Homecoming

Luna found herself standing on the porch, staring at the door handle. She knew that even if she opened it, the smell of her dads cooking or the sound of her mom's gentle laughter would not be there. 

Even still, she had no choice. She needed to keep Leo safe. She unlocked the door with the key she wore on a chain beneath her shirt, close to heart. 

The door opened with a slow creak to reveal a dark entrance way, the house was eerily quiet. Nobody had been here for months yet everything remained untouched—just as they had left it. The air was thick with dust, and the faint scent of old wood and memories clung to the walls.

Luna stepped inside first, her fingers still gripping the key tightly. Rachel followed, carefully adjusting Leo's unconscious body in her arms. The VR helmet remained firmly on his head, its sleek surface catching the faint light that filtered through the dust in the air.

Lily entered last, glancing around with wary eyes. 

"Are you sure about this?" 

she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, Luna had been unable to step in this place since Leo had entered the hospital. Despite it being a spacious house, Luna had felt the place was too small, suffocating her. 

Luna didn't answer immediately. Instead, she walked further into the dimly lit entrance, only the slight tremors of her shoulders betrayed her inner turmoil. 

"It's the safest place I know… No one's been here for a long time. No one will look for us here."

She finally spoke but she felt her mouth was dry, her tongue feeling like it was made of sandpaper.

"That's good and all Cutie but I have a question. Where do you want our lil Princess here? He's pretty light but I can't carry him forever"

Rachel's voice snapped Luna out of her thoughts, but she was still in a slight daze as she didn't even react to the slight teasing. 

"This way," 

She led them deeper into the house. Each step felt heavier than the last, the memories pressing down on her shoulders like an unseen weight.

Rachel followed, her steps careful as she carried Leo down the hallway. Lily trailed behind. She was worried for Luna.

Lily trailed behind, worry etched on her face. She knew Luna was tough, but there was a fragility about her that no one could ignore—not after everything. Luna had lost both of her parents, and now, it seemed her only family left was on the verge of slipping away, too after coming back.

Rachel grit her teeth, quietly seething deep down at the faceless company that was the cause of their situation. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl who was the same age as her. 

'Those sick bastards. They're treating his life like a damn Yo-Yo! They are ruining more than one person's life…'

Luna led them through the familiar hallway, past doors that remained closed, each one a reminder of a life that was no longer. Finally, she stopped in front of one, her hand trembling slightly as she gripped the handle.

She pushed the door open.

Leo's childhood room.

The room was quiet—frozen in time, yet heavy with memories. The bed was neatly made, as if waiting for someone to return. Bookshelves filled with old fantasy novels lined one wall. A desk sat untouched in the corner, and the air felt dense, as if the room itself was holding its breath.

Rachel's eyes widened. 

"Didn't expect his room to be so… neat."

Luna didn't respond at first, her gaze lingering on the familiar sight of Leo's room. How long had it been? 

She sighed deeply, a painful release of air.

"No one's been here for months,"

 Luna's throat tightened as she spoke, the words escaping in broken gasps. 

"I kept it clean. Hired someone to come by every couple of weeks… just in case." 

She wiped her face with the back of her hand, trying to steady her breath, but the tears kept coming. She choked on her words, her chest rising and falling in short, sharp breaths."

Lily stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Luna, pulling her into a tight, comforting hug as Luna's sobs shook her small frame.

"They haven't been here for a while," 

Luna whispered between tears.

 "I let them go after the doctors told me... to prepare for the worst. I just wanted my baby brother back. But not like this."

Lily's embrace tightened, offering Luna whatever comfort she could. The silence that followed was thick, heavy with the weight of unspoken grief.

"I don't want to lose him…but I am powerless to help.."

"That's not true."

Rachel's words pierced the silence, and Luna froze. Her hand gripped the edges of her pants, knuckles turning white as her breath caught in her throat. She blinked rapidly, as though trying to make sense of what Rachel had just said.

Having placed Leo gently on the bed, Rachel stood and turned toward Luna, her expression resolute, a smile barely tugging at the corners of her lips.

"There is a way you can help him. We need to get to the late stages of this game. Whoever is behind these experiments must know how to cure your brother."

Luna blinked, confusion briefly clouding her thoughts.

Rachel's gaze flicked to Leo's limp form before returning to Luna's eyes, steady and resolute. 

"You can get stronger through this game. Every level you rise, every quest you complete, you'll probably gain more power. And when the time comes, you can make those bastards pay for what they've done."

Luna's heart beat faster as she processed Rachel's words. The game had been a means of escape, a way to forget. But now, it could be the key to protecting her brother. Destroying the bastards who were behind this was just a nice bonus. 

Lily frowned as she appraised Rachel once again. 

"Sure that sounds good and all. But aren't we going to be risking our own lives going after this shady company? What do you plan on doing? Guarding his body or something? I'm sorry but I can't trust you."

Rachel closed her eyes, it was as she expected. She couldn't just join them without any suspicion. When she opened them, there was a resolute will burning inside of her gaze. 

"You ladies won't be going alone. I fully plan on joining in on this.."

Lily looked faintly surprised that the woman they barely knew was willing to go this far. 

"But if I mutate and look like the lil Cutie or the pretty Snake, please kill me. I don't think I could handle the embarrassment."

Lily was momentarily stunned, her mouth slightly agape. She hadn't expected that kind of joke at a time like this. The absurdity of it caught her off guard, and she found herself facepalming as the tension lifted—just a little.

"Seriously?" 

she muttered, a nervous laugh escaping despite herself.