Dreaming About Blue Sky

Raella was truly glad, that she was able to share the site of her home with someone other than herself. After all, she'd never seen a soul enter nor leave the vicinity of that beach apart from her own family. To say it "meant a lot" that Hwum appreciated the view she'd grown up with might be an understatement... would be an understatement... in all honesty, it somehow mattered and Raella didn't know why. That being said, she never intended to cast an illusion of her home, it was as if her deceptions had a mind of their own, shifting into whatever lay in her subconscious with no off button whatsoever. Taking a slow but silent breath, Raella regained her composure before she addressed Hwum once more.

"It seems, like all this, she too is an illusion. Speaking of which... I think I've lost control of them." Raella let out a quick chuckle, yet it came off as hitched, almost mocking her pathetic state but her smile remained nonetheless. A few wordless seconds later, she then spoke again but this time her speech was directed more to herself more than to Hwum "I really have no idea what I'm doing do I?"

Colors, though vibrant, resplendent and astounding to say the least, even the most joyous aspects have a flip side. Without darkness, light would cease to exist and Raella would do everything in her abilities to conceal the other side of the coin. Ironically, it was her ability which wielded the power to dye her despair crimson and as if an artist had splayed red paint on an unfinished piece, the world around them transitioned into a caliginous vermillion.

They were back at the forbidden forest, looming shadows of the dense canopy amplifying the darkness of midnight. Raella watched in silence as she saw herself strike another nameless creature, misshapen and distorted as always yet still another life now dead. "Hwum is seeing this, stop it" echoed through her mind but was instantly tuned out by the revolting slosh of knife ripping meat.

Now this fully introduced a new color - red.

It was as if the world was silent around them as Raella wrapped her arm around Hwum's waist, directing the other's attention to herself as supposed to the grotesque scene in front of them. However, upon realizing that Hwum's opinion on her probably changed for the worse after what she'd seen, she quickly backed away quicker than a frightened prey. Placing both hands behind her back, Raella desecretly clenched the hem of her dress as she searched her mind for a feasible explanation but in the end, it seemed there was no other escape route. She had to tell the truth. Despite the trepidation piling at the pit of her stomach and weighing her down as if it were lead, she willed her voice to come across as composed.

"I require a living sacrifice around four times a year to keep me alive."

Halting in her speech, she let out a soft breath and sparred a glance at the scene. Once again, she remained quiet for a few moments too long. Her mind void of thoughts yet so preoccupied trying to process the scenario itself. Eventually, the demon broke the silence, her shrill laughter piercing the grim atmosphere like a lance impaling flesh. Turning back to face Hwum, she then took the slightest step toward her.

"It's ironic really."

Unfurling her wings, she let her lips curl into a false smile. They say eyes were the windows to the soul, however, at that moment, Raella kept them apathetic and allowed this facade guide her tone.

"You almost can't tell who's the real monster here."

As Hwum embraced her, Raella stilled herself, her body stiff from shock while her state of mind shifted from pandemonium to an empty void as the illusions around them flickered out. She expected Hwum to be rendered speechless, her expression contorted into one of disgust or worse yet, walk away but here they were, just the two of them in the otherwise vacant rooftop. Eventually, Raella released the tension in her rigid posture and melted into the hug, allowing her arms to softly wrap around the other’s waist. There is nothing wrong with wanting to live. Closing her eyes, she spared herself this moment to truly feel Hwum’s presence. Her warmth, her gentle yet sturdy grasp and the way her petite frame complimented her own. Raella never thought herself as one who craved for the vigor of life yet at that moment, perhaps living wasn’t so bad after all. Tears stung at her eyes whilst a swarm of butterflies invaded her stomach but somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to think of it as discomfort. Instead, this felt like the epitome of euphoria.

“Thank you” Her voice came across barely more audible than a mere whisper but it was enough to express her gratitude.

Stepping back, she conjured an illusion of a single flower which rested atop the palm of her outstretched hand. It’s petals whiter than the purest snow save for the edges which ended in a pinkish shade matching the blush on her cheeks. “It may not be real but this is a lisianthus, representing appreciation for others in the language of flowers. It's also my favorite flower." Pausing for a moment, she let the image shatter as she took Hwum's hand into her own.

"Say, have you ever been to a flower meadow?”

At Hwum's assurance, Raella felt her cheeks sting with a tinge of red whilst her heartbeat picked up the pace. Though she knew little about the foreign emotion manifesting itself within the confinements of her chest, she indulged in the unique warmth it brought. Allowing the corners of her lips curve upwards in her slight intoxication of euphoria, she gladly dived into one of her favorite conversation topics: flowers. Barely able to contain her exhilaration, her words were fired out at an almost incomprehensible rapid-fire pace while her state of elation seeped into her tone of voice.

"Yes! It's very interesting actually, every flower has their own meaning. Sometimes, the color of the flower also plays a role in determining the message. For example, while white carnations signify "sweet" or "lovely", yellow carnations signify disdain. Additionally, two-toned carnations mean "I cannot be with you." There are also flowers which have a double meaning; while sunflowers signify loyalty and longevity, they also mean false riches."

At that juncture, she immediately halted her speech, her blush rapidly intensifying and spreading to the tip of her nose. "I... I'm so sorry, I ended up rambling... again..." Pausing for a moment, she then regained her composure before she addressed Hwum in a much more languid pace. "Anyway, I haven't been to a flower meadow too. I've always dreamed of going through." Letting out a soft exhale, she tugged at the drifting tendrils of energy, weaving and bending them to her will like a seamstress at a loom. Everything she'd ever imagined she attempted to bring to life in the form of her own illusions. Eventually, a cacophony of wildflowers littered the vicinity before them forming a riot of vibrant colors. Turquoise, violet, magenta, indigo darkened the battlefield whilst azure, pearl, cyan, and canary brought forth bursts of light. The two forces separated only by tallgrass which dripped with early morning dew. A tranquil yet musical silence fell between the two as the pleasant aroma of flowers rushed forth like a tirade of orchestral notes, enlightening the senses. Gently wrapping an arm around Hwum's waist, Raella gestured toward the field before them, her fingers sweeping through the humid but crisp air before speaking once again, her voice coming across in a resolute but not quite commanding manner.

"One day, I'll take you there for real."

I like listening to you talk.

Though those words seemed to insignificant, they struck a cord in Raella flustering her for a short moment. It was interesting, really, the fact that there was someone out there who cared about her odd obsession of flowers or that they also brushed off the fact she had to literally kill to survive. How the very things she found selfish about herself was seemingly embraced by Hwum confused Raella to no end, however, she wished this moment of bliss would continue.

Bending down ever so slightly, she aligned her face with Hwum, leaning in such that their faces were a mere inch apart. “Of course I will.” An amused smile danced across her lips as she brought her hand up, fingers stroking a gentle line from Hwum’s brow down the side of her cheek to her chin. Letting her voice drop low, almost as teasing as that of her facade but significantly more genuine, she then spoke. “Mark my words miss, this promise will not go unkept.” Raella’s gaze lingered, locked onto the other’s eyes before traveling down to the bridge of her nose, the tinge on her cheeks and eventually resting on curve of her lips. The rhythm of her heart tempted her to fully close the distance between them yet her mind spoke otherwise.

The surprises and confusion never ended, did it? Should she be at a bar, there would be little to no hesitation at initiating anything even boardering on sexual. Heck, she’d even woken up to faces she’d never seen before but even the thought of crossing a line in this case set off a dead weight in the pit of her gut. Instead, she opted to tilt her chin up, lightly pressing her lips against the other’s forehead before averting her gaze to a side, a tad too bashful for a flirtatious wink.