It has been a while. I wanted to try doing other LN related work, so I put this story on the backburner. But now I'm ready to come back. Enjoy this mainly calming chapter.

Chapter 2: A Songstress' Dreams

In the middle of a warm small room was a pile of old stored clothes that made a very comfy place to sleep in - almost like a little nest. Tiny colorful lamps stand at the corners of the room, providing light in the dark space. Littered around the floor were some toys and the walls were decorated with cute little stickers. There was a single candle flame to offer warmth if needed. It was her secret base. Entering through the gap on the wall was the girl herself.

It had been a couple of days since she finished working on her base, her thanks go to the Nomes who've helped her. A couple of days... Six didn't know what happened to her first group, but there was no news about them. However, stories spread that some children were caught a few days after the five kids had left her. No doubt it was her group that got caught by the residents of the Nest. However, much like what she'd heard with previously captured children, no one knew what happened to them. Their fates were unknown. The news left Six feeling conflicted. She didn't know how she should feel. They were her first group of acquaintances. However, they didn't exactly treat her well either. There was a bitter feeling lingering in her chest. Despite she tried not to think about them, their interactions with her had left a negative impression on the girl.

Emotionally exhausted, the child collapsed into her nest. Today was a failure. She couldn't make any friends. Ever since her first experience at trying to befriend someone went wrong, Six found herself longing for company, but at the chance, she pushed away the moment she got close. What if there was a repeat? The second and third groups she'd been in quickly became fed up with her and left. This time, she had no one to blame but herself. Words quickly spread around the mansion about her. The 'weird mute girl' who easily annoys everyone, trying to get the attention of others. The remaining escapees who lived here would avoid her or make cruel remarks, refusing to associate themselves with someone like her. It became a chain reaction and she quickly became an outcast.

Six sighed as she wrapped her white blanket around herself, rolling onto her side. Nothing has worked out for her. Whenever she tried to befriend someone, it would fail. She never had much experience socializing with kids her age before and it was even harder without having a voice that could be heard. She would be torn between wanting friendship and wanting to stay safe. There was a level of patience one could have. At the Nest, that virtue was running thin. The children she would try to befriend weren't known for patience. One look and Six could tell that she was unwanted. Closing her eyes, those awful memories started to surface, forming a picture in her dark mind.

Finding another group of only three kids, Six had tried to approach them. When they saw her, however, they immediately turned in the other direction. Desperation filled the girl's mind as she tried to get their attention, her healed feet pounding against the floor. However, her voiceless request was flat-out rejected by the leader of the group.

"Stop following us!" the leader snapped, not even sparing her a glance. "If you think we would agree to become your friends, then you are sorely mistaken."

'Why?' Despite she had no voice, Six was sure it would have sounded weak to reflect how deeply upset she was feeling inside.

As if expecting for the girl to mutely ask her question, the leader gave an irritated scoff. "Because you're weird. No one wants to be friends with a weird, useless girl like you!" With that harsh comment, the group left.

Rejection constantly stabbed at her chest as the girl sank to her knees. That presence that has always followed her but did nothing, was there. Six could feel it growing as the weight in her heart got heavier and heavier. She didn't understand. When she got overwhelming, people avoided her, saying that she was too clingy or emotional. No one wanted that, having dead weight to slow you down. They didn't want someone with emotional baggage. To make up for it, she tried to not appear vulnerable but then, they would still avoid her because of her unfeeling attitude. Being cold and emotionless was creepy to their eyes. Was there something wrong with her? Tears of frustration were beginning to form. At such a simple and easy task as befriending someone, how could she fail at such a thing?

Feeling a tug on her sleeve and a tinkling rattle, Six fluttered her eyelids open and turned her head over her shoulder to listlessly see seven Nomes. Eyes widening, she sat up. The Nomes tilted their head to the side, something Six often does when she was confused. They have been copying her body language, it seemed. Finally, they pointed to her face. With her mind out of the memory, she realized that she had been crying, so she gently wiped the tears off her face.

'Did you follow me here? Are you trying to comfort me?' she sniffled. They nodded their heads eagerly. Six lightly smiled, 'Thank you very much.'

Picking up the little one she was familiar with, the girl hugged the compassionate tiny creature. She could almost feel its short arms wrapping around her small frame. It wasn't a complete hug and Six wasn't going to lie, it wasn't the comfort she wanted. No, that wasn't right. It didn't reach the level of comfort she wanted. Six longed to have someone to talk to and her body craved for the gentle touch of another child. The Nomes cannot talk and their desire for hugs made it feel as though she was comforting them than the other way around. However, she'll accept whatever small comfort the Nomes could provide. The littlest Nome was the most patient with her. Ever since she met it, it had invited its other friends and they would visit her whenever they could. Being very patient with her, the rest eventually grew to understand whatever she was trying to say without her needing to write down her reply. One by one, she hugged the others until all seven were embraced.

However, the Nomes stayed, not leaving after the embrace. They were hoping that when the girl had hugged them, she would feel better. Obviously, it hadn't worked out. Or maybe it did a little, it just wasn't enough. To cheer her up, the Nomes tug at her clothes, trying to get her attention.

'Hm? What is it?'

The Nomes tug harder, a bit more excitedly. So, Six got up from her little nest, wrapping her blanket around herself - a mandatory thing for her to do to keep her from feeling too exposed - as the littlest Nome held her hand, guiding the way.

Out of her secret base and into a nearby vent. The little girl was already familiar with most of the upper floors, having spent weeks to know the fastest routes by heart. The only place she'd never been to was the Craftsman's workshop, which she had no intentions of going to. The Nomes also aren't planning to go there either, taking her to the lower parts of the Nest. Perhaps midway? It would be new territory to her.

Taking her to a shower room, the Nomes ran to the puddles of water to splash their feet in. Cautiously, Six looked around her shoulders, checking her surrounding. A closed door. Placing her ear next to it, she couldn't hear anything on the other side. No one other than them was in here. That meant it was safe. Turning her head back to the Nomes, she simply observed as the adorable things jumped around, having the time of their lives. Some of them stopped their playful manner to gaze back at her. They were making gestures with their hands, asking for her to come play with them. Seeing them having fun, Six finally joined them. The eight of them jumped, trying to see who could make the biggest splash. After a few minutes, a soft smile started to form on her lips. Making splashes in the puddle was fun!

Creeaak!

The girl flinched and the Nomes froze when the door in the next room creaked open. Someone was coming! Immediately they ran, ducking into the vent where they came from as the door to the shower room swung wide. Feeling the littlest one shivering, Six gave it a hug to soothe it as she turned her sight back to whoever was in the room. A pair of black shoes floating a mere inch off the ground was all she could see. Whoever owned them was grumbling irritably. A towel suddenly dropped into the floor and was moving on its own, soaking up the puddle of water.

Six's eyes widen in wonder. Did this person have magic? How could the towel move without them needing to use their hands to clean the floors? Craning her neck, the girl tried to see more. From the shoes to the black suit... to the wrinkled face of a middle-aged man. From the formal way he dressed, it gave Six the impression of a servant. So... a butler?

With the floors clean, the towel floated into the air and tossed into a nearby laundry basket. The Butler huffed before floating away, using his strange powers to close the door behind him. Hearing the soft clink of the closed room, the Nomes have calmed down, realizing that he had left the area. Looking back at them, Six non-verbally suggested they returned to her secret base. There were no arguments.

It only took a few minutes to return. All seven Nomes had their heads drooped as they sulkily focus on the floor. They wanted to cheer Six up. They wanted to take her to more fun places in the Nest. If only they could regain their human forms, they would be the friends she wanted. They would be able to talk to her, comfort her better. They would be willing to do all of that since Six was like them. But there was no way for them to return to their original selves. They were stuck in the form they were in. Hearing many sad croaking noises, the child looked down at her friends. She smiled. It was a small, sad smile but still a smile.

I'm grateful for you all. Even if you can't hear my voice and I can't hear yours, it pleases me to know that you cared. It's more than I could ask for.

She wanted to speak, to voice out her gratitude. But when she opened her mouth, no noise could be uttered so she closed it again. Picking up the littlest Nome, it squeaked in surprise as she carried it to her little nest. The others were curious and gathered around her like what children do when they wanted to hear their mother tell them a bedtime story. Six hugged the little Nome, closing her eyes as she nuzzled against it.

Perhaps somewhere, deep down, you could hear me - you could hear my true voice. It would take time, but... I hope I can speak one day. Until then...

Opening her eyes, she gave a warm smile despite tears were rolling down her face. 'Thank you for cheering me up.'

~oOo~

A few days later, Six decided to explore the middle area of the Nest on her own. Despite she tried telling herself that it was to better know the layouts of the mansion, which was part of her reasons for wandering around, it was really to distract herself and clear her mind. Of course, she made sure to not get too careless. The Butler would work around this level of the Nest and she didn't want to get caught.

The girl sighed. It was the same result over and over again. It was getting increasingly difficult to try and befriend anyone at the Nest. At this point, she was starting to lose heart. Though she adored the little Nomes and their company, she didn't want to impose on them whenever she felt down, hence why she was wandering in the hallways alone.

Wrapping her blanket around her cold shoulders, Six eventually came across a library. Craning her neck to see the towering shelves filled with endless, countless books had her gasp in awe. The books were untouched, left to gather dust. It was clear that they haven't been used in a long time, judging from their good condition. It had the girl wondering why did the owner even keep a library if they weren't going to use them. Oh well. If no one was going to use them, she might as well.

Stepping into the library, Six entertained the idea of finding an interesting book to read and pass the time. Emerging herself in fantasy would be a great way to take her mind from... her lack of human friends. Or, she could simply draw a picture. There was a round table with sheets of paper and crayons scattered around. Six chose the latter and sat down on the floor. Taking a blank sheet, she considered what to draw. Should she draw scenery? People? Herself?

No... not me. A 'me' that is not me...

For a while now, Six had wondered what kind of person would she be if she wasn't 'Six'. If she was a different person under a different name, would people accept her more? It also made her wonder what about herself that the other children didn't like. Many times, she was told that she was too clingy, detached, or weird. But she didn't know how to stop being those things. So... maybe she should try creating someone people might like? Six still wasn't too sure but she picked up a crayon and pressed it against the blank paper.

As she started to draw, she let her mind take the initiative in imagining. This person was a being of fantasy. A very mysterious being. An illusion. It wouldn't be seen by anyone but her. Six closed her eyes as a thought came to her. She wished to be a hero. A very naive and childish wish. Despite her wish, Six couldn't imagine herself as a hero. She was just a child. Moreover...

Opening her eyes, Six frowned as her listless eyes stared at her drawing. Only the outline of the face and body was drawn. People liked the hero. They are friends with the hero. Why? Because the hero does something good. And Six wasn't a hero. She would never be one. The children didn't like her and... It was stirring again. Inside of her was that presence and... It. Won't. Stop. Moving! Something was telling Six that she probably did something bad in the past. This presence, this uneasiness whenever her mind went back to her unknown past... she didn't like it.

Stop it! Six cried, closing her eyes shut to stop that writhing in her chest. I don't want to remember! Don't make me, please!

Trying to control her breathing, the girl slowly inhaled before exhaling. Breathing in and letting it out. It took a couple of minutes until she was able to calm down again. Returning to her drawing, Six sighed. Right. This person wasn't her. So despite Six herself couldn't be a hero, this... fantasy being would resemble one's definition of a hero. While she didn't have a name for the being that was being created, she knew what she wanted to call her, using the first letter of her name.

The Songstress.

Six smiled a little at the title. She could imagine it much easier now. A very beautiful maiden - like a nobleman's daughter - with very long and wavy sunshine hair. She wasn't a child, but she wasn't an adult either. The Songstress would be in-between - fifteen years of age. She would have smooth, delicate features. As for the eyes... Looking at the eyes would be like looking at the soul. So the Songstress' eyes should compliment her appearance.

Blue... was the color that came into her mind. The color of her eyes would be as beautiful as the color of the sea.

She didn't understand how she reached that color, but it was a pleasing shade. If she thought more about it, she could imagine someone once telling her that blue was a pretty color. They weren't lying.

Looking at her drawing, Six thought about the next thing to draw. What should she wear? The Songstress couldn't be seen by anyone but her - like a ghost that could only be seen by a medium. So she should be dressed in white since the color was often associated with ghosts. Perhaps frills and laces should be added to complete the design. However, it would be too boring if it was just all while. Why not add some other color? Picking up a pink crayon, Six started to draw a flower in the Songstress' hair. She modified the dress to include more soft pink into it. Should she include shoes or some form of footwear? Why not. A pair of lovely white flats were added to her drawing.

What should her personality be?

Six stopped at that question as her coloring came to a halt. Leaning back, she stared at nowhere in particular before her smile grew. That part was very easy. The Songstress would be overly affectionate. However, she was incredibly lonely and desire to have someone to talk to. Since she never encounter anyone, the fantastical maiden would be overly polite, using formalities when addressing anyone. The formalities would differentiate between eastern or western, depending on whom the Songstress was speaking to.

Crayon in hand, Six resumed to her coloring. It was time for the backstory. The Songstress was a lonely ghost of unknown origins. Perhaps she was once human who became something else entirely. She appeared in the world out of her fascination and curiosity. Unfortunately, being a ghost, she couldn't be seen by anyone. In her sadness, the Songstress would sing many songs, hoping that one day... someone would be able to hear her. Her enchanting melodies would spread around until they eventually reached the ears of despairing children - children who experienced hardship yet haven't fully lost hope. Those children would follow the songs until they found a sparkling white butterfly. They couldn't see her true form, only seeing a fluttering insect. Even though they couldn't see her, the Songstress was happy. She would guide these lost children to a safe place where they could live happy lives.

Six paused at her storytelling, her smile faltered just a bit. It almost... it almost sounded like herself. Without her voice, everyone ignored her, disregarding her feelings. To her, songs would often have hidden messages, and melodies could convey the singer's emotions. Music itself was a mysterious thing. They were almost like riddles born from the heart. If no one could hear the feelings conveyed in the melody, how could they understand the singer? Without finding the hidden messages and clues, how could they understand a person's heart?

Setting the crayon down, the girl placed a hand over her chest, a melancholy expression was worn on her face. Six was aware. She was hurting inside. That was why that presence was around. It was a reminder. She would like to ease that pain but she knew she couldn't do it by herself. Even if she were to sing in her head and find some comfort, it wouldn't be enough. It might take away some of the hurt, it might make her happy, but she wouldn't be satisfied. She needed someone. Someone who would understand her. She needed friends. That was one of the things she need, but not what she was technically searching for. The Nomes accepted her, something she was grateful for, but that too wasn't enough. To be understood, accepted, and... something else, was what she wanted. Or, perhaps it was another need of hers? Maybe it was both.

Releasing a sigh, the girl shook her head. That was enough. She didn't want to think about it right now. Back to her imagination.

The Songstress' songs would have the ability to heal the heart- heal the soul. Music does that. It heals the heart because it was born from the heart. Despairing children would hear the maiden's singing because their hearts would be touched and healed. And through the melody - through the hidden message behind the lyrics, they might even understand the Songstress. If they do, perhaps they might see her for who she truly was. She would wait until someone could hear her song and see her - see her truly as she was. Until then, she would keep on singing. That was the end.

Picking up a pencil this time, Six started to write down the rules for her imaginary creation. Every creation would have a set of rules that should be followed.

First rule: Imaginary beings must have an appearance and personality in mind.

Second rule: Imaginary beings could only interact with the creator. No one else would be able to see or hear them unless it was the creator themselves.

Third rule: Imaginary beings must have a purpose to be 'born'. Once that purpose has been fulfilled, the imaginary will 'die' and the creator will forget about their creation's existence.

These would be the rules Six would normally create. However, she wanted to modify two of the already established rules to better fit with the Songstress. The first rule was already done. For the second, she wanted to do the opposite. Six didn't want to interact with the fantasy being. The Songstress was meant for someone else to interact with. Last but not least, the purpose. The purpose for her existence was already thought out in the storytelling. All that was left was for what happened after. If someone found her and see her actual form, then the Songstress would fade away, returning to illusions. The Songstress won't 'die' and Six won't truly forget about the illusionary being. Because... they both were...

A sound creaked nearby that startled the girl from her thoughts. Looking at the windows, Six had learned that the sky was gradually darkening. She had been in the library for some time now. The Butler must be checking the rooms as part of his job.

Please, find me, a tiny part of Six hoped.

Finished with her drawing, the girl pulled her blanket over herself. Taking her drawing with her, she couldn't help a slight smile returning to her face. It was fun embellishing fantasy into her creation. And it definitely took her mind away from the disconcerting stuff she was feeling earlier. Maybe she shouldn't lose heart just yet.

Returning to her secret base on the upper levels, Six took a sticker and hang her drawing on the wall. After admiring her work, the girl tiredly walked to her little nest and collapsed into the soft bundle of fabric. She'll dream. She'll dream of an ideal life. Six didn't know if it was about the future or if it had to do with her past, but it didn't matter. She'll dream, regardless. Dreaming of her living a happy life, surrounded with lots of friends; children and Nomes alike. Briefly escaping from reality to the comfort of a possibility. Within the sweetness of it all, the girl also hoped. She prayed that her dreams could come true. Out there in the world, there just had to be an irregularity. Even if she didn't live that life, as she wished for her own happiness, she prayed for another 'her' to live comfortably.