A Twin's Dilema

-----Selene's POV

With Mai out trying to "restore the world," I've been buying my time with mom while trying to think of ways that might be able to connect both mine and Kaede's world. It's honestly so cool that we can talk to one another like that, not knowing exactly how far away our worlds are. Makes me wonder what it's like over there.

Selene: "Hmmm... Sis? You there?"

Kaede: "Mmm? Selene... Yeah I'm here."

I was worried that maybe she was busy, but with how calm she sounds, I doubt I was intruding on anything. Wait.

Selene: "Ah! Were you trying to sleep?"

Kaede: "Pfft, nah. It is night time here, but I'm not tired. Yui's sleeping next to me though."

Selene: "Ohh~ Sounds like you two are close in that world as well."

Kaede: "Kinda... It's difficult though."

I understand that all too well. I'm aware that only Kaede and I was about to keep our memories. Mai's currently working around that in this world, but she still can't seem to materialize in Kaede's world. I honestly feel sorry for Kaede, knowing that your lover isn't entirely there, only seeing a shadow of someone you love.

Selene: "You sound happy though."

Kaede: "Mmm. I guess. I did tell Yui about me."

Selene: "Huh?! She knows you're a vampire?!"

Kaede: "Yup."

Selene: "And she accepted you?"

Kaede: "Without any complaints, hehe. It was so surprising, I was expecting to just say what I needed to say and then leave. So to have her beside me like this... Of course I'd be happy."

Selene: "They'd call that a silver-lining, right?"

Kaede: "Yeah."

I'm glad to know that things are at least going well for Kaede, but that doesn't change what I need to do.

Selene: "We still need to find a way to get you back here though."

Kaede: "Ah, about that. If possible, I'd like for us to find a way so that we can traverse between worlds as we please. Otherwise there's no way I'm taking Yui with me."

Selene: "Her family..."

Kaede: "Exactly."

We still have no idea how to even bridge the gap between our worlds, yet now we have this thrown into the mix? A way to traverse to and from our worlds... I know Kaede's wants this for Yui's sake, and since I lived through Kaede until this time travel situation happened, I also understand how she feels.

Selene: "I wonder if teleporting would work?"

Kaede: "I think Mai mentioned that it only works if you yourself have been there. Plus I have no idea how to use such magic. Hehe. Maybe I should've learnt before all of this happened."

Selene: "If only Mai could materialize there, then maybe she could transport everyone."

Kaede: "Pfft. But that's if we're assuming it's even possible to teleport across worlds."

Selene: "Mmm~ True... Sis, you don't have mana in your world, right?"

Kaede: "Not in the world, no. But I think my body is generating mana like it did when I was in your world."

Selene: "Ahaha, so you're the only one that can use magic there? Sounds pretty cool~"

Kaede: "I think it's 'cause of our connection. It was a slow process, but now I feel like the same as I did back then. I can even grow out my wings."

Selene: "Ahh~ I wanna fly with you sis!"

Kaede: "Hehe, me too."

I'm kind of jealous though. With my small body, I can't even grow out my wings yet. And my mana isn't as powerful as I know. I can still use my vampiric magic and light magic, but no way as near as powerful as I'd want it to be. I did think about learning teleportation from Mai, but what good would that do for me? It's not like I can travel to Kaede's world... Kaede's the one that needs to learn if we're to go with that idea, but with Mai being unable to go there, we need to think of something else.

Kaede: "How's your mom?"

Selene: "Huh? Sh-she's doing fine. I'm just trying to not get in the way as much as I can. I... I don't want what happened to mom to happen again."

Kaede: "Me either... It's still ingrained in my memory."

Having all the skin from her back being cut off, like a chef fileting a fish... Yeah, It's sickening to even think back on it briefly.

Selene: "I'm stronger now than I was, so I'll make sure that will never happen again."

If my mother does end up getting found out that she's hiding me in this city, then I'll just fight. I was stupid and careless at the time, not knowing what was going on, but it's different now.

Kaede: "Hmmm."

Selene: "You thought of something?"

Kaede: "Maybe. I was just wondering if summoning magic could work in this world."

Selene: "Well, you have mana collecting inside of you, so surely it's possible. Hehe, I can imagine what everyone there would think to see a dragon or something flying around."

Kaede: "Hehe, yeah. But I was just thinking about when I first summoned Mai. Like I wonder if I could do the same here."

Selene: "Didn't Mai hijack it?"

Kaede: "I'm not sure. I think I remember her mentioning something about creating a crest inside me and using the crest I made outside, she used the two crests as some sort of-"

Hearing her pause as if coming to a realization, I also begin thinking of the same thing.

Selene/Kaede: "Doorway..."

Selene: "Wait! Could that be it?!"

Kaede: "I don't know, but maybe."

Selene: "Mai could go in and out of you as she pleased, right?!"

Kaede: "Th-the way you phrased that is a bit unsettling..."

Selene: "But it's true, right! Like you said, we need a way to go back and forth between our worlds. Isn't that a perfect example?"

Kaede: "But that's different. Mai just bridged the gap between me and the world."

Hmmm. We got excited about the possibility of finding a way to and from our worlds, but now that excitement has pretty much disappeared. But at least we might be on the right track!

Selene: "Wait, but couldn't we also do the same?"

Kaede: "What do you mean?"

Selene: "Like what if we create the same crest in both of our worlds. Maybe something will happen."

Kaede: "I'm still not sure if summoning magic will even work though. But it could be worth a shot. Might also be a good idea to talk to Mai about this."

Selene: "Mhmm! I'll contact her later! Ahh~ This is so exciting!~"

Kaede: "Fufufu. Let's not get our hopes up though."

Selene: "R-right..."

Kaede: "If we're going to do this, we need to do it in a place where it's safe, but also isolated."

Selene: "That's..."

She has a point. We could just try it out now, but on the off chance that it does work, then what would happen if humans from Kaede's world suddenly popped up in mom's house here in Inasdale? I can already imagine how chaotic that would be. Or even worse, for people here to suddenly pop up where Kaede lives in her world, or even worse; monsters. Ah, but it might be difficult for me. Mom and I would need to move to a new place.

Kaede: "I'll try and look for a suitable place for it. Let's keep in touch, sis."

Selene: "Mhmm! I'll also try and fine somewhere suitable."

Kaede: "Ah!"

Selene: "Hmm? Something wrong?"

Kaede: "Sorry, just something happened on my end."

Her end? As in Yui?

Selene: "Hmmm~ Okay, then shall we continue tomorrow?"

Kaede: "Y-yeah, thanks sis."

Selene: "Hehe~ Have fun~"

-----Kaede's POV

Have fun? Well...

Yui: "Mmm-mmm~"

I didn't expect for Yui to suddenly latch onto me like this. I did think about brushing her off, but that thought quickly vanished as I felt the warmth of her body spreading over me. And to make matters worse, her gentle breaths are tickling the side of my neck. It reminds me of the times when I fed Yui... Ahhh! Why are you like this?! You're making it extremely difficult to hold back and you're not even my Yui.

Kaede: "...Hahh~"

I try and exhale deeply, trying to flush out the heat that was spreading over my face. I was thinking about trying to sleep to pass the time, but now that's out the window now.

Kaede: "Fufu."

That said, I don't mind this. I gently stroke her hair back over her ear, keeping it away from her face. It really has been a while since I've seen Yui like this, with short hair, but that only solidifies the fact that this is a whole new Yui... I really need to find a way to get back, to get Yui back to that world. I like Selene's plan on using the same crest I used to help materialize Mai. It's a perfect plan in theory as it does act as a doorway. If this plan does work, we should be able to pass in and out as we please. The only problem would be where, and even if we do find a suitable place for it, how would it turn out in the end? Would we even survive the trip?

Mai herself isn't naturally human or any other living being, she's something completely different, so who knows how it'll turn out for us. It's honestly scary, we could very well die instantly upon attempting it, which is why I proposed bringing up this plan with Mai. But until we hear from her, I guess there's no problem with searching for a place for this crest.

Yui: "Kaede..."

Kaede: "Eh?"

I quickly check on Yui, but she's still sleeping peacefully against me, if anything, she's tightening her hold on me. Sleep talking are we? Maybe the talk we had earlier made her scared? Maybe she doesn't want me to leave?

Kaede: "Mmm. It's okay."

I gently pay Yui's head while she sleeps, which only prompted Yui to nuzzle her head deeper into me, specifically my neck.

Kaede: "I'll handle this Yui. Just wait for me."