The Butterfly Effect [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 1.16 ー Sober

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Sᴏʀᴀ

I was roughed up, tired out, and sick of being where I was. But that didn't mean I would show it. Tomoe and I were forced to escape through a hidden tunnel to the front of the mansion, after someone set it all ablaze. And let me tell you, some things occurred.
I need a moment to complain and register everything before I continue with the strange girl who stood before us all.

Tomoe didn't look well when I saw him. His gloved white hands were usually still when I saw him, always calmly ready for a fight, but they were trembling.
I hadn't seen him this way since his parents passed. Murdered by a masked vigilante, that was the common excuse that was given to the people when it happened. I heard that his mother was stuck in an abusive relationship from one of the maid's gossip. Surely that must have struck him as a child, but he never had to see a therapist or doctor about the matter. That my father knows of, of course. He's one to meddle in the royal family's affairs, not I.

Well, to continue, when we noticed the fire, we were searching the place for Haruka and Hibiki, on my request. Of course, Tomoe whined against it, but he gave in quickly. It went something like:

"Oh, Sora?" He whispered, walking alongside me through the decorated corridors.

"Yes?"

"It seems that something's burning."

I stopped walking, breathed in, then turned around to face him. "It would appear so, my liege."

He frowned, but not the cocky sort that he usually gave me. Actually, everything he did was pretty cocky, and I hadn't noticed truly how he carried himself until I saw it all change. "Now's not the time for meaningless sarcasm. We should find the others as you said, and if there's any chance the upper floors are burning, then there's always that exit through the supply room."

"You sure someone's not burning a fancy steak?"

"Honestly, Sora, anyone with the nerve would have been fired by now," he replied. I think he meant to get a laugh out of me, and I normally would have, if it wasn't for a mixture of worry for whatever had happened to his usual gusto and hatred for that damned house.

I grabbed his hand, then started walking back the way we came with no further word. I don't know what I was thinking, but I could have sworn he flinched when we touched. Likely disgust above all. I made sure to not look back.

We came to a shady mahogany door, with copper tag painted gold, saying "SUPPLY." I had the urge to vandalize it, as a small way of revenge against our lovely hosts, but I quickly controlled myself. It was all already burning anyway. I turned the knob and stepped inside, Tomoe still too quiet for my liking. It was unnerving.

It was an ordinary supply room. Stone walls and wooden floors, barrels of goods, some open, some closed. Cloths, a selection of animal hides, bottles of ink, wooden crates, and ale to name a few. No perishables. Speaking of ale, in the corner was a cask with a beer mug on the floor below it, sitting there like someone had had a party, but promptly left. A beer keg... the mere thought of drinking still makes me frown. I preferred, and still prefer to remain abstained.

I turn my head for one second, spotting a small latch behind another barrel, and Tomoe's already gulping down a cup.

"What is your problem?!" I exclaimed, rushing over to snatch the drink from his hands, and pour the remaining guck onto the floorboards. "You need to stop being such a downer. Alcohol isn't going to solve your problems. Do you want to tell me what's going on?"