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13. Visions

Oh god this is so much fun-

TW: swearing, forgetfulness,

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Roman was groggy when he woke up, blinking back the exhaustion he had. He was always exhausted. After all, sleeping on a threadbare bed didn't help one get any sleep. He blinked again, looking at the bed with confusion. Had he always been here?

It was the same room as he remembered; the same room he had grown up in. So why did he feel like something was different or wrong? Everything was the same as always. He had never slept anywhere else. There was nowhere else.

"Roman, dear, you need to eat before going to school," Cinderella called from down the hall. Roman wandered out of his room and into the small kitchen, feeling slightly lost. There was no reason to feel out of place in the home he'd always known, so the feeling made no sense. He shrugged it off as the exhaustion and the fact that he had a history test. He had a history test? Yes, yes, of course he did. Why wouldn't he? Cinderella handed him his breakfast, one apple. It was all anyone on the isle could afford eating at a time. Just one item. "There you go."

"Thanks, Cinderella," Roman said. Suddenly this rush of loathing and anger rushed over him, with no apparent place it was directed at. What was there to hate? He had never hated anything here that much. It was small, yes, but it was home. Sure, there was no sun, but.. Sun? He didn't know what that was, but the word brought a smile to his face, as if it had warmed away the anger and loathing.

"You know you can call me Mom," Cinderella said with a small laugh. "You've never just called me Cinderella before. Are you feeling alright?"

"Of course I'm feeling alright," Roman said, though he had a feeling he was lying. He didn't know about what, but there was just something off. "What would be wrong?"

"I don't know, you just seem off," Cinderella said. "Oh well, it's probably nothing. You'd better hurry so you can get to school."

"Right... school," Roman mumbled, shaking his head out of its haze. He wasn't thinking clearly, most likely from lack of sleep. Definitely from lack of sleep. What else could it be?

It felt like a blink and he was at school. Had he already walked all the way there? It seemed faster than usual, but in his slightly delirious state nothing could be certain. For all he knew it could've taken longer than usual.

"Alright class, it's time to began the test." What was the teacher's name? He could never remember. At least something was consistent. "This test is about the isle's history and the war, also the villains who now rule over Auradon."

"Isn't it called the Dark Kingdom now?" Roman asked. The fairy looked at him with a face full of shock, like as if he'd shouted out that he was gay. Actually, it was exactly like what would happen if he were to shout out that he was gay.

"Where did you hear that name?" the fairy hissed.

"I- I don't know," Roman mumbled. "I can't remember."

"I hope you can remember more about our history than you can about where you heard that vile name." The fairy passed out the tests, and immediately Roman didn't know anything that was on it. There were names he'd never heard of, and dates he didn't remember. There were the standard villain names he rememebered, and then there was one that stood out. Virgil Storm. There was a picture of bright green eyes in his mind, vivid as a memory, and then it was gone. He blinked away the image, instead trying to focus on the questions. It was like he was underwater, and a current kept trying to tear his focus away from the test.

There was a question about the way off the isle, and why it had never been found. Why it never existed in the first place. But Roman could've sworn there had been a way off of the isle. Right? There had to be a way off. Right?

He skipped the question, moving on to the next. There was a date. It wanted to know what had happened on June 21. But.. that was only a few weeks away. It wanted to know about a future date... so what was this?

Suddenly the room flashed, and Roman was falling.

753 words