Chapter 14: This is why you don't keep strange Gems

Unknown Place, Unknown Time...

I... where am I?

My brain was burning painfully as I snapped my eyes open at the pure darkness surrounding me. Panic surged, dread driving erratic attempts to spin around if in that shadowy plane of existence I was the only being around and... I blinked at the sudden soft noise filling my ears.

A lone but mirthful giggle echoed in that dark place, a figure started to emerge slowly but surely. I tensed, the hems of a black-colored skirt giving a clue over the being's clothes and identity. I frowned as she finally emerged from that curtain of darkened unknown, her little captivating smile playing masterfully on her face as she took a step, then two, towards me.

Careful, logical nervousness playing in her pacing as she tilted her head up and down, trying to catch a proper sight of me without having to come any steps closer. The girl stopped, her dark eyes genuinely trying to study me and... failing as she huffed.

"Who are you?" She finally asked, blunt as the edge of her knowledge.

My eyes narrowed, my mind enclosing as I knew that this individual wasn't the real deal as she was still sealed away from Erindor and the border to Gusteko. Yet the resemblance was scary, horrifying even, as I was looking at the perfect appearance that only one individual had.

Echidna huffed once more, a sign impatience and she seemed rather easy to anger compared to her possible creator. It wouldn't be far-fetched to believe that Scarfna was one of the other spirits born to continue her legacy beyond her 'death'. But as far as I was concerned, this little unknowing 'fragment' wasn't harmless and thus I replied with caution.

"I'm John." My throat was itching, dried up from God knows how much time spent without speaking or... moving at all.

The girl blinked, eyes widened in glee at having finally a question solved, the first of many from what I could see from the childish hopefulness displayed in her face.

"John?" She parroted for a moment, then she nodded. "It's your name right?"

I nodded, the white-haired spirit smiling widely and letting out a giddy giggle.

"Why can't I possess you?" Echidna asked with a quick tone, almost catching me off-guard with her swift suddenness.

I mean seriously, why would she skip the pleasantries in such fashion? The real Echidna wasn't that sloppy. Heck, even Scarfna would have been smart enough to pick out a less Gung-ho attitude regarding new things.

"What?" I replied moments later, my eyes narrowing at her but she didn't do much but shrug a little at my question.

"I mean, I could do it with Ivvie when he needs someone to take over with paperwork, but you- Why can't I possess you, John?"

I could technically say that the reason was the currently glowing ribbon on my shin, but then again, I wasn't sure that this child-like attitude was relatively genuine or a ploy to get my guard down for her to strike.

There was also the fact that this spirit was part of a bigger problem. The enchanted cloth wasn't working only against her attempts to take over my body, but it was also fighting something... a little stronger than her probing.

If the darkness around us was a hint of the magnitude of the threat poised against me, then I was glad that I returned that blasted gem back to his 'owner' as the effects were far worse than I had initially thought.

While I was sure that Ivan's madness was completely unrelated to the subtle and sneaky curse harbored within the ever-powerful jewel, the fact that the hideous jinx had spread this quickly in no time was concerning and incredibly worrying.

My body felt sore-y right now, but I knew perfectly that it was just a fraction of what was currently happening on the real world.

I felt my thigh being poked, making me 'jump' in my floating state as I turned my attention back at the pouty dark-clothed spirit.

"You know it's rude to ignore people, Jo-ohn!" She ended her explanation with a pained tone, my hand being in range to take hold of her cheek. I yanked and the groaned in annoyance.

"W-Whyyy?"

"It's very rude to poke people when they are thinking, girl." I replied snidely, before then pressing on the advantage allowed by the social inept before me. "By the way, you have yet to introduce yourself." I noted loudly before letting her go.

She backed away a little, hands going to the reddened cheek as she nursed it carefully, the spirit giving me a half-hearted glare before nodding. "I think I should but... you pinched my face!" The girl yelled with some anger.

Quite uncharacteristic from Echidna and... now I was sure that I was dealing with a 'slower' version of her. She was smart but... not as book-, life- and magic-smart as her creator.

"Sorry but... you poked at me first." I 'apologized' calmly. "Also, I did present myself, it's common courtesy to return the kindness." I chided lightly, getting her to sigh, arms crossing close to her chest.

Her cheeks puffed. "I'm... I'm Edna."

...Edna? I thought that all of her versions were supposed to know their 'names'. Was this a defective version or... maybe she wasn't even a spirit. Maybe she was something lesser than that.

"Nice to meet you, Edna... by the way, your name is pretty."

Smooth, John, really smooth.

I thought dryly while Edna's face reddened completely at the compliment. But really, I needed to know how she came up with that name and not the original one.

"T-Thanks and- I mean, it's not even my real name... it's just that I- I-" She stuttered a little, appearing shy all so suddenly. A far cry from her initial giddy self.

And then... she sighed tiredly. "I don't remember it." She declared quietly, giving me some inner surprise with that. "I- I don't remember much about before being in the Gem and... yeah."

For a brief moment, instead of the pseudo-Witch that was as cunning, if not worse, than Tywin Lannister, I saw someone that was facing Emilia's predicament.

She looked like a former threat of this world, she supposedly had her 'original' memories sealed away, and she looked incredibly gullible to the closest big influence.

"That sounds like an annoying situation." I commented carefully, getting a nod from her. "Then I hope you recover them eventually." I lied through my teeth, actually very glad if she never recovered those. Her face sported a tiny but genuine smile, another nod directed at me at the kind words.

I was unsure how I was supposed to deal with this 'Doppio Situation' without having it explode right in my face. The young woman might as well be as volatile as her original self and I didn't want to deal with- Wait!

"Edna, I know that it might sound too sudden but... how did you get here?" My question echoed through the whole darkened surrounding and the girl blinked in surprise at the query but actually nodded at it.

"Oh, I set a little connection between me and your mind. Nothing much."

Nothing much? She just- no, I hope this isn't-

"Is Ivan capable of entering the bond or-" The girl shook her head before I could finish the sentence, relief quickly washing over my entirety at the reply.

"He can't really enter a bond I set up but... I've been telling him what was going on with our own bond." The girl explained bluntly and cluelessly, ignoring the horror dawning on my face.

... "He also says 'Hi' now that you know about this and... wait, what does that mean?" She frowned, looking away as she entertained the other 'call'. "Oh? Okay then..."

Her sight was once more on me. "He says 'hello handsome, whaddup?'"

If I hadn't been floating right in that moment, I would have easily face-faulted at that adorable but cringy display of the slang. "Tell him that his zipper is down and- actually, can we have a private talk? I think I will wake up soon."

She blinked, eyes widening and then... she looked like she was thinking about the offer. A soft hum leaving her lips and then she nodded with a little smile.

"Can I ask you some questions too?" Edna asked, my nod never being quicker as I knew that the connection was almost over by the fact I could start to feel the softness of a mattress at my touch.

"Okay, what is the first thing you remember?" I went quickly, giving her the time to nod and smile.

"It was something like being inside a dark place... like this one." Her answer was also swift so that she could afford a question in. "And how does touching work?"

... "What?"

"Touching." She repeated. "The act of touching someone- when I poked you and you pinched my cheek, I felt two different sensations and-"

"It's like touching your cheek, but instead of feeling the touch on yourself, you have a minor void and... curiosity over the touch." I replied bluntly, getting a frown to her.

"That sounds odd. What if I gave you a hug? I would still touch you and touch my own body too."

My God, the innuendos!

"I think the reasoning behind the hug would be to feel the collective warmth from- Gah!"

She didn't give any indication, the girl taking an unexpected leap of faith and... landing on top of me. She blinked, her head dropping on my chest as she tensely tried to perch well over my floating body. Gulping nervously, her face reddened a little and she nodded. "S-So this is the warmth!" A little squeal leaving her lips as she nuzzled close and-

I woke up.

2 June 422

Fourier sat quietly on the unfamiliar small bed he had woken up, his eyes directed at the people occupying the other beds of that large room.

Mages were rushing back and forth as to check on the conscious and unconscious individuals on the lone beds, diagnostic spells harmlessly coating their bodies and giving to the experienced medics an accurate depiction of the patients' state.

Wilhelm had received a substantial group of high-level mages, men and women that devoted their time to fix his damaged body and get him in a stable condition.

The two silver-haired twins looked shaken, similar to how the prince was and, just like him, they were staring at the same individual, the young man's bed being encircled by a large group of mages, the director of the Guild's section being there too.

A curse. The Gem had a curse and... that would explain why his faint had happened so suddenly and unexpectedly.

That eventful night ended with the group reaching Erindor, the small group of cloaked people that had followed the mayor far away from the city had been all around and keeping them safe and protected by eventual danger.

It was right in during the return back home that John had fallen unconscious while leading the entourage. Fourier could remember perfectly the instants that preceded the shocking twist, his eyes tiredly staring at him while keeping a distracted look on the road when-

John tensed up, his body going stiff and then... he went limp. He almost fell off from his Earth Dragon, Lime screeching just as he felt the hold onto his reins lessening to nothing.

The prince had quickened the pace of his steed, adrenaline more than enough to have his arm quickly wrap around his friend torso and keeping him stable as they rushed even quicker than before towards Erindor.

Ser Orestes, the man responsible for the city's military force, greeted them with a quick bow, his eyes widening at the state of the mayor and, while his face paled by the minute, he was quick to call his men to assist the unconscious leader.

All of them were escorted to the Healing Hall of the local Mages' Guild, doctors and medical staff rushing to make sure that everyone was safely brought to the highly-protected room they currently were right now.

The blond blinked, his eyes fixed on John's face as he felt like... that this one had been even worse than back during the brief attack of the mercenaries. This kind... dread wasn't settling, the worry wasn't simmering at the fact that all the doctors around him were sure that the mayor's condition was stable.

It had come close for them, his friend had almost died while masterfully tricking the demented ruler of Gusteko by getting cursed by that blasted jewel. It was the first time he came across aggressive negotiations like his father would call it and... now Fourier knew why those were the worst to deal with.

A moment became a minute, and a minute became an hour.

His red eyes blinked quietly, ignoring the noises from the room, drowned by the inner silence of patience.

Wake up. He repeated quietly, almost praying the still-unconscious young man. Wake... up.

It was hard to believe it but... now he could see why Miklos, his nagging tutor first and foremost, had been so keen to remind him in all of his lectures about the worst part of being royal-born.

'You are protected by powerful guards, honorable knights and wise magicians.' The elder would repeat without hesitation, nor self-annoyance. 'But those that are your friends, those that are not protected by such luxury? They will either come in harm's way or die along their short life.'

Painful words that he would be quick to drown with some snarky remark, just because his mind wouldn't accept the idea that either Crusch or Felix could get attacked while around him. He was a prince of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica, he wasn't certainly going to let some dumb thugs maim his precious people.

Yet there had been none of the powerful guards to protect him. His honorable knight almost cut down and his 'magician' currently resting unconscious and unwilling to answer his prayer.

He sighed, eyelids half-closed after watching silently the sleeping mayor for almost four hours now. A yawn escaped his lips and then... his red eyes stared in two familiar orbs.

John blinked once, then twice and... finally a small smile appeared on his face. "G-Good morning."

There was no mage around at this hour. The kids and Wilhelm were sleeping after a delicious breakfast and... Fourier blitzed.

The older male had just enough time to realize what was going to happen that he found himself tackled down by a blond blur. "Y-You are awake!" The prince stuttered while slamming his head onto John's chest, the man groaning in minor pain at the sudden headbutt.

"F-Fourier-"

The royal-born lifted his sight up, ready to listen to what his friend had to say. "Yes, John?"

Two hands reached for his face and started to pinch quite painfully at his cheeks.

His 'eep' was diluted by the aching sensation and a partially-irritated expression laid on John's face. "Do you remember when I told you about not jumping on people's bed?"

... "Yesh?"

"With that stunt of yours, I feel like I really want to go back to the shenanigans going on in my slumber."

"Noh, dyon't goh!" His face was really hurting now and... he was left free.

"Next time, I will pinch harder and... a normal 'good morning' would have worked too, dummy." He started to pat the blond's head, the prince more than happy to accept his ministration.

With the previous trail of thoughts still fresh in his mind and with his determination renewed by a good session of head-patting, Fourier felt like he knew what he had to do now.

Now if only he could get paper and ink to write down a letter or two...