Eyes

Step One

Arc: Level C [Continued]

April 13- Day 13A

Laying on the couch, I slowly wake up from a seemingly long dream, and look around my spacious living room. It was seemingly empty, with me being the only entity in view. As I slowly get up, I hear someone from behind, causing me to quickly turn around.

"Ah, you're up," Stylus says as he walks up to me. He was already fully dressed, leading me to assume it is quite a bit into the day.

"I-is that not a normal thing?" I ask as I slowly grab my throbbing head.

"No, I mean, it is but.... Well you fainted again... last night."

I look at him for a couple of seconds as I blink. "I.... did?"

"You don't remember?"

"I- My head usually hurts before anything like that happens. But this time, I barely felt anything."

"That's not necessarily true," Zarith says as he suddenly appears. "You don't remember your head throbbing throughout the day? You know why," he explains with a smirk.

Stylus quickly looks at Zarith, then me. "W-what does he mean?"

I sigh before I respond. "It's nothing. It's probably because I'm regaining my memories and my ability's somehow being affected by it. Somehow..." I begin to think to myself. "But... why did I faint then?"

"What did you see?"

I shake my head. "Nothing new. I would usually faint if I regained a memory, but all of it I... remember-" I suddenly pause as I realize something. "There was something....," I finally say as Stylus moves closer to me. He was intrigued, judging by the look on his face. "Xear and Tairen..."

Stylus pauses before responding. "Wha-what do you mean by that?"

"I remember them. At least more clearly now than before."

Stylus doesn't say a word, though after a couple of seconds, he begins to slowly shake his head. "And  what does that have to do with anything?"

I look at him, then sigh. "Do you think... Xear is a part of Percent?" Stylus doesn't respond as he continues to look at me. He was awfully still, as if a single movement could give me the answer I need. "If Tairen is a part of Percent..... and Xear and Tairen were always together back then, then that could mean two things.... One, Tairen and Xear have parted. Tairen is a part of Percent, and perhaps Xear is against it.... Or... they both disappeared because they're both a part of Percent-"

"Ken," Stylus suddenly interjects. "This.... this isn't important." He shakes his head before looking at his watch. "A-are you gonna see my father or not? We have to get going." He quickly grabs his suitcase, and walks over to the door. "Hurry up, or I'm gonna leave without you."

I analyze him for a couple of seconds. He changed the subject. But why? Why is this a topic he wants to avoid so much?

I sigh before I walk upstairs. "I'll be down in 30 minutes."

~

Once I finish changing, I prepare to meet Stylus downstairs before Zarith stops me at the door of Echo's old room. "W-what?"