Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74 {Part 1}

~Chapter 77: Let's Play~

Jiu felt a blur of white light phase over him, forcing him to shut his eyes. When he opened them, he was no longer with Vincent or Emmeline. He was in the nursery, the same one Percy Hughes had gotten haunted in, though at this time in the past, it was in use. It was a warm room, and seemed happy. The wallpaper was ships, sailing around the room, and the windows were large to let a good amount of light in. Toys and stationary were scattered across the floor, in a disorderly sort of fashion. Jiu's gaze landed on a familiar figure. Lying on her stomach, just under the window, was a little girl. She seemed to be between four or five years old. She was by herself in the room, drawing on a sheet of paper, sticking glitter and stickers to its surface; her tongue stuck out in concentration, and her legs swinging happily behind her. Jiu's breath hitched. Leora. To her side, was a fox plushie, slouched; watching the girl draw. Jiu approached, expecting that she wouldn't see him, after all it was just a memory. However, Leora glanced up, and her eyes widened at the sight of him. Jiu, too, froze. Surprisingly, the little girl didn't scream or cry or anything.
"You can...see me?" Jiu whispered.
Leora nodded, sitting up," I can see you."
"You can hear me..."
"I can hear you," Leora nodded.

Jiu gulped. He was talking to a past version of his girlfriend. It was cute, but undeniably creepy.
"Are you a friend?" Leora asked.
"Yes," Jiu nodded, without hesitation," I am."
Leora smiled, she patted the floor," I like friends! Come, play with me, friend."
Jiu nodded. He cautiously made his way over and sat on the floor, opposite the girl, crossing his legs; eyebrows furrowed.
"I'm Leora, what's your name?"
"Hi Leora, I'm Jiu," Jiu murmured.
"Juice?" The toddler innocently tilted her head.
"No, no, Jiu," He chuckled.
"J...i...u..." Leora sounded it out, before smiling," Jiu! I like that name. Who are you Jiu? You look different to me."
"I'm from a different place in the world, that's why, so I suppose we do look quite different," Jiu explained, gently, in a way that he could hope a toddler would be able to comprehend," You see, I'm from the future."
"Future...?"
"Yes, in the future we're very close," Jiu nodded.
Leora's eyes shone," Best friends?"
"You could call it that, yes," Jiu chuckled.
"Yay!" Leora giggled, bouncing up and down, whilst somehow still sat.
In a way, Jiu was glad he got to meet her when she was this age. After seeing her so ill recently, seeing her when she was happy and healthy was, well, refreshing. Jiu glanced around the nursery, curious.

"This is a rather nice room," Jiu hummed," It looks much nicer with the light in, and toys. It feels more alive."
"Isn't it?" Leora beamed," I use it the most in this house! Henry used to, but... well, he told me he's too old for nurserys."
"So you play alone?"
Leora glanced around and nodded, glumly," Yeah...not even the servants want to play with me, you know."
Jiu raised an eyebrow," Does Edward not?"
The toddler blinked, clueless.
"Who's Edward?"
Edward possibly hadn't been in the manor at this age. Jiu supposed it made sense he wouldn't be here yet.
"Someone very kind to you, Leora, in the future anyway," Jiu murmured.
"Another friend?"
"Yes, another friend."
The toddler beamed. Jiu glanced at the fox, gently picking it up, and smiling at the toddler.
"And who's this gentleman?"
"That's Mr. Fox!" Leora nodded," Duncan gave him to me, and we used to play with him together. But...now it's just me."
There was a sad tone in the little girl's throat, and it made Jiu's heart clench. It must have been after Duncan died. The poor toddler must spend each day so lonely, playing in the nursery by herself. Yet, at the same time, she seemed somewhat used to it, and not too distressed about the whole thing.

Leora took the fox plushie from Jiu and carried it to her bed. It seemed like she was at the age where they kept her in the nursery still. Her bed clearly used to be some sort of cot, but part of the railings had been taken off so the girl could get up at night, but still wouldn't fall out of bed. She tucked the fox in, patting the blanket, before turning to Jiu.
"Do you want to play with me?" She asked, eager.
"Alright," Jiu smiled, softly.
Leora's face lit up at the idea of someone finally playing with her, she rushed over to a toy wooden boat and held it out to Jiu.
"Do you like it? My daddy said it's a battle ship, isn't that neat?"
"It is pretty neat," Jiu chuckled.
He gently pushed it across the floor, making 'ship noises' to entertain the toddler. Her eyes shone with wonder. She picked up a wooden train.
"Do you like this one, Jiu? My daddy says it's a steam engine, isn't that so cool?"
"It's very cool."
This time, Leora drove it around the floor, mimicking train noises. Jiu chuckled at her innocent attempt to entertain him. When she saw him smile, her face lit up, feeling triumphant. She rushed off to grab another wooden toy; a bird.
"I think daddy told me this bird is a swallow," Leora hummed," What do swallows do, Jiu?"

Jiu thought about it, taking the toy off Leora gently, and examining it.
"I suppose they fly, don't they?" Jiu smiled.
Leora's eyes shone," Flying sounds fun! I wish I was a bird!"
"Hmm," Jiu stood up, stretching," How about this!"
He swiftly swooped Leora up into his arms, pretending she was flying, making soaring noises; the toddler squealed in delight, kicking her legs.
Jiu chuckled, eventually setting her down on the bed," There we go, was being a bird fun?"
Leora nodded, bouncing up and down on the bed," Mmm! Very!"
Jiu chuckled as the toddler jumped off the bed and landed on the floor. She rushed over to the pipe in the room that connected to the servants kitchen, for when she needed something. The little girl mischievously took the top off and pressed her mouth against it, babbling incoherently into it to startle the servants.
Jiu tutted, taking it off her and putting the lid back on," That's not nice to tease the busy servants, you know?"
Leora puffed her cheeks," Jiu, you bully! I hate bullies."
Jiu laughed.

"I'm not a bully Leora. But you were coming close to that when you teased those poor servants. How about this? Let's play with something else, alright?"
Leora nodded. She glanced around the nursery thoughtfully.
"I don't want to play in the nursery...can we play around the manor?"
"I don't see why not," Jiu stretched his limbs," As long as you don't stress those poor servants out anymore, understand?"
Leora nodded, beaming," Mhm~!"