It isn't until you've read every support conversation and written some dialogue yourself, that you realize just how many ellipses and exclamation marks are being used. Goddamn.
Anyways, thank you to those that faved and followed the story, my heart soars every time I see one. I hope you enjoy this bit as much as the other one. Thank you.
After her confession to her father, everything became a whirlwind from there.
One second she's trying to contain her laughter after seeing her father's reaction, the next she's crying on his shoulder and he's trying to awkwardly comfort her, and now she's standing in front of her mother with a sheepish expression.
If she thought meeting her father again made her nervous, she was way off went she stood before her mother. Unlike her father, Kou'li had very faint memories of her mother, only little details here and there. But she knew this was her mother through and through. Their similar appearances were a clear example of such.
Her silver hair was inherited from her mother, something that she always liked about herself. It made her stand-out, made her, her. Then it was the brown eyes. Technically, her father had dark eyes as well but…not like her mother's. They didn't have that spark of intelligence, of optimism, of unadulterated confidence. And she loved to stare at them.
And when Kou'li stuttered and shook before her, she thought that perhaps she would berate her or scold her for her behavior. But she did neither.
With her brown eyes staring into hers like warm chocolate, she grasped Kou'li's hand gently and whispered kind words that only a mother could say. Overwhelmed by her mother's sudden kindness, Kou'li threw herself into her mother's arms like she had known her her entire life. Her father watched from behind with a satisfied smile on his face.
So this was true happiness, huh?
The next person she reunited with was her dear younger brother. Someone she was very eager and equally as nervous to meet. You see, as the other children and Kou'li were about to enter Naga's portal, reinforcement Risen arrived at the scene and launched their final desperate attack. The children all rushed towards the portal in a hurry, but as the chaos ensued she lost her sights on her brother. Her eyes searched everywhere, scanned everywhere to see where he could possibly be but she never found him. She stood their motionless until some of the other children pulled away despite her protests. Jumping into the portal against her will, she prayed to all the possible God's for his safety. So to hear that he was safe and sound in this time brought her endless joy.
She found him in his tent with a pile of tomes and maps set before him, deeply concentrated in the material. She smiled to herself when she noticed that he still had that same baby face as always, he was practically the same Morgan as before. Feeling her presence, he looked up from his studies and focused his attention towards her.
She smirked at him and placed her hands on her hips. "Still as studious as ever, huh Morgan?" she teased.
He returned the smile back at her but with hint of confusion in it. "Of course, I have to if I want to catch up to Mother!" he says enthusiastically. "But, uh, no offense miss, but…who are you?"
His genuine question makes her recoil and changes her expression to one of heartache. "Morgan…do you not recognize me? It's me, Kou'li. Your elder sister," she insists. "If you're playing a trick on me…I'll be very mad if you are."
Morgan shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but I still don't recognize you. Didn't Mother and Father tell you? I lost my memory, I don't remember anything or practically anybody," he admits.
She's left speechless. Her own brother…The last of her family does not…remember her. Oh gods, is this her punishment? If so, then the gods are cruel.
"Whoa, wait…are you crying?" Morgan approaches her till he stands tall before her.
Perhaps he has changed…
She didn't notice that tears were already spilling down her cheeks. Is this the third time she has cried today?
She quickly wipes them away before he grows anymore concerned. "I'm sorry…your words just…hurt me. They hurt me very much, that's all." She forces herself a smile. "I'll be alright. Don't worry about me," she reassures him.
Morgan stares at her like he's torn on what to do, but that quickly changes when an idea pops into his head. "I know what'll cheer you up!" he says.
Quickly grabbing all of the spare tomes lying around, he begins to hand some to her and keeping some to himself as well, making room on the tent floor as he sets a single tome on the floor before them. He points to the tome with an excited smile.
"This might seem a bit childish, but whenever I feel down, I play a round of tome stackers! It's a pretty simple game but it's a lot of fun! If you want I can teach you the basi- Hey, wait! Are you crying again?"
And indeed she was. Her tears flow once again as the droplets fall onto the hard cover of the tome in her hand. "Y-You used to play the same game when were little kids. Whenever I was in a bad mood…you would make me play tome stackers with you until I felt better," she let out a light laughter. "I remember I used to let you win all the time…just so I could see you smile. Your happiness…was always my own."
Morgan gazes at her with downcast eyes. "I'm sorry I don't remember you…I really don't. I went through the same situation with the others and they all seemed to be disappointed. My amnesia has really caused a lot of people to get hurt…"
"Morgan, it isn't your fault."
"Sometimes I feel lucky that I can't remember anything. I've heard so many bad things about the future that I'm somewhat glad I don't remember it. But…knowing that I don't remember Father or…you, it just- it bothers me. I almost always optimistic, but this sometimes gets me down…"
"Morgan…" she says softly.
"Maybe if I just…" he stares at the tome he's holding wistfully.
When she thinks he's about to cry, she reaches out to him. But instead of hearing the sobs of her brother, a sudden loud smack is echoed throughout the tent as Morgan pelts himself rather harshly with the tome. Before she can process what just happened, he begins to hit himself repeatedly, each blow becoming stronger than the next.
"Why. Can't. I. Remember. Any. Thing?" he says to himself in between each thump.
Snapping out of it, she swiftly removes the tome from his hands and clutches it tightly to her chest. "Morgan! What in the world do you think you're doing?!" she shouts.
"Trying to get my memories! Maybe a nice good hit against the head will jog some memories, don't you think?"
"I think you're going to end up harming yourself! Morgan, you are much smarter than this. Surely you must know how stupid this idea of yours is!" she says irritated.
Morgan folds his arms. "You and Father both stopped me from doing this, and I still don't understand why."
"Would getting Mother to tell you why answer your question?" she says clicking her tongue.
That instantly stops him in his tracks. "N-No, don't tell Mother! I can practically hear her already…"
"Good…then stop harming yourself. While I do wish for you to remember me, I would never risk your health for that. Your memories…will come in due time. I'm sure of it."
"You…you really think so?" he questions her.
She dips her head in agreement. "I do. And if they don't…then we'll make some new ones. You understand Morgan?"
"Yeah…I do. Thanks…Sister," the word rolls off smoothly on his tongue.
She beams at him. "I haven't heard those words in years…" She reaches out to him and rustles his hair. "I hope you get used to say it more often," she jokes.
"H-Hey!" he chuckles. "Don't mess my hair up!"
She rolls her eyes. "Oh, any more than it already is? I swear you inherited Father's big, messy hair."
"Father sometimes thinks that's all I got from him."
She peers up at him and tiptoes to get up to his height. "I think you also got Father's height. My, you've really grown haven't you Morgan!" she says amazed.
"You shouldn't be talking about me when you look exactly like Mother!" he exclaims.
The two continue to laugh until their cheeks hurt from smiling and they've turned a bright red.
Kou'li is the first to stop laughing as her laughter dims into small snickers. "Ah, I haven't laughed like that in ages."
"You're a real jokester, Sister! The two of us will make a perfect sibling duo!"
"Hah! You really think so?"
He nods confidently. "Yup! See, when I first came here with no memories, I felt something was…off. I felt like I was missing something. It wasn't until when you finally came that I realized that it was you all along, Sister. I was missing my big Sister all along."
Kou'li's eyes waver as they threaten to tear up again. She quickly blinks her tears away before they do.
"And I, my little Brother."
She tiptoes once again and ruffles his hair once more. "Come on, I still haven't seen the other's yet, so we might as well go together, right?"
He fixes his hair with an annoyed expression. He huffs and then nods. "Yup! I can't wait to see the other's reactions! Just uh- don't do that in front of them…okay?"
She grins. "What? Embarrassed already of your Sister?"
"No! That's not it!" he denies.
She merely throws her head back and laughs while she grabs his hand and pulls him along. When she arrives at the mess hall, she is greeted by all in the most flamboyant way yet. She is pulled in all directions with hugs and high-fives and pats on the back. She is reunited with her dearest friends and family.
This time, she lets herself cry all she wants.
And from here on out, we will be seeing Kou'li's supports with her family and the future children. Who knows, we might even see her support twice with other characters after certain events in the story occur *cough* Chapter 21 *cough*. Any suggestions, reviews, messages and anything else are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
