"AND THAT CONCLUDES WHY WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE OTHER CONTINENTS, MAMAMAMAKUUUUMA!" Akuma, today's history teacher, moved aside to make space back for Accord. "Be sure to write that down. Especially you, Amitie."
"Whu?" Amitie woke up from her daydream about her upcoming weekend. Raffine wanted to tell her something on that day.
"Just because you call me your grandpa and you're a teenager in love, that doesn't mean you can slack off. YOU GET NO LENIENCY, KUMA!"
"O-Okay."
Accord gave a nervous giggle. "Perhaps after school, you should ask how Silvana keeps her romantic feelings at bay?"
"Good idea, Professor! She reads loads of romance novels and has a steady boyfriend. She knows what romance about. And she knows how to hide it."
"Oho, does she now~" Accord blushed. "What kind?"
"Lots, but especially Beauty and the Beast type novels. She loves those."
"Please… I'm right heeeeeerrrreeeeee… (And we're not a couple…)"
Amitie felt sheepish and even Raffine felt secondhand embarrassment for Silvana.
Two months have passed since the prom, and Silvana is still not out of school. She's been meaning to ask Accord about it. But admittedly. She savoured the time she still was here in this classroom. She'll return as a gym teacher on occasion. But that'll hardly fill the void of Klug and Raffine. She won't see anyone as much anymore if she left. Besides Amitie and Lidelle. Being her employees and all. And Sig will visit frequently of course, and she will visit him. She'll miss the biggest jerks in class. Well, she'll miss Raffine as soon as she stops dating Amitie. Sil has the impression they won't have much of a shelf life.
If Raffine wanted to dump Amitie faster than you can say aw snap she'd have done so already. It's hard to read Raffine sometimes.
On a side note. The summer has started in Primp. And Sil is threatened by the heat to lose her jacket to live. She needs to make sure all Pierrot suits can breathe now. Especially with Amitie now performing, wouldn't want her to relive being conked out in that thing again. She winced. That moment hurt a lot more now that they were sisters.
"Sig…" It's been two days too long they've gone without quality time.
*Thwap!* "Silvana!"
"Hah!" Accord had awoken Silvana with a shout and a slam of the wand on her desk.
"Silvana." The female professor in the room shook her head in mild disappointment. "We just praised you for not daydreaming."
"S-Sorry, Prof." She had the urge to blame the stuff she inherited from Vibitia. But that wouldn't fly. Too late blaming an insolated case attention deficit on that now.
"Now as I was saying. We have another guest today. He's a well-renowned wizard."
"LEMRES?!" Klug stood up from his seat. Slamming his hands on his desk in excitement.
"Please sit back down, Klug." Accord requested.
"Lemres has not come meowver." Popoi gave it to Klug straight, disappointing the boy.
"Now, he shall tell us a little about himself himself. But I do have a teensy request."
"What's that Professor Accord?" Klug asked.
"Well, it's mainly his appearance. I think he can take it, but I'd prefer if all of you keep a lid on it. Is that alright?"
*Confusion and/or agreement*
"Alright." Accord paused for three seconds. Presumably to prepare herself as well. "You can come in now~"
"Alrigthty~" A high-pitched, and lispy voice entered the room. The figure was robed in a yellowish-green that looked a bit worn from over the years.
And that's not the only thing that's gotta be worn over the years. It seemed to have no feet, just a lot of tiny tentacles made of rotting flesh supporting its body. The hands are rotten as well, and so is his head, it's a miracle he still had his purple hair. The jaw could barely move and both eyes were lazy-eyed.
Everyone but Sig and Sil's gag flexes went off. "You?!" Sil blurted out.
"FUDOUSHI?!" Akuma snarled.
"AKUMA!" Fudoushi said with fondness in his voice. "I figuredth thatth wasss you ssscreaming. Long thhime no sssee."
'They… Know each other?'
Chapter 60: Broken? Never. For. Long.
Accord stood between the two. "Oh dear, I didn't know. Please let Fudoushi speak, Mr. Akuma. He can only be here for a day."
"Thhatth'sss righth." Fudoushi nodded. "I'm here to theachhh thhessse ccchildern aboutth illusiosssnary magic and ssshow them firssstth hand how itth worksss."
"And scar them as you do with your "Kindergarten Exams"? Pah!"
"Hey! I getth paidth goodth money for thatth. Itth'sss notth myyyy faultth people are ssslavesss to thradithion. Now." The rot wizard turned around to the students. He finally got a look a Silvana. "Pfftth. Hahaha. I didth no expectth a clown thoday. Msss. Accord." Accord smiled.
Sil didn't wanna waste any breath on this Wizard.'
"Waitth. Isss ssshe a Pierrot? A legitthamateth Pierrot?" Fudoushi seemed really excited. That weirded Silvana out.
Several in the classroom found the need to confirm it. "Gee, thanks, guys…"
"Doesss thatth mean Magic Cccricussss' back? I lovedth thheir ssshowsss."
'Boy.' Amitie thought. 'He's outta the loop. W-Will he visit?' She's gonna be sick.
Silvana handed over a card. "Puyo Puyo Cccircusss…" The rot put it in his pocket. "I have justth hafftha make sssome thhime in thhe day. Now letth me thell you aboutth myssself andth my budth Mamono."
"And why you and Mamono were ostracised I would hope."
"Whatth aboutth Mamono?"
"What about Mamono, kumaaaaa!"
"Precccisssely whatth I wantth tho know."
"Mamono's irrelevant, kumakuma!"
"AKUMA!" The rot shouted. "Pleassse. Thoo sssoon…"
"Ah. I see. Forgive me, I didn't know."
"You couldn'tth have known… I only learnedth aboutth itth recentthly… I misssssss him."
"He was always the unlucky one."
Sil nervously twiddled her thumbs.
"B-But we digresss. I come from anothher worldth. I am a dungeon keeper thhere. Thhe final obsssthacle for kindergartherer before they graduathe. They think they're beathing a baddie, ithsss cuteth."
Sil had her perception challenged just there.
"I ssshall theach you kidthsss the basicsss of my magic and thhen give you a proper demonssstrathion."
Lidelle raised her terrified hand. "Muh-Muh-M-M-Muh-Mr. scary zombie wizard." Lidelle hid back behind her sleeves.
"Yesss? Don'tth worry, I don'tth biteth. Whath's thhe quesssthion?"
"Wha-W-W-W-WWha-What's the-the demonstration?"
"Goodth quesssthion, littthle foressstth imph. A harmlessssss thour of my thower."
"Harmless, KUMA?!" The bear scoffed. "Listen children. This man has killed kindergarteners to their early deaths because of his exams, mamamakuma!" The class trembled a bit.
"Ho, pleassse thhey know whatth thhey sssigned up for."
"Losing the right for magic! Followed by death as well. You are so generous, kuma!"
"The sssuccessssss rateth isss 67/31. Thhanksss to thheir wonderful theachersss. Shame I never get tho sssee thhe losssersss…"
"None of them should be killed, mamama! WHY CAN'T YOU GET THAT THROUGH YOUR DECAYING SKULL!?"
"Getth whatth thhrough my whatth?" He seemed real there.
"Grrrrr… Take my word for it, cubs. Of those who make it trough are scarred for the rest of their lives."
"…Oh my…" Accord said.
"Thhath'sss becaussse I live in a thhougher worldth. Thhey shhouldth be able thho handle it."
"I don't know." Sil spoke up. "I was forced to go and do that test. And I came out with some scars I'll never be able to get rid of for the last twelve years." Sil quipped passive-aggressively as she uncharacteristically put her feet on her desk. "Don't take him up on his offer. Listen to Gramps."
"Oh ho. Ssso a graduathe?" Fudoushi smiled. "Andth ssshe'sss your grandthdaughther, Akuma? Why didn'tth you thhell me?"
"Why didn't the town's demon alarm work is what I want to know, kumaaaaaa!
"I didn'tth thhink you'dth like anyone enough thho have kidths."
Akuma glared at Silvana. "She… Needs… Someone. Now leave town, KUMA!"
"Butth I justth arivedth…"
"Gramps! One little request before he goes."
"Not now Silvana."
She blew a raspberry. "I wanna take on his tower again."
"WHAT?!" The whole room went. Give or take the over-the-topness.
"You heard me. I'll go through it, so you don't have to."
Fudoushi would've blinked. "Alrighthty. Msss. Accordth?"
The teacher bit her lips. She thought about it as everyone spoke over each other behind the clown's back.
"Silvana?" Accord asked.
"I said I wanna do it, Prof. And I meant it."
"Silvana, don't be an idiot, mamakuma!" Akuma calmed down. Sil subtly gestured something for her aloof parental figure. One hand straightened. Gets hit by the top of the fist of the other. Akuma understood. "It's her funeral."
"GRANDPA!" Amitie yelled. A lot felt the same.
"Oh, don'tth worry kiddiesss. Thhisss girl'sss done itth before. Ssshe can do itth again." The rot tried to calm them down. "Now, Shilvana, wasss itth?"
"Silvana."
"Ssssilfana?"
"Silvana."
"Shhilfanna?"
"Most call me 'Sil' if it helps."
"Sssil?"
"No. Sil."
"Shill?"
"Pfftfufufu~ Not until I'm getting senile I hope."
"Huh? I don'tth getth itth… Oh! OH!" The rot hacked and wheezed in laughter. "Thhat'sss mean butth funny. You're way bettther thhan thhatth harpy thhat wore your suitth."
"Um… Thanks? EH!"
Sil just realized she was shaking hands. She had to burn this glove later today.
The class plus Fudoushi, plus Amitie's mom, plus Sig's Uncle, plus Arle the latter didn't recognize Fudoushi despite his best efforts. Yet she just remembers the tower. Go figure.
Fudoushi kept trying to make small talk with the clown. But Sil acted aloof. Partly because he's so revolting. How did five-year-old Arle have the stomach to fight him? Sil was happy she was a single-minded killer in mere minutes after she was created.
The other part… is was she's biting her tongue. She has a sharp stance on this demon. And letting it out would… Well, there's no going back from that.
…
And the same could be said of what's planning on anyway.
"…"
"Ssso, Sssshhillvanna?"
*Annoyed groan * "What is it?"
"I don'tth ever remember ever having a girl witthh thhat name ssscale my thhower before. One was scheduled, butth… I don'tth even remember thhe reassson ssshe cancccelledth."
'She's… Ohhhhh…'
"Whiccchhh meansss you usssedth thho be a boy, didthn'tth you? Long thhime no sssee. You were greatth, Mr. Silvana."
"What! Have you seen my curves?"
*Laughing and coughing* "Relaxxx. I'm joking. Althhough… I sssupossse itth isss a possssssibility."
"Hnnng…"
"I have my doubtths you acthhually ssscaled it unlike Arle thhere. Boy, didth ssshe hurtth."
"Nnn. I'm an orphan with a name change. You scarred me so much, I had to change my identity to get on with my life…"
"Well, I'm gladth you thhoughenedth up. Thhatth'sss whatth's I'dth like to sssee in exxxam Thhakersss."
"You mussstth be an incredible deccceiver. Covering itth up thhe thhruth. Lying by omissssssion."
"Eh. How did yo-"
The rot wheezed. "Rule 1 of being an illusssionary wizardth isss being able thho deductth whatth'sss acthhually real from the liesss." He started to whisper. "You weren'tth given a nathhural birtthh. Even for an Essssssenccce Holder."
"Guh."
"You have thhe sssame aura asss my homebredth Amythhessstth Clamsss atth home. Jussstth a litthhle diluthed. You can thhell me."
"You're a Doppelganger from my mirror mazzze, aren'tth you?"
"I hate you."
Sil said as she kept her emotions in check. Her whole class is behind her after all.
"Well, atth leassstth you made itth outth. I'm sssorry you're actthually aware of itth thhough. Know thhis: jussstth becaussse you're a resssultth of a prank I'dth like ttho pull on everyone. Like stuffing monsters in chests, or turning stairs invisible. They fear for their lives, but they're still alive. Doesn't make you lessssss of a perssson."
…
"Excuse me?" Silvana gritted her teeth.
"Can you believe it, Gramps?" Sil tried to mask the fact she was crying. "I'm even more evil than I thought… I'm nothing but a tool."
"Yes, yes you were. And now's your chance. Take out any rage, grief, what have you as soon as his tower is summoned. Here, kuma!" The teddy whisper yelled as he conjured a melee weapon. "Here, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what to do with it."
"Wow. This is a nice weight." Silvana grinned.
"This the mirror buster, I developed it myself. It's a sledgehammer that makes you invisible to reflective surfaces. It can bust any mirror and dowses Fudoushi's favorite flavor of Amethyst. And to make in inconspicuous. I made it look like it came right out of your circus."
"I like it. I gotta get something like this myself. But more safe."
"Silvana. Make me and yourself proud. Break all his mirrors, find his hidden room, burn the blueprints, and smash his clams. Make yourself proud of what you are, mamamamakuma!"
"Gramps. I'll never be prideful in what I am. Never have. Never will be. I'm only ever prideful in the good things I've done. And I'm gonna be the proudest ex-doppelganger mirror buster when I walk out that tower! As soon as the messy things he's gonna do to my head wear off."
"Cognitive dissonance aside. I want you to make me proud, Silvana. You're going to be shaving off so much regret this day. I'll be proud to call you granddaughter after today."
"Heeheehee~ Gramps' is getting sentimental~" Sil tapped into Vibby's youthful childishness there. Saying it in a sing-song voice.
"SHUT UP, KUMA!"
"Itth ssshouldth only take thhritthy more minutthes!" Fudoushi yelled concerning his tower summoning.
Fudoushi summoned his tower. He gave Silvana ample prep time. The class finally circled around Silvana. But she shoo'd them all off sans Sig. For the moment anyway.
"So this is where you were you were born, huh?"
"Heh. So you figured it out did you?" Looking at it, Silvana felt… Anti-nostalgic? "Yeah." Sil gently hugged the boy. "You know the expression time to face your maker? Sig. After I win this I might be a changed woman. Let's hope its a positive change. I can't help but feel like I'm making a huge mistake…"
"How so?" Sig asked.
Sil said nothing. She kissed him on the cheek, making sure nobody else saw her face. "Fufufu~ A little present before I go. See you soon."
"Sorry guys! I don't wanna make Fudoushi wait for me. Just hope for the best and you'll see me soon." She said much to the dismay to her friends. "Now "Master Pranker" I want the toughest version of your tower!"
"Hahaha. You really are a clown. Are you ready for Kindergarthherer level?"
*Glare*
The rot flinched. "Oh! You're ssseriousss?"
"As serious as you are alive."
"Undeadth ssseriousss?"
"Dead."
"Y-You gottttha be kidding, r-rightth? O-Of thhe 10 thhat entthered, all of thhem committhed sssuicccideth or jussstth losssth the will thho live! ALL DIEDTH! Gone insssane from my all outth illusssionary power! I feel really badth aboutth itth. You don'tth wantth thhatth!"
"Yes, I do!"
Despite Fudoushi's best efforts Silvana still wanted to go with it. Nobody could see the grin.
"Sis! Don't!"
"Don't be stupid!"
"What Arle said."
"Miss Sil…"
"Please… Don't let me outlive you, young lady!"
"I knew getting my boy hitched was a pipedream…"
"DON'T MAKE THIS A SUICIDE MISSION, KUMAMAMAMAMAMAMA!"
"Lissstthen thho your friendthsss. Thhisss isss notth wortth itth."
"Peh. You guys underestimate how stupid powerful I am. Trust me on this one." She winked. She said in full confidence. This put nobody at ease.
Fudoushi shivered. "The Fudoussshi you sssee before you isss butth an illusssion. You'll find me in thhe thhower…" He solemnly opened the gates. "Good luck." He bowed as far as he could for Silvana. "My condolencccesss." He bowed to everyone else. "Andth, Akuma, forgive me…" The mirage disappeared.
"Oh. And in the off-chance I do die…" Silvana said channeling Vibitia's cutesy energy to confuse them. "And I won't! No, never, don't even think about it. You know where my will is. It's up to date." She gave Sig a blowkiss. Amitie, her mom, Lidelle, Sig's uncle, Klug, Accord and Popoi a thumbs up. Akuma got a smirk from her as she lifted the heavy hammer. She gave Raffine the I am watching you gesture. Raffine was indecisive if she should back off from Amitie or hold her tighter. And finally, Sil pretended to pull her eyelid at Arle.
She entered and the door shut.
Amitie teared up. "Siiiil!" Raffine saved her girlfriend from her leg muscles. "Raffi! I'm gonna lose my sister again!"
"Sweetie…" Amitie's mom joined in the hugging. "I'm so sorry. Please do her proud."
"I will, Mommy. Raffi. Will you be okay if practice clowning more. Looks like I'm the Pierrot now."
Lidelle would've felt a bit awkward if she joined the Mother/Daughter/Daughter's Girlfriend hug. Instead, she quietly sat down near Klug and his demon-possessed book. All having their own thoughts on why Silvana would throw her life away. Lidelle had more of a clue than Klug.
Sig sat upright on the grass. He wrapped his arm around his legs. "Silvie…" He said quietly to himself.
It didn't take long for him to be joined by Arle and his Uncle.
"Hey, Sig. How're you?" Arle asked sitting next to him.
Sig let out a quiet moan. His sight was purely on the tower's single gate and nothing else.
His uncle sat down on his other side. "Sig… I hoped you would not feel loss like this again. (Over the same girl no less.)"
Sig said nothing.
"Sig. I'm not going to pretend what went through her head. But I'm certain it has nothing to do with you."
…
"Sig. I can't stress this enough. If Silvana survives. Tie the knot. Take care of her more than ever. She'll need you now more than ever."
"I agree, Sig. It's obvious this is what you both want. It's the perfect reward for her surviving."
…
"Zzzzzzz…"
"Oh." The uncle rolled his eyes.
"I-Is he seriously sleeping?" Arle asked the uncle of the boy.
"He has trouble staying awake. (Didn't get that from my side of the family…)"
"Oh yeah. That's right. I forgot."
"He's been better at it."
"Did he get anything we just said?"
"Let's assume not… Arle. I have a favor to ask you."
"And that is?"
*Deep breath* "Arle, if Silvana's death is confirmed. There's something I wanna discuss."
"Discuss what?"
"We'll cross that bridge when- IF the time comes. I'm not asking you to take Silvana's place. Except, well… Can you comfort the boy? For now?… He likes you. You two got along so well before you left." The uncle stood up.
"Heh. Yeah. We did."
Arle smiled. Then she frowned. Sig's erratic breathing belied his peaceful face. "Poor Sig."
*Meanwhile, inside Sig's dream…*
"S-Sil? A-Are you okay? It can't be that bad… Right?" Sig tried to nudge the unmoving girl on the floor next to the dish the boy lovingly prepared. "Sil! Siiiilvie!"
Sig's dozing body shed a few tears.
Sig hates these nightmares. Sometimes Sil stays dead in them. Sometimes he dies in her stead, and he's in hell. Sometimes Sil has pulled an Arle and had selective amnesia and she always forgot Sig. Sometimes Sil's feeling on him had changed entirely. From anger to fear of losing interest him in favor of literally everyone else.
Sig often forgot what Sil's actual feeling was to seeing him post-revival. But certain nightmares swiftly reminded him. The few weeks where Sil put up a brave face around Sig right after a scared yelp, coupled with a few passive-aggressive jabs at his cooking. It hurt Sig. He doesn't wanna go through losing her again. Sil has been given a second life. It was a stroke of luck they won't ever get again.
His still sleeping body completely trembled. That surprised Arle a bit. She patted his body.
Sig was on his knees. Staring up at Sil's angry half-covered face. "I don't deserve you…"
"There, there, Sig. Don't be afraid~"
"There, there, Sig. Don't be afraid."
Silvana got down on his level and wrapped her arms around his torso and shoulders. Sig was pleasantly surprised.
His body wrapped his arms back around Arle.
"I'm sorry… Silvie…"
"Silvie? Deja vu…" Arle's lips curled after the confusion. She found it both cute and hilarious. And Sig misinterpreted her giggles as Sil's.
Sig moaned in response. As if he's at peace for the moment. He and his fears were still being coddled in lalaland.
Arle nervously explained to everyone who asked why she's being so close to him.
A few meters away, Lidelle spotted Accord sitting on a tree stump. Holding a flat stone. "I-I y-you don't mind me asking. What are you doing with that stone slab?"
Accord giggled at her smallest student. "Nothing~"
What she was doing is giving both Silvana a fighting chance as well as a motivator.
"Mmmm… Mornin', Sil." The waking bug enthusiast greeted his friend. Just not the friend he thought. "Oh no…" He felt like he was cheating… He wiggled free, the blushing Arle let him go just like that.
"She won't have to know. I hope you had a sweeter dream because you hugged me."
"I did. I-Is Sil…?"
Arle sighed. "Akuma has a theory. He thinks it's likely Sil will survive. But she'll have trouble telling if we're real or not. And that's best-case scenario. We're hoping if her boyfriend could help her from doing something she'll regret. You'll do that for your girl, right?"
Sig nodded twice. "We're still not a couple."
Arle chuckled. ""Still"? "Still not a couple," he says? What will it take for you two to own up to that you two are a couple for crying out loud?" She said in a teasing way.
"…Can you keep a secret?"
"Of course."
"I'm waiting 'til she says we are. I wanna be closer than we are now."
"Oh my… You two. What's she waiting for?"
"She would've done it by now… It can't be because she doesn't love me… I'll wait."
Arle looked at the stoic boy in admiration.
"Sig… You're such a sweetheart. If only my admirer was like you. And left me alone… Glad he hasn't shown his face yet…" And then a delayed reaction. "Ow. My spine… Do you hug Silvana like that too? Hsssss. How can she stand the full strength of your arm? Aaaaaaah."
Sig raised his shoulders for a second. "How long since Sil has gone inside?"
"It has got've been like an hour at least. She's not even close to done. Give her three hours at most."
"I see…" Sig feared for the state he'll find her in.
Two hours have passed. And the doors open. Everyone turned their attention to it. They saw a person… A trembling person. One who had lost her balance. It's exactly who you think it is.
"Sil?"
"SIS!"
"Miss Sil!"
Etc.
Sil wasn't exactly a pretty sight at the moment. She had her bag, her mask, her jacket, her leggings, and her boots. But inexplicably wore Arle's shirt, undershirt, skirt, and chest plate.
Needless to say, this ranged from concerning to confusing to unnerving for everyone.
Sil's had scratches all over her clothes and thus cuts on her body. Some looked deeper than others. Some parts looked singed. Her hair, that had been loose looked uneven and comparable in length to Arle if she undid her hair. Blood was all over the body. She barely had the strength to drag the hammer with her. She just gave up.
She weakly looked at everyone. She fell to her knees. "Not again… I admit defeat! JUST KILL ME ALREADY!"
"Sis!" Amitie ran up. But Sil swatted with great pain Amitie away. Though it hurt doing so.
"Please, not by you, """Ammy"""." Her broken
"Why?…" Amitie said with her face in the dirt.
"None of you dare come close! Look! You guys aren't the first illusions I faced today, I know you pray on my trust! I know how you work by now. I'm losing my strength! I'm out of mana! I just have one final request! I wanna be killed in my sleep and spend the rest of my time with that faker over there, doing his most darn to convince me he's the real deal as he comforts me to bed! GOT IT!?"
"But we're n-"
"Shut up, Dirtface!" Sil scorned to Amitie.
Everyone was a bit to threatened by this clown. She came across as unhinged as her posture is stable. She breathed heavily staring down at what she thinks is another fake Sig.
Sig was saddened at her state. Any affection was snuffed out because of what that awful zombie made her go through.
Sig was pushed forward by his Uncle, Akuma, and Arle.
"Go Sig. Just be yourself and hope she snaps out of it."
"Don't be afraid, kuma! She's just confused. Never stop giving her positive attention."
"I'm scared, Sig! Just calm your girl down, okay?"
Sig slowly walked. He felt the pressure. The coldness implied behind the mask made him wanna runaway.
The injured "Look, """Sig""". Stop pretending you're scared of me. I don't care that you're not the real one. Take me to my """real""" home already."
"Uh… Okay."
"Ow! Hold me gently! I'm hurt all over!"
"Sorry."
"As if you mean it."
As they walked past Arle Sil's head tilt at her. She pointed at her and then she wheezed. "Forget it… Nothing's real anymore…"
Arle waited to say something until Sil's out of hearing range. "Why is she wearing what I wearing?"
"Good question…" Akuma seconded. "If it's an illusion, she should be half-naked, mamamakuma!" Akuma checked if maybe Fudoushi just let her win out of pity. That outfit shouldn't still exist if he was still active. And true, not everything in there's an illusion. But Akuma doubted there'd be an exact replica of Arle's costume lying in a chest or something.
Fudoushi's spirit had left its body.
"You're home…" Sig lifted the injured Sil at her doorstep.
"Yeah… """Hoooooommmee"""." Sil grumbled. "Okay, """Sig"""… You're not worthy of my lo- Possibly unhealthy affection." That was a drill through the heart. "But you're gonna get it anyway! When I count to three we're gonna spend the rest of my day to the fullest I can and will pretend you're the real deal. You will pretend you're the real deal. AND WE'LL HAVE A GREAT TIME!"
"Sil, you're scary."
"1-2-3!"
"I'm not even human. I am an evil, evil, evil homunculus! I'm not even a real girl. I'm just an evil caricature, I can't do anything good. Evil shouldn't be pretty. I thought I died again for a while. I want my mommy.I am made corrupt. I should be a decaying walking corpse. And be treated how I should be treated. My psychiatrist is this close to thinking I'm a schizo. Paranoia, depression. The clown community will hate me for furthering negative stereotypes. I think Army's bad for me. I appreciate you giving him to me Sig. But… I don't know. I'm so lonely at home without him. I'm not crazy, I'm just dedicated to giving him a personality. Wait, did you give them. Or did Ammy? Oh, no... I might be love-obsessed over as well… You're asexual so dressing to impress you is basically useless, and I like dressing. I wanna be maskless. I won't get my magic license. I mean… I get by… But magic is an important part of any mage. Face it, I can't cost by on my looks. Hehehe. I bother to do my makeup. But no one gets to enjoy it and if they do I'd feel embarrassed… Sig, I'm a beast. You're the beauty. You guys should've left me for dead when you killed me. Sure I'd be miserable but at least I'd be a normal human, I'd be rid of my programming. I'm a broken doll. And you know what? All of you guys are awful. I've admitted I kidnapped, tortured, any number of things any society frowns upon and its all water under the bridge for you. Just because I try to become a good guy doesn't mean all my past or even my current misdeeds are forgiven! Gah!... I left a girl for dead, took her name afterward!... Losing my identity is scary, Sig. I'm still not used to being not as much of a tomboy as I used to be. Sometimes the idea of Vibby's essence in me is scary. I mean, that's not me! And now it is me! And any idea how much murder it is on me that I'm thinner than Arle!? Of course, you know… Why couldn't have gained Ammy's ditziness? Being conscious is a pain. You have any idea how many cute outfits and costumes I have in that closet? But I'm too self-conscious. I wanna dress nice on the streets. If I was more Amitie I might not even care. I'm a bad sister too. I promised Ammy that I would buy a comfortable bras. I haven't worn any in public. I keep wearing these tight sports bras… It's more convenient. Speaking of Vibby. Thanks to her, I've become a bit of a… I don't even wanna say it. Let's just say something unneeded started working and I keep a good lid on it. I keep crushing on some handsome or pretty folk. But I don't wanna think about them. I love you, I want no one else. M-Maybe, I'm just jealous of those pretty folk… I hope that's it. I never should've hidden my face. That way maybe less people would leave me if they found I killed the real Arle. I finally killed Arle but I felt horrible! I mean it was so cathartic but it felt so wrong. I'm still what I am. It didn't satisfy me. I'm not a good person… Did I ever tell you about that cult I started of Arle recognizing worshipping sycophants? I'm glad somebody in that crowd was the Dark Prince's snitch. And would you believe I lost myself? I thought I was Arle again for a while until I found my mask and jacket in my bag… Why could have my IQs have averaged out? Instead, I got a little smarter and got a healthy dose of sorely needed empathy from Vibby. I wanna be as dumb as she is. I wanna think less. Be cheery, happy! So much blood… That dungeon was horrible Sig… I-I think I've lost my appetite for dungeon-crawling! There wasn't an enemy I could stop, but whenever Arle showed up to annoy me… OOOOOOO! Or whenever I was assaulted by illusion worlds… Well… One… Dungeons have gone the way of my enjoyment of Puyo Puyo… Two… I just reminded myself you're not my real Sig…" Silvana rambled on non-stop. This wasn't even all of it. It was so much to absorb, Sig zoned out for a lot of it much to his understated irritation.
In the time she vented everything out Sig (with help of Lidelle) raided a first aid kit, pulled out glass, disinfected the wounds, raided the White Magic first aid kit, Lidelle prepared a belated lunch, they ate, hugged, they hugged some more, Sig asked Lidelle if he could have Sil's usual from Smile Curry, ate that, Sig helped Sil wash and scrub herself (no showers or baths allowed for now), put on her pajamas and gently put her on her bed. And Sil didn't care. Even the first aid stuff just seemed like a pointless formality by the illusions until she just fully lost herself in the moment.
"I know you're an unfeeling puppet… Heh… But eh, I wanna thank you. You're really good at faking it. You act exactly how Sig would. Even down to the "real" sleeping. Scary, but I appreciate you fulfilling my last wish…" She's still not convinced. And she still hasn't fully drained the juices of her orange of gripes yet. But she gave the mirage a kiss like she would give the real one. Sig's sleepy body smiled.
She went venting on and on until she finally went to sleep as Sig did an hour ago.
The early bird alarm clock went off in Sil's bedroom. She hit it. "Huh?" It dawned on her a heavy lump was in her way. "Oh, Sig, when did you get in my bed?" She blushed. "Am I still in the tower?" She got on edge. "Any good harmful illusion of Sig would've deserted me already." No those were common fears of her's… "Wait, they were supposed to kill me… Are they lulling me into a false sense of security? Those sneaksss…" She wanted to be outside already! Be with her friends…
She slammed her mattress. "Hhhhaaaaaaaaah." She sighed. She was done. She had a good run, her life was something. She'll be mourned. Now she's waiting to be offed. She embraced her would-be killer.
But in the embrace made her aware of something. Through his shirt, she felt "His necklace!" Sil subconsciously clutched her own. She peeked inside of Sig's shirt.
"Hm… Interesting. Amethyst..." She fished the thing outside. Sig's necklace was still an amethyst tainted ruby. Fudoushi shouldn't have known about that. Sig had tucked it in that day. Does Fudoushi need it to see it to replicate it? Everything else she saw in the tower seemed true to life safe for minor details…
Her head was still waking up. Plus it hurt a little. As did her body. She needed to think about it slowly. "So…" "If…" "Maybe…" "Yes…" "I'd know if that essence is mine…" "Which means…" "Oh, Imma dummy… My Go Home spell! It should take me directly home!" She should have enough mana now. "Hmm… Wait…" Sil wriggled herself free. It was not easy to do. She reached into her makeup drawer. She put on some of her pink lipstick. And kissed the sleeping boy on his left cheek, just in case. She also pushed the """Fake""" Arms in his clutches. It was a cute image. Sil covered her mouth from cuteness.
"Okay. Going home in 1… 2… 3!"
*Go Home*
She teleported from the side of her bed. To in front of it.
Sig was in the exact same pose, holding Arms. Sil pulled on the light switch. She carefully tiptoed to check his cheek. She withheld the noises of her gasp. Her smirk had turned into a happy, and cheeky toothy grin.
One step backwards…
Two steps backwards…
Three steps backwards…
Four steps backwards…
Five steps backwards…
…
"Heeeeeeee~"
…
StepStepStepStepJUMPBODYSLAM! *Snuggle*
"Huh?" Sig reacted like he was lightly shook. His vision was a bit blurry but he did recognize the adoring red orbs. But again his vision blurry. They could look like anything.
"Hi, Sig~ Guess who probably made a giant butt out of herself yesterday?"
"Um… What?"
"Okay, you dope. Lemme rephrase: Guess who came back to reality?"
"…Oh. Hi, Sil… Everyone said you'd be crazy for a lot longer."
"Well, I am crazy. Fufufufufweh… I just got lucky~"
"Yeah, you must be really good to survive that."
"Well… Huh… You remember what happened to Ammy's memory after that beating she got at Halloween?"
"She forgot it?"
"I forgot most of what happened. Must've bad been horrible… I don't even remember much of last night… But let's not dwell on that, okay?"
She gave him an affectionate hug. And he gave a hug back. Sil said not to be as passionate. Her body hurts.
"I'm back in reality, Sig~ Siggy~ Siggums~ Siggy-kins~ I'm sorry scaring you like that, taking the suicidal difficulty so suddenly. I just… I just needed to clear that tower for a clear conscious. Any chance to make Doppelgangers extinct is worth my life."
"Is it though?"
"Shut up. Gimme my snuggly wugglies."
"Snuggly… Wugglies?"
"…Yeah, I was thinking that too. It just left my mouth."
"Was that the Amitie in you or…"
*Sheepish grin* "I'll give that part of me some slack… I blame it too much. I can just be as blissfully ignorant saying the most saccharine things that most can't stomach as she can, I'm sure."
"…It usually shows up when you're excited."
"True, it's so great knowing you're real. I'd have to wait 70 years for you in hell. But this excitement… It makes it a pain to hide in public."
…
"The Vibitia essence is also a massive weak point of mine. I have a harder time taking harsh words from people I care about. Makes me say dumb things. That dungeon prayed on the parts of me that're most naïve. I've learned the past few days seeing blood makes me dizzy. I think you were there when I first learned it."
"I think so…"
"Which, without the essence, all of that would've been unlike me."
"You don't have it as bad as Ammy." Amitie near faints if she sees blood.
"Poor Ammy. Whenever I look at her, I'm happy I got foreign essence in me." I.E. happy Amitie's alive.
…
"Sig. I feel more refreshed than ever. I think it's time to capitalize on it for a conscious effort to strive for a personality change before my biology bites me back." She stated somehow both confidently and unsure at the same time.
"You sure?… "
"Sig… Why did you deflate?"
"… Iunno… "
"Okay… Sooooo… I was thinking nothing childish. I'm almost an adult, I wanna feel like an adult. Nothing prideful. Don't wanna be a jerk prideful. Funny? That's more of a supplement. Sisterly? Maybe. I think Ammy might get jealous… Oooo. Maybe a flirty one. With a heart of gold! Don't wanna go Raffine after all. Might help me in the long run actually. I've never seen a chronic flirter not have fun doing so… You got any ideas, Sig?"
Sig couldn't think of anything. And it was obvious. "A… Girl one?"
"Oh, what a great idea, Sig. Girl's my absolute favorite personality type."
"Really? So should I become more girl-lik-?"
"Oh my gosh, Sig! I was being sarcastic, that's not a personality trait. And if it is it's incredibly nebulous. It could mean anything…"
She did reflect on her life in Primp though.
"Though, it's been happening to me, already…" She rubbed off the lipstick on her lips with her wrist. She stared at it. "Might as well build upon it, right?" She shrugged unsurely. "I've got insecurities to please." Her fear of being inhuman.
"Do what you want to." Sig flatly said. "I think you're fine the way you are."
Sil looked him straight in the eye. "But is Silvana fine the way is?"
"Yeah."
"Fufufu~ Dork." Sil chose neither to agree or disagree to save herself a potential headache. Suddenly the summer heat got to the room. Come to think of it, the papers leading up to this day had said today was gonna be the hottest all year. Sil started to sweat. She got off of Sig. And went for the folding screen, that covered her closet. "I'm gonna change into something that I can breathe in."
"'Kay."
Silvana looked at her options. 'Hagh. I know it doesn't matter. But…' "Wanna see me in a summer dress and sunhat?... and bandages… and cuts…and a black eye?" 'Change of plans. Adding the usual thighs and some big shades. Hide as many injuries as I can."
"If it makes you more comfortable." Sig took off his jacket and tied it around his waist.
"Well… I like breathing. And it's nice to wear something loose, comfy and breezy around someone and not want to die from massive embarrassment. It's just light embarrassment with you around. No clue why." Sil peeked her head around the folding screen to stick her tongue at him. "I guess that's what makes our friendship special~"
"Huh? A girl dressing nice for just a boy?" Sig followed to the best of his abilities. 'That can't be right?'
"Bingo!~ And don't put it like that. Now it's medium embarrassment."
Over the past few days, the tower slowly turned to whence it came.
Silvana took it easy. She didn't travel much further between Circus Square, a Primp Magic School, and everything in between. She still did the most she could in the circus. Everyone took note of her chipperness as she directed everything at her circus.
People were surprised Sil had made such a swift recovery. They had many questions. Some wanted to know what that tower did to her. Sil answered. "Ask Akuma." Sil didn't wanna deal with them. She's gotten a ton questions from regular patrons and fans how it was. She had made a sign so her vocal cords don't get as strained as her muscles had gotten.
Author's Notes:
I took liberties with Fudoushi. And I'm sorry if you don't like that. You see, I probably already said it but this fic started in what we thought of the main series. But it's basically and AU now. An AU that does match closely to the main one. As much as I can anyway. Fudoushi is possibly an exception. I'm mostly going by what everyone has told me, and making him my own thing.
Next three chapters: A few interactions and some answered question when her wounds were still a day or two fresh. Because I figure this chapter need four endings to water each other down and not to overload you all.
