Drifting in Dreamland With You

Broken Facade

"So… Let me get this straight… After the dickwad King stabbed you, you were isolated, stuck in a woozy dreamscape about you dating Anne, me getting blamed for stabbing you and you jumped to my defense, while you got left to become a vessel for some actual god?" Sasha asked. "And I thought I had crazy shit happen the past few days…"

Marcy nodded. "It calls itself The Night."

Sasha froze. "Oh no. No way. That thing is bad news." She said.

"Oh really…? What did they say about me to you…?" It taunted.

Their head cocked to the side.

Sasha grit her teeth, but didn't reply, feeling like if she gave away that info, her plan would crumble.

Marcy hissed in pain. "Stop it. Bad. Stop listening to my conversation." She reprimanded.

"You're no fun, Wu."

"Shut up. Stop listening."

They rolled their eyes.

"Fiiinneee…"

"Stubborn thing, huh?" Sasha murmured.

Marcy sighed. "Yeah…" She muttered. "So anyways, you cut your hair for what reason?" She then asked.

Sasha shrugged. "Oh you know, just a change of pace. Felt too feminine, too forced, kinda uncomfortable. Had the same style for a while 'cause of my parents. Y'know, fuck gender norms and all." She explained. "Basically, bad memories, cut 'em off."

"Not the best message, if you ask me." Marcy admitted.

Sasha hummed. "I guess… Oh, also longer hair doesn't fare well in battle, so this isn't just a spur of the moment thing." She added.

Marcy snorted. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Aren't you known for making impulse decisions?"

"You're one to talk, you hyperactive gamer." Sasha shot back.

Marcy stuck her tongue out teasingly. 

Sasha gasped in faux offense. "You take that back before I quite literally bite it."

"Oooh I'm soooo scaaared…!" Marcy snickered.

"Yeah no, that wasn't really a threat…" She murmured to herself. "Shut up before I kiss you so much you can't speak." Sasha then shot back.

Marcy froze. "I‐ What?" She stumbled out, face burning.

Sasha smirked. "You heard me, Chief Ranger Wu…" She murmured out.

"You- I- But– We- She- You-" Marcy sputtered out. "Sasha…!" She then whined, covering her face with her hands.

"D'aww… Someone's getting embarrassed…?" The blonde teased.

"You have so much confidence for someone who just learned I basically had a dream of dating Anne…" Marcy muttered, voice slightly muffled by her hands, which were still covering her flushed face.

Sasha snickered. "Ah c'mon Marce, standing up for me against Anne in your dreamland where you dated her? Sounds pretty gay to me."

"I…" Marcy immediately trailed off. "I have no defense…" She muttered and sighed in defeat.

Sasha hummed. "That's what I thought." She said.

"Oh come on…! Stop uselessly pining and just get with them, Ranger…! She just gave you a chance…!" The Night hissed.

"Shut up shut up shut up…! You aren't supposed to be poking around my head." Marcy hissed back.

It groaned. "Lieutenant Waybright, look at me. Stop flirting, she won't get it. Just ask her out. She is so disgustingly sweet." It told the blonde.

"I'll uh… I'll keep that in mind. Thanks…?" Sasha wanted to look anywhere else besides those glowing orange eyes.

"You haven't unleashed your powers fully…" It then said.

"What?" Sasha's attention snapped back to the being in control over Marcy.

"My my, you reek of insecurities and locked potential… Boonchuy unleashed her powers, why haven't you?"

Sasha didn't respond.

"Is it your fear of falling back into being an abusive controller?" It asked, eyes narrowing as it continued to stare at the blonde.

Sasha's shoulders raised in defense, but she didn't say anything. She wasn't going to give it that satisfaction.

It chuckled grimly. "I assure you my gift won't warp your ideals. That's all on you. It merely makes you stronger. You are a captain in waiting. Better yet, you are the force of an army yet to be released, fueled by the sands of war, protector of the toad faction, wielder of the warhammer that has brought forth many battles." It explained. "But that, young one, is not morality. That is merely strength. For your heir of compassion is the one versed in morality." It added.

"Tell me, how do you fix a broken moral compass that seems way off center? How do you abide by a code you've already broken many times before? How the hell can you reorient something that's been busted long ago?" Sasha finally asked.

The Night seemed taken aback by the questions, then hummed in thought. "Morality is different for everyone. Everyone wants to believe they are, morally, in the right, but even the kindest of mortals have a somewhat skewed moral system." It answered. "Your morality is not broken, it's merely misguided. All you mortals change in time, and so do your morals. The only code to follow is the one you make for yourself." It explained to the teen. "You are still young and blind, there is still so much time to stop being willfully ignorant to everyone else's problems. You are merely a child, you shouldn't be expected to get it right the first time."

Sasha didn't know why those final words hit her hard, but she did know she was crying.

Something snapped in the duo and Marcy was back. "Oh no… Sasha, don't cry…" She murmured softly, shuffling over and hugging the blonde.

"I'm sorry…" The blonde murmured back, wiping her tears away, sniffling. "That was just… Too much too quick…" She breathed out.

"It's okay, we can just stay here in silence until Olivia is back with Yunan…" Marcy suggested.

Sasha hummed softly. "Yeah… I'd like that…" She mumbled.