63 - Sweet dreams

***

Dark, empty corridors. Halls of blackened bricks and dim candle lit pillars, a wall with stains of blood. Whose blood was it? Lastia wondered. It wasn't often that Lastia gets a dream, after all... How could she remember a dream from a previous day? How would the next Lastia ever notice unless the current one writes every detail down on a medium?

Fragile, like a wall of feathers. Its grimy and rigid surface I stills comfort in her, she didn't understand why, but she wanted to protect this place. Maybe it looked like a historical heritage to her, not that she would come to reap the benefits of preserving culture. If she wanted to preserve it, it meant that she simply wanted to do it, for her own sake. She walked through the corridor, the brick walls seem resolute without any ostentatious ornamentation, yet it all felt fragile as a feather.

A cyclical unending anxiety caresses her heard and tosses it back and forth, jumping over every point of worry. What if this place gets destroyed? Why was she unable to accept that? Home, right... Perhaps it felt a little like home.

"Welcome back, my liege." (?)

Ah... That's right. Why did she forget...?

***

Her body jolted awake, prying her own eyelids open as a wave of blue light crashed into her sight. The television was blinding in the surrounding darkness, looks like they found an excuse to keep her lights off. After entering her home, they decided to put the old television screen to good use and played a movie. Arin had a subscription to a show streaming service and plugged her phone into the television screen.

It looks like they didn't notice Lastia fell asleep, their gazes trained onto the screen in deep immersion. Or were they being considerate? She cozied herself under the shared blanket, her movements catching the attention of her companions.

"...?" (Sariel)

"Fufu... Did you have sweet dreams?" (Arin)

Of course they knew, she didn't have a blanket on her before she fell asleep. Her drowsy eyes seemed to see sparkles in various parts of the room before her vision settled down. Her heart rate was calm, and her eyes focused on the television in front. Half the movie had passed, but she didn't mind. It was spending time with the other 2 that mattered.

She layed her head on Arin's shoulder, Arin reciprocated and similarly placed her head on Lastia's. She could feel Arin's rhythmic breathing via the steady heaving of her shoulders. Her thoughts were subdued, she was in too much of a relaxed state to consciously be aware of the situation. If Lastia wasn't like this, she would have been too embarrass.

It was night, there were only a few hours left for her. Maybe they were being conscious of that, and wanted to spend her last moments in bliss. The movie should end some time before midnight. She felt incredibly drowsy when she first woke up, but with her vision clearing up and the bright lights flashing on the screen, she began to wonder how she fell asleep in the first place. Her thoughts were in a lethargic state, but not nonexistent. She observed the story intently, absorbing as much as possible, immersing as best as she could.

It didn't matter how hard she tried... Maybe it was because she paid too much attention, but she couldn't come to like it. The flaws were glaring and what it set out to do, it failed in execution. Disappointment, what should she say when the movie ends? What could she say?

"Man... I'm sorry, that was awful..." (Lastia)

"Ugh... It was so promising at the start too!" (Arin)

"Kuku! Kahahaha!" (Sariel)

They gazed at Sariel in surprise, it wasn't as exaggerated as widening their eyes or dropping their jaws, but a visible confusion was expressing in their eyes. Arin tilted her head and was about to ask, when Sariel interjected.

"Fufu... Even now, Lastia would speak her thoughts... Despite sleeping through half of it... Kuhahahaha!" (Sariel)

"Heh! Hehe! You're right! She missed the entire first half! Though, I don't really care, it was terrible anyway!" (Arin)

"Fu... Fufu-" (Lastia)

She joined in the laughter, a contagious and alluring atmosphere spread over. She shared the exact sentiment, to spend her last moments in happiness. Even if her memories were wiped, her experience couldn't be taken away. She wraps an arm around each of their necks, bringing the two closer into a hug.

"I appreciate you guys doing this, but please don't give any particular Lastia special treatment. If possible, simple celebrate her transience. I'd advise against pitying her, in a rush through her lifespan of a single day, it is a chaotic competition between wanting your support and wanting to be independent. " (Lastia)

" What are you talking about? We still have some time. Let's play a game! " (Arin)

Had she planned this from the start? Not only had they prepared the show to be watched, but also card games. It didn't take long for the time to eventually come, getting absorbed into the game, Lastia didn't notice that midnight was about to arrive and a wave of drowsiness hit her mind. Her body fell onto the couch behind her before sliding to the side, laying on the floor.

"Sweet dreams..." (Arin)

"Let's move her to the bed, then head back home. We have school tomorrow." (Sariel)

"Wouldn't it be better to stay over?" (Arin)

"We shouldn't do that without her permission... Even if we are her trusted friends, it's not the same for the next Lastia...

Everything we've been through will be a distant fairy tale to her." (Sariel)

"Alright... I'll get the door first." (Arin)

"Wait! Judging from how she acted earlier, there must be some private things in her room. Help me carry her body to the door first, the curse likely won't let her wake up at least for a minute.

We'll both keep check on each other so we don't invade anything she's hiding. These things are very important to girls y'know? " (Sariel)

"... Of course, with the curse around she would definitely write a diary... I see, sorry for being reckless. " (Arin)

" It's fine, let's get started. " (Sariel)