale, held captive in a towering spire.

After nearly five hours, Blumiere was already bored out of his mind. The only thing to do was lay down, think, and eat. Of course, there was a shelf full of books across from his bed, perpendicular to the window, but all of the books on the shelf were ones he'd already read.

Perhaps he could request that more books be brought to him. Father would allow that, surely, he hoped. Or maybe I could play chess with someone… Ah, anything but laying around for a month!

But even worse than the punishment itself was the concept of it. He was nearly twenty years old; a grown man, and he'd been sent to his room as though he were a young boy. It was humiliating, and Blumiere thought for sure that his brothers would never let him live this down. Why does father feel the need to protect me in such a way? The answer came to him immediately: King Basile had already lost so much. He'd lost his older brother to war when he was only six years old, and his wife, Queen Anastaise, had been lost in the same way.

Blumiere's father had every reason to mistrust the humans. But his mistrust had blinded him to the fact that not all humans were the same. They didn't all have the intent to kill them, even if the prime example came in the form of two young children. If Ronan and Mimi could be persuaded to see the true intentions of the Tribe of Darkness, perhaps other humans could as well.

"But that's hopeless," Blumiere whispered, brushing his fingers through his night-sky hair. "I'm stuck in here, and they're out there, alone, and Mimi is in trouble-" The young man's voice caught in his throat and he groaned in exasperation. Hopeless…

At that moment, his door creaked open. With a start, Blumiere flung himself forwards so he was sitting up, and brushed his hair out of his eyes. Aldrik was in the doorway, carrying a tray with some food on it.

"Good evening, Blumiere," he greeted, setting the tray down on his bedside table.

"Good evening," he returned politely, still smoothing his hair down. Glancing around, Blumiere realized he had nothing else to say, and began to wait for Aldrik to leave so he could eat his food.

However, Aldrik moved over to the door only to shut it again, before turning back to the prince. He sat down on the bed next to Blumiere, and turned to him.

"Blumiere," he sighed, "I need to speak with you."

The young man shifted, subtly scooting over so there was more space between him and Aldrik. He knew what this was about. I already know what you think. But nothing you say will change the way I feel about the humans.

But Aldrik didn't say anything else. Instead he sat with his hands folded in his lap, and narrowed his eyes. He wore the same expression Blumiere had noticed earlier, at the meeting.

Feeling as though the older man wanted confirmation to go on, Blumiere urged, "Yes? What about?"

A troubled look overwhelmed the man's eyes; he knew everything he needed to say yet could not. Raising his head with much effort, he finally began, "I...I don't know how to tell you, Blumiere, except for speaking outright. You have a cousin, one you didn't previously know about. He… he is my son, as well as the son of Sha'i, my wife."

Blumiere's head spun. Sha'i? Who was that? Why would Aldrik hide the presence of his son from their family? And why… why is he telling me?

Noticing his nephew's furrowed brow, Aldrik hurriedly continued on. "I know this may be overwhelming, Blumiere, but Sha'i was… well– well, she was human, and…"

Unable to fully comprehend this, Blumiere put a hand to his forehead. "You married a human," he muttered, shaking his head slightly. "Father doesn't know… does he?"

Aldrik's hands were quivering, as if the truth that had been released was now ravaging his body. "No… no, no, no one knows. I don't know what King Basile would do…"

Standing up, Blumiere gestured to the walls around him. "For being friends with human children I've been locked in here for a month. What do you think he'd do if he found out you married one and had a child with her?" He began pacing. "Father can't lock you in your room. But perhaps in the dungeon, or perhaps he'd banish you, or even kill you."

"Blumiere!"

"Because he's still trying to avenge mother's death, and he thinks that by associating with the humans we are shaming her." Glancing outside, he noticed that the clouds were darker than before. "He's just too stubborn to see what the humans are really like! If only father would open his eyes…"

"Blumiere," Aldrik rose next to the younger man and placed a hand on his shoulder. He spoke in a hushed voice, as if he were afraid Basile might be listening to them. "I didn't come here to dispute over the decisions of your father. He is a wise man, but his thoughts have been clouded. You don't know how much he frets… He thinks he's failing the Tribe, Blumiere."

Blumiere understood. He'd seen the look of exhaustion in his father's eyes, the way his shoulders sagged when one of his brothers would question his authority. "You're not a wielder, father," They'd say. "Perhaps you're not making the right decisions…"

Basile was not the firstborn to Blumiere's grandparents. Basile's older brother, Henri, was an extremely powerful magician, and was assumed to be the next wielder of the Dark Prognosticus. However, Henri died when he was seven years old, forcing the crown upon the next in line to the throne: Basile. Unlike his brother, the Dark Prognosticus did not call to him, and he had limited magical abilities. Even worse, Basile's firstborn son, Abany, didn't feel the pull of the Dark Prognosticus either. The Tribe's power was vanishing with each generation, and King Basile took the blame for it.

A distant rumble echoed outside. Blumiere glanced away from Aldrik's intense stare and turned to the window. "So… what then? What is the reason you came to tell me these things?"

"Sha'i is gone, Blumiere. She left after nursing our child and I haven't seen her since."

Aldrik stepped up to the window next to his nephew. "But I think you can find her."

After processing this comment for a moment, Blumiere backed away. "Are you proposing that I should escape?"

"I can help you, Blumiere."

"How?"

Without warning, the door flew open and crashed against the wall, revealing the stern-faced King Basile. "Aldrik!" he bellowed, "Blumiere is not to have company. Let him alone."

"I was delivering his dinner, sir, as you requested." Aldrik started for the doorway, nodding to Blumiere in a silent farewell.

"It's been ten minutes." Basile's glare followed his younger brother as he approached, scrutinising him. "You know full well that Blumiere is to be alone. Come now." Aldrik made his exit, and before Basile followed suit he turned to his son; his gaze had softened. "Goodnight, Blumiere." He shut the door.

The young man backed up, coming to a halt once he reached his bed. His heart was hammering in his chest and blood roared in his ears as he tried to calm himself.

What had his father heard? Were they lucky enough that he hadn't caught the end of their conversation? Quivering, Blumiere sat on the edge of his mattress and held his head in his hands. Aldrik was about to get him out of here, too… He was so close to being able to find Ronan and Mimi, so close to escaping. What about that… Sha'i? Blumiere wondered. He was still finding it hard to believe that his uncle had married a human, and that there was a child… A cousin he never knew about.

Was it viable that his father would kill Aldrik if he found out about the marriage? Perhaps Blumiere had been unrealistic earlier when he'd suggested it. Surely his father wouldn't want to lose another family member. And yet… there was an uncomfortable nagging in the back of his mind that told him this knowledge might be just enough to finally set his father over the edge.

A loud crack of thunder sent chills down his spine. A flash of light illuminated the sky, followed closely by another thunderclap. All at once, rain began to pour from the clouds, beating hard against the glass window-pane. The sconce on the wall next to the window vibrated madly, threatening to spill the blue flame that it held.

Flopping back onto his bed, the blue-faced man stared on in confusion. He inhaled deeply, trying to calm his thoughts, and suddenly the smell of warm food met his nose. Sitting up, he realized he'd completely forgotten about his dinner.

A bowl of chicken soup and a warm roll sat on the tray, as well as a glass of water. Eagerly taking it, he ate until he was full, battling with his thoughts all the while.

It was just after nightfall. As autumn approached and cooler weather came to the small world the sky darkened earlier and earlier. It was about eight o'clock, Blumiere guessed. Since he had nothing else to do, he figured now was as good a time as any to get some rest. Just as he was about to change into his nightclothes, a peculiar sound startled him. He whirled around.

"Aldrik?" Blumiere's surprised expression suddenly turned fearful; then furious. "Aldrik! What are you doing? You know father can track your signature; he'll know you've come-"

Aldrik held up his hand, silencing his nephew. "Hush, Blumiere. I would not be so foolish. Your father has no idea I'm here."

Again, Blumiere was overwhelmed by perplexity. His father was the most powerful magician alive. He'd been able to track Blumiere's soul signature to his exact location and Blumiere hadn't even used teleportation. Aldrik's method of travel would have set off a powerful burst of his signature, alerting the other magic-users that he'd just moved to a new location. Concentrating on the signatures of those around him, Blumiere expected Aldrik's signature to be dominant, but instead he could only pick up the faint signature of his closest brother, whose room was nearby. Staring at Aldrik in bewilderment, Blumiere's cerulean gaze told his uncle that he demanded an explanation.

"I've cloaked my signature," Aldrik said, "but it's only temporary. Now quickly, we must get you out of here so you can be back tomorrow morning-"

"No," Blumiere objected. "I need to know what's going on here. How did you cloak your signature? I may be the least educated in teleportation and certainly the last one to use it, but I know enough to say that cloaking your signature hasn't been possible for decades!"

Aldrik turned to look out the window, avoiding Blumiere's demanding glare. "Yes, well… There are many things you are not well educated in."

Blumiere scoffed.

"There are many spells that still exist, but they are not used because your grandfather forbade them when he called for peace between the humans and the Tribe of Darkness."

The young man narrowed his eyes. He had a feeling Aldrik wasn't telling the whole truth.

Aldrik turned, facing his nephew once more. "But this matters not. Give me your hands, Blumiere."

Taken aback, Blumiere did not comply. "What? My hands?" He held them up defensively, unsure of what was about to take place.

Aldrik took hold of one of his wrists and guided the young man further out into the room. "I am going to take your soul signature away. It is a temporary spell, just like the one that is hiding my signature presently. This must be done if you are to leave the castle undetected."

"Alright..."

Taking Blumiere's other wrist, Aldrik turned them so his palms were facing upwards. He placed a thumb on the insides of Blumiere's wrists over his veins, searching for his pulse. The younger man's deep blue eyes widened, darting around in uncertainty, and a sudden clap of thunder caused him to jump. Unfazed, Aldrik waited for their hearts to beat in sync, before finally shooting a stream of magic directly into his nephew's bloodstream.

Blumiere cried out and tore his hands away, stumbling back and falling on the floor. His wrists burned and his entire body tingled with an unfathomable ferocity; it felt as though steam were rising off of him.

"Ah… ow… W-what did you do to me?" Blumiere exclaimed angrily. "I-it's… It's burning me!"

"Quiet down, Blumiere," Aldrik muttered, stealing a glance at the door, "I've merely transferred a bit of magic from my body to yours. The burning you feel will fade soon."

"What kind of magic?"

Aldrik stepped forwards to help his nephew to his feet. "As I told you before, it is a spell used to cloak your signature."

Shakily, Blumiere stood, rubbing his wrists in attempt to ease the pain. A shiver shot down his spine, causing his entire body to jerk. "Must it be administered in such a way?"

For a moment, Aldrik's expression darkened, and Blumiere thought for certain he spotted something sinister in his uncle's dark blue eyes. But in an instant it vanished, and the man turned away once more to gaze out the window.

"You'll be alright. There are worse spells." Blumiere didn't get a chance to object to that, for Aldrik pressed on, "Now, quickly, you must depart. Teleport down to the gardens. I will meet you in the morning."

Blumiere stepped up beside his uncle, trying to ignore the fading pain. Staring out the window at the drizzling sky and soggy earth, the prince sighed, not looking forward to going outside in such unfavorable conditions. "Very well. But I don't expect to accomplish much in the dark and the rain."

"Please try, Blumiere." Lightning illuminated Aldrik's face, and Blumiere's heart pounded as once again his uncle's expression darkened. "Find Sha'i, and let her know that her son is still alive."

Why don't you go yourself? Blumiere could've asked. Aldrik could cloak his own signature, so why couldn't he carry out this bizarre search on his own? But at this moment Blumiere wanted nothing more than to leave the man's suffocating presence, even if it meant he would be perpetually confused. He picked a flat spot on the earth below. Maybe I will find this… Sha'i… Though I don't have a clue what she looks like. But first, Blumiere decided, he'd look for Mimi and Ronan.

He focused on the earth below. It had been nearly five years since the last time he'd travelled through dimensions alone, but he remembered disliking it. Gathering his energy, he expelled it towards the place he'd chosen.

He was trapped in void-space for nearly three seconds; a blinding white dimension-in-between-dimensions. There was a terrible feeling that came with teleportation; it made it seem as though he were being separated from his body and floating through nothingness. At last he flipped back into existence, immediately feeling drops of rain dampen his hair. He was standing on the cliff-top that over-looked the small town beneath the castle. Glancing up at his bedroom window, he realized Aldrik had already left. He shivered, unnerved by the exchange between he and his uncle.

The grassy cliff was covered in bushes. This area was beyond the garden, which lay behind him. The magically crafted cobblestone paths and trickling fountains created an over-all serene feel to the garden, and the plentiful amounts of oleander and belladonna colored the landscape with blues, purples, whites, and reds. The garden hugged the entire left side of the tall, obsidian castle. Tall spires and majestic balconies decorated the otherwise flat bricks, towering high into the sky.

He stepped closer to the edge, contemplating where he should teleport to next. Unless he could vividly imagine his destination beforehand, Blumiere needed to see the place before he could teleport to it.

Beneath Blumiere, surrounding the town, was a thick forest of deciduous trees, many of which bore fruits of various kinds. The cliff was so high, however, that not even the tallest oak tree could reach its branches to touch the soil under his feet. In the darkness, he could not even see the bottom. It certainly was a long drop, he realized, and took a step backwards.

As his foot put pressure on an unstable bit of earth loosened by the rain, the edge of the cliff gave way. He soon found himself in mid-air, falling, screaming, hysterically searching for something to hold onto, to soften the blow.

His hands brushed against the rough rocks of the cliff, scraping them painfully as he tried to grab onto something. Suddenly his wrist struck a sharp rock, tearing out a large chunk of skin. It threw him off balance, causing him to spin around mid-air. Panic enveloped him, and he blacked out just before his body hit the muddy ground.