Our Second World book three: Personal Truth

Chapter 39: Wolf

"Why do you think it would be from her father?" Miafilellie asked.
"Emiko mentioned to me once that Nephi's been looking for her dad. Apparently he went missing five years ago," I said." The man I saw that night...I think it was him, and...I think he was working with the group that tried to kill the priestess."
"That makes things hard," Kyoko frowned." Did he say anything to you?"
"Yes," I nodded." He wanted to talk to Nephi, but I don't know what he said."
"Well...that's something at least," Kyoko said." Come, Mia-Ku, Wolf-Ku, let's let these two rest now."
As I stood up to leave, I felt something touch my hand. I looked down and gasped.
"What's wrong, Wolf-Chi?" Miafilellie asked.
I pointed to nephinae, who's hand was clasped tightly around mine.
"It's probably because she could hear us talking," Kyoko said." Her body may be asleep, but her mind might not be. Why don't you stay for a while longer? She seems to want you to."
"A-Alright," I nodded and sat down again.
"We'll see you later, Lynari-Ku, Nephinae-Ku," Kyoko waved to the sleeping girls as she left the room with Miafilellie.
When they were gone, I turned back to Nephinae and sighed.
"Hey...I'm...sorry I brought up your dad. I know it's kind of a sensitive topic for you. Sorry," I said quietly." I think I know how you feel, though. The man with the flaming swords...he was my brother," I sighed." But I guess that's where we're different, huh? I hate my brother more than anything, but...you still love your father...don't you."
My eyes widened as Nephinae squeezed my hand.
I smiled," yeah, you're right. No point in worrying about it now. Just focus on getting better ok?" I squeezed her hand." I'll come back again later, ok?"
I stood up and walked over to the door. I stopped and turned to look back at the girls. I felt an ache in my chest to see how peaceful they looked. It was almost like they were sleeping. I quickly turned away and quietly left the room. Closing the door, I leaned back against the wall with a small sigh.
"You really like her, huh?"
"Gah! Kyoko! How did you?"
Kyoko giggled," sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's fine," I sighed." So, did you want to talk about something?"
Kyoko yawned," can I spend the night with you again?" She asked.
"Did you figure something out?"
"Hrm...perhaps..." Another yawn." I'd like you to help me when I'm a little more awake."
Before I could answer, Kyoko wandered off down the hall.
I sighed.

~
    Miafilellie and I were the only two in the dining room again for lunch, and it was the same for dinner. After this morning, neither of us saw Kyoko, and her servants didn't seem to know where she was either.
   
    The sky got dark around seven or so, and I went back to my room around eight. Unsurprisingly, I found Kyoko sitting on the floor again when I opened the door.
    "Hello, Wolf-Ku!" she grinned, her eyes glowing their soft golden hue.
I stepped into my room and closed the door," How did I know you were gonna be in here?" I sighed." So, what can I do for you?"
"I want you to tell me something," Kyoko said." What happened to you and Nephinae when you two fought your brother?"
"You were listening to me?"
Kyoko narrowed her eyes," I know about everything that goes on in this house."
I sighed and walked over," fine, you win," I sat down next to her on the folded bed.
The woman smiled, her tail swishing over the bed," good. Now, tell me...everything."

~

After recounting everything I could remember from the night of the attack, Kyoko sat quietly for a while.
"Sorry to ask again, but I just want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly. When you were about to be stabbed by your brother, you say the room...froze?"
"Yes."
"And...when Nephiane released the limiter on your power, she didn't seem like her usual self?"
"No. It felt like I was talking to a completely different person," I answered.
"I see...and have you tried shifting at all since then?" Kyoko asked.
I shook my head," no. I never really had any reason to."
"I see..." Kyoko frowned. She looked at the floor, at the window, then back to me." Then...can you do it for me now?"
"Um...sure, but why?"
"Just to check something," she said, standing.
I sighed," Fine."
I stood up and closed my eyes, activating my shift. When I opened my eyes, I found myself feeling...short.
"...I'm...back to the tiny form again, aren't I?" I groaned.
Kyoko didn't say anything as she walked over and crouched in front of me. She seemed lost in thought as she stared at me.
"H-hey! Wh-What do you think you're--hey! Watch where you're touch--s-stop! Hey! That tickles!" I tried, and failed to squirm away as Kyoko picked me up. She set me down on my back in her lap and started rubbing my ears between her fingers.
"Kyoko...stop." I pushed her hand away and the woman seemed to snap from her daze.
"S-Sorry!"
"It's fine, just put me down now, please."
"Just a minute," Kyoko stared at me in silence for what felt like forever.
"What?"
"Oh...it's like I thought, then," she muttered.
"What are you on about?" I huffed.
"There's one last thing I need to check," Kyoko said, standing." Come with me."
Before I could say anything else, Kyoko ran off down the hall leaving me with no other choice but to follow her.
I was confused when she stopped outside of the room where Lynari and Nephinae were. Even more so when Kyoko suddenly picked me up and carried me over to Nephinae, closing the door behind us with her tail.
"What are we doing here?" I asked quietly.
Kyoko set me down next to Nephinae and put my paws on her hand.
"Wha--"
"Change back," she said." Just like that."
"Why?"
"To test something," she answered plainly.
I sighed," fine."
Closing my eyes, I shifted back. When I looked down, I found a child's hands where mine should be. I was small again.
"Happy?" I huffed, turning to look at Kyoko.
"I knew it," she muttered, kneeling next to me." I knew it." she repeated, her eyes sparkling.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"It was you," she said, as if she hadn't heard me.
"Kyoko!" the woman seemed to snap from her daze as I gripped her shoulders.
"S-sorry," she said quietly.
"Tell me what you figured out."
"The change in how you look...what causes it?"
"Nephinae and I have a contract. There's a limiter on my power," I explained.
"Then, because of the release on your power, much of Nephinae's mana was used up," Kyoko said." I think now that we've determined that, I can close the path. You'd be stuck like this again, but...it could speed up her recovery."
"Do it."
"...you sure?" Kyoko narrowed her eyes." Once I do this, Nephinae will be the only one who can undo it. If she doesn't wake up, you'll be stuck this way forever."
I nodded," if there's even a chance...I want you to do it."
Kyoko sighed," very well then."
Kyoko took my hand and put her other on Nephinae's. She closed her eyes and started an incantation in a language I didn't recognize. While she spoke, I felt my body growing weaker, almost as if my strength was being drained out.
When she was done, Kyoko leaned forward to catch me as I fell over, suddenly too tired to sit up properly.
"I'm ok," I said, an answer to the worried look in Kyoko's eyes.
"We'll find out if it worked in a few days," Kyoko said, picking me up." you should rest now. Save your strength so you can be there when she wakes up."
I barely managed to get out a weak thank you before passing out.