Finally getting back on track! But adding in Sophie's story is what's really making me exhausted. I just knew that her word had to get in though.

Arc I, The Heart of Cresselia

Chapter Five:

Luka's Reawakening

Of course, his mother hadn't come home the previous night, and so, in the morning, the mansion was as empty as ever. There was no reassurance in the towering ceiling or the chandeliers, and even though he had walked down the marble staircase thousands of times, Luka couldn't help but feel like that particular instance was lonelier than the others.

"The limo is ready for your departure, sir," said the chauffeur, respectfully nodding his head as Luka descended the last set of stairs.

"Just so you know, we aren't picking Cassia up this time," said Luka, fixing his school uniform. He glanced at his reflection in one of the china-dresser mirrors, hoping that, for just this once, he wouldn't see his own platinum blonde hair and bright, bronze eyes. His own face had become a stranger to him. "Nor will we be picking her up ever again. If she calls, don't bother answering either."

"Sir?"

Luka strode past the man and into the outside, inhaling sharply as he was greeted by a rare cool breeze. "I think that she's been taking advantage of our rides. Besides, she lives close to the school. She can walk."

"Two miles is not exactly close, sir."

Luka pressed his lips together so that the chauffeur wouldn't see his smile. "Oh, well," he said very nonchalantly, as he always did. "I hope she left a little early then."

That particular morning, Saffron looked more suffocating than usual. The thin veil of smog that was curling above the buildings gave Luka the impression that the city was really like an unavoidable trap. Without his and Cassia's stiff conversation to fill the silence, the atmosphere of the limo was calmer. But it didn't feel any better than it had yesterday.

Certainly not any less lonely.

He played with his phone, pressing random buttons so that his chauffeur would at least think he was messaging someone, even though he wasn't. By the time they had driven down the road, he had bought himself five new designer tees and a pair of shoes for good measure. Looking at the reflection of his eyes on the 'Thank you for your purchase' screen always gave him a temporary rush of happiness.

When there was a slight pattering at the glass window, he glanced upwards and saw that it had begun to rain. In the distance, the sound of thunder curled across the city skyline. The sky was stirring beyond the ring of mountains surrounding Saffron.

As the limo pulled into the school, Luka couldn't avoid the sense of foreboding he had.

Luka grabbed his books and walked. He navigated the halls. He said good morning to a pretty girl that he had never seen before. He made sure to snatch her number before his reputation could reach her ears first. He went up the stairs. None of this felt peculiar, not even a smidge — and that was the most disconcerting thing above all.

Standing in front of his locker, he fiddled with the combination. When he opened it, a small piece of paper, which had been lodged in the corner, floated down into his hands. He glanced around the halls, seeking the note's author in the crowd of students. He saw rain-beaten hair, heard resounding laughter, and felt the heat of hundreds of people closing in on at him, all at once, but nothing was different — perceivably, at least.

❤ Meet me on the roof! ❤

Luka's face flattened. No girl that he had ever played with would be caught dead 1) on the roof, or 2) in the rain. "What a fucking joke," he muttered, feeling more tense and upset than usual.

But he went.

The rain had lightened to a mere drizzle. The dark stormclouds were still far in the distance, almost as far as Johto, Luka presumed. He walked up the rattling fire escape to the roof. The bell had rung already, and he was going to be late for class. Nevertheless, he persisted, making sure walk, breathe, and to think calmly, in hopes that his leaden heart would hush its clamor.

"Alright," he said as he stumbled onto the roof, legs aflame, "is this some kind of..." He trailed off.

The yellow-eyed girl was standing at the edge, only centimeters from stepping over and into her death. Her hands were folded behind her back. With the wind all around them, her dress and hair were swaying to the side like the tendrils of a willow tree.

"You've been following me," stated Luka. He clenched her note, now damp and crumbling, in his hand. "You haven't been sneaky at all."

"I wasn't trying to be unseen," said the girl breathlessly, grinning like she'd just been on the wildest ride of her life. "You're Luka, right? Luka Montgomery. I've seen you in the news before! I thought your name was familiar…"

"Oh, please!" snapped Luka. "What is it that you want? Money? A crazy story that you can publish in the news about me and my mother?"

"I don't want anything like that."

Luka noticed a shimmer in her hair, and he saw that there was a glass iris that shined different colors, pinned to her bangs. When she caught his eyes on the iris, her hand flew to her hair and she touched it gently, as if it reassured her.

"I'm not here for your wealth or some article about your family," she said. "I'm here to get you."

"You want me?" Luka stepped closer to her, threatening her with his cold stare. She didn't seem intimidated by his glares at all. "Is this some stupid kidnapping thing? Just so you know, my mother and the authorities would search the ends of the world to get me back."

"Oh no, it's nothing like that," she said, laughing like she knew something that he didn't. "Nobody will even know that you're gone. Actually, they will...but that's beside the point...If we were in any other time period but this one, I would give you a rundown of what's about to happen. An itinerary. But I don't have time for that."

Nobody will even know that you're gone.

Luka's stomach was hurting so bad that he could barely form words.

"You're going to kidnap me," he said, immediately scanning for some kind of escape.

"Luka, I'm not kidnapping you," said the girl, her voice exhibiting clear exasperation. "Look, I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Like I mentioned, I've got a deadline right now—"

The lightning across the mountain range had intensified, and the thunder had turned from a rumbling growl into a sharp crack. The echo reverberated throughout the valley. For a brief moment, the girl's words were lost to the noise.

"—If you're anything like you're supposed to be, you're someone who isn't meant to be in this world. Do you understand? You belong somewhere else...the place where I live."

"Meant to be in this world?" said Luka. "What do you mean by that — not in this world? I don't belong anywhere else but here. And even if I wasn't supposed to be here, I sure as hell wouldn't need to be where you come from."

The girl wore a very serious expression. Her following words came forcefully. "Luka, have you ever thought that you were supposed to be born in another time and place — like you just don't belong here? Have you ever suspected that you were born for something greater?"

Luka couldn't tell her that, because then he would be agreeing with her, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," he said, sounding hesitant. "I told you, I'm meant to be here. I have things to do, people to take care of."

His thoughts shifted to memories of Nolan.

"That's not what your fate says," said the girl. She stepped down from the edge of the building. "In fact, it says quite the opposite."

"Now you're going on about fate and all of that." Luka stumbled backwards as she got closer to him. She was much shorter than him, by at least three quarters of a foot, but that didn't mean she wasn't at all intimidating.

"Luka, I'm here for one purpose only," she said, stopping right in front of him. "I know that you want to run away right now, but aren't you even the slightest bit curious? Don't you even want to try and see what's in store for you? If you just listened to me, I promise that you'll open the doors to the greatest adventure of your whole life."

"An adventure?" Luka stuttered. He dared not believe it. He doubted he could stand one more night in his vacant mansion, without anyone to talk to or anything to do. "As — as if. And so what, even if you were telling me the truth, what would I have to do to go on this adventure?

The thunder snapped. The lightning split the sky. The wind roared.

CRACK.

The girl's face shined, like she was under a spotlight. And then, her next words:

"You have to die."

And then she reached out and pushed him from the top of the building.

End of Chapter Five