The Reve - Part 1

Chapter 10: One Of These Nights

A tree was standing on top of a hill. Luminescent bugs were fleeting around the sleeping form of Hyori. Sitting on the grass, her back laid on a huge fluffy blob. She was sheltered from the sun's rays under the tree's leaves. A rose scent floated in the air and she had a violet kitten blob on her lap. Books were spilt around and bushes surrounded the scene.

The atmosphere was peaceful and birds could be heard singing from afar. Hyori knew that place. To be precise, she knew she had already been in that place. Not physically but the hill was a recurring scene of her dreams.

Lower on the hill, a beast was wandering in the forest. That beast hadn't always been hovering around. Nothing had been around from the beginning. Yet, she was sure the beast had emerged from a foreign place. It lurked in the darker parts of the forest where she never went.

Following the beast's appearance, troubled waters occasionally flooded the forest. It looked like shadows were consuming the ground. Those waters came from a pond with cursed effluves and a bubbling mess of troubled water. Again, she was sure it came from a foreign place.

Hyori was wary of leaving the top of the hill. Everything was soft and sweet up there. It wasn't always the case in the valley. That part looked more like a nightmare than a dream.

Suddenly, the air turned chilly atop the hill, disturbing her sleep. She woke up feeling cold. The basement apartment was insulated against the chill autumn wind but the violet felt cold to her bones. The eerie silence of the apartment was deafening and she clutched a body-sized stuffed kitten.

In her memories, the inner palace was equally quiet at night. Unless someone ran in the halls. She hadn't been there for two years but could remember the distinct sound of swollen wooden tiles creaking under her feet. It was one of these nights she felt nostalgic.

Hyori retrieved her phone from the bedside. It was yet again a new one. She read eleven past a quarter in the evening and unlocked the device. She was greeted by kitten videos and some dressing challenges on her social media recommendations.

She tapped on the 'Fairy Core' tag. Girls adorned glittery wings and laced corsets with butterfly hair clips. The clips' decorums reminded her of the place she dreamed of. After a few minutes, her phone was too much and she saved the trend for when she would be in a better disposition.

She put her phone back on the bedside and rolled under her covers. She was even less likely to fall asleep now that she had activated her phone. Her mind was wide awake but her body craved resting time. She once asked her roommates how they coped with restlessness.

Muse used her toys to blow steam off and Bliss used her quirked hands on herself. They offered to help her but Hyori declined. She was wary of getting hooked and didn't want to enjoy that too much. Despite the time spent hosting, she hadn't made amends with that aspect of life. She didn't dissociate anymore but the act in itself was unsettling.

She missed her Mother's love. She missed the look in her Mother's eyes when she held her close. Even when she hadn't done anything to be proud of. Even during the days she was ill. Her Mother always loved her the same. A simple and beautiful love, free of parades or lies.

Exasperated, she climbed out of bed and put her slippers on. The teen exited her bedroom and proceeded to enter the bathroom. The shower water felt colder in the middle of the night. It was different from during the day. Everything seemed more intimidating in the middle of the night.

Being awake while the rest of the world slept was like entering a secret dimension. It was as if she were spying on the magic that made the sunrise and brought life into the world. Her shower hadn't eased her mind but it made her feel refreshed. She walked into the living room to drink from the fountain.