IV.

"Watching."

It was the middle of the night for Lila, but for Ray, it might have been the middle of his day. That redhead was always on guard but his most active hours were in the middle of the night. While she was fast asleep like she would need to be, and like she had been for the past few days. To think that it had been a couple of days since he had come to know her was a little unbelievable, but surely it was the start to a new period in their lives. Things seemed to go in the right direction for once his in misfortunate life and he couldn't ask for more. She was doing everything right even if he was making mistakes. Lila was doing everything and more than the Savior had expected of her, and despite not even have come into contact with the leader yet, she was receiving praise from his superiors. It was well-deserved, Ray knew.

Meanwhile, it wasn't as easy for Ray. He was doing his best to keep their location safe as well as he could given the circumstances. It was only to his benefit that nobody could search for Lila here. That slowed them down. But, even if he kept them at bay there was another mission he had to complete and it was utterly a failure thus far. Ray was such an undeserving idiot. The cruel voice would come to torment him when he hadn't had his elixir in a few days, and it was with such burning clarity tonight that he had to bite his tongue and type harder.

He couldn't even figure out everything on her phone. He had been trying to unlock this app for hours but it wouldn't budge but an inch when he fought against it. Encrypted, he hadn't yet been able to bust the code that locked the application he had copied from Lila's phone. All he had to go on was the information that Special Missionary Claude had given to him. It had something to do with the Savior that he didn't want anyone to see and he needed to work better than he was. It wasn't for a lack of trying, that was for sure. A lot of files on her phone were next to impossible to configure, believe it or not, there was some kind of gap that existed between the realm of coding in his world and what was capable in her world.

It was called Mystic Messenger, and it was by the whim of this application that he had been able to connect to her and draw her past the leyline. Since she had some kind of variant to the messenger it was more comfortable for him to gain access, but how she had this was beyond him. She wasn't known to any of the RFA and was from a place that was far from their imaginations. He knew it didn't make sense, but if he thought of it as a cosmic intervention into their lives he might be able to tolerate it.

He tried once again, correcting the algorithm and hoping that this would open the floodgates. Ray waited, expectantly. At first, it didn't budge. He looked away for the smallest moment and then something cracked. Looking over the data that was now at his fingertips, he scanned the few files that were open to him. The folder that caught his eye was reversed for saved data, clicking that and opening it up. There were some pieces that couldn't be activated without tinkering without the program as a whole. He did see there was a photograph of Lila sitting there, which told him that there was more to this program then meets the eye. He now had access to another photograph of hers, but it wasn't the data that the Savior wanted.

Ray turned to the phone that came from Lila's data in his lap. Many of the applications and websites were strictly from her universe and he had to be careful when he toyed with them to get what he needed. Perhaps if he looked through some of these profiles once again, he might find something that might open this for him. "Lila Lancelot," He mumbled as her information came to him. "Twenty-one years old, a graphic artist in America, she lives by herself in a small apartment and she's been recovering from an attempt at her health for more than a year."

She wasn't very active on the internet and for the profiles that she did have, there wasn't a lot to go on. Most of her posts were her about her paintings, if not that, it was photos with her sister. She had one older sister that she was close to according to his check, and she lived a while away from Lila. The name flickered in front of his face, Lucy Lancelot. The sister was older than her by at least two years and already had a family of her own with a young daughter and a girlfriend. He wouldn't get much out of that but he would keep that in the back of his mind in case her passwords for this program had to do with her older sister.

The most recent posting on the page came from her Mother. It was some nonsensical rant about how much she cared about her daughter and how she appreciated thoughts and prayers. Ray knew better than to check that information for anything. All the personal messages that Lila sent to any of her close friends and even her sister repeated time and time again that she did not have a good relationship with the woman. There was nothing he could gain from that. He could relate to the sentiment. But, seeing it just reminded him of something he couldn't stomach. He would feel the ghost of rope burns against his ankle. Ray swallowed.

He had the Savior now, and he had a job to do. He couldn't be weak. He swallowed the bile that dared to travel up his throat and kept clicking away. "Here's something..." He saw the word of the application in one of her messages. His eyes skimmed the message. "There's got to be an easier way on Mystic Messenger to get past these day seven roadblocks. " Ray repeated, eyebrow raised. Day seven roadblocks? That implied there was some kind of content that required more than seven days to do it.

But what did that even mean?

And what did it have to do with his Savior?

He couldn't just ask Lila about it, no, she might be offended that he could see her information. She might never trust him again if she knew, worse yet, she might hate him. There had to be a way to get the information without tipping her off in the process but he couldn't find it just yet. Ray grit his teeth and dug his nails into the pads of his palm as punishment. He couldn't take a misstep and make her hate him, his heart couldn't be able to take that pain. It was time for a break from this application. What could he do for this brief moment of air where that redhead wasn't acting and he had nothing to do but stare into space and disappoint everyone?

You're pitiful, Ray. You're not good enough. If you can't even think of a good plan to get what you need you're going to fail before you even start you, damn idiot. The Savior won't let you even think about seeing her ever again if you lose. It taunted him.

He could cry about it. He wanted to, but he couldn't devote enough strength to it at that moment.

Instead, he decided to check out the saved sound files from the phone calls from the RFA that Lila had received during the day. The first ones came from the expected ones. He wasn't surprised when he found them suspicious of her, especially Chairman Jumin Han and Chief Assistant Jaehee Kang. Jumin kept his conversation brief, but he did note that her use of English was something that he wouldn't forget. No doubt he might want to look into her background by using whatever information he could find, it was respectable, but Ray knew it was fruitless. Lila had been chosen for this mission because they would never find anything on the web or even in government documents. Jaehee made it abundantly clear that she keep things professional, but Lila managed to warm her heart a little by promising not to leak any of that actor's photos.

It was distasteful, but he did check the others.

Yoosung Kim quickly realized the language gap and hastily attempted to correct his English but Lila coaxed him down. She was much too kind to people, that he had already noted in his reports, but it was another thing to see her in action. She swapped over to text messages for the rest of their conversation and it was a bit of mindless dribble. Yoosung Kim would be one of the first to realize his mistakes and join his Savior, that much had already been planned, his grief was still intense and he didn't shut up about it. Lila handled it well, however, dealing with him that was. Her empathetic words about her own life experiences with loss calmed the boy.

Zen didn't seem to mind that there was a gap between their communication and it irked Ray for some reason that this guy thought he could just flirt with someone like Lila. She laughed when he complimented her, she knew enough Korean to know when that was happening. The most English that he was capable of was from plays that he had learned or performed in, the mention of those seemed to send Lila in a tissy because she wasn't unlike Chief Assistant Jaehee Kang, she was into the music scene as much as she was. Because not long after that blundered conversation, she and he were debating the more exceptional aspects of a few plays they had seen over text.

She seemed to be having a fun time. Her smiles were that of a common occurrence now, and the distant frown that he had seen on her face the first time he got a glimpse of her was long forgotten and replaced with the perfection of her bright smile.

He didn't even want to look at the log where that redhead contacted her, whatever moronic atrocities that came out of his mouth weren't worth his time and he trusted Lila to never listen to a word he said with her heart. The same went for the liar V. But he hadn't called her in quite some time, and that caused a feeling relief in his chest. As much as he couldn't trust that damned redhead, it was different for V. He knew that Lila would be fine against the idiot. But, he feared for her safety when it came to V. He would listen to anything that that man tried if it meant that he could protect his precious tester against his ill intentions.

The last thing Ray wanted to see her get hurt as he had; He wouldn't know what to do with himself if she got hurt. But the last time he had seen her communicate with him it wasn't anything more than her throwing him off her back.

Speaking of which, what might she be doing at this hour? Ray liked to think that she was peacefully sleeping but he knew that was wishful thinking on his part. There was an alert from his security cameras that told him she was out of her room. The clock on the wall told him that it was well past the witching hour. On occasion, she would venture out of her room and sit on the window pane in the hallway just watching the world pass by outside with such longing in her eyes that he was jealous of the object of her gaze's affection. She would chat with the RFA, inviting new guests when they would give them to her and she would do it flawlessly. That was where she was right at that moment, and he found himself watching her through the monitors when he was working when he knew nobody would catch him slacking off.

She must have just had a chatroom with one of them because her phone was with her on her side, but there was the strangest thing happening. Lila suddenly turned around from the window, her head turning as her body did - staring at something just out of the camera's line of sight. Her eyes fluttered in a perplexing expression. She raised an eyebrow, and her lips parted as she opened her mouth and whispered something that was undetectable to his camera's range. He wasn't sure what it was but it made her stop and stare.

"...?"

She then shook her head, whatever had caught her attention was now gone and her lips turned into a frown.

Interesting, Ray thought. Nobody is to be near that floor unless necessary. So, which one of them wasn't thinking with their head on their shoulders? He rolled his mouse and looked at the camera that would show the next floor and saw one Believer walking down the hall briskly. His hood was over his head and he couldn't tell who he was. What would somebody be thinking of coming to that wing without asking beforehand? "What are you doing?" Ray whispered to the screen but a sudden knock at the door startled him. He was supposed to be working and he couldn't be caught off task now of all times. He got back to work soon after that and he forgot about the incident in favor of completing his tasks.

Days would pass before he would be able to see Lila in person again, but he found solace in talking with her when he found the opening.

Wisteria has entered the chatroom.

Ray has entered the chatroom.

Ray: Good afternoon Lila! I didn't interrupt you, did I?

Wisteria: No. There hadn't been much happening in the past few hours, Ray. I'm free to speak.

Wisteria: I'm glad to see you, right now. I'm in the need of a little distraction. I was working on some illustrations but they weren't turning out like I wanted them and I got a little overheated.

Ray: You're happy to see me? I'm happy to hear you say that!

Ray: You've eaten this afternoon right?

Wisteria: Yes. I have.

Ray: Good. Having a healthy diet is the shortcut to staying healthy and clear of mind. I just had a chocolate bar. Though it's not a proper meal, it's sweet and enhances my happy mood.

Wisteria: Now what did I say about eating right before, Ray? Snacks are good but make sure you sit down soon, okay? You can't ignore your body. That's not healthy!

Wisteria: I'd hate to think that you were wasting away while you were working like that!

Wisteria: I know firsthand that it's not healthy and... No, sorry. That's overstepping my boundaries.

Ray: I'm sorry if I made you upset, Lila.

Wisteria: No. It's...

Wisteria: You didn't upset me, Ray. I just remembered something painful is all.

Ray: Oh. Are you feeling okay? I don't want you to feel any pain.

Wisteria: I'm okay. I promise. I've just been thinking about something uncomfortable for the past little while and it's made a little upset. I don't like to talk about it but maybe I'll let you know about it eventually - friends can confide in each other when they're feeling bad.

Ray: Friends... confide in each other?

Wisteria: Sometimes you listen to their pain and sometimes you just chat with them when they need somebody to talk to forget their pain. It's about trust, that's something that is important with your friends.

Ray: I see the AIs talked about friendship earlier. The friendship between V and Jumin... Lila, do you believe in friendship?

Wisteria: It can be rare to find the golden ones, but yes, I do believe in it and its power to make you feel better when you're lonely.

Ray: Really? You must have a lot of friends... I want to learn about friendship. I wonder what it is. I wonder what it feels like to equally trust and rely on each other... I never had friends. I wasn't allowed to play outside when I was young, that's why I try to go out often these days. I enjoy going out to see the flowers in particular.

Wisteria: I don't have a lot of good friends either. It can be difficult to be close to people if you're having a trouble of your own.

Wisteria: But, I share the sentiment. It can be refreshing and help you clear your mind if you can lose yourself surrounded by nature. I did the same thing when I was younger on my families' property whenever I had the chance to escape from everyone else and be alone. You are very fond of flowers too, if I recall, right?

Ray: Yes I am! If you can call flowers your friends. I have quite many Oh right, I'm memorizing flower languages too, I believe I mentioned that to you before. I think you may know more than I do since you said before your family had a flower shop but let me know if there's any meaning you'd like to know and I'll try to see how I do!

Wisteria: Hm. Well, there's some that even I can't remember half the time. There are so many kinds and some many arrangements that symbolize different things but there are route meanings for a lot of that the public accepts as the meaning.

Wisteria: Red roses, for example, we all know that they symbolize passionate love, a romantic love. Everyone knows that that's why you always see people exchange them on Valentine's Day to their lovers.

Wisteria: You know, I always thought they were a little overzealous with them. You know, I just recalled you've had a blue rose on your lapel. Do you know what those typically stand for?

Ray: The meaning of the blue rose... Impossible. Unattainable.

Wisteria: ...Oh. Yes, you're right. It's not a happy one.

Ray: To some, this world may be filled with possibilities. Giving happiness to those sad people is what I have to do. Hey, Lila - I wonder if I could be your best friend. A friend who can share a deep full world...even deeper then V and Jumin's world!

Wisteria: Anything is possible. These things take time though!

Ray: Of course we'll need time... but what's essential for you is to wish to be here.

Wisteria: Are you afraid I'm going to skip town or something? C'mon, Ray, you have to give me more credit. It's been fun hanging out with you.

Ray: Oh. Yes. That's my bad.

Ray: Um, I just finished my meal with that important guest I told you about before.

Ray: It would have been better if I ate with you... Actually, that person is the one who supervises everything about this place We sometimes have meals or tea together but it's been uncommon these days.

Wisteria: That seems unfortunate since you enjoy some company. You must lonely these days.

Ray: ...Yeah. I am.

Ray: While we were eating, this person said that all my senses are focused on you ever since you came here and that it was essential for me to not to get obsessed with something if I wanted to take care of big things.

Ray: I... didn't think I was being obsessed with you.

Ray: What do you think?

Wisteria: I don't think I would call it that. I think you just feel strongly about everything, maybe. Sometimes when you make a friend - it can be exhilarating and all you ever want to think about is learning about them and hanging out with them. It's not a bad thing. You just never had a friend before, right? It must be confusing.

Ray: Really? Maybe it's okay. I'm not sure myself. Honestly, I've never given a deep thought about my emotions... haha... Ah - That important person was interested in you. The overall development plan for the app you're testing was all that person's idea!

Wisteria: Then, would it be far-fetched to say that this person is your boss?

Ray: Um... I'm not really hired but it's the same as working for this person, as I'm going to do everything that person tells me to do. This person is my savior If things go well... You'll be able to meet this person as well. I thoroughly admire this person so I'm sure you'll be the same.

Ray: When I think about you being here I still feel so thrilled. The fact that you came here with your own free still makes me very happy. I'd be really happy if you stayed here continuously If possible... even after everything's done!

Wisteria: I haven't made up my mind yet. I don't mind chatting with you though so for now, I'm staying.

Ray: Really? Are you sure?

Ray: Oh, what am I to do? It's my first time here such words I'm really glad. I'm really really really happy! My heart's beating really fast... What do I do? Oh, omg... My heart's about to burst. I don't know how to describe this.

Ray: Oh, you're here! I think I'm really lucky. Because I was on my way to your room.

Wisteria: Right now?

Ray: Yes. I really miss you. Lila, what were you up to?

Wisteria: Nothing much, really. This and that.

Ray: There's something I imagined as your hobby, can you hear me out? Watching videos through smartphones, scribbling, and to play the game I've installed for you.

Wisteria: That's about what I do daily. Though, those are hobbies I've always participated in.

Ray: Really? That's good. I want to know more about you. I think I've thought of you the whole day. You know what...? I've never liked somebody, so I'm not sure about this, but... I keep thinking about you. That must be because I like you, isn't it?

Wisteria: Hm, well yeah, in some ways. That's the fun part when it comes to getting to know somebody. That there's something new to learn about the other person every time you interact... But it takes time to get to know somebody very well, Ray

Ray: Okay, if you say so...

Ray: I'm... I might not be an exciting person I hope you won't be disappointed with me... Because, I already can't get you out of my head... The funny thing is... I want you to think of me too. What do you think about the desire to control someone else's actions? Is it good? Or is it bad?

Wisteria: It can be suffocating if you come on too strong, Ray. I know the feeling though... Um, I mean to say though I know it can be difficult to gauge what's too strong if you've never had a friend before.

Ray: I'm sorry if I made you feel cramped up. Don't be too burdened by that. How's the game today? Up to which part, have my AIs revealed their secrets to you? How much have you hung out with the AIs?

Wisteria: V turned out to be more active than usual - that wasn't something I expected.

Ray: You're doing well, just like I asked you...! Thanks... Oh, I can't stand chatting like this. I want to see you right now. Oh. Almost there, Lila, Could you open the door?

Wisteria: Um, sure, hold on!

Ray: ^^

Ray has left the chatroom.

Ray was determined as he walked through the halls towards Lila's room.

He would pass the occasional Believer along his path but he did his best to disregard them as went, not acknowledging any of them other than the odd mumble. There were growing numbers in the organization, but none of them were allowed to come even close the floor that Lila was on. That was orders from the Savior, and by extension, his orders. She was on a special mission with him, and that would grant her privileges that others couldn't even dream of. It would be soon that she would join them, he thought, and she would have plenty of time to spend with him in due time. He wouldn't have to waste moments fighting that damned redhead while wanting to talk to, no, he couldn't think about that right now. He wouldn't let that man sully his thoughts any longer when he wanted to have a nice evening with Lila. He set his phone in his pocket, setting it out of the way after he exited the chatroom.

The hallways were barren as they should have been as he got closer to her room and he didn't have to concern himself with someone watching him as he made his way to see Lila. It wasn't others that he was worried about speaking to him. It was the cruel-hearted words in the back of his mind that met with the shadows that petrified him. Ray couldn't ignore him. It wasn't even a thing that he could do. It was weak Ray, why should he even think for a moment that she might be happy with him? Would she even want to see him? What would a girl like that even want with someone as horrible, as doubtful as him? He trembled at the idea, despite the fact that Lila hadn't said anything to make him turn tail - he still feared that it could be coming for him one of these days like the back of a hand to the face.

He was standing there in front of her door, unbreathing. The whispering voice in the back of his told him he was weak, pitiful, a marshmallow too soft to make up his mind. He thought for a moment that he might run, he might make up a lie and say he had to work but before he could even run through an escape plan Ray heard her footsteps on the other side of the door, the shadow appeared underneath the crack, and then the doorknob twisted to reveal her to him. Lila looked like she had slept some since she had arrived, and her hair framed her face wonderfully.

When he saw her face he was relieved once again, and it brought a smile to his smile for the first time in hours. She didn't look like she was angry to see him standing there and suddenly, the confidence was back in mind and he found the words to speak. "Finally... I've missed you so much. I'm sorry I couldn't visit you more often."

"You've been busy with your work, that's nothing to be sorry about." Lila shook her head. She was too modest to say otherwise, he was sure. He knew that she hated to be alone for long periods of time and even if she wasn't saying it, the glimmer in her eyes pleased him greatly. "I knew you would be coming around again soon, Ray."

"I just wanted to see you once again. My work has been so busy since you arrived, I just couldn't catch a break. I hope I'm not bothering you by dropping by though. I just thought it might be time for you to get some fresh air because it's perfect out tonight. It's the perfect weather to take a walk amongst the stars together. Remember what I told you on the before about this place and what you might like most?" He asked, leaning forward with enthusiasm kicking at the edge of every word that he said.

Lila was smart. She always knew what he was going to say without hesitating. "You did say there was a garden. I can see some of it from my window but it's just enough to make me curious. It looks pretty big. Is that what you meant?"

His head bobbed up and down in confirmation. "Yes, and I'm going to take you there! When you talked about your family - I figured out what you might enjoy most here to cure any homesick feeling you have... a good idea, right? Don't you feel bored stuck on this floor? I appreciate you playing my game so earnestly, but you might forget reality if you're too focused on playing the game." He was beaming with enthusiasm as he spoke. There wasn't going to be anything good to come for her if she played with the RFA too long, they were well beneath her, of course. When they arrived, they would be in the Savior's hands alone and away from the general Believers.

Ray was smiling as he fiddled with his hands. "It's important that you have time with people who are real."

"I know the difference between reality and fantasy, you know?" Lila told him with a weak smile. "You have some to give me some more credit, Ray, okay?"

Ray's eyes widened and he shook his head. "I know! Um, oh... that's my bad. You're not offended are you?" He asked, waiting for a recoil that never came for him. When he opened his eyes Lila wasn't staring at him with disdain, she was looking at him like she always had looked at him. Kindly, fondly, not with ill intentions. He hoped he hadn't done the wrong thing, he wanted so badly to be close to Lila. She could use and abuse him as she wanted but he wanted it to never come to a point like that.

"I was just playing with you, Ray... not everything is so cut and dry serious, lighten up just a bit." She told him.

"Yes, yes of course. I wasn't thinking. I want our night to be fun." He extended his hand to her own and she took it, gracefully. "I found some free time for myself to be with you. I want to make a memory with you if that's okay... wait, no, a lot of memories! But I think I'm getting ahead of myself, um... Just for tonight... let's go see the flowers in my favorite garden. You'll see them glowing softly in the moonlight."

And so, Ray lead her through the hallways and corridors of the complex. It took them a couple of minutes to traverse on foot but he couldn't think about that if he was honest. He could hear his heart in his ears as she stood close to him. Ray thought she could see right through him with her hand in his own. How nervous he was and how pitiful he was. She never once said anything in that regard. She didn't say much either as they walked other than the occasional question he would do his best to answer for her within reason.

"Have you been working this whole time?" She asked.

"Yes, my work is very important. I can't daddle." He said.

"You look tired," Lila pointed out with a frown as they rounded a corner. "I'm happy to see you, but shouldn't you resting if you caught a break?"

Ray chuckled and shook his head. What point was there in getting some rest right now of all times? He didn't want to sleep when he knew his dreams were haunted by the ghosts of the past. He wanted no part of those. He wanted to live and to breathe in the now and that meant that he wanted to spend his time with Lila instead.

"Ray!" She scolded, suddenly. "Promise me you'll get some sleep next time you have a break."

He looked at her with a raised brow. "You would rather me sleep then see you?" He asked, not understanding what she meant entirely.

She gave him a light and playful shove to his arm. "That's not what I meant, Ray. I'm worried about your health. Take it from me, you need to sleep when you get the chance. It's not worth it to have the work done if it comes at the cost of your well-being."

His face felt hot and that gleeful feeling that haunted him earlier was returning. Was it too terrible he wanted to hear more about that? She was worried about him, truly? Oh, that made him happy beyond reason. "Oh. Oh, I... I've never had somebody say that to me before. I want to please my... supervisor, so I work as hard as I can. I'm used to working a lot without rest so sometimes I just forget to sleep..."

That brought a frown to her face. "Look, mister, your health is important. Next time you come to visit me, you better be well-rested, otherwise, I will make you get some rest."

"You'd make me?" He mimicked her thoughts.

"I guess that's a little aggressive when you put it that way." Lila rubbed the back of her head with her free hand and let out a little laugh. "Um, I'd strongly insist you do it. I don't mind letting you bother the bed for a few minutes if you clearly needed it."

Ray opened his mouth to say something but they had arrived at the double doors that would allow them outside. He opened the door and they were illuminated n the night by the dull lamps that the Savior had installed to get the grounds perfect. She would want to wander her paradise at any hour and that meant everything needed to be perfect for night and day conditions. It was a familiar sight for him but it would be the first time for Lila to see this place in its entirety. She didn't say anything at first, which made him worried but then, Lila let go of his hand. She took a few steps forward into the garden and looked around at everything that surrounded them.

"Wow," He heard her say as she took another step forward. "Wow, wow, wow, wow." It seemed to be a sound of awe, surprise even, and he wondered if her face would be as lit up as he hoped. Lila looked over her shoulder back at him with her eyes shining at him like the lights of a Christmas tree, and her lips wide in a smile. Her eyes shined with something he couldn't understand and this smile that appeared on her face seemed to take her to another planet than the one he was on.

It was a lot for him to take in. The flowers were nothing compared to the way she looked in bathed in moonlight.

She inspected a few flowers, her fingers dancing against the petals. "I haven't seen anything like this in such a long time, Ray. There are so many flowers out here I'm not even sure I know all of them and that's saying something. You must have put a lot of work into this, you can tell everything down to the smallest leaf has been taken care of."

He wasn't sure he was breathing. "I'm just happy to see you smiling!"

"This is the kind of place I can only dream about," She admitted to him. "There's so many varieties and colors out here. It's like a real paradise with all of these colors. You were right, Ray. I do feel a lot better about everything now. Look at this peony, and oh, there's even bellflowers. Oh, there's some amaryllis, it's such a vibrant crimson color - it reminds me of the sunset. I did a painting with it as a color swatch for me a few months ago, um, I can't recall exactly what the theme was for it since it's been so long but this is the same color. "

"A crimson phoenix, rising from the ashes of the evening, and dancing into the morning sun?" Ray began to say as he walked up behind her. "Is that the one you are referring to?"

Lila stiffened. "Ray... I never told you about that before. How did you know that?" She didn't look at him and that's when Ray realized he made a mistake in opening his mouth.

Darkness began to shroud his face as he began to talk. Something was crawling up his back as he stood there next to Lila, whispering to him that he didn't have to explain himself to her and how he knew anything about her already. "Oh, I guess you didn't tell me. You see, I hope you don't mind but I checked some of your social media profiles you came here." He said. "I noticed you talking about that there. You craft beautiful things. Forgive me for looking behind your back, I just wanted to know more about you."

Lila looked at him. There was still something in her face that showed a kind of fear, maybe she was just startled by his devotion to learning about her life's work in his spare time. "Oh. Well, that's okay, next time just ask if you want to know something about me. I'm happy to share anything with you because we're friends, Ray. You don't have to sneak around my back to know about my work."

She wasn't angry.

Ray felt joyful.

"You would?" He asked, his eyes downcast at the ground. It was pitiful to think he feared her for even a moment the way he had and she was just alright with it. "I think it's admirable that you have such a creative talent. You put a lot of work into what you do but you're naturally creative. I always wondered what that would feel like. I put a lot of work into studying computers to get to where I am today but that's just hard work intellectually. You can mold worlds with your hands. I can't do that."

Her eyes softened. She reached out to him and pressed her hand against his shoulder. "Ray, everybody has talents in different things. Just because something I do doesn't come naturally to you doesn't mean that you aren't creative. No, look at what you're doing here for example. It takes a lot of talent to create games, or heck, even code all the programming as you do. That takes a lot of talent! I don't even know all the things you would have had to learn to get where you are. That's impressive and creative."

Ray felt his face begin to burn at the feeling of Lila standing so close to him. He didn't deserve such praise from someone like her. She didn't even know what she was talking about. "Lila, do you really think so?"

"Of course I do, Ray. You have to believe in yourself more."

He took her by the hand again and lead her through the gardens for a while longer. It was him and she in the world at that very moment and it was all that he could ask for. "I feel great. This night, the moon, your company... these are all things that I'm happy to be surrounded with. It's been almost a week now that you've been here and whenever I wake up from my short nap, I keep checking the log. Because it feels like a dream. You're enjoying your chat with the RFA a lot more then you do with me, I fear. I'm grateful to you for testing the game in my place... but I'm often scared that you might disappear into the game. And today, I thought I might lose you to the game, so I couldn't help coming for you."

Ray held so tightly onto her hand. He feared that she might disappear if he wasn't holding onto her hands. He was nervous and that was all. For a very long time, she just had been an idea of a person and she was here and breathing. It wasn't a fantasy anymore. He could mess up, and ruin their friendship with one choice and with another choice he could become better acquainted with her. He didn't want to lose the one person that he had come to know as a genuine bond. It all started as a plan that his Savior wanted him to complete, but he was beginning to see that he felt something more, something strange, something scary in his gut and he didn't know what it was.

He knew that he wanted to see Lila smile.

That seemed wrong for some reason. When he thought about it, something twisted in his gut and he tried to shake it away for the fear that it would be taken away from him in an instant.

"Just what exactly do you do here, Ray?" Lila asked as she broke her gaze with him. "You haven't told me that just yet in clarity."

"What do I do...?" Ray asked, unsure what to tell her for a moment before it struck him. "There are a lot of things that I do here but they're all basically the same when it comes down to it! It's showing somebody something entertaining. My supervisor administers everything in this place by herself so I can't help but be busy. There are still people out there who need our help."

"And what do you mean by, help?" Lila pressed.

"We do more than just develop games, it's a variety of things, really. It's all for the benefit of people that my supervisor believes- People that are in desperate need out there."

"That's... valiant of you to want to help people, Ray." She finally said. She gripped his hand tight giving it a firm squeeze. "But I hope that you're helping people with your own convictions. You don't strike me as someone who blindly follows someone's lead into battle like a mere pawn."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow, perplexed by the expression.

"You say so much about your boss that you don't even mention how you think about things. There are much stronger pieces on the board than a pawn. You could be a knight if you wanted. That puts you two steps ahead of everyone else on the chess board, and it puts you on the front line to make your own choices rather than behind somebody else."

Ray stared at Lila. He wasn't sure where she got these ideas inside her head. She was talking about him, how he thought as if what he believed wasn't exactly what his Savior believed. He had never really thought about that. She always was right, and she had never once steered him wrong even if there was a time where he felt pain. He only felt pain because he was imperfect. The trials he suffered, the elixir of truth, all things he went through to prove his worth to one day become as pure as his Savior.

He couldn't blame Lila for thinking something strangely. She wasn't from paradise and had not yet learned what was truly good for someone but he wouldn't dare stop her optimistic thinking.

She implied that he was fiercely intelligent and he was capable of being ahead in the game. She didn't even know the things he was cooking for that damned redhead and the RFA already, she thought well of him enough to compliment him as such. This was beyond better then what he had feared, even after he had admitted he had been learning about her without her knowledge.

Ray mused as his face turned pink as could be. His lips parted for a moment, then closed, then reopened. "Is that really a compliment? Is Lila really complimenting me of all people?" Ray covered his face, letting out a soft noise in a rebuff to what he was feeling.

There were butterflies in his gut and he didn't understand it. Nobody had ever praised him except the Savior but this, this was very different. "I've never got that before from somebody I admired - I mean to say, from somebody like you... Ah, my chest feels so heavy again because of your words. You're very kind, Lila." He dared to take a step closer to her amongst the flowers. He didn't breathe and he wasn't sure that she was breathing either. They were oh-so-close in that fleeting moment and he dared to wish that this moment might last forever.

"I'm glad you think so well of me," he said. "You even trusted me with your name... You didn't even tell those AIs your true name."

"Well, you were honest with me about your name, why shouldn't I have been honest with you about mine?" Lila whispered.

The itch on his body warned him that lying to Lila wasn't right but he knew it was for her own good. They soon began to walk through the gardens once more; the stillness of the night and the soft breeze building them. It was a perfect night for them, all was well in the world and nothing would tarnish that. Well, except for some leftover wood that had been carelessly forgotten by some of the Believers in their path.

Ray scowled, "Oh, watch your step. Construction materials were left behind, I told them to clean them up. It seems they didn't finish their job. This building hasn't been completed yet. It's complete on the outside, but the basement inside is still under construction. You'll soon be able to roam around the building as you please... though, a few more contracts would be necessary. Oh, let's not talk about this now, we can discuss that later, of course." Ray paused. He took one look upward at the sky and then directed his attention back to Lila as he continued to speak. "If you want to be one of us forever, I'll do everything in my power to help you. So please, I ask that you let me in... So that we... I mean, I can be amongst your heart like these flowers. Oh, the wind's gone icy. You shouldn't catch a cold, Lila. I should take you back."

Lila hung on his every word. Ray could feel her staring at him, whether it was joy or sadness he wasn't sure.

"A- Already?" She asked, disappointed. "The night's barely started, Ray."

"You're right... You must feel like you're trapped, stuck in that room with no chance to be anywhere else... If you promise to be one of us soon, you could be free. Could you please give me more time? I'll log in and visit you more often. I won't keep you alone and trapped. Now... Let's go, I'll walk you to your room." Ray reluctantly ended their evening out together and headed back in the direction of the compound with Lila on his heels. Strangely, there was a feeling in his gut that somebody was watching them.

He thought it might have just been the itch from having Lila close enough that she could gaze at the back of his body, but his stomach warned him that that wasn't the case.