Two

The End: Part 1

~ After the end of the first book ~

"DIMENTIO!!!" Blumiere called, excitedly running up to me, holding Timpani by the hand. He wore the same bright smile he always wore now. One of my favorite things about the Overthere, other than the seemingly permanent sunlight which covered the entirety of the land, (which was far more preferable than the moonlight, which would seem to try to single me out whenever possible,) was the fact that no one was afraid to smile.

I had spent my childhood smiling in a world where no one would smile back. Even Blumiere, who was far more kindhearted than the rest of the world around him, was too filled with fear to allow his happiness to show. So it was rather refreshing to see a smile on his face.

"One! One! One!" Blumiere quickly said, finally arriving right in front of me, almost sounding out of breath. 

The fact that we still breathed was slightly odd to me since we were all dead. It was less of a necessity now and more like an option. Most people up in the Overthere opted to still breathe because the air was so clean and warm. It also helped a part of us still feel alive.

"What is it?" I asked, lightly chuckling at Blumiere's frantic manner. 

Timpani smiled, brushing her slightly messy white hair from her large grey eyes, which still were filled with the same amount of youth and beauty they held when she was a young girl. I could almost picture that young girl sitting at the ocean side, taking in the small peaceful moments our horribly chaotic and dark childhood offered. I always respected the fact that she was able to take advantage of those moments and avoid all the fighting. I myself wasn't so fortunate, always being chased or hunted by something because of my number.

"You wanna tell him?" Timpani asked, looking at Blumiere with a smile.

"No, no! Let's tell him together!" Blumiere replied! The couple giggled, looking like the perfect image of those couples on television. 

They continued smiling at one another, quietly elbowing each other until they started a countdown to tell me whatever this mysterious news was. It was almost annoying how long they were taking, but I tried not to mind. Their happiness wasn't something to be jealous of. Smiles like that were exactly what I wanted to bring to the world when I was young, so I tried to put all my other emotions behind me.

They counted down from three, then told me their news. 

"We're getting married!! Surprise!!" They chimed in unison.

"Again?" I found myself asking too quickly. 

I wasn't really present, but I was fairly sure that they had a short ceremony right before their deaths, resulting in the void being banished and the prophecy of darkness failing to be. 

"Well, yeah!" Blumiere chimed, wrapping an arm around his bride-to-be and smiling as bright as the infinitely shining sunlight. "We decided to have a more formal ceremony up here since no one else was really present when we actually got married! And we want you to be there!"

Ah, they were giving me an invitation. How kind.

I tried not to feel too jealous of their happiness and forced a smile. I was sure it didn't look quite as genuine, but they were too wrapped up with each other to even notice.

"How kind. When will this wedding be?" I asked.

"In a week!" Timpani smiled. She then made a high-pitched squealing noise, showcasing her excitement. I couldn't help but smile at the scene. 

Blumiere then finally took his gaze off of Timpani, looking at me. I could see his smile falter slightly and I immediately felt a slight tension. I missed my mask. He didn't see my hidden discomfort, did he?

"Timpani... why don't you run off? I wanna talk with Dimentio alone for a second," Blumiere said, smiling brightly at her once again. Timpani didn't ask why or argue, which we were both thankful for. She simply told him "Okay," kissed Blumiere's cheek, and rushed off.

I knew exactly what Blumiere was going to talk to me about. A part of me wanted to tell him to save his breath so we'd be able to skip this conversation. However, I stayed silent, waiting for him to start.

He looked around for a second, then walked up next to me, avoiding my gaze and bowing his head slightly, looking at his gloved hands. I was glad to see that he took my advice and got gloves. I wondered if his number was still on his wrist. Mine remained, but it was slightly more faded than it was when I was young. A constant reminder of who I was to the world.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Blumiere asked me. 

I let out a sigh, knowing that he had asked me this same question at least twenty times since we had both arrived in the Overthere. I replied with the same answer I always gave.

"Yes. It was nothing more than a childhood crush."

"I know. You just... I see the heartbreak in your eyes," Blumiere pointed out. 

I couldn't wish for my mask at that moment, even though my mask never hid the expression in my eyes. Even the paper bag I wore as I child could never shield my eyes. Blumiere must have gotten quite good at reading someone's mood through just their eyes, considering he spent so much time with me.

"That's not because I want to be with her," I assured him. 

That was the honest truth. I wasn't jealous that Blumiere ended up with Timpani. I truly was over my feelings for her. They ended long ago, and truly were nothing more than a childhood crush. I wasn't sure if my crush was even real. The world was so dark back then, and all I wanted was a happy family. I supposed she was the only child around who wasn't yet brainwashed, so I convinced myself that she was the only way I could grow up and have the family I wanted so badly. 

"I know," Blumiere told me. "But... I don't know. I feel bad, you know? It doesn't seem fair that I get to be with someone and you don't. Especially considering the fact that I've done so much more wrong in my lifetime."

"That's debatable," I told him with a small smile. 

He didn't smile back.

"I just... feel bad. I don't want you to die alone," he explained.

"I did die alone. It wasn't so bad!" I joked. 

He didn't laugh.

We waited in awkward silence for a moment. I knew what he was going to say, but he was trying to find a way to word it without seeming too pushy. I could still feel the sense of guilt he held within himself. No matter how many times I told him to let that guilt go, he continued to hold it close to his heart. Not that I blamed him. Sometimes I too still felt that sense of betrayal and guilt for everything that happened between us.

"You miss someone," he said. "I can tell. I... I'm not going to make you elaborate or tell me who... but if you ever need help... I'd help you find them. I-if that's what you want."

Help me find them?

I frowned, then looked at Blumiere. He was still looking down, clearly feeling that twinge of guilt that always loomed over him. I could tell exactly what he was thinking. 

If I hadn't dropped One, he would have led a normal, happy life and he wouldn't have gone through all the trouble with the prophecies, and we'd both still be alive and happy.

"... I can't find them," I told him. "They're still-" 

"I know! I know. But... well, you always seemed to find a way to do the impossible" Blumiere told me, patting my shoulder. "I mean... if anyone could get back to the living world, it would be you."

Back to the living world...

The thought of it was both appealing and terrifying. Especially considering how dark it was there. Would I really be willing to step back into the darkness? Back into the moon's spotlight? Even after everything the world put me through?

"...I'll think about it," I muttered, softly smiling.

Finally a real smile.