Bloodstained stone… Wings twitching… Screaming… Crying… Exhaustion… Fear… A flash of metal… Sharp pain… Wounds… Tired… Can't breathe… Human… Kill…

…

I don't feel like I slept for very long. My chest feels heavy, I can hardly breathe, and sweat coats my palms. I was focused on doing my best to not disturb Flan, as opposed to resting comfortably.

Somehow, I feel simultaneously wide awake and dead tired. One feeling tells me that I need to be sleeping and should stay in bed, while the other claims that I have plenty of energy and should get up. Then a small light illuminates the bed, and through it shines Flan's hair and face. She's breathing softly and has a hand on my wrist. I carefully escape her grasp as I sit up.

"Awake already, huh?"

I turn to see that Patchy was the one holding the light source; a candle. "One would have to fall asleep first in order to awaken, yes?"

"Couldn't sleep either?" Patchy motions to the door, as well as the little devil, who stands by it, holding a tray and tea set. "Let's leave the lucky one."

Slowly and carefully, I climb out of bed. Flan wriggles a bit, but her breathing is steady, and her face remains an image of serene bliss. I hope it's a pleasant dream… I silently follow Patchy out of the room and into the one adjacent. Crystals of countless shapes, sizes, and colors litter the shelves. Any space without a crystal is instead occupied by books. Even then, there's not enough room, and the books left on the floor are piled high. At the center of it all is a large desk. Patchy pulls up a second chair as the little devil places the tea set and exits, taking Patchy's candle with her. The crystals bathe the room with dim light in it's stead, like multi-colored stars.

"I see you've made good use of this room," I comment, after the tea is poured.

"Still a little more cramped than I would like, but I'll take what I can get," Patchy replies. "Just glad I have a place I can work without bothering Flandre."

Work, huh…? "So… How's progress so far?"

"You'd better hope it's good, obviously."

"I have faith in my best friend, yes. Should I be doubting you?"

Patchy sips her tea in silence, before she directs my attention to the shelf directly above her desk. Held in place by several curved, metal rods are a pair of branch-like objects, made from a material I don't recognize. Some strange combination of wrought iron and wicker? No, they're too… Organic. Dangling from the long, thin branches are several crystals of similar shape and differing, yet symmetric, colors.

"…Those are going to be her wings?" I ask.

"Yep," Patchy replies. "As you know, her injuries are too severe for her to ever fully heal on her own. If I'm right, these should not only fill her full of magic again, but regulate her afterward by filtering her magic through all the elements. In fact, it should result in her power manifesting in a significantly stronger, or at least purer, form." I notice a confident smile on her face. Elemental magics and synergies… Her area of expertise. "In fact, each crystal holds the processed matter of more than just a single element. It would obviously be too hard to achieve 100% purity, especially considering our circumstances, but by forcing those impurities out and replacing them with a synergistic element, the effects are enhanced. Also, using the same rule of synergy, I have them set up in an array for the most optimal filtering order. Obviously accounting for Flandre's affinities, or at least what I assume they are, since her power hasn't fully formed yet. Anyway, I start with-"

"You lost me," I interrupt. "Will these restore her? Will she be back to her old self?"

"If my calculations are accurate, she'll be even better than before."

That's just like you. "I don't want better, Patchy. I just…" I sigh. "I just want her back…" Patchy's face starts to blur and I wipe the tears from my eyes before they can be fully formed. "I just want her healed. These will do that, right?"

"I…" Her confidence from earlier is diminished. "Listen, Remi, I know I got a little excited just a second ago, but… I've never done something like this before, and I don't have any records of an identical procedure. This isn't exactly a controlled environment, and with her being a vampire…" She starts muttering under her breath.

I clear my throat to draw her attention. "…Go on." I can feel myself shaking as I stare at her, but I try my hardest to stay still.

Patchy is silent for a long moment. "I'll do everything I can to help her, Remi. I promise."

Finally the tension becomes too much and I can't help but release a loud sigh before falling back into my chair. "Don't scare me like that, Patchy. Think about your elder's feelings, why don't you?"

She sits as well. "Don't play the seniority card with me, brat."

"Taking such a tone? You should know that your place is beneath mine, magician." I can tell my facade is breaking as Patchy holds in a laugh. I hide my smile behind my teacup. "I suppose I should leave you to your work, then?" I say as I finish the cup.

"Heading out already?"

"Yes, of course. I have my own role to-"

"It's raining."

I stare at her, dumbfounded. I still my breathing and listen carefully. Sure enough, the sound of rain is soft, yet deafeningly obvious. Patchy doesn't even bother restraining herself as she bursts out laughing. I feel my face redden. Perhaps I was bit too eager… Seeing how hard Patchy has been working, I know I can't allow myself to rest. "Don't worry, Remi," Patchy says, placing an arm around my shoulder. "We have more than enough blood for you two to get by. Let yourself take a break. Spend time with your sister."

A lump forms in my throat, but I force it down. "Infiltrating a building would not be difficult, and we have heavier umbrellas suited to stopping rain."

"I'm not letting you run a stupid risk like that." Her eyes are stern and I imagine mine are as well. Suddenly, she sighs. "I'm too tired for this and I know you are too. Get some rest. Please." She sits back down and refills the cups. I sit once again as well and we drink in silence for a few moments.

"Patchy… How do you suppose Meiling is doing?" I ask.

"She can take care of herself," Patchy replies, entirely void of worry.

"And you're sure that-"

"She'll find somewhere for us to go?" She interrupts. "Without question. I know that there has to be somewhere out there. We'll find it eventually."

That's not something I ever doubted. Obviously, there must be some place in this world where magic still flourishes. My question wasn't, 'will we find somewhere to go?' I know that Patchy knew that. My concern is not a matter of 'if', but 'when'.

"Well, I'm going back to bed," Patchy says, standing up. "And Remi… There's no need for you to worry about us. We're all doing the best that we can, but we can't keep doing our best if we work ourselves to the bone. So don't push yourself too hard and stop worrying about things that aren't your concern. Now go get back in bed before Flandre wakes up and freaks out."

She walks out. I follow her and peer into our shared bedroom to see Flan speaking with the little devil. When she turns towards me, I see her face as a mask of worry and panic. I enter and it fades, as she complies with the little devil and lays back down.

Meiling is traveling the world, searching for a haven of magic for us to stay. Patchy is not only taking care of Flan, but working to construct her new wings. And me… I crawl back into bed with Flan, and as the lights go back out, the blanket feels like it's about to crush me. There must be more I can do.

I don't quite fall asleep. My consciousness becomes hazy, my thoughts filling with bizarre, incoherent images of concepts and ideas. Perhaps this is my unconscious mind's way of trying to find the answer that I'm searching for.

I suppose it's true that I can only do so much on my own… I imagine Meiling has relied heavily on her many connections. Even Patchy has that little devil of hers. An oddly familiar figure appears a midst my vortex of half-asleep hallucinations.

A stretch, but… It feels like a certainty. It feels like I shall make it a certainty. As I think about what I am suddenly convinced tomorrow will bring, a strangely calm and reassuring sensation finally allows me to rest.