"Heyyy, Asher! Looks like you'll be living with us now!"
Cassandra beamed at the small boy standing in front of her—seven years old at most. He stared back at her with an expression far too blank for his age.
"Thank you, Aunty," he said, voice flat and monotone.
Cassandra's bright smile wavered a bit, as she looked a bit higher to see the social worker smiling at the stoic child below before turning to face Cassandra.
"Asher, why don't you go meet Uncle? I'll be there in a bit."
The boy lifted his head, wheat-blond bangs sliding back to reveal sunken, pale-blue eyes. "Okay."
Without another word, he stepped past her into the house.
His house now. Apparently.
The social worker's voice broke the momentary silence. "Mrs. Sparrow, I trust you'll take good care of him."
Casandra's smile trembled, sagging on the edges. "Of course. Why wouldn't I? He's my best friend's only child."
The woman nodded and passed her a stack of documents. "Please note—he's scheduled for therapy every Sunday. The accident… it hit him hard. Especially since—" She stopped herself.
Cassandra nodded, sparing her the need to finish.
"Thank you," the woman continued quietly. "That child has no cousins, no family left. Please… make him feel at home."
Cassandra bowed her head. "Thank you for caring enough not to treat this like just a job."
The social worker smiled faintly before turning to leave. Cassandra mirrored the expression, then shut the door behind her with a soft click.
She exhaled and turned toward the hallway—only to freeze. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a small figure still standing there.
Her eyes widened.
"…Asher? Why are you still here? Wait… did you hear all of that?"
He simply looked up at her. "Sorry."
She crouched down, placing her hands gently on his small, tense shoulders. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything wrong, did you?"
His fists clenched. Nails bit into skin. His teeth sank into his lip until it paled. Cassandra's brow furrowed as she gave his shoulders a light shake, trying to snap him out of whatever thought had taken hold.
"Come on," she coaxed, her voice brighter. "Let's go have breakfast. You like ice cream, right? I'll let you have some." She got back up from her crouched position, walking to the kitchen.
Asher's head hung down, to the wooden flooring. "What do you mean I didn't do anything wrong?"
He looked at the blood on his hands, his eyes blurring: "When I'm the reason my parent's are gone."
***
Asher woke with a dull pang in his chest. Slowly, he propped himself up, squinting at the dim scene ahead—Kai and Sunny stood near the edge of the arch, murmuring to each other.
Everyone else was still asleep.
He frowned. The dream he'd just had… was not pleasant.
'People don't dream in the dream realm though...'
He sighed, looking at his trench coat.
"Dahila, did you do something?" He murmured under his breath. The trench coat fluttered a bit in response. Asher gritted his teeth, 'This thing!'
He closed his eyes as he entered his Soul Sea.
Asher surveyed the area, looking for Dahila in the countless stars. He frowned, gazing upon his eerie mix of a core before finally finding the thing. It was neatly sitting in the shallow level of water,
Legs crossed, jade fingers idly weaving glittering motes into intricate shapes.
He fought back a blush and stepped forward.
"Hey. What exactly did you do?"
She brushed the cosmic particles away and turned toward him with a faintly sad smile.
"Come on… is that any way to greet someone?"
"You're not a person," he shot back.
Dahila chuckled dryly. "Fair enough… but still, you came after two weeks. I get lonely, you know."
"Oh please! I just don't find you pleasant. Knowing that you are always here in my soul sea a shame considering the beauty of this place." He paused before clicking his tongue, "And cut the bullcrap, you were stuck in that place you call the 'void' for who knows how many eons. You feeling lonely must be a joke."
He didn't care if he offended this great primordial being, as far as Asher knew, this thing needed him. If she was going to use him, he had be a piece of work to use...
'Maybe the spell was right about me being petty...'
Dahila chuckled a bit, "Indeed... You point stands. But.." It narrowed its eyes, turning its voice seductive "Are you sure you don't find me pleasant because you are attracted to a genderless thing?"
Asher gulped, blushing a bit before gritting his teeth. "Shut up and tell me why I had a dream."
Dahila smirked a bit, "You sure are impatient-"
"Tell me."
"Yesterday, you seemed to be reminiscing about your 'home'. Since our thoughts and memories are shared.."
"HUHUHUH?!" Asher exclaimed but Dahila continued.
"And since I was bored, I went ahead and surfaced a memory you had a long time back. Since this is my first time possessing an avatar that was still alive, I didn't know what it would be like for you and the result seemed to be interesting..."
Asher rubbed his temple, "Wait... if our thoughts are shared... How come I can't read yours?"
Dahila's cheeks puffed up with poorly restrained laughter, "Are you perhaps insecure about me reading your thoughts?"
Asher felt a nerve pop as his face felt hot. Before he could say shut up though, Dahila interrupted him. "Because I put up a mental barrier and don't even think about putting one. It won't be of any use."
She answered the question before he could even form it.
"And no, I won't teach you how to make one."
She did it again.
He opened his mouth.
"No."
He clenched a fist, ready to say something else—
"Yes, I've been holding back from doing this because it'd get annoying. Want me to stop?"
Asher hung his head. "Please."
Dahila giggled a little as Asher brows twitched.
"Liar, You said your personality is based of my dream girl."
She put her finger on her chin.
"Well... It was. For fun, I took some of the personality I have observed from the human you call Effie. You know—since you seemed so delightfully annoyed by her."
Asher's face drained of color.
'I have an Effie in my Soul Sea…'
"Yes you do," Dahlia answered without hesitation.
Not being able to take this anymore, Asher simply left the soul sea.
And that, unfortunately, was how his day began.
_______________
[A/n: Ok Chumps! Listen up! Next goal: 25 reviews!!]