Into The Shadow Realm | Rascal x fem reader story 2023

17| The Congress

Contains descriptions of anxiety and panic attacks

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You know you cannot stay in your room forever.

Three days its been, since you and Rascal have stolen the charms and received the invitations, and three days since your vision. Right now, there is only half an hour left until the two of you must leave for the dinner, back in the dungeons. Realising that this is the first time going back home seems to hush most of the other thoughts ruminating in your brain. Or perhaps you force yourself to keep it in mind.

You are also not too fond of having to wear a dress. Sure, you wear skirts occasionally, but that is just to allow maximum movement for your legs. To your liking, the black dress also contains two similar slits, just like the ones in your skirts. It is a slim A-line dress, a thin layer of black, then another thin layer of sheer black. The two fabrics fall against each other so smoothly. The waist and bust is subtly patterned (with black) just like the engravings on your knives, then more sheer fabric pulls halfway up your neck, just like the tops you wear daily, except from the bust, the pure black material runs out seamlessly, leading into a translucence.

If it were not for these things, you would not be staring in the mirror, reluctant to admit your admiration.

You can also tell when the joker arrives at your door, most definitely in a hover. It is subtle, but you feel his presence as well as the mischievous grin surfacing, constructing a plan to scare you in some way, to pop out if you were to open the door.

Rascal is excited. No, that is an understatement. Rascal is thrilled that his loyalty and efforts for the Glitter Force's soon-coming defeat have finally been recognised. It is as if he has been patiently awaiting for months, and now the anticipation is wearing off like a child on a sugar high.

As for yourself, you feel uncomfortable. You have been avoiding the jester for the last couple of days, today was the hardest to do so. You know you should at the very least discuss what should be said at this meeting.

Then, the decent of your vision. The pain is lasting longer now, travelling back with you into reality and the thought terrifies you. All this time treating it like it is nothing but a bad dream, is worthless. Something is changing inside of you, like the same dread of waking up to realise the impact this is having on you, has been hanging around ever since. Dread of knowing that the pain is entering reality and that this will continue to become worse unless you do something about it.

But the thing is, there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it.

The night after the incident, you could not even think about sleep again, wishing it to be as far away from you as possible, and it did not come to you in return. Anxiety that was once dormant, has now been reactivated, containing itself as a small ball in the pit of your stomach, slowly but surely reaching out to your chest and lungs every so often.

You have felt fidgety and nervous all day, reminiscing the most terrifying experience you have ever lived through. You have had no time to process and contemplate what this all means of course, and how the hell you are supposed to get through this meeting. Previous worries about being acquainted to the board seem so miniscule now.

"Having fun standing there?" You call eventually, whilst pacing back and forwards.

"I'm guessing I can't come in~?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you are worried," comes Rascal's voice from behind the door, "and I also find that amusing. Do you want to talk about your worries (Y/n)?"

You roll your eyes, feeling his hypocritical smile through the wall. "Talk to you? I would rather – "

" – You know, we may be full of negative energy," he interrupts, "but I can undoubtedly feel a certain angst about you today. It wouldn't have anything to do with the meeting now, would it~?"