Luna's brow furrowed, and she asked in a small, unsure voice, "What … Do you mean?"
The white-haired girl in the white gown answered, her face moving in ways that suggested pencil scratches come to life. "I won't tell you," she said.
Luna could feel the girl's grin, wide, taunting, ear to ear, even though she couldn't quite see it.
The girl pointed right at Aria, who lay on the ground frozen in time, like a memory; standing over her was a perfect copy of Luna. "If you continue to live, you will cause her great pain. Not only her, but everyone associated with you. Can you really bear the consequences of your own actions? Even though you yourself wouldn't be able to witness them? Are you really sure? It's not like I'm against you. I only wanted to show you it wasn't worth it… but well … that was pointless."
"What are you telling me about this?!" Luna cut her off, but the girl continued.
"You are as stubborn as always," the girl chuckled. "So am I, but it comes to a point, right? I'll just watch from now on how your life comes to an end. At least I won't wait long, heh."
"You're making no sense!" Luna snapped irrationally looking around as if doom was approaching her. Her voice was shaking, unsure of what her words meant.
The world all around her, which was in black and white, like a drawing, now turned white void. Aria and a copy of Luna disappeared too.
Only Luna was left.
The girl sat down, crossing her legs, "I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry. The dreams weren't my doing. You made yourself suffer. Funny, wasn't it? Sad too," The girl looked down at her legs, caressing her thigh gently, up and down.
"And what, exactly, were your doings?" Luna's voice wavered as she spoke.
"Honestly, how could I know?" The girl threw her arms into the air and fell to her back. "Well… because of a certain someone, my memories started to deteriorate, so how should I know?"
The girl looked up at the pale white sky and muttered, "I've lived enough, seen enough, suffered enough to predict what happens next in life…"
"Watch out," the girl looked up and said, pointing at Luna's feet while resting her head on her palm.
Luna looked down and saw a black circle, like a void, and hovered midair. "What—" Luna muttered as she fell right through it, her screams echoing from the void.
"Funny," the girl said, watching the hole close.
***
Luna sat up immediately, drenched in sweat. She looked to her left at Theia. She was sleeping soundly, and the room was filled with a pleasant forest aroma.
Roses, daisies, and white lilies filled the room—full of scent, full of life. Luna looked at them and sighed.
She looked down at Theia and smiled from ear to ear as she caressed her hair. Theia gently pushed her head into Luna's palm unconsciously, which Luna found adorable.
The second she let go of Theia's head, Theia frowned, though she was still asleep.
Luna tightly gripped her hand into a fist and walked away in a hurry. She sat down in the living room, right on a sofa that Mytri constantly occupied.
Golden light spilled over Luna's face as her eyebrows furrowed in horror. Her pupils shrank to a dot as her breath grew uneven. Her hands began to shake as she looked around frantically.
"I understand now… I understand what you meant…" Luna muttered, her voice cracking unevenly.
Luna lifted her legs and buried her face in them, hugging them tightly as silent cries filled the room.
***
"You will make Theia suffer. You will make everyone around you suffer." A voice, unrecognizable, alien, echoed inside Luna's head.
"Have you no shame? Hurting everyone? Pathetic."
"I'd kill myself if I were you. That would be a blessing to your family."
"They hate you—that's why they didn't send any letters. They hate you. You are worthless."
"Everyone hates you. Theia is just pretending. She doesn't mean it, remember? What you did to her? You touched her, made her feel… good. She now lives in the illusion of that one act you imprinted on her."
"Shame. Shame. Shame."
The voices rang constantly. Luna curled into herself, hiding her head in her legs. Tears streamed endlessly down her cheeks. Her breath came in ragged, erratic gasps, like a praying creature critically wounded.
Her eyes trembling, looking around for an excuse, then she notices a half-empty wooden cup of liquor that Mytri left before leaving. She stares at it, her eyes hollowed, drained from crying.
She stares at it pointlessly thinking, Alcohol? Oh… Master left it…
In this second, memories of Mytri sharing his trauma flooded Luna's head: how he fought, how he was too late, how he lost his son, how he grieved, indulging in alcohol.
If… Mytri drank it and it made him feel… good, forget. Would… just would it make those… Voice gone?
Luna hesitated; she contemplated if it was a good idea. She stared right at it as the voice continued.
"You dare to be happy when all you do by living is to make everyone suffer?
Luna bit down on her lip and reached for the cup; she placed it down to her lip and pushed it up, drinking everything in one go.
She gasped for air afterwards, gripping her throat. "Agh, it stings… bitter!"
The alcohol tasted horrible. "What did… Mytri see in it?"
Luna drank it but felt nothing immediately; she yet again bit down on her lip and desperately looked around. To her right there were three full bottles of alcohol, one fifth of a liter each.
Without hesitation, she pulled out a bottle and began drinking, slow gulps draining its contents. Gradually, the liquid disappeared, and with a final swallow, she emptied it and let it fall to the ground, shattering with a sharp crash.
She grabbed another bottle, pressed it to her lips, and drank, pausing between swallows. Soon, it too was gone. The last bottle took even longer—double the combined amount of time that took the other two—but she drank it all, relentlessly.
Thirty minutes later, the effects hit Luna. The voices vanished, leaving a deafening silence. Her world began to twist and warp, pulling her senses in every direction, flipping her reality upside down.
"Whaaa—! It's… it's sooo coooool! Voic—voices… voices are… silent! Hahaha! Th-thank you! " Luna hiccuped, her words wobbling like she could barely keep them together. She got this… idea… to hug Theia, so she tried to stand, but… whoa—her balance was gone, and she toppled onto her knees. "Oooosh…" she groaned.
Slowly, slooowly, she crawled toward their room, wobbling and leaning on every wall she could find, and finally… she managed to slither inside.
She pushed the doors with full force as it slammed into the wall, sending a loud crash through the room. Theia, who slept soundly, jolted up, shouting, "Luna!"
She looked at the bed, but Luna was gone; then she looked at the door and saw Luna towering over her. She slowly walked towards her, wobbling from side to side.
"Theeeeiaaa~!" Luna said,
She slowly, step by step, came closer to Theia, who watched her come.
"Luna, what's wrong? Why are you so red?" Theia asked, concerned, as Luna's face was beat red, sweating previously, and her eyes were bloodshot.
"I—I feel fine! Wha—what's wrroooong with y'you!? Whyyyy are you sooo cuuute!" Luna slurred, lunging at Theia on the bed, pinning her arms down.
She looked right at her, her eyes trembling, very closely to Theia's face.
Theia looked right at her, flustered and red; she looked from side to side to avoid eye contact. "L-Luna, what's w-wrong with y-you?"
"I l-loooove y'you, sissssster! hic!"
Luna blinked and pushed forward and kissed Theia on her lips. Theia was shocked, flustered, and confused. "Wh…re…do…ing?" She muttered,
But deep down, Theia liked Luna's attention, her affection, and Niv's affection; she knew she did not hate her and she knew that Niv loved her, deep down, and Theia closed her eyes, accepting Luna's attention.
The kiss lasted looonger and looonger, seconds drifting by as Luna's breath slowly… dissipated. She finally let go, sliding down Theia's body slowly, her head plopping onto Theia's stomach. "Y-you're sooo cuuute, sissssster… hic!"
Theia stared right at the ceiling, unmoving, her saliva drooled down her mouth. Her eyes trembled, her arms trembled and she slowly, unconsciously hugged Theia tightly as she fell asleep in her arms.
"What… was… that" Theia muttered.