"…So what brings you to the Bright Castle?" Nephis asked him, "Are you… are you back?"
It wasn't for some other reason, right?
"Oh you know," He said, as he scratched the back of his head, "Just… doing some shopping."
What?
"Shopping?" She said, blinking.
She thought— she thought he was here, to resolve the unfinished conversation they had months ago. She thought he had wanted to find her, to clear up all the misunderstandings they might have had in the past. She thought he had changed his mind! That he would join her once again and— everything would be alright again.
Not some shopping.
Why couldn't he see her vision for the Bright Castle? Of how this was the only way things could work out. In this forsaken place, there was no way to consider any alternatives!
Just why?! Just why couldn't he understand it like Cassie, Effie, or even Caster did?
Besides! What can one even purchase in the Bright Castle? What would he even want from there?
"Wait, did that sound weird?" Sunny's eyes widened, "Wait, did I say that out loud again?"
Almost immediately, Sunny slapped his mouth, staring at her with an emotion that could only be horror.ror.
His shadow… it was moving, as if responding to whatever Sunny had said. Below him, it was shaking its head, hand covering its mouth—if shadows even had one—laughing at him.
It was amusing, for who would have thought that someone like him could make… such a mistake? Actually, she herself had to suppress the smile that threatened to bloom on her face— after all, this was a side of Sunny that… she thought she would never be able to see again.
"Uh yeah, shopping." Sunny eventually said, his eyes staring downwards, "I have some soul shards to spare, so I wanted to buy a Memory. Or a few of them."
A Memory? But— didn't he have quite a lot compared to an average Sleeper? Why would he need one?
Nephis looked at him for a while, trying her best to comprehend the mysteries of him going shopping.
"I see," She eventually said, staring at Sunny with an incredulous look.
Yes, even if he was here for a… memory, he would still answer her question… right? He couldn't simply be here to shop!
But would he act— No.
He must have thought all of this over! Just like how she did.
Nephis will acknowledge this, acknowledge that she might have been wrong in some ways… And yet, it was simply impossible for things to continue like this.
Sacrifices must be made for the greater good.
He doubted her, was angry with her, but could he actually propose a better solution than this?
Deep inside of her, thoughts bounced all around, turbulent. And yet, her voice came out calm and steady, like always, "Do you want to go somewhere and talk?"
He had to say yes, why else would he refuse?
But– what she saw said otherwise.
In front of her, Sunny was gritting his teeth, his deep, dark eyes full of an indescribable emotion, and—
She knew. He still hadn't understood.
But… she still wanted to believe in him, to believe in her… friend.
"Sorry,"—why?—"No can do. I'm… uh… waiting for someone."
Oh.
Nephis knew, she guessed— However, she still wanted to believe that she was wrong, until actual fact was presented to her face.
That's right, he wasn't here for her, he wasn't here to change his stance, to change what he had said all those weeks ago.
Perhaps… perhaps he had considered it in his own silence, of the feasibility, the lone choice they had left. And yet… why couldn't, why wouldn't he just allow himself to see it!
The past could only move forward with this! Broken by this plan of hers! By rivers, oceans of crimson!
A bloodless revolution? That was simply impossible! He should have known that better than anyone.
Then… why? Why did she suspect that she wasn't getting the entire picture…? Why did a voice whisper to her, that there was a future where… where the Dreamers of the Bright Castle didn't all have to choose; had the choice of cowardice and remain here, remain safe?
"You can just say no," She told him, "No need to invent some—"
Just then, someone interrupted her— someone she knew.
No.
It couldn't be. He couldn't be here!
"Sunny?" The voice called— soft, gentle, familiar, "Hey, are you here?"
Night?!
But— But— How…?
And yet, her eyes could never lie. Standing in front of her… was Night. The singer, the star, the mover of hearts! Right before her, was his mane of auburn hair, swaying in the wind, just like how it would have been if this was NQSC.
Mesmerizing emerald eyes met with her own, heavy, tired, and yet ever so bright, telling a tale of a place so, so far away.
Night. Night from Nightingale.
He was standing right in front of her.
Nephis… Nephis took a doubted, as her eyes ran across every feature of the man in front of her.
And… no matter how she wished that this wasn't true, reality proved otherwise. Sunny knew him, knew Night, was familiar with him.
Her breath hitched, as her mind whirred.
Why… why was Night here?
Wasn't he supposed to be enjoying his hiatus, in NQSC?!
Besides her, Sunny exhaled, his voice tainted with relief, "What do you mean, "Invent"?! See, he's right…" However, Nephis could no longer pay any attention to his words, too focused at… at Night.
He was dashing, every single part of him exactly how she had imagined back then. The kind, compassionate look ever present in his smile, the way he walked confidently, as if they were back in their world, and he was atop the runway, staring down at them from the place that was called the stage.
And yet… in this chance of twisted fate, they were meeting… as fellow Sleepers, wishing for salvation in this cursed place.
She almost couldn't believe her eyes!
Taking a step back, Nephis looked at Night, with a kind of absolute, utter horror… She never imagined he would be here!
Her idol looked at her, an expression of confusion upon his face, as he asked, that enchanting voice whispering into the depths of her mind. "Uh, Sunny? Who is your friend?"
Realistically, she knew she should introduce herself to him, and yet, her mind refused to, still impacted by the shock of seeing him here,
"Uh…Neph?" Sunny soon said, glancing at her with a strange look in his eyes.
Flinching, she tore her eyes away— she couldn't be impolite now!
After a few seconds, she cautiously leaned forward and whispered, "Sunny… what is Night doing here?"
Why was he in the Forgotten Shore?! What about Gale's solo project? What about him taking an extended hiatus—
Sunny frowned, "He's the friend I was telling you about."
No, that wasn't what she wanted to know. Tell her, tell her what— why was he here? Wasn't he supposed to be safe, to be composing new music?
Shaking her head desperately, she asked him again, "No, I mean what is he doing here?"
And yet, Sunny only continued to stare, deep in silence, as if thinking about some hidden meaning behind her words. Finally, he said:
"I saved his life in the ruins, so he's doing me a favor in return."
What…?
Night was in dang— No, that wasn't the main point of all this. Why was he here? Why was he standing in front of her?
"No, I mean what is Night doing here, on the Forgotten Shore!"
Sunny stared at her for a second, as if digesting what she had just said, and soon, he scowled, asking, "Did you guys know each other in the real world?"
…Huh?
Sunny— what was he talking about?
She opened her mouth, then closed it again.
Finally, she forced herself to speak, praying that… Sunny wasn't really so… uncultured, "You… you don't know who he is?"
She looked at him, and those onyx eyes met hers in return, as if asking her if he should know about Night.
"He really doesn't," Night said, a dazzling smile upon his lips, "Isn't it wonderful?"
No, it wasn't— what could possible lead him to… to be ignorant of such matters? Yes, she knew he was from the outskirts; but surely, they would at least have the right, have the privilege to hear the songs of Nightingale…?
And yet, Sunny only gave Night a dark look.
"How would I know who he is? Make sense, please."
But… he was the one who wasn't making any sense.
"That's Night, you idiot!" She whispered, loudly, "Night from Nightingale! The Night!"
Everyone knew about him—she could ask anybody in NQSC, and they would just… know. So why wouldn't he?
Sunny rubbed his face in irritation, and… Nephis slowly resigned herself to her fate, maybe, he truly didn't know how great of a man this 'friend' he knew was.
"What are you talking about?" He said, eyes looking at her strangely, "What is a Nightingale?"